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News & Herald Volume 6 Number
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
5
•
October
4,
Photos by MIKE
Father Ed Vitkauskas, Bishop William Curim and Father Anthony Marcaccio join the four-day event at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte.
in
singing at
Sunday evening's Crusade
service.
1996
KHOKOS
More than 336,000 people attended
Bishop Responds:
Crusade Draws More Than 1,000 To Altar Calls By JIMMY
ROSTAR
Staff Writer
CHARLOTTE
— Some 336,100
U.S. Senate Fails To Override Partial-Birth Abortion
ment sheets were being processed by diocesan staff mid-week following Billy Graham's fourth Charlotte Crusade since
people came in faith to Ericsson Stadium during the Carolinas Billy Graham Crusade Sept. 26-29. Of those, more than
Bishop Curlin, who endorsed the Crusade and attended several of the
22,000 made commitments of rededicat-
prayer services, calls
ion
extraordinary faith in Jesus." The bishop's respect for the evangelist and his message echoes a maturing relationship between Graham and Catholics, which did not exist 30 years ago. "I've been told that there's never been such a unity of churches in Charlotte in history as there has been for this
— more frequently
referred to as al-
tar calls.
The group included an excess
of
who
expressed interest in taking their spiritual journey by way of the Catholic Church. 1
,000
For Graham, a native of the Charlotte area, the
event was a homecoming. 1 ,000 people indicat-
For the more than
ing an interest in Catholicism,
it
was a
spiritual return as well.
"The real work begins now," says Bishop William G. Curlin of the Diocese of Charlotte. "The real
work
is
partial-birth abortion veto:
trying to
I
"a
man
of
Crusade," said Graham to an applauding audience Sunday evening. The Graham and Catholic approach to ecumenical ministry during the past three decades has nurtured the
—
—
help these people deepen their faith in Jesus and live a Christian life."
The Most Reverend William G. Curlin, bishop of the 46-county Diocese of Charlotte issued the following statement in response to the senate vote on the
1947.
Graham
Commit-
am gravely disappointed by the action of some members of the U.S.
Senate
bold defense of the partial-birth abortion act. These elected officials have turned their backs upon humanity, ignored the voices of their constituency, and proceeded to endorse the most inhumane procedure of our generation. in their
Tragically,
some
senators and representatives have been falsely led to be-
lieve that partial-birth abortion flies in the
is
necessary to preserve a
woman's
life.
Yet, this
face of reality. Obstetricians, gynecologists and perinatologists are
emphatic in their denunciation of the partial-birth abortion by stating this procedure is never necessary to save a woman's life, health or fertility. Former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop has stated publicly that this procedure is never medically necessary and charitably suggested that President Clinton was misinformed by his medical advisors. As leaders in the field of medicine have testified, such a horrendous procedure poses its own risk to a woman's health and fertility. I plead with all women and men who seek to defend the sanctity of life, to raise their voices in protest against this action.
Seventy one percent of Americans say
they oppose partial-birth abortions, including
65 percent of those
See Crusade, page 7
Ban Veto
who
call
themselves pro-
choice. Regrettably, 41 senators did not take this into account.
We deserve better represen-
tation than this.
inside
Gov. Hunt
Honors
4
Columns
5
Volunteer 8-9
Workers 15
11
The issue of partial-birth abortion is of such weight that people should keep this in mind when they choose their representatives. We cannot and dare not let our country continue on a path of ever-increasing disregard for the sanctity of life. The cide.
It is
the truth.
partial-birth abortion act is infantitime for us to speak up in defense of
CNS
file
photo