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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
-