The Catholic News & Herald 1
November 16, 2001
November 16, 2001 Volume 11 t Number 10
Inside During annual gathering, bishops elect first African-American bishop to head national bishops’ conference
...page 6
Local News Mercy Sisters establish affordable housing for low income seniors
...page 3
Local woman, a Cuba native receives statewide recognition in art and culture
...page 5
Room at The Inn hosts seventh annual banquet
...page 4
Every Week Entertainment ...Pages 6-7
Editorials & Columns ...Pages 8-9 Abraham, our common ancestor, teaches all of us, Christians, Jews and Muslims, to follow this way of mercy and love. — Pope John Paul II Address in Lisbon, May 1982
S e r v i n g C a t h o l i c s in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Diocesan faithful set ablaze by Fire in the Mountains 2001
By Joanita M. Nellenbach Correspondent LAKE JUNALUSKA — Life on the edge isn’t always reality TV programming. On Nov. 10 it was “Living on the Edge: The Challenge of Spirituality” at Fire in the Mountains 2001. The three speakers — Bishop William G. Curlin, Father Louis Cameli and Dr. Cris Villapando, diocesan director of faith formation programs — talked about living on the edge, whether spiritually or physically. It’s a challenge that asks people to stop living life in the same old way. The first challenge is to learn more about the spiritual life, which is why the more than 225 attendees were at Lake Junaluska for the eighth annual Fire in the Mountains. “You have created a tradition,” Villapando said. “This is (one of) the largest gatherings in the diocese.” Following the events of Sept. 11, when it’s more difficult than ever for some people to forgive, Bishop Curlin talked about a priests’ retreat he gave 10 years ago on Nov. 10 at Dachau, the former Nazi concentration camp. During the retreat, a priest approached Bishop Curlin and said that he had been a prisoner, tagged with a yellow cross for Catholic priests in the camp and crippled by a gunshot wound from a guard. When the camp was liberated, the guard begged the priest to help him. When asked by Allied soldiers if the guard had committed atrocities, the priest did not tell of what happened. Years later on a street, he saw the former guard coming toward him with recognition and fear in his face. Instead of public condemnation, the priest embraced the man and said, “Peace be with you, brother.” He told Bishop Curlin, “I was free of Dachau then.” “Peace on earth has to consist of more than peace treaties,” Bishop Curlin said. “Peace comes when we live the life of Christ. Don’t just tell the world about Jesus; live the life of Jesus. “I hope that you pray with your heart. The way we say ‘amen,’ the way we genuflect, reveals what’s in our hearts.” Father Cameli also challenged those present to look into their hearts by understanding themselves in light of their Catholic faith in the context of Sept. 11, understanding the world and understanding Christian anthropology. “What’s the response to this (Sept. 11)?” Father Cameli asked. “What do we tell the kids? There are certain psychological helps. We need the great leadership of our president and others. We need the armed forces. There are lots of levels of response, but for us there’s another level.
See FIRE, page 10
Celebrating the church in the African diaspora
Photo by Rev. Mr. Gerald Potkay
Members of the St. Benedict the Moor Choir, Winston-Salem, are pictured from left to right: first row Catherine Franklin, Mary Turner; second row Esther Rockette, Joyce Brooks and Elizabeth Holmes. By Rev. Mr.Gerald Potkay Correspondent GREENSBORO — It’s a cause for celebration — the church alive in the African diaspora. Groups joined forces Nov. 11 to celebrate just that. Those participating were Thea House, the Catholic campus ministries at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University (NC A&T) and Bennett College joined forces with the St. Benedict the Moor Choir from Winston-Salem, the Ladies Friendship Club of St. Mary Church, Greensboro, and St. Pius X Church, Greensboro. The African diaspora refers to the same type of dispersion that forced the Jews to leave their homeland, first when the Assyrians conquered Israel in 722 B.C. and then when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar deported the Judeans in 597 and 586 B.C. The slave trade dispersed Africans throughout the world, but people of African descent today are searching out and finding their roots in their former homelands. They, too, are trying to maintain contact with that heritage and their homeland by assisting their brothers and sisters still in Africa with
financial aid and by reviving the proud culture and symbolism of the past. At the Nov. 11 celebration, John Agebe, attired in classic African garb, gave the gathering call, stressing that the beginning of wisdom is to know who you are. He then led the congregation to the knowledge that the “world is our village.” This was followed by the recognition and seating of elders; Alberta Hairston, NC A&T campus minister, led the call to worship. Father Mauricio West, vicar general and chancellor of the Charlotte Diocese, celebrated the Eucharist. Father Anthony Marcaccio, pastor of St. Pius X, concelebrated, with Rev. Mr. Ronald Steinkamp assisting. Cross-bearer Augustine Andy, NC A&T, dressed in authentic African dress, led the entrance procession accompanied by a lively rendition of the “Battle hymn of the Republic Sung” by the St. Benedict the Moor Choir from Winston-Salem. The congregation joined in. Three NC A&T students did a liturgical dance: Nadra Wagner symbolically swept away all that binds people and all that blocks awareness of God.
See DIASPORA, page 10
2 The Catholic News & Herald the option either to make steps toward greater participation for poor countries or to accentuate “the divisions now existing,” Archbishop Martin told Vatican Radio Nov. 8. Bishop Fiorenza opens bishops’ meeting, contrasts hate and hope WASHINGTON (CNS) — Opening the fall meeting of the U.S. bishops just two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston contrasted the “destructive power of hate” with the message of hope that bishops are called to preach. “It is Christian hope alone that gives confidence despite the catastrophic problems of the present time,” he said Nov. 12 in his presidential address as head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Nov. 12-15 meeting was the bishops’ first under their new USCCB name, which officially took effect July 1. Knights of Columbus gives $1 million to rescue workers’ families NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) — Less than two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Knights of Columbus announced that it has given more than $1 million to families of New York City rescue workers killed at the World Trade Center. Through its network of insurance agents in New York and New Jersey, it delivered checks of $3,000 each to 334 families of police officers, firefighters and emergency medical workers who died in the disaster. The Knights, the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization, created the Heroes Fund Sept. 12 to give immediate help to the survivors of those who died in the line of duty. The victims did not have to be Knights or Catholic for their families to qualify. The first checks were delivered to families of some of the dead firefighters Sept. 13.
the people or (Palestinian leaders),” said Auxiliary Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo of Jerusalem, the Nazarethbased vicar for Israel in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. He told of anti-terrorism prayer services for peace, justice and the victims of the attacks by Palestinian Christians and Muslims since Sept. 11. There also were public demonstrations by Christian and Muslim Palestinians against terrorism, Bishop Marcuzzo told The Michigan Catholic, newspaper of the Detroit Archdiocese, during a recent visit to the United States. Solving hunger essential to preserving peace, Vatican official says ROME (CNS) — With the lives of 800 million people threatened by hunger, food security has become an essential issue for the preservation of world peace, a Vatican official told an international conference of food experts. The multitudes suffering chronic hunger and poverty risk becoming a hopeless and frustrated “mob” that turns to “worse instincts,” Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, the Vatican representative to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, said in Rome Nov. 8. He said it was unacceptable that so many are threatened with starvation at a time when much of the world lives in unprecedented development and progress. This contrast threatens peace and stability, especially in the present moment of world tension, he said. Vatican to WTO: Take needs of poor countries ‘much more seriously’ VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Vatican diplomat said the World Trade Organization must take the problems of poorer countries “much more seriously,” as a ministerial meeting of the international body got under way. “I think these times show even more how urgent it is to have an ‘inclusive’ system of international commerce, in which all can participate effectively on the same footing,” said Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, head of the Vatican’s delegation to the World Trade Organization meeting Nov. 9-13 in Doha, Qatar. Meeting participants had
Episcopal November 16, 2001 Volume 11 • Number 10
Publisher: Most Reverend William G. Curlin Editor: Joann S. Keane Staff Writer: Alesha M. Price Graphic Designer: Tim Faragher Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Sherill Beason 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-mail: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $18 per year for all other subscribers. Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.
