March 5, 1999

Bishops, Catholic hospitals oppose physician-assisted suicide proposal

By Julie Sly, editor Catholic Herald , Sacramento California's Catholic bishops and the state's Catholic hospitals will oppose legislation introduced March 1 that would legalize physician-assisted suicide in California.

The measure, sponsored by Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (DBerkeley), is similar to Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law, enacted in 1997, which allows terminally ill patients to ask a doctor for lethal medications to end their lives.

Aroner said her bill "will provide people suffering from terminal illness the peace of mind to know that if their symptoms become so severe and debilitating, or their pain so great, they have the choice to end their suffering. " David Pollard, associate director for legislation and public policy at the California Catholic Conference in Sacramento, which represents the state 's bishops, said Aroner's bill "is not about compassion and choice.

Vis ne*a question:Šf our failing in compassion to the dying. It's a question of the acceptance of the human condition of suffering. " Pollard said Catholic moral teach ing against physician aid4n~dying is "crystal clear." He added that the bishops have been working over the past few years to support legislation to aid terminally ill patients, including expanding hospice care and making it easier for patients to receive pain control medications. "Things that militate against a peaceful death and move people to look for an end to life should be addressed in any way we possibly can and morally can," Pollard said. "We must address pain control, financial pressures in health care and the lack of hospice care facilities—all of these militate against a peaceful death. " California voters in 1992 rej ected a ballot proposition that would have allowed physicians directly to BISHOPS, Page 9

St. Augustine Parish bid for school and enlarged church passes So. San Francisco

Colloquium spea kers ash Church to put teachings into concrete actions

half of one percent of all 12th-grade students in the country. Her mom and dad are Jose and Eisa. Her plans for the fall have her on a UC campus or at Cal Poly.

Where it 's at... Remember that forms for student aid are only available fro m schools and not the Department ot Catholic Schools. However, should you call that office for something they can help you with , the person answering the phone could very well be longtime Mission Dolores parishioner Lydia Cassetta. Ly dia is in her twenty first Tom Burke by year with schools and a great hel p to all. She 's also proud of her original parish , St. Kevin in Bernal Heights. Jane Nelson , another hel p ful schools ' depart ment worker, remembers the Spreckels-Russell Dairy (see below) from Where two or three... Archbishop William J. Levada her bike rides as a kid that took her "all over the City." Jane will preside at the annual Young Ladies Institute and had bi g windows so passers-by could said the milk factory St, Young Men's Institute Mass on March 7, at 11 a.m. at watch the action.

Reminds me of the many tri ps I took as a Rita Parish, Fail lax. Maryanna Bettencourt of St. Peter Philadel p hia. Thanks and outside kid to WaWa Dairies just Parish, is chair of the day that ends with presentation of a Busch who just ended her long serGood Luck to Shirley Patrick YLI burse to the Archbishop for use at St. department to pursue new opportunivice in the schools' Seminary. This year 's g ift amounts to approximatel y ties. $4,000. Marie Bettencourt , a YLI member for 45 years Happy Anniversary... Native San Franciscans Marie and Maiyanna 's mom, has helped coordinate the event, and Walter Weiss celebrated their 60th wedding annivermore than Mary anna 's dad , Richard , a member of YMI for sary on Feb. 18. The will alsc 50 years and a past grand president of the group, were married couple parishioners. be there. The senior Betlencourt s are St. Rita Dolores Williams of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and in St. Peter Parish AH Hallows Chapel is YLI grand president. Thomas where Walt ran Fourie, of All Souls Parish, South San Francisco, is cur- Bingo for 20 years rently YMI' s grand second vice president. Both organiza- and Mari e was ever tions have San Francisco roots and are more than a century in the cafeteria old. YLI has about 1,000 members in the Archdiocese and whi pp ing up some YMI about 250. For information about joining , call (415) goodies. Children are Marvis , Ski p 346-4367.

University bound... Congratulations to these seniors at and Tim. GrandchMarin Catholic High School who have been accepted at ildre n are Susan , their colleg e of choice. Daniel Doub of Our Lady of Mary and Jim. Loretto Parish, Novato will be on wing to the Flight Susan , now married School at St. Louis University . Andy Nelson, another Our and living in Union Marie and Walter Weiss Lady of Loretto member, got the green light from City, remembered University of Notre Dame. Dan Morales of St. Rita rising early at Walt and Marie 's. Weekend sleep-overs Parish, Fairfax won an appointment to the U.S. Air Force always meant getting up "before the roosters " to attend 6 Academy. Purdue University's welcome mat is out for a.m. Sunday Mass at Corpus Christ Parish where the couLuke Lampson of St. Isabella Parish, San Rafael. Mike p le took up residence in the 1960s. The lifetime Giants and Masterson, a St. Hilary, Tiburon parishioner will study 49er fans said the three-score years have "been wonderful" mathematics at Harvard University. and "when you have something good you hold onto it." Walt Whatsoever you rfc.The St. Vincent de Paul Society likened Marie and himself to the well-known Energizer of St. Raymond Parish in Menlo Park takes the legacy of bunny. "We just keep on going," the retired head pasteurizSVDP founder Frederic Ozanam very seriously. Last er for Spreckels-Russell Dairy said.

Thanks be to God: The liturgy committee of St. Mark year, the group spent 1,200 hours visiting those in need at home, hospitals , nursing homes, and prison. More than 300 Parish, Belmont hel ped my hearing of the Word with a people , including 50 children , knew their kindness. recent bulletin note affirming Scri pture as "our famil y stoVincentians are like a quiet storm across America and the ries" and how "it brings us together and unites as one." world asking only for a clear path to the poor. If you ever Thanks and amen to committee members Janice get a chance to help them, don't pass it up. St. Raymond Abbariao, Mary Beraldo, Chris Beraldo-Holl y, Joanne conference members are Frank O'Neill , president; Ed Bottini , Julian Carmona, Jr., Robert Gillanders, Jackie Ehmke, VP; Paul Robbiano, secretary; Art Barrett , trea- Guzman, Joyce Harrington, Matt Hassett, Bonnie surer; Bill Alfano, Lou Ciardella, Jim D'Arcy, Tom O'Brien and Joan Risso. They also sign themselves Your Kirkbride, Joe McLoughlin, Connie Morris, Dorothy Liturgy Committee, a reminder that parish prayer life is Myllaert, Jim O'Brien, Joan O'Neill and Ed Paar. something we all have a part in. Father Floro Arcamo, Father Pat Michaels is pastor and Giorgia Ossman is who recentl y recorded a Church favorites CD, is pastor. office manager.

Sherry A grella is office manager. Sales of Father That 's Amore... "Love knows no limit , it can outlast any- Arcamo's CD benefi t the parish building fund earmarked to thing," says Anita Giusti, apostolate chair of the Italian help with the cost of St. Mark' s new multi-use center. For Catholic Federation branch at St. Elizabeth Parish. Anita information on buy ing a copy, call (650) 591-5937. and her husband, Vasco, have been married 58 years and Good answer] A younger version of the long-ago lived in St. Elizabeth's for 50 of them. When asked if we Sunday afternoon mainstay, GE College Bowl , takes place could publicize her personal take on affection, which she tomorrow at Junipero Serra High School. Sixth , seventh cleverly used as a finish to her parish report in the ICF news- and eighth grade students from Catholic elementary paper Bollettino, Mrs. Guisti said, "Absolutely. I think love schools throughout the Archdiocese will compete in severshould be spread around." Remember, you can join ICF if al areas of learning , including math , science and oratory, in you 're Italian or just want to be. There are about 15 branches the annual Junior High Academic Decathlon. It's an throughout the Archdiocese. For the one nearest you, call ICF all-day contest sure to ring up a lot of fun arid memories for headquarters at 1-888-ICF-1924. There 's still time for high all contestants and their families. College Bowl's Sunday school seniors to apply for ICF scholarships. You have to be sister was Ted Mack' s ever-Orig inal Amateur Hour and Catholic and Italian or Catholic and the child of an ICF mem- who could forget Twentieth Century? ber. Call the number above for information , ICF members "On the Street Where You Live " is about you. Please recently donated $5,000 to victims of Hurricane Mitch. 're While we here... Martha Doromal, a St. Elizabeth send items to On the Street Where You Live, Catholic parishioner and a Mercy High School, Burlingame senior San Francisco, 441 Church St., SF 94! 14 or f a x to (415) 565-3633. Please include contact phon e number is a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Martha 's hard work has earned her ranking in the top onefor possible follow- up or story expansion.

On The

In this issue . . . STREET 1

6

Eclectic

Street artists to support restoration

14

Doctrine

Death penalty teaching is outlined

17

Prayer

New book sweet guide to Scripture

C

Archbishop :

Racism is a fact ~ and sin

V

Vatican Letter: 19 0 A papal gentleman 's memoirs

11f-J) Puig&tory:

1

Clarifications on old questions

Uturgy : Ifi 1V Seek Jesus the reconciler Photo cover of Marrissa Estonina, 4, is by Evelyn Zappia.

I CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Officia l newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Most Reverend William J. Levada, publisher Maurice E. Healy, associate publisher Dan Morris-Young, manag ing editor Joseph Pena , advertising director Enrico Risano , produ ction manager Evelyn Zappia, feature editor Tom Burke , "On the Street " and Datebook Kenneth Barroga, assistant edito r Julie Benbow, graphic consultant Sharon Abercrombie , staff writer Editorial offices are located at 441 Church St., San Francisco, CA 94114 Telephone: (415) 565-3699 News fax: (415) 565-3631 Circulation: 1-800-828-1252. Advertising fax: (415) 565-368!

Catholic San Francisco is published weekly except the last Friday in December and bi-weekl y during June , July and August by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, 1595 Mission Rd., South San Francisco, CA 94080-1218. Annual subscription rates are $10 within California , $20 all other states, and $40 internationally. A pp lication to mail at periodical rates is pending at South San Francisco and at additional post offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Catholic San Francisco, 1595 Mission Rd., South San Francisco, CA 94080-1218 Corrections: If there is an error in the mailing label affixed to this newspaper, cal! the Catholic San Francisco a! I-80O-82S-1252. Refer to ihe current mailing label.

Also, please lei as know if the household is receiving duplicate copies. Thank you.

Where You Live

Home Loans for Catholics Jjj KLn Purchase or refinance

( H ! | WnVtW }

No points or closing costs Loans from $100,000 to $240,000 =**'• ™>»2™ ™E '™ ^™ 15- to 30-year fixed rate, no prepayment penalty Other loans up to $600,000. Call for free credit report

_

,

Apply by phone Toll-free: 1-800-795-0393

Any time, 24 hours

.

Licensed brokei. Cut Dopt. ol Real

FIRST WEST FUNDING Catholics Serving Catholics San Luis Obispo, CA

Healing Your Inner Child J0ML

Free Open House

¦ * ^p CV- /

"INTIMACY & DREAMS"

Mon. March 15 , Belmont

Lgj|y g|jl Coming Sat. Marc h 27th - Intensive , S.F. | Healing our childhood wounds. Dreaming our future blessings. Two multi-week groups

ULA CAFFERY, MA, CCHT

RSVP (415) 337-9474 • (650) 593-2020 www.innerchitdhealing .com

New school and enlarged church win approval in S. San Franciso

By Tom Burke

Construction of a new school and enlarged church at St. Augustine Parish will begin sometime after Easter. The South San Francisco City Council approved plans for the buildings on Feb. 24. The council' s 5-0 vote overturned an earlier rejection of the proposal by the city 's Planning Commission.

"My reaction currently is a combination of shock and relief ," laughed Father Eugene Tungol , pastor, the day after the vote. "I am also very happy."

Parish Deacon Bob Bertolani said he was "elated." "This is something the community has wanted for a long time," he continued. "This is a very positive thing, a very good thing."

Beyond the larger church and the school , the five-year planning effort has fortified St. Augustine as a community, its leaders indicated.

"The community 's pulling together was inspirational ," Deacon Bertolan i said.

"The events leading up to Wednesday 's vote, turmoil included , reinforced the bonds of people within St. Augustine and with the larger community."

Father Tungol expressed special thanks to his sister parishes in South San

tn

s a

Above, Jennifer Sturtevant and her two sons Jared , 3 (left), and Preston, 5, were among the nearly 150 parishioners of St. Augustine Parish, South San Francisco, who took part in a prayer vigil at the church Feb. 24 while the City Council deliberated on the fate of the parish's bid for a new school and enlarged church. Sturtevant hopes her sons will attend the new St. Augustine Elementary School approved by the Council , and now scheduled to open in September of 2000.

At right, a St. Augustine parishioner prayers during the vigil.

Francisco, all of which were represented at the meeting on Feb. 24. "We are extremel y gratefu l to the parish and school communities of St. Veronica, All Souls and Mater Dolorosa for their recent and continuing support ," Father Tungol said. At least one non-Catholic denomination was also represented at the meeting.

Also in attendance were Auxiliary Bishop John Wester and archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools Dominican Sister Glenn Anne McPhee.

The parish is mindful of the impact the

RENEW 2000 and T2K'

From the Office of RENEW 2000 Many people are concerned about "Y2K ," the year 2000 computer "threat." Perhaps, however, we should be more concerned about "Why 2 K". Why the fuss and the celebration?

It is the 2000"' anniversary of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That 's why.

Will you be really ready to celebrate? Do something special to prepare for the new millennium. Participate in RENEW 2000, the archdiocesan sp iritual renewal process and program.

If you are not currently taking part in RENEW' s Season Two, there will be amble opportunity to j oin the process in the future — there are three more seasons which will take us through the year 2000. Season Three will begin Oct. 3. Mark your calendar now. And call your parish for more information on how to become involved.

upcoming constructi on might have on the important the school and larger church are community. Father Tungol said the first of to this community." several meetings to look at such issues has Starr said the more than three acre site been scheduled April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in "is totall y adequate" for the new buildin gs the parish hall. and that the school includes "several "I am jubilant ," said Sister Glenn smaller courtyards and play areas for the Anne. "Wednesday ' s meeting was an children." Marshall/Lee has comp leted answer to many work on other area prayers and to move parishes and schools St. Augustine is the ahead with a project including St. like this is just wonBrendan , St. largest parish in the derful.".

Gabriel , Ep i phany With regard to the , St. Augustine Archdiocese with close and new school's benefit nei g hbor , St. to the broader Veronica. The firm to 5,000 households.

Archdiocese , Sister is currentl y in the Glenn Anne said , p lanning stages of More than 4 ,000 "This will relieve the major work at pressure on surImmaculate Heart of p eople attend Mass rounding parish Mary Parish in schools that have Belmont. there each weekend. been try ing to St. Augustine is ~~ ~ the largest parish in accommodate St. Augustine. In recent years we have had far the Archdiocese with close to 5,000 households. More than 4 ,000 peop le more applications than there are spaces."

"The people of St. Augustine are to be attend Mass there each weekend.

The combined membershi p of St. thanked and commended for their commitment to this effort ," Sister Glenn Anne said. Augustine 's executive and building com"Wednesday 's vote was an affirmation not mittees includes Louie Cabaluna , chair, only of the project but also their goodness." Chito Desuasido , Alice Bulos , Fernando "During the last three years I feel like Lavin , Virgilio Talao, Richard Cabael , I've become a member here," said Bill Norman Leoncio , Ron Davis , Art Starr, a princ ipal with Marshall/Lee Inc., Claveria, Mario Cabael , Linda Lavin , Bert Chris Architects , designers of the new school Nocum , Nestor Villarosa , and church addition. Starr, who stayed at Christenson, Larry Gordon , Joe Duiatre , the February 24 meeting until the City and Russell Gutierrez.

The parish has already raised $2.5 milCouncil voted at 11 p.m., said the feeling in the room after the tally "was sheer joy. lion of the projected $3.5 million cost of It has become very evident to me how the school and churc h construction .

Rent No More !!!

NOW is the Time to Own Your Home at Affordable Prices Homes available in Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano Counties El Cerrito , Berkeley, Richmond, San Pablo, El Sobrante , Pinole, Hercules, Vallejo, Fairfield , Benicia 500 W ESTLAKE A VENUE , D ALY C ITY (415) 587-4500 (650) 756-4500 FD 1098

Most convenien t San Francisco/Peninsula location Unlimited Parking

THE BUD DUGGAN FAMILY The leading Catholic Funeral Directors serving the Archdiocese of San Francisco

CALL FOR A FREE BROCHURE ON PRE PLANNING Traditional and Cremation Services

a

Unbelievable Opportunities to Buy All Time Low Interest Rates First Time or Step Up Buyer Financing Affordable Housing Program Serving Buyers and Sellers over 13 years!!!

