October 10, 2008
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Perspectives Pastors and politics; exploring the difference between living and dwelling
Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI OCT. 10, 2008
Campaign ’08
Once allies on immigration, Obama, McCain now diverge
| Pages 14-15 Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Thousands gather for Eucharistic Congress by
KEVIN E. MURRAY editor
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
CHARLOTTE — Incense wafted up to the clear blue sky as the silence of uptown Charlotte was broken by the sound of bells, prayers and song. Despite worries of gas prices and shortages, spirits were high among the Catholics who processed through the streets of uptown Charlotte Oct. 4. People from across the 46-county Diocese of Charlotte joined Bishop Peter J. Jugis as he carried a monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament from St. Peter Church to the Charlotte Convention Center. The eucharistic procession was part of the fourth annual diocesan Eucharistic Congress held Oct. 3-4. Thousands of people attended the two-day event, themed “It Is Christ Whom We Proclaim.” The theme was taken from
People kneel reverently as Bishop Peter J. Jugis carries a monstrance during the eucharistic procession through uptown Charlotte Oct. 4.
See CONGRESS, page 7
by PATRICIA ZAPOR Catholic News Service
Editor’s note: This is second in a series on the 2008 election. WASHINGTON — Not long ago, the two leading presidential candidates clearly supported the same approaches to fixing the dysfunctional U.S. immigration system. In 2006, Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was among those working to try to pass the ill-fated comprehensive immigration reform bill co-written by Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Although they were on
What would Jesus do?
no. 42
‘It Is Christ Whom We Proclaim’
Reform plans differ on approach, issues
See CAMPAIGN, page 5
vOLUME 17
Proclaiming Christ’s word Congress speakers inform and inspire
Scholars look at morality in the Bible
by
KATIE MOORE staff writer
by CINDY WOODEN catholic news service
Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series on the Bible. VATICAN CITY — Even when it comes to morality, Catholics are not biblical fundamentalists, although they view the Bible as an important source of moral guidance, said
Photo by Katie Moore
See BIBLE, page 4
Father Richard Ho Lung performs with Jamaican singers during the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4.
CHARLOTTE — A diverse group of speakers presented, challenged and enlightened their audiences with a variety of topics at the Diocese of Charlotte’s fourth annual Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte Oct. 3-4. Covering everything from architecture to bioethics, this year’s speakers educated and inspired with presentations on their areas of expertise in both English and Spanish.
The congress’ keynote speaker was Cardinal John P. Foley, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. In his talk Friday evening, Oct. 3, Cardinal Foley reflected on eucharistic congresses in general and especially focused on the 1976 International Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. See SPEAKERS, page 6
Eucharistic Congress
Culture Watch
Life Chains
Articles and photographs of the fourth annual congress
Book on church and politics; local deacon helps marriages
Hundreds participate in pro-life event in diocese
| Pages 1,6-9,16
| Pages 10-11
| Page 12
October 10, 2008
2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Although spiritual directors are not seeing much effect on their work from the nationwide economic crisis thus far, many predict that financial burdens facing the people they counsel will eventually affect their spiritual lives as well. That was the consensus from Catholic News Service interviews with Catholic spiritual directors chosen at random from the Web site of Spiritual Directors International. “Right now I can’t say that I’ve seen an increase” in concerns about the economic situation, said Sister Beatrice Ste. Marie, a School Sister of Notre Dame who serves as a spiritual director in the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y. “But the insecurities prompted by the financial crisis raise a number of spiritual issues for people,” she added. “I expect that I’m going to see and hear more of it.” Jesuit Father Kenneth Caufield of New York said, “I don’t have many
Mexicans vs. Minutemen
CNS photo by Christina Lee Knauss, Catholic Miscellany
Mexican consul Rosa Curto (center) looks over documents with people seeking identification cards outside St. James Church in Conway, S.C., Sept. 27. A visit by consulate staff drew hundreds of people seeking immigration services, as well as protesters who oppose illegal immigration.
Mobile Mexican consulate helps immigrants, is target of protests CONWAY, S.C. (CNS) — A visit by a mobile Mexican consulate to a Catholic church in Conway drew hundreds of people seeking immigration services but also sparked a protest by activists opposed to illegal immigration. Members of the Horry County chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps and other local residents showed up to protest the consulate’s visit because they said it helped Hispanics who were in the country illegally get fake identification. Officials from the mobile consulate, based in Raleigh, N.C., said they were there to help Mexican nationals get valid cards called “matriculas” that could be used for travel or to prove identification in other situations. Consulate staff set up their services at St. James Church Sept. 27, with large crowds of people gathering at the church throughout the day. The group of 20 Minuteman held signs with anti-immigration slogans and some that criticized the Catholic Church and St. James Church for allowing the consulate’s visit. Michael Visnjic, leader of the Horry County Minuteman chapter, refused to be interviewed by The Catholic Miscellany, newspaper of the Charleston Diocese, because he said he had disagreements with the Catholic Church over its treatment of illegal immigrants and other issues. Other protesters refused to give their names, and some said it was because they feared reprisals from proMexican activists. “I’m protesting the fact that the
Too early to see effects of financial crisis on faith lives, some say
Mexican consulate is giving out fake IDs,” said Ted Sejda, a Vietnam veteran. “These people are using these IDs to get bank accounts and other things illegally. Illegals are overrunning the country.” The mobile Mexican consulate’s workers were in Conway to provide photo ID cards, said Rosa Curto, a Raleigh-based Mexican consul who serves North and South Carolina. To get the “matriculas,” people had to provide original documents such as birth certificates which were checked against a database of Mexican records, she said. “Every year we schedule our visits in areas where there is a large Mexican community,” Curto said. “People can use these cards to prove their nationality. They have an official ID they can show to authorities and use to do things like cash a check.” Father Rick LaBrecque, pastor of St. James Church, invited the mobile consulate to visit. The church serves a large Hispanic community in Conway and at its nearby mission church. “We knew it would be a real service to our community,” he said. “This consulate provides people with a universally recognized ID. We mainly wanted to provide a service to our parishioners, but anyone who came for the services is welcome.” The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is a volunteer organization with state chapters around the country. Members provide local law enforcement agencies with what they say is evidence of violations of U.S. immigration law.
Diocesan planner For more events taking place in the Diocese of Charlotte, visit www.charlottediocese. org/calendarofevents-cn. ALBEMARLE VICARIATE
BISCOE — A presentation on “The Catholic Church’s Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform” will take place at Our Lady of the Americas Church, 298 Farmers Market Rd., Oct. 22, 7 p.m. Antonio Cube, national director of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign, will present. For directions, go to www.charlottediocese.org, click on “Parishes.” For more information on this topic, visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org. This event is sponsored by the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, Catholic Social Services and Our Lady of the Americas Church.
ASHEVILLE VICARIATE
ASHEVILLE — A public square rosary will be held in honor of the 150th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, Oct. 11 at 12 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of Pack Place Education Arts & Science Center, 2 S. Pack Sq. This rosary is in conjunction with 3,000 others nationwide and is coordinated by The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property and its America Needs Fatima campaign. For more information, contact Lisena Maria Moss at (828) 254-4526 or jemoss@charter.net.
BOONE VICARIATE
BOONE — A presentation on “The Catholic
people who have been affected” because he provides spiritual direction primarily to men and women religious. “I get it indirectly, in their concern for their families,” he said. Sister Iris Ann Ledden, a School Sister of Notre Dame, provides spiritual direction individuals in the Lexington, Ky., area. “None of them has really brought up that this is affecting” their faith lives, she said. “It’s a little too early. But down the line I may begin to see it in a different light.” But Sister Ledden has seen some changes in the lives of those with whom she works. “One directee had retired, but now is going to have to go back to work,” she said. Another told Sister Ledden she is now going to have to make appointments with her in conjunction with other activities she has scheduled, in order to save on gas costs. “They’re all beginning to feel the pinch,” she said. Church’s Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform” will take place at St. Elizabeth Church, 259 Pilgrims Way, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. Antonio Cube, national director of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign, will present. For directions, go to www.charlottediocese.org, click on “Parishes.” For more information on this topic, visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org. This event is sponsored by the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, Catholic Social Services and St. Elizabeth Church.
