Cardinal: ‘Renewed Pentecost’ of common prayer, sacrifice can unite Christianity
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
(CNS PHOTO/PAUL JEFFREY)
Shared prayer and faith in action are crucial to the next phase of the long struggle to bring the world’s Christian churches toward a union of true catholicity, retired Cardinal Walter Kasper said Feb. 21 in a speech in San Francisco on the future of ecumenism. C a r d i n a l K a s p e r, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, gave the University of San Francisco’s annual Paul Wattson Lecture at St. Ignatius Church. His topic: “A vision of Christian unity for the next generation.” Cardinal Kasper said the ecumenical movement has made irreversible Cardinal Walter Kasper progress since his boyhood before and during World War II – “I never dared to enter a Protestant church; I thought this would be a sin I would have to confess” – but acknowledged that the UNITE CHRISTIANITY, page 10
Sister Mariam Almiron, a member of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word from Argentina, spins a small child around following Sunday Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza Feb. 22. There are only some 3,000 Christians in Gaza, of whom a little more than 200 are Catholic.
(CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING)
By Rick DelVecchio
Lent begins March 9 High school and college students from the archdiocese are invited to St. Peter Parish in Pacifica March 5 to fast and pray in solidarity with the world’s poor (see Page 3); the Catholic Coalition for Climate Change suggests ideas for ecology-minded Lenten sacrifices (Page 12); Archbishop Niederauer previews the Ash Wednesday homily he will deliver March 9 at St. Mary’s Cathedral (Page 14); and Marianist Brother John Samaha shares a traditional Lenten prayer (Page 16).
Irish immigration increasing as island’s woes drive young adults abroad to Ireland to wait for promised visas, he said. “That will increase as you go into the year,” he said. “As Ireland’s young people are once again emigrating jobs begin to start, you’ll find word goes back that and some are landing in the San Francisco Bay Area. there is a possibility of work.” Some are here legally, others are not. The Irish economy is in dire straits But most have a relative or friend who after the 2008 banking collapse. As part came to the U.S. in one of the previof a $93 billion international bailout ous waves of Irish immigration, most in November, the Irish government recently in the 1980s and before that promised four years of austerity meain the 1960s. sures including a lower minimum wage, “There’s a definite trend upwards,” reduced public spending and higher said Father Brendan McBride, a native taxes. There is double-digit unemployof Donegal who heads up the Irish ment, houses built during a credit-fueled Immigration Pastoral Center in San construction boom stand empty and Francisco, whose mission is to see to young people graduating from high the spiritual and general welfare of Irish school and from college are looking immigrants. abroad for work. Father John Ryan In the first two months of the year, Over the weekend, the Fianna Fail Father McBride counted 33 or 34 new Irish immiparty, which held power since 1932, lost control of grants and another handful came in December. They the lower house or Dail. The Fine Gael and Labor found work with technology companies and went back parties were expected to form a governing coalition. (PHOTOBY JOEL CARRICO)
By Valerie Schmalz
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said this week there is “room to maneuver” to renegotiate the bailout terms with Ireland’s international lenders. “It is an extremely tough environment there right now for young people,” said Father John Ryan, the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Burlingame, a native of Ireland who had a young relative just move to England for work. “Many of them are trying to leave the country.” For generations beginning with the 19th-century potato famine when more than 1 million Irish left, Ireland’s children grew up expecting that some of the family would emigrate. But beginning in the mid-1990s, Ireland’s economy boomed, becoming a technology center for the European Union because its solid education system and tax breaks attracted European headquarters of companies such as Google. A credit-fueled boom collapsed in 2008, and the banking crisis plunged Ireland into a recession. However, because of the tough visa requirements, IRISH IMMIGRATION, page 11
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION On the Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Defense of Marriage Act . . . . 6 Cathedral Memories . . . . . . . 8 George Weigel. . . . . . . . . . . 15 Catholic author’s novel . . . . 20
Battle of Madison: Bishops ask solidarity ~ Page 5 ~ March 4, 2011
When parishioners skip Communion ~ Page 9 ~
New subtitles for Bresson’s ‘Diary of a Country Priest’ ~ Page 18 ~ ONE DOLLAR
Datebook of Events . . . . . . . 21 Service Directory . . . . . . . . 23
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 13
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