LINA JOHNSON, REALTOR 510-237-2817 Coldwell Banker 510-758-6318 Barrels Realtors Yo Hablo Espanol

First Mass of millennium

-- ¦fltHHBP^ - . -

Pope s p oems as young man p ublishing smash

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) — A Polish publisher has released a collection of poems written by Pope John Paul II as a university student six decades ago.

Leszek Sosnowski of Krakow 's Bialy Kruk publishers said the 78-year-old pontiff consented to the publication privately after admiring the company 's earlier work.

Renesansowy Psalten (Renaissance Psalter) was launched Feb. 18 at a Warsaw press conference and includes five lengthy unpublished poems written by the thenKarol Wojty la more than 18 months before the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. The publisher said the entire print-run of 10,000 copies sold out a day after publication.

A brochure from Bialy Kruk publishers described the poems, printed with p ictures by photographer Adam Bujak , as a "sensational literary discovery" that revealed the young man's "stunning maturity of reflection " and "richness of language."

In one poem , Morning Hymns , Wojty la expresses his sense of foreboding before World War II. In another piece, the future pope reveals a struggle over the Christian faith.

"I came through the deepest troug h of failure and doubt , through a vast well of denials. And then one of the spirits came down to me, an angel rich with the Word, and he said to me: Believe!

"And people came to me, and spells came to me, and it was then I started to see.

And my faith was strengthened so much, that today it's stronger than ever it was when I merely seemed happy, but was eaten from inside and consumed b y insects ."

Sosnowski said the pope had sent a "letter of blessing " to the editor, Marek Skwamicki, and "waited impatiently like any author."

"This is the poetry of a Krakow student — full of joy, enthusiasm, clarity and gratitude ," Sosnowski said.

"Later, after his terrible burden of wartime experiences, he couldn 't write the same way. Preparing for priesthood , he shut the collection up in a drawer and never returned to it. It was only at our proposal that he agreed to have it printed ," he said.

Among other items , Renaissance Psalter ' includes a full version of Wojtyla's poem to his mother, Emilia, who died in 1929, when he was eight.

Asked how he would use profits from the book, estimated at $170,000 on the first day, Sosnowski said the pope 's personal secretary, Bishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, had recommended donating part to "some hospital or children 's home," but stressed that Pope John Paul had laid down no conditions nor expected an honorarium.

f ederal court finds Catholic Workers guilty

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) — Four members of the Catholic Worker movement were found guilty in U.S. District Court Feb. 19 of "creating hazardous conditions" at the Pentagon while protesting U.S. bombings and economic sanctions against Iraq. Judge Theresa Carroll Buchanan, U.S. magistrate for the Eastern District of Virginia , found the activists "guilty without a reasonable doubt " of pouring motor oil and a red-colored liquid on a crosswalk at a Pentagon parking lot Dec. 28. Three received one-year unsupervised suspensions, and a fourth faced a possible jail sentence and $5,000 fine , pending results of an investigation of previous arrests .

Chiapas bishops decry bill to forgive crimes

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico (CNS) — Two bishops from Chiapas state said proposed legislation that would forgive crimes by members of paramilitary groups is "untimely" and does not acknowledge the connection between the groups and the government. "In the framework of the suspension of the peace dialogue, of unprecedented militarization in the modern history of Chiapas, and the growth of political intolerance, this is the least-appropriate moment to suggest forgiving and forgetting, " said the Feb. 18 statement, signed by San Cristobal Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia and Coadjutor Bishop Rau l Vera Lopez.

Church social teaching seen as labor ally

NEW YORK (CNS) — The social teaching of the Catholic Church has been influential in the history of the International Labor Organization and is an ally in the tasks facing the organization, according to the ILO's new director general. Juan Somavia, who left his post as Chile's ambassador to the United Nations and began his new job March 4, said in an interview "shared values" and "moral conviction" about the necessity of implementing those values are essential to accomplishing ILO's goals. The ILO, based in Geneva, promotes the right of workers to collective bargaining, eradication of child labor, nondiscriminatory emp loyment and prohibition of forced labor.

Vatican: quit smoking, g ive to AIDs battle

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican has called on people around the world to give up smoking for a day and donate the equivalent money to the fight against AIDS.

AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR

2S01 Cesar Chavez (Army St.), San Francisco 94124

• Garage Doors

S, B

• Commercial & Residential

M««». J^n™,

Mark G r i f f i n nnr , .„f n^ s G <~ r„ O wn er & r ardf u a to e St. Finn Barr & Riordan High School

( 4 1 5 )

ra

large Room a Show * Licensed & Bonded 6 71116

6 4 8 - 6 4 13

X (X

Youngsters stand by a statue of Mary in front of Holy Cross Church in Wairiki on the island of Taveni, Fiji. It is the closest Catholic church to the international date line — and site of where the first Mass of the millennium will be celebrated.

The proposal by the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers was designed as a penitential preparation for the year 2000. At the same time, it aimed to provide concrete assistance to AIDS sufferers and increase awareness about the health risks of smoking, said a statement sent to bishops and posted on the council's Internet site.

The council asked local church leaders to "invite all Christians and all people of good will" to give up tobacco products for a day and to give what they would have spent in smoking to the fight against AIDS.

Mexican bishop hits VS. drug polic ies

MEXICO CITY (CNS) — A Mexican bishop sharply criticized U.S. strategy in the international fight against illegal drugs, even as U.S. and Mexican leaders signed new agreements they said would improve coordination.

The vice president of the Mexican bishops ' conference, Bishop Jose Martin Rabago, told reporters "nobody, absolutely nobody, has given the United States the right to certify other countries and to convert itself into the world's police force."

The U.S. Congress requires the State Department "certif y " that forei gn partners such as Mexico are fulfilling their role in the struggle against drugs to continue receiving military, police and financial aid.

During a two-day visit to Merida , Mexico, in mid-February, U.S. President Bill Clinton signaled that his administration would certify Mexico again this year in spite of disagreements over extradition of Mexican citizens wanted for crimes committed in the United States and the rights of U.S. investi gators operating in Mexico.

Bishop Martin said the process damages the dignity of Mexico and of other countries because nobody has the moral quality to jud ge others." He added that only

Holt + Collins Stock Broken

I I

Since 1928

Bayside Plaza • The Embarcadero Suite 760 • San Francisco, CA 94105-1235

"Serving Investors Since 1928 " (415) 543-8500 • Fax (415) 764-1064 (800) 443-2227

"nations or governments which consider themselves to be first class and the others to be second or third class, and basing themselves in domination, give themselves functions that do not belong to them."

"The root of the trafficking of drugs is their consumption, and we know well that this custom, after all, is not even part of Mexican culture," he said.

Viet ordinations ok 'd by government

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After refusing to allow the ordination of any religiousorder priests in 1998, the government of Vietnam has given permission for nine men to be ordained this month.

Fides , the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the nine would be ordained March 18 in the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Ho Chi Minh City.

Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, the city 's archbishop, will ordain two Dominicans, two Jesuits, two Redemptorists , a Sulpician, a Franciscan and a member of the Nazareth Institute, a local order.

Bill on confessio ns pas ses in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — The Oregon House of Representatives has approved legislation that allows clergy to keep confessions secret, even if the penitent wants the information to get out.

The bill, approved last month by a vote of 52-0, allows clergy the same privilege extended to spouses, whose conversations cannot be used in court. The bill would give government backing to the sacred Catholic tradition of the seal of confession.

Bob Castagna, executive director of the Oregon Catholic Conference, called the vote an affirmation of religious freedom.

Kaufer 's

Religious

Supp lies

Your completesourcefo rholidaygoods, articlesand books f orchurch, home or gif ts y Street• San Francisco 55 Beverl , CA 94132 For excellent service in the Kaufer TRADITION,

Call (415) 333-4494 or FAX: (415) 333-0402

O RDINARY T IME

Black Catholics - on the edge Catholics today, racism is also alive and well in the United States, including the Church.

I remember last November's testimony by my brother bishops, who are African American, making the same point. It surprised me then, and it surprised me last Saturday. But I have been able to understand a little better than before that my experience is different than that of my black brothers and sisters, whose roots in America go back Archbishop William J. Levada not 150 years but 300 years and more. Whatever economic and cultural , and even religious, hurdles my family and I success story at schools like Sacred Heart, St. Dominic, St. have had to overcome, they have largely been overcome.

Sadly, this is not yet true for African Americans. They Paul of the Shipwreck and others, where African American tell us that they are always on edge, waiting for the endem- children benefit from the sacrifices of their parents and famic American racism to surface in some new expression of ilies, of their parishes, and of the entire Archdiocese for support given to their education. From these and other Catholic discrimination , prejudice - or even violence.

Here are some other things I learned. I learned that slav- schools our black children are prepared for and enter ery put its stamp on American society in an all-encompass- Catholic college-prep high schools, and go from there to coling way, in the minds of many, maybe most, Blacks. I will lege and the compedtive educational opportunities that are have to think and study more before I could agree with one essential to overcoming the decades and centuries of missed upjj unuiiiucs Liii^cii uy »iavci_y or our speaxers mat slavery is tne and segregation . primary defining issue of the One of my own personal comAmerican story, economic, politi- ...in the eyes of African mitments in beginning our cal and religious. But I will Catholic Education Endowment remember in the future not to American Catholics today, campai gn, "Today's Students , ignore that voice when I look at Tomorrow's Leaders," is to guarcultural , intellectual , political and racism is ... alive and well antee sufficient scholarship and reli gious anal yses of what shaped in the United States , tuition money for present and the America we live in today. future children of working class I also learned that many black families - black, white and Catholics feel they are being including the Church.

Hispanic - to enable them to sniip .p .7.p .dnut nf rlie nir.liire - and attend Catholic school. the funding - in much of what society does for the poor and Of course I do not propose Catholic schools as. "the" marginalized. They look at the new emphasis on "multiculturalism " as a disguised attempt to soften the focus on solution to the endemic problem of American racism and racism , deriving from the national experience of slavery, by its effects on our African American brothers and sisters. making the African American experience parallel that of all But it surely is apart of the solution th at is already in place, and the failure of America to support these children 's eduother immigrant groups. cation stands out as another great shame in our land.

In this context, it was new to me to hear that black In the meantime I have learned - again - that we have Catholics have feelings which range from concern to no lack of good teaching and good will as Catholics. But resentment about the recent (and in my view necessary) ? attention given to the rising tide of Hispanics within the we do need to find more ways to put our theory into praco Catholic Church. In this view, the focus on Hispanic min- tice, in solidarity with the African Americans of our land istry has come at the cost of the commitment of the past who truly are "Brother and Sisters to Us." < 2 three decades to helping inner-city Blacks through institu8 tional and structural commitments by the Church. ¦t- Lj iiLc^S^____ ^ ^ Here one of the greatest stories remains a beacon of hope. ^^ From left, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Catholic schools in the inner cities of the United States have Archbishop William J. Levada , and retired Archbishop been a primary source of educational opportunity for John R. Quinn at the Feb. 27 colloquium at the Most Rev. William J. Levada Catholic and non-Catholic Afric an Americans alike.

University of San Francisco.

Archbishop of San Francisco San Francisco has a right to be proud to be a part of this

Saturday I joined several hundred other interLast ested folk for the third annual Archbishop John R. Quinn Colloquium on Catholic Social Teaching at the University of San Francisco. The topic was "Black and White in America: A Catholic Perspective." The day was interesting, stimulating and challenging in equal measures.

Mayor Willie Brown provided some poignant local reminders from recent events in San Francisco that racism is not dead yet, even in this progressive bastion. The nightly news had just rehearsed the events of Jasper, Texas, where a black man had been viciously dragged to his death behind a pickup, a community faced its own demons as the trial of one of his murderers drew to its conclusion , and news anchors who should know better tried (in vain) to put the word "revenge" on the lips of the dead man 's sister, whose noble self-possession in regard to her and her family's feelings won my greatest admiration and respect.

The colloquium speakers - three black and one white were each eloquent in their passion for justice and truth .

They taught me a lot.

After hearing often that day about the many statements of the U.S. bishops , especially the 1979 pastoral letter "Brothers and Sisters to Us," I decided to re-read that statement. It too is eloquent and direct, and reminds us that racism is both a fact and a sin. One thing I learned at this colloquium is that in the eyes of African American

I I CL

Vatican issues commentary on divorce, remarriage

By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Millions of divorced and civilly remarried Catholics around the world cannot participate in the Eucharist. As their numbers have increased over the last several decades , so has anxiety among many local bishops and Vatican officials.

At recent synods , bishops from several continents have asked for a look at new pastoral solutions. Some have suggested the Church' s policy on partaking in the sacraments could be more flexible toward those in irregular unions.

Some theologians , too , have argued that the Church hierarchy should re-evaluate the scriptural and traditional reasons for the strict ban on sacramental participation.

Now the Vatican's top doctrinal official , Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, has weig hed in with a detailed rejoinder and a strong defense of current Church norms. At the same time, he indicated some interesting areas where theological discussion is not yet closed.

Cardinal Ratzinger , who heads the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , outlined his views in an introduction to a new collection of documents and commentaries titled , "On the Pastoral Care of the Divorced and Remarried. " It was published last

month as a tool for bishops and priests around the globe.

According to Church law, a divorced Catholic who enters into another marriage invalidly — that is, without obtaining an annulment — cannot partake in the sacraments and cannot fulfill certain liturgical, catechetical and administrative roles.

Cardinal Ratzinger said one reason the Vatican has

The Church has never accepted the modern notion of the 'death of marriage ' ¦

_.._ i • i .i :„ mai some priests re-empnasizea mese norms now is *-L_.were ignoring them , granting absolution to divorced and remarried Catholic s and allowing them to rejoin the sacramental life after a period of penance.

The Church's position , however, is that divorced and remarried Catholics are living in a situation that contradicts Christ 's teaching on marriage. They remain members of the Church, but cut off from the sacraments — unless they agree to live in sexual abstinence in their new union.

In his latest essay, Cardinal Ratzinger answered five common objections by pastors and theologians.

— Can 't Christ 's words about marriage be applied

in a more flexible way? Did not the Church seem to tolerate exceptions in apostolic times?

Cardinal Ratzinger replied that Christ clearl y denounced divorce and left no doubt about the lasting nature of true marriage. St. Paul did speak of the possibility of separation of spouses, but he was talking about marriage between a Christian and someone unbaptized.

Since then, the Church has clarified that the bonds of sacramental matrimony apply onl y to marriage between two baptized people.

— Could the Catholic Church learn from the Church fathers and from the Eastern Orthodox tradition in adopting more tolerance for difficult marriage cases?

Cardinal Ratzinger said the Church fathers shared a consensus about the permanence of marriage, and that in early centuries divorced and remarried Catholics were never officiall y admitted to the Eucharist , even after a period of penance. Later, more tolerance was shown at local levels, but this was corrected in the West under the Gregorian reform of the 11th century.

As for Eastern Orthodox churches, the cardinal said a "theology of divorce " has emerged. But far from a model to emulate, he said, this stands in contrast with Christ's words and presents a major ecumenic al problem.

— Based on respect for the decisions of the individual conscience, shouldn't the Church allow for Vatican ...Page 9

Philanthrop ic work to be honored at Catholic Charities annual dinner

Lisa Marie (left) and Leonard create art in conjunctior with last November 's Spirit of the Street celebration held at the Tenderloin Reflection and Education Center

Eclectic 'street' organization supports St. Boniface project even as it looses its home

To support the restoration campaign of St. Boniface Church , the Tenderloin Reflection and Education Center (TREC) will host an open house and poetry reading Mar. 25 from 6 - 8 p.m. in the TREC site next door to St. Boniface Church , 135 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco.

Themes of the poems and readings will highli ght how the historic Tenderloin church has influenced the wri ters.

An organization dedicated to the homeless in the Tenderloin , TREC will be homeless itself this June. It must vacate offices , library, and arts and crafts center when the massive earthquake retrofit of St. Boniface Church begins this summer. For now, however, the former school building that adjoins St. Boniface Church houses a remarkable gathering of writers, musicians, artists , and spiritual thinkers, offers free services and a haven lo those who live in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

At TREC the homeless join with other members of the community, take time-out for quiet reflection and also explore TREC's range of creative and spiritual programs. It is possible to check-out a book from the library, hone musical skills, spend time on a computer, learn to write a poem or keep a personal journal , create a ceramic pot or tribal mask, or join in lively Bible discussion.

Founded in 1982, TREC was the brainchild of a group of liberation theolog ians from the St. Anthony Foundation.

Today the center is a nonprofit funded through private donations as well as grants from the Tides Foundation Cicada Fund , according to Eric Robertson , who administers day to day TREC operations.

As an aspiring young writer who was transp lanted from Tennessee, Robertson became involved with the organization when he attended TREC's annual Spirit of the Streets celebration in 1991 .

