March 10, 2006

March 10, 2006

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Parish Profile:

Holy Redeemer parish small in number, large in spirit | Page 16

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI MARCH 10, 2006

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

vOLUME 15

Approaching a new life in Christ

Called to serve

Bishop Jugis celebrates Rite of Election by

Deacons recommit to ministry at annual Mass by

staff writer

CHARLOTTE — For Chris Palmer, the walk to the altar of Holy Cross Church in Kernersville has taken his whole life.

Palmer, the son of a Jewish mother and Presbyterian father, discovered the Catholic Church through his wife.

But the decision to be baptized in the Catholic Church was all his own.

“It just fits,” said Palmer.

“I love the sense of community, and the stability of the faith.”

On March 4, Palmer joined hundreds of fellow See RITE, page 5

Standing-room-only Masses a sign of shifting New Orleans population

by PETER FINNEY JR. catholic news service

NEW ORLEANS — In a post-Katrina world marked by massive population shifts in the New Orleans area, the term “television Mass” has a new meaning.

Unlike the TV ministry provided to shut-ins who cannot attend Mass, St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell See HOME, page 6

DEACON GERALD POTKAY correspondent

KAREN A. EVANS

Returning home

no. 22

Photo by Kevin E. Murray

Bishop Peter J. Jugis watches as catechumens and their sponsors gather on the altar during the Rite of Election at St. Michael Church in Gastonia March 5. The Rite of Election, celebrated annually in churches around the world on the first Sunday of Lent, formally acknowledges the readiness of those preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation — baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist — at the Easter Vigil.

CHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter J. Jugis recently thanked the permanent deacons for their ongoing commitment to the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Charlotte.

The bishop celebrated the deacons’ annual commitment Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte March 4.

“Deacons from throughout the diocese gather on an annual basis to meet with our bishop in order to fulfill our obligation to recommit ourselves to Bishop Jugis and his successors,” said Deacon Bernard Wenning, coordinator of the permanent diaconate.

“It is a day of great joy for all the deacons to do this,” said Deacon Wenning.

“We are here not only to recommit ourselves to Bishop Jugis, but, just as importantly, See DEACONS, page 13

Exodus from the Holy Financial, social hardships prompt Christians to abandon homes in Holy Franciscan friars work to help Palestinian Christians

by

KAREN A. EVANS staff writer

CHARLOTTE — If the severe political and economic hardships experienced by Christians living in the Holy Land are not alleviated soon,

the Christian church could cease to exist in this part of the world within the next 60 years, said Franciscan Father Peter Vasko.

Father Vasko is president of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land, whose purpose is to safeguard the basic human rights of the See LAND, page 8

CNS photo by Ronen Zvulun, Reuters

Catholics attend Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel, March 4. Tradition maintains that the grotto is where the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Savior.

Around the Diocese

Inside the Curia

Perspectives

Knights assist Holy Angels; new facility to help many

Vatican official: Spiritual reform begins with religious orders

Forgiveness for ‘abortionists’; technology aid s faith

| Page 4

| Page 7

| Pages 14-15

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

March 10, 2006

Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard

PIERRE, S.D. (CNS) — Two Catholic bishops hailed South Dakota’s new law banning nearly all abortions, but they also urged efforts to transform people’s hearts and minds to reject abortion and build a culture that respects all life from conception to natural death.

On March 6, Gov. Mike Rounds signed into law a bill prohibiting all intentional abortions except those to save a mother’s life.

Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City said South Dakota citizens and their elected officials “can be justifiably proud of their efforts to restore the rights of the unborn child,” but said “a change in law and structures is not sufficient.”

Society must build a culture of life that “begins with the unborn” and also ensures livable wages, education, health care, help for single mothers and “an end to the death penalty,” he said.

Bishop Samuel J. Aquila, apostolic administrator of the Sioux Falls Diocese,

Embracing faith

CNS photo by Joe Kohn, Michigan Catholic

Dr. Daniel Greene holds infant MacKenzie Grace Couch at Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills, Mich., in early January. Greene, a gynecologist and parishioner of St. Mary of the Hills Church, said his faith led him to a decision that he will no longer prescribe birth control. He joins a minority of doctors who have a natural family planning-only practice.

Gynecologist employs natural family planning principles in ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (CNS) — For Dr. Daniel Greene, there’s no more debating the point: God made the human body and he knows what’s best for it.

As a result, Greene, a gynecologist and member of St. Mary of the Hills Church in Rochester Hills, decided that natural family planning is the only form of birth control he will prescribe.

“It’s crystal clear to me,” said Greene, who has practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 11 years. “It makes perfect sense as to why one would choose to live the culture of life or practice natural family planning or embrace the church’s teaching on human sexuality.

“I think a lot of people just haven’t looked at it,” he said.

Natural family planning (NFP) refers to forms of birth regulation, which, in conformity with Catholic teaching, do not involve the use of any artificial means of contraception. Different natural methods all share two basic elements: monitoring of the woman’s monthly fertility cycle and abstinence during her fertile period except when the couple wants to have a baby.

When used properly, modern NFP methods have greater success rates than the most effective contraceptive, have no side effects and never lead to abortion.

Some birth control methods are considered abortifacients by the church.

Greene spent his early medical career as most gynecologists do, examining patients, delivering ba-

Bishops hail abortion ban, urge more efforts to build culture of life

bies and presenting women with a wide array of artificial birth control methods.

But as he grew more deeply in his faith, he began to have questions.

He listened to lectures, read books and examined both the medical and religious sides of the debate.

In medicine, he knew that artificial birth control had side effects and potentially could cause physical harm to his patients. The risks and societal harms of contraception, he said, were glossed over in his traditional medical training, and NFP was given only a passing mention.

“Everything was saying, ‘This is the right thing to do and it’s what God wants and it’s going to honor God.’” Finally, he received the consent of his colleagues at Contemporary Obstetrics and Gynecology and became a doctor who prescribes only NFP. “I’ve had some Catholic patients who have been like, ‘Yes!’ — they can see it’s God’s work,” said Greene. “And other patents kind of gave me a deer-inthe-headlights kind of stare and I got a transfer-of-records form within a week.”

Though he has lost some patients, Dorothy Staple, NFP coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit, could see him being flooded with more.

“I constantly get calls from women who are using natural family planning and ask whether we have natural family planning-only doctors,” Staple said.

“These women are tired of going to doc-

Diocesan planner CHARLOTTE VICARIATE CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., will have a Polish-language Mass on Palm Sunday, April 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel.

Confessions will be available in Polish beginning at 2 p.m. For more information, please call Elizabeth Spytkowski at (704) 948-1678.

CHARLOTTE — The Divine Mercy Novena will be recited at St. Gabriel Church’s Daily Chapel, 3016 Providence Rd., beginning on Good Friday, April 14, at 6:30 p.m. and Holy Saturday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. All following days the novena will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Our Lord said to St. Faustina, “By this novena, I will grant every possible grace to souls” (Diary, 796). If you are not familiar with this devotion, please come and pray. We will have brochures available with the intentions our Lord has asked us to bring to him during this novena. For more information, call Tina Witt (704) 846-7361.

CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., will host a Christian Coffeehouse March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Single and married adults are invited for an evening of contemporary Christian music, food and fellowship. For more information, call Kathy Bartlett at (704) 400-2213.

CHARLOTTE — Pathfinders, a peer-led support group for separated and divorced adults, offers education, support and fellowship through the divorce process. The group meets Tuesdays, 7:30-9 p.m., in St. Gabriel Church’s Ministry Building, 3016 Providence Rd. For more information, call Nancy at (704) 752-0318.

CHARLOTTE — Jack Perry, former ambassador to Bulgaria and retired Dean Rusk

said: “None of us can claim the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.”

“Regardless of court rulings and laws, we must be ardent in our efforts to transform the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens,” he said.

South Dakota’s new law is the most sweeping ban on abortion adopted in any state since 1973, the year the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion virtually on demand in its Roe v. Wade decision.

The law specifically exempts women from any criminal conviction or penalty for obtaining an abortion. But it says that anyone who performs an abortion except to save a mother’s life commits a Class 5 felony, which is punishable by a fine up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison.

The South Dakota House of Representatives passed the bill Feb. 24.

The Senate had approved it Feb. 22, after slightly amending an earlier version adopted by the House.

Professor for International Studies at Davidson University, will present “Global Threats and Opportunities,” March 15 at 7 p.m. His presentation will take place in Biss Hall at St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St. All are cordially invited to attend. Sandwiches will be served at 6:30 p.m., prior to the talk. For further information, please call either Barbara Dellinger at (704) 519-0970 or Barney Offerman at (704) 375-5398.

GASTONIA VICARIATE GASTONIA — An Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Peace will take place at St. Michael Church, 708 St. Michael Lane, March 20 at 7 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (704) 867-6212, or Dennis Teall-Fleming, director of faith formation at Queen of the Apostles Church, at (704) 825-9600, ext. 26.