November 16, 2001
The World in
c a l e n-
Bishop William G. Curlin will take part in the following events: November 18 — 2:30 p.m. Confirmation St. Gabriel, Charlotte November 24 — 5 p.m. Mass and dedication of renovated church and hall Our Lady of the Rosary, Lexington November 27-28 Visiting seminarians
CNS photo by Martin Lueders
Girl washes dishes in street of Catholic ghetto A young girl washes dishes in a Catholic ghetto in Peshawar, Pakistan. Most of the country’s 1.1 million Catholics live in clusters. Traditionally descendants of low-caste Hindu converts, they are the poorest in an impoverished nation
Diocesan
plan -
from 2-4 p.m. at Our Lady of Consolation Church, 2301 Statesville Ave. All visitors and inquirers are welcome. For more information, call Skyler Mood, SFO, at (704) 573-4299. 2 HICKORY — The Secular Franciscan Order of Hickory will present a re-enactment of St. Francis of Assisi’s 1223 Greccio, Italy, recreation of Jesus’ birth for local people of that historical period to experience those holy night conditions. The re-enactment will take place at 4 p.m. at the Catholic Conference Center, 1551 Trinity Lane. For details, call Frank Cogger at (828) 256-1453 or John M. Martin at (828) 428-8920. Please submit notices of events for the Diocesan Planner at least 10 days prior to the publication date.
November 16, 2001
The World in
The Catholic News & Herald 3
$3.3 million federal grant funds for Mercy Housing will provide quality, affordable housing for low-income seniors
CNS photo from Reuters
Museum of world religions opens Visitors enter an exhibit at the Museum of World Religions in Taipei, Taiwan, Nov. 9. The newly opened museum, the first of its kind, exhibits collections from the world’s major religions and is dedicated to religious tolerance and understanding. CRS seeks $50 million to fund Afghan refugees, displaced persons WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic Relief Services is seeking to raise $50 million for the immediate and long-term care of Afghan refugees and displaced persons, the agency’s executive director announced. The agency needs the funding to provide for the needs of a portion of the estimated 5.5 million Afghans left vulnerable following the U.S.-led bombing of Afghanistan that began Oct. 7, said Kenneth F. Hackett, executive director. CRS allocated $2.3 million in new aid for refugee relief, but agency of-
ficials estimate that $5.5 million was needed in immediate emergency aid, Hackett told Catholic News Service in a telephone interview. “We have to get supplies in fast. This is an emergency, a substantial program, and we want to be there for the recovery,” he said. Nazareth bishop says most Palestinians are not extremists DETROIT (CNS) — Palestinians who celebrated the Sept. 11 attack on the United States and the suicide bombings inside Israel are not representative of the majority of the Palestinian people, a bishop from the Holy Land said. “Those examples of suicide are not the regular policy of
call (704) 532-7390 or e-mail Louise. Murray@alz.org. 30 CULLMAN, Ala. — The Benedictine Spirituality and Conference Center at Cullman, Ala., will sponsor an intensive centering prayer retreat this weekend through Dec. 2. The retreat, facilitated by Sister Eileen Gallagher and Diana Tschache, is designed for those currently practicing centering prayer who wish to deepen their spirituality. For reservations, call (256) 734-8302 or e-mail shmon@hiwaay. net.
November 22 GASTONIA — All are invited to St. Michael Church, 708 St. Michael’s Lane, for Thanksgiving Day dinner this afternoon from 2-5 p.m. in the parish center. At no cost, family and friends can share in a meal, enjoyment and fellowship. For details about the dinner or transportation, call (704) 867-6212, Ext. 101 or 113. 25 HENDERSONVILLE — The St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order will meet today from 3-5 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. West, in the office wing. Visitors and inquirers are welcome. For more information, call Helen Gillogly, SFO, at (828) 8839645. 26 BELMONT — Auditions for the Abbey Players/Belmont Community Theatre production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” will be held tonight and Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Haid Theatre on the campus of Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd.
December 1 CHARLOTTE — Catholic Singles of Charlotte is looking for former members to join them for their 25th anniversary and Christmas party held this evening at the Southpark Suite Hotel. For more information, call Frances Wiggins at (704) 367-0464 or e-mail CathSinglesClt@aol.com. 2 CHARLOTTE — The St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity of Secular Franciscans will be meeting today
Belmont, N.C. — Mercy Housing SouthEast has been awarded more than $3.3 million in federal grant funds to construct a 40-unit affordable housing development for very low-income seniors. An additional $528,000 will be provided for rental subsidies over a five-year period. The funding comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This development will help address a critical need in this community for affordable rental housing for seniors. I am so excited for the seniors who will finally get the opportunity to live in quality, service-enriched housing,” said Michelle Allen, project developer for MHSE. The units will be developed on land that was donated by the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina, one of the co-founders of Mercy Housing SouthEast. The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina, the City of Belmont and many local churches, businesses and community residents have been
extremely supportive of this project from its inception. “Community support is critical to making a development idea into a reality,” said Kathleen Brownlee, president of MHSE. “We’re very grateful to those who have helped us advocate for affordable housing in the area.” Mercy Housing SouthEast is a member of the Mercy Housing System, a national, not-for-profit affordable housing development and management organization with over 11,000 units, serving more than 28,000 people on any given day. Mercy Housing System properties serve economically poor families, senior citizens and people with mental and physical impairments. MHSE is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with offices in Belmont, N.C. and Savannah, Ga. MHSE was founded by the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina and Sisters of Mercy of Baltimore.
Non-traditional casting, traditional male roles open to women, will be considered, and those auditioning will be asked to read from the script. For more information, call (704) 825-6786. 26 CHARLOTTE — A support group meeting for caregivers of family and friends suffering from Alzheimer’s/dementia will be held today and every second and fourth Monday from 10-11:30 a.m. in room E of the ministry center at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. For more information about the support group or the Shining Stars Adult Day Respite Program for the memory-impaired, meeting every Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and every Thursday at Sardis Presbyterian Church from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., call Suzanne Bach at (704) 376-4135. 26 NEWTON — The Little Flowers Catholic Girls’ Group is for all Catholic girls ages five and up. The group will be meeting at St. Joseph Church, 720 West 13th St., at 4 p.m. in the parish hall. For more details, call Debbie
Vickers at (828) 495-2039. 28 CHARLOTTE — All families who have suffered a loss are invited to attend the monthly memorial Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Rd. East, that will be taking place tonight at 7:30 p.m. Call the church office at (704) 334-2283 with the name(s) of loved ones to be remembered during the Mass. 28 GUILFORD COUNTY — The Ancient Order of Hibernians Guilford County Division, the oldest and largest order of Irish Catholic men, is looking for men to join them for meetings, educational seminars and social events. Contact Michael Slane at (336) 665-9264 for time and location. 28 WINSTON-SALEM — The St. Francis Center of Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, corner of Cherry and 3rd Sts., will present a program, “Three Thoughts for Advent,” for three consecutive Wednesdays beginning today from 1:15-2:30 p.m. Pierson Shaw, pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, will be facilitating the program. Attendants are asked to provide their own lunch, but bev-
4 The Catholic News & Herald
November 16, 2001
Around the Di-
Room at the Inn is witness to presidential candidate, addressed the group of 1,000. Bauer serves as chairman of a political action committee, the Campaign For Working Families, a Washingtonbased center for public policy. On Nov. 7, keynoter Bauer spoke of the recent terrorist acts against the United States: “There’s an uninvited guest in the room, an uninvited guest who has been at every event wherever it has been held in this country over the last two months.” That guest, he said, “is the memory of what happened Sept. 11 and what it means for this country. “Sept. 11 was a turn moment, and I would put at the top of the list, [that] we should see this country reject death. We should see this country reject Roe vs. Wade and welcome all of our children into the world.” Roe vs. Wade and its decision, Bauer said, gave an unborn child about the same value as a Styrofoam cup. “And it has given us a culture of death that eats away at our souls, eats away at our children, eats away at everything we stand for,” he said. The battle “is going to be won in places [like the Charlotte-based Room At The Inn] long before it will be won in Washington. This home is saving real women and real children. [Tonight] you will be asked to generously stand with this fraternity of Room At The Inn. I hope you will [respond]. Don’t make them beg to get the funds they need.” Contributions for Room At The Inn may be sent to Room At The Inn, Inc., P.O. Box 75384, Charlotte, N.C.