CHARLOTTE VICARIATE
CHARLOTTE — The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians invites women of the diocese to join them in celebrating their Irish-Catholic heritage. The next meeting will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd., Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Jeanmarie Schuler at (704) 554-0720. CHARLOTTE — A four-week Catholic Scripture study on “Humanae Vitae,” Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on contraception and the role of procreation in marriage, will be offered at St. Ann Church, 3635 Park Rd. Classes begin Oct. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. and will meet weekly through Nov. 6 in classrooms 1 & 2 of the activity center. For more information, contact Brian and Angela Williams at angiegirl67@yahoo.com or (704) 847-7311. Deadline for registration is Oct. 9. CHARLOTTE —A series of talks on “Understanding Your Late Life Choices” will be held at St. Gabriel Church, 3016 Providence Rd., on four consecutive Wednesdays beginning Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The first talk, “A Doctor’s Viewpoint on our Aging Brain” will be presented by Charlotte neurologist Dr. Mohammad Bolouri Oct. 22. These talks are free and open to the public. To make reservations, call St. Gabriel Church at (704) 364-5431. For more information, call Suzanne Bach at (704) 335-0253. CHARLOTTE — Elizabeth Ministry in conjunction with the diocesan Respect Life Office will be hosting “God’s Children, God’s Blessing: A Community-Based Response to Poor
October 10, 2008 Volume 17 • Number 42
Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray STAFF WRITER: Katie Moore 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
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October 10, 2008
The Catholic News & Herald 3
FROM THE VATICAN
Vatican official urges governments to rid world of nuclear weapons VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Humanity deserves to live in a world that is free from nuclear weapons, a Vatican official told the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency. Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s chief foreign affairs official, said the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty, which aims to limit the spread of nuclear weapons, is “an important element for further development of nuclear energy applications for peaceful purposes” and “it must not be weakened.” “Humanity deserves no less than the full cooperation of all states on this important matter,” he said. Nearly 200 countries have agreed to the treaty, including the U.S., U.K., Russia and China. The archbishop spoke Sept. 29 during the 52nd International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference, held in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 29-Oct. 4.
Archbishop Mamberti said the Vatican urges government authorities to “resume with greater determination a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons.” “Global security must not rely on nuclear weapons” and to that end governments must work together to support and enact the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, he said. The treaty would ban nuclear explosions for military or civilian purposes. More than 40 countries must ratify the treaty for it to be enacted. The U.S., China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have not yet ratified the treaty. He said the Vatican is convinced the ratification and enforcement of this treaty would represent “a great leap forward for the future of humanity, as well as for the protection of the earth and environment entrusted to our care by the Creator.”
Prenatal Diagnosis” Oct. 24, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center, 1123 S. Church St. The purpose of this conference is to help the Catholic community better encourage parents to carry to term after a poor prenatal diagnosis. Registration is required. For information, contact Tracy Winsor at (704) 543-4780 or e-mail at ohboys@ carolina.rr.com. CHARLOTTE — St. Peter Catholic Church, 507 S. Tryon Street, hosts “Learning and Voting the Common Good,” a presentation by Father James Hug, in Biss Hall (beneath the church) Oct. 25, 9 -11 a.m., with refreshments served at 8:30 a.m. Father Hug is executive director for the Washington, D.C.-based Center of Concern, a Catholic organization working in collaboration with ecumenical and interfaith networks to bring a prophetic voice for social and economic justice to a global context. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Barbara Dellinger at (704) 807-6125. MINT HILL — A public square rosary will be held in honor of the 150th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, Oct. 11 at noon at The Park on Fairview, 8850 Fairview Rd. This rosary is in conjunction with 3,000 others nationwide and is coordinated by The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property and its America Needs Fatima campaign. For more information, contact Donna Shaheen at (704) 882-7504.
Church, 2205 West Market St., Oct. 18, 1-3 p.m. The celebrant for the Mass will be Father Fidel Melo, pastor. Music will be provided by Freeway. Richard Collins, parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Church, will be speaking about the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. Healing teams will be available for personal ministry after the Mass. For more information, contact Ben D’Apollo at (336) 812-3730. GREENSBORO — A presentation on “The Catholic Church’s Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform” will take place in the Parish Life Center at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek, Oct. 20. 7 p.m. Antonio Cube, national director of the U.S. bishops’ Justice for Immigrants Campaign, will present. For directions, go to www. charlottediocese.org, click on “Parishes.” For more information on this topic, visit www. justiceforimmigrants.org. This event is sponsored by the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office, Catholic Social Services and St. Paul the Apostle Church.
GREENSBORO VICARIATE
GREENSBORO — To honor the 35-year anniversary of the St. Joseph Intercessory Prayer Group, a celebration will be held in the Kloster Center at St. Pious X Church, 2210 N. Elm St., Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m. Speakers will be Father James Stuhrenberg, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Church, and Hannah Hammer, parishioner of St. Pius X Church. Music will be provided by Freeway. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Pat Condon at (336) 288-6093. GREENSBORO — The parish health ministry and flames of fire prayer group will sponsor a charismatic healing Mass at Our Lady of Grace
Episcopal
calendar
Pope urges church to help couples see beauty of natural procreation VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The church must find ways to help Catholic couples see the beauty of respecting the true design of procreation and avoid artificial reproduction and contraception, Pope Benedict XVI said. Pope Benedict asked why is it that the world and many Catholics still have a difficult time understanding the church’s teachings 40 years after Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on human life and birth control. The encyclical, “Humanae Vitae” (“Of Human Life”), “illustrates and defends the beauty of conjugal love” while respecting the divine laws of nature, he said in a written message addressed Oct. 3 to participants of an international congress dedicated to the encyclical. The Oct. 3-4 congress in Rome was sponsored by Rome’s Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family. Pope Benedict said technical responses to “the great human questions” such as life and death often seem to offer the easier solution. “But in reality (a technical solution such as artificial contraception) obscures the underlying question concerning the meaning of human sexuality” and the need for couples to exercise “responsible control” over their sexual desires so that the expression of those desires
may become expressions of self-giving, “personal love,” he said. When talking about love between two people, technical responses cannot replace “a maturation of freedom,” the pope said. Reason is not enough for understanding the true meaning of conjugal love, he said, as “the eyes of the heart” also are needed to grasp the demands of true love and “embrace the totality of the human being.” The church, in its teachings and pastoral programs concerning marriage and the family, “must know how to guide couples to understand with their hearts the wonderful plan God has inscribed in the human body.” Pope Benedict also praised and encouraged the work of Catholic research institutes for their efforts in helping couples overcome infertility through natural methods that fully safeguard the dignity of human procreation. “The possibility of procreating a new human life is included in the full giving” of husband and wife, he wrote. By creating life, the expression of conjugal love not only “resembles, but takes part in the love of God who wants to express himself by calling people” to be open to life, he said. Excluding the possibility of bringing new life into the world denies “the intimate truth of nuptial love,” he said.
Blessings in all shapes and sizes
WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE
WINSTON-SALEM — The national “40 Days for Life” campaign will be held Sept. 24 through Nov. 2. In addition to 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion in America, consider volunteering to pray outside of the Planned Parenthood abortion facility at 3000 Maplewood Ave. Volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday during the 40 days. For more information or to volunteer, contact Donna Dyer at (336) 940-2558 or Toni Buckler at (336) 782-6062, or visit www.40daysforlife. com/winstonsalem.
Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to kmmoore@charlottediocese. org or fax to (704) 370-3382.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
Oct. 12 (7 p.m.) Sacrament of confirmation Our Lady of Mercy Church, Winston-Salem
Oct. 17 (10 a.m.) Diocesan Finance Council meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte
Oct. 16 40 Days for Life vigil Charlotte
Oct. 18 (10 a.m.) Sacrament of confirmation St. James the Greater Church, Concord
CNS photo by Cheryl Ravelo, Reuters
A Catholic priest sprinkles holy water on a baby Bengal tiger during World Animal Day in Malabon, Philippines, Oct. 4. The blessing coincided with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.