Robertson explains , "While St. Anthony 's Foundation , located just down the street, ieeds, clothes, and administers to the medical needs of the city 's most impoverished , TREC offers a different kind of solace. The reflection center is a place for people to take refuge from the often 'mean streets ' of the Tenderloin. Here they can find peace of mind and ponder their lives through spiritual reflection , and expand their outlook by writing, reading, as well as expressing their musical and artistic talents."

The center gives Tenderloin residents a place to go where they can feel reconnected to mainstream society.

Robertson sums it up, "It's difficult to feel part of traditional society standing in a soup line. Homeless or lowincome peop le are often stereotyped. The beauty of the center is that it brings all kinds of people together who may not ordinarily interact. For examp le, a woman from the Berkeley School of Theology visited and was interested in conducting a workshop on Martin Luther King's T Had a Dream ' speech. Professionals volunteering their time to conduct a one-day seminar or ongoing workshop is not uncommon at TREC." Fundamentally TREC is about change , Robertson explained. "After volunteering at the library, one man gained the self confidence to go out and get a job after being homeless lor more than 10 years . By giving his time to the library he was able to get connected to something that mattered to him. That was the first step to changing his life."

Once the St. Boniface retrofitting begins, TREC must find another site. Robertson said TREC hopes to someday be able to return to St. Boniface.

For more information about TREC, call (415) 558-8759.

Donations to the St. Boniface Restoration Project may be sent to 133 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102 or call (415) 863-2395.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco will host the second annual Loaves and Fishes Awards dinner on March 27 in the ballroom of the Merchants Exchange Building, 465 California St. The award, created by San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada, acknowledges outstanding charitable and philanthropic contributions regardless of religiou s affiliation.

This year's honorees will be Jennie Chin Hansen, executive director of On Lok, a nonprofit pioneer of managed care for the elderly; businessman-philanthropist Alfred S. Wilsey; and the Jewish Community Federation. .

On Lok provides housing, transportation , recreation and healthcare to seniors in five San Francisco area facilities. In addition , all acute care needs, including hospitalization , prescription drugs , medical supp lies and equipment are provided with no out-ofpocket cost. The 25-year-old organization came to the attention of Congress in 1986, which subsequently launched Pace, a replica of the On Lok program. Today, 12 of these

AIDS support group seeking volunteers

The Most Holy Redeemer Parish AIDS Support Group is looking for volunteers for one-on-one relationships providing practical and emotional support to people living with the disease.

The program includes two days of volunteer training scheduled for April 22 and 24. For information , call (415) 863-1581.

models exist and many more are in the planning stages.

Alfred Wilsey has assisted many Catholic institutions , including St. Ignatius College Preparatory School and Immaculate Conception Academy. Wilsey has been an active member of the board of regents at St. Ignatius and assumed a leadership role during two capital campai gns which culminated in the building of the 200 1 37th Ave. campus and its most recent expansion. His company, the Wilsey Bennet Co., is involved in real estate development and venture capital investment.

The Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco,, the Peninsula , Marin and Sonoma Counties, is a volunteer-based , nonprofit organization that raised $20.5 million in the Bay Area to support social services , culture and education. An umbrella agency, operating similarly to United Way, the JCF allocates the funds to 60 groups located in the Bay Area, Israel and 33 other countries.

Some of its funds have gone to assist refugees of wars in Bosnia-Herzagovina and Rwanda. Harold Zlot , president , will accept the award.

Janet and Clinton Reill y are chairs of the 1999 black-tie awards dinner. Invitees are members of the Archbishop ' s Ring of Charity, persons who are major donors. Mr. Reilly is a member of Catholic Charities ' board of directors. Frank C. Hudson is chief executive officer of Catholic Charities.

Inquiries about the event may be made by calling (415) 844-4798.

Jennie Chin Hansen

Alfred Wilsey

Harold Zlot

Sponsor a Child at a Catholic Mission. It 's Aff o rda ble!

Your opportunity to help a very poor child is much too important to miss. And Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA), an international Ca tholic sponsorship program can show you the affordable way.

Through CFCA you sponsor a child for the amount you can afford. Ordinarily it takes $20 a month to provide one poor child with the life-chang ing benefits of sponsorship. But if this is not possible for you, we invite you to sponsor at a level you can afford (minimum $10) .

CFCA will see to it from other donations and the tireless efforts of our missionary partners that your child receives the same benefits as other sponsored children.

Your sponsorship p ledge helps provide a poor child at a Catholic mission site with nourishing food, medical care, the chance to go to school - whatever is needed most. You can literall y change a life!

And you can be assured your pledge has its greatest impact because our programs are directed b y dedicated Catholic missionaries with a long-standing commitment to the people they serve.

To hel p build your relationshi p, you receive a picture of your child, information about your child's family and country, letters from your child and'the CFCA newsletter. But most important , you receive the satisfaction of hel p ing a poor child! @ I—. . W- ' S-VH EB Little Corina lives in a small mounTm delig hted fo be ooth span4 ¦ CFCAs m.j Q . „ tain town in Honduras. Her mother is JgL $mM md , ^ J ffl , ( blind ana her father abandoned them. ' ' ¦ PWI ^ IK" Archbishop James P. Keleher, Kansas .TTm Your concern can make a difference in iBiJ { < Kansas -who recently sponsored ! h |CH ">' the life of a child like Carina. Become nme-year-old lose Munos ol Honduras. a sponsor toda y ! ^J^

, ]

j ~~ ssa | d® >.

I [ rf Qj I \^B -p >

! ^^^ . ' CFCA I 7\T, Catholic Child I Sponsorship " |v I

j

414

Yes, I'll help one child:

Nnm

V&

W^

p Boy ? Girl Q Teenager ? Any in most need Address _.

My monthl y pledge is: ¦ City/Mate/Zip Q$10 Q$15 Q $20 Q$25 ? Other $ I'll contribute: Phone ( ) ? mon thly ? quarterl y ? semi-annually ? annually Send to: ? Enclosed is my first contribution of $ .

CSF 3/!) , Christian Foundation for Make check payable to CFCA.) Children and A ging (CFCA) .-,t0 n,u ii ,t0 Ubl- II my c < s onsorsll, Q W prefer P Pay ment m y " One Elmwood Ave / PO Box 3910 ^ P ftVvQ^nt^in credit card: ? VISA QMC ? Discover QAMEX T^«o Ka nsas City, KS 66103-0910 Cird No - u,rd Exo Date hxp. or call toll-free 1-800-875-6564 ? I can't sponsor now, but here's my gift of $ . _ -_.

Member: U.S. Catholic Mission Association , National Catholi c , , c . , .. ? Please send me more information about sponsorship.

Development Conference , Catholic Network of VolunteerService FOUNDED AND DIRECTED BY CATHOLIC LAY PEOPLE Fimitcml rqwl atmhtileim rrqitest I DmitHwistinU.S.IaMaclMe

1 j

¦

| , I I I |

I I

\

Former USF vice president and dean dies in Phoenix

Capuchin ordained

Jesuit Father Edmond John Smyth, former University of San Francisco academic vice president and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences , died peacefull y Feb. 7 in Phoenix.. He was 79.

For the past decade he suffered from Alzheimer 's Disease.

Father Smyth was an educator and administrator at USF from 1954 to 1973.

Father Smyth was born May 21, 1919, in San Francisco. After graduating from St. Ignatius High School in 1936, he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Los Gatos. He later taught at St. Ignatius from 1943 to 1944.

He was ordained a priest at St. Mary's Cathedral on June 17, 1950.

After studying at the Vatican's Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, he earned his doctorate degree in history from the University of Toronto and was assigned to teach history at USF. Father Smyth belonged to the American Historical Association and the Medieval Academy of America.

For 10 years (1975-85) the Jesuit was pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix . In 1985, he became director of the Jesuit Seminary Association in San Francisco.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1989 and was given special care at the Huger Mercy Living Center in Phoenix.

A funeral Mass was celebrated in Phoenix on Feb. 9. Another was celebrated on Feb. 11 at St. Ignatius Church, San Francisco.

Bishop G. Patrick Ziemann of Santa Rosa (left) ordained Capuchin Franciscan Hung Nguyen on Feb. 13 at Our Lady of Angeles Parish in Burlingame. Father Nguyen, 33 and a native of Vietnam, came to the United States in the mid-1980s and entered the Capuchins in 1990. He joins more than 10,000 Capuchins in ministry around the world. He has been appointed to St. Boniface Parish, San Francisco , and will serve with Franciscan Father Louis Vitale, pastor.

Lent observance

In order that our love for Christ and identification with Him may be deepened, I earnestly exhort all Catholics during the period of Lent and the Easter season to attend daily Mass, to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, to receive Holy Communion often, to participate in the devotional life of the Church, to give generously to the religious and charitable works of the Church, to assist the sick, the aged and the poor, to practice voluntary fast, penance and self-denial, and to pray more fervently, particularly for the intention of the Holy Father and the mission of the Church.

As Canon 1249 of the Code of Canon Law indicates, "All members of the Christian faithful in their own way are bound to do penance in virtue of divine law; in order that all may be joined in a common observance of penance, penitential days are prescribed in which the Christian faithful in a special way pray, exercise works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their responsibilities more faithfully and especially by nhsp .rvino- fast

and

F o r the B e s t

IN R E T I R E M E N T L I V I N G am i ¦

D O N' T

¦of, , , Jfl^t' ' "' ; jH9

^^^^£

¦•-f~-

THIS

OPPORTUNITY

::: .SSSii

ISSEB

ii*%®vi!&U9UF^MraBslp&p.l^l^H^^^^BPi ¦

B,ft' HEri^:

<!?"£' . v^^^Hmj^l

"Jfili i

^Bi^

^^Bp. :

mH

ahsti-

nence," in accord with the norms of Church law for the United States: Abstinence: Everyone 14 years of age and older is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, the Fridays of Lent and Good Friday.

Fast: Everyone 18 years of age and older but under the age of 60 is also bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Easter fast should also be observed on Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil if possible.

On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the law of fast allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food during the day, so long as this does not constitute another full meal.

Drinking liquids during the day is permitted.

When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. In doubt concerning fast or abstinence, a priest assigned to pastoral ministry or confessor should be consulted. In the spirit of penance, the faithful should not lightly excuse themselves from this obligation.

Most Rev. William J. Levada

MISS

TH E STEENS IN THE LOB BY

T.f you 're looking for the best in ¦*¦/ retirement living, you won 't need to look beyond San Francisco Towers. This new, gracious Life Care community offers a stimulating and secure way to enjoy life in the City its fullest By now most of our 250 independent living apartments have already been sold.

But if you act now, you can choose from a limited number that are still available: a variety¦^ of one-and two-bedroom apartr ments in several different floor plans. Your -ii L .i. u be in .the hearti. ofr private apartment will San Francisco—close to the symphony, shopping r D and restaurants.

San Francisco Towers offers an opportunity for you to flourish in a community of Bay Area seniors with rich and varied life experiences.

OF

SAN FRANCISCO TOW E B S

Our comprehensive full Life Care program eliminates many of the worries of retirement by providing lifetime medical care, including skilled nursing and personal care, if needed, nv te ou to ta e a c ser l° l°°k ^ ^e i i y at San Francisco Towers. Call today to reserve your apartment before they're gone. Open the doors to broader horizons for retirement and your active city lifestyle. _ , , , ,how you can To learn wore about enjoy lif e at San Francisco Towers, call today at 415-776-0500 or complete the following fc wdw m ^^J , packa J.

I^Jflmc . ,, Address ^

a e p

¦ ™

Mail la: San Francisco Towers ]661 pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

~ SAN F R A N C I S C O ¦ TOWERS 1—T EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY San Francisco Towers is a not-for-profit , nondencminauonal full Life Care community owned by the Episcopal Homes Fpundatfort. License #3805-10292 P21A

Black and white

Catholic Church action against racism said 'tep id to move in and out of two and perhaps three cultures."

Many of the priests ' observations were also addressed by the three other main presenters — Toinette M. Eugene, Ph.D., director of the Oakland Diocese's African American Pastoral Center; Rev. Eugene F. Rivers III, a former gang member and co-founder of the Boston Ten Point Coalition

By Carrie McClish

Despite boldl y worded documents from the U.S. bishops, the Catholic Church' s tangible response to racism has been largely "pathetic, ineffective, tepid and anemic," charged a leading African American Catholic ethicist during a day-long foru m on race in America, Feb. 27 at the University of San Francisco.

Father Bryan Massingale , a professor of mora l theology at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, told the nearly 300 participants that the Church' s rejection of racism is not now and has never been "a passionate matter" for most American Catholics.

See also "Ordinary Time" on Page 5.

While the nation 's bishops have strongly condemned racism in pastoral letters such as 1979' s "Brothers and Sisters To Us," there has been little done and no formal plan to imp lement its recommendations , pointed out the priest.

"Bold, unambiguous ethical conclusions " mark Church teaching on race, he underscored, but it "suffers from a lack of passion" seen on other fronts such as abortion and euthanasia, Despite the fact "Brothers and Sisters To Us" is the most extensive examination of racism in the U.S. Church and acknowledges that some Catholics experience the Church

Father Bryan Massing ale: .. .Americans are against racial injus tice but are not willing to pay the price to eradicate it. which cultivates church leadership in violent inner city neighborhoods; and John L. Carr, director of social devel1 p opment and world peace for the U.S. bishops.

Co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and Z the colloquium was titled "Black and White in USF, 2 America: A Catholic Perspective". It was the third annual Father Bryan Massingale Archbishop John R. Quinn Colloquium on Catholic Social "a fundamentall y ambivalent " attitude toward racial justice.

Teaching.

They "espouse and endorse equality in the abstract ," but San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown addressed particimoral princi ple too often unravels "on the personal level" pants briefly at the day 's beginning, noting race relations and in concrete application. He mentioned employment "does not need headlines but serious dialogue." "glass ceilings," housing, judicial reform and education.

"We are seeing replications" of racial tensions and inciThe recent brutal murder of a young black man in dents, he said, "that we thought had been removed from our Jasper, Texas, is not an isolated incident , system." said Father Massingale. In 1997 the FBI The mayor's observations were echoed during Msgr. reported the commission of 4700 hate Robert McElroy 's introduction of Father Massingale. A crimes, the majority of those being racialmember of the colloquium planning committee, Msgr. ly motivated , white against black. These McElroy said "atrophy" had set in around public discuscrimes include cross burnings , property sions on race and that the topic "can be a wrenching one for vandalism , personal assault, and murder. the Catholic community."

"Contrary to our desire to see these Archbishop William J. Levada welcomed participants as crimes as aberrations committed by disdid Jesuit Father John P. Schlegel, USF president. turbed people, experts point out that these Referring to the bishops ' pastoral letter on racism as one incidents do not occur in a vacuum ," said of "an inspiring series of documents" from them, Toinette the Milwaukee priest. Despite progress Eugene told the assembly the American Church must begin over the decades "race still matters." to address racism by implementing what has already been The seminary instructor paraphrased civil rights legend Colloquium... Page 9 Dr. Martin Luther King in observing "the great majority of Americans are against racial injustice but are not willing to pay the price needed to eradicate it."

The moral theologian called on the Church to: -) Acknowledge "Catholic complicity" in the history of racial injustice from justifications of slavery and refusal of black applicants to religious life to "punishing or maligning" Catholics involved in the Civil Rights Movement; -) Provide "privileged attention" in listening to victims of racism; -) Become "pro-active" in promulgating princi ples of racial justice in catechetics, seminaries and other arenas; -) "Act with others" to "work for social change".

During the day 's concluding panel discussion, Father Massingale called attention to significant "cultural differences" between many white and black communities. He urged listeners to "become bi-cultural , develop the ability CL

o

Toinette Eugene: Pastoral p ractice has not matched the pastoral letters. §

X aO

S

Toinette Eugene, Ph.D.

I

as a racist institution , it has had "little impact" on the consciousness of most Catholics, Father Massingale said.

Social justice teaching on racism is rarely included in seminary curricula or in formation and catechetical programs, he said.

Yet even if it were, he indicated , this social teaching "often neglects the first step in the process — to listen to the voices of the victims."

"This manifests itself," he continued , "in a benign, subtle paternalism." Examples, he noted, include bishops exhorting "whites to concede rights to blacks as opposed to encouraging blacks to press for justice."

In addition, the ethicist said, "Catholic social teaching tends to have an overly optimistic perspective," unrealistically assumes reasonable people, and "does not recognize how deeply rooted racism is."

"There is not due recognition of the power of human sin," he emphasized.

Like most Americans, he add ed, most Catholics possess

Rev. Eugene Rivers: The

Catholic Church could

use a little fire

The Rev. Eugene Rivers III

For Classified Advertising Call (415) 565-3699

McAVOY O'HARA Co.

