2 The Catholic News & Herald in public schools if students’ parents ask for it. The bishops also seek permission for religious control of radio and TV stations and the right to carry out religious services within the military. The discussions were carried out in the context of the 10th anniversary of constitutional reforms that marked a major move forward for the church within the aggressively secular Mexican state. Among the reforms were the normalization of Mexico’s relations with the Vatican after a 125-year break, the go-ahead for private religious education, and the formal recognition of the right of priests to celebrate Mass in public. Postal increase to hit periodicals harder than others WASHINGTON (CNS) — When the cost of a first-class postage stamp goes up to 37 cents this summer, the publishers of nonprofit periodicals, including diocesan newspapers, will have to swallow increases of as much as 15 percent to 20 percent. “This is as big an increase as periodicals have seen in five years,” said Neal Denton, executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers. The Postal Service’s Board of Governors on April 9 announced that standard first-class postage would increase by 3 cents on June 30. Domestic mail rates will go up across the board, by varying amounts, depending on type of service. For instance, priority mail rates for the first pound will increase from $3.50 to $3.85, while postcards will increase from 21 cents to 23 cents. It’s harder to pinpoint how much rates will increase for other customers because of the complex rate structure for bulk mailers. The new bump comes on the heels of two rate increases in 2001, but Denton said the news isn’t all bad for nonprofit publishers. For one thing, there are many cost-saving measures available, he said, and each extra sorting step, such as dividing pieces into individual ZIP codes, qualifies for a reduction in the rates. Bush, other cloning opponents rally forces to push for ban WASHINGTON (CNS) — President Bush raised the volume on support for legislation to ban all forms of human cloning research with an April 10 White House event rallying some of the bill’s most prominent backers. “Allowing clon-
CNS photo from Reuters
Smoke billows over Manger Square in Bethlehem Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity steeple towers above smoke from nearby explosions in Manger Square April 15. Some 200 Palestinians remained in the church, while U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell continued his efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians. Pope John Paul II prayed for the success of Powell’s mission and an end to suffering in the Holy Land. A decade after reforms, Mexican bishops discuss expanding rights MEXICO CITY (CNS) — Mexican bishops discussed expanding religious rights when they met for five days outside Mexico City in early April. The assembly, held in Cuautitlan Izcalli, focused on the bishops’ request for religious education
Episcopal April 19, 2002 Volume 11 • Number 30 Publisher: Most Reverend William G. Curlin Editor: Joann S. Keane Associate Editor: Kevin E. Murray Staff Writer: Alesha M. Price Graphic Designer: Tim Faragher Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Sherill Beason 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 $18 per year for all other subscribers. 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.
April 19, 2002
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Bishop William G. Curlin will take part in the following events: April 22 — 7 p.m. Confirmation St. Michael, Gastonia April 24 — 7 p.m. Confirmation St. Benedict, Greensboro April 26 — 7:30 p.m. Confirmation St. Therese, Mooresville April 27 — 11 a.m. Lay ministry graduation St. Gabriel, Charlotte 5:30 p.m. Confirmation Good Shepherd, King
ing would be taking a significant step toward a society in which human beings are grown for spare body parts and children are engineered to custom specifications,” Bush said, “and that’s not acceptable.” The Senate is expected to take up legislation on human cloning before it recesses for the summer. The House passed a bill last July that would ban all research in human
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will explore God’s love and the recognition of his presence and power. For further details, call the center at (828) 926-3833 or e-mail lwcrc@main.nc.us. 5 CHARLOTTE — Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, formerly known as the Catholic Hispanic Center and now located at 6212 Tuckasseegee Rd., will be celebrating a Mass in English every Sunday at 8 a.m. beginning this morning. For details, call Vincentian Father Vincent Finnerty at (704) 391-3732. 5 SALISBURY — Sacred Heart Church, 128 N. Fulton St., will be celebrating a charismatic and healing Mass today at 4 p.m. Prayer and worship with prayer teams will be available at 3 p.m., and a potluck dinner will follow the Mass. Father John Putnam, pastor, will be the celebrant. For further information, call Bill Owens at (704) 639-9837 5 CHARLOTTE — The 52nd Semi-
cloning. Bush said he would firmly oppose all types of cloning research involving human embryos. One bill pending action in the Senate would prohibit research in cloning for reproductive purposes, but would permit research on cloned human embryos which are destroyed after stem cells have been extracted. The president said that version is unacceptable. Vatican calls U.N.’s lack of progress on nuclear disarmament alarming UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — The Vatican told a U.N. committee April 9 that it found the lack of progress on nuclear disarmament alarming. “Even more serious than the lack of progress is the overt determination of some nuclear weapon states to maintain nuclear weapons in a critical role in their military doctrines,” it said in a statement delivered at the United Nations. Declaring nuclear weapons “incompatible with the peace we seek for the 21st century,” the Vatican declared that “there can be no moral acceptance of military doctrines that embody the permanence of nuclear weapons.” Liturgical music publishers team up for 9-11 benefit album WASHINGTON (CNS) — The three main U.S. liturgical music publishers have joined to co-produce a benefit album to help Catholic Charities USA’s Sept. 11 relief efforts. “With Faith, Hope, & Love: In Support of the Victims of Terrorism” is the name of the album. GIA Publications, Oregon Catholic Press and World Library Publications teamed up for the album. The entire $16 retail cost of the CD-only album is being donated to Catholic Charities USA, which set up a relief fund the day after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The publishers hope to make an $80,000 donation to Catholic Charities in August, representing a sellout of all 5,000 copies of the album manufactured. “(Catholic Charities’) Disaster Response Office connects the church’s social service agencies and disaster planning offices across the nation,” the publishers said in an introduction to the CD.
Annual International Rosary Day will be held this afternoon at 3 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd. with Father John Putnam, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, as the speaker. For more details, call Kathleen Potter at (704) 366-5127. 10 HICKORY — Engaged Encounter is for couples planning marriage, who desire a richer, fuller life together. Although the encounter weekend is Catholic in origin and orientation, it is open to couples of any faith. Couples are encouraged to attend the weekend three to six months prior to their wedding date. Engaged couples may take part in one of several Engaged Encounter weekends, which will take place at the Catholic Conference Center, 1551 Trinity Lane: today through May 12, Aug. 23-25, Sept. 20-22 and Oct. 25-27. For registration and other information, call Carl Whitesel at (704) 987-9420 or (888) 310-9040 or e-mail eeregistration@yahoo.com.