t ean VOL. 35, NO. 35
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Friday, September 6,1991
"FALLRIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS
',,1 COD &·THI.IS.LANtJl\\;;., ." F ALL RIVER, MASS.
Southeastern Massachusetts'Largest Weekly
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Church leaders hopeful amidst Soviet upheaval ROME (CNS) - A week of independence ofthe Baltics and an continuing political convulsions in end to the forced annexation by the Soviet Union left church leaders the Soviet Union in 1940. The telegram said a "normal optimistic about the prospects for religious and political freedom, exchange of diplomatic represenespecially in three breakaway Baltic tatives" would follow. Most ob, servers believed that meant a nunrepubli!=s. The Vaticanjoined several West- cio would be named soon for Lithern nations in officially recognizing uania and the other states. The Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia Aug. current apostolic administrator of 29 - a move that would have been Vilnius, Msgr. Juozas Tunaitis, considered risky and provocative predicted a nuncio would be ap' two weeks earlier, but which made pointed within a month. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Alsense as the Soviet Union appeared headed toward break-up after a girdas Saudargas praised the Vatfailed military coup. On Sept. 2, ican decision and thanked the pope. ' "We cannot forget the great President Bush announced the United States was recognizing the inde~ support that such a prestigious pendence of the Baltic nations and and popular authority as the pope gave to Lithuanian independence, establishing diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, with the Commu- even in the most difficult moments," nist Party virtually ~wept aside Saudargas said.. While Gorbachev appeared ready and reform appointments being made by Soviet President Mikhail to concede independence for the Gorbachev, the bishop of Moscow Baltic states, the situation in the and others predicted even brighter Ukraine - another heavily Cathodays ahead for the church and its lic Soviet republic - was much less clear. The Ukraine declared its pastoral life. The Vatican had waited patiently independence in late August, subfor some 50 years to recognize the ject to a referendum in December. The declaration drew immediate Baltic states, home of an estimated support from the Ukrainian Catho3.2 million Catholics. .A telegram sent by Secretary of lic Church. State Carc:iinal Angelo Sodano said In the United States, the leader the Vatican "rejoices" to see the of U.S. Ukrainian Catholics, Arch-
bishop Stephen Sulyk of Philadelphia said Aug. 29 that he hoped the move would inspire an "unparalleled religious renaissance" in that republic. But he warned of the effects of seven decades of atheistic education on the Ukraine's young and its leaders. The churchman closest to the amazing political events in the Soviet Union, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Moscow, met privately with the pope Sept. 2 to discuss the new situation in his country. No details of their meeting were made public. , In a series of interviews in Italy Aug. 28-30, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz predicted that the wave of political reform touched off by the failed coup would increase the church's pastoral and social role. "The sentiment of liberty is, by this point, something that people are breathing in the air, and they are by no means going to lose it. This marks a point of no return," he said. Archbishop Kondrusiewicz gave support to Gorbachev but said Russian President Boris Yeltsin was enjoying greater popularity. "In this moment, the most important fact is that Gorbachev has Turn to Page 10
Religious Education Day topics announced The Diocesan Department of Education is gearing up for its annual Religious Education Day to be held Sept. 28 at Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth. Themed "Walk in the presence of the Lord," the event is designed for catechists and Catholic elementary school teachers but is open to all interested persons. Bishop Daniel A. Cronin will celebrate the 'program's opening liturgy at 9 a.m. The keynote address by Dr. Ernest J. Collamati will follow at to a.m. Chair of the religious studies department at Regis College, Weston, Dr. Collamati is a graduate of Providence College and holds a master's and a doctoral degree in theology and historical-systemic theology, respectively, from the University of Notre Dame. The rest of the Religious Education Day program is divided into three workshop sessions with a break for iunch and viewing exhibits. For information on registering, contact the Catholic. Education Center, 423 Highland Ave., Fall River 02720, tel. 678-2828, before Sept. 20.