molded into a proven character that is filled with hope and does not disappoint.” Since its inception seven years ago, Room At The Inn has given hope and served more than 250 women and children both born and unborn, Brown said. “With each mother served and with each baby born, Room At The Inn sees the great mystery of God’s love, giving hope to the world.” Room At The Inn is unique in that it serves both pregnant women and women who already have children. Services after the birth of the newborn for both mother and child are the hallmark of the Charlotte-based maternity home. More than just a place to live, Room At The Inn offers women a Christ-centered rehabilitation program, based on education, personal responsibility and spiritual direction punctuated with mental health and adoption counseling services. A signature of Room At The Inn comes with its annual banquet and its subtle fund-raiser. Invitations are issued in abundance. There is no charge, and a substantial banquet is laid out for Room At The Inn guests. Dinner guests have the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the lifealtering experiences of Room At The Inn mothers, while pictures and video of smiling, happy babies underscore Room At The Inn’s success. As in the past, it is the keynote speaker who holds the attention of Room At The Inn friends. This year, Gary Bauer, a former Republican
By Joann S. Keane Editor CHARLOTTE — Hope does not disappoint. In a letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul said, “Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” During Room At The Inn’s seventh annual banquet and fund-raiser, Executive Director Cindy Brown took the opportunity to reflect on her belief that hope forms the framework of the home for pregnant women and women with children. “Hope,” said Brown, “is the message of Room At The Inn to every mother and every child that our Lord brings to our doors. Regardless of the afflictions of the past, ... through the healing love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, the endurance of these afflictions can be healed and
Photo by Joann S. Keane
Gary Bauer, a 2000 presidential candidate and former Domestic Policy Advisor to former President Ronald Regan, signs copies of his book following the Room At The Inn banquet on Nov. 8 in Charlotte.
Pope blesses group of NYC firefighters, accepts chaplain’s helmet
By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II blessed a group of New York City firefighters and accepted the white helmet of one of their chaplains killed in the rescue effort at the World Trade Center. Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Nov. 10, the pope prayed for the more than 340 firefighters who died in the Sept. 11 attacks and expressed his condolences for their families. “I offer a warm welcome to the delegation from the New York City Fire Department, so many of whose members lost their lives in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11,” the pope said in English. “May almighty God grant the bereaved families consolation and peace, and may he give you and your fellow firefighters strength and courage to carry on your great service to your city. With the promise of my continued prayers, I invoke upon you and your families God’s abundant blessings,” he said. As the firefighters knelt before the pontiff, one of them presented him with the helmet that belonged to Franciscan Father Mychal F. Judge, fire department chaplain. After the World Trade Center’s first tower was hit by a hijacked plane Sept. 11, Father Judge, 68, was with the first New York firefighters to arrive on the scene. While administering last rites to a fireman fatally injured by a falling body, the priest was struck by falling debris and died. Daniel Nigro, named to head the fire department after the previous chief was killed at the World Trade Center, was among those attending Mass with the pope. Later in the day, at a Rome rally to remember the Sept. 11 victims, he told the crowd about their meeting with the pope. “The pope told us that since Sept. 11 he has been praying continually for the victims and so that we firemen have strength. We answered that we have felt that and received that from him,” Nigro said.
November 16, 2001
Around the Di-
The Catholic News & Herald 5
Cuba native receives statewide recognition in art and By ALESHA M. PRICE Staff Writer CHARLOTTE — Work with the Latino community is what Sara H. Wolf loves. She does not think of her efforts as being worthy of any special recognition; however, she was recently named a recipient of one of the Latino Diamante Awards for 2001 in the area of art and culture. The entire process has been overwhelming for her, but she is pleased and excited about the recognition. “It was nice just to be nominated,” said Wolf, a St. Vincent de Paul parishioner, who thanked her husband, Luis, and daughter, Sara, at the awards ceremony Oct. 20 in Durham. “I really appreciate it and feel honored, but I do things for the community simply because I want to do them. I am very proud of being Cuban-American and an American citizen. I have a responsibility to help because I am very lucky to be in this country, and I want to give something back.” Since 1996, the Latino Diamante Awards, based in Raleigh, have recognized men and women for their efforts with the growing Latino population in North Carolina in various areas including business, education, health and science, community involvement and youth accomplishments. In the Diocese of Charlotte, the number of people of Latino descent grew from 28,464 in 1990 to 181,407 in 2000. Wolf’s affiliation with the Latin American Coalition as a board member, the Latin American Women’s Association as past president and with the Catholic Hispanic Center in Charlotte has allowed her to share the heritage and culture of the Latino com-
for the United States where Luis’s family lived. They asked for political asylum and were admitted into the country as political refugees. After living in Miami, they moved to Raleigh, where Sara began working in her first position in library sciences as a cataloguer at North Carolina State University until her daughter was born in 1965. The family moved to Charlotte in 1965 and became American citizens in 1969. Sara began working at the Mint Museum part time while her daughter attended St. Ann School. The couple became heavily involved in their daughter’s education and in the church. When the museum expanded its library system, Sara was offered a fulltime position. Her position as the liaison grew out of her desire to develop a reciprocal relationship with the museum and the Latino community. Further involvement with her community led to her role with various Latino organizations and groups around Charlotte. She says that God has guided her path, and her family has been her biggest support system. “My husband is a large part of my relationship with God,” Wolf said. “Before I do anything, I pray to God and listen for his advice. I have been able to do many things because of God’s place in my life.” Contact Staff Writer Alesha M. Price by calling (704) 370-3354 or email amprice@charlottediocese.org.
