A Saint for a Cousin
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m S s o (V i UJ i n i I > • - i sH t - LH < »- i / i Cl <m a . o c O' UJ UJ O ' o > 1-4 JRGH i/> > • f a _ (V i - J ^ 3 l o < < o a CC UJ oc H CO Z 2 t \ j o h l / l S3 O ' o • J UJ l / l ■4" M 3 H c o a c UJ o h (VI UJ I 3 w o a. » - O Q. 149th Year, CXLIX No. 36 30* Established in 1844: America’s Oldest Catholic Newspaper In Continuous Publicai Friday, November 19, 1993 Life in 1994 Vietnamese Bishops, pope plan major refugees lose pro-life documents home to fire WASHINGTON (CNS) — U.S. Catholic bish- dom of Choice Act ■ ops voted to draft a special message on abor (FOCA), indicated they I For seven Vietnamese families, tion and other pro-life issues to coincide with wanted more informa "+■• starting over isn’t getting any easi- a papal encyclical on the subject expected V er. The refugees watched their new next year. tion about pro-life ac tivities. I I 1 ^omes and belongings disappear On the first day of their annual fall meeting Next year’s pro-life I in flames Oct. 2 during an earjy- Nov. 15-18, the bishops agreed In a voice vote I I morning fire at 840 Island Ave., to draft the message in time to be considered statement by the bish ops will incorporate McKees Rocks. at next November's meeting. BISHOPS PLAN 1994 MESSAGE — U.S. Catholic bishops discuss a Next week, along with millions of others The text would address the theological, various topical as 1994 pro-life message at their annual fa ll meeting in Washington. pects of life issues In in this country, they’ll give thanks, grateful ; moral and ethical dimensions of the Church’s that they escaped unharmed and that teachings on human life, apply those aspects society, including abortion, assisted suicide, names and addresses of the million-plus peo capital punishment and care for the poor. Catholic Charities will be there for them to the U.S. social and cultural milieu, and of ple who responded to the anti-FOCA cam once again. fer guidance about how to advance the pro-life Cardinal Mahony said. paign. By putting those individuals on a data The apartment building, owned by Gene agenda In parishes, schools and church orga Cardinal Mahony said an update is not only base, national efforts on life issues could be nizations, said Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. timely because of an expected encyclical by Chapman of McKees Rocks, was declared a quickly put into motion, Cardinal Mahony total loss. It was home to 14 adult refugees Mahony, chairman of the Committee for Pro- Pope John Paul II on threats to human life said. £B Life Activities of the National Conference of next year, but because of the changing face of and their five children whose resettlement is sponsored by Catholic Charities through Catholic Bishops. the subject in society. Bishop Wueri elected chairman In a related action, the bishops voted 201-7 In addition to applying the pope's message its Refugee Services Program. Most have On Tuesday, Bishop Donald Wuerl’s brother been in the United States less than two to support Cardinal Mahony's request to cre to an American context, it could be used as a bishops elected him Chairman of the Bishops’ years, and speak little or ho English. ate a computer database from the names of teaching and motivational document for dio Committee on Priestly Formation. The One refugee who is able to speak broken people who, as part of a postcard campaign ceses, parishes and schools, he said. committee’s responsibilities include review of English is Nguyen Khanh. Smoke awak conducted earlier this year against the Free The database discussed would begin with U.S. seminaries. m ened Nguyen around 3:30 a.m. He said, "I ran down from (floor) three so fast and out." Along the way he took time to rouse his The process of his beatification began in 1954. mother Sam, grab the television set, and Ms. Perez attended the outdoor ceremonies knock on the doors of his neighbors. Nguy in front of St. Peter’s Basilica with her sister, en is thankful that no one was seriously A s a in t brother-in-law and cousin. She described them hurt. as being spiritually uplifting. “I’m a crybaby.” Since the fire Nguyen and his mother, she said. “So what 1 did was cry. It was very who works at Marian Manor Nursing Home emotional." in Green Tree, have moved several times. fo r a Her most memorable experience of the trip, First they stayed with an older brother and however, was meeting the Holy Father. “It was his