November
&
2000
3,
Number
Volume 10
atholic NEWS H A
9
Serving Catholics
n
I
s
in
L D
E R
Western North Carolina
in
the Diocese of Charlotte
d
i
Education in-service
USCC
official
addresses Charlotte Diocese educators
...Page
Pope John Paul declare St.
II
3
to
Thomas More Photos by Chris Keane
patron of politicians ...Page
7
Four -year-old Caitlin Dest, 9-year-old T.J. Roux and 6-year-old Katherine Francis find crafty ways to fill a fall afternoon at St. Gabriel School in Charlotte. Caitlin is putting together a picture frame decorated with puzzle pieces. T.J. paints a ceramic butterfly, while Katherine ponders ceramic painting as well. The fifth-annual Craft Fair is sponsored by the school's Parent-Teacher Organization. This year, 34 crafters participated, with all funds going to the St. Gabriel
PTO.
'Moratorium Now!' echoes in downtown News
Local
Raleigh during rally and march By MATT DOYLE NC Catholic Staff
Development Office
welcomes new
RALEIGH
staffers ...Page
Fire in
4
the
Mountains Priest challenges
assembly to know, love Bible ...Page
5
tvery Week
— With
fiery rhetoric
and defiant tones, members of several groups opposed to the death penalty in North Carolina brought their message to the center of North Carolina's government Oct. 28. About 100 people gathered outside the offices of Attorney General Mike Easley and marched to the Governor's Mansion about five blocks away. It was a Saturday afternoon and few people were visible along the parade route. At one point a speaker suggested that the group shout loud enough to get the Governor's bodyguards to look out the window of the
mansion.
...Pages
Editorials
10-11
& Columns ...Pages
12-13
gathered outside Easley's office. They urged the Democratic candidate for governor to call a halt to executions in the state until the General Assembly has had an opportunity to review the appropriateness of the death pen-
vivor" of death row, Alfred Rivera.
After 22 months, on death row, the Winston-Salem man was found innocent and released. He spoke of the inmates on death
row as his "brothers" and noted that he knew several of the men who have been executed. Rivera said he believed he was spared for a reason and that, he said, was to work against the death penalty.
alty.
Across the street from the State Capitol, those who gathered for the noontime rally listened to the lawyer representing the next man scheduled to be executed, Michael Sexton. Tracey Barley of Durham told the
group racism is prevalent in the way is meted out on North Caro-
"I
was one of the lucky
ones," said
Rivera. "There are three guys right that may be not as lucky as me and might not have a chance." "They might be innocent," he said. "We cannot execute people on
now
they claimed
chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, spoke outside the Governor's Mansion following a procession. He
Rivera said even if guilty, there ways to punish the men. Execution, he said, eliminates the possibility of repentance and forgiveness. "They can't repent in the grave." Stephen Dear of People of Faith Against the Death Penalty credited or blamed the current political campaign for imposing a de facto moratorium on the death penalty in North Carolina. However, he questioned the cynicism of scheduling the first execution in nearly a year within 26 hours of the general election. In a prepared statement issued
showed that sixty percent of the
fully utilized his preacher's tools to
before the rally, Dear referred to the
people in North Carolina support a moratorium on the death penalty, the group called on Easley to be "courageous" and suspend the three execu-
rouse the crowd death penalty.
demand
justice
That wish had already been Entertainment
tions that have been scheduled between Election Day and Christmas. Several groups calling for a moratorium on the death penalty
granted as uniformed officers stood at a gated entrance to the residence. Another in plain clothes was visible on the grounds. One Raleigh police officer twirled his baton casually as the group dispersed following the rally. From the mansion side of the street, the crowd was obviously peaceful and non-threatening. There were clergymen, elderly and children prominently among the ranks of protesters.
Buoyed by
statistics
are other
lina.
She said in Sexton's trial "racial was a factor." Barley accused the Wake County District Attorney's Ofbias
of systematically excluding African-Americans from the jury. Several times, the group was reminded that homicide was the cause of death in an execution. Rev. George fice
Allison, executive director of the state
in
opposition to the
But the most emotional plea of all
came from
a
man
identified as a "sur-
for a
See
moratorium made by
at
MORATORIUM,
8
page