A Story of Hardship, Even Death, but Also of the Triumph of the Human Spirit of the Men and Women Who Work with Those Who Have Nothing
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CATHOLIC EDUCATORS get another promise on tuition tax credits from President Reagan Page 3 Catholic Archdiocese of Miami Vol.XXXI No.12 Friday, April 15, 1983 Price 25C Silver Jubilee Year Poverty and love A story of hardship, even death, but also of the triumph of the human spirit of the men and women who work with those who have nothing. i At the invitation of Broward- based Food For The Poor, a Catholic lay organization. Voice Editor Robert O'Steen recently toured poverty pockets of Haiti and Jamaica where the small number of priests receive support from the food organization. Following is his report on conditions there. By Robert O'Steen Editor, The Voice PORT AU PRINCE/KINGSTON- Poverty here has a certain odor about it. You can smell it faintly on the downtown streets and stronger in the ghettos. A mixture borne on the air of unwashed bodies, human waste and the slow decay of buildings and society. Fr. Richard Albert kneels to talk to children (foreground) in 'Brooklyn,' Haiti, one of the world's worst slums, It is here that Broward-based Food as a South Florida group tours the area. (Voice photo by Robert O'Steen). For The Poor has brought three Americans to see the overwhelming problems and needs, along with the sions of a five-day trip: space to walk. distrust and harassment of the Then the mounds move here and government) the hard-laboring minor miracles a handful of mis- Human cordwood sionaries, priests and Sisters there and you realize: these are women, for 15 cents get a place to somehow manage daily. It is both You wind your way from Port au human beings, stacked body to body sleep and two simple meals. They suf- apalling and inspiring. "I want others Prince late at night, up torturous on the floor, hundreds huddled fer, as do most poor Haitians, to see what it is like here in Haiti and turns of rough half-paved road to against the cold mountain air. These weakness, parasites, stunted growth, Jamaica," said Ferdinand Mahfood, apathy. Yet they work like horses. founder of Food For the Poor. So he has brought the three to see and tell: 'the next day Father Harry was sent word that he Stones in toilets Father Basil Pennington, a Trappist could find the bodies of the thieves at such and Then, the next day there is the monk and nationally-known propo- countryside school and clinic built nent of centering prayer as well as such a place' out of nothing in five years by mis- lecturer and author; Gerry Kelly, a sionary couple James and Carol lay worker for FP; and the Editor of Herget. The Voice. Kenscoff, at 5,000 feet elevation are the women, it is explained, who "When the kids from the hills first There is too much in the five-day where you are greeted by Father Jean walk with 50-pound baskets of pro- came here," says Carol, some had no trip for it all to be told. Suffice it to Cico. He is a native Haitian priest, duce on their heads down and up the clothes. They had never seen a toilet say that in this part of the world young, handsome and owner of a mountain as long as 12 hours at a and we had to stop them from drink- there are people, like the famed smile to put Ben Vereen to shame. He time to get to Kenscoff to sell their ing out of it. Then they clogged it up Mother Teresa, though without the takes you inside a long, low wooden produce or a couple of chickens. with stones because they didn't know media attention, who are quietly building barely lit by the classic single They used to sleep on the cold to use toilet paper. Yet from that ig- working their way toward sainthood, naked light bulb. All along the floor ground, rain or not. Now, thanks to norance, some of the kids have gone though they would scoff at that. are what look like mounds of rags, Fr. Cico and his formation of the to the fifth grade in two years, given Here are some whirlwind impres- piled side by side, leaving almost no Poor People's Coop (much to the continued on page 10 INNER VOICE " YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED ST. MARTHA Dedication ceremonies for the new dedicates Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese new home begin with a Mass on Saturday at 11 a.m. NUKES PASTORAL followed by an Open House from 1 to 4 p.m. Back Page gets conservatives' OK Another Open House will be held Sunday Pages 4-5 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Board calls for women's rights By Bob Cubbage Conference, based in Seattle, is the Catholic Church and society. By Raising the issue of women's public policy agency of the state's three adopting and publishing the statement, ordination, the statement notes that in The 12-member Washington State Catholic