aug. 20, 2004

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 1 August 20, 2004

Serving CatholiCS in WeStern north Carolina in the DioCeSe of Charlotte

Lighting the Fires of FaithHundreds brave weather for annual event

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Culture WatchVatican book; ‘Passion’ tops Pro-Catholic films

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Fighting for LifePro-life stand doesn’t impede religious freedom

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auguSt 20, 2004 voluMe 13 no. 40

See REVIVAL, page 6

www.charlottediocese.org

Parish Profile ReturnsSt. Lucien Church in Spruce Pine

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Uncovering faith

established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul vi

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Photo by Kevin e. Murray

Above: Gospel music and song filled Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte during the annual “Revival of the Spirit” Aug. 12-15, inspiring many to stand, clap their hands and sing along. Below: Sister Patricia Haley, this year’s revivalist, speaks about the power of the Holy Spirit Aug. 12.

Power, love of God affirmed during annual revival

Feedback, support for bishops’ Communion

By KEVIN E. MURRAyEdItoR

CHARLOTTE — The “breath of life” resonated in the music and people at Our Lady of Consolation Church.

“The breath of life — the spirit of God — was breathed into us. We are carriers of God’s spirit, carriers of the divine,” said Sister Patricia Haley.

The Sister of Charity of Nazareth was the featured speaker at “Revival of the Spirit 2004,” the fifth annual revival

sponsored by the diocesan Afri-can American Affairs Ministry, held at Our Lady of Consolation Church Aug. 12-15.

“It is a time of encourage-ment and a renewing of our commitment to service,” said Sister Haley, coordinator of the Black Catholic Ministries office in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla., and a faculty member of that diocese’s adult formation program.

“It’s also an opportunity to

ReviviNg THe sPiRiT

All are carriers of the divine, says speaker

By KAREN A. EVANSStAff wRItER

CHARLOTTE — The 2004 Diocesan Support Ap-peal (DSA) will likely raise $4 million by the year’s end, See DSA, page 4

according to Barbara Gaddy, associate director of diocesan development.

T h e go a l f o r t h e 2004 DSA campaign was

CnS Photo by reuterS

Archeologists working west of Jerusalem have discovered a cave that may have been used by St. John the Baptist. The entrance leads to an underground cistern, where pottery shards believed to be remnants of small water jugs used for baptism were discovered. For the full story, see page 7.

See STATEMENT, page 8

By KEVIN E. MURRAyEdItoR

CHARLOTTE — Priests, laity and pro-life advocates throughout the Diocese of Char-lotte are applauding Bishop Peter J. Jugis’ stance on Catholic

teaching and abortion.The bishop has joined with

Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta and Bishop Robert J. Baker of Charleston in a state-ment that Catholic politicians or candidates who persistently support abortion may not be admitted to holy Communion in their dioceses.

In a joint letter issued Aug. 4, “Worthy to Receive

Statement inspires discussions of church teaching

DSA may reach $4 million markA bANNeR yeAR

2 The Catholic News & Herald August 20, 2004

Current and upcoming top-ics from around the world to your own backyardInBrief San Francisco gay

marriages ‘misguided,’ says archbishop

syNCHRoNiziNg iN ATHeNsSAN FRANCISCO (CNS) — The

California Supreme Court said Aug. 12 that the nearly 4,000 same-sex marriages performed in San Francisco earlier in the year were void because the city’s mayor lacked statutory authority to approve them.

All seven justices said that in autho-rizing the city to issue marriage licenses and perform ceremonies, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom violated a 1977 California law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada in February called the mayor’s recognition of gay marriage “mis-guided.”

“To extend the meaning of marriage beyond a union of man and woman, their procreative capacity, and their establish-ment of family represents a misguided understanding of marriage itself,” the archbishop said Feb. 12.

Lawsuits over the constitutionality

of same-sex marriages in California are working their way through the state courts.

Priest, former congressman gets ABA honor

ATLANTA (CNS) — Jesuit Father Robert F. Drinan, a Georgetown Uni-versity Law Center professor and former Congressman, received the American Bar Association’s 2004 ABA Medal, the asso-ciation’s highest honor, Aug. 9.

The medal, which recognizes excep-tional distinguished service to the cause of American jurisprudence, has been given since 1929 to some of the most important legal figures in American history, includ-ing eight Supreme Court justices.

“In an amazing career that has spanned more than half a century, Father Drinan has never faltered in his extraor-dinary humanitarian efforts and support for justice under the law,” said ABA presi-dent Dennis Archer.

A professor at the Georgetown Uni-versity Law Center since 1981, Father Drinan represented the Fourth District of Massachusetts in the House of Repre-

PublisHeR: Most Reverend Peter J. JugisediToR: Kevin e. MurraysTAff WRiTeR: Karen A. evans gRAPHiC desigNeR: Tim faragherAdveRTisiNg RePReseNTATive: Cindi feerickseCReTARy: deborah A. Hiles

1123 south Church st., Charlotte, NC 28203MAil: P.o. box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237PHoNe: (704) 370-3333 fAX: (704) 370-3382e-mail: [email protected]

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AuGuST 20, 2004VOLume 13 • NumBeR 40

BOONe VICARIATe

NORTH WILKESBORO — If you have a special need for prayers, or would like to offer your time in prayer for others’ needs, please call the Rosary Chain at St. John Baptist de La Salle Church. The Rosary Chain is a siz-able group and all requests and volunteers are welcome. For details, call Marianna de Lachica at (336) 667-9044.CHARLOTTe VICARIATe

CHARLOTTE — The diocesan Office of Faith Formation will present “Hearts on Fire,” a catechist enrichment day, Aug. 28, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. To register, call Pat Tomlinson at (704) 541-8362.

CHARLOTTE — A Women’s Talk will be held Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd. Father John Starczewski will be the guest speaker. For more information, call Peggy at (704) 588-7311.

CHARLOTTE — Pathfinders, a peer support group for separation and divorce, will host an open house at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Prov-idence Rd. Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Since 1992, Pathfinders has offered support, education and fellowship for anyone experiencing sepa-ration and divorce. Please call Nancy Cardo at (704) 752-0318 for more information.

CHARLOTTE —The Young Widowed Group meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in the Fellowship Hall of St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd. For more information, contact facilitator Sister

Therese Galligan at (704) 362-5047, ext. 216.

GASTONIA VICARIATe

BELMONT — All middle and high school youths are welcome to join Dennis Teall-Flem-ing for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Tuesday, 5-6 p.m. in the Adoration Chapel at Belmont Abbey College for an hour of prayer and devotion. For details, contact Dennis at (704) 825-9600, ext. 26 or e-mail [email protected].

GReeNSBORO VICARIATe

HIGH POINT — A Healing Mass for Gen-erational Healing will be celebrated Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. at Maryfield at Pennybyrn 1315 Greens-boro Rd. At this Mass our prayer is to heal the impact that the actions of our ancestors has had upon us for healing of generational predis-positions, etc. Alumni of the School of Healing Prayer should review Lesson XII in the work-book. Prepare the family tree and bring to the Mass to put on altar. For more information, call Maryfield at (336) 886-2444.

HIGH POINT — The Evangelization Com-mission at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson St., will offer free Spanish classes Sept. 9-Nov. 11. Classes meet Thursday evenings 7-8 p.m. All materials will be pro-vided. To register, call Nancy Skee at (336) 884-0522 or Larry Kwan at (336) 882-7204.

GREENSBORO — Catholic Social Services Elder Ministry and St. Pius X Church will sponsor “Pastoral Care Training for the Elderly” Aug. 28, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at St. Pius X Church, 2210 N. Elm St. The Pastoral Care Training Program is designed for parish volunteers who provide pastoral care to the elderly in retire-ment facilities, assisted living facilities, nursing

Diocesanplanner

Pope says Olympics can show good relations among nations

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II invoked God’s blessings on Olympic participants and said the inter-national games can show the world that violence does not have to mark relations among different nations.

In an Aug. 11 telegram to President Constantinos Stephanopoulos of Greece, host of the Aug. 13-29 Summer Games, the pope invoked “divine blessings” on everyone participating in or watching the games, including television viewers around the world.

“I hope these games will be an oc-casion of fraternity between peoples and cultures, because sports are a universal language of human relations,” the pope wrote in the telegram released Aug. 12 at the Vatican.

Through international sporting events, he said, people can develop “a familial spirit,” which can help “overcome the violence that marks the modern world.”

The athletes’ Catholic chaplains gathered in Athens’ Roman Catholic ca-thedral Aug. 11 for a concelebrated Mass before the games began.