A listing of workshop presenters and topics follows. Workshop I 11 a.m. to noon Christopher L. Adams: "Come Follow Me: an Invitation to Families," on scripture, prayer and religious terminology for families; Rev. Fred Babiczuk, Espirito Santo parish, Fall River: "History of the Sacraments of.Initiation" for con1tl'lllatign progl'am catechists; Patricia Benoit, SS. Peter and Paul School and former RCIA chair-
RELIGIOUS Education Day logo designed by David Erwin of St. John the Evangelist parish, At!leboro.
person: "RCIA-A Parish Experience" on organizing a parish Rite of Christian Initiation-for Adults; Sister Ann Boland: "Teaching the Preschool Child to Celebrate" through the arts; Michaela Burke: "Methodology" on practical and creative aspects of teaching. Rev. Joseph Costa, director, St. Vincent's Home, Fall River: "Hidden Diseases in Dysfunctional Families"; Noel Dent, St. Anne's Hospital, Fall River: "Stress Management"; Rev. Paul Desmarais, director, Providence diocese Occult Awareness Ministry: "Occult Awareness"; Rev. Mark Hession, St. An~e's Hospital Ethics Committee: "Who Will Help Me Walk - The Health Care Proxy." Kathleen Killion, Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro: "Coping with Stress"; Rev. Jay Maddock, judicial vicar: "Church Annulment - Questions and Answers"; Sister Elizabeth Mahoney, St. Joseph's parish, Taunton: "Stress: Violence and Its Cost on Discipleship" with focus on effects on youth; Rev. Robert A. Oliveira, director, Continuing Formation of Clergy and Laity: "Will Turn to Page 10
KATHY WESTGATE welcomes a tiny new face to the nursery for premature babies at St. Michael's Hospital in Mhondoro, Zimbabwe, during a six-month mission experience.
Faith a link to home for Africa missioner By Marcie Hickey In this lasi oj three jeatures on mission work undertaken by members oj the Emmaus retreat community, Kathleen Sullivan Westgate recalls her six-month internship at Ii Catholic hospitalin Zimbabwe. The Emmaus programjoryoung adults, based at Cathedral Camp, East Freetown, takes its namejrom the town cited in the Gospel ojLuke, near which two disciples encounter a stranger andonly ajter ojjering him their hospitality realize he is the risen Christ. Like the Gospel story, the retreat programjocuses on the r«ogn/tion oj Christ in the stranger. It is a message that is especially apt jo, three members oj the Emmaus community as they recall the experience ojjinding the jace ojJesus among strangers in joreign nations. Previous stories havejeatured Sean Sheehan, who ,works in Ecuador with the disabled in the second ojtwo Peace Corps assignments, and Rayleen Giannotti, who spent 40 days at a Mexico shelterjor migrants. Kathleen Sullivan Westgate, a velopment Network in' which she member of the Emmaus commun" worked at Lend-A-Hand Clinic in ity for eight years, lives in Matta- Walker, Ky. There she met Mispoisett with her husband Karl and check Mabvudza, a Zimbabwean infant daughter Kaiah. student also affiliated with the In coming years Kaiah will learn Network. that her name, meaning "season's "He told me so much about his beginning," is African, a reminder country and his family I was inofthe six months her mother spent trigued," said Kathy. Coincidenon the staff of a Catholic mission tally, at the time the Network had hospital in Mhondoro, Zimbabwe, just begun an internship program " in southern Africa. in Zimbabwe. Assigned to maternity and pediTwo years later Kathy set out atrics at the rural facility, said for the African nation as part of a Mrs. Westgate, then on leave from group of II students.' While her the nursing program at UMass internship was in health care, othDartmouth, "primarily I helped ers were in such disciplines as agriwith prenatal care and worked in culture, social services, or organizthe maternity ward. I delivered 17 ing women's groups. babies, including twins," under the Kathy's assignment. was at St. supervision of Sister Raymond; a Michael's Hospital in Mhondoro, nurse-midwife. about 120 kilometers from the Kathy embarked on the foreign Zimbabwean capital, Hirare. The mission experience in January 1990 hospital is part of a mission comthrough the Overseas Develop- pound which also includes a Cathment Network, which sponsors olic church and primary school. student internships in developing The Church has a long history countries as well as in some regions of building hospitals and churches .of the United States. While the in Zimbabwe, which gained indeorganization is not affiliated with pendence from Great Britain II a religion, Kathy says her common years ago. While the revolution faith with the mission hospital's era was marked by persecution of Catholic community provided a and violence toward church worklink to her faith community at ers, the church has not experienced ,home and a means to bridge cultu- oppression under the post-revolural differences. tionary government, Bishop MumHer interest in Zimbabwe was bure Mutume, secretary general of the result of a previous health care the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' internship with the Overseas DeTurn to Page Eight
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