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t eanc 0 VOL. 35, NO. 45
•. Friday, November 15, 1991
'FALL RIVER DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS -
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Bishops tackle large agenda By Catholic News Service the obligation to attend Mass for WASHINGTON (CNS) - As three other holy days. the Anchor went to press, the V.S. These were: bishops, meeting in Washington, , - Mary, Mother of God (Jan. had not reached a decision on . I). whether to remove the obligation - The Assumption of Mary of attending Mass on four holy (Aug. 15). days of obligation. - 'The feast of All Saints (Nov. In one vote the bishops were to I). decide whether to transfer obser- ' Approval of any changes would require approval by,two-thirds of vance ofthe feast ofthe Ascension of the Lord from the Thursday 40 the nation's Latin-rite bishops and days after Easter to the following confirmation by .the Holy See. Sunday, the Seventh Sunday of In the opening days of their Easter. Nov. II to 14 meeting, the bishops The bishops were to cast separ- approved new social responsibility ate ballots on whether to eliminate guidelines for the National Con-
ference of Catholic Bishops/ V.S. Catholic Conference investment portfolio,' worth 'about $105 million, and a 1992 bbdget of just under $40 million. In a voice vote, they agreed to changes in allocation guidelines for funds collected in a nationwide collection for retired religious. The meeting's first day featured a moving papal appeal for support by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic of Zagreb, Yugoslavia, who said his country is "suffering for freedom." After his talk, the bishops adopted a statement condemning the war Turn to Page 10
CHICAGO AUXILIARY Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, chairman of the bishops' committee on the liturgy, introduces proposed holy day changes at Washington meeting. (eNS photo)
Educators meet to chart Catholic schools' future By Marcie Hickey with CNS reports The National Congress on Catholic Schools has developed 25 goals ,for the Catholic community to pursue to improve Catholic schools in the 21 st century, with most of the work to be done at the local level, said the sponsors of the congress, held Nov. 6 to 10 in Washington, DC. Sister Ann Moore, associate superintendent of diocesan schools and Michael J. Donly, headmaster of Coyle and Cassidy High School, Taunton, represented the Fall
River diocese at the meeting. They Educational Association and a Siswere among some 250 educators, , ter of St. Joseph of Carondelet, ~ business leaders, parents, bishops, said local communities should be politicians and community leaders able to take the goals and general at the meeting, planned as a vehi- strategies established at the concle to develop guidelines and goals gress and develop ways to achieve based on five major themes: them' locally. "The work is nowhere near -Catholic identity. , done," said Donly. "In fact, it's -Leadership. just beginning." - The school and society. The "grassroots" regional meet-Finance and governance. ings that led up to the national -Public policy and political congress contributed ideas that action. served as "building blocks" for Sister Catherine T. McNamee, congress sessions, he said. "Now president of the National Catholic those strategies will be put into
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action plans for every area" repre- • Each large group was further divided into five units. sented at the congress. Sister Moore said each small The program was "incredibly group worked. "to come up with' intensive," with delegates in sesbelief and directional statements" sion 10 hours a day, added Donly. regarding their topic. Her group The delegates, representing 47 discussed "the school and society." states and 180 dioceses, partici"We examined what in Catholic pated in four days of back-to-back schools needs to be restructured to meetings and speeches to hammer reflect the changing needs offamiout guidelines and goals for the lies, church and society," she said. future of Catholic education in Catholic educators "must be aware America. of where society is and direct our Delegates were divided into five educational goals to prepare young groups of 50, each exploring one people to stand up in society as of the congress's major themes.. Turn to Page 10
P,ope, Bush take "major tour" of world's trouble spots VATICAN CITY (eNS) - Pope John Paul 11 and U.S. President George Bush, in a Nov. 8 private meeting, took major tour" of the world's trouble spots, the president said. At its end, the pope said he was grateful for the opportunity 'to "have had this very long conversation." The men spent more than an hour alone, without interpreters. before being joined by Barbara Bush, the U.S. secretary of state and other members of the entourage. President and Mrs. Bush gave the pope a thick anthology of
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eNS, Reuters photo
THE PRESIDENT AND THE POPE AT THE VATICAN
Provid~nce WASHINGTON (CNS)- More questions were raised than answers given as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments Nov. 6 about whether a Rhode Island public school , was right in allowing a rabbi at a junior high graduation to offer a prayer expressing gratitude to God. During an hourlong presentation, justices peppered attorneys for both sides iil the Lee vs. Weisman case with such questions as: - How their arguments might apply to cases inv,olving older students. - Whether attendance at the ceremony was mandatory by virtue
prayer case
of the potential stigma from not attending. -':Whether the case would be clearer if the prayer in question was more or less sectarian in nature. - Whether an interpretation prohibiting prayers at graduation would preclude a public school from inviting a speaker who would be expected to voice religious themes. V.S. Solicitor General Kenneth W. Starr argued on behalf of the. Justice Department that students, like spectators in the courtroom, might have to be present when the name of God is invoked, but they
American poetry which the pope said would help improve his English. ' "Your English is very good, I think you've been practicing," the president responded. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Vatican slt0kesman, said, "In the wideranging and detailed meeting, carried out in a clim'ate,of sincere cordiality, tile themes closest to the heart of the Holy Father and of specific interest to President Bush at this moment were examined." He added, "In particular, President Bush explained to the Holy Father the steps completed and the perspectives opened by the
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needn't agree with the belief expressed. "You may hear things you don't like and you don't agree with," Starr said he'd advise students. "That's patt of a free sqciety."
WERE YOU AT REGIONAL DEACONS' MEETING? MAYBE YOUR PICTURE IS ON PAGE 11.
process started in Madrid with the first part of the conference regarding a stable, secure and just peace in the Middle East." The two also talked about "recent developments" in the relationship between East and West and the help Western nations can give to . the new democracies of Eastern Europe, he said. The day before the meeting, Navarro- Valls told journalists that the Vatican considers the war in Yugoslavia to be "the greatest injury today to international harmony." Tum to Page 10
thorny questions Several questions were based on the court's own ceremonial opening, which invokes God. At the beginning of each day's session of the Supreme Court,justices are seated to an announcement by a clerk, which includes: "God save the United States and this honorable court." Comparisons were made between that invocation and the practice of inviting a member of the clergy to offer a non-sectarian prayer at a public school ceremony. Starr urged the justices to "think long and hard" before linking prayers at "celebrations" with the court's
previous ban on even voluntary prayer in classroom settings. The case arose from the objections of Daniel Weisman to prayers offered by a rabbi at his daughter's middle school graduation in 1989. Lower courts ruled that such prayers violate the constitutional separation of church and state. Attorneys for the school district and the principal contend that such prayers should be allowed unless they are coercive. But Sandra Blanding, a Rhode Island lawyer representing the , Weismans, said under such a test, Turn to Page 10
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