Archbishop Nikolaos Foscolos of Athens told Vatican Radio Aug. 10 that he hoped that, at least during the games, “all people would feel like brothers and sisters and that throughout the world there would be an armistice as there was during the ancient Olympic Games.”

The archbishop said the Olympic Village includes an ecumenical chapel where Orthodox and Catholic priests will celebrate their liturgies each morning and evening and where Anglican and Protes-tant ministers will offer services.

Separate rooms alongside the Chris-tian prayer space have been set up for Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist athletes, he said.

Msgr. Carlo Mazza, director of the Italian bishops’ office for leisure, tourism and sport, traveled to Athens as Italy’s official Catholic chaplain.

He carried with him 1,500 copies of a special booklet developed just for Italian Catholic athletes.

The booklet, he told the Catholic newspaper Avvenire, contains a copy of a papal prayer from the 2000 Jubilee for Athletes, the Scripture readings for the last three Sundays of August and five prayers for “spiritual accompaniment.”

“Entrusting yourself to God during a sporting competition is both human and spiritual,” Msgr. Mazza said. “During all our human adventures and, therefore, even in sports, as God’s creatures we entrust ourselves to the Father who cre-ated us.”

He said even missing a bronze, silver or gold medal could bring spiritual ben-efits: “It is experiencing our weakness and our need for God.”

CnS Photo froM reuterS

Amanda Laird and Leonie Nichols of the Australian synchronized swimming team perform during a training session at the Olympic swimming complex in Athens, Greece, Aug. 8. Pope John Paul II urged that the Olympics be used “to promote peace and understandi ng among all peoples” during his Sunday Angelus message delivered at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug. 8.


Cardinal says Vatican ready to help mediate end to Iraqi standoff

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican said it was ready to help medi-ate a solution to a standoff between U.S. troops and Shiite militants in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf.

“If it is asked of us, the pope will very willingly agree to (support) a mediation,” whose “aim is for all sides to come round the table to talk,” said the Vatican’s sec-retary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

The Vatican “is always available. The pope would certainly never back away” from helping disputing parties sit down to talks, he said Aug. 15.

Since Aug. 5, U.S. troops backed by Iraqi government forces in Najaf have been locked in intense fighting with militants supporting Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Much of the fighting has centered

on the Shiite Imam Ali Shrine, where many of the militants have been hid-ing; al-Sadr is also believed to be inside the shrine. The Shiite Muslim cleric called for followers to rise up and fight against what he has called the U.S. oc-cupation of Iraq.

The Imam Ali Shrine represents one of the holiest places for Shiite Muslims, who consider Ali the true successor of the prophet Mohammed. For centuries, Shiites have flocked to Najaf and Ali’s tomb to pay their re-spects.

Meanwhile, the U.N.’s special envoy to Iraq also said the United Nations is willing to help negotiate a solution to the fighting in Najaf if all sides agree.

LOURDES, France (CNS) — Sharing the physical weakness of thousands of his fellow pilgrims at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope John Paul II prayed for comfort for those who suffer, for the protection of every human life and for peace in the world.

Although fine for most of the Aug. 14-15 pilgrimage, when temperatures tipped toward the 90s, the pope’s ini-tial visit of the weekend to the Massa-bielle grotto, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Sou-birous, was emotional and difficult.

Pushed in his wheeled throne to the grotto and helped to his knees, the pope was able to stay erect for less than a minute. He began to slump over, and his private secretaries came to his assistance, lifting him back into his chair.

In his text read by retired French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the pope said he always has relied on and ben-efited from the prayer offerings of those who suffer. He asked the sick to join him “in offering to God, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary,

all the intentions of the church and the world.”

During Mass Aug. 15, the pope struggled through his long homily, even gasping “help me” in Polish at one point and muttering, “I must finish.” When the pope seemed to run out of breath, the crowd estimated at 250,000 applauded their encouragement.

In his homily, Pope John Paul asked others — especially women — for signs of faith and courage.

“Appearing here, Mary entrusted her message to a young girl, as if to emphasize the special mission of women in our own time, tempted as it is by materialism and secularism: to be in today’s society a witness of those essential values which are seen only with the eyes of the heart,” he said.

“I appeal urgently to all of you, brothers and sisters, to do everything in your power to ensure that life — each and every life — will be respected from conception to its natural end,” he said. “Life is a sacred gift, and no one can presume to be its master.”

The pope emphatically repeated the

Tragic embrace

fRoM THe vATiCAN

homes and the homebound. Through this one-day workshop volunteers will be exposed to the following concepts: parish ministry, senior sensitivity, confidentiality, compliance and con-sistency. Register by Aug. 24 by calling Glenn Spivey at (336) 272-4681, ext. 106 or Sandra Breakfield at (704) 370-3220.

GREENSBORO — All young adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s, single or married, are invited to Theology on Tap, a speaker series for Catho-lics. Theology on Tap is a casual forum where people gather to learn and discuss the teachings of the Catholic Church. Sessions consist of a social hour at 7 p.m. and speakers beginning at 8 p.m., Aug. 24, 31 and Sept. 7 at Anton’s Restaurant, 1628 Battleground Ave. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call Deb at (336) 286-3687.

GREENSBORO — All Irish-Catholic women are invited to participate in the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, a social, cultural and chari-table group for an ongoing series of fun and informative activities. LAOH will meet Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Pius X Kloster Center, 2210 N. Elm St. Please join us for refreshments and to learn more about our group. RSVP to Elaine McHale, president, at (336) 292-1118.

SALISBuRY VICARIATe

SALISBURY — Bring a Friend to Mass! Do you have friends that ask you questions about the Catholic Church or know someone who used to attend? Invite them to Mass at Sacred Heart Church, 128 N. Fulton St., Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. Reception following in Helfrich Hall.

SALISBURY — What is the meaning of life? What happens when we die? Why does God al-

low suffering? Are you searching for answers to the questions of life? Sacred Heart Church, 128 N. Fulton St., is sponsoring ALPHA course beginning Aug. 25. Contact Lee and Peggy Fisher (704) 633-3594 or Gary and Ricki Mancil (704) 279-9126 for more infor-mation.

SmOKY mOuNTAIN VICARIATe

MURPHY — Father Paul Vuturo will lead the 2004 summer mission at St. William Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hayesville Aug. 23-25. The theme of the mission will be “Parables: Windows into the Kingdom of God.” Services will alternate between the two churches at noon and cel-ebration of Mass in the evening. For more information, contact Howard Platz at (828) 389-0335 or Judy Lott, (828) 835-3359.

WINSTON-SALem VICARIATe

KERNERSVILLE — Holy Cross Church, 616 S. Cherry St., hosts a Senior Coffee House the first and third Monday of each month, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the DeSales House behind the church. Call the church office at (336) 996-5109 ext. 12 for directions or informa-tion.

MT. AIRY — Holy Angels Church, 1208 N. Main St., offers Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and every Thursday, 10-11 a.m. Adoration concludes with Benediction.

is your parish or school sponsoring a free event? Please submit notices for the diocesan Planner at least 15 days prior

Pope shares physical weakness of pilgrims while praying at Lourdes


Angel Sampson, left, hugs her mother-in-law, Helen, after seeing the damage to their mobile home in Windmill Village in Punta Gorda, Fla., Aug. 16. At least 19 people were killed in southwest Florida and thousands left homeless after the storm ripped through the area Aug. 13.

Fund to assist hurricane recovery effortsCHARLOTTE — Catholic Chari-

ties USA is collecting financial donations to help communities recover from devas-tation brought on by Hurricane Charley.

Donations will be used to fund local Catholic Charities agencies’ emergency and long-term disaster recovery efforts in areas hit by the Category 4 hurricane.

Catholic Charities USA, commis-sioned by the U.S. bishops to represent the Catholic community in times of domestic disaster, responds with emergency and long-term assistance as needed. Its Disas-ter Response Office connects the church’s social service agencies and disaster plan-ning offices across the nation.

Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food, clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. The Diocese of Charlotte is accepting financial contributions to the Hurricane Charley disaster relief fund, which will be for-warded to Catholic Charities USA.