4 The Catholic News & Herald
EXPLORING THE BIBLE
Scholars look at morality in the Bible BIBLE, from page 1
top Catholic scholars. The various books of the Bible were written in different epochs, in different cultures and by different authors, the scholars said, so when looking for moral precepts, a Christian cannot focus on just one line. In their new document, “The Bible and Morality,” the scholars on the Pontifical Biblical Commission said biblical morality is not so much a set of dos and don’ts as it is a set of principles meant to help Christians grow in perfection and contribute to establishing God’s kingdom on earth. The English translation of the document rolled off the Vatican printing press Sept. 24, less than two weeks before the opening of the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible. In the 235-page booklet, the biblical scholars presented two main criteria for judging human actions or potential actions: Does it protect and promote the dignity of the human person? Does it conform to something Jesus would do? With those two criteria in mind, and taking into account the fact that some biblical precepts are repeated so often that their ongoing validity cannot be denied, the scholars addressed only a very few specific moral questions. Acknowledging a development in morality throughout the Old Testament and culminating with the teaching of Jesus, they said the Bible: clearly insists on protecting human life from conception to natural death; defends marriage as the lifelong union of a man and a woman; obliges human beings to safeguard the environment; and insists that priority be given to the needs of the poor, the weak and the sick when making decisions. Commanding values The scholars opened their document with a reprint of the Ten Commandments and the beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount. The biblical idea of morality is more than “a code of behavior to be adopted or avoided” or “a list of virtues and vices to be practiced or countered” in order to protect individuals and society, they said. For Christians, living according to biblical morality is a spiritual quest, the document said, and striving to act in a morally upright manner is a response to God’s gift of love and his willingness always to forgive. The Ten Commandments are not the harsh part of a carrot-and-stick approach God takes to dealing with humanity, but contain the principles necessary so that each person and all people together can deal responsibly with the freedoms God has given them, the scholars said. The commandments promote the values of paying homage to God, recognizing his presence in the world, recognizing that time has a sacred value, honoring the family, upholding the right
CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec
Shown is the New American Bible, family edition. to life, safeguarding marriage, defending human freedom and dignity, protecting people’s reputations, respecting their family and group ties and respecting personal property. The scholars said the commandments “are presented in decreasing order of value, from the most to the least important,” with God at the top and material goods at the bottom. Unfortunately, they said, modern societies often seem to assign value in the completely opposite way, not just putting human beings before God, but putting material goods before people. In his life and in the Sermon on the Mount, they said, Jesus literally radicalized the values promoted by the Ten Commandments, urging his listeners to strive toward perfection in truly being an image of God in the world. For the scholars, that striving is a key point of biblical morality: Just as God revealed himself and his plan for salvation over time, the human response to God’s gift is something that naturally occurs in stages and includes failures, forgiveness and starting again The Eucharist is both nourishment to strengthen believers and the renewal of Christ’s total sacrifice, which reminds believers that they must never be content with divisions and moral failures, they said. “Unless there is obstinate resistance on the part of individuals or the community, participation in the Eucharist will always be a strong call to conversion and the best means to give new vitality to the covenant, which renews the life and conduct of the church and, through the church, of the world,” they said. As some 250 bishops prepared to gather at the Vatican for the synod discussion on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,” the biblical commission document reminded readers that what the Bible reveals is not a specific moral code, but God himself. What the Bible demonstrates, the scholars said, is that “God is not a dour creditor intent on putting his accounts in order, but a benevolent creator who restores human beings to their pristine conditions of being loved by him and mends the damage inflicted on the cosmos” by their errors.
October 10, 2008
Here’s the word: Catholics must know Bible to know Jesus, say bishops by CINDI WOODEN catholic news service
VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church wants people to know and love the word of God — the Bible — so that they will come to know and love the Word of God — Jesus Christ. While the world Synod of Bishops is focusing on ways to educate Catholics in the importance of reading, understanding and praying with the Bible, several participants addressing the synod Oct. 6-7 insisted that people understand that for Christians the Word of God is Jesus. “When asked what ‘the word of God’ is, many believers respond, ‘the Bible.’ The response is not wrong, but it is incomplete,” said Italian Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, rector of Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University and president of the Pontifical Academy for Life. Because the word of God is more than the Bible, he told the synod Oct. 7, Christianity is not so much a “religion of the book” as a “religion of the Word,” who is Jesus.
Brazilian Bishop Filippo Santoro of Petropolis said it is through reading and hearing the written word that Christians can come into contact with Jesus, the Word made flesh. Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec, introducing the synod’s work Oct. 6, said, “to begin, we must start from the mystery of a God who speaks, a God who is himself the Word and gives himself to be known by humanity in many ways.” Through creation, through his covenant with the Israelites, through the prophets and the Scriptures, God reveals himself, said the cardinal, the synod’s recording secretary. God’s revelation becomes complete in Jesus Christ. The Bible contains the essential account of how God has spoken to humanity, he said. “Thanks to the Bible, humanity knows it has been called by God; the Spirit helps humanity listen and welcome the word of God, thus becoming the ‘ecclesia’ (church), the community assembled by the Word,” Cardinal Ouellet said.
October 10, 2008
The Catholic News & Herald 5
campaign ’08
Attention Readers! Have a Story to Share?
Obama, McCain on immigration
Contact Staff Writer Katie Moore at (704) 370-3354 or kmmoore@charlottediocese.org. CAMPAIGN, from page 1
the same page two years ago, as the 2008 election approaches, distinctions between the two candidates on the issue have become more pronounced. Both candidates’ policy statements on immigration contain many of the elements promoted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in its election guide, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” But the ways in which Obama and McCain say they would approach their policy goals diverge, with McCain now taking an enforcement-first approach, while Obama continues to support addressing a wide range of problems at the same time. “Faithful Citizenship” calls for a reform plan that includes “a temporary work program with worker protections and a path to permanent residency; family reunification policies; a broad and fair legalization program; access to legal protections, including due process and essential public programs; refuge for those fleeing persecution and exploitation; and policies to address the root causes of migration.” The 2006 McCain-Kennedy bill would have provided a path to legalization for many of the estimated 12 million immigrants who are in the country without proper documents, reformed the family immigration system and created a new temporary-worker program. That bill and several subsequent versions crafted over the next year failed to get enough Republican support to come to a vote in the Senate. The House has held hearings on assorted immigration bills, but has not brought a wide-ranging bill to the floor. The few bills that have come through Congress and made it into law in the last several years have all been focused on a border fence and enforcement measures. As the presidential campaign progressed over the last year, McCain said he no longer would support his own bill because he has come to believe the U.S.-Mexican border must be secured against illegal entry before changes are made in law or policy. The immigration plan on his campaign Web site says that only after border-state governors certify that “the borders are secure” would he work on other immigration issues. Those later steps would include prosecuting “employers that continue to hire illegal immigrants,” addressing labor demands for immigrant workers, and dealing with the backlogs in family immigration and the millions of undocumented immigrants already here. Obama’s immigration plan backs the multipronged approach referred to as comprehensive reform. While he also talks about better equipping border agents, he would at the same time seek a legalization program and make family immigration easier, according to his Web site. Obama has said he would push for a comprehensive immigration reform bill in his first year in office. Like Obama’s plan, McCain’s plan
would require undocumented individuals to register, pay fines and back taxes, undergo background checks and wait for permanent legal status behind applicants who are applying for residency through the normal process. McCain’s proposal adds, “The program will also ensure that all undocumented aliens either leave or follow the path to legal residence.” It does not elaborate on how that would work. A key to McCain’s shift in stated priorities on immigration lies in the “enforcement-first” emphasis of the GOP’s base. The Republican Party’s platform takes a more stern approach to immigration than McCain has. It devotes lengthy sections to “the rule of law” as the overriding principle for immigration policy, and says “we oppose amnesty.” It also says “the American people” have rejected the idea of mass legalization. It calls for completing the fence on the Mexican border, denying federal funds to “sanctuary” cities that don’t actively seek information on immigration status and opposes allowing undocumented immigrants to have driver’s licenses. It also calls for a 2010 census that counts “every person legally abiding in the United States.” That would be a reversal of Census Bureau policy and its concerted efforts in recent censuses to count every individual no matter his or her legal status. Census data is used to allocate funding for schools, police and emergency services and other programs provided without regard to legal residency status. The Democratic Party platform calls for comprehensive immigration reform in language that closely mirrors Obama’s position paper. Kevin Appleby, director of migration and refugee policy for the USCCB, said he believes that as president either McCain or Obama would “engage the issue.” Although Obama has seemed more inclined than McCain to push for a comprehensive immigration bill quickly, “we’ll be able to work with either one of them,” Appleby said. “When all is said and done, by the third year of the new administration, either one of them will fully engage the issue.” Immigration has not been much of a factor in the campaigning of either candidate — at least not in English. In Spanish-language media Obama and McCain have waged a battle of advertising and press releases. The New York Times Sept. 19 took both candidates to task for lying about each other in Spanish-language advertisements on immigration. It called one ad by McCain accusing Obama of helping kill last year’s comprehensive reform bill “a jawdropping distortion.” The Times editorial said Obama’s retaliatory ad “was just as fraudulent.” It said the ad “slimed Mr. McCain as a friend and full-bore ally of restrictionists like Rush Limbaugh, even though Mr. Limbaugh has long attacked Mr. McCain’s moderation.” The editorial noted that “immigration was broken long before the candidates started this repugnant ad war, and looks as if it will stay that way for at least the duration of this campaign.”
