Catholic san Francisco
(PHOTO BY SUSAN NEFF)
Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
San Rafael’s St. Raphael Parish opened Marin county’s first Catholic pre-school August 23. Pre-schools are in operation at several parishes in the Archdiocese including St. Paul’s and Sts. Peter and Paul in San Francisco, and Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame. From left: Mary Lessard, director; Marleny Samayoa, Zachary Martinez, Father Paul Rossi, pastor; Socorro Sandoval, Edith Yates, head teacher; Susan Flores, Jordan Mulligan.
U.S. Catholic officials worried by rise in number of poor, uninsured By Agostino Bono Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The steady rise in the number of poor people in the United States and those without health insurance challenges the nation to a nonpartisan reassessment of its priorities, said a Catholic expert in health care issues. “These are chronic ills that have plagued our society for decades — through both Democratic and Republican administrations,” said Father Michael D. Place, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association. Father Place was commenting on
the Aug. 26 release by the U.S. Census Bureau of its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage. The report, for the year 2003, said the number of people below the U.S. poverty line increased by 1.3 million with more than 60 percent of the increase among children under 18 years of age. In terms of percentage, the number of poor increased by 0.4 percent to 12.5 percent of the U.S. population. The Census Bureau also reported a 1.4 million rise in the number of people lacking health insurance and said household POOR AND UNINSURED, page 18
"The Daffodils," a collage brush painting by last year’s kindergarten class at St. John Elementary School, took the bronze medal in San Francisco Youth Arts Festival competitions. The artwork is hanging in the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St., through May 2005. Diane Aubry is St. John’s kindergarten teacher.
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Seminarians on celibacy. . . 3 New principals. . . . . . . . . . 6 First day of school . . . . . . . 9 Columnists. . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Scripture and reflection . . . 14 Catholic perspective . . . . . 15
News-in-brief ~ Pages 4-5 ~ September 3, 2004
Pastoral Plan Update ~ Pages 10-11 ~
‘Hero’ movie review ~ Page 17 ~
FIFTY CENTS
Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 6
•
No. 27