SERVING WITH TR UST A N D C O N F I D E N C E

<Soesryf -e&n .Mortu,aru 4 5 4 5 GEARY B O U L E V A R D at T E N T H AVEN UE For information prearranganents, and assistance, cal! day or night (4 1 5) 668-0077

iKj$lf||M BHM^iHPijn^ §|flp WW»»^^ j^^^ M |g ^^mmmt^i ^mmmmW ^^^

¦ Bi£«W .aa^WMk.v.viAv.vvA'.v.-.-i-Ljji-.-^.:»•-"-¦¦-¦¦ ¦¦tf5%Wfr*B&*'**<^MBBWMB'**i ^

¦ ¦- -' v-.- . ¦¦.. ¦. : ¦¦ . .r- '. .. '

" ' """ ' .' ' '.'

BS5 r^'^^^^ -mSBLmm ,. ..,

^mm^Btf^BSBmm^

mMWW ^KKB ^f BBO& j&;^£jmmmi^^^MMMMMMmmmmmmmMWKK0

MARINA • BAR & GRILL • CABINS P.O. Box 994205, Redding, CA 96099 www.silverthornresort.com

1-800-332-3044

Bishop s . . .

¦ Continued from Page 1 hel p terminall y ill patients die. Proposition 161 was defeated by a 54 to 46 percent margin , after strong opposition by the state 's Catholic bishops and Catholic hospitals , as well as the California Medical Association.

Hans Hemann of A roner 's Capitol office said the measure, AB 1592, had not yet been endorsed by any other legislators and was sponsored by the Americans for Death with Dignity Association.

Bud Lee, president of the California Association of Catholic Hospitals (CACH) in Sacramento, said Aroner's bill does not change the resolve of the state 's Catholic hospitals to advance positive alternatives to assisted suicide since the defeat of Proposition 161.

"While we have made substantial progress on addressing the public 's concerns about dying a protracted , costly and painful death , we also recognize there is a lot more to do ," he said.

"California 's Catholic hospitals and health systems will continue efforts to address responsive and compassionate solutions to the concerns of patients at the end of life."

Lee said those efforts include a statewide partnership with health care organizations , funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , aimed at advancing palliative medicines and end-of-life care in California.

CACH with the California State Hospice Association is cosponsoring legislation by Assemblywoman Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), which would make hosp ice more accessible by having all health p lans offer a hospice benefit, Lee said.

He also noted CACH is working with Assemblywomen Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) and Helen Thompson (DWoodland), who have introduced a bill to provide for the improvement of pain management for terminally ill and dying patients.

Mercy Pavilion ground breaking

Mercy High School has scheduled a ground breaking ceremony for its new multipurpose facility on March 21. (Shown above is an architect 's rendering). The event will begin at 10 a.m. with Bishop John Wester presiding at a eucharistic celebration. Actual ground breaking will take place at 11 a.m. on the back campus , followed by a noon reception , Mercy Society installation and entertainment by the Mercy Dance Ensemble. Mercy Pavilion will have a gymnasium , music room , two classrooms , locker rooms, office and storage space. A two-year capital campaign has raised nearly $700,000 toward the project , said Kimberly Williams , director of development and alumnae relations. Constru ction will begin this summer and is expected to be completed by the end of 2000. Mercy High School , located at 3250 19th Ave., opened in 1952 and has 7,000 alumnae. Current enrollment is 570.

Vatican . ..

¦ Continued from Page 5 exceptions to its norms on marriage, especially sincemarriage courts can make errors?

Here Cardinal Ratzinger 's answer was more complex. On one hand, he said, the Church has no power to approve pastoral "exceptions " that would go against basic teaching against divorce.

But given that marriage tribunal s can indeed make mistakes, he said , theologians are divided on whether individual s are bound to follow a tribunal decision which they believe in conscience to be false. He said it 's a point that needs more theological study.

— Aren ' t Church norms based on a naturalistic , legalistic understanding

Colloquium

¦ Continued from Page 8 written. "Pastoral practice has not matched the pastoral letters," she said, adding: "It is time for us to engage in more honest and constructive dialogue that will lead to trust and understanding... Social teachings and programs (of themselves) do not change hearts."

While reliable figures on the actual number of black Catholics in the U.S. are hard to establish, she said, there seems little doubt the number "is slipp ing or barely holding its own."

She said black vocations to religious communities and the priesthood are declining, that few blacks head major departments in Catholic dioceses, and that the visibility of black bishops "is muted by their auxiliary status."

While high-profile Church involvement in civil rights efforts of the 1960s and 1970s attracted many African Americans to Catholicism, she said, more recent years have seen the reverse.

"Their children and grandchildren " have encountered racism, "a kind of shunning that says you are not welcome here," she explained, noting th at predominantl y black parishes are often perceived as "a liability or economic drain".

At the base of much racial tension , she said, "is a radical cultural divide."

The Rev. Eugene Rivers, however, attributed blackwhite racial disharmony to what he described as a pervasive atti tu de of "white supremacy," or a subtle conviction of "ontological superiority" on the part of white Americans.

The pastor of Boston 's Azusa Christian Church , Rev. Rivers lauded the Catholic Church's "intellectual heritage" and said he had been inspired by the Church' s impressive body of teaching on social justice.

His praise for the Church's "order and discipline" as

Mar. 19-21

Women 's Retreat, "In Chrisr Father Michael Barry, SS.CC

Mar. 26-28

Women 's Retreat "He was tempted that we may triumph" Easter Sunday No Retreat

April 2-4

April 9-11 . .. ' .„„

¦W BROADMOOR ¦

April lb-lo

Welcome to the Security, Comfort & I Elegance of America's Finest RetirementHotel I I Centrally Located •Overlooking Ca thedral Hill I

I (415) 771-9119 I j 1499 S u t t e r Street »San Francisco , CA 94109 I

of marriage that predates the Second remarried Catholics and continues to love Vatican Council ? According to Cardinal them. But the essential content of the Ratzinger, Vatican II did not break with marriage norms "cannot be watered down the traditional concept of marriage but for supposed pastoral reasons, because they transmit revealed truth ." He said he developed and enriched it.

Marriage is more than a contract , but was worried about a pendulum swing marriage does not exist without juridical toward compromising truths in the name norms, he said, "and even the pope cannot of pastoral charity.

"Certainly the word of truth can be step in to dissolve a valid marriage."

But the cardinal said it was another hard and uncomfortable. But it 's the way question — still to be resolved — toward healing, toward peace and toward whether baptized Christians who no inner freedom ," he said. longer believe in God when they decide He encouraged divorced and remarto marry can, in fact , enter into a valid ried Catholics to try to regularize their sitsacramental marriage. uation in tribunals , and for pastors to sup— Doesn ' t current Church policy port them closely. rely too much on norms and not enough on pastoral concern?

Ed. note: The cardinal 's essay is not This is a crucial point with Cardinal available in Eng lish; Vatican officials Ratzinger. He emphasized the Church said there were no immediate p lans to shares in the suffering of divorced and translate it.

April 30-May 2

Women 's Retreat Father Enda Hefferman , OFM.CAP „_ "The Call to Adoration , the year of God the Father"

All reservations require a $10 deposit per person. Weekend retreats start with dinner at 6:45 p.m. Friday and end Sunday at noon. Reservations must be mads by mail and will be coniirmed with directions and brochure.

"indispensible " in dialogue about race relations brought an audible "Amen" from Archbishop Levada, which in turn generated laughter throughout the auditorium.

Laughter also greeted the pastor's observation that the Catholic Church is "theologically and policy litera te," but "ya 'll could use a little fire."

He described himself as "from the high octane wing of the church" where "it can take us 15 minutes to clear our throats."

In addition to Msgr. McEl roy, the colloquium planning committee included Jesuit Father Francis Buckley of the USF theology department; Euge ne Muscat, senior associate dean, USF business school; Dominican Sister Mary Peter Traviss , USF school of education; and George Wesolek, director of the Archdiocese 's Public Policy and Social Concern Office.

M OUNT ALVERNO CONFERENCE CENTER Jt g reatOXa**

Nestled in the Emerald Hills overlooking San Francisco Bay, M o u n t Alverno o ffers 26 acres of secluded t r a n q u i l i t y just 30 m i n u t e s from San Francisco and San Jose.

For more information about Mount Alverno - write, call or f a x : 3910 Brer Harte Drive Redwood City, CA 94061-1147 Phone: 650/369-0798 Fax: 650/369-9358 E-mail: info^mountatverno.com

Sunday preschool p rograms in Archdiocese beg in cultivation of Catholicism Story and Photos by Evelyn Zappia

Before five-year-old lack Harrington attended KinderCatholic ," a Sunday pre-school program at St. Gabriel Parish, he would ask his mother, Betsy, "Why do we have to go to church?" Today, Jack looks forward to going to Mass. He enjoys his "church school."

According to Social Service Sister Celeste Arbuckle , director of the archdiocesan Office of Reli gious Education , Sunday pre-school programs touch the lives of nearly 1,400 children in more th an 50 parishes in the archdiocese .

While parents attend Mass, their children learn about God in their Sunday pre-school program. Program names vary, but the message is the same, "God loves me.

How does God show he loves me?"

"Gone are the days childre n should be seen and not heard," said Dominican Sister Bernice Garcia , reli gion coordinator at St. Gabriel Parish for the past eight years.

"I love the program ," said Sister Bernice, referring to the Children of God program published by Tabor for three to five-year-olds. She discovered it while attending the religious education congress in Los Angeles eight years ago.

Its Kinder-Catholic component focuses on the daily presence of God in the lives of children and insp ires them to take action , Sister Bernice explained.

"For example, the importance of calling 911 to get help for family members and neighbors is a decisionmaking gift given to them

by God. All of the stories read to the children give examples of God's . love Sister Bernice Garcia and insp iration. The stories follow the developmental traits of the children and they respond."

When five-year-old Christian Sami noticed a rainbow he announced to his mother, Susan , "God created all those colors." Susan attributes Christian's heightened awareness of God 's creativity to the Kinder-Catholic program. "He understands that God is involved in every aspect of his life," she said.

Greg Chase, father of five-year-old Theresa, admits his daughter comes home asking some "very complex questions that are difficult to answer." She wants to know who God is, who Jesus is, why Jesus died , and how he came back to life.

Teacher, Erin Manini

rielVKinde

rig the young

Back row, left to ri ght: Theresa Chase , Jeremy and Christian Sami , Kailey Lordan , Michelle Neary, Jack Harrington , Matthew Seah.

Front row, left to right: Brandon Lucas , Tony Betancourt, Marrissa Estonina, Danielle Miller, Monica Rodriguez At the end of the year, he told Manini , "1 m proud Joy Lucas said of her five-year-old son, Brandon , "The program allows him to grow spiritually and question that God loves me. He is a good God." God's relationship to his family, friends and community."

One recent Sunday session began with Manini and Inside the spacious classroom, walls are decorated the children sitting in a circle on a rug decorated with with past projects in vivid colors. Rows of bright, colorful brightly colored letters and numbers. Manini reads , a cutout paper designs hang over the children 's heads, and an story about two children hying to decide what to get their mother for her birthday. The older child in the story ample collection of toys - at eye level reminds her little brother that mother said she did not want is neatly placed on presents. She only wanted the family to celebrate together. wooden shelves.

In the end, the little brother decides his gift to his mother "We want them to will be to read her a story. Since he enjoyed listening to feel at home here," stories, he knew she would like it, too. said Sister Bernice.

When finished , Manini asks questions. The children Teacher, Erin are anxious to show they paid attention. Hands raise and Manini greets each discussion begins. child as he or she The aim of the lesson is listening. Manini gentl y enters the classroom introduces the importance of listening to those who love - then it 's a dash to them, to recognize that they listen and learn about God, the toys. The chiland that God helps them to be good listeners. dren ate allowed to Next, the children move to the tables and chairs. Out play until everyone come the crayons. Each child receives a small poster. In Danielle Miller arrives. this lesson, Manini asks the children to color the object Manini, 25, has been teaching Kinder-Catholic two to yellow that God created to help them tell time. Little three Sundays a month for 10 years. She started as an assis- hands begin working with yellow crayons. tant at 13. A St. Gabriel Elementary School One child appears to be having graduate, she is a familiar face to nearly difficulty. The little girl does not everyone at the parish. want to participate. Manini leans "I love working with the children," over and whispers to her. Little finManini said, who attends City CoUege gers wipe the teardrops from her and studies radiation therapy. cheeks. They chat briefly. The child "Reinforcing the presence of God in a picks up a yellow crayon and begins child's life is a wonderful experience." to work.

The decade of devotion has given her a Tables are cleared. Today is mental scrapbook of memories. She fondly snack day. "Snack day is one day a remembers a five-year-old boy whose fammonth ," said Sister Bernice. This ily was going through a difficult time. His way, it remains a special event and parents enrolled him in Kinder-Catholic not taken for granted." And it cuts believing he needed to know the love of down on spills.

God and that he was not alone, especially at Before the children begin their a complex time in his life. snacks, a resounding "Bless us oh Manini remembers the boy 's intense Matthew Seah Lord and these thy gifts" is recited. interest in God. He would ask, Does God love this person, Parents arrive. It's time to leave. The children linger. None or that person? Does he love everyone? Does he still love appear anxious to depart. They continue talking to each someone who is bad?" other. Parents do the same. Evetyone has made new friends.

Betsy Harrington, one-year parishioner: "I like the change in Jack since going to Kinder-Catholic," says Betsy. "He gets excited and can't wait to get to church school. He now explains God to the family. He tells us, 'God is watching and we have to be kind, listen and share.'"

Jack's favorite things God created: "I like everything - everything -everything. I like that he loves me."

Susan Sami, parishioner for two and one-half years: "Kinder-Catholic provides a positive experience for our two sons, Christian and Jeremy, while attending Mass." Susan believes the program helps her sons understand God is involved in every aspect of their lives. .

Some of Jeremy's favorite things God created: "The whole world, people , and houses."

Some of Christian's favorite things God created: "Playing with toys -I think God likes to play - trees, and me."

Joy Lucas, 11-year parishioner: "Kinder-Catholic provides Brandon the basic understanding of God and spiritual growth.

He believes it is pleasing to God to share good deeds with all he meets because it represents God in his heart. " Some of Brandon's favorite things God created: "My mother, my father, trees, houses and me. I also like learning about God with my friends."

Greg Chase, 12-year parishioner: "Kinder-Catholic teaches Theresa the beginning basics of our Catholic faith in an age-appropriate manner. She does come home with some very difficult questions to answer."

Some of Theresa's favorite things God created: "Quiet time and stickers with hearts on them."

Joan and Tom Miller, 10-year parishioners: "We like that Kinder-Catholic teaches Danielle about God on her age level. It provides followup activities for the family so we work together."

Some of Danielle's favorite things that God created: My father, my mother, my brother, playing, and babies because they are cute."

Also pictured is Danielle's brother, Scott.

And after they 'graduate'

...

Kinder-Catholic gradu ates continue their faith education by attending Liturgy of the Word, a program for first through fourth grades. The children attend Mass with their parents.

When the readings begin , the children are ushered out and age-appropriate readings are read to them by their teacher.

The children participate in prayer and individual petitions said aloud. The children join their parents after the homily.

Later, the children proceed to the altar and recite the Our Father together. Then , they walk down the aisles and give the sign of peace to the parishioners as they join their parents for the remainder of the Mass.

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO Thoug hts on Blac k and White in America

A year ago , planners of the third annual Archbishop John R. Quinn Colloquium on Catholic Social Teaching chose the topic "Black and White in America: A Catholic Perspective." The choice seemed odd to some at the time. After all , hadn 't we addressed the "race issue " a generation ago? But the colloquium , which took place Feb 27 , turned out to be extremely timely - given the recent events of a brutal murder of a blac k man in Jasper , Texas by white supremacists and the apparent racelinked beating of a black youth here in San Francisco.

A series of conversations , the colloquium also provided insi ghts on cultural differences that can be extended well beyond the black-white divide , and , most important , si gnified a new call to action.

We are far removed fro m the hopefu l dialogue on race that began with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The racial dialogue that once engaged the nation has withered , as the importance of the topic receded in our national consciousness. But pervasive racism , segregation and discrimination continue to permeate our society.

Research by the National Research Council indicates that the majority of the white population still does not believe that blacks are equal to whites. Attitudes are the basis of actions , and we must ask ourselves whether "hate crimes" (white against black or black against white) are aberrations , as we might like to believe , or simply extreme exaggerations from the norm.

There is a need for a reinv igorated examination of race relations in America , and it is in the Catholic tradition of faith , theology and social teaching th at such a dialogue has the best chance for success. Pope John Paul II , during his recent pastoral visit to the United States, called upon U.S. bishops to work to end the plague of racism in this country, a plague that has been "persistent and most destructive."

