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U.S. Bishops’ move debate from politics to faith By Nancy Frazier O’Brien
Former Brazilian Olympic champion Joaquim Cruz poses with the Olympic Flame atop Corcovado Mountain, in front of the "Christ the Redeemer" during the torch relay, on June 13. The torch relay made its tenth stop in Rio while crossing through five continents, as it reached South America for the first time in history, en route to the 2004 summer Olympic games in Athens.
WASHINGTON (CNS) — As the U.S. bishops attempted to move the debate about abortion and politics away from the Communion rail and into the hearts of individual Catholics, reaction to their June 18 statement on “Catholics in Political Life” indicated that discussion of the topic would continue. Groups with differing stands on the issue of refusing Communion to Catholic politicians who support keeping abortion legal all seemed to find some support for their position in the 1,000-word document, approved on a 183-6 vote during the special assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops held June 14-19 in Englewood, Colo., a Denver suburb. “All must examine their consciences” about their worthiness to receive Communion, including with regard to “fidelity to the moral teaching of the church in personal and public life,” the document said. “Given the wide range of circumstances involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with established canonical and pastoral principles,” the bishops added. Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, focused in a June 19 statement on the section of the bishops’ document that said abortion “is always intrinsically evil” and politicians who consistently support abortion risk “cooperating in evil and sinning against the common good.” The document “dispels the confusion that leads some to conclude that all moral issues are equal, or that it suffices for one’s opposition to abortion to be ‘private and personal’ rather than public,” Father Pavone said. U.S. BISHOPS, page 10
Pope urges stepped-up efforts to tackle causes of refugee problem VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II called on the international community to step up its efforts in tackling the root causes of the world’s refugee problem. “Every person needs a safe place to live,” the pope said June 20. Safety is what refugees are seeking when they flee their homeland, but “millions are unfortunately left in refugee camps or else left with limited freedom to exercise their rights,” he said. The pope praised and encouraged the work of the church in helping the plight of the world’s refugees. He urged the internation-
al community to “renew its commitment to the eradication of the causes of this painful phenomenon.” The pope’s appeal came on World Refugee Day, an annual event sponsored by the United Nations to draw attention to the needs of the world’s externally displaced people and asylum seekers. Last year saw a reduction in the number of refugees, but the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees still attended to the needs of more than 17 million people who crossed national borders to escape persecution and armed conflict.
The pope noted that the church’s celebration of the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 18 “helps us to better live World Refugee Day whose theme this year is ‘A Place to Call Home: Rebuilding Lives in Safety and Dignity.’” Highlighting the same loving mercy expressed by the mystery of the heart of Jesus, the pope called on the faithful to “not forget our brother refugees.” “May humanity, by receiving Christ’s message of love, foster brotherhood and peace and may the earth become a common home for all nations,” he said.
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Archbishop’s column . . . . . . 3 Vocation Crucifix . . . . . . . . . 6 Clergy appointments . . . . . . 9 Affordable housing . . . . . . . 11 U.S. Bishops’ Statement . . . 14
‘Super Symbiosis’ Buddy’s Bugle
Women Mourn News-in-brief
Summer Reading Editors Recommend
Scripture and reflection. . . . 16
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www.catholic-sf.org
June 25, 2004
FIFTY CENTS
Parish exceeds appeal . . . . . 18 VOLUME 6
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No. 22