To contribute, make checks payable to the Diocese of Charlotte (with Hur-ricane Charley Disaster Response on memo line) and send to:

diocese of CharlotteHurricane Charley disaster Response1123 south Church streetCharlotte, N.C. 28203

Aug. 21 — 8 a.m. MassMissionaries of Charity, Charlotte

Aug. 21 — 6 p.m. Massdedication of new churchdivine Redeemer Church, boonville

Aug. 22 — 10 a.m. Massst. Helen Church, spencer Mountain

Aug. 24 — Presbyteral Council meetingdiocesan Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Aug. 26 — foundation for the diocese of Charlotte meetingCatholic Conference Center, Hickory

Aug. 27 — 10 a.m. Massbishop Mcguinness Catholic High school, Kern-ersville

Aug. 28 — 2 p.m. MassCatechist Conference for the southern Regionst. Matthew Church, Charlotte

Aug. 29 — 10 a.m. Massour lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte

episcopalcalendar

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:

4 The Catholic News & Herald August 20, 2004AROuND THe DIOCeSe

$3,775,000. As of Aug. 16, $3,992,168 had been pledged.

“Being over our goal indicates that more people are embracing steward-ship as a way of life beyond their own parish,” Gaddy said.

To date, 18,137 people within the Diocese of Charlotte have contributed to the DSA campaign.

Fifty-two parishes and missions have surpassed their goal in pledges. Seventeen more churches have reached at least 90 percent of their goal in pledges and actual contributions.

“A few parishes in the diocese have gone over their goal for the first time in several years,” said Gaddy.

According to Gaddy, those par-ishes that had a layperson coordinating their DSA campaign had “great suc-cess” in meeting or surpassing their goal.

“A major advantage to putting a layperson in charge of the campaign is that it frees the pastor to shepherd the parish and focus on the spiritual health of his parishioners,” she said.

The DSA provides partial funding for the 36 outreach ministries of the diocese, including multicultural min-istry, education, vocations and social services.

“DSA monies have a direct impact on our brothers and sisters in the diocese,” said Gaddy. “Good things are happening in the diocese right now because of the DSA — programs like

Hearts on Fire catechist training and the Lighting the Fires of Faith educa-tional program.”

“Being part of the Catholic Church calls us to look beyond our own per-sonal and parish needs and respond with prayer and generosity to every-one in the diocese,” Gaddy said.

Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Ev-ans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail [email protected].

DSA, from page 1

Diocesan Support Appeal may reach $4 million

CourteSy Photo by ann KilKelly

Children play violins during for parents at St. mary’s episcopal Church’s music Academy in High Point. The performance was the culmination of a three-week summer camp sponsored by St. mary’s and Catholic Social Service’s Hispanic Center in High Point July 12-July 31. During the camp, 40 Hispanic children spent two weeks learning academics and social skills, and one week of music instruction on the violin, guitar and piano. Tania Castillero, Hispanic Center director, said the camp will need volunteers next summer; those interested may contact her at (336) 884-5858.

High notes in High

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 5 August 20, 2004AROuND THe DIOCeSe

By REV. MR. GERALd PotKAycoRRESPoNdENt

KERNERSVILLE — With the threat of Hurricane Charley looming off the Eastern coastline, nearly 200 faithful and determined catechists still gathered at Bishop McGuinness Catho-lic High School for the 10th annual Lighting the Fires of Faith conference Aug. 14.

“I wanted to be here and the hurri-cane couldn’t stop me,” said Faby Solis, a parishioner of Our Lady of the High-ways Church in Thomasville.

Solis, who teaches fourth- and fifth-grade faith formation students, said she came to the event “to learn more about Jesus so I can teach my children better.”

Lighting the Fires of Faith, a bilin-gual event sponsored by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation, was de-signed to bring easy means for obtain-ing certification and commissioning as required by the Diocese of Charlotte for people serving Catholic youth and children. The event was also open to all interested adults.

“The purpose of the Fires of Faith is two fold,” said Franciscan Sister Ber-nadette Svatos, northern region coordi-nator of faith formation. “First, it brings us into compliance with the general directive, which says the people should be prepared for their work. Then, we give easy access to those who need courses that are recommended for their certification in faith formation.”

The keynote speaker, Oratorian Father David Valtierra of The Oratory in Rock Hill, S.C., said he was impressed by the dedication of the participants who braved the possible hurricane.

“Those who are lifted up in the Spirit are both affirmed and challenged by their life experiences,” he said.

During his talk on adult spiritual-ity, Father Valtierra tied life experienc-es — such as the Olympics, the Easter vigil and the burning bush experienced by Moses — into the effects and sym-bolism of fire and water.

“Jesus is transparent in all of what we do (and) when we see the light of faith through the eyes of a child,” said Father Valtierra.

The Word of God inspires, espe-cially through the sharing of faith and in the central sacramental rituals, he said.

“The Word of God is fuel to fire our faith,” he said.

Thus, the catechist, so inspired, lights the fire of faith in those who will carry on the truth after we are gone, he said.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis, who ad-dressed the participants in both English and Spanish, said they, as Catholics and catechists, were stewards of God’s gifts. Catechists are responsible for forming children and their consciences as they become better acquainted with the faith, he said.

“You are assisting the bishop in his duty,” he told them.

Bishop Jugis reaffirmed his Aug. 4 statement, “Worthy to Receive the Lamb: Catholics in Political Life and the Reception of Holy Communion,” which he signed with Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta and Bishop Robert J. Baker of Charleston.

“As Catholics, we must speak clear-ly about good and evil,” said Bishop Jugis. “That when distance is placed between public life and teachings of the church ... this is a contradiction.”

Bishop Jugis said that his public announcement gives the youth in the diocese a means to learn more about their Catholic faith.

“It is an opportunity to share our teachings and to evangelize,” he said.

The event also featured workshops on ecumenism, the sacraments, contem-porary moral issues and other topics. Mercy Sister Larretta Rivera-Williams conducted a workshop on “The Call to be a Catechist.”

“I especially liked the way that Sister Laretta included how we can en-courage children when we give classes by incorporating different aspects of the faith, like the Stations of the Cross, while being open to the fact that they may not even know what the Stations are,” said Carol Leach, a catechist at Holy Infant Church in Reidsville.

“At the same time she stressed that, as catechists, we cannot go against the

Lighting the Fires of Hundreds brave weather for annual event

PhotoS by rev. Mr. Gerald PotKay

Nearly 200 people participating in the Lighting the Fires of Faith X conference at Bishop mcGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville Aug. 14.

magisterium (the teaching authority of the Catholic Church),” she said.

The Office of Faith Formation is one of 36 ministries that benefits from the Diocesan Support Appeal.

6 The Catholic News & Herald August 20, 2004AROuND THe DIOCeSe

get rejuvenated to stay in the ministry and give thanks and praise for God’s good gifts,” she said.

The revival is designed to be remi-niscent of the early days of outdoor preaching and is an opportunity to pub-licly worship in the spirit of the black church, according to Rev. Mr. Curtiss Todd, vice chancellor and vicar for Afri-can American Affairs Ministry.

“The revival is open to all people, regardless of ethnicity or religious prefer-ence, to break down existing misconcep-tions about the Catholic faith and black Catholic worship,” he said.

In addition to three nights of preach-ing by Sister Haley, the revival featured invigorating gospel music by Our Lady of Consolation Church’s Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir and choir members from First Baptist Church West in Charlotte and other Protestant churches.

Msgr. Mauricio W. West, diocesan vicar general and chancellor, was the cel-ebrant and homilist of the closing Mass on Sunday.

Sister Haley said everyone was a divine image of God.

“In the divine image we are made. Precious in God’s sight we are,” she said.

As such, each and every person has been promised and been given the Holy Spirit. “That spirit will renew your strength,” said Sister Haley.

People need the Spirit’s strength to endure and be saved, she said.

“The Word enables us to remain strong on this journey we call life. It is by faith that we are able to move so that new graces, blessings and possibilities can happen to us,” said Sister Haley. “Every moment in our lives is a new opportunity to be blessed.”

Jesus suffered and died for all our sins, she said.

“By the power of the spirit, if we were not worth it, he (Jesus) wouldn’t have come,” said Sister Haley. “Jesus died for good folks, for our essence is good.”

“Christ left us with his spirit, know-ing we have the power and authority to live a more Christ-like life,” said Rev. Mr. Todd.

Good people sometimes perform ac-tions that are not good, said Sister Haley. “But any behavior less than good is not worthy of God’s image.”

Because we are endowed with the Spirit, we can reject Satan, who provides choices, said Sister Haley.

“If we sin, it’s by choice. God’s spirit is better than anything. If we’d listen to that spirit, it would give us the power to tell Satan ‘no,’” she said. “There’s noth-ing the devil can offer us that God hasn’t already promised us.”

