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t eanc 0 VOl. 29, NO. 38
FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
FALL RIVER, MASS., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1985
$8 Per Year
Good
News
'Teachers gather at Bishop Stang
Joan Robinson conducts workshop
Story and photos.
By Joseph Motta
Opening his presentation with a request that his audience join him in p~aY{lr for victims of Mexico's disastrous earthquakes, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin told more than 550 catechists at a diocesan Religious Education Day held Sept. 21 at Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth, that their ministries are {lssen tial to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. (Excerpts from the bishop's address appear on page 9.) Tum to Page Eight
Catechists .Paula and Michael !Early
Jenco family urges
Renewed efforts to free hostages
WASHINGTON (NC) - The family of kidnapped Servite Father Lawrence Martin Jenco called for ~enewed efforts to free six Americans held hostage in' Lebanon after the release of one of the men. The Rev. Benjamin Weir, a
Presbyterian minister who had been held by Shiite Moslem ex tremists since May 8, 1984, was released Sept. 14. At a Sept. 19 pr~ss conference he warned that the remaining six hostages could be executed if the demand made by their captors that Kuwait
free 17 prisoners was not met. At another press conference in Washington Sept. 19, John Jenco and Sue Franceschini, brother and sister of Father Jen co, asked for renewed efforts to free the remaining hostages. Fathet:: Jenco, 50, director- of
Catholic Relief Services in Leb anon and a native of Joliet, III., was kidnapped Jan. 8. John Jenco relayed informa tion f-rom Mr. Weir about Father Jenco's condition 'and said he was "cautiously optimistic" but "lots more can be done" to
free the hostages. • He said Father Jenco's health is good and that Mr. Weir had brought back letters from four of the hostages, including the priest. Mr. Weir met with Father Jencoand three other hostages Tum to Page Seven
Cardinals to meet before bishops' synod
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope John Paul II has called a meet ing of the world's cardinals at the Vatican Nov. 21-23, only the third such session in modem church history, the Vatican an nounced Sept. 19. A Vatican spokesman would not say what issues the cardinals would discuss, but past meetings have focused on curial reform and Vatican finances. Po~ John Paul initiated the plenary assem blies to obtain the advice of the cardinals on important church topics. Most of the church's 152 car dinals -are expected to attend the meeting, which will take place just before the start of the Nov. 25-Dec. 8 extraordinary Synod of Bishops called by the pope to discuss the results of the Second Vatican Council.
The news of the plenary ses sion was reported in the French newspaper Le Figaro the day be fore the Vatican -announcement. The newspaper said the meeting would focus on the ,long-awaited reform of the Roman Curia, the church's administrative organiza tion. A report in the newspaper, in dependently confirmed by Na tional Catholic, News Service, said a detailed questionnaire on proposed changes in the struc ture of the Curia has been sent , to the world's bishops. The news paper said the questionnaires were to be returned in October. In 1983 the pope appointed a special commission to draw up the changes. The commission's ch.lirman, Ca'rdinaI Aurelio Sab MANY OF these cardinals and bishops who participated in the recent Eucharistic attani, would not comment on Turn to Page Six Congress in Kenya will' be on hand in Rome. (NC photo)