Certainl y, U. S. bishops have distinguished themselves by multiple and strong statements condemning racism in this country. Their challenge now is to initiate an action agenda consonant with their proclamations.

For Catholics in general , there must be a realization that while we are not at fault for the institution of slavery, we do share responsibility for the legacy of that national disgrace , which was built upon the assumption of white superiority and racial domination. We also need to recognize that the divide between black and white has shaped this nation more than any other division , and , as such , deserves special scrutiny.

Arising out of the colloquium were calls for an increased understanding among blacks and whites of the African-American experience; increased interaction and listening so that blacks and whites are able to see events from one another 's perspective; a recognition of the powerful evil of racism and the control it exerts; a better theolog ical articulation of the faith basis for opposition to racism; improved catechesis and teaching on the topic; and a passionate commitment to working for social change and instilling a sense of hope.

The 1999 Colloquium on Catholic Social Teaching was a good day for the Archdiocese, but the momentum should not be allowed to dissipate.

Specific follow-up actions should now be identified and implemented.

MEH

Congratulations due St. Augus tine Paris h Congratulations to St. Augustine Parish in South San Francisco, which recently won approval for plans to enlarge its church and build an elementary school. Father Eugene Tungol, pastor of St. Augustine , architect Bill Starr , and parish leaders Linda Lavin , Norman Leoncio and Rich Cabael made a convincing case for the enduring values of community, faith and education to the South San Francisco City Council.

The parish had already made design changes in its plans to deal with traffic and noise concerns of neighbors. City Council members Joseph Fernekes, Eugene Mullin , John Penna , Vice Mayor Kary l Matsumoto and Mayor James Datzman vote d 5-0 in favor of the project.

St. Augustine appealed to the city council after the planning commission voted against the church and school project. This initial setback galvanized the parish and drew support from the Archdiocese and broader community. Help came from Catholic Schools Chief Sister Glenn Anne McPhee , former Chamber of Commerce President Mike Pacelli , County Supervisor Mike Nevin and Larry Gordon of the Bay Area Organizing Project. Msgr. Bob McElroy and representatives of neighboring parishes added support. The St. Augustine community now is energized in its fund raising efforts to complete the project and awakened to the need to be involved in local government on a consistent basis.

MEH

For further info...

We are so pleased with the outpour ing of interest in Catholic Charities ' Guerrero House Program for young adults (Feb. 19 , pp. 10-11 ). Any one interested in supporting the program throug h donations or volunteering could contact me directl y at (415) 8444798. Our address is Development Division , Catholic Charities , 814 Mission St., 3rd floor . San Francisco , CA 94103.

Thank you for such a thoug htful focus on the work done by Catholic Charities.

Paula March Chief Development Officer Catholic Charities

Throug h God's grace

Congratulations on the publicati on which will not only enter our homes, but hopefully open our hearts to the teachings of our faith.

It is clear that we are presently focusing on the sacrament of reconciliation. I call it the sacrament of joy. Father Walsh (Feb. 19) well articulates the healing grace we are all in need of in his article , "Jesus: healer of hearts." It is the healing of Jesus which showers us and penetrates us with joy.

Recentl y I received the grace of this sacrament. I had desired to celebrate dail y Mass and couldn ' t get myself motivated to do so. During the sacrament I expressed , "I need God's grace to celebrate daily Mass."

Without effort or stress I have been to daily Mass ever since. My desire was not enough! God's grace is!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "no one is father as God is father." God' s grace and mercy are truly mystery and unfathomable reality. We are his "beloved" and our hearts need his healing for no one is father as God is father.

Paulettc A. Borg Novato Bâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

our city streets. It the Archdiocese has the means to produce a 20-page weekly newspaper, why not instead use those means in the service of those most in need?

Also , if the Archbishop feels that by producing his own media he can avoid the sticky questions that have been put to him by the established press - the policy of domestic partne rshi p benefits for employees of Catholic Charities and their contractors being only one example - he is wrong.

Christine McQuiston San Francisco

Creeping infallibility

Congratulations on Ca tholic San Francisco. You are off to a great start.

However, I wish to comment on the article by George Weige! about Cardinal Ratzinger in the Feb. 19 issue. Althoug h he 1 is obviousl y sincere , and probably "engag ing, generous , charming, modest and insightful ," the cardinal has devoted most of the last 20 years to an orthodoxy sweep through the Churc h in which he stifles theological dissent from non-defined doctrine , silences prominent legitimate theologians, disparages national conferences of bishops, promotes creeping infallibility, and even overrules other Vatican congregations , in an apparent attempt to redefine Catholicism in ever narrower terms.

He is joined in this effort by a vocal minority of extreme ri ght wing U.S. Catholics, who even now are attempting to discredit RENEW 2000, which does not conform to their concept of orthodoxy.

Even in the interview with this paper, Cardinal Ratzinger betrays his rigid vertical concept of an essentially hierarchical Church by making a clem - distinction between "bishops, pastors , educators and others with intellectual responsibilities " on the J one hand, and the "simple faithful" on the other hand , when referring to Fides et Ratio. Do not even we simple faithful have "intellectual responsibilities?"

No matter how talented the cardinal may be, he is a loose cannon within the Church , a living obstacle to Common Ground initiatives , and a disaster for ecumenism. As long as he is in a position of great power, loyal Catholics who disagree with his restorationist ecclesiology must continue to speak out against it.

Robert M. Rowden, M.D. San Rafael

I 1

E

T E R S

What are p riorities?

I think it's a wonderful and important endeavor to create a publication that can keep the community informed of the many programs and opportunities that Catholics are and can be involved in. However, much as I love seeing the warm, smiling faces of Father Dave and Sister Sharon , and reading their thoughtful words, or even seeing a feature article on my own parish, I believe the community would be better served if the paper were a monthly, or even a quarterly, and the resources put into programs themselves. I am thinking especially about programs which reach out to people who are not like ly to be on any parish registry, or indeed , even have an address to call their own.

Archbishop Levada expressed such a cal l to action in his homily at his installation when he lamented the terrible state of poverty on

Letters welcome

Catholic San Francisco welcomes letters from its readers. Please: >- Include your name, address and daytime phone number. >- Sign your letter. >ÂŚ Limit submissions to 250 words. >ÂŚ Note that the newspaper reserves the right to edit for clarity and length.

Send your letters to: Catholic San Francisco 441 Church St. San Francisco, CA 94114 Fax: (415) 565-3631 E-mail: dyoung@catholic-sf.org

Teaching needed

1 have read the first two issues of Catholic San Francisco. My time was well spent. I was extremely interested in the articles about and interview with Cardinal Ratzinger (Feb. 19). His words reall y sounded a chord in my own soul. Yes! "The Catholic faithful have a right to know what is Catholic and what is not Catholic."

And Catholic parents, I believe, have a right to know the children they enroll in parish school of religion programs , Catholic parochial schools, Catholic high schools, Catholic colleges, and Catholic universities are being taught authentic Catholic morals, faith, dogma, tradition , and spirituality.

It is so very, very hard to raise children in today 's culture . The treasure of my faith has been passed to me fro m my parents and grand parents . I wish to give this treasure to my children. I need the help and support of my Church. What I ask of the Archbishop and all those who teach in the LETTERS, Page 14

VaticanLetter

Papal gentleman's view of history same pope; and an elderl y man who threw rocks. The pontiff , raised on his chair , was an easier target then.

Papal general audiences arc basicall y open to every one , and the ushers are always on guard against what they call "imposters ," peop le who dress up in ecclesiastical garb so they can be closer to the pope — and may be even KISS rus ring and nave their pictures taken.

Sansolini , a former fashion desi gner and an expert in the details of Church attire , believes he can spot a ringer a mile away. He recounts bouncing false nuns , priests and even bishops from the front row of the audience hall , and laug hing ly wonders how one fake bishop thoug ht his white socks — a dead giveaway — would go unnoticed.

When it conies to appearance , this papal gentleman is unforg iving. When Raisa Gorbachev showed up to see the pope wearing red instead of the traditional black , and no veil , it provoked an uproar among the ushers. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter "smiled too much , made too much noise and moved his arms like windmills. " Barbara Bush wore a dress that looked two sizes too big.

Polish Premier Lech Walesa and his wife walked hand-in-hand down the Vatican corridor on their way to see the pope, "like a couple on their honeymoon."

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing had hi gh marks until he crossed his legs during the pope 's speech.

Distinguished visitors are sometimes baffled by the array of Vatican uniforms. One of Sansolini' s favorite stories is how an unnamed U.S. president , flush from meeting the pope , greeted a long line of Vatican di gnitaries and then, with a flourish , gave a military salute — to the elevator operator.

One of the nice parts of the usher 's job is seeing Pope John Paul close-up. Sansolini still marvels at the atten-

lion the pope gives the sick. He has watched the pontiff work emotional wonders by spending extra time with disabled children.

Pope John Paul reacts to what peop le tell him during audiences. Once , a priest whispered something that made the pope ' s face go taut. Sansolini watched the pope move ahead , then retraced his steps to give what looked like a finger-wagg ing tongue-lashing to a youngpriest.

The bygone days of carry ing the pope 's chair put. the "sediari" within earshot of papal asides.

The chair was borne aloft on a platform attached to two long poles; a long version was manned by 12, a shorter one b y eight. Once when Pope John XX1I1 watched the team do an emergency repair job on the chair , he remarked: "Just remember, when I was a cardinal 1 had insurance — now I don 't!"

The current pope 's predecessor , Pope John Paul I, didn ' t like being carried around , but gave in when he was told people were standing on chairs to see him during audiences and injuring themselves . Pope John Paul II wasn 't convinced by those arguments. He wanted more personal contact with the peop le, and Sansolini agrees this was impossible when the papal chair was used.

But today the pope moves with increasing difficulty and rarel y wades into the crowd anymore. Some at the Vatican have suggested the chair be brought back. That mi ght please those at the back of the massive crowds expected for the year 2000 jubilee. It would also gladden the hearts of the men who used to carry that chair on their shoulders.

Sansolini still marvels at the attention the pop e gives the sick.

He has watched the p ontiff work

John Thavis V V hen Pope John Paul II was elected in 1978 , Massimo Sansolini lost his job. At least , he lost the favorite part of his job: carrying the pope on an elevated chair. One of the famed Vatican "sediari ," or chairbearers , Sansolini and others were stunned when the Polish pope walked into St. Peter 's Basilica for the first time. As the crowd called out for the pontiff to be held aloft , the pope shouted back , "Not in the chair!"

Thus ended a centuries-old tradition. Thoug h chagrined , Sansolini and his confreres have continued to perform a privileged service in the pope 's household , however. Now called "papal gentlemen " or ushers , they welcome honored guests , keep a close eye on crowds and generall y buzz about the pope like a watchful court.

After 33 years of service , Sansolini has shared some of his inside knowledge in a recent book. His narrative is respectful yet colorful and reveals a world rarel y glimpsed , even by Vatican officials.

Ushers are not supposed to be security at papal appearances , but they often end up protecting ceremonial di gnity from a certain fringe element. Over the years, Sansolini has seen it all: A group that hurled anti-papal leaflets at Pope Paul VI; a girl who tossed books at the

The Catholic Diff erence

emotional wonders by spending extra time with disabled children.

John Thavis is chief of Catholic News Se rvice 's Rome bureau

Ideas do have long-range influence It would be a serious mistake, however, to regard ExFriends as a tattler 's tale, a matter of score-settling among intellectual adversaries. When we first met, sometime in the early 1980s, Norman Podhoretz struck me, first and foremost , as a morally serious man - a rabbi , if you will , in layman 's guise. That profound moral seriousness animates every page of Ex-Friends , making it a tale of importance for anyone who cares about the relationship between ideas and events.

The book is replete with important lessons learned , all the more precious for their being hard won , and all the more poignant for being won at the cost of cherished friendshi ps. Lillian Hellman 's rap ier wit could not, over time, compensate for her obdurate moral blindness about communism. Hannah Arendt was undoubtedl y brilliant , and her three-volume work, The Orig ins of Totalitarianism, remains one of die great intellectual achievements of the century. But brilliance, Podhoretz came to understand , is not the highest of human qualities. Sometimes brilliance gets in the way of moral clarity.

Alan Ginsberg 's demise, like the demise of the "beats" for whom he was a guru , was an object lesson in the wreckage the sexual revolution could cause in literature. Selfindul gence, Podhoretz came to understand , was not the key to literary creativity, as had been proposed since the romantic revolution of the 19th century. Neither was it the royal road to human happ iness.

The tong wars of the New York intellectuals - largely Jewish, almost exclusively secular, and foug ht out in smallcirculation magazines - may seem, at first blush , like strugg les conducted in a distant galaxy, far away. Yet as Podhoretz notes , the wisest thing the economist John Maynard Keynes ever said didn 't have to do with deficit

_______

financing, but with ideas and their relationship to human affairs. "Practical men who believe themselves quite exempt fro m any intellectual influences," Lord Keynes once wrote, "are usuall y the slaves of some defunct economist." Or, it might be added, literary critic, political philosop her, novelist, poet, or playwright.

Norman Podhoretz gave as good as he got in the battles that fractured the iamil y "of the New York intellectuals and eventually gave rise to what came to be called "neo-conservatism."

His sharp sense of the weak link in another 's argument, the directness of his prose, his refusal to kowtow to regnant opinion, and the moral passion he brought to his writing made him a formidable adversary. None of that moral clarity has been lost. But as he approaches the end of his seventh decade , it is a somewhat milder , more pastoral - dare I say, rabbinical? - Norman Podhoretz who speaks , with affection and justice, about his former intellectual comrades , their lives and arguments , and what it all means in the human scheme of things.

I am a suspect witness in these matters because Norman Podhoretz is my friend - although we still disagree about one cut he made in an article I wrote for Commentary about the history of baseball. But let that pass. The lessons tliis good and courageous man has learned and now shares with us have applications far beyond midtown Manhattan. They are lessons for all who wish to live as adults and who still think , perhaps against the odds, that a moral reconstitution of American democracy is possible.

Sometimes brilliance gets in the way of moral clarity.

George Weigel fin adult voice is a blessed relief in today 's American culture wars, which often seem the product of a mass attack of arrested adolescence. Norman Podhoretz raises ju st such a voice in his recently published memoir, Ex-Friends (Free Press), a tale of life among the New York intellectuals.

For 35 years, Mr. Podhoretz was, arguably, the most influential magazine editor in the United States. Under his tenure, Commentary defined an alternative to the liberal hegemony in American thinking about politics and culture - a hegemony, Podhoretz frankl y admits, he had hel ped establish in the 1960s.

Podhoretz's about-face earned him the undying enmity of many taste-makers in the world of American letters, a process he revisits with insig ht, wit, and broad human sympathy in telling the story of his ex-friendshi ps with such luminaries as the critics Lionel and Diana Trilling, the poet Alan Ginsberg, the playwrig ht Lillian Hellman , the philosopher Hannah Arendt , and the novelist Norman Mailer.

George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Cente r in Washin Q ton, D.C.

Commentary

The death penalty in California

Father Gerald D. Coleman, S.S. /AsI wrote this article, Jaturan "Jay " Siripongs was scheduled for execution by lethal injection at San Quentin on Feb. 9. He became the sixth man executed in California since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978.

Siripongs was convicted 16 years ago of double murder for strangling an Orange County shopkeeper, and repeatedly stabbing her clerk.

In response to a request for clemency for Siripongs, Governor Gray Davis responded in part, "Remorse is not sufficient to satisfy a capital sentence for double murder."

There are presently over 500 men and women on death row in California and the prospect of frequent and routine executions looms over this state, with hundreds of people close to the end of their appeals.

We now know the governor 's stance on appeals for clemency, quite distinct from Governor Carnahan of St. Louis who willingly commuted the death sentence of a convicted triple murderer at the personal request of the pope. The pope 's point was clear: ". . . the dignity of

human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil."

It is thus necessary that Catholics be clear about the Church' s official teaching on the question of cap ital punishment.

First, the pope has greatl y restricted the possibility of capital punishment in his 1995 letter The Gospel of Life , a teaching now incorporated into the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Today . . . the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practicall y non-existent." (no. 2267) In other words , a moral case must be made in favor of capital punishment in a society where the offender can be properly incarcerated.

Secondly, Roman Catholic history on this subject has resisted the death penalty. While the Old Testament stipulated death for dozens of crimes, critical Rabbinic literature expressed a strong sentiment against the use of the death penalty at least by the end of the fifth century.

In the New Testament, teachings about forg iveness and renunciation are major themes of Jesus and St. Paul.

Significantly in John 8: 1-11, Jesus refuses to condemn the woman caught in adultery and places an additional requirement on those who would execute her: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

St. Augustine taught that the death penalty should not be used, even for those who have committed the most horrible crimes. He taught that the dignity of the

St. Augustine taug ht. . . that the dignity of the sinner remains the same as the dignity of the saint — a point seemingly missed in the governors analysis.