munity with others. For the past several years, the Latin American Festival, which reported an estimated crowd of 15,000 to 18,000 attendants this year, has been held at the Mint Museum of Art where Wolf is the librarian and the Latin American community liaison. Wolf says that the importance of the festival, which includes music, indigenous foods, entertainment, and arts and crafts, is twofold. “The festival brings the Latino culture to people of other races, and Latinos have their countries represented and can see a little of their heritage displayed,” she said. “It is so important to bring things like this into the lives of Latin Americans living here because there seems to be so much negative news reported. The youth need to be involved in other activities and need to be exposed to positive things.” The young girl of Wolf’s memories who spent summers at the shore in preFidel Castro Havana, Cuba, never dreamed of living and working in the United States. She grew up as the only child in her immediate family but was always surrounded by her large extended family. Catholicism was a large aspect of her life as she and her parents attended church regularly and were involved in church-affiliated organizations. Her early life was filled with the smell of her mother’s cooking, the sight of sugar cane swaying in the wind, the laughter of frequent family gatherings and the discipline of Catholic elementary school. She received a degree in administration in 1956 from Havana Business University and began working as the assistant to the
Sara H. Wolf director of the National Planning Board in Cuba. Much of life changed for Wolf and other citizens after 1959 when Fidel Castro overthrew the country’s dictatorship and later established a Communist government. “You were watched all of the time, at work, at home, on every block. You didn’t know if your telephone was bugged,” said Wolf, who was transferred from her first job after the government changed. “Every time you went to church, your purses were searched. There was a lack of freedom everywhere.” The Wolfs, who had married in 1960, were contemplating leaving their country
6 The Catholic News & Herald Book Review
Book on Jewish spirituality good primer for Christians
Reviewed by Eugene J. Fisher Catholic News Service Rabbi Lawrence Kushner is one of the most creative and engaging spiritual writers of our time. Indeed, his body of work might be compared to that of the great Abraham Joshua Heschel for its aability to open up to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike the incomparable riches of Jewish religious tradition. In “Jewish Spirituality: A Brief Intro-
JEWISH SPIRITUALITY: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION FOR CHRISTIANS, by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner. Jewish Lights Publishing (Woodstock, Vt., 2001).103 pp., $12.95. THE WAY INTO JUDAISM, 4 Volumes. Jewish Lights Publishing (Woodstock, Vt., 2000-01). $21.95 each. duction for Christians,” he writes specifically for Christians (though Jews may find this book of interest, too). He says the book is “a window into the Jewish soul” which “will, for Christians, feel strangely familiar and will, for Christians and Jews, always challenge you to see yourself and your world through a new lens.” In a short vignette provocatively titled “My Lunch With Jesus,” Rabbi Kushner explains why he wrote a volume specifically for Christians, when up to now much of his work has been either for Jews or for people of all religious backgrounds. Briefly, it came out of his encounter with a priest with whom, over lunch, Rabbi Kushner shared the painful admission that, because of the centuries of Christian attempts to convert and even persecute Jews, he had always felt “wary of Jesus.” The priest’s response to this heartfelt confession, given in some detail, was given in a whisper, with tears in his eyes: “Please forgive me, forgive us. It could not have been Jesus those Christians served.” “Your religion wants you to care about me that much?” Rabbi Kushner asked in surprise. “Oh yes,” the priest said, “I must continuously seek to find God in every person.” Rabbi Kushner felt that this gave him
November 16, 2001
Read-
a new understanding of “what it means to say that God can take the form of a human being.” And so he wrote this book as a means to return his friend’s gift of insight into the Christian tradition by guiding Christians into Jewish tradition. It is well worth the journey. Rabbi Kushner introduces, gently and engagingly, basic concepts and insights of Jewish faith such as “teshuvah” (repentance) and “tikkun olam” (repairing the world) which have framed and supported Jewish lives through centuries of piety and persecution. Often he sheds light through stories, in classical rabbinic fashion. The book is a delight and a gift we should be grateful for, since it will enrich our own prayer lives. Those who wish to delve more deeply into the spiritual nourishment of Jewish tradition also will want to go to the new “The Way Into ...” series now being put out by Jewish Lights. Rabbi Kushner’s own “The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition” might be a good place to start. All of the volumes are written for Jewish laypersons, and so do not presume previous expertise. Each of the authors is a leading Jewish writer in the field: Neil Gillman on “The Way Into Encountering God in Judaism,” Lawrence Hoffman on “The Way Into Jewish Prayer” and Norman Cohen on “The Way Into Torah.” This last is about reading the Bible. It remains an amazement to me, even after years of study, how Jewish tradition can find such different and delightful new meanings in biblical texts and stories that we Christians tend to take for granted or as embodying only a single “truth.” And the communal nature of Jewish Torah study is one that Catholics, especially, will appreciate and relate to. There is a rich, delicate and meaningful feast here in these books. They can be read quickly, so well are they written, and then gone back to time and again to provide lasting spiritual nourishment for our souls. All you have to do, as my Italian mother-in-law would say, is take them up and “Eat! It’s all there for you!” Fisher is associate director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Word to Life
Sunday Scripture Readings: Nov. 25, 2001 November 25, Christ the King Cycle C Readings: 1) 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Psalm 122:1-5 2) Colossians 1:12-20 3) Gospel: Luke 23:35-43
By Beverly Corzine Catholic News Service Once again we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. The Thanksgiving holiday has passed. Fall wanes, and daylight hours yield to the coldness of long dark nights. For thousands in our country, and tragically many of those are children, these long nights will be filled with unexplainable loneliness and sorrow. Learning to live without those we love, those who have nurtured us and made us feel safe, is a daunting challenge for those left behind. We have heard a bell tolling across our country, reminding us how we are, as the British poet John Donne once wrote, “part of the main.” Although we may not personally have known a single person affected by the recent terrorist attacks, suffering, fear and death remind us that a connectedness exists among us that some thought had become passe and others believed to be dead and gone: faith in God and the courage of ordinary people to help one another remain standing among incomprehensible devastation when hope seems lost. In today’s Gospel reading Luke
paints a vivid picture of a multiple execution, administered by battleseasoned soldiers who have watched countless people writhe in their last agony. We are not witnessing the quick death of the sword, reserved for the Roman citizen who earns a death sentence. No. Luke is describing the barbarism of crucifixion that is meant to be a deadly warning to the lawless. Besides the obvious physical pain, crucifixion allows the lives of the condemned to ebb away in a sea of hatefilled curses and public humiliation. To the casual observer, the family friend or a member of the execution detail, this is a scene devoid of any tangible hope. However, Luke alone allows us to hear a conversation that occurs among the three condemned men. One, caustic to the end, is blind to hope. The other criminal knows his own sins and recognizes the goodness of the third man, Jesus. Innocent, Jesus makes a promise to this man — a promise that echoes through the ages to those who hope in the Lord: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Today we celebrate Christ the King, the anointed one who has suffered with his people. QUESTIONS: Knowing our king has endured such pain, do you find yourself emboldened to live your faith courageously?
Weekly Scripture Scripture for the week of Nov. 18 - 24 Sunday, Malachi 3:19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-19; Monday, 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63, Luke 18:35-43; Tuesday, 2 Maccabees 6:18-31, Luke 19:1-10; Wednesday (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary), 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31, Luke 19:11-28; Thursday (St. Cecilia, Thanksgiving Day), Zephaniah 3:14-15, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 5:18-20; Friday (Sts. Clement I, Columban and Bl. Miguel Pro), 1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59, Luke 19:4548; Saturday, 1 Maccabees 6:1-13, Luke 20:27-40 Scripture for the week of Nov. 25 - Dec. 1 Sunday, 2 Samuel 5:1-3, Colossians 1:12-20, Luke 23:35-43; Monday, Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20, Luke 21:1-4; Tuesday, Daniel 2:31-45, Luke 21:5-11; Wednesday, Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28, Luke 21:12-19; Thursday, Daniel 6:12-28, Luke 21:20-28; Friday (St. Andrew), Romans 10:9-18, Matthew 4:18-22; Saturday, Daniel 7:15-17, Luke 21:34-36
November 16, 2001
Entertainment
The Catholic News & Herald 7
“Inside the Vatican,” Nov. 21, By Gerri Pare Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) — A new National Geographic special explores a locale of particular interest to Catholics in “Inside the Vatican,” airing Wednesday, Nov. 21, 8-9 p.m. EST on PBS (check local listings). The “inside” of the program’s title refers more to geography than to any startling revelations about the inner workings of the Vatican. Respectfully narrated by Martin Sheen, the documentary is book ended by preparations for, and actual footage from, a major ritual in St. Peter’s Basilica: the ordination ceremony of nine new bishops. Pope John Paul II officiates in the basilica with numerous cardinals participating as well. Both the world’s smallest sovereign nation and the headquarters of the world’s largest religious body, the Vatican has a population under 1,000, 100 of whom comprise the Swiss Guards, the world’s smallest standing army. And they are all Swiss, Catholic, and at least 5-feet8 in height. Unlike most “security guards,” they take an oath to serve and protect the pope. Surprisingly, their colorful costumes consist of 154 separate pieces. The program puts a human face on the state within a city by following veteran Vatican photographer Arturo Mari around as he
captures images of the pontiff at work, meeting both the humble and the exalted from around the globe. The photographer is most impressed by how the frail pontiff does not hesitate to physically embrace and kiss lepers in Korea. Mari describes the Holy Father’s life as work and prayer and that “free time does not exist for the pope.” St. Peter’s got its start when the emperor Constantine ordered a cathedral be built directly over the grave of Peter some three centuries after he was martyred in 64 A.D. Rome. In 1929, the Vatican became a separate state, although entirely surrounded by Rome. Within the Vatican walls are some of the world’s greatest art treasures — as well as a fully operational soup kitchen. The script takes note of how popes have been the greatest supporters of culture through the centuries, and one segment of the program visits art restorers who maintain the glorious paintings, sculptures and fine tapestries that comprise the Vatican collection. A Franciscan sister is seen cheerfully engaging in the painstaking removal of worn thread from a tapestry, to be replaced by one of the 6,000 different shades of thread at her disposal. Mentioned in passing are a few less-than-saintly popes, and how Pope Julius II’s handling of indulgences eventually led to the Reformation. However, credit is given to Pope John Paul for his pivotal role in the fall of communism, and a quite interesting segment explains how Pope Gregory XIII literally altered time in 1580, with the result that most of the world now uses the Gregorian calendar. Factual and informative, the program does not dig deeply, but does present some exquisite visuals of the Holy See’s extraordinary architecture as well as interiors of St. Peter’s, the Apostolic Palace and the Vatican Library. The documentary should prove of interest not only to Catholics but to those who have not had the opportunity to visit the Eternal City. Pare is director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film and Broadcasting.