GREENSBORO VICARIATE GREENSBORO — A Lenten mission, “Hope Against Despair” led by Oblate Father Jim Greenfield will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, March 19-21 at 7 p.m. The sessions will also be repeated the following morning after the 9 a.m. Mass. There will be time for fellowship and light refreshments after each evening’s session. For more information, call the church office at (336) 294-4696.

HICKORY VICARIATE LENOIR — The youth group of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 328-B Woodsway Lane NW, will present Stations of the Cross in Shadow Drama March 17 at 7 p.m. This is a spiritually moving depiction of the Stations of the Cross including quiet meditative songs. For more information, call Linda Cowart at (828) 754-2093.

SALISBURY VICARIATE

March 10, 2006 Volume 15 • Number 22

Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray Staff Writer: Karen A. Evans Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Deborah Hiles 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-MAIL: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all other subscribers. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason deemed appropriate. We do not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

The Catholic News & Herald 3

March 10, 2006

FROM THE VATICAN

Pope says business owners must avoid worker exploitation VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Business owners must avoid every form of worker exploitation, and they must recognize the importance of family life for their workers, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of Italian entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Upholding the importance of people in the workplace and in the world of business and respecting their needs and talents are values that “often risk not being pursued by business owners who lack solid moral inspiration,” especially in the current climate of “economic difficulties,” he said.

Pope Benedict made his comments during a March 4 audience at the Vatican with some 8,000 members of Italy’s Union of Christian Entrepreneurs and Business Executives.

Citing his first encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”), the pope reminded his audience that justice and

charity were “two inseparable facets of a Christian’s social duty” and that the lay faithful must work for a just ordering of society.

He said the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is a useful and educational tool for all people who “intend to let themselves be guided by the Gospel in their professional and work-related activities.”

He praised a “charter of values” that had been drawn up by the union’s youth association. Of the six points outlined, the pope said he most admired placing value on each person and praised the recognition of the “importance of the family and of personal responsibility.”

So as to better adhere to what the church teaches about social justice in the workplace, the pope said it was crucial that business owners “nurture and renew” their Christian formation and education.

MOORESVILLE — Bishop Emeritus William Curlin present a parish mission, “The Presence of Jesus Within Us” at St. Therese Catholic Church, 217 Brawley School Rd., March 13, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (704) 664-3992.

Faith Sharing “brown-bag” gatherings March 15, 22, 29 and April 5, 12-12:45 p.m. We will spend time looking ahead to the weekend Lenten readings to prepare our hearts for the Word of God to take root. Bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@ bellsouth.net.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE CANTON — A workshop on comprehensive immigration reform will take place at Immaculate Conception Church, 42 Newfound Rd., March 16. Leo Anchondo, director of the Justice for Immigrants campaign of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will speak on “Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope.” Anchondo will give his presentation in English, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and in Spanish, 1-3 p.m. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Eduardo Bernal at (828) 399-0912.

SYLVA — The Lay Carmelite Community of St. Mary Church will begin a new series of inquiry classes on the fourth Saturday of each month following the 9 a.m. Mass. The first class, on March 25, will cover the lay orders in general, the particular call of a Lay Carmelite, and the process of formation. The meeting will be from 9:30-11:30 am. For more information, call Linda Knauer at (828) 586-9496.

WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE KERNERSVILLE — A Catholic College Night will take place in the Krispy Kreme Activity Center of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School, 1725 N.C. Hwy. 66 South, March 13, 7-9 p.m. Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, will be the keynote speaker. Parents and students can visit with representatives from several Catholic colleges and universities. For more information please call Anton Vorozhko at (336) 564-1246 or e-mail avorozhko@bmhs.us.

WINSTON-SALEM — The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St., will host Lenten

Episcopal

calendar

March 12-13 USCCB Priestly Life and Ministry Meeting Baltimore, Md. March 14 — 11 a.m.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the 2006 edition of the Vatican’s official yearbook, the pope is no longer referred to with the title “patriarch of the West,” a change with potential ecumenical implications.

The Vatican press office confirmed the deletion of the title March 1, but offered no explanation for the change.

In the 2006 book, the pope is described as “bishop of Rome, vicar of Jesus Christ, successor of the prince of the apostles, supreme pontiff of the universal church, primate of Italy, archbishop and metropolitan of the province of Rome, sovereign of Vatican City State and servant of the servants of God.” The 2006 edition, which was presented to Pope Benedict XVI Feb. 18 and was to be on sale to the public by March 10, is the first edition printed since Pope Benedict’s April 19 election.

In previous editions, the title “patriarch of the West” had been listed after “supreme pontiff of the universal church.”

The last time the list of titles was changed was with Pope Paul VI’s

publication of the 1969 edition of the yearbook, the Annuario Pontificio.

Pope Paul added the title “servant of the servants of God” and deleted the phrase “gloriously reigning.”

Theologians and ecumenists contacted by Catholic News Service in Rome said the ecumenical impact of the removal of the “patriarch of the West” title would depend on the Vatican’s reason for deleting it.

Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, retired prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, said the deletion was a “sign of ecumenical sensitivity” on the part of Pope Benedict.

The cardinal said that in the past some people used the title to provoke negative comparisons between the claims of universal jurisdiction by the worldwide “Patriarchate of the West” and the more restricted size and jurisdiction of the traditional Orthodox patriarchates.

Other experts, however, warned that the deletion could provoke concern if it is seen as the Vatican saying patriarchal authority is meaningless when the pope has universal authority over the church.

Fun on ‘Fat Tuesday’

WINSTON-SALEM — The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St., will host a book discussion on “Humility of God: A Franciscan Perspective” by Ilia Delio, O.S.F. This book deals with the theology of divine humility and God’s relationship to the world, while at the same time tackling some tough questions. The group will meet March 13, 20 and 27; April 3 and 24; and May 1, 8 and 15, 6-7:30 p.m. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@bellsouth.net.

WINSTON-SALEM — Take time to explore the need for personal reflection and prayer.

Franciscan Father Jude DeAngelo will present An Out of the Way Place, a program for professional caregivers, clergy and counselors. The program will take place March 16 and 23, 7:15-8:15 p.m., at The Portiuncula Franciscan Center, 221 W. Third St. For more information, call (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@bellsouth.net.

Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Please submit notices for the Diocesan Planner at least 7 days prior to desired publication date (Fridays) in writing to Karen A. Evans at kaevans@ charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 370-3382.

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

March 11 — 12 p.m.

Rite of Election St. Eugene Church, Asheville

Vatican removes title ‘patriarch of the West’ after pope’s name

Presbyteral Council meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte

Photo by Carole McGrotty

Father John Schneider, pastor of St. Eugene Church in Asheville; Zoe Howard, a student at Asheville Catholic School; and Pete Hutchens, fourth-grade teacher, show off their costumes for the school’s Mardi Gras parade March 1.

The fourth-grade class, dressed in costumes and pulling floats they made, marched behind a local jazz band around the school playground. Father Schneider, dressed as the Mardi Gras king, road on a float pulled by Hutchens and tossed beads to the crowd.

The parent-faculty association sponsored the celebration.

Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) traditionally provides an opportunity for festivity and merrymaking the day before Ash Wednesday and the penitential season of Lent.

HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

Is your church or organization holding a special event? Is there someone in your parish who truly represents the faith and the teachings of Jesus? Do you have photographs from a recent newsworthy event?

If you would like to share your story or photographs with the readers of The Catholic News & Herald, let us know! Please contact us at (704) 370-3333 or e-mail catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

around the diocese

Knights’ quest assists Holy Angels BELMONT — As part of their annual Operation LAMB campaign, Knights of Columbus St. Matthew Council 10852 presented Holy Angels with a check for $20,000.

The presentation was made at the Holy Angels campus Feb. 25.

“The Knights of Columbus feel blessed to be able to contribute to such a wonderful organization as Holy Angels, a place that strives on a daily basis to make a difference in the lives of those who are not able to totally help themselves,” said Richard White, the council’s deputy grand knight and Operation LAMB director.

Council 10852 raised more than $56,000 for the LAMB Foundation in 2005. It is the second year in a row the council has led the state councils in fundraising.

“Our organization is founded on charity, with the LAMB campaign comprising our primary labor of love,” said White.

“This year alone, more than 200 knights and family members from our council contributed more than 1,300 man hours to raising the $56,000 for developmentally disabled individuals in our

March 10, 2006

Unlocking the future

community,” he said. “We are humbled and grateful to be able to help.”

The Knights of Columbus raise funds for their LAMB (Least Among My Brethren) drive through corporate and private donations and their famous Tootsie Roll campaigns at area retailers and churches. The LAMB Foundation of NC is an IRS non-profit public charity benefiting the developmentally disabled with 100 percent of the monies raised going to local and statewide organizations like Holy Angels, the Allegro Foundation, Special Olympics, Lifespan and others.

Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal and service organization with more than 1.7 million members. Knights are found in every state as well as Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and many other parts of the world.

Holy Angels is a private, nonprofit corporation that provides programs and services for children and adults with varying degrees of mental retardation, some of whom have physical disabilities and are medically fragile.

WANT MORE INFO?