6 The Catholic News & Herald
October 10, 2008
eucharistic congress
Speakers inform and inspire SPEAKERS, from page 1
“I want people to get a sense of the implications of the Eucharist,” said Cardinal Foley in an interview with The Catholic News & Herald. Eucharistic congresses are important because they “give us an opportunity to celebrate our faith together and give witness of our belief to others,” he said. In keeping with the theme of this year’s Eucharistic Congress, “It Is Christ Whom We Proclaim,” Cardinal Foley encouraged the audience to imitate St. Paul by sharing faith with gratitude, with pride and with love. “As Catholics I think we are sometimes too shy about sharing our faith with others,” said Cardinal Foley. “Faith is the only thing that increases as we give it away,” he said. “Why don’t we attempt to share that with others?” The homilist during the holy hour and Benediction on Saturday morning, Oct. 4, was retired Archbishop John F. Donoghue, second bishop of Charlotte. Archbishop Donoghue talked about the human reality of hunger and “the need for substance that amasses from the depth of our being.” “The food that nourishes our soul is Jesus Christ,” said Archbishop Donoghue. “We are here to do this in his memory and bring to the Lord every good thing that we are as people and as church.” The archbishop spoke about the diversity of our church as represented by the attendees at this year’s Eucharistic Congress. “Our roles, talents and our gifts are as countless as the stars in the sky,” said Archbishop Donoghue. “Throughout this day we are here to share our gifts and to help one another,” he said. “Culture, language, age difference and prayer style will not divide us, but instead draw us together, giving us a better sense of who we are and how Christ lives in each of us.” The first speaker for the general session was Father Richard Ho Lung, founder of the Missionaries of the Poor, an international monastic order of brothers dedicated to service of the poor. The title of Father Ho Lung’s talk was “Servant of the Poor” and focused on the Eucharist and the transformation
of human love into divine love. “The Lord is calling us to love the poor, the stranger, the prisoner, the discarded and the forgotten,” said Father Ho Lung, “to love our enemy and do good to those who hate us. It is a type of living and loving which transforms the world.” Father Ho Lung’s presentation featured a musical performance by six members of the group “Father Ho Lung and Friends,” made up of Jamaican artists performing songs written by Father Ho Lung. When asked about the importance of music in his ministry, Father Ho Lung said, “It is a natural expression of who I am and the joys in my heart.” The next speaker for the general track was Tarek Saab, who appeared on NBC TV’s “The Apprentice.” During his delivery, entitled “Faith Gut Check,” Saab stressed the importance of living with the afterlife in mind. “There is a spiritual warfare ablaze in our society,” said Saab. “Losing one’s life is nothing compared to losing one’s soul.” Saab shared a similar message when he talked to the high school-age audience. “We are a country of addicts,” he said. “We’re addicted to so many things that we seemingly can’t live without. They take time away from our faith and distort our view of society.” In terms of what he wanted audience members to take away from his talk, Saab said, “My greatest hope is that people will shift their priorities.” “Power isn’t having the world at your fingertips,” he said. “Power is having the world at your fingertips and being able to give it up.” Following Saab was a presentation by architectural historian Denis McNamara, assistant director and faculty member of the Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. In his lecture, “Proclaiming Christ in Sacred Art and Architecture,” McNamara said he wanted people to “come away with an understanding that church architecture and theology work hand in hand.” “On earth we try to use material of earth to reveal what heaven is like,” said McNamara. “We’re getting ready for heaven by experiencing the glory of heaven now.” For McNamara, the study of sacred architecture has “been the vehicle that
Photo by Vicki Dorsey
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Photo by Katie Moore
Photo by Vicki Dorsey
Clockwise (from upper left): Speakers Dominican Sister Terese Auer, Roberto Ramirez, Sister Bertha Lopez Chavez and Cardinal John P. Foley are pictured during the Eucharistic Congress Oct. 3-4. God has chosen for me to find my path to salvation.” But you don’t have to be an architectural historian to reap the spiritual benefits of sacred art and architecture. McNamara suggests reading the Book of Revelation, particularly chapters four and 20, for inspiration. “In Revelation, St. John is taken on a tour of heaven by an angel. If you make your church look like that, and your liturgy sound like that,” McNamara said, “then you have a very good start.” Dominican Sister Terese Auer was the final speaker for the general session. Sister Auer is the chair of the bioethics department at Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Dumfries, Va. In her address, “Proclaiming Christ through Our Reverence for the Human Person,” Sister Auer spoke about the dignity of the human person and how that is related to being in the image of God. “Bioethics is the study of how we can use the life sciences and medicine in an ethical way,” Sister Auer told the audience. “The criterion for any ethical issue is to focus on the human person.”
She stressed the importance of this curriculum being incorporated into the science departments in our schools because she said “we want young people to be able to handle the bioethical issues of our time.” “In a society where science reigns supreme, we need an ethical balance so that science serves the person” as opposed to dominating the person, she said. In terms of how bioethics ties into the moral responsibility of Catholics in today’s world, Sister Auer said, “It is a hand and glove fit.” Speakers for the Hispanic track included Roberto Ramirez, a member of the Community of the Servants of Christ, who offered testimony of his conversion experience that called him to make radical changes in his life; Lupita Venegas, a family therapist and international speaker on human development; and Sister Bertha Lopez Chavez, a prolife coordinator in Mexico, founding member of The City of Joy Foundation in Mexico and a director of PAIPID, a Catholic rehabilitation center providing care and counseling for people with HIV and AIDS and their families.
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eucharistic congress
The Catholic News & Herald 7
Thousands gather for Eucharistic Congress CONGRESS, from page 1
St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, as the congress occurred during the Pauline year convoked by Pope Benedict XVI to honor the 2,000th anniversary of the saint’s birth. “The Eucharistic Congress is an opportunity for the entire diocese to come together each year to celebrate our faith and our love for the eucharistic Lord,” said Bishop Jugis in a June letter to parishioners about the congress. “The Eucharist brings us together as one body in Christ. It is the source and the summit of our Christian life, as well as the heart of our Christian life,” he said. Knights of Columbus color guard and first communicants from around the diocese led the procession, followed by deacons and priests of the diocese and guest clergy, including retired Archbishop John F. Donoghue, second bishop of Charlotte. Following Bishop Jugis in the procession were representatives of many of the 92 parishes and missions in the diocese, as well as religious ministries, lay ministries and cultural
groups. Hundreds of people watching the procession along the city streets knelt reverently as the Eucharist passed by, and many of them joined the procession behind their parish banners. “This shows that our faith is alive and well,” said Joseph Barrett, a parishioner of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton. “For Catholics and non-Catholics, this is a good witness for our faith.” “It’s great to see people from all over the diocese,” said Grace Narus, a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte. “It’s growing each year because the church is growing bigger and better,” she said. The procession made its way into the convention center, where a holy hour followed with eucharistic adoration, prayer and song. Archbishop Donoghue delivered the homily during the holy hour. Spirit-filled song Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin of Charlotte opened the congress with a greeting Friday evening, Oct. 3, followed by a concert of sacred choral music. T h e c h o i r, c o m p r i s e d o f approximately 110 singers from 14 churches around the Diocese of Charlotte, performed a collection of songs that represented the seasons of the liturgical
Photos by Kevin E. Murray
Above: Thousands of people participate in the vigil Mass of the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4. Left: Priests concelebrate the vigil Mass of the Eucharistic Congress Oct. 4. year and various time periods in the history of the Catholic Church. “We really did try to span all variables of music history,” said Tiffany Gallozzi, concert conductor and music director at St. Barnabas Church in Arden. Following the concert, Cardinal John P. Foley spoke about the importance of eucharistic congresses. Cardinal Foley, the grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, talked about his experiences at the1976 eucharistic congress in Philadelphia, one of two international eucharistic congresses held in the United States. Afterward Cardinal Foley’s talk, eucharistic adoration took place throughout the night at St. Peter Church, with a number of groups — including clergy, religious, young adults and families — each spending an hour before the Blessed Sacrament.
