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JULY 14, 2011 Volume LXXXV • Number 34 www.evangelist.org
PARISHES IN THE NEWS
Catholics Speak Out
Which parish has a new citizen in its midst? Which had to up its offering of reconciliation? What priest recently served as a “soda jerk?” Find out: Pages 10-11
Two opinion pages discuss poignant graduations, disturbing “average parish” trends and the struggle to forgive: Pages 4-5
T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E D I O C E S E O F A L B A N Y
FACES OF SUMMER
A GAMUT OF EXPRESSIONS cover the faces of children at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Northville during a summer carnival: left, three-year-old Braydn Bovee rides a fire truck; above, Liz Nealon, Bridget McGill and John Nealon take a spin on a scrambler. See the back page for more on the weekend of fun. (Nate Whitchurch photos) ARCHBISHOP’S CONCERNS
Greek Church fears disaster BY JONATHAN LUXMOORE
C AT H O L I C N E WS S E RV I C E
Oxford, England — Greece’s Catholic Church faces disaster because the current economic crisis is forcing it to end vital social and charitable projects, said Archbishop Nikolaos Foskolos of Athens. “This crisis could be the worst in our history,” Archbishop Foskolos said July 6. “There’s corruption everywhere, especially among our politicians. We get no help from the state or other Western churches, and our faithful can’t give any more. Our parishes and dioceses are in deep
trouble, and in a few months we won’t be able to support our staffers and employees.” The archbishop voiced the concerns as European Union finance ministers released emergency funding to rescue the faltering Greek economy. Amid violent street protests, the Greek legislature approved tough austerity measures and tax increases June 29, paving the way for the EU action. The archbishop said the higher taxes would have more impact on the Catholic Church GREEK CHURCH FEARS DISASTER, SEE PAGE 13
DEVELOPMENT
South Sudan priest: Finalize borders so people can begin to grow crops BY BRONWEN DACHS
C AT H O L I C N E WS S E RV I C E
Cape Town, South Africa — Sudan and South Sudan need to finalize their borders so that people in the world’s newest country can get to work growing crops in the lush fertile region, said Rev. Peter Othow, coordinator of development and aid for South Sudan’s Malakal Diocese. “People who live in the border area are tense,” Father Othow said in a telephone interview
from Malakal, which is seen as one of the potential flashpoints along the 1,300 mile-border with Sudan. “They can’t settle, because they feel that anything could happen,” he said, noting that during a surge of violence in May people fled from surrounding rural areas to Malakal and are afraid to go back. Some have moved a mile south of “where they think the border will be, so that they are free to cultivate” the land, he
said. With “good security, everything can be achieved,” said Father Othow, who was born and raised in South Sudan. He said Church programs aim to help communities to be “food secure without depending on the North or neighboring countries.” For instance, a diocesan program, largely funded by the U.S. SOUTH SUDAN PRIEST: FINALIZE BORDERS SO PEOPLE CAN BEGIN TO GROW CROPS, SEE PAGE 13