Courtesy Photo

Knights of Columbus Council 10852 presents a $20,000 check to Holy Angels in Belmont Feb. 25. Pictured (in front, from left): Father Eugene Schellberg, council chaplain and senior priest at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte; Dennis Kuhn, Holy Angels executive vice president; Grand Knight Greg Argenas; Deputy Grand Knight Richard White; and other council members and their families.

Courtesy Photo

Holy Angels recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony of its new intermediate care facility in Belmont Feb. 21. Pictured: Holy Angels residents Monty (left) and Edwin (right) are joined by (from left) Dennis Kuhn, Holy Angels executive vice president; Maria Morrow, Holy Angels’ first resident; Regina Moody, Holy Angels president; Teresa Rankin, Gaston County Chamber of Commerce vice president; Hans Lengers, Holy Angels board of directors vice chair; Monte Monteleone, Gaston Chamber ambassador; Lynn Leonard, Holy Angels board member; and Robin and Tammy Froneberger with their son, Zachary.

Holy Angels unveils newest children’s home BELMONT — There is now room for more holy angels in Belmont.

Holy Angels’ residents, staff and supporters joined Gaston County Chamber of Commerce members for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Holy Angels’ newest intermediate care facility Feb. 21.

Moody Place, named in honor of Holy Angels’ president and CEO, Regina Moody, is a 20,000-square-foot, stateof-the-art facility that will provide home to 15 children, ages 6 to 21, with mental retardation.

Assisting with the ribbon cutting was Moody; Maria Morrow, Holy Angels’ first resident; and Kevin Loftin, Holy Angels’ board of directors’ chair; and two Holy Angels community group home residents.

“We are so thrilled with our new home,” said Moody. “It is truly beautiful and fills such a vital need here at Holy Angels. This new facility ensures that our children can continue to call Holy Angels’ their home as they age.”

The new home features recreational space, nursing and therapy areas and a sensory stimulation room. The building was made possible with financial

support from various foundations and individual donors.

Moody Place is one of seven homes that make up McAuley Residences on McAuley Circle, named for Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland.

Holy Angels, a nonprofit corporation, was founded in 1956 by the Sisters of Mercy to provide specialized service for children and adults with varying degrees of mental retardation and physical disabilities, some of whom are medically fragile.

Programs include intermediate care facilities, group homes, Little Angels Child Development Center and Cherubs Café & Candy Bouquets in downtown Belmont.

WANT MORE INFO? For more information on Holy Angels, visit www.holyangelsnc.org.

March 10, 2006

from the cover

The Catholic News & Herald 5

Bishop Jugis celebrates Rite of Election RITE, from page 1

gather March 11 at St. Eugene Church in Asheville.

The diocesan commission on the RCIA designed the liturgical celebrations for the Diocese of Charlotte.

A journey of faith The rite of election and call to continuing conversion is one of several steps along the journey, following a period of discernment and study of the Catholic faith.

Before formally beginning the RCIA process, an inquirer considers his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and interest in joining the Catholic Church.

This period is known as the period of evangelization and precatechumenate.

After discerning their desire to join the Catholic Church, the inquirers may decide to continue the process and enter the period of the catechumenate, when they study the history and practice of Catholicism. This stage can last for a few months or for as long as several years.

The third formal stage is the celebration of the sacraments of initiation, which occurs during the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday.

During the Mass, catechumens receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist, and candidates are confirmed and receive the Eucharist. At this time, they become fully initiated members of the Catholic Church.

Following initiation at the Vigil Mass, a final period of formation and education continues in the stage known as mystagogy. During this period, which lasts until Pentecost or later, the neophytes reflect on the events of the Easter Vigil Mass and continue to learn more about the Scriptures, the

catechumens and candiates to be introduced to Bishop Peter J. Jugis during the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at Holy Cross Church.

Each year, the Catholic Church welcomes tens of thousands of adults into full communion through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

Nearly 800 of these neophytes, or new Catholics, join the church in the Diocese of Charlotte annually.

RCIA is the rite in which adults undergo an intensive period of preparation to be baptized, confirmed and receive the Eucharist. RCIA was restored by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s as the suitable way adults prepare to receive these sacraments.

Bishop Jugis has welcomed several hundred of these soon-to-be Catholics from the diocese at three rites taking place in the diocese this month.

During his homily at the rite at St. Michael Church in Gastonia March 5, the bishop addressed the catechumens and candidates, saying, “Lent is a season of repentance and conversion, and you, the elect and candidates, bring the whole church along with you through this season.”

“God speaks to our hearts, calling us to come back to him, and he draws our hearts into his own heart, where we find mercy, forgiveness and love,” Bishop Jugis said.

The rite of election consists of the official enrollment of the names of those unbaptized adults, or catechumens, who seek baptism at the Easter Vigil Mass.

Adults who were baptized in other Christian faiths, or candidates, are also introduced to the bishop at this time.

On March 4, catechumens and candidates from the eastern counties of the diocese participated in the rite at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville.

Parishes from the western counties will

Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay

Candidate Kirsten Cook; her husband, Alan; and their two children, Ethan and Lilli, from St. Leo the Great Church in Winston-Salem meet Bishop Peter J. Jugis after the Rite of Election at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville March 4. sacraments and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Celebrating the call In a continuing effort to reach out to the increasing number of Hispanics in the diocese, the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion was celebrated in both English and Spanish.

The readings alternated between the two languages, and hymns were sung in both as well. Bishop Jugis completed his homily with a special welcome to the Hispanic participants in Spanish.

Bishop Jugis said the Rite of Election was a joyful celebration and the joy of all the participants was apparent.

“I was delighted as bishop to see such evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit throughout the diocese,” said Bishop Jugis. “It was inspiring to see so many individuals wanting to celebrate the sacraments of initiation.”

“The conversion and transformation of neophytes is essentially the work of the Holy Spirit and our first response to this increase is one of gratitude to God,” said Cris Villapando, director of programs for diocesan faith formation.

“This is not to undercut the value of the works of the more than 1,200 presenters and sponsors in the diocese who assisted in stoking the embers of faith in these ‘converts,’” he said.

In the Diocese of Charlotte, the RCIA ministry is currently undertaken by the Office of Faith Formation and is supported by funding from the annual Diocesan Support Appeal.

“I’ve spent most of my life trying to find the right ‘spiritual path,’” said Palmer, who will be baptized, confirmed and receive first Communion at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro this Easter.

“I have finally found that in the Catholic Church,” he said.

The Office of Faith Formation is one of the ministries supported by contributions to the Diocesan Support Appeal, an annual campaign in the Diocese of Charlotte

6 The Catholic News & Herald

from the cover

CNS photo by Frank J. Methe, Clarion Herald

Parishioners at Mary Queen of Peace Church in Mandeville, La., sit in the crowded cry room during a Feb. 19 Mass.

Standing-room only Masses a sign of shifting New Orleans population HOME, from page 1

offers a closed-circuit video feed to bring Mass to about 100 people in a community room adjacent to the main church who cannot fit inside its 550-seat worship space.

The community room is set up with folding chairs and has glass doors that people can use to enter to receive Communion. A sound system and

television set provide the liturgy live “so that the people are participating in the Mass and hearing and seeing everything that goes on,” said Father Rodney Bourg, St. Luke Church pastor.

Slidell is north of New Orleans and near the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. And like most other north shore parishes, St. Luke Church has experienced a 22 percent increase in Mass attendance in the last several months as displaced residents from various parts of New Orleans have migrated north to find

temporary or permanent homes.

St. Luke Church currently offers five weekend Masses, and Father Bourg said three of the four Sunday Masses are standing room only.

At Mary Queen of Peace Church in Mandeville, Father Ronald Calkins said while the parish officially had registered 150 new families in the four months after Katrina he knows there are many new churchgoers who have not yet registered.

“We are definitely seeing a lot more people in church,” he said.

A common experience among north shore pastors, Father Calkins said, is that each week the congregation seems to be dotted with different people.

“I think that’s maybe a sign of uncertainty in people’s lives,” he said.

“They’re moving around a lot and haven’t really decided where they are going to settle in.

“One of our biggest challenges is to minister to the evacuees, and I have to say our parishioners have really stepped up to the plate,” he said.

Mary Queen of Peace Church launched a Faith in Action Committee that handles a special outreach to evacuee families. The parish asked evacuees what their needs were, and they held job fairs and helped them find housing.

Mary Queen of Peace School, with a relatively small enrollment of 235 students before Katrina, took in 80 new students. Father Calkins said parishioners have opened their homes not only to relatives but also to strangers.

Msgr. Frank Giroir, pastor at St. Anselm Church in Madisonville, said his small, 300-seat church is packed for all

March 10, 2006

five weekend Masses. Even the benches that have been placed along the side aisles fill up.

The parish is planning for the construction of a new 850-seat church.

St. Peter Church in Covington officially has received 80 new evacuee families since Katrina, but coordinator of ministries Ruth Prats suspects many more have yet to register. The parish put together a task force of parishioners who keep in regular contact with the new families.

“Every two weeks we send them a letter or make a telephone call to let them know of some special events in the parish and to see how they’re doing,” said Prats, whose own home was destroyed in the storm.

“We’ve put chairs up and down the side aisles and in the back, and still people are standing,” she said.