CNS photo from Warner Bros
Scene from movie ‘Harry Potter’ Actor Daniel Radcliffe stars as the title character in a scene from the film “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested.
8 The Catholic News & Herald
November 16, 2001
Editorials & Col-
The Pope Speaks
POPE JOHN PAUL II
God is always near those who pray, pope says at weekly audience B Cindy Wooden y
Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The longest Psalm in the Bible, Psalm 119, is a meditation on how God’s law not only should guide human behavior, but reminds men and women that God is always near, Pope John Paul II said. “We are not alone because God hears us and intervenes,” the pope said Nov. 14 during his weekly general audience. Psalm 119 with its 21 sections corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet praises God for the gift of the law, which is “a shining lamp on the often dark path of life,” the pope said. The section of the psalm used for morning prayer places before God the believer who has spent the night in prayer and meditation and now looks toward the dawning day certain that God has heard his prayers, the pope said. “Comforted by this knowledge, facing the day that is opening before him, the believer no longer fears the dangers ahead. He knows he will not be overwhelmed by his persecutors,” the pope said, because “the Lord is close to him.” During the audience, Pope John Paul offered a special greeting to U.S. and European military personnel studying at the NATO Defense College outside Rome. “In these troubled times,” he said, members of the military must see their profession “as a noble service of peace and the common good.” At the end of the audience, Pope John Paul offered prayers for the more than 550 people who died and the thousands left homeless in Algeria after severe storms and mud slides Nov. 10-11. “I express my spiritual closeness to their families and all who are suffering because of this serious calamity. May our solidarity and the concrete support of the international community not be lacking for these brothers and sisters of ours,” he said.
Pope encourages prayer, sharing in quest for Christian unity VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With continued sharing, theological research and prayer, Christians will be able to find ways to move beyond current tensions in the search for full unity, Pope John Paul II said. “May the Lord help us treasure that which has been realized already, guard it with care and hasten further developments,” he said in a message to the Nov. 12-17 plenary meeting of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. While Christian unity is not yet a reality, “it is undeniable that a large part of the road already has been traveled,” he said. Pope John Paul told council members that the major international dialogues the Catholic Church is engaged in with the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans and other Protestants have led to consensus on a variety of issues that can and must be built upon.
Liturgical meaning of Thanksgiving The Old and New Testament make clear that our worship must be eucharistic (thankful), or we may miss the whole meaning of our existence. The richest literature of Thanksgiving is found in the 150 Psalms, which connect our gratitute to the various stages of our human failure and success. The Book of Leviticus goes into details about “peace offerings” (3:1-17) and prescriptions for giving “thanks.” (7:11-18) Scholars tell us that in Qumran Cave “thanksgiving hymns” were found. They seem to be closely related to the songs of praise in the shape of Psalms. The tradition of giving thanks continues and expands in the New Testament. St. Paul constantly gives thanks as he writes to different churches and communities. The Pauline letters articulate three basic reasons for being thankful: Remembrance, Confession, and Proclamation. Christians recall and make present the wonders of God; they confess their faith in the great events of grace, and, consequently, proclaim what they experienced and confessed. “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death and resurrection of the Lord until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26) Thanksgiving, therefore, is the heart of any spirituality, which claims to be Christian. The celebration of Thanksgiving has much to do with acknowledging the giver as much as the gift; it allows us to open ourselves to God’s grace and makes us aware that we are contingent creatures, who are not complete in ourselves. Humility and sincerity are always present in a thankful person. There is a transformative power in giving thanks. In a liturgical setting, thanksgiving is the acknowledgement of me, finite creature, and Him, infinite Creator. The fourth preface for weekdays puts it beautifully: “You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to thank you is itself your gift. Our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to your greatness, but makes us grow in your grace,
Economy of Faith By Father John S. Rausch, GlenMary Guest Columnist
land mines. Paul VI taught: “If you want peace, work for justice.” The attack on America represented a crime against humanity calling for an international court of law to prosecute the guilty. The World Trade Center and the Pentagon also represent the economic structures and the military might of the U.S. that many throughout the world resent. Justice asks that believers reexamine how American economic and foreign policy affects the world’s poor and marginalized and adjust it for more fairness. At the Oklahoma City Memorial, a single tree withstood the ferocious blast of the car bomb that blew out windows all over the city and was heard 55 miles away. An American elm bent by the force of the blast still lives in the plaza and was named the “Survivor Tree.” The tragedy in Oklahoma City occasioned a response in faith from Bud Welsh who lost a daughter in the Murrah Building. Welsh spoke against execution as a response to the tragedy. He wanted to break the cycle of violence and stop more death. In the future we will likely build more memorials for terrorism’s victims unless we heed the witness of Welsh and choose forgiveness and justice. Like the Survivor Tree, even in the midst of violence and terror, signs of life and symbols of hope continue to grow.
Guest Column Father John C. Aurilia, ofm cap Guest Column through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Every preface begins with the standard line “it is our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.” The first Eucharistic Prayer begins: “We come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ your Son.” From a liturgical point of view, thanksgiving is a way of life rather than an event of our lives. A thankful person always finds reasons for affirming God and people, no matter what the circumstances may be. A new business was opening, and one of the owner’s friends wanted to send him flowers for the occasion. They arrived at the new business site, and the owner read the card, “Rest in Peace.” The owner was angry and called the florist to complain. After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was, the florist replied, “Sir, I’m really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting angry, you should image this: Somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying, “Congratulations on your new location.” Allow me to suggest four simple principles which are always applicable: A) The worst possible moment for an atheist is when he/she feels grateful and has no one to thank. B) We should be thankful for the good things we have and the bad things we don’t have. C) If you have nothing for which to be thankful, hope thethere Survivor Tree make upThe your mindofthat is something wrong Two weeks after the terrorist attack on America, I viswith you. ited the Memorial. wallspocket called the D)Oklahoma It is notCity what you haveTwin in your that Gates of Time frame the moment of destruction makes you thankful, but what you have in yourwhere heart. the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building once stood. On one wall “9:01” is carved, on the other “9:03.” In between the gates 168 chairs made of bronze and stone rest on a grassy knoll, each with the name of one victim, most large for the adults killed that day, but some small for the 19 preschoolers taken at 9:02 a.m., April 19, 1995. The gently flowing water of the reflecting pool by the side of the chairs invokes a reverence for the space. I spent a full hour slowly walking the area of the one city block meditating on terrorism and violence. Since September 11 flags fly throughout the country. “God Bless America” and “United We Stand” adorn windows and sign boards of commercial establishments and private residences. Public indignation by politicians and political pundits demonizing the enemy as evil or sick paves the way for retaliatory bombing and more unavoidable violence for the innocent. Yet while the public mood readies itself for revenge, a whisper comes from believers and people of faith. “Love will prevail over hate,” reads a sign at a gas station in Wise County, Virginia. “Pray for the victims” encourages a message at a convenience store in the next county. “Pray for the proper response” a bank sign cautioned immediately after the attack, then changed to “Pray for those we have lost and world peace.” The attack sparked a certain faith response among ordinary believers and triggered some critical thinking. The just war theory, crafted to limit the atrocities of war, rejects vengeance as a legitimate reason for more conflict. Revenge is not a Christian virtue. Although the theory prohibits non-combatants as military targets, when war visits a land, no one is safe. Too much bombing, too many civilian deaths tip the balance of proportionality away from a justifiable war. Believers must decide when enough is enough. Ironically the first innocent civilians killed with the bombing of Afghanistan were four U.N. workers employed to clear
November 16, 2001
Editorials & Col-
Light One Candle FATHER jOHN CATOIR Guest Columnist
the vicious cycle of fear, which leads to panic. You can do better. Demand more of yourself. Fill your mind with positive thoughts: “I am not in danger. I am not in danger. I am not in danger. Thank you Jesus, I will not be afraid; I will not be afraid. I am saved in his strength. I will be well. I am protected. I will survive. I am happy to be alive. I will project a joyful presence.” This same advice would be useful to anyone, even a soldier in battle. Internal fears can be more threatening to life than the bullets flying overhead. Do not surrender to fear. Do not give the prince of darkness what he wants. He wants to disrupt your life and make you feel worthless. But you are a favored child of the Lord, a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are precious in God’s sight, and he will protect you. Jesus said, “Those who listen to my words and obey me are like the wise man who built his house on rock. “ Take heart. Be your own best friend. Get on with your precious life. All will be well.