bishops, who head the the WSCC said it hopes to initiate and 1976 the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Conference's board of Archdiocese of Seattle and the promote discussion of women's the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated the directors has adopted a statement Dioceses of Spokane and Yakima. Its equality. church's long tradition of ordaining urging ratification of the federal Equal action in regard to the ERA is regarded "The church strongly advocates that only men. "We have seen,- however, Rights Amendment and calling for as a precedent because no other .state the sensitivities of its members be that there are substantial numbers in equality for women in the church. Catholic conference is believed to have heightened with regard to inequalities the church who question whether the The statement, prepared by the backed the ER£. and that societal measures be enacted tradition of ordaining only men is of organization's Moral Advisory ' 'While we are aware of the evils that to overcome them," the statement unchangeable divine law," the Committee, also calls for more study some anticipate as ensuing from the says. statement says, and discussion on the. issue of women's ERA and the threats that, in the minds Although the WSCC supports "We urge, in all loyalty to the holy ordination to the Catholic priesthood. of some, it may pose to traditional ratification of the ERA, the statement father and the constant tradition of the THE BOARD likewise went on the values, we believe that the symbolic urges "continuing study of the church. the undertaking of in-depth record in support of a Washington and practical value of this measure to amendment, its meaning and its studies on the meaning of priesthood, state legislative measure which provide equal opportunities for women implications." the way the priesthood has historically encourages President "Reagan to in our .society is worthy of attention," . "LET THE wisdom of civil and adapted to different cultures, the promote speedy passage of the ERA, the WSCC directors said in their canon law, ecclesial leadership and enduring elements of priesthood that reintroduced in Congress after it failed statement. faithful men and women guide us in transcend all cultural changes, and to be ratified by enough states by 1982. For five years, the board has been our efforts toward public policy in the finally, the relationship of these The Washington State Catholic discussing the role of women in the whole area of human rights," it says. elements to women," the WSCC said. Bishop FitzpatricK sends amnesty letter^ In an open letter to President Reagan, Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick of Brownsville, Texas, asked the president to grant amnesty to all Salvadoran and other Central American refugees awaiting a solution to the military and political upheaval in their countries. Central Americans seeking political asylum who enter this country illegal- ly face arrest and depoitation by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Bishop Fitzpatrick also called for an end to military, economic and social aid to Central American countries "so that those nations may be self-determined in their pursuit of freedom and human dignity which will lead to national recovery and peace, much the same as we American people did over 200 years ago." Philippine layman disappears MARYKNOLL, N.Y. - Karl Caspar, 35, the first layman to serve as executive secretary of the Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference, serving 17 Philippine dioceses, disappeared according to Maryknoll sources. Maryknoll Father Dan Diiscoll, direc- tor of the Mary Knoll Justice and Peace Office, said that Gaspar disappeared after either stopping at the home of West German friends whom the Philippine military had arrested, or after he had visited the Davao City ecumenical center, which the military had raided two days earlier. Six persons, including a United Church of Christ minister, were reportedly arrested at the home of the Germans. The Philip- pine government has accused the Catholic Church of aiding dissident and guerilla movements. Father Driscoll said Maryknoll sources .have said Gaspar was not associated with any Guerilla movements. Dallas Catholics protest Bishops' pastoral DALLAS - Saying the U.S. bishops' proposed pastoral on war and peace has caused them "dismay, disappointment and concern," a group of lay Catholics in Dallas has issued an open letter to the bishops urging major changes in the docu- ment. The group, Concerned Catholics for Peace Through Strength, expresses "ma- jor reservations about the proposed pastoral letter" in a statement sent to U.S. bishops. A copy of the statement appeared in a full-page ad in the Texas Catholic, newspaper of the Dallas and Fort Worth dioceses.