“In the Bible, the first definition of power is the ability to make change. And we, through the power of the Spirit, can

Reviving the spirit

change,” said Sister Haley. “No matter what we have done in or with our lives, we can change. Any moment, we can change, and that’s the grace.”

“You can run this race called life, reach landmark after landmark, moment after moment, from grace to grace,” she said. “In this hope is our salvation.”

Contact Editor Kevin E. Murray by calling (704) 370-3334 or e-mail [email protected].

REVIVAL, from page 1

PhotoS by Kevin e. Murray

Choir members from First Baptist Church West perform during “Revival of the Spirit 2004” at Our Lady of Consolation Church Aug. 12.

Prayer and reflection are part of the annual revival.

A choir member from First Baptist Church West performs during “Revival of the Spirit 2004.”

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 7 August 20, 2004AROuND THe DIOCeSe

By cAtHoLIc NEwS SERVIcEJERUSALEM — Archaeologists be-

lieve a cave they uncovered in the Judean Hills south of Jerusalem may have been the cave used by St. John the Baptist, The Associated Press reported.

Although some scholars dispute the claim, the archaeologists say it is at least the oldest baptismal site yet discovered.

“The site we’ve uncovered is seem-ingly the connecting link between Jewish and Christian baptism,” British archae-ologist Shimon Gibson was quoted as saying in the Israeli Ha’aretz newspaper Aug. 17.

Gibson is the director of the private Jerusalem Archaeological Field Unit and supervises the dig. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte helped spon-sor the dig.

Though the cave houses a huge water cistern decorated with Byzantine-era wall carvings that the excavation’s archaeolo-gists believe depict John the Baptist and others, some archaeologists say there is no actual proof John the Baptist ever used the cave, said Ha’aretz.

The carvings include the image of what the archaeological dig team says is John the Baptist and a cross-shaped carv-ing, reported Ha’aretz.

Among the findings was an imprint of a foot which archaeologists believe

would have contained oil and where early Christians would have placed their right foot for cleansing after descending 28 stone steps, said Ha’aretz.

Gibson told AP that the carvings, the


Archeologists working west of Jerusalem recently unearthed this cave they believe was used by St. John the Baptist. The entrance, shown in this Aug. 16 photo, leads down 28 steps to an underground cistern. Archeologists uncovered about 250,000 pottery shards from the cave, which British archeologist Shimon Gibson, who headed the dig, believes are remnants of small water jugs used for baptism. Wall carvings of a man with a staff and wearing animal skin also point to John the Baptist.

uNCoveRiNg fAiTH

Archaeologists say John the Baptist might have used Israeli caveCarvings, foot-washing stone constitutes evidence, says expert

foot-washing stone and other finds, taken together with the proximity of John’s home town, constituted strong circum-stantial evidence that the cave was used by St. John.

The cave is located some 2.5 miles from Ein Kerem, the traditional birth-

did you KNoW? JoHN THe bAPTisT— Also known as John the baptizer— Cousin of Jesus Christ; son of zachary, a priest of the order of Abia, and of elizabeth, a descen-dent of Aaron and kinswoman of Mary.— As zachary was ministering in the Temple, an angel brought him news that elizabeth would bear a child filled with the Holy spirit from the moment of his birth. zachary doubted and was struck dumb until John’s birth.— John lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea until about A.d. 27. He began his ministry around age 27, wearing a leather belt and a tunic of camel hair, living off locusts and wild honey, and preaching a message of repentance to the people of Jerusalem. He converted many, and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus.— He baptized Christ, after which he stepped away and told his disciples to follow Jesus.— He was imprisoned by King Herod and died a victim of the vengeance of a jealous woman. He was beheaded and his head brought to her on a platter.

place of John the Baptist. The French Catholic monastery of St. John in the Wilderness is also located nearby.

Archaeologists also pulled about 250,000 pottery shards — the apparent remnants of small water jugs used in the baptismal rite — from the cave, AP reported.

Gibson said the cave — 80 feet long, 13 feet wide and 13 feet deep — was originally formed in the Iron Age, some-where between 800 and 500 B.C., and was apparently first used by the Israelites as an immersion pool.

8 The Catholic News & Herald August 20, 2004FIGHTING FOR LIFe

the Lamb: Catholics in Political Life and the Reception of Holy Communion,” the bishops said that only after the politician’s “public disavowal of former support for procured abortion” and “with the knowl-edge and consent of the local bishop” can the politician be admitted to holy Com-munion.

“We undertake this action to safe-guard the sacred dignity of the most holy sacrament of the altar, to reassure the faithful and to save sinners,” they said.

“It’s a good teaching moment for the bishops,” said Father Mark Lawlor, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte. “It’s a very courageous statement because not everyone in the church and the general public will understand it.”

As of Aug. 17, the diocesan Pas-toral Center had received numerous phone calls and nearly 200 letters and e-mails — 112 in support of the bish-ops’ statement and 81 opposed.

Bishop Jugis said he also has received numerous personal expressions of support from lay people and clergy around the diocese where he has been attending Masses, meetings or other gatherings since the statement’s re-lease.

In his homily at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte Aug. 7, the bishop said he was grateful for the responses.

“Some people have also reminded me not to forget the other important moral issues — euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, death penalty, pre-emptive war, health care,” said Bishop Jugis. “I assure you the church will continue to speak on all these moral is-sues, while realizing that not all moral issues have the same moral weight.”

“Procured abortion is always in-trinsically evil and can never be justi-fied. It is a direct attack on an innocent human life,” he said. “The pope wrote in the encyclical on the Gospel of Life in 1995 that today many people have lost a sense of how grave abortion is.”

“Because it is accepted in the popu-lar mind, in behavior, and in the law, people are losing the ability to distin-guish between good and evil, even on so fundamental an issue as the right to life of the unborn,” said the bishop.

State of graceFather Herbert Burke, pastor of

Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City; Father Christopher Davis, pastor of Holy Infant Church in Re-idsville; and Father Lawlor reported mostly positive feedback and support from their parishioners regarding the statement.

“A few people didn’t understand it. I think they were listening to the secu-lar media or didn’t read the statement,” said Father Lawlor.

In their letter, the bishops admon-ished “all Catholics whose beliefs and conduct do not correspond to the Gos-pel and to church teaching” that they “must approach holy Communion free from mortal sin.”

“Those who are conscious of being in a state of grave sin should avail them-selves of the sacrament of reconciliation before coming to Communion,” they added.

“The statement is not a penalty,” explained Father Lawlor. “Communion means a union with Christ. The state-ment addresses that all Catholics need to be in a state of grace ... free from mortal sin ... prior to receiving Communion.”

“Certain people have chosen to be outside of the union,” he said, “but the church has reconciliation to help people reconcile with past errors.”

“Catholics in political life have the responsibility to exemplify in their public service” the church’s teaching against abortion, “and to work for the protection of all innocent life,” the bishops’ statement said.

“It is the Catholic politician’s choice to accept or deny basic Catholic teach-ing,” said Diane Hoefling, Respect

Life coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul Church. “Denying the Eucharist is a last resort after attempts to counsel.”

Some critics of the statement accused it of being political.

“It’s not about politics, it’s about church teaching,” said Father Burke.

“In the eyes of the world, there’s a difference between the killing of a 5-year-old girl and a 5-month-old in the womb,” he said. “In the eyes of God, there is no difference. It’s our job to take this stand.”

“The bishops, as successors of the Apostles, stand up for life as a precious gift from God,” said Father Lawlor.

“The problem with the United States is that we are so individually-minded. We don’t want people telling us what to do or think,” said Father Davis. “This leads to a breakdown of morality in society.”

“In a world where we don’t see the sand, the bishop’s statement draws the line in it. And that’s a good thing,” he said.

Cooperating in evil“For over 30 years, pro-abortion

Catholic politicians have strongly sup-ported partial-birth abortion, abortion for minors without parental consent, abortion-funding worldwide and, most recently, embryonic stem cell research and human cloning, to name a few of their positions contrary to church moral teaching,” said Hoefling.

“As a Catholic pro-life activist, I have witnessed the confusion and dis-cord among Catholics caused by allow-ing these politicians to continue their anti-life leadership without public rep-rimand,” she said. “I greatly appreciate the courage of Bishop Jugis, Bishop Baker and Archbishop Donoghue who now want this deadly scandal to end.”

At their June meeting near Den-ver, the U.S. bishops approved a state-ment on Catholics in political life that said politicians who act “consistently to support abortion on demand” risk “cooperating in evil and sinning against the common good.”

