Ordination p icture oj Father Vincent Doan Bui, 5.5.
Through many dangers f
Father Vincent Bui s faith sustains him amid war and illness By Evelyn Zappia ¦
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Church of the Nativity steeple towers above smoke f rom exp losions
in Mang er Square Ap ril 15. Some 200 Palestinians remained in the church. Pop e John Paul II p rayed f o r an end to the bloodshed. Story on Page 15.
j j U.S. church leaders called to I I Rome on sex abuse crisis i
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Catholic News Service i
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A special summit between Vatican officials and U.S. church leaders will examine the clergy sex abuse crisis and discuss ways of restoring trust among j I families/pri ests and U.S. Catholics, a Vatican j statement said. In a two-sentence announcement April 16, the Vatican said the "working session" April
23-24 would bring together U.S. cardinals and the heads of Vatican congregations that deal with clergy, doctrine and bishops. The Vatican said the purpose of the meeting was to "examine problems that have been created in the church in the United States following scandals connected with pedophilia and to indicate guiding princi ples with the SEX ABUSE CRISIS, page 3
X believe that God does not want people to suffer," said Father Vincent Bui. It is a remarkable statement from the canon lawyer who is living with an inoperable brain tumor not knowing when, or if, the tumor will take his life. Yet, Father Bui wakes each morning seemingly spiritually stronger than the day before — committed to giving whatever he can to others. "If one day, I can give only my love then that is what I will do, " he said sitting behind his desk at the Chancery. Ironicall y, Vincent Doan Bui's life began with a precarious future that chronicles two decades of suffering. As a child growing up in poverty during the -Vietnam War, he once thought the mere possession of a ban ana could change his life. Vincent was born Catholic in 196l in South Vietnam when talk of Communist domination of his country changed from whispered threats to worldwide press coverage. President John E Kennedy had , sent 400 American Green Berets to Vincent's homeland to train its :: soldiers to fight against the Viet Cong guerrillas. : America 's commitment fueled the dreaded fear within Vincent 's parents who only seven years earlier fled North Vietnam, with three children , to escape religious persecution from the Communists. A rare Catholic couple, who shared their faith with onl y 6 percent of the millions of people in the country. ^ :Although; life in South Vietnam was extraordinarily difficult for ¦ Ic and Mrs. Bui , they believed any hardship was worth raising FR. VINCENT BUI , page 10 their children Catholic. ¦
President Bush rallies opponen ts of human cloning ~ Page 4 ~
Catherine McCarthy, Vatican II auditor, dies ~ Page 7 ~