anc 0 VOL. 32, NO. 38
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Friday, September 23, 1988
FALL RIVER, MASS.
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Pope John Paul II presents gifts to Bishop Daniel A. Cronin and greets Msgr. John J. Oliveira, VE, chancellor and episcopal secretary, who accompanied the bishop on his ad limina visit to the Vatican. (Felici photos)
"Ad limina" visit memorable for bishop By Pat McGowan A bishop's "ad limina" visit to Rome, when he repor:ts to the pope on the state of his diocese, is always a special time. But this year it was especially memorable for Bishop Daniel A. Cronin, who returned to Fall River Sept. 14 from the,once-in-five-years trip. The bishop's 20th anniversary of ordination to the episcopacy came Sept. 12, while he was in Rome. He and Msgr. John J. Oli-
veira, VE, chancellor and episcopal secretary, who accompanied him to Rome, went that day to the basilica of St. John Lateran, where Bishop Cronin had been ordained to the priesthood. "When the nun in the sacristy heard that it was my anniversary as a bishop," recounted Bishop Cronin, "she opened the apse of the basilica and I had the privilege, on my episcopal anniversary, of saying Mass where, 35 years ago, I was ordained to the priesthood."
The event capped a memorable stay in Rome, said the bishop. It began Sept. 4, when he and the other bishops of New England met at the North American College in Vatican City for a "strategy session" to plan what would be a week crammed with papal audiences and visits to various curial congregations in Vatican City. Sept. 6 began with 8 a.m. Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica in Rome, a required "ad limina" place of pilgrimage. "Ad lim-
ina," meaning "to the threshold," refers to the traditional visits made by bishops to the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul. The visit and Mass at St. Peter's Basilica took place Saturday morning, April 10. At both basilicas Cardinal Law was principal celebrant at the eucharistic liturgy. Following the Mass at St. Paul's on Sept. 6, a private papal audience was scheduled for each bishop at the pontiffs summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a small town
some 15 miles south of Rome that legend says was founded by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas, the Trojan hero of the 12th century B.c. Bishop Cronin noted that he knew the Castel Gandolfo area well from his years as a seminarian at the North American College. "In those days we'didn't go home in the summer," he explained, "so the college had a villa for us very near the pope's." The property, litTurn to Page Six
In Southern Africa
Gospel confronts violence MAPUTO, Mozambique (NC) - For Pope John Paul II, southern Africa may be remembered as the place where the Gospel message faces some hard, often violent, everyday realities. During his Sept. 10-19 visit, the pope preached Christian hope and nonviolence to five countries in the continent's most troubled region. At the same time, he recognized that political divisions, poverty, civil war and the effects of South Africa's racial system were straining the area's ability to cope. Midway through the visit, a bus hijacking in Lesotho gave a small but dramatic illustration of the region's explosiveness. Six people - two Catholic pilgrims and the
four hijackerrs - were killed in explanation, organizers pointed to the shootout that erupted as South two simple African facts of life: African commandos stormed the people could not afford to take a bus minutes after the pope's motor- day off work, and in many places transportation was either unsafe cade passed by. South Africa, which surrounds or impractical. The region's lagging technology Lesotho, had sent its forces into the country to deal with the situa- meant that f.ew of the pope's tion. The pope was not told until it Masses, meetings or prayer servwas too late that the terrorists had ices were broadcast on TV or radio. But the pope went out of his wanted to talk with him. The next day, the only thing left way to say he understood all this, for the pope to do was console the and kept those absent especially in wounded and offer them the Chris- his prayers. He was experiencing tian lesson of forgiveness. His firsthand the distance that so often unscheduled hospital visit, how- separates African Catholics from ever, left a lasting and healing their ministers. The pope tailored his message image for many in Lc;sotho shocked by the violence. . to the local situation, particularly Throughout the visit, crowds at . in two nominally Marxist counmost papal events, were small. In Turn to Page Six
THE POPE waves as he leaves Jan Smuts Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Behind him is Roelof "Pik" Botha, the nation's foreign minister. (NC/ UPI-Reuter photo)