In that statement, approved by a 183-6 vote, the bishops said that “all (people) must examine their own consciences” about their worthiness to receive Communion, including with regard to “fidelity to the moral teach-ing of the church in personal and public life.”

But decisions about any sanctions to be imposed rest with each bishop in his own diocese, the statement con-cluded.

“In the cases of Iraq and the execution of criminals, these are gray areas,” said

Father Burke. “You can’t compare a guilty criminal being executed or the Iraqi war, where you can possibly apply the just-war theory, with the murder of an innocent child. That is always a black-and-white is-sue and always wrong.”

“Because of the bishops’ leadership, Catholics are beginning to realize that, while many issues are important, the right to life is the foundational issue making all others conditional,” said Hoefling.

“The destruction of human embryos for stem-cell research is also intrinsically evil, as is euthanasia, and can never be justified because all these directly target and destroy innocent human life,” said Bishop Jugis.

“The encyclical on the Gospel of Life reminds us: The death penalty may be justified in very limited instances: ‘in cases of absolute necessity ... when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society ... (and today) such cases are very rare, if not practically nonexistent (Gospel of Life, 56),” said the bishop. “War also may be justified under certain defined conditions (Catechism, 2309).”

“But procured abortion may never be justified. Euthanasia may never be justi-fied. Destruction of human embryos for stem-cell research may never be justified,” said Bishop Jugis. “There is a lot of work for the church to do on many fronts.”

“I’m proud of the bishop for taking a stand when so few people are willing to stand up for what’s right,” said Father Davis. “It says much for the kind of leader he is and the example he wants us to fol-low.”

Catholic News Service contributed to this story.

Want More Info?Please see bishop Jugis’ Ask the bishop column on page 14.

Communion statement inspires

STATEMENT, from page 1 Reception of CommunionAs stated in “Worthy to Receive the lamb: Catholics in Politics and Reception of Holy Communion,” Catholic politicians or candidates who support keeping abortion legal will be admitted to Communion after their “public disavowal of former support for procured abor-tion” and “with the knowledge and consent of the local bishop.”

The Cathol ic News & Hera ld 9 August 20, 2004FIGHTING FOR LIFe


Pope John Paul II smiles at a child after delivering his Sunday Angelus prayer at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug. 8. The pope greeted five mothers who decided against abortion and their children after the prayer.

PARIS (CNS) — A pro-life stance does not infringe on the freedom of re-ligion; rather, all governments have a duty to protect life from the moment of conception to its natural end, said a top Vatican official.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doc-trine of the Faith, said protecting human life “is not a position of faith”; it is an obvi-ous fact born from reason. His remarks appeared Aug. 13 in a magazine of the French newspaper Le Figaro.

However, anyone opposed to pro-tecting the right to life also would be acting against the Catholic faith, said the cardinal.

“A politician who takes a differ-ent position, who does not respect the image of God (in man) and the invio-lability of the human person, is also in opposition to the rational elements of faith” and to the “fundamental ele-ments of the Christian conscience,” he said.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s comments follow an ongoing debate within the Catholic community on whether a priest or bishop should deny Com-munion to a Catholic politician who supports public policies that stand in opposition to church teachings — par-ticularly on right-to-life issues.

In June, U.S. bishops approved a statement that said politicians who act

“consistently to support abortion on demand” risk “cooperating in evil and sinning against the common good.”

They determined that “all must examine their consciences” about their worthiness to receive Communion, in-cluding with regard to “fidelity to the moral teaching of the church in public and private life.”

The bishops also added that deci-sions about any sanctions to be im-posed, such as denying Communion, rest with each bishop in his own dio-cese.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s congregation published a document in January stat-ing that Catholics must not promote or vote for any laws that would lead to attacks on human life.

The “Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life” said that, while the freedom of conscience leaves Catholics free to choose among politi-cal parties and strategies for promoting the common good, they cannot claim that freedom allows them to promote abortion, euthanasia or other attacks on human life.

Cardinal Ratzinger said that docu-ment and its teaching do not seek to infringe on political or religious freedom, but favor pluralism.

He added that the church is “con-vinced that faith is a light for reason” and

Vatican official says pro-life stand doesn’t impede religious

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — Pope John Paul II met with five women who decided against an abor-tion and chose to deliver and keep their babies.

Before thousands of pilgrims gath-ered at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, the pope gave an “affection-ate greeting” to “some mothers who refused an abortion and to their chil-dren.”

After the pope’s Aug. 8 Angelus prayer, the five women and their tod-dlers were part of the procession of well-wishers who lined up to greet the pope.

The women — two from Albania and one each from Ukraine, Kazakh-

stan and Italy — were part of the “Op-era Mater Dei” community in Castel Gandolfo.

With the encouragement of the pope, the community was asked by its bishop four years ago to help pregnant, disadvantaged women.

While the number of Italian women requesting an abortion has steadily declined over the years, the number of foreign women in Italy requesting the procedure is on the rise.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported the number of women un-dergoing an abortion in Italy has dropped more than 44 percent since 1982. For the past decade, the average number of women terminating their

Pope meets with women who decided against abortion, kept children


A roundup of scripture, readings, films and moreCulture Watch

by CINDy WOODENCathOlIC NEWs sErvICE

VATICAN CITY — Most of what happens at the Vatican never makes the newspapers, but a lot of it is published.

The “inside story” about the Vatican and its operations is reported and put on sale each summer in the “Attivita della Santa Sede” (“The Activity of the Holy See”).

The tome summarizing the work of every Vatican congregation, council, of-fice and tribunal in 2003 ran to more than 1,400 pages — excluding the 31-page, full-color “photo chronicle” inserted in the middle.

The 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s election, the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the nam-ing of 30 new cardinals dominated the book’s introduction as well as the reports of 2003 activities of the master of papal liturgical ceremonies and the Vatican press office.

Big news of the year included the Sept. 28 electrical blackout that left all of Italy in the dark and cut off power to the Vatican. The Vatican’s backup systems have since been reinforced.

The first 611 pages of the book are devoted to a day-by-day account of the activities, meetings and appoint-ments of Pope John Paul.

The book also includes reports on documents published or being worked on by Vatican offices, major restoration work on Vatican buildings and art, and reports on roadwork, telephone traffic and visitors’ passes.

The 2003 edition, unlike some ear-lier volumes, did not provide figures for the liters of milk produced by the cows at the papal villa in Castel Gan-dolfo or the tons of garbage collected within Vatican City State.

The following information gleaned from the book includes:

— The Congregation for the Doc-trine of the Faith continues to consult with local bishops and bishops’ confer-ences about “presumed ‘apparitions’ and ‘supernatural’ phenomena.”

“The first case that comes to mind,” the report said, is that of Medjugorje,

Blackouts to vaccinations: Book records Vatican

Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the bishops have said, “it is not possible to affirm” that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared there and, therefore, parishes or dioceses should not organize pilgrimages to the site.

On the other hand, it said, the con-gregation has worked with the Rwandan dioceses of Butare and Gikongoro, and the local bishops have recognized as authentic the apparition of Mary to three young women in the town of Kibeho.

— The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments confirmed the designation of Our Lady of the Street (in Italian, “Madonna della Strada”) as the patron saint of Rome’s street sweepers and taxi drivers.

No mention was made about a patron saint for taxi passengers, and nothing was reported about the ongoing search for a patron of the Internet.

— In addition to witnessing the canonization of 12 saints and the beatifica-tion of 21 other holy men and women, the Congregation for Saints’ Causes received: 39 formal diocesan reports on miracles at-tributed to a candidate’s intercession; seven diocesan investigations of presumed mar-tyrdom; and 48 diocesan reports on the life and heroic virtues of men and women being considered for sainthood.

— Three Oblate Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus clean, mend and iron the pope’s liturgical vestments and the linens used for papal Masses. Members of the order began offering the service to Pope Innocent XI in 1688.

— Experts responded to a “biologi-cal attack” — described only as leaving a white film over frescoes — in the Cata-combs of St. Callistus. The catacombs are part of a major international study on treating bacterial attacks on rocks in underground burial places.

— In St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican parish of St. Anne, 658 baptisms were celebrated during the year, 391 peo-ple were confirmed, and 105 weddings were performed.

— The Vatican telephone service registered 3.9 million calls within Vatican City State, 3.6 million telephone calls to Rome and 1.7 million long distance calls during the year.

WORD TO LIFESUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS: AUG. 29, 2004

Aug. 29, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cycle C Readings:1) Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Psalm 68:4-7, 10-112) Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a3) Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

By SHARoN K. PERKINScAtHoLIc NEwS SERVIcE

Last summer I was invited to be the vocalist at the out-of-town wedding of a cousin. After the wedding liturgy, we all adjourned to the reception hall for the dinner and dance.