Letters

¦ Continued from Page 12 Archdiocese of San Francisco is this: Please give us what is authentically Catholic — give us the true Christ and the teachings handed down from his apostles, from his Church. "We have a right to know what is Catholic and what is not."

It is only this knowledge that will save our children and our sinking culture .

Maureen Sitzmann San Rafael

A matter of degrees

I recently read the movie review of "Waking Ned Divine" written by "Three Mothers & a Father" (with nine children and three master's degrees and a doctorate in theology among them). After reading the review for the third time, 1concluded that the advance degrees had to have been conferred on the children, rather than the parents.

Folks, the movie was intended to be a funny, not as a take-off on the Irish, their ethics or their human nature!

Recommendation: view the movie again. This time view it with a bucket of buttered popcorn in one hand, a tall root beer in the other and leave your super-critical glasses at home. After all, in your own words: "It's only a movie" - and a very funny one at that.

Clem DeAmicis San Francisco

Hey, li g hten up !

To "Three Mothers & a Father" movie review of "Waking Ned Devine," I say: Lighten up.

The movie is a fantasy that makes people laugh and suspends the viewer's disbelief. It 's fun . It has received high marks

from The New Yorker and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Feb. 19 review is dogma over karma. Dogma is like a bull frog. It can go in onl y one direction making it very dull.

Karma is like a butterfl y happily investigating many directions. Butterflies always look happier than bullfrogs.

Dogma is like eating a cold one-topping pizza alone in an empty kitchen.

Karma is a warmly extended family dinner with all the trimmings and camaraderie. It's good for karma to leap over dogma from time to time.

My step-daughter and I, after seeing the film, left the theater with happy hearts, and being Irish, went to Barry's Pub for a pint. Good karma!

Life isn' t all heart surgery! Enjoy yourself! Go see "Ned" . Find out for yourself: Are you a bullfrog OT a butterfly?

Robert H. Fitzgerald Belmont

A little at a time

sinner remains the same as the dignity of the saint — a point seemingly missed in the governor 's analysis.

St. Thomas likewise argued th at if a condemned criminal could be incarcerated , then society and the common good would be protected, and justification for the death penal ty would be nullified.

Thirdly, emotions run high when confronted by criminals who have done egregious things. The human , feeling for vengeance is understandable.

However, the Catholic tradition holds that "the extreme of executing the offender" is "today . . . as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system . . . very rare, if not practically non-existent." (The Gospel of Life , no. 5 6) All of us hopefully want to be good and conscientious Catholics, and certainly follow Church teachings.

Assuming this moral stance, we should all hold the opinion that capital punishment is wrong and should never be used when one can assure the safe incarceration of the offender, thus safeguarding society.

Killing Siripongs was morally wrong and is not jus tified b y Catholic moral principles on capital punishment.

I read the first edition of Catholic San Francisco from cover to cover in one sitting. I won 't be able to do that again. It's

Sulp ician Father Gerald D. Coleman is rector of St. Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park, and his commentaries are widely published in the Catholic Press. He was presented with the papal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award last November.

too full of information and interesting reading which requires too much time. I'll have to take it in bits and pieces fro m now on.

My brain did a double take when I read The Monito r was established in 1956 (or was it 1957)? I distinctl y remember reading such a publication that my parents subscribed to while I was in high school in the early 40s, then after I was married in 1949.

The Monitor was the only publication my husban d and I felt we could afford to subscribe to at that time. I vaguely remember a reorganization of the paper in the mid 50s, was that possibly where the date came from? Or am I really getting "addle-pated" in my still young age?

I pray for a continued good response to your efforts .

Betty A. Lubey Novato Ed. note: The Monitor was founded in J 858.

Justifiable homicide

I must respectfully disagree with your leftist political orientation toward the death penalty.

First, the Fifth Commandment is not an absolute. There is such a thing as justifiable homicide at both the individual and societal levels. Criminal law enforcement involving the just use of lethal force is, often , not very nice. That does not, however, make it unjust. Please distinguish between the two terms.

Second, the main reason for Catholic prelates to sound off on the death penalty, as I see it, has been the tendency here in the West to orient the court process heavil y in favor of the rights of defendants, making the chances of swift legal execution virtually non-existent. In such a climate, with the

appeals process taking as long as 20 years , legal execution makes no sense for all but the wanton war criminals such as Hitler or Pol Pot. That, to me, is common sense and has a high degree of merit to it.

Finally, I would describe the attitude of murder victims' families as seeking justice more than vengeance, a quality which seeks to unfairly punish. I resent it when you imply people insisting the punishment fit the crime are hateful. This is not hate. It is, rather, tough love.

Also, please remember the respect owed the unborn killed by abortion is the basis for the respect owed any who are guilty. It is not the other way around, rest assured.

Patrick P. Dempsey San Francisco

On fai th and action Thank you very much for the wonderful and flattering article you ran on the Hospitality House we operate at St. Brano Parish. We have received much positive response from the article - calls offering support and requests for volunteer opportunities.

Many of the people who have contacted us did not know that there is a place in their community to serve those in need. We have been moved by the number of faithful Catholics who want to express their faith through service to others. The article in Catholic San Francisco has been helpful to our work and in informing people of the service opportunity in their community.

I have been very impressed with the first few issues of Catholic San Francisco.

It has been great to see a diocesan publication which talks about issues of faith and the social action which necessarily comes out of such faith.

Peter Stiehler San Bruno Catholic Worker

Family Lif e

Fun is part of God's p lan guinea pig, or let him serve me overpriced p lastic food at his restaurant. Other days, when I tuck him in at night , he reminds me that I haven ' t kept my promise.

And I wonder—wh y do adults have so much trouble play ing ?

Our culture worshi ps work. Next to the Japanese , we Americans work more than anyone in the industrialized world. We've got cell phones and pagers that keep us tied to the office, and "labor-saving devices that give us time to cram more work into our schedules. When we 're not on the job, we work out at the gym, work on our hobbies, or even work on our spiritual lives.

I remember describing my life for my spiritual advisor years ago. Like a typical over-achiever, I told him about my writing, my volunteer service, and my well-organized prayer life. And he said , "What do you do for fun?"

"Well," I stammered , "I enjoy my work."

"I' m not talking about work," he said. "I' m talking about fun. Life has to be more than work."

Eventuall y I grew to see the wisdom of his words. But it took the experts—my kids—to teach me to play.

For my son Lucas ' third-grade classmates , recess is still the highli g ht of the day. Mine , too , when I' m able to join them.

Most games involve running around screaming, "Who ' s

it? ' Rules are flexible , yet rarely argued over. We might play lava monster, man-eating dinosaur , or TV tag. Or the perennial favorite , boys chase the girls. (Sometimes, just to be different , we play girls chase the boys.)

When I' m the lava monster, I don ' t worry about meet' ing the next deadline or whether I have enough money to pay the utility bill. I'm too busy looking for victims to trap in my lav a cave.

Fun , I' ve come to see, is part of God's plan. Play restores our souls and builds relationshi ps with others. It frees us from worry ing about the past or the future and opens us to the joy of the present moment.

Last night , Gabe stopped me at the bedroom door with a new request. "On the next day," he said, "you have to promise to play with me. And on the next day after that, you have to promise to play with me. And on the day after that , you have to promise to play with me. And every day until you die."

1 smiled. "You've got a deal!"

to enter the joy of heaven. It then adds, "The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned " (No. 1031).

Note fust of all that in the Church's understanding expressed here, purgatoiy is an event, a process, not a place or location. After death we enter into a wholly different framework of existence where there would seem to be no time or place in our sense of those concepts. We know, of course, that for God there is no past or future.

Thus, in spite of a lot of folklore that (especially during the Middle Ages and later into the Renaissance) made purgatory into a kind of mini-hell where people endured ages of torture and pain, the Church consistently avoids speaking of purgatoiy as being "somewhere," or lasting some "time."

As the catechism says, something happens to us at or after deadi which, if necessary, prepares us for the face-toface vision and presence of God. Could that purification occur immediately after death in the blinding awareness of the holiness of God as we confront that holiness with our human weakness and sinfulness?

Or might it happen in the process of death itself, when the knowledge of our sins and selfishness becomes so intense this entire cleansing takes place in an instant? Official teachings do not attempt to supp ly tiiese kinds of details.

Part of the problem has been confusion concerning the ancient and consoling Christian belief that the living can

assist those who have died by prayer. This doctrine is one significant aspect of our belief in the communion of saints , which unites all who are joined in Christ, whether on earth or in the next life.

Some Christian s throug h the centuries have tried to embellish this with all sorts of theones about hundreds of years of affliction in some mid-p lace between heaven and earth , and how we can shorten this time.

Such horrible images may literally scare the devil out of someone, but they are irrelevant to actual Church teaching. As for your question about memorials: while the Eucharistic Sacrifice is the pre-eminent form of prayer for the dead, the catechism reminds us that gifts of charity, indulgences and works of penance are also good ways to commend our deceased loved ones to the mercy of God (No. 1032).

'When I' m the lava monster, I don 't worry about meeting the next deadline or whether I have enough money

Christine Dubois

"O

V_y n the next day," says five-year-old Gabe as 1 tuck the quilt under his chin , "you have to promise to play with me."

It ' s part of the bedtime routine. Every night I promise to p lay with him , to mail him something , and to take him to the zoo soon. Then he tells me he loves me as much as all the trees in the whole state. Luckily, we live in Washington , the Evergreen State, so that 's a lot of love.

I blow him a kiss and close the door, full y intending to keep my promise. But there are deadlines to meet, meetings to attend , meals to cook , laundry to wash , phone calls to make .

On good days , I make time for a coup le rounds of Go Fish, or crawl around on the floor pretending to be mama

QUESTION CORNER

Please review purgatory teaching and implications Q. I am 74 and still find there are many truths of our faith I don 't know much about. One is pu rgatory. What exactly is that? 1 did not know, for examp le, that when we go there we cannot pray for ourselves; others pray for us. I also learned Masses should be said for the peop le there.

But now when someone dies, often it is requested that memorials be sent to a hospice or a heart or cancer society. This is wonderful , but how does this fit in with praying for the dead ? (Ohio) A. It's good to clear up Catholic teaching on what we call purgatory. The Catechism of the Catholic Church sums it up by noting those who die in God's grace and friendship, but might still be imperfectly purified, undergo a "purification"

SULLIVAN'S

to pay the utility bilV

Christine Dubois is a freelance writer who lives with her family near Seattle. Contact her at: P.O. Box 12777, Mill Creek, WA 98082; or via e-mail at: ch riscolumn @juno. com

Father John Dietzen

McCoy Church Goods Co. Inc. Competitive Prices & Personalized Service Jhv ^'ffaFTB

IL^r ll^^S^B

Br

8

: -^*Pttk m

86 y ears of f inej eiueCry

\M i8i Br I

&. ¦

HMMMMMMflfl

HhfHJjjH AffTHUB I. SULLIVAN 4 CO. FUNERAL HOME Family Owned Since 1924

•

Burials Urns

•

•

•

Cremations Insurance

• Shipping Services • Memorial Services 9 A m p l e Parking • Cremation Options • Se habla E s p a n o l Sp o n s o r - P a c i f i c C r e m a t i o n P l a n (415) 621 - 4567 P r ep l a n n i n g i n f o r m a t i o n (415) 621 - 4568

2254 Market Street , S.F. 94114 Between 15th & 16th Streets

,

pBSPlilaSSB

J l • WJfe m

it or rwM m

^r m H \m WK^ LM H&OS

1010 Howard Avenue San Mateo, CA 9440 1

(650) 342-0924

., y 't' '

HHlMm«^ii$nMPflHHHHHMM Bl

Extensive selection of exquisite jewelery and rings.

Or, let us help design your own.

Compare at Prices 40% to 50% below market .

111 Sutter Street San Francisco, CA. 94104 (415)781-7371 (800)781-7371 www.cresaliajewelers.com Validated parking one block at 233 Sutter.

SCRIPTURE & LITU RGY cHe told me everything I have done' The Sacred Scripture takes on a new life and direction when it is proclaimed to us in the Sunday assembly of God's people. The Easter Vigil makes this point obvious when we proclaim and hear the Old Testament liter_____^ Exodus 17:3-7 ally in the light of the Easter candle. It is Thl'rd Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 j the glorified Jesus, signed by the candle, e Sunday R _ ^w who sheds light and meaning upon these Ol LCTlt j 0f m4:5-42 texts. When we proclaim and hear the exodus story, for example (Exodus 14:1515:1), we are not submitting to a history lesson but rather experience our creation as God's people through the death and resurrection of Jesus and through the waters of baptism that the community used to initiate us.

Thus the prayer, following silent reflection on this reading and the Psalm response, has this to say: "Lord God, in the new covenant you shed light on the miracles you worked in ancient times: the Red Sea is a symbol of our baptism , and the nation you freed from slavery is a sign of your Christian peop le. May every nation share the faith and privilege of Israel and come to new birth in the Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord."

Today, then , our liturgy gives new focus to the Scripture by combining four readings which speak to the elect (those who will be initiated at the Easter Vigil), who experience today the first of three scrutinies and to us who will celebrate Eucharist on this day of the Lord.

God does provide water for his thirsty people, but our first reading shows us his people can be an ungracious lot. "In their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and livestock?' So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!' " Father David M. Pettingill Following God's instructions, Moses strikes the rock , and water flows from it for the people. But the story ends on an unhappy note: "The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the Lord, saying, Ts the Lord in our midst or not?' " As the Psalm response underscores, our thirst can be satisfied only if we allow God 's Word to lead us. We are sustained on our exodus journey only if the vision supplied by the Word guides us.

As graceless and as complaining as we can be, our second reading describes what God has graciously "poured" into our hears; specifically, "the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." This "pouring" happens to us in the waters of baptism because of God's incredible love for us: "For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Thus , thirsty and grumbling though we still may be, "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand."

Once we accept this water from Jesus the Lord, "Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst," we become like the Samaritan woman Jesus met at Jacob's well at Sychar. When we receive his Spirit, we see our past life for what it is: "You are right in saying, I do not have a husband. For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true." So confronted by Jesus, she reacts initially, " I see that you are a prophet."

As Jesus continues in conversation with her, she feels missioned by the experience to proclaim him: "the woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, Come see a man who told me everything 1 have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?" Later, her witness is effective: "Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, He told me everything I have done. " As we see the elect this day ritualizing a process that has been going on in their lives over several months, we see ourselves wanting to be for them all that they say we are by their desire to join our Church. They say to us: "we see your thirst and hear your grumbling; we see your graced position ' with God that makes you comfortable in God 's presence and hospitable to us; we have experienced your outreach to us and your witness and we have come to believe, even as you have."

Perhaps what we pray for them we may pray for ourselves as these Scripture texts place new life, vision , and energy in us: "That, like the woman of Samaria, our elect may review their lives before Christ and acknowledge their sins....

"That while awaiting the gift of God, they may long with all their hearts for the living water that brings eternal life....

"That they may share with their friends and nei ghbors the wonder of their own meeting with Christ...."

Confession: Christ 's own peace This column is the third of five on the sacrament of penance. It ends my reflections on individual confession. Father John Talesfore, director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship, begins a series on the communal celebration of penance next week.

The Christ we encounter in Sunday 's Gospel is the Messiah, the source of living water in whom every human thirst is satisfied. The compassionate love of this Messiah is also at the heart of Sunday 's second reading: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

As beloved sinners, we turn to God's forgiving embrace. This holy season of Lent invites us to experience again God 's infinite pardon and peace, especially in the sacrament of penance. For those celebrating the sacrament this Lent and for those less sure of how to celebrate it, these words are offered.

Previous columns have encouraged use of a favorite Bible passage (or one of the Sunday readings) to prepare for confession. This reading could be brought along for the optional proclamation of the Word at the beginning of the sacrament. If it is helpful to bring a copy of the act of contrition we want to pray, we bring that too.

After the confession of sins, acceptance of the penance, and act of contrition , the priest extends his hands in blessing over us. It is easy to recognize in this biblical gesture the blessing of Jesus the healer, Jesus the reconciler, Jesus the gentle shepherd, guiding all the lost safely home.

The power and grace of the sacrament then comes to full expression in the prayer of absolution which the priest offers , his hands still raised in blessing .

This is a prayer of great beauty, expressing profound truths about God's fidelity and forg iveness. It is worth special attention.

"God, the father of mercies, throug h the death and resurrection of his son has reconciled the world to himself."

God's lavish mercy and goodness surround us and seek us out at every moment, at every breath , but in the clearest and most powerful way in the dying and Sister Sharon McMillan, SND rising of Jesus. In him we are reconciled to God, to every other human being, and to ourselves.