The north shore may get some relief from its crowded conditions with the planned establishment of a new church parish in the Mandeville area in June.

Father Bourg will become pastor of the new Holy Trinity Church, which will take territory from St. Peter Church in Covington and three other area parishes.

“Holy Trinity is probably going to become a megaparish,” Father Bourg said. “If it’s not divided (in the future), it should easily be home to about 4,000 to 5,000 families.”

As for the current elbow-to-elbow conditions, Father Bourg urges his parishioners to take it in stride.

“We understand why it’s crowded,” he said. “They know if they want to sit down, they’ve got to come early.”

March 10, 2006

inside the curia

The Catholic News & Herald 7

Concerned with consecration Vatican official: Spiritual reform must begin with religious orders prefect of the congregation in 2004. He heads a staff of 40 people, most of them men and women religious, who closely follow the life and work of religious institutes on every continent.

The archbishop said the global picture of religious life is quite diverse.

In Western Europe, the United States and Canada, the statistics are frankly depressing, he said.

In Canada, for example, he said it is “mathematically certain” that, if things do not change, by the year 2040 the majority of existing religious congregations will disappear. He said that would be a shame, considering the important role of religious orders in Canada’s history.

To illustrate the situation in the United States, the archbishop pointed to the two conferences of women’s major superiors — the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, considered more traditional, and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which he said “goes more in the direction of secularization.”

The archbishop said that, according to the information reaching him, the more traditional council accounts for the vast majority of new vocations, although their membership comprises only 10 percent of the women religious in the United States.

He said the real increases in religious vocations are coming in the Third World, as “Catholicism moves toward the South and toward the East.”

Asia has enjoyed a boom in vocations, up about 40 percent in recent years, he said.

If China loosens restrictions on church activity, that number could skyrocket, he said.

Among religious orders, he said, “everyone is more or less preparing for this, either in neighboring countries or already inside China.”

“Certainly the church is aware that it wants to be ready for the day China opens up. The church is awaiting this moment

Editor’s note: This is the third of an occasional series based on interviews with heads of Vatican offices. The articles describe the work of the agencies and the main challenges they face and briefly profile the people who head them.

by JOHN THAVIS catholic news service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI is seeking to revitalize the faith life of the church, a “spiritual reform” that must begin with the world’s men and women religious, said Archbishop Franc Rode, head of the Vatican office that oversees religious orders.

That means religious congregations must take stock, recover their “apostolic dynamism” and shed the excessive secularism of the post-Second Vatican Council period, Archbishop Rode said.

Archbishop Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, spoke with Catholic News Service about the challenges facing religious life and the directions being set under Pope Benedict.

After the CNS interview, Pope Benedict named Archbishop Rode a cardinal Feb. 22; he is to be elevated March 24.

The 71-year-old Slovenian, a member of the Vincentian order, said the vitality of religious orders has always been essential for spiritual reform in the church.

“Throughout the history of the church, religious orders and congregations were always the ones pushing forward, bringing dynamism and a call for holiness. They were always on the front lines,” he said.

For that reason, the “in-depth reform of consecrated life” is one of Pope Benedict’s goals, as it was for Pope John Paul II, he said.

Fresh energy For some congregations, such a reform will include the recovery of their original charism and the refocusing of apostolic energy, the archbishop said.

Since the Second Vatican Council, he said, some orders have abandoned their traditional fields of apostolate, only to lose themselves in uselessness or unproductive activities. The result is stagnation, he said.

Archbishop Rode said he’s already seeing signs that the church is responding to the challenge with fresh energy and new forms of religious life.

He said he met with the pope in January to present a list of 25 requests for pontifical approval from new religious congregations and secular institutes.

They shared some key characteristics,

CNS photo by Ales sia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo

Archbishop Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, speaks Sept. 27 during a symposium on consecrated life at the Vatican. Archbishop Rode said that Pope Benedict XVI is seeking to revitalize the faith life of the church and that this must begin with the world’s religious orders taking stock and recovering their “apostolic dynamism.”

including the wearing of a religious habit as a visible sign of identity, significant time reserved for daily prayer, and an emphasis on fraternal and community life.

“Far from the kind of dispersion that was widespread after the council, they are taking great care to promote cohesion of the religious community,” he said.

“The pendulum is swinging from, shall we say, a secularist euphoria back toward a certain severity. But note that this is not an imposed severity — these young people want it and demand it,” he said.

Expanding horizons Another positive sign that’s receiving considerable Vatican attention is the growth of lay movements, many of which are tied to religious orders for their spiritual formation.

For example, the Legionaries of Christ, with about 600 priests, has a companion lay movement of more than 60,000 men, women and families.

This type of lay-religious cooperation is not entirely new in the church, but there’s been a significant flowering in recent years, Archbishop Rode said.

“They are attracting a lot of people.

They are really mass movements that grow through spontaneous communication and the enthusiasm of their members,” he said.

An associated phenomenon is the birth of new forms of religious life, institutes whose various branches may include men who are ordained, men who take vows, women who take vows and families. So far, six of these institutes have received pontifical approval, Archbishop Rode said.

The form is so new that the Vatican is not sure which department should oversee them — Archbishop Rode’s congregation or the Pontifical Council for the Laity; most likely, an interdepartmental commission will have to be created.

“All this demonstrates the great vitality of the Catholic Church. New things are continually springing forth,” he said.

Global picture Archbishop Rode was named

and preparing for it,” he said.

Archbishop Rode said Africa has witnessed a tremendous increase in religious vocations, but with the higher numbers have come “huge problems.” At present, the Vatican is carefully studying the situation there.

“The error, if one can speak of error, is that we simply transported our structures of formation and programs of study to Africa. But they are not appropriate to the situation in Africa, to the African person,” he said.

He said it was not that Africans were less suitable for religious vocations, but that formation needs to be tailored to the cultural, economic and psychological situation of Africans.

Ongoing challenges Across the globe, Archbishop Rode said, the challenge facing religious orders is to move away from relativist and secularist currents toward greater “evangelical authenticity.”

He said this means rejecting misinterpretations of Vatican II, as Pope Benedict said in his talk to Roman Curia officials in December.

Above all, religious must not understand the council as “an invitation to go uncritically toward the world,” the archbishop said.

He said education remains an important field for religious. The shrinking of some religious orders and the loss of their teaching apostolate has had severe repercussions, he said.

In France, for example, for centuries the country’s leaders typically passed through church-run schools and thus had familiarity and at least cultural appreciation of the faith.

“Today we see the emergence of a generation of politicians or cultural leaders who are completely ignorant of the Christian tradition,” Archbishop Rode said.

He said that while it is unlikely that older religious orders can return to teaching on a large scale, he thinks some of the new congregations and institutes will recognize the importance of education and make it their primary field of activity.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

holy land

Israel-Palestine peace still possible, U.S. religious leaders WASHINGTON (CNS) — Clergy representing different branches of Christianity, Judaism and Islam at a Feb. 28 press conference reiterated a message they have delivered before: They believe peace can be achieved between Israel and Palestine, even now with the victory of the militant Islamic group Hamas in January’s Palestinian parliamentary elections.

In a Feb. 13 letter to President George W. Bush, the clergy, who are members of the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East, urged Bush to “let Palestinians and Israelis know now that, following the formation of their new governments, you and your administration will work with determination and urgency to achieve peace.”

Following the press conference, some members of the clergy group, including Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington, met with Karen Hughes, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, to press their case.

Cardinal McCarrick told Catholic News Service the next day that the interfaith group “made our point” in a brief, cordial meeting with Hughes. “We asked them to stay with the ‘road map,’” he said. “Now is not the time to let go.”

The road map, supported by the religious leaders, calls for a “permanent, two-state solution” to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace. The road map, developed in 2002, was to be monitored by the United States, the United Nations, the European Community and Russia.

Its phases include: ending terror and violence and normalizing Palestinian life; making the transition to an independent Palestinian state; and reaching

Population of the Holy Land · The total population in the Holy Land, including the West Bank and Gaza, is approximately 8.6 million. · 4.7 million are Israeli · 3.9 million are Muslim · 150,000-160,000 are Christian · In the 1950s, Christians represented 25 percent of the population. Today, Christians account for less than 2 percent.

Christians in Jerusalem: · In 1944: 29,000 Christians. · In 1967: 13,000 Christians. · In 2003: fewer than 10,000 Christians among a population of 600,000 people Bethlehem: In the late 1960s, 80 percent of the population was Christian and 20 percent was Muslim. Today, it is 91

March 10, 2006

‘They have no major resources or organizations helping them, a

Hardships prompting Christ LAND, from page 1

Israel and the Palestinian territories. an agreement on permanent status for Palestine and ending Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The original timeline had all of the phases completed by 2005.

“Things have changed in the Holy Land, but that’s all the more reason to stay with the road map,” Cardinal McCarrick told CNS March 1.

The group also sent letters to each member of Congress Feb. 15, noting that the clergy had urged the Bush administration, among other things, to “press for an immediate, comprehensive and lasting cease-fire” and “appoint an onthe-ground special envoy to manage and monitor negotiations.”

