The Catholic News & Herald 3
November 25, 2005
FROM THE VATICAN
Modern culture leaves people in state of adolescence, says pope ingly withdraw upon himself and close himself in a suffocating existential microcosm, in which there is no place for the great ideals that are open to transcendence and to God,” the pope said. All these cultural currents tend to leave people in a state of infancy or prolonged adolescence, he said. Men and women unable to understand themselves as creatures in relationship to a divine reality end up living in “the narrow enclosure of their own selfishness.” He asked the pontifical academies to promote a “new humanism” based on Christ as a model of goodness, beauty and truth. During their meeting, the academies awarded their annual prize, which went this year to Giovanni Catapano for his recent publication on philosophy in the early works of St. Augustine.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Returning to a key theme of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI said modern culture tends to promote selfishness and selfcenteredness, leaving people in a state of “prolonged adolescence.” The pope made the remarks in a message to the annual joint session of the major pontifical academies, including the academies for sciences, social sciences, life, fine arts and archaeology. The topic of the academies’ encounter was Christ as the “measure of true humanism.” The pope said it was a crucial theme for a modern culture marked by subjectivism, extreme individualism and relativism. Today’s culture “pushes people to make themselves the ultimate measure” of things, he said. The individual ego has become “the only criterion to evaluate one’s reality and one’s choices.” “In this way, man tends to increas-
GREENSBORO — The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians of Guilford County will join with the Men’s AOH Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. for a Christmas Wine and Cheese Social at St. Pius X Church, 2210 North Elm St. Please bring a baby gift for Room at the Inn. On Dec. 17, the LAOH will have a Christmas Tea at 3 p.m. at the O. Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Rd. Please call Marilyn Conte for information at (336) 632-1340.
SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE
GREENSBORO — The Reemployment Support Group of St. Paul the Apostle Church will meet Dec. 1, 7:30-9 p.m., in Room 8 of the Parish Life Center, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Rd. If you are currently out of work or looking to make a career change, join us for encouragement, support and informative topics to help you in your job search. For more information, call Colleen Assal at (336) 294-4696, ext. 226. GREENSBORO — The Coffee Talk for Adults Advent Series will meet Dec. 4, 11 and 18, 10:3011:15 a.m., in the Youth Room of St. Pius X Church, 2210 North Elm St. For more information, call the church office at (336) 272-468.
SALISBURY VICARIATE CONCORD — The National Night of Prayer will take place Dec. 8, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., at St. James the Great Church, 139 Manor Ave., S.W., in unity of prayer with thousands across the country highlighting eucharistic adoration and silent prayer followed by recitation of the rosary and prayerful song and music. For more information contact Lisa Metz, St. James Respect Life Ministry, at (704) 785-9566 or email sjmetz7@msn.com. SALISBURY — Sacred Heart Church, 128 N. Fulton St., celebrates a Charismatic and Healing Mass the first Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. Prayer and worship with prayer teams are 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.
Episcopal calendar
MURPHY — St. William Church, 765 Andrews Rd., will host a Homecoming for Inactive Catholics in the church commons Dec. 4 at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (828) 837-2000, e-mail stwilliam@tri-county.main.us.nc.us or visit www.st-william.net.
People have right to keep genetic status unknown, says geneticist
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Until science can cure genetic defects and illnesses, it must protect an individual’s right to keep his or her genetic status unknown, a geneticist told a Vatican conference. The Nov. 17-19 conference on the human genome, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, featured top-level scientists and physicians who reported progress in the field of genetics and cautioned about the ethical problem of what to do with information when no cure is possible. Giovanni Neri, professor of genetics at Rome’s Sacred Heart University, said counseling must be part of the process of sharing genetic test results with a patient. “The recognition that there is a genetic disease running in the family will be perceived by the family as a stigma, a mark of imperfection,” he said. Counseling can ensure the family understands the real risks involved and can assist them in reaching “responsible reproductive decisions.” Neri said that a basic, absolute re-
quirement is that the tests are performed only on consenting adults. “In this respect, special care must be taken to protect the right of not knowing one’s genetic status, especially when children are involved, and/or when there is no effective treatment for the disease that is being considered,” he said. Dr. George Robert Fraser, an expert on genetic defects in children, told the conference that while great progress has been made on mapping the human genome and identifying anomalous genes “we are only at the beginning” of finding therapeutic uses for the information. The physician acknowledged “a tendency to resort to abortion” when a fetus is diagnosed with a genetic malformation. Fraser said that since the emphasis of medicine is on “the preservation of life,” he believes that, as the possibilities for cures increase, the resort to abortion will be seen as “a transient phase in the development of genetic medicine.” The physician also said scientists and ethicists must work together to ensure that no one suffers discrimination based on his or her genetic code.
Baskets of love
WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE WINSTON-SALEM — Spend Advent with Mary. Join us for four weeks with Mary as guide, model and companion during the Advent season. The retreat meets at Portiuncula Franciscan Spiritual Center, 211 W. Third St., Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 and 21, 7-8:30 p.m. For additional information, call Sister Kathy Ganiel at (336) 624-1971 or e-mail portiuncula@bellsouth.net. WINSTON-SALEM — The Compassionate Care-Givers meet the first, third and fifth Thursdays of each month at St. Benedict the Moor Church, 1625 East 12th St. This group provides affirmation, support and prayer for people who have cared for and are caring for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and any other chronic illnesses. For more information call Sister Larretta Rivera-Williams at (336) 725-9200.
Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Please submit notices for the Diocesan Planner at least 15 days prior to the event date in writing to Karen A. Evans at kaevans@ charlottediocese.org or fax to (704) 3703382.
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
Nov. 27 — 4 p.m. Dedication of new church Holy Family Church, Clemmons
Dec. 4 — 2:30 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte
Nov. 29 — 12 p.m. Meeting with vicars forane Diocesan Pastoral Center, Charlotte
Dec. 7 — 3 p.m. Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice honors Diocesan Pastoral Center, Charlotte
Nov. 30 — 7 p.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Joan of Arc Church, Asheville
Dec. 8 — 10 a.m. Mass at Maryfield Retirement Community Groundbreaking for Pennybyrn at Maryfield High Point
Photo by Karen A. Evans
Mike Maynard, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, loads a basket of food into the car of a Catholic Social Services client at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Charlotte Nov. 21. More than 100 baskets filled with non-perishable food and grocery vouchers were donated by St. Matthew Church to clients of Catholic Social Services in Charlotte. The church collects food each year for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Attention Readers! HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Have you experienced a Christmas miracle, or have you had a special Christmas experience? If so, would you be willing to share it with the readers of The Catholic News & Herald? Please contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans at (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.