Q
,
|
in
.
Tr |.|j|..nn||U
I|
I
„||u
|
n
vm-usti
mz
Id LUS Sll 1 1 3 1
,
I
,.|.|.|i|H
l
l
,M,
||
ow
niH
wmn
iwm
m
Catholic
kosiih 1 133 1103 3N £80 '1* -Zffff ¥¥¥¥¥¥ ¥¥¥¥¥¥ ¥¥¥¥¥¥ ¥¥¥¥¥¥ ¥ ao
m
News & Herald Volume 6 Number 20
Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Bernard
Law
F.
of Boston reasserted
Catholics' need to be "unconditionally pro-
in
during his homily at the annual "Mass
Thanksgiving for the Gift of Life"
cel-
March for Life. "The pro-life movement is about the sanctity of every human being, at what-
ebrated on the eve of the
ever point on the continuum of earthly
We
existence.
must be unconditionally
Church in witness to which is her divine
the Catholic
fullness of faith is
and of human
solidarity, particu-
with the poor and those most vulnerable in our society?" he said. larly
Jesus who taught us this! It is who revealed his very presence in those who stand before us in need." Cardinal Law added, "Listen again to what he said. 'I myself am the bread "It is
Jesus
of
Law said during the 21 Mass, which kicked off
Brown and Our Lady of Consolation parishioner Sandy Murdock share ideas at the annual diocesan celebration honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Photo by mike krokos Luther King Jr.
"The
By
MIKE KROKOS
Brown
is
through abortion,
can we but cry out
God-
damental,
that abortion
given, inalienable
"We
said,
cause we have learned from Jesus never to claim to be the master of
how
fictitious right to die,
but rather in the fun-
He
are pro-life be-
is
another's
robbing
this nation
of
life
be ready
but
on a mission. Since 1988,
Church Community," Father Brown Catholics to accept leader-
tional Shrine of the
the cost, so that
Immaculate Con-
others
ception.
live."
Orleans priest has traveled the country encouraging African-American Catholics to reclaim their culture by building memorials to their past.
on the rocks of the foundation of our
to stand
our history ... Church," said Father Brown during the diocese's 12th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Jan. 18 at Our Lady of Consolation Church. "As people of faith and culture, we need to see the things that show us what freedom and liberation mean." While many American cities have memorials to the Holocaust, there are no memorials to slavery, Father Brown said. "There was a group of African-Americans a few years ago who did not want a Smithsonian (Institute) exhibit on slavery," he said. "People need to remember where they come from. We don't know our strengths because we refuse to remember our past."
Nearly 60 people took part in the event sponsored by the African-American Affairs Ministry. For those in attendance, the day was an educational experience. Father Brown's sessions touched not only on Dr. King's legacy, it also focused on African-American culture in the Catholic Church. "I'm sure most of you have heard Dr. King's famous T Have a Dream' speech. That is not all Dr. King was about. He was a preacher and an organizer," Father
not a
insist, is
is
life."
Jesuit Father Jo-
—
New
"We need
million-plus lives
interest,
right to life," he
Vietnam."
in
The Eucharist given us for
added at the Mass, celebrated at the Basilica of the Na-
CHARLOTTE seph
war
we
is
we
workshop "To Stand on the Rock: Developing a Culturally Rooted
Editor
the
the
state's
compelling
Jesus
In Jesus
celebrate the birthday of life.
and
the destruction of 30
Vigil for Life.
•
Catholics Honor Legacy Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
i i After 24 years,
the National Prayer
life.'
life.
:
Jan.
that gift,
singular in her affirmation of the right
to life
pro-life," Cardinal
Jesuit Father Joseph
24, 1997
'Unconditionally Pro-Life'
By MARK PATTISON WASHINGTON (CNS) — Cardinal
life"
January
Need To
Cardinal Reiterates
Be
•
Brown
organizing unions
...
said. "He was about and about protesting
In his
called for
all
ship roles in the Church.
"Church to live,"
we need
he
is
supposed
to teach us
how
said. "If there are lost people,
to lead
them
to the
Church.
It's
our right and responsibility as Christians."
Mary Ward, a parishioner at St. Benedict the Moor Church in WinstonSalem, listened intently to Father Brown's
message. "We need to communicate the importance of assuming the responsibility of keeping the Church alive and passing our faith on to children," she said.
James Bingley, a parishioner at St. James Church in Concord, said he learns more about his heritage every time he attends a workshop. "I've also
come
to
need to be more involved in the Church," he said. "We can't leave it all to our priests." During his session "Joshua Fit the Battle at Jericho: Anointing the Young for Service," Father Brown stressed the need to encourage black teens to consider vocations. "The answer I hear from them is nobody ever asked us," he said. The celebration concluded with a Mass celebrated by Bishop William G. Curlin. During his homily, the bishop praised African-Americans for keeping
realize lay people
their faith despite the
many
crosses they
have carried. "You have walked a painful journey, yet you keep Christ in your heart. Never forget the journey of tears and sorrow," he said. "Bring that heroic faith to the Church where we can walk with one heart, one mind, and one voice."
its
Committee
for Pro-Life Activities.
Commenting on recent Supreme Court oral arguments on physician-as"The
sisted suicide, the cardinal said,
in-
exorable logic which leads from abortion to euthanasia is at
work. Ideas lead to
it is
life at its
any
life that
state
decides
Cardinal integrity
life at its
it is
it
is
And
end.
is
will
it
said,
"To be here with we be uncon-
We
reject as simply one can be person-
to abortion but nonetheless
vides abortion on demand."
added,
"It
cannot be
had enough
those in attendance,
many of whom came
seats for
with sleeping bags to spend the night there.
At the beginning of Mass, Cardinal
Law
told the
assembly
that a television
commentator had asked him, "What do you say to young people about pro-life?" "I said, 'Look at the crowd out there and ask instead what do the young people say to us ...
We
who
are older about pro-life?'
are grateful to
you who are the is it.
We
are
grass-roots."
Cardinal
Law was principal celebrant
the Mass. Among the 200 concelebrants were two dozen of his fel-
of
low bishops.
It
inside Pope Speaks 5
am
'I
sonally opposed to abortion but.' be,
which
essential that
supportive of a public policy which pro-
He
shrine,
est Catholic church,
be
not worth living."
Law
false the notion that
opposed
finally
a committee, an agency, a
ditionally pro-life.
ally
beginning. Then
might
often billed as the United States' larg-
pro-life movement.... This
their inevitable conclusions.
"First
without counting
Not even the national is
to
...
give our lives,
soul?"
His homily, punctuated more than a dozen times by applause, took note of the dangers to life at different stages. "After 24 years, and the destruction of 30 million-plus lives through abortion, how can we but cry out that abortion is robbing this nation of its soul?" asked Cardinal Law, chairman of the U.S. bishops'
to
per-
must
T am personally opposed to abortion
and am, therefore, unconditionally pro-
8-9
life.'"
The
cardinal spoke of
how
of faith leads people to respect "It is
not surprising, then,
the gift
life.
is
it,
.14-15
16 that