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News Briefs
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NEWS BRIEFS May-8-2006
By Catholic News Service
U.S.
Sister Rose Thering dies; was pioneer in Catholic-Jewish relations
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Dominican Sister Rose Thering, a pioneer in Catholic-Jewish relations who dedicated most of her life to fighting anti-Semitism, died of kidney failure May 6 in Racine, Wis., at the Dominicans' Siena Center, where she became a nun in 1936. She was 85 years old. Her funeral Mass was to be celebrated the evening of May 9 at the Siena Center Chapel, with final commendation and interment the following morning at the order's cemetery. A scholar, educator and activist, for decades she was in the forefront of challenging Christian prejudices against Jews and Judaism and promoting Christian-Jewish understanding. Sister Rose's doctoral research 1957-61, before the Second Vatican Council, focused on anti-Jewish teachings in U.S. Catholic catechisms, many of which at that time blamed all Jews for the death of Jesus. "Her unflinchingly honest analysis ... profoundly influenced the development of the council's groundbreaking declaration, 'Nostra Aetate,'" said Eugene Fisher, an associate director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
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CRS praises Darfur agreement, expresses concern about sustained peace
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Although a Catholic Relief Services statement commended the May 5 peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the largest rebel group in Darfur, the U.S. bishops' international relief agency said it was concerned with sustained peace and the continued shortage of resources. CRS said that unless the two other rebel groups involved in the three-year conflict also agree to peace negotiations "there is no guarantee that this momentous agreement will bring peace to the people of Darfur," a region of western Sudan. Shortages of resources dedicated to helping the 3.5 million people who depend on humanitarian aid for survival and the constant threat of violence limit the assistance that CRS aid workers can provide, the agency said in its May 5 statement. CRS has been in the region since 2004.
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New Jersey parish forms 'peace cell,' prays for end to terrorism, war
LINCOLN PARK, N.J. (CNS) -- The words "terror cell" -- a band of terrorists who carry out hateful acts of mass destruction -- bring to mind horrific images of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. or the bombings in London or Madrid, Spain. But a group of parishioners at St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln Park is striking back. They're trying to turn the term "terror cell" inside out by forming a "peace cell" and using the Lord's mighty instrument of prayer to promote peace. Led by four Franciscan Sisters of Peace, about 20 parishioners meet in the church on Sundays at 5 p.m. to pray individually for an end to violence around the world and close to home. They pray for 24 minutes to represent each hour of the day, said Franciscan Sister Ellen Byrnes, the parish's pastoral associate and director of religious education. "We want to counter the terror cells, which people are concerned about," said Sister Byrnes, who started the peace cell early in March with her fellow Franciscan Sisters of Peace.
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National black Catholic leaders pledge to help with Katrina recovery
NEW ORLEANS (CNS) -- A contingent of bishops, religious and laity representing the National Black Catholic Congress promised to use their influence and resources to help restore the lives and property of those still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago spoke to the student body at MAX High School in mid-April, telling them they came to New Orleans to see firsthand the devastation, listen to their storm stories and take back recommendations on how to help with the recovery. Bishop Ricard is president and Bishop Perry is vice president of the board of trustees of the National Black Catholic Congress. Representatives of Catholic services and organizations from 15 cities joined the bishops in their visit to the region. "These African-American Catholic leaders, priests, sisters, deacons and laymen are very concerned about what happened to you," Bishop Ricard said. "We're looking for ways to extend our hands in a way of providing you some help," he said.
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Archdiocese of Newark to open new Catholic high school in fall 2007
NEWARK, N.J. (CNS) -- A Cristo Rey high school will be opening in the Archdiocese of Newark in September 2007. The high school, Christ the King, will be the first to open in the archdiocese since 1964. It will be located in a former Catholic elementary school that closed two years ago. Jesuit Father Edward Glynn, former president of John Carroll University in Cleveland, has been named as the school's president. In making the appointment, Newark Archbishop John J. Myers cited Father Glynn's extensive experience as an educator and administrator, and said the priest "will ensure the Catholicity of the school and foster the mission to provide an outstanding college preparatory program to the economically disadvantaged." Christ the King will be part of the nationwide Cristo Rey network of schools that integrate academics, community activities and corporate internships. Corporate sponsors are a necessary prerequisite for Cristo Rey schools because students are placed in a variety of entry-level jobs to help finance their education and support the initiative.