The prayer continues: "God sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins."

The Spirit of Jesus dwells within us by our baptism : the Sp irit of wisdom guiding us to repentance, the Spirit of ri ght jud gment helping us to compassionate self-knowledge, the Spirit of courage urging us to welcome the complete forgiveness waiting for us.

The prayer adds: "Through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace." In confession, God reconciles through the Church's ministry; God forgives through the Church's prayer. The Body of Christ, which is the Church , embraces every penitent , you and me, with Christ's own tenderness.

And the prayer concludes: "And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." And we answer "Amen" to the prayer, "Amen" to the gift of grace, "Amen" to the pardon and peace.

Our confession is almost over. We now respond to the absolution with heartfelt praise and thanks. Echoing the joy of Psalm 136, we pray with the priest: "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His mercy endures for ever." Then we are dismissed to go in peace, the peace that only Christ can give. Confession is an open door, welcoming us home to Christ's own healing, wholeness, and peace.

Notre Dame Sister Sharon McMillan is an assistant professsor of sacramental theology and liturgy at St. Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park. She recently earned a Doctorate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Liturg ical Institute of Sanf Anselmo in Rome.

i

|H> @D| Egg ~g| gH Egg * ||

gg§

gas |H

gg§

S§3 Hjg ggg §H

Father David Petting ill directs the Archdiocese of San Francisco 's Office of Parish Life. He and Sulp ician Father Gerald D. Coleman recently co-authored Following in the Footsteps of Jesus, part of the Illumination Books series published by Paulist Press.

| |§5 ggK

Don 't live alone !

1

Don't spend your precious | remaining years in terrible |loneliness. Why | not live where you can choose friends from 150 active men and women f§| sharing a fashionable address - and sharing fun of planned and un^ planned social activities? | g| We'll prove lo you that living in lovely surroundings , dining tasteful- p§ ly and being pampered costs no more. A single monthl y payment (startUp ing at $700 a month) provides three meals per day seven days a week, including holidays . . . room cleaning service . . . sunny rooms (most fif with baths), suits, too, in a 10-story concrete building . . . 24-hour desk HI attendant . . . physician on call . . . color TV . .. hobb y rooms . . card Hf games and parties . . . a splendid location on major bus lines , onl y blocks Eel from Union Square . . . and much more. Managed b y the West' s spe- W& cialists in residence hotel hospitality.

S«| Visit us today or call for brochure . f§j| FOR DISTINGUISHED SENIOR CITIZENS | |

III

TLhc <3rana6a

1000 Sutter Street , San Francisco, California 94 109 Corner of Sutter and Hyde • (415) 673-2511

I 1 1 1 tig

MmMmMmgmmwmmwm

'Rushmore' is coming-of-age for actor Bill Murray

By Three Mothers & a Father It ' s not Mount Rushmore. It's a private prep school like the Jesuit Catholic hi gh school Bill Murray attended when he was growing up the fifth of nine children in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette. Bill Murray 's father, a lumber salesman, died when Bill was young and he worked as a caddy during the summer to pay his Catholic school tuition.

As Bill Murray told Terry Gross on National Public Radio 's "Fresh Air" (KQED-FM)—the best interview program in America—he, too, was a poor boy try ing to find himself in a school for the overprivileged and doing everything he could to get others to like him.

It 's not the Bill Murray of "Saturday Night Live" nor the Bill Murray of "Groundhog Day". The pockmarked poodle face is the same, however — the droll , laconic sense of humor, the hands and body that came a couple of sizes too large. But this Bill Murray blends oddball enigma and pathos , pushes the envelope of offbeat comedy/tragedy, and delivers perhaps his best multilayered , deadpan , bittersweet performance.

In "Rushmore," a brilliant , uni que, coming-of-age

For those interested in prayer, try Father Basil's Lectio Divina Lectio Divina : Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures by M. Basil Pennington , OCSO. (Crossroad Publishing Company, New York, 1998. 164 pp, $14.95)

By Father Gerard O'Rourke

A book with the Latin title Lectio Divina might for some be a little off-putting. Believe me, if you are interested in praying, this is a book not to miss. Father Basil Pennington, OCSO is an acknowledged master in the field of prayer. He has a world-wide following because of his life-long work, inspired by his fellow Cistercian, the late Father Thomas Merton, as a practitioner and teacher of centering prayer.

We Catholics love to categorize everything, including prayer! The classical forms of our prayer are Oratio (spoken prayer), Lectio Divina (reading God's Word), Meditatio

Father Basil writes for us in an easy sty le, and in sequential chap ters gives us a comprehensive view of a spiritual p ractice that is as old as our Church. (reflecting on the Word), and Contemp latio (prayer of silence). So Lectio Divina is one of these categories.

Over and over in the Bible we see that the reading the Word of God is central to our life of faith. It is at the source of our faith. This book masterfully guides us through all the p hases that allow us to get the greatest value from our Lectio or praying the Scriptures. Father Basil writes for us in an easy style, and in sequential chapters gives us a comprehensive view of a spiritual practice that is as old as our Church.

His chapters on "Listening" are worth the price of the book. In our noisy world it is so refreshing to read his words on this core element of Lectio - listening.

Another value of the book is to experience a true master

'Murray blends oddball enigma and p athos ... and delivers per haps his best multilayered , deadpan, bittersweet performance ^ comedy, written and directed by Wes Anderson, Bill Murray plays Mr. Blume , an unhappy father of vicious twin sons, locked in a loveless marriage, and a wealthy benefactor of posh Rushmore Academy. Blume is intrigued by Jason Schwartzman (Talia Shire's son) who plays Max Fischer, a weird , self-absorbed , underachieving nerd living in a fantasy delusion.

In fact, Max is a 15-year-old 10"'grader with braces, black rimmed glasses, and eyebrows that almost connect.

He's a barber's son , who tells everyone his father is a neurosurgeon. He's also a Rushmore fixture since the second grade and founder/president of these clubs: stamp, coin, fencing, French, German, chess, calligrap hy, beekeeping, dodgeball , and the Max Fischer Players who perform Max's version of "Serpico" and the "Vietnam War."

Both Max and Blume fall in puppy love with Miss Cross, a pretty, young widow and Rushmore teacher, played by Olivia Williams (who seems to have recovered from being Kevin Costner 's love interest in "The Postman.") The wacky triangle—perhaps a kind of psychological parable for the three people in each of us— child, adult, parent—provides an opportunity for both Blume and Max to see and accept themselves, and begin to grow up. Of course, that 's exactly what so many today do not want to do: accept themselves and their lives as God's will, and grow up. So "Rushmore" will be a critical smash and a box office bust.

The movie does have off-beat comedy, brief physical violence , an implied affair, several crass sexual references, a flash of nudity, underage drinking, locker room language, a bit of profanity, and constant smoking—in short , enough earthiness to merit an R from the Motion Picture Association and an AIII from the USCC's Office for Film and Broadcasting.

"Three Mothers & a Father " is an occasional movie review written with the input of three mothers (nine children between them) and a father.

at work. Father Basil connects us with all the aspects of allows us to get beyond these forbidding terms and see prayer whether vocal, meditation, sacred reading or con- how enlightening and fulfilling a little research can be as templation. He does it in such a way any of us can see that we do our reading of Scripture. He does this throughout prayer and the love of prayer is a real possibility for each the book by the ease of his story telling and his ¦ "\ „™.^ir. A . A „ ~ t , „ „?..!„ ur„ „,,„., U U »„ —— " of us if we are willing to give it our effort. \ simple, didactic style. He even has a chapter on In this busy, demanding, secular world that I \ Lectio in cyberspace! One can onl y imagine iN r^ \ what this reality may open up for today 's chilis truly good news. ' He does tell us that we will have moments | \ dren if they are introduced to the Bible on the in our prayer life when we will be tested. We H \ web. "Lectio in Cyberspac e" opens up a vast ¦ new approach to reading and praying the may even feel, on occasion, that it is a waste of I time! He guides us with a steady hand through :; ;; \ Scriptures. these testing moments. \ He wraps up the book with an enchanting Bj rather Basil also suggests wondertully prac- 1 a| §1 \ epilogue on Mary plus some practical appen5. \ dices on "Enthroning the Sacred Scripture in tical ways to practice this sacred reading in our \ ^^! ' busy lives. He shows us how it can enliven fami- X **» *<"" \the Home " "The Method of Lectio," ^•^"^ "Centering Prayer" and "Lectio Vere ly life by letting all the members of the family in \ ^ Divina " ( you will have to read it, to get this one). on the action. He points it out as a powerful bond- k"0""""'* ing for couples as they grow older and have more time to engage in enriching spiritual experiences.

This book can be also an educational and instructionFather P. Gerard O 'Rourke is director of the * al instrument. He effortlessl y lead s us through terms like Archdiocese of San Francisco 's Office of biblical scholarship, scriptural analysis and literal , alleInterreligious Affairs. gorical, mystical, moral and historical interpretations. He nn

t

,

„

JESUIT RETREAT HOUSE fyS^fjffflJiJ <f£j M®®f^ M®®ifH^Sa OEMC/fflED TO SEEWICE \

Serving The Entire San Francisco Bay Area Since 1975 Traditional Funerals • Serving All Faiths Reputable Direct CrematioiwPre-Arrangements Affordable Services ; World-Wide Shipp ing-All Burial Policies Accepted If? Union Benefits-Veterans Burial and Social Security Notary Public Where No One is TurnedAwayf i r Lack of Funds

BKHSHR

^81: sjiP^W.

Sk TORENZO LEWIS Bf c President& C.E. O. Wk.

EMB. 6310

^^^Tfc ~vm3£*M^F ALMARIBffi .aA,MA,Jfl. Secretary - Treasurer

BUS. FO. Itl<

HyiTMlN CONVENIENT l^MACM Off ALIL ^J

KSWx^ll^^g^^J^lJIHHI

Mar. 12-14 Prayers from the Cross Legal Profession Men / Women - Silent Fr. John Moss i, SJ Mar. 19-21 Spirit of Lent, Spirit of Freedom Women - Silent Fr. Bernie Bush , SJ , Mar. 26-28 The Final Journey to Jerusalem Men - Silent Fr. Robert Scholia, SJ April 1 - 4 Dy ing and Rising with Jesus Holy Week Retreat Men / Women - Silent Jesuit Retreat House Team Apri l 13-16 "...God is doing for us what we Tues.-Thurs. could not do for ourselves. " Alcohol Recovery Men / Women Msgr. Terry Richey _J^i Call (650) 948-4491

vaJLJolftl for information/fl yer. ¦HEM 300 Manresa Way Los Altos , CA 94022 ^^^m If T f III Spiritual Retreats for Men & Women

Betmats/Days of Recollection —VALLOMBROSA CENTER—

250 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park .

For fees and times, call (650) 325-5614.

Marc h 12 - 14: "Washed in the Blood of the Lamb," a retreat for women with Father Jim Franck and Sister Toni Longo.

March 26 - 28: "Passion for Life ," Contemp lative weekend for women and men with Father Greg Cornelia and Sister Toni Longo.

April 24: "A Secret Garden" with Carol Kap lan , MFCC. March 6: "Turn lo Me ," a St. Paul Parish retreat with Jesuit Father Bernie Bush. This day of prayer , 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will focus on Lent as an opportunity for conversion and deepening one 's relationship with God. The day begins at 9 a.m. and closes with Eucharist at 5 p.m. St. Paul Parish is at Church and Valley St., SF For more information or to register, call (415) 648-7538.

Vnratinn<z March 12 - 14: Vocation retreat Sisters of the sponsored by Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Epiphany Convent , SF. Register with Sister Monica Miller, PBVM at (415) 751-0406 , ext. 22.

Taize Prayer Around the Cross Second Friday of the month at 8 p.m. at Presentation Sisters Motherhouse Chapel , Turk and Masonic , SF. For information , call Sister Monica Miller, PBVM at (415) 751-0406.

Second Friday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at St. Luke Parish , 1111 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City,. For information: (650) 345-6660.

Third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Vallombrosa Center, 250 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. For informati on, call Sister Toni Longo, ASC at. (650) 325-5614

Datebook

Music

Tnttf Mrnn ,mnnmmrntiTM"mm ''' :

Columbus meets the second Tuesday of the month at noon at Caesar 's Restaurant , Bay and Powell St., SF. If you are interested in joining or attending, call Vito Corcia at (415) 564-4449.

Pilgrimages August 1999: To the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington , DC with Archbishop William J. Levada. For information , p lease call the Office of Ethnic Ministries of the Archdiocese at (415) 565-3622.

volunteer Opportunities Catholic Charities ' St. Joseph Village can use donations of clothing, shoes , accessories , kitchen supp lies , diapers , linens etc. To volunteer for this program that helps homeless families become selfsufficient , call Kristen Rauda at (415) 575.4920, ext. 223.

San Francisco's St. Anthony Foundation invites you to volunteer for any of its many outreach programs. Call (415) 241.2600.

Birth right needs people to work with women faced with unp lanned pregnancies.

For information, call Mary Alba at (415) 664-9909.

San Mateo County 's Volunteer Center welcomes your call at (650) 342-0801.

Worship Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park , 24 hours every day, (650) 322-3013. St. Sebastian Church , corner of Bon Air Rd. and Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Greenbrae , Mon Fri. 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Adoration Chapel , (415) 461-0704. St, Agn es Church , 1025 Masonic (near Page) SF, Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., (415) 487-8560.

Our Lady of Angels Church , 1721 Hillside Dr., Burlingame , Mon.- Fri . after 8 a.m. Mass until 7 p.m.

Divorced, Separated For information about ministry available to divorced and separated persons in the Archdiocese, call (415) 273-5521.

Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin meets for support and activities.

For information , call Don at (415) 8835031; Peter at (415) 897-4634.

April 9-11: a Beg inning Experience weekend at Vallombrosa Center, 250 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. The weekend is a space for those experiencing loss to

Parish Prof ile ' i ¦ ji F','¦'' ¦"¦'"<U-

*

March 11: Luncheon and Silent Auction benefi ting St. Francis Center of Redwood City. Takes place at Mt . Alvern o Center, 3910 Bret Harte Dr., Redwood City, $20 admission includes corned beef and cabbage lunch. Doors open II a.m.

For information and tickets , call Mary Lou Putnam at (650) 851-8563 or lean MacLachlan at (650) 369-0146.

March 13: Annual Luncheon & Fashion Show for St. Vincent's School for Boys sponsored by women's auxiliary.

Tickets $35. For tickets and information , call Lorayne Calegari at (415) 457-2776.

March 14: The Fathers ' Club of Junipero Serra High School hosts a St. Paddy 's Day Extravaganza fro m 3 to 5 p.m.

Cocktails, hors' d'oeuvres, entertainment and a chance at prizes including $20,000 or an Ireland trip for two are included with your $100 donation. For ticket information, call (650) 345-8207.

March 21: Annual Irish Breakfast at St. Finn Burr Parish, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 415 Edna St, SF. Entertainment , too !

For information, call Margaret Hall at (415) 333-3627.

March 26 - 27: Schools of the Sacred Heart celebrate spring this weekend with a Garden Party, Live! On Broadway and Family Festival. For ticket information , call (415) 563-2900.

March 27: Dancing, gourmet dining, live and silent auctions highlight "An Evening of Dreams" benefiting Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish , Belmont at Hotel Sofitel. For information or reservations, call (650) 593-6157.

March 20: Mercy High School, Burlingame's annual auction and dinner with a "Who Dunnit?" theme at Kohl Mansion on Mercy 's campus at 2750 Adeline Drive. Evening includes dinner and murder mystery. Tickets $45. For information and reservations, call (650) 343-9602.

Dante Council of Knights of

reevaluate and move on with hope. For information , call Lanier Reeves at (650) 375-8332 or Fran King at (415) 928-3441.

00:

'-" " *

jfl^-^ -"--, ;•

%¦- '- "

#

¦

#**/

i

¦'

* 1

| »

SZZ-T

*0*-%M"'-

m

"&/

I -i.

,/ '/

¦ —-"*"""*"•»

) ' r ,.r

'"'^L.

^ ^

^

V'

..

'j i

M

&

. ' .: ': , " ¦ ]

St. Charles Borromeo Parish 713 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

The ori ginal church at this Spanish-speaking community, St. Mission District parishes now its Charles celebrates four of its six school with a student body of 274. weekend Masses in Spanish , and The present St. Charles Church , built there is also a strong Filipino presin the purely mission style, was ded- ence. Parish programs include a icated in 1917. The somber and tra- parish council , youth group, Legion ditional style of the church adds to of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul Society, its prayerfulness and since its con- school of reli gious education , and struction the onl y changes have been ministry to the sick and elderl y, moving the tabernacle to a side altar, Pastor: Father Jose Rodriguez and turning the altar to face the worshipping community in compliance Masses: Saturdays 5:30 pm. with Vatican II directives. Altars are (Spanish); Sundays - 7 a.m. wood and hand-carved in every (English), 8:30 a.m. (Spanish), detail. The crucifix stands in the cen10 a-m(English), noon ter with statues of Our Lady and St. (Spanish), 5:30 p.m. (Span ish).

