11IH 13dVHO C£6£ 90 A'avasn NOSTIW"
ATHOLIC
NOI133T10D DN
uobo-ioi
lerving Catholics in
News & Herald
Western North Carolina
Volume 2 Number 10 • November
in the Diocese of Charlotte
1992
6,
Church, Government Leaders
Shocked By Slaying Of Nuns WASHINGTON (CNS) — Bishop a high school
in
James
Keleher of Belleville,
P.
uled a memorial
111.,
sched-
Mass as religious, civic and
During a press conference, Sister
thy over the killing of five American nuns in
Mildred Gross, provincial of the
the Liberian war.
province of the Adorers of the Blood of
The
nuns were from the order of
slain
the Adorers of the
Ruma,
Blood of Christ based
in
Christ, said the last contact they had with the
call home. "They indicated that the situation in the country was tense but had no reason to fear
monthly
for their safety," she said.
On Oct.
message via shortwave radio to the sisters in Liberia telling them they were thinking of them and supporting them with prayers. Archbishop Michael Francis of
dolences.
Monrovia,
A
cable message from William
Twaddell, U.S. ambassador to Liberia, said the slain sisters
had been "acting in the most
noble tradition of their order and their faith.
The safety and welfare of the wounded and the defenseless motivated them and were only concerns in the midst of war."
their
to the congregation, sisters as
up
still
was
inionriauoii
sketchy on the remains. "They have still
not been able to locate them," she said.
Gabriel School, express their
ibriel
Photo by
at St.
Four Liberian novices living with the American sisters were also reported killed, but these women have not yet been identiaccording to Sister Frances.
fied,
CAROL HAZARD
"There
"We
Image
/lissionary
Is
don't
some discrepancy," she said.
is
know who's
Centerpiece Of
The American
Center
CAROL HAZARD Associate Editor
—
CHARLOTTE
Clutching rosary
about 150 Catholics prayed in front
ads,
a Charlotte abortion center Saturday, Oct.
for an
end
to
what Bishop John
him to tell the bishop to build a temple on Tepeyac Hill. The bishop asked for a sign that the message was
caste Aztec,
F.
and
told
from the Blessed Mother. Although frost had killed
all
As Juan Diego emptied his
with fresh roses.
e bishop led the rosary.
cloak or tilma before the bishop, her image
The centerpiece for the peaceful protest ict 4'
by 6 photographic replica of a image that is believed to have reared on an Indian s cloak in Mexico on '
raculous
'
c. 12,
of the United States. country,
it
Mother of
is
hoped
As
it
crisscrosses
the "missionary"
Mary
God was
im-
to Christianity.
It
was
also said to sacrifice
cent children.
Abortion is human sacrifice of a similar nature, pro-lifers say.
That is why the image
of Our Lady of Guadalupe
is
being used
U.S. sojourns to inspire prayer as
is."
implored thy help or sought thy intercession
came to the Diocese of from Phoenix, Ariz., for a period days from Oct. 30 to Nov. 4. While replica
M
it
was
eration.
transported to 12 parishes for
People touched, kneeled and
ed before it, seeking the Blessed Mother.
The
—
—
image on a coarse, cactus on display in the Basilica near
real is
intercession of
ico City. As the story goes, OuTjLady puadalupe appeared to Juan Diego, a low
"Never was
it
known that anyone who
Church celebrates the witness of the saints to the power of Jesus' transforming, lifegiving death and resurrection." Bishop Ryan is attempting to establish contact with Archbishop Michael Francis of Monrovia. On the day the deaths were announced he
visited
Mary Sabo, the
sister
Ann Muttra. Cardinal Mahony said, "theentire world
Sister
any armed forces, regardof motives or goals, would attack and murder five American sisters whose only concern had been reaching out in the name is
in disbelief that
less
The sisters had each been in Liberia for See Nuns, Page 13
Bishop Donoghue Designates Nov. 8
As Stewardship Awareness Sunday By CAROL
this abortion center closed,"
member
we can
get
she said.
of a prayer group that
meets monthly for the purpose of ending abortion, she credits prayer for the closing earlier this year
HAZARD
Associate Editor
Donoghue writes: "The goal of stewardship is
to call people to a
of another Charlotte abor-
new way of life. Those
who practice stewardship speak of the spirihave resulted from
their
need to receive," says Jim Kelley, director of development for the diocese. For Gloria Duckworth of Holy Family
Church
in
Clemmons, stewardship means
heading the parish stewardship committee, participating
on
the liturgy planning
For those
who have made
com-
mission, singing in the church choir and
working for the United
Way
campaign.
