Feb 20, 1998

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News & Herald

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Volume 7 Number 24

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

«

February 20, 1998

Kansas Bishops Offer Guidelines For Welfare Policy —

KANSAS CITY (CNS) Welfare changes in Kansas must take into account the need to provide adequate income, basic health care, adult education and child care, according to the state's Catho-

age productive work and protect vulnerable children.

"We ought it

to

believe the target of reform be poverty, not poor families,"

said.

highlighted by North Carolina Catholic

The four bishops who signed the statement were Archbishop James P. Keleher of Kansas City and Bishops Eugene J. Gerber of Wichita, George K. Fitzsimons of Salina, and Stanley G. Schlarman of Dodge City. The statement was timed to coincide with the Kansas Legislature's 1998 terra,

Bishops William G. Curlin and

which runs

lic

bishops. In a statement approved Feb. 3 and

released Feb. 13, the four bishops outlined priorities and policy

grams

recommenda-

pending revisions to

tions for

state pro-

for the poor.

The guidelines raise

Gossman

similar concerns

Joseph

F.

November 1997 pas"Of One Heart and One

in their

toral letter,

Mind."

The statement says welfare

into

May. Several

bills deal-

ing with aspects of welfare, medical care

and child care have been introduced. The bishops said lasting welfare

legisla-

See Welfare, page 3

tion should strengthen families, encour-

Aimed to Meet Needs Of Young Adults Ministry By

MIKE KROKOS Editor

Edward

HICKORY

Archdiocese of St. Louis visited the Charlotte Diocese last week. He concelebrated Mass with long-time friend Bishop William G. Curlin on Feb. 1 5 at St. Patrick Cathedral. Both served in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Auxiliary Bishop

K. Braxton of the

Larry Cadomiga were looking for a to get involved with their

said the pope's

many

Cuban

ten far in the past for various reasons,

Smith

visit

of the positive as-

said.

"We are designed to be more

than a singles group," she explained.

"We start by developing friendships

As members of St Aloysius Church, they attended Mass regularly and even assisted with the parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program Now, they were searching for an avenue to connect with other parishioners their age with similar interests. With the assistance of Father Wilbur Thomas, St. Aloysius pastor, the pair set out to start a young adults group. "Father Wilbur told us this was one of the things he really wanted to get started at

and go from there."

As

part of their faith de-

velopment, the group holds regular formation classes.

One

recent ses-

sion focused on Catholic and Protestant issues of the church. The group also held a retreat at the Catholic Conference

more than 200 prisoners

pects of U.S. -Vatican relations. Al-

marked a "great first step" in reform and shows that the Cuban government was Hstening to Pope John Paul n during his recent visit, said the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, Lindy Boggs. "I was personally thrilled to see that there had been a special effort on the issue of prisoners," Boggs said in an interview Feb. 17 in Rome. She said she thought the Cuban regime of President Fidel Castro was trying to tell the pope: "Your message was heard. It was appreciated. We will try to abide by some of the things you expect

though the United States maintains an embargo on Cuba which the Vatican opposes and has other difficulties with the Castro government, Cuban authorities did "everything under the sun" to facilitate travel and transport to the island during the pope's visit, she said. She said the U.S. government also helped in careful screening of wouldbe visitors to make sure that no troublemakers turned up in Cuba and helped block an announced plan by Cuban ex-

adult orga-

ocesan-wide steering committee that will

visit.

nizations in the Diocese of Charlotte, the

help other paiishes get young adult min-

of us."

"The U.S. government could not have been more cooperative, nor more proud that the Holy Father would undertake a trip" to Cuba and the Ameri-

Aloysius group is made up of parishioners in their 20s and 30s. At St. Aloysius, the group consists of both single Catholics and married couples without children.

istry started since the

release of

l

Boggs

exemplified

way

Other attempts to organize young had not got-

adults groups at St. Aloysius

peers.

Cuban Prisoners' Release Shows Pope Was Heard By JOHN THAVIS ROME (CNS) — Cuba's announced

— Deanna Smith and

Boggs

called

it

a "positive gesture

of real importance" and added: should all accept it on face value."

The Cuban weeks

after the

action

came some

pope and

"We three

his aides pre-

sented the government with a list of names of prisoners and appealed for their release

on humanitarian grounds. The

list

included political prisoners as well as others.

iles to

the church," Smith said.

After forming a planning team and

meeting

season.

She said one good aspect of the visit was that it had prompted reflection on the embargo, which has been in place for more than

It

was

the first of

ful gatherings for the

Like

more about Catholicism is an integral focus of the group. "We must be able to apply God's plan to our lives," Smith said. "We must understand our

a get-

many

other

many

success-

group.

young

St.

"Our main goals

are to learn

more

learning

and apply it to our world." Colleen McDermott, director of

faith

August, the group held their

together which kicked off the football

land a flotilla during the papal

cas, she said.

in

function last September

first

Center in Hickory. is impor-

Although the social aspect tant,

Young Adult

Ministry for the Charlotte

Diocese, said several parishes have ac-

Young Adult groups. In the months ahead, McDermott hopes to form a di-

tive

number of Cathoage group is growing by leaps and bounds. "There is definitely a need, and we must reach out and meet that need," she lics in that

said.

pope's

about our

know each other

"There are 16,000 young adult

some deep

on a more personal level, and to create a healthy environment to have fun," Smith

Catholics in the city of Charlotte alone,"

35 years.

said.

faith, to get to

See

Ministry,

page 3


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