Sept 10, 1993

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News & Herald Volume 3 Number 2 • September

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

Law Says

Cardinal

1993

10,

U.S. Culture

Anti-Catholic, Anti-Religion BOSTON

(CNS)

In the U.S.

open season on the Catholic Church," Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston said Sept. 3 in a column in his archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot. press and culture,

"it is

He challenged "the negative way which the Church

is

in

so often portrayed

"I

know

treat this

that in this archdiocese

we

problem with the utmost

ur-

efited

gested that the deeper issue

experience of others.

is

a strong

from our own experience and the

"What

America

is

"The Catholic Church takes a largest religious

body

we

in the

beat-

"The second anti-Catholic drumbeat

is

the exaltation of Catholic dis-

he wrote. "The underlying hostility of our culture is not only anti-Catholic,

sent," he said.

however,

cism along

it

is

anti-all

organized

reli-

"The press seems ob-

sessed with a desire to redefine Catholilines

which are congruous

with the prevailing culture: Absolutes

gion."

Law

Cardinal

were

is

sometimes present

in the press."

are the

country,"

"

particularly offensive

the accusatory tone

ing in the press because

said his reflections

set off by several events,

including

a recent conversation about the Church'

bad press with some non-Catholic friends and the appearance Aug. 29 of an article on Catholicism and dissent in The New York Times. He quoted an assertion in the Times article that, according to "most" Catholic leaders, dissenting Catholics "won't easily be driven from their spiritual home or dismissed by a hierarchy compromised by its handling of sexually abusive priests."

"This broadside attack on the Catho-

simply a throwaway line is otherwise offen-

lic

hierarchy

in

an article which

is

Law wrote. He called child abuse by priests "the

sive also," Cardinal

which weighs heaviest on every

issue

bishop's heart" because of the serious, Catholic chaplain gives absolution to a soldier in Saudi Arabia during

the problem.

from Church teachings. But he sug-

today.

battle, a

society's attitudes then or to recognize

what the Church is doing now to address

child sex abuse by priests and dissent

especially in the areas of

bias against religion itself in

the

gested that the media have failed to put past abuse incidents in the context of

gency," he said. "Our policy, subject to review at the end of this year, has ben-

in the press"

Before the

betrayal of trust" involved. But he sug-

often lasting,

harm and

the "terrible

are out

and toleration

is

the ultimate

and

only virtue."

"This kind of tolerance

is

the antith-

what faith is all about," he said. "It is no secret to anyone that there are 'prestigious theologians' and highly placed academics who can be called upon at a moment's notice to deliver ex cathedra sound bites in praise of a brave new Church in which dogma is fuzzy at best and where everyone has a 'do it yourself approach to morality." While the Church is living through difficult days, "they are good days as well," Cardinal Law said. "The memory of Denver is still fresh with the radiant faces and expressions of faith of tens of thousands of young people.... God has given the Church Pope John Paul II who teaches with fidelity in season and out of season, when convenient and inconveesis of

nient."

Gulf War. (Defense Department photo)

God And Chaplains Go With You By CHARLES

BOWLING

JR.

was the height of World War II when I met my first chaplain. I called him "Uncle John," but he was really my It

second cousin. His sister had come to stay with us in suburban Washington, D.C., so she could visit him daily at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center

where he was a patient.

I

was her chauf-

feur. I

was impressed

that a chaplain

would be a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Father Foley had been ordained

hometown of 933, he was named Chief

a Catholic priest in our

Memphis.

In

1

exceptionally hard on the infantry.

One

was attacked for the umpteenth time by Stuka dive bombers from the German Luftwaffe. Father Foley dove into a shell hole for protection. A bomb landed next to him but

day, his battalion

never exploded.

As a teenager, I was impressed. But "Uncle John" didn't want to talk about the war. He had seen too much. His exposure to the weather and the strains of long combat duty had put him in the hospital.

He

did not do well in the hospital.

of Chaplains in the Civilian Conserva-

He was told he needed his left leg ampu-

tion Corps.

tated

named vicar general of the United States Armed Forces. Together,

and the operation was performed the next morning. When he seemed stable, he was told a blood clot in the right leg would necessitate a second amputation. The color in his face matched

they had flown to

the pallor of his sheets.

Father Foley had been an aide to Cardinal Francis Spellman, whom Pope Pius XII had

all

the

war

fronts

North Africa, Sicily, Italy and then Father Foley was assigned as a chaplain with combat troops in France.

Those were trying times for the world and combat duty in winter was

When the surgeons told him his arm had to be amputated, he said, "No ... My hands are consecrated. I will not allow another amputation." See Chaplain, Page 10

Diocese To Mark Centennial Of Present Building

Oldest Parish

In

CHARLOTTE One hundred commemorative banners will be hung throughout uptown Charlotte on Sept. 20, serving as the kickoff of centennial festivities for St.

Peter's Catholic

Church. According to chairperson Jan Kelly, "One celebration banner for each of our

100 years will decorate uptown streets through Nov. 20 to salute our church as a 'historical and present-day asset of the Charlotte community.'"

The present St.

Peter Church, the second

home

of the

parish established in 1851, has been at its

current site since 1893.

"The banners also signify the many efforts of our parish

community

in serv-

ing the poor and homeless of Charlotte in a variety

of outreach programs," added

Kelly.

a

The major centennial event will be special Mass and liturgy to be cel-

On

Oct. 23, at 10 a.m., a special

5k

Run/One Mile Walk will be staged for the community on an uptown course. Proceeds will benefit the homeless of The start and finish of the race will be at the church site, located one block north of the Charlotte Observer building. Centennial t-shirts will Charlotte.

be awarded to all participants, with special awards to 5K winners in ten age categories. Overall male and female winners will receive prizes as well. The race theme Make Tracks To St. Peter's carries a secondary meaning since every registered participant is au-

tomatically eligible to win a trip for to St. Peter's in

Rome

two

as part of the

parish raffle.

Immediately following the 5 K Run/

One Mile Walk,

the parishioners are

staging a community Ethnic Feast at the

church.

The food and fun

feast is

being

Parishioners and invited religious lead-

held from noon until 5 p.m. Food, other refreshments, dancing, music and cos-

ers will participate in this centennial

tumes from many ethnic group

ebrated Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. at the church.

celebration.

See Centennb


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Sept 10, 1993 by Catholic News Herald - Issuu