FALL RIVER DIOCI:SAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE IISLANDS
t eanc VOL. 29, NO. 37
FALL RIVER, MASS., FRIDAY i SEPTEMBER 20i 1985
$8 Per Year
In economy pastoral
Option for poor
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somewhat rearranged. Copies will be sent to the nation's bishops 'around Oct. 1 and H will be dis cussed by them during their November general meeting in Washington. A third draft is then to be prepared and voted on by the bishops during 1986. Archbishop Weakland wrote that the second draft attempts to cladfy "misunderstandings or ambiguities" and misleading "general impressions. given by the first draft. "One of these impressions was that the first draft, pitted the middle class against the poor," he stated. "This was apparently because of the way the 'prefer ential option for the poor' was described. We will notdrop that phrase or interpret it in such a spiritualized way that it includes everyone who is hurting in any Tum to Page Two
~EW YORK (NC) - Christian ity's "preferential option for the poor" will il"emain a central theme in the U.S. Catholic bish ops' second draft ofa pastoral letter on the economy, says the chairman of the committee writ ing the pastoral. But the option for the poor does not mean that they should be pitted against the middle class, added Archbishop Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee. "We still find the amount of poverty in this nation a scandal." said Archbishop Weakland rin an 'article previewing the second draft. The article appea'rs in the Sept. 21 issue of America maga zine, published by Jesuits of the United States and Canada. Archbishop Weakland noted tha't the second draft ris about one-fourth shorter than the first, or about 40,000 woros, and is
Bishop· asks synod to concentrate on basics state of the U.S. church 20 years By JelT)' Fllteau WASHINGTON (NC) - While after Vatican II, Bishop Malone not backing ,off from potential zeroed in on ·a series of basic issues that affect Catholics in controversies, Bishop J's.mes Ma lone of Youngstown, Ohio, has their everyday religious life such things as deeper spiritual suggested essentially a "meat and-potatoes" agenda for the ity, renewed reception of the World Synod of Bishops in Rome sacrament of penance, better moral and religious education of Nov. 25-Dec. 8. As president of the National young Cathol.jcs, a need for a Conference of Catholic Bishops, greater sense of mission and Bishop Malone is the only bishop evangelization among Catholics. The report went to Rome, as designated to represent the NCCB under the norms that govern an did similaT reports from presi extraordinary synod. Any other dents of other bishops' confer Americans who. paJ1ticipate will ences around the world, and was be there by personal papal choice . released in Washington Sept. 16. In it 'Bishop Malone also lTaised or by virtue of another office. In a pre-synod Teport on the a number of current conkover-
Its heart was a call to reaffirm sial topics, 'among th~m dissent in the church, feminism and the the Second Vatican Council and il"ole of women in the church, draw new strength from it "for the tasks that lie ahead in con
real or perceived tensions be tween the U.S. church and the tinuing to preach the Gospel of Holy See, and the il"elationship Jesus' Christ." between the priest shortage and Bishop Malone said Catholics church requirements of celibacy must "interiorize" the council, 'and permanent commitment. and that idea of inner renewal " of heart nther than Such topics, the source of - changes some of the most bitter public of external structure - pervaded disputes -in the church, almost his report. inevitably capture the lion's He suggested that to preach share of media attention, but it the Gospel effectively, Catholics would be a mistake to let em must gain a new sense of mission phasis on them obscure the more and personal responsibility. He comprehensive approach to cur linked evangelization with social rent church issues taken by Bish justice and authentic ecumenism, op Malone's Teport. 'repudiating Catholic thinking
that would s~ these concerns as nearly' incomp&tible. He called the strides made in ecumenism "an important bright spot" in U.S. Catholicism since Vatican'll, but a'lso warned that "false ideas about ecume'nism" may be connected to 08 decline in commitment to evangelization by Catholics. He warned, too, that internal Catholic conflicts hurt ecumenism and that inadequate responses to well-developed theo logical dialogues may hurt Cath olic relations with other Chris tian churches. Bishop Malone caIled liturgy "the focal point" of church life Turn to Page Six
FIRE rally• :set for BO$ton Garden tODIorrow
Many diocesan Catholics will attend an evangelical charismatic rally in Boston Garden from 9 ~.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 21. Planned as an opportunity fOil" members of the Boston archdiocese "to celebrate and deepen their faith commitment," say archdiocesan officials, the unusual event has also been opened to members of pearby sees.
FIRE, con9idered unique in evangelizing mass audiences, is an acronym standing fOil" faith, intercession, repentance and evangelism. Its members, aU well known as speakers, are Ralph Martin, author and leader in Catholic renewal movements since the mid 1960s; Father Mi chael Scanlan, TOR, author and president of the University of
Steubenville, Ohio; Apn Shields, author and editot of New Coven ant magazine;apd Father John Bertolucci, a charismatic preach er and writer. David Thorp, director of the Boston Archdiocesan Office of Charismatic Renewa.} Services, is cooroinating ratly plans. He call ed the gathering "an event both
evangelical and s~ramental, a presentation of the basic gospel message, an invitation to peo ple to become Tooted in a Ufe with Christ and the Church." The Archdiocesan Pontifical Choir and other groups will pro vide music at the rally and the day will conclude with a cele bration of the Eucharist at which _____ .~
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BOl1ton Cardinal Bernaro Law•. an episcopal advisor for FIRE, will preside and be homilist. : ReservatioJ1:; for the event and I fOil" box luncht~s can be obtained', through CRS-FIRE at 900 Main St., Waltham. Tickets, for which lhE!re is no charge, will also be available at the door. Further information :.S available from rI Thorp at 891-:1592. ..__ ~
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