They added the religious leaders were “committed to work with their congregations across the country to urge bipartisan congressional support” for “active, fair and firm U.S. leadership for Israeli-Palestinian peace.” percent Muslim and 9 percent Christian.

Ramallah: In the 1970s, the Christian population was 60,000. Today it is fewer than 5,000.

Church leaders predict that if the current exodus continues, Christianity could easily cease to exist in the Holy Land within 60 years.

Foreign immigrants: · In 2002, 200,000 foreign workers replaced Palestinians who were kept from their places of employment by strict city and border “closures.” · Palestinian workers average 8-9 dependents.

The loss of employment for Palestinians because of foreign immigrant workers, thereby affects approximately 1 million people.

Source: FFHL

“We’re trying to provide motivations and incentives for our young Christians to stay.”

More hardships were inflicted on all Palestinians with the construction of the 480-mile barrier across Israel. Although it was built to keep both Israelis and Palestinians safe, 320,000 people lost their jobs because they can no longer cross the border to their jobs into major cities. A great many of those affected are Christian, said Father Vasko.

A relative peace Despite persistent violence throughout much of the Middle East, Father Vasko said members of the three faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — live in relative peace in the Holy Land.

“There really is no persecution of one religion against the other,” Father Vasko.

Rather, the violence is politically based.

“The political situation has polarized the people against one another,” he said. “If we don’t do something soon, we could have no one visiting our religious monuments and museums or worshipping at our churches.”

Father Vasko said that, despite what people might read and see in the news, it is quite safe to visit the Holy Land.

“All the holy sites of Christendom are in East Jerusalem,” he said. The attacks that do take place occur in the Jewish section of West Jerusalem.

“When you go on pilgrimage, you’re coming to seek the Lord,” said Father Vasko. “I’ve led pilgrimages in the Holy Land for 21 years, and there’s never been even one pilgrim who has been the victim of an attack.”

Father Vasko said the Catholics of North Carolina can help Palestinian

Franciscan Father Peter Vasko (left) of New York prays the Jerusalem’s Old City March 20, 2003. Father Vasko is the p whose purpose is to safeguard the basic human rights of th Christians by praying for peace among the three religions of the Holy Land.

Christians in the Holy Land need to know that their western counterparts care about what happens to them, Father Vasko said.

“Palestinian Christians feel invisible to the West,” said Father Vasko. “By coming to the Holy Land, you’re giving them economic and moral support.”

Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.

March 10, 2006

The Catholic News & Herald 9

holy land

and they are the ones who are leaving.’

tians to abandon Holy

CNS photo by Debbie Hill

rosary for peace in the Middle East at St. Savior Church in president of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land, he Palestinian Christian minority living in the Holy Land. subsidized housing units for Christian families and restoring the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Caught in the middle For the last 40 years, Palestinian Christians have been caught in the middle of an intense religious and ethnic power struggle.

“The Israeli government looks upon them as Palestinians, therefore the enemy,” Father Vasko said. “To Muslims, they’re traitors and pro-West.”

The United States provides aid money to the Israeli government and to the Palestinian Authority, but none of this money goes to Palestinian Christians, Father Vasko said.

“They have no major resources or organizations helping them, and they are the ones who are leaving,” he said.

Palestinian Christian minority living in the Holy Land. He spoke to congregations at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte Feb. 18-19.

Approximately 150,000 Christians currently live in the Holy Land. Only 11,000 Christians live in Jerusalem, a city of more than 600,000 citizens.

“Holy Land” is a religious term for the region east of the Mediterranean Sea that is sacred, in varying degrees, to Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Geographically, it corresponds to the modern state of Israel, and the Palestinian and occupied territories.

Christians living in the area that was known in biblical times as Palestine are known as Palestinian Christians.

“In 1900, 13.2 percent of the population in the Holy Land was Christian,” Father Vasko said. “Today it’s less than two percent in Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza.”

Thirty-five years ago, the population of Bethlehem was 80 percent Christian and 20 percent Muslim. Today, the city of Christ’s birth is 91 percent Muslim and nine percent Christian.

For these Christians trapped in a hostile environment of ethnic distrust, the Franciscan foundation is the only organized voice for justice and positive change, said Father Vasko.

No reason to stay According to the foundation’s Web site, inadequate housing, high unemployment and greatly reduced educational opportunities are causing widespread suffering and a mass exodus of the Christian population from the Holy Land.

The goal of the foundation is to raise $30 million to create job opportunities for Christians by providing training for positions in schools, churches, parish centers and medical facilities; and by providing academic scholarships for talented but underprivileged Christian students.

As of December 2002, the foundation has given more than 60 scholarships and four educational grants amounting to $1 million.

The foundation is also building 500

Working together to enlighten faith

CNS photo by Debbie Hill

Franciscan Brother Matheis Lopez watches a Palestinian man pour oil into a lantern in the grotto of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank, Dec. 19, 2004 near the spot traditionally held to be the birthplace of Jesus.

The Holy Land Economics: · The politically motivated “closures” of the West Bank and Gaza to the remainder of Israel have a strong negative impact on the Palestinian economy. Millions of dollars in revenue are lost every day within the West Bank and Gaza because Israel controls all the borders and prevents imports or exports from coming into or going out of these regions. · In 2002, unemployment among Palestinians, largely due to forced closures and travel restrictions enacted by the Israeli government, reached 60 percent in Gaza and 50 percent in the West Bank. · The average income for Israelis in the Holy Land is $25,000-$26,000 per year. · The average income for Palestinians in the Holy Land is $4,000-$6,000 per year. · The majority of Palestinians live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. · Most of the Christians living in the Holy Land are of Palestinian descent. Though they are blameless bystanders to the Muslim-Israeli conflict, Palestinian Christians are severely handicapped by the political side effects of aggression on both sides. The fact that there are currently thousands of Christians in the Holy Land whose way of life is threatened is not commonly known in the United States and Western countries. · 65 percent of Palestinians live below the poverty level, i.e. under $3,000 per year, affecting two out of three Palestinians, of which three percent are Christian. ·

Currently, 50 percent of Palestinian men and 85 percent of Palestinian women are unemployed.

Foreign aid: · Israel received $6 billion in foreign aid in 2001 ($3 billion in foreign aid and $3 billion in additional U.S. government assistance in public and private sectors). This total breaks down into $15.5 million per day, 365 days a year. · In 2001-2002 the Palestinian Authority received international aid total in $2.1 billion. None of this aid reaches the outnumbered and previously unspoken-for Christian minority population.

1 0 The Catholic News & Herald

March 10, 2006

Culture Watch

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

Uncovering the story

Minnesota teen’s book aims to give voice to Muslim women by

CHRISTINA CAPECCHI catholic news service

ST. PAUL, Minn. — In February 2005, when most teen girls were hoping for roses or chocolates, 17-year-old Chiara Kovarik received her dream valentine: the acceptance of her book manuscript by a Minneapolis publishing company.

The teen stands out from her peers in many ways, including the subject she chose to explore in her 174-page book, “Interviews With Muslim Women of Pakistan.”

“Most young adult books focus on teen body image or dating tips,” Kovarik said.

Her book offers a fresh perspective on a nation that became a partner in the war on terror.

Kovarik, a senior at Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights, spent a month in Pakistan in the summer 2001. The then-13-year-old found herself fascinated by the Muslim women she encountered.

“I’d gone with the typical ideas that the women were oppressed and they’re all covered up and they don’t have the right to speak, and I was finding that a lot of those previous notions I had were not true, or at least were a bit skewed in the way they had been presented to me,” said Kovarik.

Kovarik, a parishioner of St. John Neumann Church in Eagan, wanted to correct misconceptions about the Muslim women and to amplify their voices. Thus began the challenging process of conducting interviews.

Many women declined Kovarik’s interview request, and even after some agreed, she still had to obtain an OK from a male relative in each case. More than half of the men said no.

But despite obstacles, Kovarik persisted, eventually setting up 10 interviews.

There was still a language barrier to surmount, as well as some of the men insisting upon being present to answer for the women or dismiss their responses. But with a translator and plenty of patience, Kovarik gathered the information she wanted.

She asked the women 10 questions, including how their lives differed from their mothers’ and grandmothers’.

Today, Muslim women have significantly better medical and educational access and more jobs, Kovarik learned.

She also asked about the women’s priorities, a tough question to raise because it was so personal. Every woman ranked religion as No. 1, with family and friends coming second.

Kovarik also asked the women how they felt about being Muslim, being women and their expected gender roles.

“None expressed regrets,” she said.

“Many said they didn’t feel oppressed, although they did realize that more

WORD TO LIFE

Sunday Scripture Readings: march 19, 2006

March 19, Third Sunday of Lent Cycle B Readings: 1) Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 2) 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 3) Gospel: John 2:13-25

Sacrilege won’t defeat message, power of Jesus

by JEAN DENTON catholic news service

CNS photo by Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit

Chiara Kovarik, a high school senior, wears a Muslim outfit called a “shalwar kameez” that she bought in Pakistan. The 17-year-old, who spent a month in Pakistan, has written a book titled “Interviews With Muslim Women of Pakistan.” changes need to occur regarding women’s rights. They were very optimistic that things would improve, at least for their children’s generation.”