Conveying the Word More music and speakers were featured throughout Saturday’s program. A choir from Charlotte Catholic High School entertained the crowd, as did Father Richard Ho Lung, founder of the Missionaries of the Poor. He spoke and performed with singers and musicians from Jamaica, while another lively band entertained the thousands of people attending the Hispanic portion of the congress. The talks in English and Spanish featured a variety of topics by several diverse speakers, including a reality TV star and a bioethicist. Tarek Saab, a Maronite Catholic who appeared in 2005 on NBC’s “The Apprentice,” spoke to both teenagers and the general audience about living their faith. Denis McNamara, an architectural historian, presented the importance of sacred art and architecture. Dominican Sister Terese Auer, chair of the bioethics department at Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Virginia, discussed the importance of protecting human dignity. Speakers at the Hispanic track included Roberto Ramirez, an active member of the Servants of the Living Christ, a community of lay people; Lupita Venegas, a family therapist and international speaker; and Sister Bertha Lopez Chavez, a pro-life coordinator in Mexico. In addition to a large vendor area and cultural hours — where members of the African-American, Korean, Filipino and Vietnamese Catholic communities shared their cultures and traditions — there was a series of talks for middle- and highschool students and children. Congress participants spent time in eucharistic adoration and hundreds received the sacrament of reconciliation offered in both English and Spanish. Bishop Jugis has announced plans for a fifth Eucharistic Congress to be held at the Charlotte Convention Center Sept. 25-26, 2009.
8 The Catholic News & Herald
eucharistic congress
October 10, 2008
‘It Is Christ Whom We P
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Bishop Peter J. Jugis carries a monstrance into the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4.
Thousands of people take part in the eucharistic procession toward the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. Oct. 4. T Congress, this year themed “It Is Christ Whom We Proclaim.”
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Above: Hundreds of people visit the vendor area during the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4. Right: Teens dance during the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4.
Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay
October 10, 2008
The Catholic News & Herald 9
eucharistic congress
Proclaim’
Reflecting and proclaiming Participants contemplate theme of Eucharistic Congress by
DEACON GERALD POTKAY correspondent
Photo by Vicki Dorsey
Bishop Peter J. Jugis raises the monstrance during the holy hour of the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. Oct. 4.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
The procession kicked off the second day of the Eucharistic
Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay
First communicants are pictured before the eucharistic procession through uptown Charlotte Oct. 4.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
People take part in eucharistic adoration during the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. Oct. 4.
WANT MORE PHOTOS? More photographs from the 2008 Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte are available online at the diocesan Web site, www.charlottediocese.org.
CHARLOTTE — Thousands of Catholics from around the Diocese of Charlotte converged for the diocese’s fourth annual Eucharistic Congress. The event, this year themed “It Is Christ Whom We Proclaim,” was held at the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 3-4. The theme was taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, as the congress occurred during the Pauline year convoked by Pope Benedict XVI to honor the 2,000th anniversary of the saint’s birth. “St. Paul’s sole passion was to proclaim Christ,” said Bishop Peter J. Jugis in a June letter to parishioners announcing the congress theme. “In our Eucharistic Congress, it is Christ whom we proclaim in our eucharistic procession through the streets of Charlotte, in our holy hour of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, in the celebration of the Mass, in the talks by our speakers and in our sacred music concert,” said Bishop Jugis. “The entire Eucharistic Congress from beginning to end is a proclamation of Christ,” said the bishop. “The theme we have chosen, therefore, not only honors St. Paul and his apostolic mission, but also appropriately expresses the spirit of the Eucharistic Congress — to proclaim Christ.” Throughout the two-day event, participants reflected on the theme and what it means to them. “I proclaim Jesus as King by going to church, praying and believing in him,” said teenager Jairo Riascos, a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Monroe. “I know that he (the eucharistic Jesus) exists for real and I proclaim him as my Savior by my actions, which include following the commandments and receiving the sacraments.” “By proclaiming Christ in our lives, we must give of ourselves to his life as we follow the Bible and love one another,” said Nguyen Van De of St. Joseph Church in Charlotte. “We must give ourselves completely to Jesus and pray for his forgiveness as we join him along his way. This will bring us to eternal life.” By proclaiming Christ, we speak the “good news” across the entire world, said Peter Shaw, a seminarian for the Diocese of Charlotte. To paraphrase “the words of St. Francis, we must go out into the world and proclaim the Gospel and, when necessary, we should even use words,” said Shaw. “We must proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior because he commanded us to,” said Deacon Andy Cilone of Immaculate Conception Church in Forest City. “He is the Good News. He is the answer to our worldly strife. We accomplish this by living like him and imitating him in all things — all the way to picking up our own crosses and following him.”
October 10, 2008
10 The Catholic News & Herald
Culture Watch
A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more
Archbishop calls Catholics to fight for ‘soul of public square’ reviewed by DAVID GIBSON catholic news service
“God did not put us here to sit out the struggle for the soul of the public square,” Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver writes in “Render Unto Caesar.” If one needed to sum up the book’s principal intent in just 18 words, that sentence might well suffice. Archbishop Chaput wants Catholics in today’s America to nourish their nation’s greatest ideals with “courage, honesty and active political engagement,” and without leaving their faith on the sidelines of the public square. He carefully explores how faith and political life interrelate — what their relationship should and should not be. I suspect many will feel after reading this book that they’ve gotten to know Archbishop Chaput in a new way, particularly if in the past they knew him largely through brief quotations in news reports on occasions when he weighed in publicly on the church and politics. This is, indeed, a book of strongly held convictions, strongly presented. Still, more than a few Catholics — whether right-leaning or left-leaning on political or ecclesial issues — may find themselves challenged by the archbishop’s restraint and balance here on several sensitive matters. What does Archbishop Chaput oppose and favor in “Render Unto Caesar”? In his vision, Catholics never would remain silent or complacent when faced with abuses of human dignity and violations of the natural law in the public realm. Neutrality is decidedly not what Archbishop Chaput wants Catholics to express in public debate, nor does he want Catholics reduced by contested issues to a cowardly posture. The archbishop wants Catholics to shape their activities in the public square according to their beliefs. If America “has changed from the land of opportunity to the land of private appetites over the last few decades,” one reason is that “we haven’t lived what we say we believe,” he says, adding, “Homelessness, poverty, abortion, the exploitation of undocumented immigrants, the neglect of the elderly — these are brazenly real problems in contemporary America. “They won’t go away by ... kicking religion out of the public discussion.” For its survival, American democracy “depends on people of character fighting for their beliefs in the public square — legally, ethically and nonviolently, but forcefully and without apology,” says Archbishop Chaput. The 12 chapters of “Render Unto Caesar” afford Archbishop Chaput the
WORD TO LIFE
Sunday Scripture Readings: Oct. 19, 2008
Oct. 19, Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A. Readings: 1) Isaiah 45:1, 4-6 Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10 2) 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b Gospel: Matthew 22:15-21
God’s compassion is infinite as universe by JEFF HENSLEY catholic news service
opportunity to examine several issues now considered basic in discussions of the church and politics: abortion; the Catholic voter; whether to refuse holy Communion to some Catholic politicians; conscience; the separation of church and state; the natural law; bishops’ roles; and major statements in the recent history of these discussions. “Elected leaders,” he says, “must make laws that reflect a well-formed conscience. When such laws are not produced, those same leaders must press to change them.” Furthermore, he insists, Catholics need to look much more self-critically at themselves as believers and at their “wholesale assimilation — ‘absorption’ might be a better word” — by America’s culture. It is quite natural for a book on Catholics and political life to turn some attention to church teaching on the relationship of the church and the modern world, a relationship that has preoccupied the entire church in a unique, ongoing way ever since the Second Vatican Council. This relationship is addressed in a special way in Chapters 6 and 7 of “Render Unto Caesar” — key chapters for me. In the council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, readers can see “a generous desire to positively engage the modern world,” Archbishop Chaput says. He points in a positive manner to church efforts to establish solidarity with the world’s people and learn from the good things of this world. At the same time, driving home his theme, he says Vatican II did not welcome “the extremes to which free societies tend,” and he rejects any conclusion “that religion has nothing to say to the public square.” Chapter 7 concludes with this judgment: “Too many of us have become ‘evangelizers’ in the most ironic sense of the word: preaching the world to a church we claim to love, but which we no longer really understand.” Gibson was the founding editor of Origins, Catholic News Service’s documentary service.