Her involvement has been "a catalyst" to help her reflect on her gifts and thank God
more consciously
giving."
for them, she says.
a commit-
See Gifts, Page 3
ment to stewardship, he writes: " I ask only that you continue your good works and
Coming
invite others to share in the rich blessings that
come from
A
"I believe through prayer,
tion center.
eve of the
several years working as teachers and nurses
houses the abortion center.
a
and
Muttra, 69.
tual benefits that
was left unaided," said Clara Skurla, quoting from the Prayer of Memorare, after the rosary was prayed atColwick Towers, which
As
Joel Kolmer, 58
62,
John F. Donoghue has designated Nov. 8 as Stewardship Awareness Sunday. In a letter to parishioners, Bishop
fled to thy (the Blessed Mother) protection,
The
Kathleen
of inno-
a means to end abortion.
arlotte
Sister
Agnes Mueller,
Toencouragethesharingofgifts,Bishop
would "be well received ill of the Americas and supported in her ?sion to end abortion and convert milit
Sister
end the
during
bishops that
Ann
Her message of faith, hope and conso-
age will help realize the prayer of Mexil
Barbara
lation was said to convert millions of pagans
its
news was "all the more it was announced on the Feast of All Saints, "when the
said the
poignant' because
it.
Aztec practice of human
1531.
The replica is a gift from the Catholic hops and people of Mexico to the Catho;
as the pregnant
pressed upon
am sure, for all people of good will."
the flow-
ering plants, the apparition filled his cloak
inoghue called "the scourge of abortion."
B an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an
I
He
sisters are identified as
Kolmer, 61,
McGuire, 54, Sister
By
and who's
whatever way they
of Sister Barbara
Sister Shirley
rotest At Charlotte Abortion
alive
dead."
in
Bishop Ryan said the news of the deaths "causes great sorrow for me
for the order, told Catholic
Nov. 2 mat
slain
their life for their fellow persons."
and,
/ice
he described the
serve the Master. Like the Master they gave
wouldbemade.ButSister Frances Schumer,
i
to cel-
"a source of inspiration, dedication
and commitment
sisters'
EajeWS
was planning
ebrate a memorial Mass on Nov. 2. In a letter
attempt to recover the bodies of the sisters
spokeswoman
who accused the Liberian rebels
for the nuns' deaths,
He assured the congregation that every
at St.
15, the sisters in Illinois sent a
M. Mahony of Los Angeles, Bishop Daniel L. Ryan of Springfield, HI, and Mayor Raymond Flynn of Boston were among those expressing conCardinal Roger
a seventh-grader
Sisters
early hours of Oct. 31 the congregation
U.S. State Department.
his son, Stephen,
nuns was on Oct. 2 when
slain
Shirley and Barrbaraa Ann made their usual
Society of the Missionaries in Africa. The news was confirmed a few hours later by the
Our Lady of Guadalupe before a photographic replica of the miraculous image Church. The replica was in the Diocese of Charlotte for six days.
Ruma
the Belleville Diocese. In the
HI., in
received word of the sisters' deaths from the
votion to
Monrovia. Sister Muttra
ing missionaries to the country in 1971.
diplomatic leaders sent messages of sympa-
ome Schmugge and
in
had been there since the order began send-
giving back to God."
commitment could involve giving
three hours a week to the church or community.
Or,
it
could be working with the
homeless, the handicapped or volunteering for non-profit organizations.
—
"The focus is on the person on the person's need to give not the agency's
—
Associate Editor Joann
Keane is one
of a group of Christian journalists touring Israel as guests Israeli
the
of El Al
airline
and the
government.
Her stories and pictures will begin in Nov. 13 isssue of The Catholic News
& Herald. Watch for them.
"