The Muslim women in turn asked Kovarik about her Catholic faith and her life as an American teen. The younger ones inquired about American dating norms.

“Some seemed to think that all the women in the United States are like Paris Hilton,” Kovarik said. “I tried to convince them that we’re not like that at all.”

Of course, she understood that the stereotype came from TV, confirming a lesson both she and the Muslim women learned: One must seek sources outside the media for the whole story.

Just weeks after Kovarik returned from Pakistan, the Sept. 11 attacks occurred, heightening the significance of the teen’s interviews. She contacted every Muslim woman again, asking about the impact of terrorism on them.

“They were as shocked and horrified as we were,” Kovarik said. “They kept stressing that Islam does not in any way condone the terrorists’ actions, and they really wanted people to know that.”

Though her endeavor began as an intellectual one, it became spiritual in nature, too. “Seeing how these women integrate their faith made me want to stimulate my faith,” she said.

Kovarik hopes her book will compel readers to strive for something she has been practicing.

“These women have taught me that you really can’t judge a book by the cover. You have to dig deeper,” she said.

Some weeks ago the news was rife with incidents of sacrilege — specifically in the Muslim world where Iraq’s rival Shiite and Sunni sects traded destructive attacks on one another’s mosques.

This occurred just days after scores died in rioting over what many considered blasphemous cartoon depictions of the prophet Muhammad.

The Christian world witnessed a string of church burnings in Alabama. At a university near where I live, some students were up in arms over a disrespectful characterization of Jesus-at-college in a comic strip in an online campus magazine.

These aren’t new trends. Years ago there was an uproar over a famously unflattering portrayal of the crucifixion in a publicly funded artistic work, and

Jesus was satirized on “Saturday Night Live” and, some thought, cast in a not-sodivine light in the book and movie “The Last Temptation of Christ.”

People of faith tend to be offended — and many are moved to action — when their God is profaned or treated with irreverence.

Today’s Gospel suggests that Jesus, too, reacted strongly to such shameful treatment of the sacred. He drove the salespeople and money changers out of the temple with an admonition against destroying its holy purpose by making it a marketplace.

Jesus’ action tells us how he views the exploitation and misuse of the places where God dwells, which one assumes would include the poor and oppressed as well as other human “temples.”

We should share his zeal for these temples by showing respect for God’s presence there. But this passage reminds me of a remark I heard a bishop make once in a private conversation.

“I always hate to hear the stories of someone going into a burning church to rescue the Blessed Sacrament,” he said.

“They’re going to save Jesus? From what?”

Destroy the temple, vandalize the holy places and symbols, mock his name and message, even exploit God’s beloved people — the damage won’t hold. Jesus won’t die; he won’t stay down.

He always will rise, and the fact that he will rise up for our sake demands respect and awe. But we should remember that Jesus saves us — we don’t save him.

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of March 12-18 Sunday (Second Sunday of Lent), Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18, Romans 8:31-34, Mark 9:2-10; Monday (Lenten Weekday), Daniel 9:4-10, Luke 6:36-38; Tuesday (Lenten Weekday), Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Matthew 23:1-12; Wednesday (Lenten Weekday), Jeremiah 18:18-20, Matthew 20:17-28; Thursday (Lenten Weekday), Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31; Friday (St. Patrick), Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46; Saturday (St. Cyril of Alexandria), Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32.

Scripture for the week of March 19-25 Sunday (Third Sunday of Lent), Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, John 2:13-25; Monday (St. Joseph), 2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14, 16, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22, Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24; Tuesday (Lenten Weekday), Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Matthew 18:21-35; Wednesday (Lenten Weekday), Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Matthew 5:17-19; Thursday (St. Toribio de Mogrovejo), Jeremiah 7:23-28, Luke 11:14-23; Friday (Lenten Weekday), Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34; Saturday (The Annunciation of the Lord), Isaiah 7:10-14, Hebrews 10:4-10, Luke 1:26-38.

The Catholic News & Herald 11

March 10, 2006

This ‘Shaggy’ is for the

CNS photo by Disney

Tim Allen stars in “The Shaggy Dog,” a lame reworking of the 1959 Disney comedy, incorporating elements of its 1976 follow-up, about a workaholic Los Angeles deputy district attorney (Allen) who, while trying a case involving a sinister scientist (Robert Downey Jr.), is bitten by a mutt and soon finds himself turning into one. This leads to nutty canine complications with his neglected wife (Kristin Davis) and two teenage children.

Even Allen’s comic dexterity can’t make this dog of a film hunt, resulting in slapstick silliness that is strictly for the pups.

Some mildly crude humor and comic violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

CCC offers Lenten retreats in English, Spanish on radio WASHINGTON (CNS) — For people too busy to go on a Lenten retreat, they may want to take their retreat via the radio or the Internet.

Franciscan Radio developed a series of six half-hour programs in English and six in Spanish for the Catholic Communication Campaign, the U.S. bishops’ mass-media ministry that develops media programming, projects and resources.

The CCC has made the retreat programs available to radio stations, but for those who cannot find the programs on their local stations, the series is also available on the Web at: www. radioretreat.org.

The programs, hosted by Elia Castillo, feature a bishop as a retreat guide and homilist. Different bishops were lined up for each of the English and Spanish programs, except for the Third Sunday of Lent, when Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino, Calif., is to deliver both the English and Spanish homilies.

Each show features a sung version of the Our Father, a song for meditations and a question-and-answer segment with the bishop on his homily theme, plus a wrap-up from host Castillo and a blessing from the bishop.

The first of the programs was to be available both over the air and on the Web Ash Wednesday, March 1. The Web site will have retreat programs archived

for retreatants to catch up on any individual programs they missed.

The Web site will contain descriptions of each program, background information on the bishops, and links to other Lenten spiritual resources. The programs can be downloaded as MP3 files for podcast or personal use.

Pat Ryan Garcia, executive producer and CCC director of distribution, said the idea for the radio retreats was sparked

by U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley, head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

In 2004, in an address to the U.S. bishops’ communications committee, “Archbishop Foley suggested ways of outreach and evangelization that might take advantage of the increased interest in using the media for spiritual assistance, including radio retreats,” Garcia said in a statement.

John Feister, Franciscan Radio’s coordinator of the project, said in a statement, “The English and Spanish versions are culturally tuned for their audience. ... We think this is inspiring programming for any radio station that seeks an uplifting message for the weeks before Easter.”

Franciscan Radio is a ministry of the Franciscans and St. Anthony Messenger Press.

1 2 The Catholic News & Herald

Classifieds SERVICES C O U N S E L I N G S E RV I C E S : I n d i v i d u als. Couples. Family. Lucille Moses, BSN, M.Ed. North Carolina Licensed Professional Counselor. 1801 East 5 th Street, 108-B, Charlotte. 704-366-6507 or 704-942-4334.

advertisements COUNSELING SERVICES: With a faith perspective. Elizabeth Pantas, MA-Ed., LPC. Individual – Group – Marriage. (828) 628-4621.

Parishioner of Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville.

FOR RENT NEW LAKE LURE CABIN: Stay while touring the HGTV Dream Home! 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully furnished. Off-season rates. 828299-3714.

Classified ads bring results! Over 135,000 readers! Over 50,000 homes!

Rates: $.70/word per issue ($14 minimum per issue) Deadline: 12 noon Wednesday, 9 days before publication How to order: Ads may be E-mailed to ckfeerick@charlottediocese.org, faxed to (704) 370-3382 or mailed to: Cindi Feerick, The Catholic News & Herald, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203.

Payment: For information, call (704) 370-3332.

March 10, 2006

March 10, 2006

from the cover

Deacons recommit to DEACONS, from page 1

to renew our ordination vows,” said Deacon Andrew Cilone, director of deacons for the Hickory region and permanent deacon at Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City.

In the Catholic Church, the diaconate is the first of three ranks in ordained ministry. From about the fifth century until the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, it was used in the Latin rite almost exclusively to describe the final stage in preparation for ordination to the priesthood.

The council decreed that the dia-

conate also could be restored as a permanent and separate rank in the Latin rite and that married men may be ordained to this rank. Pope Paul VI restored the permanent diaconate in 1967.

Like the diocesan priests, who recommit themselves to the bishop at the chrism Mass during Holy Week each year, the permament deacons gather for a similar recommitment Mass.

“This comes at an appropriate time during the Lenten season, when we are renewing our spiritual life as well,” said Deacon Cilone. “At the same time, we are renewing our own profession of faith that we accepted at baptism to reject Satan and all his empty promises.”

In his homily, Bishop Jugis likened

the deacons’ call to ministry to the call of the first disciples from their positions in the marketplace. “‘Follow me’ is the summons of Lent ... a command to draw close to him and he will draw close to you ... in order to turn us from sin,” said Bishop Jugis. “‘Follow me’ is also spoken to all of us in the ordained ministry. Jesus is the love of our life, the joy of our soul, who must be followed willingly.”

“Where the Lord is, there we also will be,” said the bishop. “I thank all deacons for being where the Lord is. I thank your families for helping make your ordained ministry shine.”