When I was a young man and had wandered away from God, one of the things that led me back to faith was my wonder at the enormity of creation. My wife and I were in VISTA, a sort of domestic Peace Corps. We worked a half day in the local schools and with poor people in the rural Arkansas foothills the rest of the day. We didn’t do any harm and did a bit of good. I like to say it was the best money the federal government ever spent, because my wife has worked with poor kids ever since those days in 1971. Living out in the country afforded me the luxury of taking my landlord’s redwood picnic bench out onto the gravel drive in front of our tiny frame house evenings to lay down, lean back and take in more stars than I had ever seen before. The thought of tiny me, gazing up
at what God had created, opened up my heart to be in utter awe that the one who had created all this had also created me. And because I’d been raised a Christian, I had a sense that despite his own incredible complexity, power and scale, he loved little, truly insignificant me. Now the road to conversion only begins in such places. My wife and I began going to the little Catholic church up the road. We found fellowship and had religious dialogue with some of the other VISTA volunteers. I read the Bible a lot. When we moved back to Fort Worth, we began sporadically attending our neighborhood Catholic church. In time, we committed to attending regularly, believing we would get back only as much as we gave, and without committing ourselves, that wouldn’t amount to very much. Our faith lives just kept on growing from that point, and we’ve never looked back or regretted making those commitments, responding to the love of a God large enough to create the universe, but humble enough to become one of us. The Scriptures for this weekend speak of the greatness of God. Psalm 96 says: “For great is the Lord and highly to be praised; awesome is he, beyond all gods. For all the gods of the nations are things of naught, but the Lord made the heavens.” I couldn’t agree more. Questions: How does the complexity and beauty of the universe affect you and your faith life? How does God’s compassion toward you make you feel?
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
Scripture for the week of Oct. 12-18 Sunday (Twenty-eight Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 25:6-10, Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20, Matthew 22:1-14; Monday, Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31--5:1, Luke 11:29-32; Tuesday (St. Callistus I), Galatians 5:1-6, Luke 11:37-41; Wednesday (St. Teresa of Avila), Galatians 5:18-25, Luke 11:42-46; Thursday (St. Hedwig, St, Margaret Mary Alacoque), Ephesians 1:1-10, Luke 11:47-54; Friday (St. Ignatius of Antioch), Ephesians 1:11-14, Luke 12:1-7; Saturday (St. Luke), 2 Timothy 4:10-17, Luke 10-1-9. Scripture for the week of Oct. 19-25 Sunday (Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 45:1, 4-6, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, Matthew 22:15-21; Monday (St. Paul of the Cross), Ephesians 2:1-10, Luke 12:13-21; Tuesday, Ephesians 2:12-22, Luke 12:35-38; Wednesday, Ephesians 3:2-12, Isaiah 12:2-6, Luke 12:39-48; Thursday (St. John of Capistrao), Ephesians 3:14-21, Luke 12:49-53; Friday (St. Anthony Mary Claret), Ephesians 4:1-6, Luke 12:54-59; Saturday, Ephesians 4:7-16, Luke 13:1-9.
The Catholic News & Herald 11
October 10, 2008
Local deacon works to ‘fireproof’ marriages GASTONIA — A deacon in Gastonia is helping to “fireproof” the sanctity of marriage in his community. Deacon Jack Weisenhorn of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia was instrumental in bringing together married couples and firefighters for a screening of the movie “Fireproof.” The film stars Kirk Cameron as a small-town fireman who, under the guidance of his born-again father, works to save his seven-year marriage, despite the unyielding obstinacy of his wife. The message — that a successful marriage is grounded in the knowledge that God loves us with all our faults — is the overriding virtue of the heartwarming, evangelical-flavored film, according to a review by Harry Forbes, director of the U.S. bishops’ Office for Film & Broadcasting. Deacon Weisenhorn is a founder
Bishops’ document on election goes high tech in podcast, video format
and board member of First Things First of Gaston County, a nonprofit organization working to reduce the number of divorces in the county through pre-marriage education and ongoing marriage enrichment programs. After the deacon and his wife, Rosemarie, attended an advance screening of the movie in Charlotte in July, they wanted to share its message with as many people as possible. Upon discussing ideas with Father Roger Arnsparger, pastor of St. Michael Church, they decided to buy out a showing of the movie after its opening Sept. 26 and promote it in the community. Because firefighters are featured prominently, Deacon Weisenhorn wanted to extend invitations to local firefighters. After a meeting with Gastonia Fire Chief Kenneth Lay, the church arranged for 90 tickets to be given to Gastonia-area firefighters.
Courtesy Photo
Deacon Jack Weisenhorn (right) of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia gives a “Fireproof” movie ticket to Gastonia Fire Chief Kenneth Lay at a Gastonia fire house Oct. 3. Also pictured is Cheryl Harden, director of First Things First of Gaston County.
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Ask Catholic teenagers if they’ve read a recent document by the U.S. bishops and you might get a blank look. But ask if they’ve heard of the bishops’ statement “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility,” either through a podcast, a video quiz on YouTube or its page on the social networking site Facebook, and you might get a nod of recognition. That’s what the U.S. bishops are hoping anyway. “Faithful Citizenship,” the document that urges Catholic voters to form their consciences around a variety of social concerns based on Catholic social teaching, is not something new. The bishops initially published the document in 1975 and produce a new version of it about every four years to coincide with the national elections. The document for the 2008 election was approved by the bishops in November 2007. But this time the document looks a lot younger. For starters, its Web site, www.faithfulcitizenship.org, has resources for youths and those who work with them. The site is “tech savvy,” according to Jill Rauh, youth and young adult coordinator for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development. “I think if the church is going to be effective at communicating the message of
‘Faithful Citizenship,’ and all its messages, it needs to do so in ways that are appealing to young people,” Rauh said. She said getting youths to go beyond just reading the text or hearing about it is key to the new push behind the “Faithful Citizenship” quizzes, an iPod contest on the site and video clips. The hope is that young people will not only get the document’s message but talk about it, reflect on it and apply it to their lives. The Web site suggests some formats for talking about “Faithful Citizenship,” such as one called “Coffee Discussion,” which includes a series of questions about social issues and Catholic teaching that friends could informally talk about over coffee. And youth ministers and religious educators are not limited to just making handouts of the document. Instead they are given ideas for skits, murals, openmicrophone nights and prayer services based on “Faithful Citizenship.” Rauh said the outreach to younger people is a recognition that they have “an important role to play in living out faith as leaders in the Catholic community. They are both the future and the present in our church.” And even if these Catholic youths are not old enough to vote, she said, they “still have a responsibility to be faithful citizens” — to be active in their communities and to challenge their leaders.
12 The Catholic News & Herald
October 10, 2008
respect life
Standing up for life
Hundreds of Catholics around the Diocese of Charlotte took part in Life Chains to show their support for pro-life causes on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 5.
Courtesy Photo by Jerry Schmugge
Pro-life supporters take part in a Life Chain outside St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte Oct. 5.
