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VOL. 43, NO. 46 • Friday, November 26, 1999
FALL RIVER, MASS.
Bishop O'Malley says U.S. bishops addressed many issues positively ~
New higher education norms were approached with caution and concern; Bishop O'Malley spoke out on centrality of the tabernacle during the Nov. 15-18 general meeting. By JAMES N. DUNBAR AND CATliOUC NEWS SERVICE REPORTS
FALL RIVER - Just hours after his return from the fall general meeting of the U.S. bishops in Washington, D. c., Bishop Sean P. O'Malley, OFM Cap., took time before the awarding of Marian Medals Sunday to report on the meeting he called "a very good one." "There was much on the agenda but I think there was a good, positive discussion on the part of the bishops and there was a meeting of the minds, particularly on the identity of our Catholic universities," Bishop O'Malley said. "I would say the centerpiece of the meeting was on 'Ex Corde Ecclesia,' ('Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States'); the I33-page document of the Holy Father on evangelization and our implementation of it," said Bishop O'Malley. It was overwhelmingly approved in a voice vote. He said that in essence, it sets out that
the president of a Catholic University and the majority of trustees should be Catholic, and that those who are teaching in the theology departments should have a "mandatum" or recognition from the bishop. The text spells out the appropriate role of a bishop in Catholic higher education in a context of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, key concerns in the U.S. academic community. During a discussion of a current draft of the bishops' document on Church art and architecture, Bishop O'Malley along with the other 30 bishops focused on the subject of tabernacle placement. Most who commented on "Domus Dei" ("House of God") indicated their preference for a central placement where the faithful could easily see it upon entering a church, Bishop O'Malley said. ''The bishops were concerned that the tabernacle no longer has a prominent place in the church. I was trying to point out the importance of underlying eucharistic faith to our people, particularly as the year 2000 is going to be the millennium year and the Year of the Eucharist. We will have a Eucharistic congress in our diocese and I hope this will be a time for our people to reflect and deepen our faith in the mystery of Christ's presence in the reserved sacrament." He added that, "This is in no way in opposition to the Celebration of the Eucharist, but is the same mystery we celebrate. I feel confident that the new document, when it comes out, will stress the prominence the tabernacle should have in our church archi-
UNIVERSAL OUTLOOK - Archbishop J. B. Pham Minh Man, archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, left, Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, and Bishop Sean P. O'Malley of Fall River were grouped at a luncheon during the recent four-day, fall annual meeting of U.S. bishops in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John E. Kearns, Jr.) tecture." The proposed document, which the bishops could vote on next year, enunciates principles guiding the construction of new ·churches and the renovation of existing ones. It contains "many of the provisions of universal law governing liturgical art and
architecture and offers pastoral suggestions based upon the experience. of the last 30 years," says the preface of the 100-page document. In essence, bishops used their discussion time to voice their displeasure about the trend Tum to page 13 - Bishops
Advent: A time to rejoice in hope ~
"Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs our mind and heart to await Christ's second coming at the end of time. Advent thus is a period of devout and joyful expectation." - General
Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar. By JAMES N. DUNBAR FALL RIVER - Catholics here and in . dioceses across the world will find the sanctuaries and altars in their parish churches rather bare and without much of the color and ornamentation they are accustomed to when they go to Mass on the weekend of November 27-28, the first Sunday in Advent. . . . . . . . f9~ Ad.v~~~ p\e.n~~ .t?gt?t~~~ ~ .peniten~
tial spirit similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the second and final coming of the Lord called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the remembrance of the birth-of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago. As we stand on the threshold of the new millennium and Jubilee Year 2000, dedicated to Christ in the Eucharist, "The Order of Prayer In the Liturgy of the Hours" offers a keen reminder that the birth of Jesus at
Bethlehem "is not an event which can be consigned to the past. The whole of human history in fact stands in reference to him: our own time and the future of the world are illuminated by his presence. He is the 'the Living One' (Rev 1:18), 'who is, who was and who is to come' (Rev 1:4)". The word Advent, from the Latin adventus, or "coming," originally described the whole
mystery of Christ's Incarnation. The conception of Jesus was an Advent, but so was his birth and what will be his final coming at the end-times. In a more popular sense, Advent was first associated with the time of the year now called Christmastime, and finally with the weeks of preparation for Christmas. As Catholics in the final year of this millennium advance towards Christmas, the Scriptures at Advent Masses can be a spiritual roadmap for us. From the first Sunday ofAdvent until Dec. 16, the focus of the season is upon Christ's glorious return at the end time of creation. From Dec. 17 to 24, inclusive, the texts of the liturgy prepare us more directly for the Christmas celebration. "An essential component of Christian spirituality is a living sense of vigilance, a state of being alert for the coming of Christ who is among us, yet who comes in a definitive end time," the St. Andrew Missal says. "The Scriptures recount humanity'S longing, satisfied in the birth of Jesus, who went beyond all human hope in taking upon himself Turn to page 13 - Advent .