ality, the more we perceive the truth of this way of looking at the world. People once attributed thunder and lightning to the displeasure of their god(s) over human infidelity of some sort. We now have a better and more natural explanation. Similarly, bizarre behavior or manifestations — wounds of the stigmata, for example, or floating in the air, or frothing at the mouth with unnatural gutteral speech — were once automatically assumed to have divine or diabolical origins. More recent experience has proven, however, that occurrences like these may well have a more natural, psychological explanation. These are among the reasons the church has learned through the centuries to exercise greater caution before attributing extraordinary events to miraculous divine intervention. Miracles, wondrous events that mysteriously but unmistakably preclude all natural explanation, are always possible. And we can surely pray for them. It is, after all, still God’s world, his continual re-creation. Lourdes and some other sacred shrines offer countless instances of remarkable events that contradict all medical and scientific expectation of what “ought” to happen. Withered arms and legs become healthy and whole overnight. Carcinomic neoplasms that should inevitably be fatal disappear instantaneously. These are without question God’s doing. To seek such extraordinary blessings in prayer and pleading can be good, a sign of genuine Christian faith and hope. It remains, however, that miracles, or instant-byinstant interventions into the workings of the world, are not God’s usual ways. As the Genesis creation story tells us, God looked at what he had made and declared it good, very good. He was wonderfully satisfied with what he had done. As far as we can tell, it is the same Wisdom that gave existence to this infinitely complex universe that allows it to live and breathe and act according to the “laws” he placed there in the first place.
Anthrax is not contagious, but the fear factor is Anthrax cannot be contracted the way the flu is. A flu epidemic passes from person to person, and 20 million people come down with it each year. A relative handful of people have come down with the anthrax infection, but everyone is affected by the fear it generates. This fear takes a huge toll on our emotions. We cannot allow ourselves to become infected with fear. So I ask you to calm down and think this thing through. You are a good person. You don’t deserve all this disruption, but you have to deal with it. To keep your head when the entire world is going mad is not easy, but you have a huge advantage. You are a Catholic Christian. Pray for serenity. Say your familiar Catholic prayers slowly. Then listen to the voice of Jesus saying: “Do not be afraid. Take heart, in this world you will have many troubles, but I have overcome the world.” The Lord challenges you to control your thoughts. Contrary to public opinion, you are all capable of taking control of your thoughts. If you are glued to the television and allow the media to fill your mind with thoughts of danger, you’ll make yourself sick with worry, and you will be doing exactly what the terrorists want. You will become anxious, then fearful, then terrified. “Fight or flight” — these seem to be your only options. But there is no one there to fight, and you can’t run away from your home. This leaves you in a state of confusion, frustration and emotional instability. Cancel these negative thoughts immediately. Reject thoughts such as, “I’m in danger, I’m going to be sick, I can’t go on like this.” Nonsense! Feelings are not facts. If you control your thoughts you gradually will take control of your emotional life. Emotions follow thoughts as thunder follows lightning. The negative thoughts you invite into your mind will make you sick. If you think “danger,” your body and emotions will be in a constant state of alertness and anxiety. This sets up
Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN CNS Columnist
God’s interventions revisited Q. I was distressed by your answer regarding God’s will and whether God “interferes” with nature’s laws. I agree that God works his will through the laws of nature, and that nature’s predictability is meaningful and valuable. But I don’t think Jesus’ message was simply to be good and accept whatever nature hands you because that’s God’s will. Miracles happen every day. People are healed and helped beyond all natural explanation. No situation is hopeless. If we pray for miracles for others and ourselves, we are showing faith, hope and love. God can also give us Job-like resignation to the evil circumstances that befall us, and that’s a gift too. But Christians say: “Christ’s love lives in me. For whom shall I pray? Who needs a miracle of grace today?” (Wisconsin) A. Thank you for pointing out very well some important and hopeful Christian truths. A number of other readers wrote to me with the same concerns you have. We followers of Christ are not fatalists who lie down without feeling or passion and stoically let happen what will happen. As I said in the column you mention, in the everyday processes of life the makeup of the world as God created it normally reveals “God’s will “ and determines what will happen. We believe the Creator is a gracious and loving God, whose goodness is manifest in creation itself, in how and why it came into being, not because the Maker constantly intervenes to accomplish his compassionate will. As we human beings continuously learn more about re-
The Catholic News & Herald 9
Family Reflections By Andrew & Terri Lyke Guest Columnist Ecumenism and marriage Interchurch and interreligious marriages are becoming more commonplace these days. Considering the power faith has on a marriage, marrying someone of another faith tradition might be seen as a great obstacle for unity and spiritual growth in a marriage. Certainly being of the same religion and denomination can pave a smoother road for a couple’s life journey. Right? Well, our twenty years of marriage preparation work give us a different perspective. Most of our marriage preparation work has been in the African American Catholic community in which interfaith marriages are much more common than in the general Catholic population. When discussing matters of faith and worship with the engaged, we have found that the considerations for having different faith traditions also apply to those who are both Catholic. Very often engaged couples minimize such differences. So much else between them draws them to what they have in common. And the power of their burgeoning love seems to override differences in faith traditions. Issues around the wedding may have interfaith couples face some of those differences early on. For example, having Eucharist as part of the wedding may be very important to Catholic family members. Though the Christian rite of marriage makes provisions for weddings without the Communion rite, some may feel that without eucharist it wouldn’t be a “full Catholic wedding.” Convincing the Catholic family that a wedding without Eucharist is no less Catholic and perhaps more hospitable is just one challenge for interfaith unions. However, when having children is imminent, matters of faith become more important in a couple’s life together. Patterns of worship, prayer and fellowship shape the lives of children and families with children. When children are present (or anticipated), the question of how they will be raised is important. Couples who embrace those challenges and find workable responses are likely to develop their unique spirituality (the glue that holds them together) early in their marriage. The danger for a couple who are both Catholic is that they may be lulled into complacency and not embrace the challenges of their unique faith experiences as early. We encourage all who aspire to Christian marriage, whether they are of the same or different faith traditions, to pay attention to their faith differences early, share with each other their unique experiences of the Sacred, and learn to appreciate those differences. And as their spiritual life unfolds, they become more aware of God in them. Then watch what happens. Their cup overflows into community. The hand of God guides them to a place where they celebrate their unique spirituality. Questions for Reflection: • How do your experiences of faith differ from your spouse’s? • How have those differences challenged you? • How have they been opportunities for spiritual growth?
1 0 The Catholic News & Herald
In the
Symposium explores common roots of Islam, Christianity, Judaism By Polly Maciulski Catholic News Service SHREVEPORT, La. (CNS) — Those who practice Islam, Christianity or Judaism must realize that despite differences in their beliefs, they have much in common, according to speakers at a Nov. 4 symposium in Shreveport. Sister Marie Vianney Bilgrien, a School Sister of Notre Dame, said members of the three faith groups are all descendents of Abraham. She told a standing room-only crowd in a Catholic elementary school cafeteria that Pope John XXIII once greeted 130 U.S. Jews with the biblical expression, “I am your brother, Joseph.” And years later, she said, when the late Cardinal Joseph L. Bernardin of Chicago spoke to Chicago Catholics for the first time as their archbishop, he greeted them with the same expression. Sister Bilgrien, who is professor of moral theology at Greco Institute, a center for adult education in the Shreveport Diocese, ended her presentation with the question Cain posed to God in Genesis 4. He asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” “You better believe it,” she said, answering the same question for her audience. Rabbi Harold Robinson, from the B’nai Zion Congregation in Shreveport, said Judaism is the common heritage between Christianity and Islam. He also praised the Catholic Church for the apologies it has issued for past sins, describing that action as a “huge step” toward fostering better relations among the faiths.
ClassiEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Caregiver: Seeking dependable caregiver to assist elderly with non-medical care in their homes. Part-time and full-time. Top hourly fees. VISITING ANGELS. (704) 442-8881 Director of Development for Campus Ministry: The Diocesan Office of Development has an opening for a part-time director of development for Campus Ministry. The candidate must be a college graduate with a degree in marketing, communications, or related field. Appropriate experience in fund raising and marketing may be substituted for education. Responsibilities include managing the annual giving campaigns, handling all aspects of production of newsletters and annual reports, and
He said that members of the Jewish faith do not believe they are better than those of other faiths; but instead realize they have different responsibilities. He emphasized that Judaism is about acceptance of other faiths, not just tolerance of them. “Only Judaism says we need not be Jewish to be right,” he added. Munir Bader, president of the local Islamic association, said that Islam has been misrepresented through the media and by extremists within Islam, which leads to a great misunderstanding of Islamic beliefs and tradition. He said those who practice Islam “condemn the senseless acts that are clearly against our belief,” referring to terrorist attacks. Islam is about faith, prayer, and charity, he said, adding that Muslims believe they should worship God and treat his creation with kindness and compassion. They believe in Moses and Abraham, but believe in Jesus as a prophet, not the Messiah. The “most sophisticated weapons” that members of all faiths should use, he said, “to defend our lives and the hereafter are the Koran, the Bible, and the Torah.” The symposium, called “The Common Roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,” was sponsored by the Greco Institute and originated with an idea from Bishop William B. Friend of Shreveport, who suggested that the three faiths come together to learn more about one another’s beliefs.
Diaspora, from page 1
Fire, from page 1
Ebony Young sprinkled the congregation with water, recalling the waters of baptism, while Christina Donavon symbolized prayers ascending to the heavens as she carried burning incense through the church. They danced to the beat of Michael Roberto’s shekere, a gourd wrapped in beaded netting. In his homily Father West said, “Very devout people want to know what heaven is like.” As with the people of Jesus’ time, many assume that heaven will be a continuation of daily life as they know it. Just like Jesus’ contemporaries, “we don’t understand Scripture,” but Scriptures clearly state that life will be completely different. Father West said that people “underestimate the goodness and the power of God ... for we are alive in God.” He went on to emphasize that since “God is our Father, we are all part of that one divine family,” that before spending a lot of time criticizing others, we must look at ourselves. “Let God shine in our lives, then lift our hearts to others.” Father West stressed the importance of prayer, especially when asking protection from the evil one. Then, as people embrace the cross of sacrifice, they can open their eyes to the Holy Spirit. “It doesn’t do anyone good to sit and listen to the Word,” he said. All must “act upon that Word, because it is the same Jesus we hear about who is willing to heal and show us his mercy and compassion.” A dinner in the St. Pius X Kloster Center concluded the celebration.
What does this mean with regard to our faith? One of the things that was damaged on Sept. 11 was our faith in other people. We really have to probe our faith. It’s not just a question of dealing with our feelings. How do we deal with this in faith?” Father Cameli said that one thing that has helped him is Pope John Paul II’s teaching on the dignity, value and preciousness of every human being. Indeed there are a number of “counter forces,” Father Cameli said. Win the game, enjoy the prize, and ignore the rest of the world, Father Cameli said, “is the opposite of what Jesus calls us to. It’s only when we have a profound sense of the dignity and value of life that we can move beyond win, enjoy, ignore. We can have compassion.” However, spirituality challenges people to move beyond that. Father Cameli called people to see the world as it really is, to “live with our eyes open, but our eyes open in faith. We need to reclaim it and teach it to our children. “It’s not that we commit sins, but that we are sinners—that’s different,” Father Cameli said of Christian anthropology. “It means that we’re divided inside. It means we are brokenhearted. We’re broken, in need of forgiveness. But that isn’t the whole story. We are redeemed in Christ. “The events of Sept. 11 are terrible, but it makes us stop and take stock of our world, to realize the value of human life, to get a sense of the complexity of the world and what life is all about. “What we’re about and what God is about in our lives is real transformation-total turning around. It’s not an attitude, a cosmetic; but real, thorough, complete transformation is our destiny.” The Fire in the Mountains execu-
Classified ads bring results! Over 117,000 readers! Over 47,500 homes! Rates: $.50/word per issue ($10 minimum per issue) Deadline: 12 noon Wednesday, 9 days before publication How to order: Ads may be E-mailed to ckfeerick@charlottediocese.org, faxed to (704) 370-3382 or mailed to: Cindi Feerick, The Catholic News & Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203. Payment: Ads will billed. For information, call (704) 370-3332.
serving as liaison to diocesan and regional boards. Please submit resume by December 7, 2001 to: Jim Kelley, Office of Development, 1123 South Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203-4003. Director of Music Ministry: Full-time position, 1500-family parish near Charlotte, NC. Responsible for five weekend liturgies plus holy days, weddings and funerals. Adult choir, contemporary choir, cantors, instrumentalists, and handbell choirs. Rogers electronic organ, Yamaha upright piano, and Clavinova digital pianos, two-octave set of Malmark handbells. Ideal candidate is a practicing Catholic
November 16, 2001
with music degree and experience, music performance skill (organ/ piano/voice), choral and cantor skills, knowledge of Catholic liturgical music. Salary commensurate with experience. Full benefits. Send/fax resumes to Fr. Bill Kelley, S.J., Saint Therese Parish, 217 Brawley School Road, Mooresville, NC 28117. Phone: (704) 664-3992; Fax: (704) 660-6321. Vice President, Mission: St. Joseph of the Pines, Southern Pines, North Carolina is seeking a Vice President, Mission. We provide Long Term Care and Home Health and Hospice Care. The position has oversight for Mission, Pastoral
Care and Ethics. Please send letter and resume to Mr. Mark Davenport, VP, Human Resources, St. Joseph of the Pines, 590 Central Drive, Southern Pines, NC 28387. Telephone: 910-246-3112. Fax: 910-246-3187.
Freelance Writers/Photographers: The Catholic News & Herald seeks experienced freelancers in all areas of the Diocese of Charlotte. Candidates should have professional writing/ photography experience and be familiar with Associated Press style. Send non-returnable writing clips and photography samples to: Freelance Writer Search, The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237, or send e-mailto jskeane@charlottediocese.org.
November 16, 2001
People in the
First African-American elected president of USCCB conference
By Patricia Zapor Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Bishop Wilton D. Gregory of Belleville, Ill., as president on their first-ballot Nov. 13. Bishop Gregory, 53, vice president for the past three years, is the first African-American and the first Catholic convert to be elected president of the U.S. bishops in history. The bishops also elected Bishop William S. Skylstad, 67, of Spokane, Wash., as vice president and Archbishop James P. Kelleher of Kansas City, Kan., as treasurer-elect. The bishops also were casting ballots for nine committee chairmen and 13 committee chairmenelect. For the first time in their conference’s history, the bishops were using electronic voting. The prelates were given individual hand-held voting devices called Digivotes to use on most of the 34 ballots they would be asked to cast during their four-day meeting. On Nov. 12 a handful of bishops still had to cast paper ballots because officials ran out of the Digivotes. The bishops’ new president holds a doctorate in liturgy from Rome’s Pontifical Liturgical Institute and has written extensively on the subject, particularly on liturgy in the African-American community. Bishop Gregory is chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Personnel and vice chairman of three others: the Committee on Priorities and Plans, the Executive Committee and the Committee on Nomination of Conference Officers. He also is a member of the Administrative Committee and the ad hoc Committee on Publishing and Promotion Services. He was born Dec. 7, 1947, in Chicago. It was just a few weeks after he enrolled as a sixth-grader at St. Carthage School that Wilton Gregory decided he wanted to become a priest. He first had to become a Catholic, however, which he did by the end of the school year. Two years after becoming a Catholic, he entered Chicago’s Quigley Preparatory, a high school seminary. By the time he was 25, he was ordained a priest. Just 10 years later, he became the youngest bishop in the country. He was installed as an auxiliary bishop for Chicago a few days after his 36th birthday in 1983. The election was held during the bishops’ Nov. 12-15 fall general meeting, their first as
the USCCB, operating under new statutes that call for all officers and chairmen to be elected a year in advance of taking office. Previously, under the bishops’ statutes as the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and U.S. Catholic Conference, officers and most committee chairs took office at the end of the meeting at which they were elected. Over the years, a few committees had shifted to electing chairmen-elect a year ahead of time for the sake of greater continuity in the transition. When the bishops revised their statutes, they adopted that model for all the officer and committee elections. Since this is the transition year, in effect they had two sets of elections, one to fill seats being vacated this year and another to fill those that become vacant next year. All officers and committee heads have three-year terms. The term of the current secretary, Bishop William B. Friend of Shreveport, La., does not end until 2003.