Courtesy Photo by David Foppe
A boy holds a pro-life sign during a Life Chain in Greensboro on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 5. Approximately 860 people participated in the Greensboro Life Chain.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Youths hold signs during the Life Chain outside of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Charlotte on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 5.
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Above: Children take part in the Life Chain outside of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 5. At left: Pro-life supporters take part in a Life Chain outside St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 5.
Photo by Katie Moore
Photo by Kevin E. Murray
Approximately 40 people stand in a Life Chain outside of St. Ann Church in Charlotte on Respect Life Sunday Oct. 5.
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October 10, 2008
A prize for poetry
around the diocese
The Catholic News & Herald 13
Welcoming a new pastor
Photo by Vicki Dorsey
Gwen Parris, regent of Court St. Mary, Mother of God 2534 of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, is pictured with Kaitlyn Karcher, 10, at St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Sylva Oct. 1. Kaitlyn, a parishioner of St. Mary, Mother of God Church, won second place for poetry in the grades 4-5 division of the Catholic Daughters 2008 national education contest. She received her award from Maryann Grabasky, Catholic Daughters N.C. state regent and national director, at a ceremony at the church Sept. 21. Kaitlyn’s poem, “Darkness Nevermore,” reflected “Jesus, the Light of the World,” one of the two contest themes.
Courtesy Photo
Bishop Peter J. Jugis is pictured with Redemptorist Father Joseph Dionne after his Mass of installation as pastor of St. James the Greater Church in Concord Sept. 29. Redemptorist priests have served the parish since 1974.
October 10, 2008
14 The Catholic News & Herald
Perspectives
A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints
Home is where the heart is Exploring the difference between living and dwelling “Where do you live?” is a not uncommon question; you hear it every day. However, I recently heard an unusual answer to that question when a would-be wordsmith I know replied by saying, “I live wherever I am. I’m right here. I’m alive. Here is where I am, so this is where I live.” And then he added, “If you are asking me where I dwell, I’m happy to say that I dwell in Baltimore. I’ve dwelt there all my life.” Strange, isn’t it, that “dwelling” carries something of a quaint connotation for most of us. Although it implies stability, it’s rarely used as a meetingof-the-coordinates, here-and-now specification of the place where you lay your head at night. No, that’s where you live. There are many people who lived in Baltimore and moved. They live there no longer, but they are still alive. The same can be said of virtually any place or point on the map. Those who live in a given place today may not be living there tomorrow, but they will still be alive; they will have simply changed dwellings. So, “Where do you live?” is not an uncomplicated question. You’ve heard many musings on what makes a house a home. You are aware of the distinction between a house and a household, a resident and a residence. (Keep on looking if you’re on a college tour with you son or daughter and you visit a campus that calls its dormitories “resident halls.”) Well, the fellow who prefers to speak of where he dwells when asked where he lives also has a ready response whenever anyone inquires about his home. “Home is where my heart is,” he replies, “and my heart is now ....” Circumstances will shape the
What’s not ‘crystal clear’ about candidate’s views?
Nancy Frazier O’Brien’s article (“Candidate’s stands on life cover more than abortion,” Oct. 3) stated that “neither presidential candidate is crystal clear and consistent on these (life) issues.” But Sen. Barack Obama has been very clear, stating he is pro-choice, would only recommend pro-choice candidates for Supreme Court nominations, has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and would make preserving women’s right under Roe v. Wade a priority as president.
Looking Around JESUIT FATHER WILLIAM J. BYRON cns columnist
completion of that reply, so will the identity of the questioner. Not everyone has a right, he says, to know where his heart is at a given moment, or to whom his heart belongs, what it values, to what it is committed. “Home is where your heart is” is a beautifully compelling idea. If it triggers thoughts of places rather than persons, you have to wonder to what extent you are fully alive and engaged with other living beings. Lingering regrets may try to direct you back to an earlier time, when you think about home, but that is not going to happen. You can’t go back. You cannot up-end the hour glass or roll back the calendar. Irreversible decisions may have separated you from persons and left you with memories of empty places that are now out of reach. There’s no way home — except through the heart. Simple questions like, “Where are you from?” and “Where are you staying?” can open the door to reflection on your interior life and your most closely held values. Questions like that can be good for the soul. Next time you hear someone call out, “Is anyone home?” remind yourself that home is where your heart is, and check to see who and what are there. That’s where you really live, isn’t it?
All the difference in the world Perinatal hospice option helps parents deal with poor prenatal diagnosis Editor’s note: This is part of a series on prenatal diagnosis. Counting the number of babies “carried to term” may seem an unusual benchmark for success unless you are familiar with a new kind of “crisis pregnancy” impacting abortion rates in the United States. The crisis results from the detection of fetal defects that are being diagnosed earlier in pregnancy due to advances in prenatal screening technologies. Sadly, early diagnosis does not necessarily offer parents the hope of treatment. Instead the focus shifts from the baby — for whom there may be no cure — to a clinical perspective that views the pregnancy as the condition requiring intervention. Abortion is then offered by medical providers who see little reason to continue a pregnancy when the prognosis is poor. In approximately 80 percent of these pregnancies, parents choose abortion. This past summer in Greenville, S.C., a new program for pregnant parents celebrated its first year with an unexpected milestone. “I thought we might see five babies carried to term,” said Tammy Tate, CEO of Carolina Perinatal Support Network (CPSN). “Having ultimately served the families of six times that many is quite a surprise.” CPSN is one of a handful of perinatal hospice programs established to serve the 6,000-10,000 couples for whom abortion is not an option. As an obstetrics nurse, Tate was aware of the service gap that existed for these parents. Through practical guidance, education and compassionate support, CPSN provides ongoing assistance to parents from diagnosis to birth and beyond. “We work to ease the emotional suffering experienced by parents while helping them make meaningful plans to honor the lives of their babies no matter the length of those lives,” said Tate. Perinatal hospice care is wellreceived by parents carrying to term who are suddenly burdened by a lack
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He has criticized the Supreme Court decision that upheld a ban on partialbirth abortions, and recently proposed a new law that would wipe out state laws that have restricted abortions, such as parental notification. I believe Sen. Obama has made his position crystal clear on the most important of life issues. — John Martin Indian Trail
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Life Issues Forum TRACY WINSOR guest columnist
of information and support. This is particularly difficult as the experience of the diagnosis is isolating, and the decision not to abort may leave parents feeling alienated from the health care system. Parents also note the profound grief resulting from the loss of the normal pregnancy and healthy baby they had anticipated, and the importance of being able to consider questions of baby care in advance while anticipating both the joy and grief of birth. The benefit of perinatal hospice has also been recognized in the Catholic community. The National Catholic Bioethics Center noted in a 2004 statement that such services are a source of psychological support that can ease the emotional distress associated with the diagnosis of a fetal defect. In addition, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops directed readers to an online hospice resource in a 2007 document addressing the issues of prenatal diagnosis and abortion. Dr. Byron Calhoun, a maternalfetal-medicine specialist, introduced the concept of perinatal hospice, believing the benefit of such programs extends beyond supporting just those who decide to carry to term on their own. His experience has been that when offered a comprehensive program of support, parents will choose carrying to term over abortion. This is particularly true if the option of perinatal hospice is made clear at diagnosis when fear of suffering and sense of isolation may well color the decision to terminate. In this way, perinatal hospice is providing a viable, pro-life alternative to abortion. Proof of that assertion lies in the difference between the five babies Tate expected and the 30 babies whose families ultimately received the supportive care of CPSN this year. In providing support to those for whom abortion was not an option, CPSN by its very existence asserted the sanctity of all human life, no matter how brief or how frail. This year in Greenville, parents devastated by the news of a lethal prenatal diagnosis had an alternative to abortion, and for a couple dozen precious babies, that alternative made all the difference in the world. Winsor is the regional perinatal bereavement coordinator for Elizabeth Ministry International and a parishioner of St. Peter Church in Charlotte. For more information regarding available support services, contact elizabethministry@ roadrunner.com.