Because Christ chose to identify himself with sinners, said Bishop Jugis, “salvation is the primary mission of the church ... to help our brothers and sisters come to eternal life.”

This mission of salvation is helped through the deacons’ ministry at the altar, he said, where the “food of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, is given to hungry souls.”

“The Eucharist is the life of the parish ... the life of the church, which animates everything else,” said Bishop Jugis. “May the Lord make your ministry shine with the light of the risen Christ.”

“For me, Lent is a time for sinners.

It is a new beginning, a recommitment to the bishop, and a time for renewal,” said Deacon David King, permanent deacon at Our Lady of the Highways Church in Thomasville.

“The Catholic Church gives us this time every year to renew and recommit ourselves,” said Deacon King. “For this, I am grateful.”

The Catholic News & Herald 13

Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay

Bishop Peter J. Jugis talks with Deacon James Hamrlik of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte and Deacon Jesus Reyes of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe after the deacons’ annual commitment Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte March 4.

The permanent diaconate is one of the ministries supported by contributions to the Diocesan Support Appeal, an annual campaign in the Diocese of Charlotte that helps support 30 ministries that provide 50 programs. The 2006 DSA

1 4 The Catholic News & Herald

March 10, 2006

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Our plugged-in pope Holy Father, and all Catholics, can use technology to enhance faith A small news item from Catholic News Service caught my eye this week.

Pope Benedict XVI has an iPod. To be precise, it is an iPod nano with two gigabytes of memory. It was presented to him as a gift from Vatican Radio. The pontiff recently visited the broadcasting headquarters of the Vatican for the first time.

If the Holy Father is like most people who purchase these pencil-thin devices, he will soon be a regular listener. Why? Because iPods give you exactly what you want to listen to, when you want to listen to it.

The device makes everyone a radio programmer and, while that may be bad news for real radio programmers, it is liberation for the rest of us.

Originally introduced as a music listening device and marketed primarily to young people, the iPod and MP3 players have branched out to create a new broadcasting domain — podcasting. Podcasting is like Internet blogging, except that instead of the written word published for the entire world to find, podcasting uses the spoken word, delivered regularly to subscribers.

A podcast can be a radio program without the commercials, a talk show, a commentary or anything else the creator cares to record. There are tens of thousands of podcasts to choose from and hundreds that are specifically for Catholics.

Nearly all of them are free. That may change as some programs become very popular, but for now there is a cornucopia of free programs.

Imagine driving to work and, instead of listening to an endless barrage of screaming car dealer commercials, you could choose prayer podcasts, a program that explains our faith or perhaps the latest sacred music.

In the iTunes store, there are currently 24 free programs that can be found when using the search term “Vatican.” You can even listen to the podcast version of this column by using the search term “Catholics and the Media.” Suddenly, the morning commute could be something you look forward to.

What does the Holy Father listen to? The pope’s player was loaded with a sampling of the Vatican radio’s programming in English, Italian and German, and musical compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frederic Chopin, Peter Tchaikovsky and Igor Stravinsky.

Once the pontiff gets the hang of using the click wheel on his iPod, he

Catholics & the Media DAVID HAINS guest columnist

can listen to a radio drama of the life of St. Thomas Becket or a perspective program on the transition from Pope John Paul II to Pope Benedict XVI. He doesn’t have to tune in at a certain time to hear what he wants; he can pause a program, and replay all or part of it.

Podcasting is a threat to traditional forms of radio programming because of its accessibility. These iPod-type devices are updated by plugging them into a personal computer. Once connected, the device does the rest, updating itself with new music selections and podcasts.

Podcast creators use an Internet protocol named RSS (Really Simple Synchronization) that lets the device automatically find and download programs the user has subscribed to. And although iPods and MP3 players are small in size, they typically hold hundreds of hours of music, podcasts and audio books.

Online articles about podcasting indicate that advertisers are trying to figure out a way to insert ads into podcasts.

No doubt some content will eventually carry ads, but since virtually anyone can create a podcast, the majority probably will not.

When he was given the iPod, Pope Benedict is reported to have said, “Computer technology is the future.”

The Holy Father, and anyone else, can hear the future now thanks to these personal listening devices.

David Hains is director of communications for the Diocese of Charlotte. Contact him at dwhains@charlottediocese.org.

Write a Letter to the Editor

The Catholic News & Herald welcomes letters from readers. We ask that letters be originals of 250 words or less, pertain to recent newspaper content or Catholic issues, and be in good taste.

To be considered for publication, each letter must include the name, address and daytime phone number of the writer for purpose of verification. Letters may be condensed due to space limitations and edited for clarity, style and factual accuracy.

The Catholic News & Herald does not publish poetry, form letter or petitions. Items submitted to The Catholic News & Herald become the property of the newspaper and are subject to reuse, in whole or in part, in print, electronic formats and archives.

Send letters to Letters to the Editor, The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, N.C. 28237, or e-mail catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.

An anniversary not worth repeating Different approach needed for Iraq war March 19 marks the third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Unless there is a monumental shift in American policy toward that suffering nation, there will be a fourth anniversary — and many more beyond.

And such a shift seems highly unlikely now.

The war goes on — with no end in sight. Europe had its 30-years war, and now the United States is on a devastatingly similar track.

The great number of deaths related to the war prove that Pope John Paul II was correct in objecting to the U.S. decision to launch a pre-emptive attack against Iraq. As he wisely said, “War is a defeat for humanity.”

The American presence in Iraq seems to fuel the conflict. It’s like pouring gasoline on a house fire.

There is a military principle that says, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” As if reflecting on that rule, Lt. Gen. William E. Odom recently wrote that the United States should withdraw rapidly from Iraq.

The retired general and current Yale University professor wrote: “Iraqis are already fighting Iraqis.

Insurgents have killed far more Iraqis than Americans. That’s civil war. We created the civil war when we invaded; we can’t prevent a civil war by staying.

“For those who really worry about destabilizing the region, the sensible policy is not to stay the course in Iraq.”

Dave Robinson, executive director of the Catholic peace movement Pax Christi USA, told me that the Bush administration has not stated clearly that it intends to completely leave Iraq. Robinson explained that we have at least five long-term military bases there.

Making a TONY MAGLIANO cns columnist

Robinson said the Bush administration’s plan is to “maintain Western control over Iraqi oil production and distribution. Instead, however, the United States needs to declare that it intends to totally leave Iraq — including all military bases.”

Robinson added that since the president refuses to make such a declaration, it is up to the American people to pressure Congress.

But a total military departure does not absolve America from its moral obligation to rebuild Iraq.

“The United States needs to commit to a type of Marshall Plan,” said Robinson.

However, relatively little cash thus far actually has gone into reconstruction, he added.

Commenting on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ call for a nationwide “serious and civil dialogue” on Iraq, Robinson said, “Such a dialogue would require every priest in every parish to proclaim the Gospel of peace.

And in the light of Catholic social teaching, it would be necessary for them to lead discussions around different approaches to the Iraq war.”

Amen to that.

Letter to the Editor

Pro-life articles deliver powerful messages Two articles from your March 3 edition struck me as delivering powerful messages.

Mary Shaw moves me with her story of love (“Young woman chooses life, adoption for child”). The private details that explain her unplanned pregnancy and her journey through her open adoption show spiritual maturity, authentic love and, above all, humility.

In “Pope says God loves humans in all stages of life, even embryos,” Pope Benedict XVI said life is sacred “... even before it is implanted in the

maternal womb.” At one time, I did not know the implications of such a statement. I fear many Americans and Catholics don’t either.

Life is fundamental — a foundation on which everything else hinges. With renewed respect and love for the Catholic Church, the teacher of these truths, my husband and I tried natural family planning and have never looked backed.

— Marianna de Lachica North Wilkesboro

The Catholic News & Herald 15

March 10, 2006

The forgotten victim

‘Abortionists’ need forgiveness, healing Third, if we call an abortionist a “victim,” we do not mean to say that he or she is helpless or guiltless. We are all responsible for our actions and have to be held accountable. The point here is that abortionists hurt themselves by their actions, throwing their lives into chaos.

Finally, I write about abortionists from the perspective of having conversed with many of them who are still performing abortions, and having guided many of them through spiritual healing after they have stopped performing abortions.

We collaborate and interact with psychiatrists and others who are doing unique research into the lives of abortionists. Moreover, Priests for Life has access to a lot of inside information from the abortion industry, including information gained by infiltration. We rely on original, and often unique, sources.

The more we can understand why someone, especially if he or she is associated with the medical profession, would perform abortions, and the more we can understand what would cause them to stop performing abortions, the closer we will be to understanding how our whole society can reject this violent practice.

Frank Pavone is national director of Priests for Life.

Guest Column FATHER FRANK PAVONE guest columnist

Abortion destroys everyone it touches, killing a child and devastating that child’s family. Often overlooked, however, is the one who performed the procedure. The abortionist is wounded, too.

Every year, on March 10, proabortion groups observe the “National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers.” They seek to affirm those who kill babies for pay, and honor them as hero-servants of society.

I am happy to announce that this year, Priests for Life has declared March 9 a National Day of Invitation to Abortion Providers — an invitation to repentance and to the healing grace of the Lord.