Because of the large crush of guests, my family and I had to scramble to secure seats at the same table. I was kept busy for the next several minutes fetching beverages and appetizers for my parents and aunts.

Just as I was sitting down to enjoy my own plate, I was startled by an invitation to join the wedding party at the head table. Much to my surprise, I was ushered to a place near the bride and groom and served by a waiter — something I hadn’t experienced since my own wedding years earlier.

My hosts’ intent was to “exalt” me to a place of honor, but my introverted self was challenged by the move. I would be surrounded by people I had

never met or barely knew. How could I push beyond my comfort zone and make conversation when the people I was most comfortable with were seated several tables away?

The situation presented a dilemma that was both pleasant and problem-atic.

Eventually I was able to relax, so-cialize with my tablemates, and make some new acquaintances in the process — a reward I had not expected.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus relates a parable set in the context of social situations common to people of his place and time. He emphasizes that simplicity and humility are desirable traits for the disciple — if for no more noble reason than to avoid social em-barrassment!

Even more importantly his story points out the importance of the vir-tue of hospitality toward those you don’t normally associate with. This kind of hospitality requires you to move beyond your comfort zone and extend yourself without expectation of return.

Of course, the ultimate outcome of such generosity is repayment at the “resurrection of the righteous.” But ask anyone who invites displaced college students to Thanksgiving dinner or takes in foster children or serves the poor, the infirm, and the marginalized in their own surroundings, and they will tell you that the reward begins

sCRiPTuRe foR THe WeeK of AugusT 22 - AugusT 28 sunday (Twenty-first sunday in ordinary Time), isaiah 66:18-21, Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13, luke 13:22-30; Monday (st. Rose of lima), 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12, Matthew 23:13-22; Tues-day (st. bartholomew), Revelation 21:9-14, John 1:45-51; Wednesday (st. louis, st. Joseph Calasanz), 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18, Matthew 23:27-32; Thursday, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Matthew 24:42-51; friday (st. Monica), 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Matthew 25:1-13; saturday (st. Augustine), 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 25:14-30

sCRiPTuRe foR THe WeeK of AugusT 29 - sePTeMbeR 4 sunday (Twenty-second sunday in ordinary Time), sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24, luke 14:1, 7-14; Monday, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, luke 4:16-30; Tuesday, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, luke 4:31-37; Wednesday, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, luke 4:38-44; Thursday, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, luke 5:1-11; friday (st. gregory the great), 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, luke 5:33-39; saturday, 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, luke 6:1-5

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE


by CathOlIC NEWs sErvICENORTH HAVEN, Conn. — Mel

Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” topped a list of “pro-Catholic” films submitted by readers of Faith & Family magazine and the National Catholic Register newspaper.

Readers of the two publications, sponsored an online poll, which garnered responses from more than 1,000 people, according to Father Owen Kearns, a priest of the Legionaries of Christ who is pub-lisher of the two periodicals.

An eight-member panel of critics was also asked to nominate what it felt were the most “anti-Catholic” movies.

The panel’s top choice was last year’s “The Order,” a thriller about intrigue at the Vatican over an arcane medieval ritual known as “sin eating,” a heretical rite by which a person takes on the sins of another.

For readers to nominate a film for the pro-Catholic list, guidelines stipu-lated that the film had to “explicitly show Catholic customs and beliefs and had to be unambiguously positive,” according to a National Catholic Register editorial. The editorial also pointed out that the poll was “unscientific.”

“The Passion of the Christ” re-ceived more votes from readers than the next three films on the list com-bined: “The Sound of Music,” “A Man for All Seasons” and “The Song of Bernadette.”

Rounding out the 10 most pro-Catholic movies were “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Ten Commandments,” the

made-for-TV movie “The Scarlet and the Black,” the TV miniseries “Jesus of Naza-reth,” “Schindler’s List,” and “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”

Anti-Catholic films following “The Order” was “The Magdalene Sisters,” “Sister Mary Explains It All,” “Chocolat,” “Stigmata,” “Dogma,” “Elizabeth,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “Priest” and “Agnes of God.”

“Look at the list of pro-Catholic mov-ies, and you’ll see some of the top-grossing movies of all times,” the National Catholic Register editorial said. “Look at the list of anti-Catholic movies, and you’ll see films moviegoers largely rejected.”

Of the anti-Catholic films on the list, six were classified O for morally objec-tionable by the U.S. bishops’ Office for Film & Broadcasting. The office had giv-en three films A-IV classifications, for adults, with reservations — indicating films that, while not morally offensive in themselves, are not for casual view-ing because they require some analysis and explanation to avoid false impres-sions and interpretations.

Five of the pro-Catholic films were given A-I classifications, for gen-eral patronage; one was classified A-II, for adults and adolescents; two were classified A-III, for adults.

“A Man for All Seasons,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Schindler’s List” also made the Pontifical Council for Social Communications’ list of the top 45 films of the century deemed to have special artistic and religious merit. The list was issued in 1995 to mark the

Gibson’s ‘Passion’ tops readers’ list of ‘pro-Catholic’ Anti-Catholic movies rated poor at box office, says NCR editorial


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CourteSy Photo by franCiSCan SiSter andrea inKrott

members of the Brother Francis Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order met and elected their new executive council at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir Aug. 8. New council members are: (standing, from left) Bill Borst, vice-minister; Carole marmorato, secretary; marilyn Dunphy, formation director; Ruth Thoni, minister; Dr. John martin, treasurer; (seated) Becky Snow and Frank Cogger, appointed members to the council. Fraternity meetings are usually held 2-4:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month at St. Aloysius Church in Hickory.


Staubach CEO announces massive Belmont Abbey development plan

AROuND THe DIOCeSe

BELMONT — The Staubach Company has announced a plan for a large complex mixed-use development on property adjacent to Belmont Abbey College.

Roger Staubach, chairman and CEO of The Staubach Company, offered details of what will be one of the largest land development projects in the Southeast at the college July 29.

It was the result of a six-month study

by the Southern Benedictine Society of North Carolina, Inc.; Pharr Yarns, Inc.; Parkdale Mills, and R.L. Stowe Mills, Inc. The study examined land along Interstate 85 in Gaston County that is adjacent to Belmont Abbey College and runs from the Catawba River to McAdenville.

The Staubach Company, a global, full-service real estate advisory firm, said the development could ultimately include up to a million square feet of office space and more than a million square feet of retail space, with the remainder dedicated to residential and medical development. The magnitude of the project will place it as one of the largest developments in the Char-lotte/Gastonia region.

The development project also is expected to help bring jobs and prop-erty tax revenue sources to the local economy.

“It has always been important for us, as the Southern Benedictine Soci-ety and as Belmont Abbey College, to continue our careful stewardship of the land entrusted to us, but also to be good members of the community, with an important commitment in mind — to keep the members of the greater Gaston/Mecklenburg community updated on our efforts,” said the Abbot Placid Solari, ab-bot and chancellor of Belmont Abbey.

The land, consisting of connected tracts of about 1,100 acres, has belonged for generations to the four member orga-nizations, which represent some of North Carolina’s most respected historic corpo-rate citizens.

Staubach said it has been important for him to sit down with the group to discuss the regional and national im-portance of this key property.

“We are committed to assisting these great organizations in the cre-ation of a development which will be a strong benefit to the area and region,” said Staubach. “We are excited about the strategy and look forward to great success with this project.”

Belmont Abbey College also took the opportunity to honor the former Dallas Cowboy quarterback with a special award, The Pope Pius

XII Sport at the Service of the Spirit Award, presented by Dr. William Thi-erfelder, college president.

“We’re trying to recognize some-thing often neglected in today’s soci-ety, an individual who is actually living today’s virtues,” said Thierfelder. “It may be hard to believe Mr. Staubach could surpass his greatness off the field as a role model — a father, a husband, a business professional. But

New college president presents award to former NFL quarterback


Perspectives A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Editor’s note: Bishop Peter J. Jugis responds to readers’ questions regarding his recent statement, “Worthy to Receive the Lamb: Catholics in Political Life and the Reception of Holy Communion.”

Q. Why does the statement only deal with abortion? What about the other sanctity-of-life issues, such as capital pun-ishment, euthanasia and pre-emptive war?