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Lost angel sculptures are returning to Baltimore's basilica
BALTIMORE (CNS) -- Two long-lost angels, forgotten for 60 years after being consigned to the undercroft of the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, will return to their place of honor in the sanctuary of the historic cathedral when the building is rededicated in November. The celestial figures, twin sculptures made of solid basswood, will flank the altar -- resuming their duties adoring the Blessed Sacrament. The angels are believed to have been crafted in the early 1800s and were removed from the basilica in the 1940s. Originally, there were four angels; two remain missing. Jim Adajian, a Baltimore wood craftsman, has been carefully restoring the angels with the help of Baltimore guilder Ed Milburn. Age, neglect and moisture in the undercroft contributed to the deterioration of the angels, according to Adajian, causing cracks, chipped paint and gaps in pieces of the wood. One angel is missing both feet.
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WORLD
Pope says missionary societies help Catholics know God's love
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The pontifical missionary societies help every Catholic in every part of the world let others know of God's love and his promise of salvation, Pope Benedict XVI said. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Holy Childhood Association and the other societies always have focused on communicating "the love of God revealed in his plan of salvation," the pope said. Pope Benedict met May 8 with 114 national directors of the pontifical missionary societies who were holding their general assembly. While the societies' financial support may be directed at different segments of the church in mission territories, such as children or seminarians, they all are involved in promoting awareness of each Catholic's missionary obligation and in helping local churches grow and mature. "All of this has given rise among the Christian people to a reawakening of faith and love, connected to a great missionary enthusiasm," the pope said.
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Pope ordains 15 priests, warns against clerical careerism
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said the priesthood should be understood as a commitment to service and not an opportunity for career-climbing. The pope made the comments shortly before ordaining 15 priests during a lengthy liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica May 7. Twelve of the new priests came from Italy, with one each from Honduras, Israel and Poland. The Mass highlighted the annual celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In his sermon, the pope said the priest as "good shepherd" must be ready to sacrifice himself, know his flock and serve unity. He prefaced his remarks with a warning about "careerism, the temptation to reach 'the top,' to acquire for oneself a position through the church" and to help oneself instead of helping others. "This is the image of someone who uses the priesthood to make himself important, to become a personality, the image of one who aims at self-acclaim and not the humble service of Jesus Christ," Pope Benedict said.
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Pope celebrates special Mass for Swiss Guard's 500th anniversary
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI presided over a special Mass May 6 in St. Peter's Basilica to mark the Swiss Guard's 500th anniversary. In his homily, he said every pope after Pope Julius II has always reaffirmed the need to maintain the special soldiers. When Pope Paul VI "dissolved all the other military corps of the Vatican" in 1970, the Swiss Guard was spared, he said. To be a member of the Swiss Guard "means to adhere to Christ and the church without reservations, ready to give (one's) life for this," he said. While offering the current soldiers and veterans a "well-deserved and cordial thanks," Pope Benedict also invited them to look to the future "with courage and faithfulness." Later that same day in St. Peter's Square, 33 new recruits for the Swiss Guard were sworn in during a colorful ceremony attended by their families and friends as well as former guards and Vatican officials. One by one, each new recruit took an oath to "faithfully, loyally and honorably" serve the pope with all his strength and to sacrifice his life, if necessary, to defend the pontiff.