October 10, 2008
The Catholic News & Herald 15
Pastors and politics
U.S. Catholic Church is under magnifying glass on tax-exempt status Should pastors endorse political candidates from the pulpit? No. Should church bodies endorse candidates in elections? No. Should churches speak out about the moral content of social issues? Yes. Does the government have the authority to withdraw the tax exemption of a church that gets directly involved in electoral politics by endorsing a candidate? Yes. You would think the answers to these questions would be obvious, but every four years they come up again. At the end of September, some evangelical pastors nationwide violated the Internal Revenue Code and made public endorsements of presidential candidates or parties. They contended that the IRS regulations that forbid electioneering by tax-exempt organizations violate their constitutional right to free speech. Their “protest” was organized by a group called the Alliance Defense Fund (www.alliancedefensefund.org). Some of the pastors endorsed Sen. John McCain. Similarly there have been pastors around the country who endorsed Sen. Barak Obama. This question comes up nearly every presidential election cycle. On one side, somebody challenges the right of religious groups to speak on social issues, seeking to muzzle the role of the churches in the formation of their members’ consciences. The tax
exemption is the chief weapon. On the other side are churches that take an active role in politics. They invite candidates to speak from their pulpits. They distribute “issue” literature in an implicit endorsement of a candidate. They use tax-exempt property to influence elections. None of this takes place in a vacuum. On both sides there are socalled “watchdog” groups that pretend to neutrality but actually seek to use the tax exemption to their advantage. As the largest church in the United States, the Catholic Church is particularly under the magnifying glass on this issue. The evangelical pastors who made the protest at the end of September don’t want to pay the price of their tax exemption. They have a right to their opinion but they do not have the right to ask the tax payers to subsidize their opinion. The government gives tax exemptions to many groups because they contribute to the “commonweal.” Years ago, Chief Justice John Marshall famously said that the “power to tax is the power to destroy.” The tax exemption allows exempt groups to flourish. Churches are not the only groups exempted. Perhaps the best-known provision of the Internal Revenue Code is the 501(c)(3). People who know nothing of tax regulations know this section of the law, which states that, “to be tax-exempt ... an organization must be organized
Reject fear of the unknown Benefits of embracing beauty and trusting God Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), the Lutheran theologian and martyr who opposed the Nazi movement, wrote, “Nothing can make up for the absence of someone you love. ... The dearer and richer the memories, the more difficult the separation. “But gratitude changes the pangs of memory into tranquil joy. The beauties of the past are borne, not as a thorn in the flesh, but as a precious gift.” Everyone goes through unbearable suffering of one kind or another. Many become disoriented, losing their bearings for while. If that ever happens to you, try to remember that you have a divine friend at your side. You are never alone. The late Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, wrote: “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. “Nor do I really know myself. The fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. I hope that I will never do anything apart from you. And I know that if I do, you will lead me by the right road. “Though I may seem lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
Merton never mistook feelings of helplessness for actual hopelessness. He trusted God, even in the midst of confusion. The Bible repeats “be not afraid” 365 times. Jesus said, “Fear is useless; what you need is trust.” Whenever frightening thoughts cross your mind, reject them. Turn your mind toward the Lord, and count your blessings. St. Francis de Sales tells us: “Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and everyday. Either he will shield you from suffering or he will give you unfailing strength to bear it. “Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.” Reject fear of the unknown future. Even the elderly can change the pattern of negative thinking. Bad habits can be confronted and uprooted with prayerful determination. Trust the Lord to do for you what you cannot yet do for yourself. Eliminate anything that fosters fear. These thoughts are not from God. But if the upsetting thoughts continue, find a good doctor or therapist to guide you.
Parish Diary FATHER PETER DALY cns columnist
and operated exclusively for exempt purposes” that are “charitable, religious, educational, scientific,” even literary, to name a few. But freedom from taxation comes at the price of electoral “neutrality.” If you want to “play” in electoral politics, you ought to “pay” on April 15. If you want the government to exempt you from taxation, you should not ask the government to subsidize your electioneering. Hardly a week goes by that someone exiting Mass does not ask me about my personal views on some political candidate. Sometimes the person comes up with some provocative statement designed to get me to react. As an Irishman, I have opinions, of course. If you want them, we can go have a beer and talk them over. But as a pastor, I cannot endorse any candidate. In recent years, too many people have played “capture the cross” in electoral politics. Some pastors have even run for office. They try to give the impression that Christianity has chosen sides in elections, that God has a candidate. As Catholics, we promote the common good. As Catholic priests, we seek to form consciences. But as leaders of tax-exempt organizations, we leave the electioneering to others.
Spirituality for Today FATHER JOHN CATOIR cns columnist
Above all, trust in God’s grace. The dark night of the soul is only temporary. One day the sun will come out and the snow will melt. Also trust the past to God’s mercy and the future to God providence. Look for God in the beauty of nature. Stay in the present moment, which is right before your eyes. Wrote Thomas Kinkade: “Beauty enters your heart through all the senses, and beauty grows stronger when more than one of the senses is involved . ... Our joy can grow and flourish when fed a steady diet of beauty.” A sunset is God’s way of saying “I love you.” God awakens in you a desire to be one with him. Everything in nature awakens in us a hunger for God. At a general audience in April of 2002, Pope John Paul II addressed the pilgrims with these words, “The need for God is a need that can be as physical as the need for food and water. Just as the arid land is dead until irrigated by rain, so the faithful yearn for God, in order to exist in joyful communion with him.”
People need to learn about Jesus with their hearts, says pope The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People need to learn about Jesus not as a historical figure but as “our brother, the Lord who is among us today,” Pope Benedict XVI said. Biographical details and a chronology of events give people a superficial idea of who someone is; “only with the heart does one finally truly know a person,” the pope said Oct. 8 at his weekly general audience. Jesus’ life, teachings, his death and resurrection are important things to discover not as things of a distant past but as “a reality of the living Jesus,” the pope told around 25,000 people gathered for his audience in St. Peter’s Square. The pope focused on St. Paul’s knowledge of “the so-called historical Jesus” given that the saint never met Jesus during his earthly ministry. He said St. Paul’s understanding of Christ and his teachings came from the apostles and the early Christian community. St. Paul took this information to a new level by transposing Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom of God to what the kingdom meant after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here is the text of the pope’s audience remarks in English. Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our continuing catechesis on St. Paul, we now consider Paul’s relationship to the so-called “historical” Jesus. In a celebrated passage, Paul states that “even though we once knew Christ according to the flesh, we no longer know him in that way” (2 Cor 5:16). Here the Apostle does not claim that he knew Jesus during his earthly ministry, but rather that he once considered Jesus from a merely human standpoint. Significantly, Paul’s knowledge of Christ came from the preaching of the early church. Both his initial rejection of Jesus and — after his conversion on the road to Damascus — his preaching of the glorified Christ was based on the Gospel as proclaimed by the first Christian community. In his Letters, Paul refers explicitly to the facts of Jesus’ earthly life as well as to his teaching. His letters also reflect many central themes and images drawn from the preaching of Jesus. Paul’s teaching on the Jesus’ identity as the Son of the Father, in whom we receive redemption and adoptive sonship, is clearly derived from the Lord’s own experience and teaching. In a word, Paul’s knowledge of Jesus and his proclamation of the risen Lord as God’s Son and our Savior, was grounded in the life and preaching of Jesus himself.
October 10, 2008
eucharistic congress
The Catholic News & Herald 16
The spiritual sounds of the Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE — Spiritual and lively music highlighted the fourth annual diocesan Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte Oct. 3-4, featuring singers and performers from throughout the Diocese of Charlotte and beyond.
Photo by Deacon Gerald Potkay
Photo by Katie Moore
Sisters from the Oblate Apostles of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary perform for youths during the diocesan Eucharistic Congress at the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4.
Singers perform during the sacred choral music concert at the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 3.
Escape winter on a diocesan trip! Don’t wait - over half full!
Photos by Kevin E. Murray
Above left: Musicians perform during the Hispanic track at the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4. Above right: A violinist from Jamaica performs during the congress Oct. 4.
Photo by Katie Moore
The Charlotte Catholic High School choir performs during the Eucharistic Congress in the Charlotte Convention Center Oct. 4.
Published on Oct 10, 2008
Catholic News Herald - Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina. The official newspaper of the Diocese of Charlotte...
Published on Oct 10, 2008
Catholic News Herald - Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina. The official newspaper of the Diocese of Charlotte...