bride. They recently found temporary the most impressive thing in my life — his shelter in McKees Rocks with another fire presence," she said. victim, Huynh Mai, and several of her c o u s in “He’s a humble human being," she added. “He's friends. The Nguyen family has been in the definitely going to be a saint someday because United States since November 1991. Carmen Garzon Perez is greeted by Pope you ca.fi see tire goodness'in him." Nguyen works at the University Club in John Paul nfollowing the beatification Ms. Perez conversed with the Holy Father in Oakland and attends Connelly Technical ceremony at St. Peter Basilica. Spanish, telling him who she was. and her re Institute. He hopes to continue his studies lationship to Bishop Medina. “That’s wonder at Community College of Allegheny County By JOHN FRANKO Communion in the same Church in which ful," he told her. after he receives his GED in 15 months. His Bishop Medina was baptized. She possesses a She was later given a Rosary by one of his English has improved so much that he is The picture of her before the Holy Father sits piece of one of his handkerchiefs, a third-class assistants. often asked to translate for others. proudly on a desk in her boutique in relic. Now that she is home, Ms. Perez said she Truong Trung, one of Nguyen's friends, Beechview. The family originally believed Bishop Medina has much to do. She would like to open a fund was the only tenant who required medical ; Even now, when she talks about their meet had been burned alive, but it was later discov to build a monument to Bishop Medina in assistance. After helping his wife and their ing, Carmen Garzon Perez is filled with emo ered he had been shot to death before his body Lanteira. “I feel so special to have had the op two infants escape safely, Trung returned tion. After all, how many people get the chance was doused with gasoline. portunity to 'experience so much," she said. B to the building to help others escape, but to see a cousin declared was trapped by the flames. He injured his ■‘blessed" by the Church? foot when he had to jump to safety from a That's what happened to window of his second-floor apartment. her when she traveled to Rome Truong, who also works at the University for the Oct 10 beatification of Faith on the beat Club, was treated at a nearby hospital and her cousin, Bishop Manuel released. Medina Olmos of Guadix- Denise Quach, a caseworker for Catholic Baza, who was murdered in Catholic cop to be immortalized Charities’ Refugee Services Program, said 1936 during the Spanish Civil By PATRICIA BARTOS that the landlord, Chapman, has been War. Society, organized annual retreats at St. Paul Monas tery for the men, and helped plan the annual memo helpful with relocations. Beatification is an act by Police work has dominated Lt. John McMahon’s rial Mass for police officers. She commented, “Mr. Chapman is a very Which the pope declares that a life for more than 50 years. In retirement, he writes and edits the quarterly kind man. He owns other property in the person has lived the Christian His dedication will be rewarded when the life-long Fraternal Order of Police News. And he is active with McKees Rocks area and has worked hard to virtues to a heroic degree. It is North Side resident is Inducted into the International find new homes for many of the refugees in often the final step before can the Pittsburgh Police Historical Society, the Allegheny Police Association's Hall of Fame for the Keystone County Law Enforcement Memorial Committee and his other buildings.” onization, an official decree of Region 13 in ceremonies the Veteran Police Quach added that Chapman, who often sainthood. Jan. 29 at the Yorktown Ho- I takes his tenants grocery shopping, already “I can’t come down from it Association. tel in York, Pa. This is in addition to his has settled Le Lang and her son and Huynh ;— I feel so renewed,” Ms. Perez Allegheny County Com in new apartments. said. long-time work as a nation missioners will also honor al and local officer with the Catholic Charities’ immediate goal is to The Spanish Civil War was him by issuing a proclama relocate all of the fire victims in permanent marked by the burning and Knights of Equity. tion in January citing his To him, the heart and housing by Thanksgiving. Some of the fam desecration of churches, and achievements. ilies have already found homes. The Truong the banning of public religious soul of police work is the It’s a mark of the senti cop on the beat.