A. The statement intentionally addresses only a very specific issue: pro-abortion Catholic lawmakers and holy Communion. It is the result of reflection that Archbishop John F. Donoghue, Bishop Robert J. Baker and I engaged in after the June meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The matter of pro-abortion Cath-olic lawmakers and holy Communion was discussed by all the bishops at that June meeting. After the meeting, the USCCB issued a statement, “Catholics in Political Life,” in which the U.S. bishops noted that the decision not to admit pro-abortion Catholic lawmak-ers to holy Communion was to be left to the individual bishop.

Archbishop Donoghue, Bishop Baker and I decided to address, by means of our own statement, only the specific issue that was brought up at the June meeting, namely pro-abortion Catholic lawmakers and holy Com-munion.

There are many moral issues which our Church is addressing in our society today. We wish to bring our teaching on the inviolable dignity of all innocent human life, from concep-tion to natural death, into the public arena for the betterment of our soci-ety.

The killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified. Likewise, euthanasia and the destruction of human embryos for stem cell research are always intrinsi-cally evil and can never be justified. Each of these practices involves a direct attack on innocent human life. They are directly contrary to the moral law.

Capital punishment, however, may be justified under certain clearly defined conditions, even though such instances “are very rare, if not practi-cally non-existent” today (Gospel of Life, 56). War, for instance, may also be justified under certain clearly defined conditions (CCC 2309).

Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthana-

sia and destruction of human embryos for stem cell research.

The Church has a lot of work to do on many different fronts.

Q. If this is an important church teaching, why didn’t it come from the Vatican?

A. In November 2002, the Vati-can did issue, with the approval of the Holy Father, a document entitled, “Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catho-lics in Political Life.” This document was issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The document addressed the mat-ter of Catholic lawmakers in political life, stating that “those who are direct-ly involved in lawmaking bodies have a ‘grave and clear obligation to op-pose’ any law that attacks human life” (n. 4). The document drew upon the 1995 encyclical, The Gospel of Life, in which the Holy Father addressed the same problem of support for abortion legislation (n. 73).

Canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law provides that those “who obsti-nately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Com-munion.” This canon applies to the situation of pro-abortion Catholic lawmakers: they “obstinately persist” in promoting evil in a very public way by their support for abortion legisla-tion. Their public support for what is objectively a grave sin, i.e. abortion on demand, is the reason for the applica-tion of canon 915 to their particular situation.

The teaching on the absolute in-violability of innocent human life, of course, does come from the Vatican. It is the teaching of the universal church. It is the responsibility of the bishop to apply the teaching to par-ticular situations in his diocese.

Q. Why do Catholics have crucifixes, with the image of Jesus on the cross, and Protestants have plain crosses? Some friends told me this is because Protestants emphasize the resurrection of Jesus, and Catholics emphasize the suffering and death of Jesus. Is that true? (Michigan)

A. I don’t think so. The answer to your question involves a bit of history about how veneration of the cross was viewed by Christians through the cen-turies.

We Catholics are so accustomed to having crucifixes that we assume it was always that way. This is not true. For most of the Christian era, until about 800 years ago, Christian art and devotion rarely showed the suffering Jesus on the cross. In fact, during the first 500 years or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the body of Christ in any form was almost never portrayed on crosses.

Crucifixion was a shameful death, and remained so for centuries in the cultures in which Christians found themselves. In spite of St. Paul’s claim that we are proud of, we boast in, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14), willingness to embrace that truth, especially to publicly depict Christ crucified in art and worship, didn’t come easily or quickly.

The conviction that our Lord’s pas-sion and death were part of the whole paschal, or Easter, event was so deeply imbedded in the church that heaviest emphasis was placed on the resurrection.

When crosses finally came to be more widely used, in the late fifth and sixth centuries, they were adorned with color or jewels (the “crux gemmata,” jew-eled cross) for the same reason. Jesus is risen, our faith climaxes in the glory of the resurrection.

When the body of Christ itself did begin to appear more frequently on crosses, it was usually some portrayal of the risen Lord, rather than the dying or dead Christ that became common later.

Around the 1200s, the suffering of Christ came dramatically more to the front in European theology and spiritu-ality. The wars, crusades, plagues and other sufferings of that period brought Christianity to a greater awareness of their share in the suffering and death of Jesus, an awareness that showed itself in all forms of Christian art and devotion, including the way they saw the cross.

From then on, crosses displaying the suffering Christ with stark realism, often in grisly detail, were widely popular, and remained so until our own time.

With today’s renewed emphasis on the resurrection and its focal place in the history of salvation, something like jew-eled crosses and crucifixes with the body of the risen Lord are again seen more in Catholic Churches.

I’m not sure anyone has a final answer to your question. Perhaps the reason you give is part of it, in light of the long tradition of the cross without the body, which I just described. The empha-sis on the intensity and horror of the suf-fering of Christ was certainly at least as strong, however, in the theologies of the Reformation as in the Catholic Church of those days.

Probably the feelings of many early Protestants against the presence of any statues or other images in church build-ings had something to do with it, along with a perhaps inevitable tendency of leading Protestant figures at that time to define themselves in opposition to the traditional faith, contrasting their beliefs and practices to those of the Catholic Church.

Crucifixes are not completely un-known in Protestant churches even to-day. Some Lutherans and parts of other Protestant communities habitually still use the crucifix.

A free brochure describing basic Cath-olic prayers, beliefs and moral precepts is available by sending a stamped, self-ad-dressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Box 325, Peoria, IL 61651.

Questions may be sent to Father Diet-zen at the same address, or e-mail: [email protected].

Catholic and Protestant crosses

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Pope thanks God for allowing him to make pilgrimage to Lourdes

by CathOlIC NEWs sErvICECASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy —

Pope John Paul II offered God thanks for allowing him to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, and offered special thanks to his fellow Poles for “having supported me with your prayers” dur-ing the Aug. 14-15 trip.

The pope, appearing a bit tired, read only about a quarter of the main Italian text prepared for his Aug. 18 weekly general audience, although he did read the entire texts of his messages of thanks in French and in Polish.

The audience was held in the courtyard of the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo and, as in weeks past, did not include the usual multilingual summaries of the pope’s main address.

Greeting French speakers, the pope said, “This morning I want to give thanks to God who, in his benevo-lence, allowed me to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes,” the town in the French Pyrenees where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 to St. Berna-dette Soubirous.

Pope John Paul also thanked Mary for “the climate of profound recol-lection and intense prayer” that sur-rounded his visit.

He told an estimated 3,500 people gathered for the audience that he would remember “with emotion” the huge crowds that joined him, especial-ly the sick, “who came seeking comfort and hope.”

The pope also remarked on the thousands of young people present at Lourdes as volunteers and as pilgrims and prayed that they would use the ex-perience “to draw the strength to be-come free men and women in Christ.”

“May the Virgin Mary, the Im-maculate Conception, watch over each one of you, accompany you and guide your journey to the encounter with her son,” he told the French pilgrims.

Addressing Polish pilgrims, the pope said, “I thank you for having supported me with your prayers dur-ing my pilgrimage to Lourdes. From the first day of my pontificate, I have asked you for them, and I know I can always count on them.”

Counterterrorism analyst turned Augustinian friar studying for the priesthood, Brother Joseph Narog has undergone a major career change.

Known as Brother Joe to parish-ioners of St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Maggie Valley, he’s spent this summer at the church in a pastoral internship required for his master of divinity degree at Washington Theo-logical Union.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said of the parish, “but from the day I got here I’ve been overwhelmed by how warm and spirit-filled this place is.”

Shadowing Augustinian Father Francis Doyle, pastor, Brother Joe’s observed “the amount of things you have to be conversant in, everything from keeping the budget to minister-ing to the sick to being involved in the broader community. If you’re really go-ing to put your heart into it, you’ll find things to become involved in, because you’re not in a little enclave.”

Brother Joe, 45, holds degrees in international relations and foreign af-fairs. During 15 years with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Joint Special Operations Command, Joe became a counterterrorism analyst, then a training manager for the DIA’s counterterrorism training project. Worldwide, he trained analysts from the military services and civilians from the FBI and CIA.

“I loved what I was doing,” Broth-er Joe said. “I’d studied foreign af-fairs. I got to apply my degree. I got to work at the (1996 Atlanta)

Olympics, but when I came back from that trip I had this nagging feeling that something was missing, that I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to do.”

Raised Catholic, “I’d always go to church on Sunday; I always prayed. People told me I would be a priest, but I’d say, ‘No, no way. This is what I studied for. I’m doing my thing.’”

He met with an Air Force chaplain for guidance and spiritual direction, who told him, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were being called to the priesthood or religious life.”