CNS photo by Martin Lueders
Bishop Wilton D. Gregory said he hopes his election as the first African-American president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is seen as a sign of the church’s commitment to be inclusive and multicultural. He heads the Diocese of Belleville, Ill.
Martin Sheen aids collection for retired religious WASHINGTON (CNS) — The yearly Catholic collection for retired religious is getting an added boost this year with Catholic actor Martin Sheen doing public service ads on radio and television. Sheen, star of the NBC drama “The West Wing,” said he wanted to help the campaign out of his admiration and respect for the Notre Dame de Namur Sisters and Marianist Brothers who taught him as he grew up in Dayton, Ohio. “They had a profound impact,” he said. “I’ve been inspired and nourished by them. Their families were like our families; their fathers were immigrants and laborers.” His comments were in an announcement released Nov. 8 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to promote this year’s collection, which is to be taken up in most U.S. parishes Dec. 8 and 9. Pope, moving slowly, begins new round of parish visits in Rome ROME (CNS) — Moving slowly but with a pastor’s perseverance, Pope John Paul II began a new round of parish visits in Rome. The 81-year-old pontiff visited the Church of Holy Mary Mother of God in a hillside neighborhood behind the Vatican Nov. 11. He celebrated an outdoor Mass, spoke about the connection between faith and daily life, and greeted several
The Catholic News & Herald 11
hundred parishioners. Hesitant on his feet, the pope showed his age throughout the 90-minute visit. At the offertory, when prayers were offered for him, he leaned against his staff with a bowed head. But he delivered his sermon in a clear voice and, at the end of the liturgy, smiled when numerous babies were brought to him for a blessing. Head of Catholic University says students ‘anxious’ after attacks WASHINGTON (CNS) — Students at The Catholic University of America have been “anxious” in the weeks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to Vincentian Father David O’Connell, the university’s president. “It’s really got them very, very upset,” Father O’Connell acknowledged Nov. 12 during a report on the university at the U.S. bishops’ fall general meeting in Washington. “You have to remember that our (academic) seniors were born in 1980,” he added. “They’ve had no experience with a national conflict, and it’s bothering them a great deal.” Father O’Connell reported that about 1,000 students gathered soon after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon for a memorial service where they spoke aloud the names of loved ones who perished. One Catholic University lecturer died, as did family members of some students.
1 2 The Catholic News & Herald
November 16, 2001
Living the
Faith sustains deacon and family through life it would be the last time they would be By ALESHA M. PRICE together. Staff Writer His brother’s plane was shot down HENDERSONVILLE — The seven over Japan, and the news brought RenuRenuart children would kneel in a row art to his knees in grief and prayer. One and pray the rosary every night with of the most profound influences on his their parents. Young Albert Renuart life was gone. His steadfast faith kept received his first exposure to his faith him going but did not return him to the from these evening prayer sessions and seminary. He is not sure if the wartime weekly Mass. Having clergy and women memories and his brother’s death were religious in his extended family and attenthe causes of his decision, but he says that dance at Catholic school in Florida also it never crossed his influenced his young mind to go back. spiritual life. “I grieved for a “In my dad’s famlong time, and it was ily, there were two very difficult for my nuns, and I had an parents,” said Rev. uncle who was a Mr. Renuart. priest. He was a posiHe and his tive influence on me,” younger brother went said Rev. Mr. Renuto the University of art, who entered St. Detroit in 1946 to Charles Seminary in study architecture. Baltimore, Md., after Another brother’s graduating from high wedding brought school. “The kids in them home to serve high school knew that as ushers in 1949. BeI would go to semifore the service began, nary.” Renuart spotted her. It was a depar“I saw a beautiful girl ture for Renuart from dressed in a white suit the family lumber Rev. Mr. Albert Renuart and a big, black straw business started by hat. All of the ushers his Canadian-born rushed to escort her. I paternal grandfather. fell for her, and that was the beginning of However, World War II shipped many my quest. I was going to marry her,” he of his siblings their separate ways. The said of the first time he saw his wife-to-be, United States entered the war while Mary Jane. Renuart was in the seminary, and his Mrs. Renuart tells a different story: three brothers had signed up to fight for “My date was late, so I just went ahead. their country. I knew he was one of the Renuart boys, Renuart caught the service bug and every one of them was a real catch. I and asked for military leave from his thought he was handsome but figured it seminary. He joined the Marines and was a passing thing.” was sent to Okinawa, via Saipan and Iwo After Renuart transferred to the Jima, where his oldest brother was also University of Miami, where he received stationed. The war was nearing its end, his degree and began working in conand the brothers had just gone up in a struction, they finally went on their first transport plane for a practice run. They date. Their signals crossed, and Renuart were thrilled to be with each other during arrived dressed in a softball uniform while perilous times but were both ready to go Mary Jane was dressed to go to dinner back home. Renuart did not know that
and dancing. She went to the softball game in her dress and ate watermelon with the group. Finally agreeing on wedding attire, the couple married in November 1950 on his parents’ anniversary. “For 51 years, I think we have done very well,” he said. The Renuarts focused on church and their five children’s educations for many years. After Vatican II reforms, Renuart became a eucharistic minister, lector and usher and brought Communion to his parents after his father grew ill. While Mrs. Renuart taught at a Catholic girls’ academy, the couple served on the board of directors of marriage encounter and worked with faith formation. The Cursillo movement motivated Renuart, giving his spiritual life a boost. “I was floating almost (after making Cursillo). It was a fantastic experience because it reiterated love of one another.” In 1969, some of the first deacons were ordained in his diocese, and his interest was piqued. His bishop, however, was reluctant to allow him to apply because of his young family. He placed the permanent diaconate on the back burner and, as his children grew and matured, so did his faith. He continued working in various ministries in the church, but a knock on the door in the wee hours of a Sunday morning in 1986 sent his world spinning. Their son, Kenneth, had gone scuba diving with friends, and as they were driving back, the jeep was run off of the road. Their twenty-eight-year-old
son had been killed. “It strikes you so quickly, and I wasn’t crying at first. We went to Mass that morning, and it was announced after Mass. A friend came up to me, and I broke down and cried,” remembered Rev. Mr. Renuart. “He is still a profound influence on our family, and our children have kept his memory alive,” Mrs. Renuart said. Although his wife was reluctant to agree to her husband becoming a permanent deacon so soon after their son’s death, Renuart applied to the diaconate with her consent in 1989 and was ordained in 1992. He served at his Florida parish from 1992 through 1995 when the mountains of North Carolina began to call him. He had intended to retire to Hendersonville where he used to vacation as a child with his family during the summers. The couple moved to the small city, and he began serving in many ministries at Immaculate Conception Church including the building committee and baptismal preparation. Health complications nudged him into retirement from full-time diaconate work this past summer, but the grandfather of eight shows no signs of slowing down completely: “Once a deacon, always a deacon. I want to continue to serving as much as a I can.” Contact Staff Writer Alesha M. Price by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail amprice@charlottediocese.org.