We invite people to read the testimonies of abortionists who have converted (see www.priestsforlife.org) and to write letters and make calls to media outlets in order to share these

A bishop’s coat of arms Q. Why do bishops still need a coat of arms? Is it a holdover from the days bishops had temporal, civil power? (Wisconsin) A. Episcopal coats of arms are, at least in part, a vestige of a custom that began in a militaristic, political context.

Insignia on military dress and equipment became customary in the 12th century. When warriors of all sides wore pretty much the same armor, the king’s or leader’s emblem served to distinguish one combatant from another.

Soon the blazon design appeared also on seals, for example, as evidence of authenticity of documents.

As you note, Catholic prelates, who often held political and religious as well as military authority, adopted the use of coats of arms and related seals, but not only for their value in battle.

Prelatial coats of arms served to indicate episcopal status and ecclesiastical approval for such things as books, vestments and church buildings.

Gradually they also served as designs in architecture and other art forms.

The number and color of tassels on the “shields” denote the prelate’s rank as bishop, archbishop or cardinal.

Coats of arms, whether for Catholic or secular use, have a complex history, going through numerous evolutions. As the New Catholic Encyclopedia notes, however, after nine centuries of

existence ecclesiastical heraldry is alive and will continue flourishing.

Whatever its origins, apart from the decorative attractiveness, its function today is primarily juridical.

The white cloth atop caskets Q. Our family would like to know why a white cloth is placed on top of the casket at a funeral Mass. I told them that when our Lord was taken from the cross and laid in the grave, his body was wrapped with a white cloth. Is this the reason? (Maryland) A. That may be one interpretation, but the primary reason has to do with baptism. When the deceased Catholic was baptized as an infant or adult, water was poured, of course, and a white cloth or dress was placed on him or her.

The ritual with the cloth is inspired by the words of St. Paul, “For all you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27).

Ceremonies at the beginning of the funeral liturgy are intended to recall that event, which begins our Christian life, to thank God for his goodness and to

stories. It is precisely because we appreciate these people that we want to free them from the misery of being abortionists.

I’d like to explore in the next several columns the topic of abortionists, why they do what they do, what life is like for them and how we can call them to conversion.

Let me address some preliminary issues.

First of all, the abortion movement chose March 10 for this “Day of Appreciation” because that was the date in 1993 when abortionist David Gunn was shot and killed outside his abortion mill in Pensacola, Fla. Killing abortionists is a course of action we reject.

Secondly, some object to using the word “abortionist,” saying such a term is harsh and cruel. That’s odd.

Someone who practices psychology is called a “psychologist.” Someone who practices therapy is called a “therapist.”

And one trained in gynecology is a “gynecologist.” I fail to see the problem with calling someone who performs abortions an “abortionist.”

If people are uncomfortable with the word, maybe their consciences are telling them there’s something wrong with the practice — and with that, we heartily agree.

Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN cns columnist

remind everyone present of our own baptism commitments as we continue our journey.

The words suggested to accompany these rites focus on this meaning.

As the water is sprinkled on the casket, the priest says, “In the waters of baptism (this man or woman) died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May he/she now share with him eternal glory.”

As the pall is placed over the body, the ritual has suggested words like this: “On the day of baptism, he/she put on Christ. In the day of Christ’s coming, may he/she be clothed with glory.”

A free brochure on ecumenism, including questions on intercommunion and other ways of sharing worship, is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Box 5515, Peoria, IL 61612.

Questions may be sent to Father Dietzen at the same address, or e-mail: jjdietzen@aol.com.

Pope says prayer, repentance, retreat can strengthen faith The Pope POPE BENEDICT XVI

by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service

Editor’s note: Due to the pope’s weeklong Lenten retreat, there is no story from his weekly audience.

VATICAN CITY — As he prepared to begin his weeklong Lenten retreat, Pope Benedict XVI said Lent is a time to examine one’s life in an atmosphere of prayer and repentance.

Citing the ancient Israelites who wandered in the desert and Jesus who retreated to the desert before beginning his public ministry, the pope said a period of withdrawal and face-to-face confrontation with temptation strengthens one’s faith.

Before leading the midday Angelus address March 5, the pope said his March 5-11 Lenten retreat “will help me and my collaborators in the Roman Curia to enter into this characteristic Lenten climate with greater awareness.”

Meditating on biblical desert scenes, he said, “We understand that in order to fully realize our lives in freedom, the trial that freedom itself brings, that is, temptation, must be overcome.”

“Only freed from the slavery of falsehood and sin thanks to obedience to the faith that opens him to the truth can the human person find the full meaning of his existence and obtain peace, love and joy,” the pope said.

He asked Catholics to pray for him and top Vatican officials while they were on retreat, and he promised to keep everyone in his own prayers.

The retreat, which includes formal prayer, spiritual lectures and eucharistic adoration, includes morning and lateafternoon sessions.

Pope Benedict asked 80-year-old retired Cardinal Marco Ce of Venice, Italy, to preach the retreat.

The cardinal chose to use the Gospel of Mark as the basis for his series of talks on “Walking Toward Easter With Jesus.”

Cardinal Ce said he chose the Gospel of Mark in part because it is known as “a guide for catechumens preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil.”

The central message of his talks, he said, “is the message of Easter: God loves our world and wants to save it through the death and resurrection of Jesus.”

“I want to give everyone a message of hope,” the cardinal said.

Cardinal Ce said the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving “are three works capable of forming a lifestyle that can change the world.”

March 10, 2006

The Catholic News & Herald 16

PARISH PROFILE

Holy Redeemer parish is small in number, large in spirit ANDREWS — While Holy Redeemer Church in Andrews wasn’t built until 1962, Catholic presence in the area dates back decades earlier.

In 1937, Father Howard Lane, a priest from the Diocese of Raleigh, was appointed pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville. At that time the parish boundaries included all of North Carolina west of the town.

Father Lane led a lecture series at the Murphy courthouse feeding the spiritual hunger of area Catholics.

Following Father Lane’s brief series of talks, there wasn’t another regular pastoral presence in the region until Glenmary Father Joseph Dean arrived in Murphy in December 1954.

There were eight Catholic families living in Murphy in Cherokee County during the time of Father Lane’s presence. Just two Catholic families lived in neighboring Clay County, with one Maronite Catholic family living in Andrews. It was in the home of those Maronite Catholics, the El-Khouris, who had no Eastern-rite priest to celebrate Mass for them, that a new Catholic community was born.

Father Lane returned to Andrews in 1955 and celebrated Mass for the first time in Andrews on Christmas Day in the El-Khouri family home. Within a few years, Andrews had officially become a mission of Murphy, although regularly celebrated Masses didn’t occur in Andrews until 1958.

In June 1962, the Catholic community of Andrews gathered for the first time in their new church. Called Holy Redeemer Church, the building was the first large project completed by the Glenmary Brothers’ Building Crew.

Then-Bishop Michael J. Begley granted Holy Redeemer Church parish

Holy Redeemer Church 214 Aquone Rd. Andrews, N.C. 28901 (828) 321-4463 Vicariate: Smoky Mountain Pastor: Father Michael T. Kottar Number of Households: 100

Father Michael T. Kottar

Photo by George K. Cobb

Holy Redeemer Church in Andrews was completed in 1962 and was granted parish status in June 1976. status in June 1976, and installed Father August Guppenberger as the first pastor.

While the year-round Catholic population in the Andrews area has grown slowly over the past quarter-century, visitors to the North Carolina mountains fill Holy Redeemer Church to capacity during the tourist seasons.

The parish celebrated its silver jubilee in June 1987. Taking part in a diocesan evangelization project, the Legion of Mary came to Andrews to help celebrate by leading a community education program focusing on ecumenism.

In 2002, Glenmary Father Robert Bond retired and diocesan clergy assumed pastoral duties of Holy Redeemer Church. This signaled the end of an era, as there are no longer any parishes in the

Regional office in Asheville, to provide for those in financial need at Christmas.

Spiritual life of the parish is enhanced by eucharistic adoration each Friday. Adoration on the first Friday of each month is offered for all active service members, especially those stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Although we are small in number, we are blessed in many other ways,” said Father Kottar. “We have a very warm parish where everyone knows each other by name.”

Contributing to this story was Staff Writer Karen A. Evans.

diocese staffed by Glenmary priests.

On Oct. 15, 2004, Father Michael Kottar was assigned as the first diocesan pastor of the church.

To accommodate the rapid growth in the local Hispanic population, a Sunday Mass and other sacraments are now offered in Spanish. The celebration of traditional Hispanic customs, such as the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Las Posadas (Christmas novena), have added a new dimension to parish life.

“Growth at the Spanish Mass has increased to the point where at times it exceeds the population of the Mass in English,” said Father Kottar.

The clergy and parishioners of Holy Redeemer Church are active in community and ecumenical events and projects, taking leadership roles in founding a food bank for the poor, a shelter for local and migrant persons and an organization to help those people with mental handicaps find employment.

The parish also supports Divine Mercy Outreach, a support group for the sick and homebound of the parish and Institution of Angel Tree, in conjunction with Catholic Social Services Western