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News & Herald
Serving Catholics in
Lighting
A
Western North Carolina
Volume 3 Number 14 • December 3, 1993
in the Diocese of Charlotte
Candle...
Bishops To Continue Unresolved
On
Debate
English WASHINGTON (CNS) — To re-
solve issues raised in their extended liturgy debate in
November,
the U.S.
Catholic bishops have agreed to extend
June assembly in San Diego, tak-
their
ing an extra day to discuss the principles
behind liturgy texts. One of the basic issues: How literally should Latin prayers be translated into English, a language with significant structural differences? Should the Vatican translation guidelines in effect since 1969 be revised in light of experience since then? What makes the debate especially crucial at this time is the fact that the bishops are embarking on one of their most important liturgy decisions in a quarter-century: a new translation of the Sacramentary, the book containing all the prayers of the Mass. The process of evaluating and approving a new English Sacramentary, expected to last at least two to three years, began at the bishops'
November meeting. The seriousness with which
During the debate it was also evident that there was considerable support
among
the bishops for a proposal
Cardinal Roger
M. Mahony
debate they had over the
process itself for reviewing the pro-
posed text. The process they finally approved included changes designed to
geles to extend the timetable for the project
by a year or two.
For
starters, the
bishops voted to
on the first segment of the Sacramentary. Originally, they were supposed to vote during their meeting on that segment. But they decided it, too, should undergo the delay until next year
a. vote
more rigorous review process
that fu-
segments will go through. The first segment consists of opening prayers, prayers over the gifts and prayers after Communion for the Sundays of "Ordinary Time" the weeks between the end of Christmas season and Lent and between Pentecost and Advent. Originally, the bishops were to consider the remaining six segments at their meetings in 1994 and 1995. Now it
ture
—
up
at a
slower pace.
According to several Catholic News Service sources, the bishops decided on the extra study day in June at the suggestion of their president, Archbishop William H. Keeler of Baltimore.
strengthen the doctrinal evaluation of
each
by
of Los An-
appears likely that they will take them they
are addressing the project could be seen In the lengthy
Liturgy
In
See Liturgy, Page 3
text.
Pope: Church Teaching Does Not Restrain 'Generosity Of Love' ^
student at
Our Lady of
the
Asssumption School
in Charlotte lights a
candle on Advent
Photo by
JOANN KEANE
Vreath.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholic
ope Plans Pastoral Visit To -ebanon If Security Permits —
VATICAN CITY (CNS) Pope ohn Paul II plans to make a pastoral isit to Lebanon in mid- 1 994 to comfort le Church community there after years f civil strife, a papal spokesman said. Security factors in Lebanon remain big concern for the Vatican, however, nd it is possible the trip could be delyed if the pope's safety cannot be ssured, spokesman Joaquin Navarro'alls said Nov. 26. The papal visit is currently on the genda for next year, probably in June, lavarro- Vails said. It would come ahead f a special synod for Lebanon that is xpected for 1995 at the earliest. The urpose of the trip is "to comfort the ishops and Catholics of various rites /hich are present in that martyred land"
synod, the spokesman said. The pope has said many times that
C wants to travel to Lebanon, which as the strongest Catholic presence of py Middle Eastern country. He and ther
Church
officials are particularly
oncerned about Christian migration out f the country over recent years.
"It is
humanity rendered by
Paul II said. Rather, he said, the Church'
new
While a 1989 peace accord ended non,
some Church
leaders insist that
self-determination for the country is only
possible
if
the peace accord is fully
enforced. That includes withdrawal of all
foreign forces from Lebanon's bor-
ders, they say. Israeli, Palestinian, Syrian and Iranian-backed forces operate in Lebanon, and the factional militias that were deeply involved in the years of civil war have
not been completely disarmed.
The pope announced synod
in 1991.
lished last
A
March
the Lebanese
synod outline puband
said Christians
Muslims should join in restoring the country as a model of interreligious cooperation in the Middle East.
observance of the
feast.
this great
pope
is
aimed at helping couples see
ing character of the doctrine he reaffirmed and the strong resistance offered
life as
an expression of their com-
by those opposed
Humanae
to it," the
pope
said.
Vitae "touches essential
The Church recognizes the legitimacy of using natural methods of family planning when couples decide they
aspects of the experience spouses are
have a valid reason to delay having a child, the pope told a Vatican-sponsored conference marking the 25th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's encyclical on human life and married love. "Adhering fully to God' s design for matrimony, couples do not feel impoverished in their love, but on the contrary, experience the fullness of their mutual dedication," the pope said. The Nov. 25-26 conference on the
distinct attention" of all pastoral
Humanae Vitae (Of Human was sponsored by the Pontifical
encyclical Life)
Council for the Family.
More
than 100
Catholic university leaders, moral theologians and people involved in ministry
Holy Day
the Catholic Center will be closed in
in the
is
to families took part.
Next Wednesday, Dec. 8, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. All offices in
how
gaining recognition despite the demand-
plete self- giving.
16 years of factional fighting in Leba-
comforting to see
Catholic Church today the service to
hood is not designed to put "a restraint on the generosity of love," Pope John teaching
nd to help prepare the local Church for le
teaching on sexuality and parent-
Pope John Paul
said
Pope
Paul, "in
promulgating this highly valuable document in one of the most delicate and difficult moments of his pontificate, showed apostolic courage, love for the truth and authentic fidelity to God and to
human
beings."
called to live as their
means of sanctifi-
cation" and is a document requiring "the
work-
ers.
Greater scientific attention to the accuracy and benefits of natural family planning and the "silent and serene witness" of couples who use it show the
world "the
full
compatibility between
the requirements written in
by the Creator
human nature and the requirements of
the person,
between the harmony of the
couple and the respect owed to God's design for the generation of human life," the
pope
said.
how it can be that some people who profess great concern for the environment can be so little con-
He
asked
cerned about the human person and proAnd how, he asked, can someone alarmed by the increasing "medicalization" and possible manipulation of human sexuality "not apprecicreation.
harmony between human nature and the person proposed by the church ate the