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Orthodox, Vatican leaders say modern challenges need moral guidance
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Europeans risk being completely unprepared to face modern-day challenges if they are not guided by a solid sense of moral responsibility and Christian ethics, said a statement from a Vatican official and a Russian Orthodox leader. The statement by Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the pontifical councils for Culture and for Interreligious Dialogue, and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, head of external and ecumenical relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, came at the end of a landmark, three-day meeting between the two churches. Dozens of members of the Vatican's culture council and the Moscow Patriarchate's ecumenical department met May 3-5 in Vienna, Austria, to find ways the two churches could work together to build communities that respect human dignity and promote justice and peace. The meeting's theme was "Give a Soul to Europe: The Mission and Responsibility of the Churches." The Vatican council released copies of the final statement and some texts of participants' speeches to Catholic News Service.
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Lebanese bishops urge nations to share burden of Palestinian refugees
BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) -- Lebanon's Maronite Catholic bishops urged the international community to help bear the responsibility of Palestinian refugees and expressed concern about recent Syrian military incursions into Lebanon. "The Palestinian question is still a cause of worry to the Palestinians and the world, especially the countries where Palestinians took refuge," the bishops said in a statement following a May 3 meeting. Some 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, and the presence of weapons outside the refugee camps continues to be an unresolved issue. "The international community cannot wash its hands of this problem" of Palestinian refugees, because they are burdening the host countries, the bishops said. "The international community must bear its responsibility until it finds the awaited solutions."
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Chinese priest who studied in U.S. ordained bishop with papal OK
SHENYANG, China (CNS) -- Catholics in northeastern China's Liaoning Diocese gathered for the ordination of a young bishop approved by the pope as well as the Chinese government. Father Paul Pei Junmin, 37, was ordained coadjutor bishop May 7 by Bishop Pius Jin Peixian of Liaoning at Sacred Heart Cathedral in downtown Shenyang, capital of the Liaoning province. Bishop Pei obtained master's degrees in theology and biblical studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa. Priests, nuns and lay representatives of Liaoning elected Bishop Pei coadjutor bishop Jan. 12, reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. He is the fourth bishop to be ordained in the government-approved or open church this year and the second ordained with papal approval. UCA News reported that joyous celebrations with various Catholic groups, including ethnic Korean-Chinese, began inside the cathedral compound on the afternoon of May 6 and continued into the evening of the next day, after the ordination.
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PEOPLE
Pope appoints 12 new cardinals to Vatican congregations, councils
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a standard follow-up to the March 24 consistory at which they became cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI appointed the 12 new active cardinals to membership on a variety of Vatican congregations and councils. Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston was named a member of the clergy and religious life congregations. U.S. Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was confirmed as a member of the congregations for Saints' Causes and for Bishops, as well as the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. More than half of the cardinal assignments announced by the Vatican May 6 were confirmations of membership the prelates held before becoming cardinals. In one of the new appointments, Pope Benedict appointed Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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Luxembourg royal family crowns Rome visit with papal audience
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Luxembourg's royal family concluded what they described as a tour of "ancient and spiritual Rome" with a prayer-filled audience with Pope Benedict XVI. Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, spent about 20 minutes alone with Pope Benedict May 8 before praying the Hail Mary with him in Latin. While their conversation was conducted in French, the pope told his guests he preferred to recite the prayers in Latin since he was not sure he would remember all of the words in French. After the couple's five children -- ages 14-24 -- joined their parents in the papal library, the royal family and Pope Benedict recited the Lord's Prayer in Latin. Pope Benedict also remarked on the unusual coincidence that he, the Grand Duke and 14-year-old Prince Sebastian all celebrate their birthdays April 16.
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Religious vocations can come from anyplace
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A few years ago Teresa Min-Sook Kim was a young Korean immigrant in Minnesota, a non-Catholic who spoke little English. Jay Toborowsky was a young Jewish man working as an aide to the mayor of Woodbridge, N.J. Carol Derynioski had been teaching more than 25 years and had her own home in Boca Raton, Fla. What do a Korean immigrant in Minnesota, a Jewish political aide in New Jersey and a Catholic teacher in Florida have in common? Now they are called "Sister" or "Father" and each was recently featured in a local diocesan newspaper as an example of some of the ways the call to priesthood or religious life can be heard.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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