April 2, 1993

Page 1

A b

3

iMu a

i

11

MCI13a"n03 DM LZOOD-.30

t

VTHOLIC

News & Herald ing Catholics in

Western North Carolina

in the

Volume

Diocese of Charlotte

Ann

St.

2

Number 30

April

»

2,

1993

Parish Leads Push

jnten Reflection,

To Help HIV-Positive Children By

CAROL HAZARD Associate Editor

CHARLOTTE

Bob Brown

wanted his child in pre-school for the same reason most other parents do. His son needed social interaction with other children and his wife needed respite. But the Southeast Charlotte businessman was rejected by 18 centers. No one would take his 5-year-old son, because the boy has AIDS. Although Brown finally found a churchaffiliated center that would accept his

the illness," he said.

more

I: city

fell

for the first time.

of Jerusalem, markers designate the

Ijhrist to

1

Along

the

Via Dolorosa

4 Stations of the Cross on the route taken Photo by

His crucifixion.

JOANN KEANE

my God, why

i,

is

died.

The curtain hanging

top to bottom.

n

did you forsake me?" in the

...

With a loud

Temple was torn

in

lars

The army officer who was standing there

St. Ann Church has taken up the cause for Brown and possibly hundreds of other parents in Mecklenburg County

sick themselves,

how Jesus died. "This man was really the of God," he said. Mark 15:33-34, 37-38.

jeensboro Parish

Dedicates

»ots,

Deepens

St.

Joseph Sister Judy

a vicariate

program on

AIDS

MAUREEN MCCARTHY

IEENSBORO e

Paul the

St.

Church opened the doors of its March 28 with a rite of

hurch tion.

shop John F. Donoghue, Rit

who pre-

the celebration, congratulated

on "making the dream of the ul church a reality" He thanked nmunity for gifts of time, trea-

pj'ish

d talent. e -

d

new church is "a new beginnew place to respond to God's challenge," Bishop Donoghue

a

munity grew from 75 to 1,100 families and St. Paul outgrew its original home. A decision was made to add to the existing facility. In June 1991, ground was broken for a church to be added to

The mothers, most of whom ing for a terminally

Or, they need

1, s

Paul the Apostle

were planted in Greensboro on 1974. Beginning with approxi-

|75 families, the parish was wel!by neighboring churches. Until

h sh was able to build a home of its lasses

I

were celebrated and meet-

Jvre held at nearby churches and a lr

home.

[[April

child, Piazzi said.

ill

someone

to take care of

their children while they get

medical

treatment.

Brown and

his wife are not typical

is not only a social but also a problem, said Msgr. Allen. "A lot people do not have the spiritual support they need to help them deal with

ians to their son,

whose

infected bio-

mother abandoned the boy at birth. In addition to his illness, the boy was born exposed to cocaine, metha done and heroine. He has been on AZT, a drug for the virus, since he was 6 months old and displays full-blown AIDS symptoms. Moreover, the Browns are white. They live in an affluent community and can afford to pay the medical bills, "at logical

least to date,"

lies

Brown

said.

dealing with the

Most famiillness

in

Mecklenburg County are AfricanAmerican from low socio-economic communities, said Piazzi. One percent of all African-American women in the county delivered HIV positive babies last year, Piazzi said. At Carolinas Medical Center, 50 babies with AIDS antibodies were born last year.

See HIV, Page 2

Both the multi-functional building and the new church were designed by St. Paul parishioner and architect John Stec. The 10,000-square-foot church is the culmination of an 1 8-year plan. It holds approximately 850 people, doubling the capacity. the idea

church should be both elegant and functional. "Throughout the church, you find the motif of a cross and circle repeated," said Stec. "The design was created to ensure that the church is very light and creates a warm and close atmosphere. The unusual shape of the roof that a

was generated by the curved walls within which were created to soften

the church 3,

1976, St. Paul the

H Church had a home

the space."

own.

Bishop Donoghue was joined

pjlti-purpose facility served the

dedication by Oblate Fathers Jim

fnity well for the |*-er,

are

need a break from car-

the old structure.

The design was based on e roots for St.

were

dren. Both healthy, they are legal guard-

spiritual '

the doors

they, too, are discriminated against.

with AIDS, and AIDS.

New Ghurch

if

open," Piazzi said.

of most parents with HIV-positive chil-

Richard Allen, pastor of the parish. "We will make it happen," he said. Under the leadership of Msgr. Allen, the parish has been a flagship in responding to the AIDS crisis. It has spearheaded several AIDS-related projects, including support for the House of Mercy, a residential home for people

of the cross saw

it

could probably accommodate

dren whose parents are infected, since

promote a center, coordinate funding and find a facility. St. Ann will provide whatever is needed to make it work, said Msgr.

in

of starting a day care center through

tive children.

about the project. Together, they are forming a volunteer task force to help

two

Ann

Project. St.

to

Monahan, is talking with other churches

cry,

AIDS

culty parents have in placing HIV-posi-

coordinated by

whole country was covered with darkness, which edfor three hours. At three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a ishout, "Eloi,Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means "My

women

learned about the need and the particu-

20 children tomorrow

A group of concerned parishioners,

toon the

pressing, said Lisa Piazzi,

the Metrolina

positive children as well as healthy chilStation of the Cross, Jesus

to take

human

and adolescent program coordinator for

son, his search underscores the diffi-

same predicament. The parish is drumming up community support to start a center for HIV-

is

needs of these people." With the HIV-infected population rising, the need for day care has become

MAP. "We

in the

|e Third

"Our goal

care of the very spiritual and

of

its

next 15 years.

as the years passed, the

com-

at the

See Dedicate, Page

3

The new church building March 28 by Bishop John

at St.

F.

Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro.

Donoghue.

Phdto by

It

was dedicated

JOHN GILLIGAN

-


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