Patrick on one side and St. Joseph on „ .. the other. In 1923, stained glass winea mg ca P acit ydows expressing in vivid colors the most important mysteries of the Founding date : as parish, 1887.

Catholic faith were placed.

To accommodate its largel y Phone: (415) 824-1700

March 25: Annual elementary school choral festival at Archbishop Riordan High School , 175 Phelan Ave., SF, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information , contact Hol y Names Sister Marianne Viani , associate superintendent of schools , at (415) 565-3660.

Feb 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28: Sunday recitals at 4 p.m. following sung Vespers at 3:15 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi Shrine , Vallejo St. at Columbus , SF. For information: (415) 983-0405.

March 7, 14, 21, 28: Sunday afternoon concerts at St. Mary Cathedral featuring various artists at 3:30 p.m., Gough and Geary Blvd., SF. For information: (415) 567-2020 ext. 213.

During Lent Wednesdays: Lenten lecture series through March 24 at St. Raymond Parish, 1100 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park , 7:30 9 p.m. Presenter is Father Pat Michaels , pastor, (650) 323-1755.

Thursdays: "Justice is Who We Are and What We Believe" is the princi ple guiding Soup Supper presentations and dialogue at St. Luke Parish , 1111 Beach Blvd., Foster City. For information , call (650) 345-6660 Fridays: Lenten Christian Meditation and Faith Sharing, Sacred Heart Church , Fell and Fillmore , SF. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. For information , call Chuck McNeil at (415) 255-0969 or John O'Grad y at (415) 626-9753. Saturdays at Sacred Heart, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.; dialogue will have a social justice focus.

Fridays: Food , Fellowshi p and Prayer at St. Mary Cathedral, Gough and Geary Blvd., SF. Soup supper and dialogue at 6 p.m., Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. For information , call Mary Ann Eiler at (415) 567-2020 , ext. 215.

Fridays: Pray for vocations at St. Francis of Assisi Shrine , 610 Vallej o St. at Columbus , SF. Mass at 12:15 p.m., Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Benediction at 5:15 p.m. A talk on a Franciscan Lenten theme by one of the shrine 's Conventual Franciscan Friars begins at 6 p.m., (415) 983-0407.

March 18: Great Comp line , a Byzantine Catholic lenten service will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m. at Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi , 610 Vallejo St. (at Columbus), SF. Deacon Gerald Sondergaard of the Archdiocese 's Our Lad y of Fatima Russian Byzantine Catholic Church will be among the presiders. The shrine choir will sing. For information , call (415) 983-0405.

Lectures/ Classes ¦¦ ¦¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ^ ¦¦ ¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ^ ¦¦

¦ ^¦ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

S s

Through May 11: Free one-hour computer science lectures Thursdays at 11 a.m.at University of San Francisco , Golden Gate Ave. between Parker and Masonic , SF. Series is in its 27th year. For information: (415) 422-6235.

March 12 - 14: "Asian Americans in Higher Education: Redefining Merit and Race Relations after Prop. 209 ," at Radisson Miyako Hotel, SF. USF President, Jesuit Father John P. Schlegel will speak.

For information ,: (415) 422-6235.

Datebook is a fre e listing for parishes, schools and non-profit groups. Notice must include event name, time, date, p lace, address and an information phone number.

Listing must reach the CSF two weeks before the Friday publicat ion date desired.

Mail your notice to: Datebook, Catholic San Francisco, 441 Church St., S.F. 94114, or f a x it to (415) 565-3633'.

ATHOLIC - ...C SAN FRANCISCO

I

ma——aaaa

A O ^i nF TN O

^, j A ^ ^I MK U r } \+*mi i w wj l l i f U ls/ W

Office Manager

Paintin § & Decorating V V B/X ¦ ^^s4r Commercial • Residential >r Interior • Exterior • Wall Covering Wood Work • Great Prep Work

Carpet & Linoleum Co. ¦Carpet ¦Vinyl • Laminate

through March 31, 199!)

Foi more i n f o r m a t i o n visit o u r w e b s i t e at w w w . p a t e l c o . o r g

(650) 245-3740 | tan** Faster Drying Time j 1 |$ M W^C)f)Truck Mounted Units , ¦ c ree Estimates Hk I M Work Guaranteed j ^ Insured/Bonded J ! per Room Member B.B.B . [ J

Kitchen & Bath Modernization Tile Work • Room Additions • Fencing Dry Wall • Painting • Taping

.

rrsA §|

SAFE A BET! j f

• Full Training Provided • Flexible Hours

$25* Per Week Call

Lic#734 (i21

— m ff i

'—"^m

d

Serving Your Transportation Needs • ALL MAKES & MODELS _

Send letter of app lication , resume, salary history and references to St. Pius Church, 1100 Woodside Road , Redwood City, CA 94061. Or fax to (650) 369-364 1

-—. . ,.

{easelfjobile

I 10 , 000 C a t h o l i c

Wallace F. Mooney

^f t

(650) 244 -9255 l Wall y >

$rȣw

TH

My Forte Is 99°/b Purchasing - J % Leasing

Households with This Size Ad

* One Year AgnxttKnl

A large parish on the San Francisco penin sula seeks a qualified candidate with three years experience in catechetical formation for Director of our Reli gious Education program. The position entails programs for catechetical and leadershi p formation (RCIA, CCD, sacramental progra m , adult education) . Minimum qualifications include MA in Reli g ious Education , Theology, Pastoral Ministry or equivalent; strong organizational , management , communication and ttaining skills; and a professional temperament.

wwvv.wailyTmoon.aoI.com

Peninsula B.mk. of Commerce \' . ¦¦¦ '.i ¦..' ] Shopp ing Center 811 Cherry Arenue RES NO; (650) 588-7155 San Bruno, CA 94066-2996 RES FAX: (6501 827-1433

y

CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO CLASSIFIED AD FORM PRIVATE PARTY RATE: 4 line minimum: $20.00. Each additional line: $4.00 Applies to individual selling items , garage sales , wanted ads, shared housing ads, autos , vans , trucks , boats. Private Party Ads are payable in advance by credit card , rhprk mnnev ordpr cam cneCK , or money oraer. r- •¦

nsv....*-nA.»i n»^-r-

¦

. -. _

j„„

. . .

...

• COMMERCIAL RATE: 5 line minimum: $25.00. Each additional line: $5.00.

Applies to business ads, services offered , real estate and rental ads , buying and resellinq A

¦naHHHaHHHHHHOHBBBHH HMHHHnnBBU ¦ ¦ Mk-rSm«»| WtSf \WWK&tEtKKv¦ PHt3*»^EKffMEfl5 ^KTfiC8SsRvlB BB ^H^HHRHI HMMBS S ^gSff l j &Bf f l Sg Sj BmMf lff lt

CATEGORIES

100 Announcements 125 Appliances 15° Buslness Opportunities 175 Child Care -

too 425 450 475

Garage Saias Health s Fitness Home Furnishings Miscellaneous

250 counseling 2?5 Education/Lessons 300 Electronics

525 550 575 580

Pel Supplies Professional Services Religious Articles Travel / Entertainment

200 Children's, Misc.

2ZS collectibles

500 Office Equipment

to Buy

625 Rea ' Estate

For Sale

Enter your ad here. Be sure to include spaces and punctuation:

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Full & part time openings in all fields including Campus Ministry.

Minimum requirements: BA, California credentials or MA in Academic Disci pline Please send resume to: 1540 Ralston, Belmont , CA 94002 or E-mail: ndhsB @ aol.com

l

I

I

I

l

l

I

I

l

I

I

I

I

I

l

NAME

Mature Catholic gentleman new to SF wants to room with one or two peop le in flat of house with common rooms shared. Works for . the Church. Married but famil y, still in Seattle, will join him later.

Needs a clean dwelling p lace for several months while he/they complete their relocation - (415) 235-3783 -

——

WALLY MOONEY, FleetPurchase Manager

Call 510-537-7921

Director of Religious Education

Graham Hojj ett, Genera l Contractor

New Car Financing Through Your Credit Union

You Can Reach

• Benefit Package \ 401 K

Call For Free Brochure

v (650) 574-6939

• ONE VEAR AGREEMENT

$75 Week*

" Generous Commissions

COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

\J /'

(510) 537-7391 —~

l

I

\\\// / SPARKLE CONSTRUCTION Nffla/ & REMODELING

This Ad Is Only

****

For Just

CRIDJ I U N I O N

A REMODEL PAYS FOR ITSELF!

LI.-8P0-498-8029I

#218501

"Hel p Yourself While Helping Others "

/

j !¦ CARPET/WHOIST CLEANING

(415) 751-2827

Advertising Sales For Catholic Church Bulletins

/j M £ i $ s y / y J &^f lf & l C O

ot call (415) 4 4 2 - 7 1 0 5

Free Estimates Lie #7472f>i

^iyMi.iiiM:JM rJiiJII ifliBIniijaiM^

Serving the Catholic Community Since 1.913

EARN AS H4 GH AS 6 . 1 4 % ON OUR SPRING SPECIA L CERTIFICATE

;

wi I rT^ V» ^i I*M I^^^T^^H^^fc Z^w^H I B 1 1 U v J 11 B^ i f SJ H I B 1 1 1 % JH

1 S Paluch Co

We offer :i complete range of financial products including: • Nc-fee Checking-co minimum balance , no monthl y lies • New Hi Used Auto Loans as low as 7.25% • Visa Cards with fixed rates as low as 11 A% APR; no annual fee and much , much more!

„

CHolm | ;EtiUu |

Steve B n 1es t r i er i

TO

(415) 565 - 3681

11 you worshi p in San Francisco , or live or work in one of " die 16 Bay Area cities we serve , you can join Patelco Credit Union.

l ESTIMATES l

RcfinishMl Commer cial & Residential

Materials & Installation

I^R

yJjjO

WORK .FREE

„„„,„.

- 3699

FAX

rnrr C R E D I T U N I O N rlVLi: M E M B E R S H I P

.QUALITY

I]arb(o0o& floras [ARMSTRONG lleiiiti " Installed - Sanded • Stained

lj

» ^TI

(650) 9 9 1 - 9 4 8 6

,,M.I:1

ok

[ w ']

UNION BAY —-]

I j JK U

The Archdiocese of San Francisco is seeking an experienced Office Manager to Support the Building Department at its So. San Francisco location. This individual is responsible for staff supervision , managing the daily work flow and record management. The position acts as a liaison between the Building Department and the parishes and contractors . Minimum qualifications include 4 years general secretarial experience with at least two years of supervisory and office management experience required. Typing speed 50+ w.p.m. Excellent P.C. skills with superior knowledge of Word , Excel and Filemaker programs. Other desirable qualifications include knowledge of MAC systems and | A x work experience in a related construction field.

Yvn_n_ru7 Competitive salary and excellent benefits including free parking and a liberal time-off policy. Resumes |j cover etter anc sa ar Y history should be sent to: 1E 3 w '^ ' ' ' ¦RSI I Off' ce °f Human Resources , Attn: Rose Brown, 445 Church Street , San Francisco 94114 |PW P ^( y^ or fax to (415) 565-3648.

565

ram (4is) 3E

I

_i

l

!

I

l

I

I

I

I

PHONE

ADDRESS CITY

CHECK ENCLOSED

STATE

n

CREDIT CARD: Visa I CREDIT CARD NUMBER:

__

, ZIP

— —

CLASS. CATEGORY #:

,,„

H ,f I I t'M .!«^»W^fH|WIU >\(%k 'j£%\'& Mastercard

BSBMIBIMBMI

BUnHHi ^inifl _ EXP DATE:

HI

. ±AJ . ^M

I ¦^tfWfffWJW^^

MtM TfT^ W r\ .

Catholic San Francisco: 441 Church Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114

I

i^PHI flBBBP* ™^^ '

•

The Catholic Cemeteries - Archdiocese of San Francisco

Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery 1500 Mission Road • Colma 650.756.2060

A / N

11 II RffflK^l i

I

.....

Santa Cruz Avenue • Menlo Park 650.323.6375

Catholic Cemetery ^* ^'*vet Road San ancn

IE 31

___

Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery

^0 ^°s R

• tt°s 41 5 479 9020

Rafael

Archdiocese of San Francsico Cremation Guidelines

.

—.

¦

WHAT IS THE CHURCH'S POLICY ON ¦ CREMATION TODAY? In 1963 the Catholic Church modified its general prohibition of cremation as a burial option. The new directives allow cremation to be chosen provided the choice does not reflect a denial or doubt about the Church' s teaching or traditions about life, death and resurrection. The Code on Canon Law (Can. 1176,No.3) states: "The Church earnestly recommends that the p ious custom of bury ing the bodies of the dead be ] observed; it does not, however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to | Christian teaching." In short, cremation is allowed to j those who request it in good faith.

WHAT IS CREMATION? Cremation is the reduction of the body of a deceased person to recoverable bone fragments through a process that combines intense heat and evaporation. The fragments are then pulverized and referred to as "cremated remains" or more commonly as "ashes". They are not really ash as we know it, but bone particles. The eremated remains weigh from 4 to 10 pounds.

WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO THOSE CHOOSING CREMATION? The Catholic Church strongl y prefers that the vigil service and funeral Mass are offered according to "The Order of Christian Funerals", with the body present, as

the presence of the body most clearl y brings to mind the life and death of the person. After the funeral Mass , the deceased may be taken to the crematory by the funeral director; or the family may prefer the usual procession to the cemetery for the committal service and then the deceased is taken to the crematory. When circumstances prevent the presence of the body at the funeral liturgy, as of November 2, 1997 in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the cremated remains of the body may be present in the church for all services.

WHY DOES THE CHURCH PREFER CREMATION AFTER SERVICES? Tne church discourages immediate cremation because she believes that grieving in the presence of the body helps people deal with their loss. Mourners need sufficient time to remember and celebrate the life of the deceased; to begin to grow accustomed to the absence of a loved one; to unite and support each other; and for the community to express its loss. The Church wants to encourage families to take the time needed to say their good-byes and thus begin the grieving process. Nothing (not even immediate cremation) can take away the pain we feel at the loss of someone we love.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CREMATED REMAINSAFTER THE SERVICES? The remains of the cremated body must be treated with the same respect given to the entire body. This includes the manner in which they are carried; the care

and attention to appropriate placement; and their final disposition. As a mark of respect for the human bod y, the church recommends the cremated remains be buried in an individual or family grave, or inurned in a crypt or niche in a Catholic cemetery. The practices of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are NOT the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Finall y, the deceased should be memorialized with a plaque, marker or monument that records the name of the deceased.

It s value is twofold: ? Memorials constitute a visible history of our faith community.

• Memorials are an important aid to survivors , providing a focal point for the expression of grief and a place of comfort as survivors go through the grieving process.

WHY DO CATHOLICS CHOOSE A CATHOLIC CEMETERY? It is only natural that those who share the same faith in life will wish to carry on that sense of community in death. When it comes to the issue of death, the sensibilities and needs of Catholics are unique and call for certain practices in the handling and care of the remains of the deceased. Therefore in the sacred grounds of a Catholic cemetery there are safeguards mandated by the Church's Canon Law which guarantee permanence, reverence and respect of the Deceased.

Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery - Colma 1999 Calendar of Events Easter Remembrance Service Saturday, April 3rd - 11:00 a.m.

Rev. Harry Schlitt Officiating All Saints Mausoleum Chapel

AH Souls ' Day Mass Tuesday, November 2*d - 11:00 a.m.

All Saints Mausoleum Chapel Veterans ' Day Memorial Service Thursday, November 11th - 11:00 a.m.

Veterans Section

Memorial Day Mass Monday, May 31st - 11:00 a.m.

Most Rev. William J. Levada , S.T.D. Archbishop of San Francisco , Presiding Hol y Cross Mausoleum Chapel

Christmas Remembrance Service Saturday, December 11 th - 11:00 a.m.

All Saints Mausoleum Chapel

Todos Los Santos Celebration Saturday, October 30th - 11:00 a.m.

Hol y Cross Mausoleum Chapel Reception to Follow j.

| j | I | L

Monthly Mass - 1 st Saturdays - 11:00 a.m.

All Saints Mausoleum Chapel

„„

For a free brochure regarding the Church's cremation guidelines or more information , please comp lete and mail this form or call the Cemetery Office 650-756-2060

^

|

Name: Address: City:

State :

Zip Code:

.j !

I j