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FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS

VOL. 30, NO.7

.FALL RIVER,

MASS~,

FH.IDAY, FEBRUARY 14,1986

$8 Per Year

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER Rajiv Oandhi路~ center, greets Pope John Paul 11 in New Delhi as an Indian bishop helps the pope adjust a welcoming garland. (NCj UPI-Reuter photo)

On papal visit to India

Sensitive issues aired By NC News Service

Pope John Paul II addressed the controversial issues of birth control and evangelization when he visited India Feb. 1-10, but did so in the words of Indian leaders. When speaking of birth control, he quoted Mahatma Gandhi, the late Hindu philosopher and activist known as the "father of the country." Speaking of evangelization, he quoted the Indian constitution's guarantee of "the right to profess, practice and propagate religion."

During the 14-cityjourney, which took the pope from' remote no(theastern India to the strongly_ Catholic regions of the southern coasts, the pope spoke of the need for religious dialogue with nonChristians and unity among Christians. He also wenLinto the heart of Calcutta's slums and prayed for the dead and dying in a charity house I:un by Mother Teresa. India's 746 million people form one-seventh of the world's population. Although the annual growth rate has dropped to less than 2 percent, at the current rate India

would have a population of nearly I billion by the year 2000. The government estimates that between 35 and 40 percent of Indians' use some contraceptive birth control or have been sterilized. The nation's Catholics -less than 2 percent ofthe population -have been urged by church leaders to use natural family planning. "Moral results can only be produced by moral restraints," Pope John Paul said Feb. 9, quoting Gandhi's writings. Turn to Page Three

Church role in PI, Haiti

MSGR. JOHN J. OLlVEIRA with Sisters of Mercy Josepha Haskins (left) and Janice Brady. (Torchia photo)

By NC News Service pears to be widespread electoral The Catholic Church has been - fraud. prominent in the tumult surroundChurch people also have been ing the flight from Haiti of Presi- criticized by President Ferdinand dent Jean-Claude Duvalier. Marcos, who, responding to quesIn the Philippines, the Church has been a rallying point for both dismayed government vote counters and for supporters of the路 opposition. In Haiti, Port-au-Prince Archbishop Francois-Wolff Ligonde urged Haitians to desist from violence after widespread killings and lootings following the collapse of the Duvalier government. In Philippines The Philippines' leading Catholic churchman, Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila, has condemned what ap-

tions about alleged election violations by his supporters, said the real problem was that voters路 were being "held back by priests, nuns and Namfrel representatives." Namfrel is the National Movement for Free Elections, a private election-monitoring organization. Marcos also said that Catholic priests had denied him a landslide victory by trying to dissuade people from voting for him. Reports of ballot box theft, violence and intimidation of voters have marred the election. Cardinal Sin praised Namfrel during the election. He urged "all those in power, all those who are involved in the process of counting Turn to Page Six

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