“I thought, ‘Oh, my God, I’m 38. What does this mean?” he asked himself.

Hiking in the Rockies, he found out.

“One day in the mountains,” he said, “I had one of those aha moments: God is incredible — look at all these mountains. Look at all God has done for me. How can I not respond?”

A friend put him in touch with fri-ars at Augustinian College, the house of formation of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova in Washington, D.C. Joe began attending Mass there and getting to know the friars.

He entered the Order of St. Au-gustine in 1998.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing. In his third year of formation, he learned that his mother was dying of cancer and took a leave of absence to be with her. She died the day after her 54th wedding anniversary. Joe remained at home with his father, who became ill three weeks after the funeral and died

11 months later.One of Joe’s deepest memories is

of his mother’s commitment to her marriage — so strong that she refused to remove her wedding ring, even in the hospital. It never left her finger until the day of her funeral. As a sym-bol of his own vocation commitment, Joe had his mother’s ring incorporated into the ring he receive at his solemn profession of vows last October.

In counterterrorism, he said, “I felt that I was helping people, protect-ing lives, but what was missing was the spiritual dimension. If I was going to work with people, I wanted it to be on the spiritual level. Working in counterterrorism, I was working with the negative — bombings, kidnap-pings and threats. Even then I couldn’t help believing there was goodness in people.”

He’s bringing that vision to his Augustinian life.

“More than anything,” he said, “I want to help people see the goodness in themselves and others. We are part of the body of Christ and are there not only to help one another but to reach out to the broader community, and to be with people in the sacramen-tal life of the Church, to be with them in baptism, Eucharist, marriage, death — the key moments in people’s lives.”

From DIA to OSA

The beginning of a new academic year is never routine: somebody is new, the students of last year will be challenged by a higher grade and new frontiers will be explored.

Education, after all, is not simply an academic exercise of knowledge; it is, most of all, a growing process in knowledge, wisdom and faith. We are engaged in changing the world; other-wise the world will change us.

When looking at our world, I never cease to be amazed at its beauty and grandeur. While I strongly believe in the magnificence of this world, I also recognize that this world is still in the process of being redeemed, so there is some misery, sin, pollution, drugs, child abuse, murder, rape, war and terrorism somewhere.

Our youngsters are actively en-gaged in returning the original beauty to this ugly world. The institutions of school and church have the specific mission to engage the world, recogniz-ing all the while that it is a world that belongs to God. He possesses it by virtue of being its creator. God loves this world, even though sinners have

turned beauty into ugliness and mag-nificence into misery.

This world is in desperate need of better education and stronger faith. The school has the task of freeing from prejudice, delivering moral values and releasing the power of knowledge to recover the lost treasures.

How do we do that? By learn-ing from our glorious and sometimes humiliating history of the world, by loving and forgiving, and by setting priorities not according to selfishness, but according to goodness.

Students know that good schools teach us that this is still a beautiful

Back to school: Engaging the world, and when it is made ugly by terrorism, we don’t want to react with terrorism, or worse, with hatred. When life closes in or gets blocked by hatred, we open it up with love.

The walls of cynicism, prejudice, hatred, fear, must crumble or be jumped over. Labels, divisions, intolerance, ignorance will engage our new gen-eration of student to change all of the above into hope and success. Do we en-gage in discrimination every day? Yes we do and we should not.

I remember the lovely lady who went to the U.S. Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas Cards. She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 Christmas stamps?” The clerk says, “What denomination?”

The woman says, “God help us. Has it come to this? Give me 6 Catho-lics, 12 Presbyterians, 10 Lutherans and 22 Baptists.”

Capuchin Father Aurelia is pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hen-dersonville.

Guest ColumnFATHER JOHN

AURILIA,OFM Cap

The Pope Speaks

PoPE JoHN PAUL II

Working Matters

JoANItA M. NELLENBAcH

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Augustinian friar leads fight on many fronts

PARISH PROFILeThe Cathol ic News & Hera ld 16 August 20, 2004

SPRUCE PINE — A small number of Catholics lived in the Spruce Pine area during the 1920s, but one of the faith-ful in particular, who had family ties in Tennessee, was indirectly responsible for bringing regularly scheduled Masses to the mountain town.

Margaret Wilson Tappan, a resident of Johnston City, Tenn., and grand-mother of Spruce Pine citizen Jack Tap-pan, suggested to a local priest to make weekly train trips from Tennessee to Spruce Pine to celebrate Mass. The priest began in 1928, celebrating Mass at a ho-tel in town. On a monthly basis, a Jesuit priest from Revere, N.C., also celebrated Mass at the hotel.

In March 1935, Bishop William J. Hafey of North Carolina received a gift of property from Ella Clapp Thompson, an Episcopalian from New York, on which the present church stands. A house on the property was remodeled to ready it for a chapel and priest’s residence.

Originally named St. Bernadette, it became the first Catholic church to serve Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties. The first Mass was celebrated there June 28, 1935, by Father Thomas Carney, the ad-ministrator appointed by the bishop.

When Father Stephen Sullivan as-sumed the pastorate at St. Bernadette Church, he began making plans to build a new church and rectory. Construction began in November 1939, and the church was completed in April of the next year.

At the order of the bishop, the church was renamed St. Lucien because the prin-cipal donors placed as a condition of their gifts that the church be christianed in memory of their daughter, Lucien Price. The new church and rectory were dedi-cated and blessed Aug. 17, 1940.

No sooner than Spruce Pine had its church, a 30-seat chapel was being built in nearby Linville. In March 1942, Lin-ville’s new St. Patricia became a mission of the Spruce Pine parish.

Father Walter Higgins was named pastor of the Spruce Pine and Linville churches in 1951, and was celebrating

Mass in Burnsville by mid-decade.Glenmary priests took responsibility

for the churches in 1956. An energetic period of evangelization and building followed: Sacred Heart Church was con-structed in Burnsville; St. Lucien Church was renovated; and catechetical classes and preaching took place in communities throughout the area.

The Glenmary priests remained un-til 1968. Diocesan priests have served the Spruce Pine parish since.

The church was again remodeled in the late 1960s, and in the years fol-lowing catechetical classes were begun and expanded. Two years later, Father John Pagel was appointed to the parish and he immediately expanded the faith formation programs and other parish and community-level activities.

Increasingly larger crowds at Mass — both residents and visitors — led to a building program in 1985, which in-volved the construction of a new rec-tory and an expansion of the church.

Ground was broken for the rectory in 1987 and it was completed within six months. The former rectory was transformed into the parish social hall, complete with offices and classrooms.

Meanwhile, Father Pagel also turned his attention to building a new church in Linville. The diocese purchased land facing Grandfather Mountain in November 1984, and three years later construction was begun. The first Mass at the new 300-seat church named St. Bernadette was celebrated on New Year’s Eve in 1988.

The Spruce Pine pastorate as-sumed responsibility for the new Linville mission. Burnsville’s Sacred Heart Church was elevated to parish status in September 1986, while the St. Patricia facility, which no longer adequately provided for Catholics in the area, was returned to its donating family by the diocese.

St. Lucien Church experienced continued growth over the next de-cade. Expansion and renovations to the church more than doubled its seat-ing capacity and improved the facility.

Also, a house adjacent to the property was purchased and the parking lot was paved.

During the pastorate of Father Aloysius D’Silva in the 1990s, an ac-tive faith formation program was de-veloped and continues today — every fourth Sunday, the parish youth lead a pro-life rosary to pray for an end to abortion and a deeper respect for the gift of human life.

Other active ministries include a Ro-sary Makers Group and a Women’s Guild, and many parishioners assist with Habitat for Humanity. St. Lucien Church also of-fers adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and First Friday devotions.

Father Christopher Gober became administrator of St. Lucien Church in July 2003 and was appointed pastor by Bishop Peter J. Jugis July 6, 2004.

Nearly 80 years have passed since a Tennessee priest celebrated those first Masses in Spruce Pine. Since then, St. Lucien Church has both epitomized and promoted evangelization of the Catholic Church in the North Carolina mountains.

St. Lucien Church epitomizes Catholic Church in N.C. mountains

sT. luCieN CHuRCH695 summit Avenuespruce Pine, N.C. 28777(828) 765-2224

vicariate: boonePastor: father Christopher goberNumber of Households: 85Mission: st. bernadette Church, linville

Father Christopher Gober

Photo by GeorGe K. Cobb

St. Lucien Church, dedicated in 1940, has experienced both growth in parishioners as well as expansions and renovations over the years, doubling its seat capacity.

aug. 20, 2004

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