March 6, 1998

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News & Herald

Volume 7 Number 26

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

March

6,

1998

Social Action Leaders Hear Call For Peace, Justice WASHINGTON (CNS) — Whether

other countries, and strengthening reconciliation and

government to the Vatican or spoke for the church in one of the most beleaguered nations in Central America, their message to diocesan social activists gathered in Washington was a call for peace, justice and global solidarity. Corinne "Lindy" Boggs, the new U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, closed the 1998 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering Feb. 25 by outlining her plans to help advance collaborative U.S. -Vatican efforts at reconcihation and peace. Earlier, Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez of San Salvador, El Salva-

Africa and Asia, "while alleviating the

dor, said the church's failure in teaching

Andrew Cuomo,

erful

about justice might stem from

failure

its

Bishop Rosa Chavez spoke Feb. 24 last fall's Synod of Bishops for

about

America.

"Only from a Jesus Christ

frequent failure in our teaching about solidarity as the path to justice lies pre-

cisely here, that

eral as speakers.

not truly encountered him."

Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and secretary for Housing and Urban Development, also made brief

— who was introduced by her — Roberts was making her back Boggs

"homecoming" for her. In emphasized that economic expansion must not come "at the expense of social justice in our workrepresented a

brief remarks, she

places."

Cuomo, who

daughter, television commentator Cokie first trip

United States since taking the ambassador's post in December. She said she hoped the United States and the Vatican could "continue our efforts in the Balkans to ensure that people of different cultural and religious backgrounds live together in peace and harmony." to the

An

Minn.

photo from Cleo

Boggs also voiced interest in advanc-

welfare at a demonstration in St. Paul, estimated 10 million U.S. children have no health care coverage.

ing peace and justice in the Middle East,

Jubilee Preparation By JIMMY ROSTAR

— Echoing

Pope

John Paul 11' s plea for repentance and hope in the late 20th century, two Catholic evangelists urged an audience in Charlotte last month to pay particular attention to God, especially as the jubilee year 2000 approaches.

Combining Scripture with messages from papal discourses and alleged Marian prophecies, Ralph Martin and Peter Herbeck examined the guidance the church needs from the Holy Spirit as the people of God anticipate the next millennium.

is

in the

prepared

Holy

Mary

...

Spirit, just as the Spirit

for the first

coming of

Christ," said Martin, president of the

human

rights in

is

also a Catholic, said

improved national hous-

ing situation lies with cooperative efforts

between

his

agency and religious orga-

nizations.

The

social action directors at the

meeting heard reports on the issues that Catholic leaders were stressing this year and later spent a morning visiting their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

At a Feb. 23 presentation on domes-

China and

See Social Action, page 2

In their presentations, Martin and

Ministries.

Herbeck urged

The February conference, called "Millennium! Spirit Speaks to the Church," was hosted at St. Thomas

to a fervent faith centered

Aquinas Church by the Catholic EvangeUzation Commission of Charlotte, a group

Hfe of holiness, a

of Charlotte-area parishioners sharing evangelical ideas and activities with

their

audience to return

on God.

"We can hardly move without needGod to live a life of love, a

ing help from

life

of service, a

life

faithfulness," said Martin, an author

of

and

a long-time active leader in Catholic re-

Evangelization

is

one of the most

important responses to God a Christian can have, Martin said. "The acts of the apostles are continuing in our time," he

added, conveying that the Spirit at

work throughout the world,

is

indeed

especially

predominantly non-Christian regions. Martin extolled humility in relation to faith, adding that John Paul II has exemplified that virtue throughout his pontificate. "The path to renewal and revival in

Renewal Ministries promotes evan-

newal movements. He examined what he called the two main prophetic words repentance and hope related to the "church-wide re-

gelization worldwide, reiterated Martin's

treat" called for in the years preceding

selves in repentance, and the pope

the jubilee.

leading the way," such as through his

Martin said proclamation of the Gospels and docility to the power of the Spirit are several of the avenues leading to a

attempts

Catholic and other church communities.

Herbeck, for

who

message. "There life

"The only way the church can prepare for this grace of the great jubilee

protecting

the future of an

A Time Of Hope, Say Visiting Evangelists

Catholic evangelical outreach Renewal

Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE

know

Christians

appearances before the gathering.

Cabinet and a former U.S. surgeon gen-

CNS

many

a lot about Jesus Christ, but they have

Herman, a former Cathohc Charities worker in the Archdiocese of Mobile, Ala., said her appearance at the meeting

two menibers of President Clinton's

in

real encounter with

possible to transform

is it

people's lives," he said. "Perhaps our

Jesus.

ganizations and agencies, also attracted

unidentified child protests cuts

in parts of

appalling refugee crisis."

to incorporate a personal encounter with

The 1998 gathering, sponsored by more than a dozen national Catholic or-

An

democracy

they represented the world's most pow-

of the

why

spirit

is

as missions director

a

power

in you: the

of God," he said. "That's

hope to the have been united to the life

the church proclaims

world.

We

of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, so there's a life in

die."

us that can never

greater preparation of "the

time of Christian

life

new

which

vealed by the great jubilee."

spring-

will

be

in the

new

springtime

at

is

humbling our-

repairing disunity

is

among

Christians and calling for special reflection

on

faith,

hope and love

in the three

years leading to the year 2000, he said.

re-

See Jubilee Preparation, page

11


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March 6, 1998 by Catholic News Herald - Issuu