10-12 the G Reat Jubilee?
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I D e n v e r C a t h o l i c Vol. LXXIV No. 6 Ninety seven years of service to the Gospel February 18, 1998 0 0 ^ N ew St . Frances C abrini C hurch dedicated 1 0 -1 2 fr t PHOTOS BY fAMES BACA; LAYOUT BY ROBERT UNN W hat' s all this talk about THE G reat J ubilee? How c a n I EVANGELIZE? WiLL NEW M a r ia n d o g m a s Crisis in Iraq Pope, bishops j- BE d e c l a r e d ? Is J e s u s appeal for peace ^ C h r i s t C o m i n g S o o n ? Public infidelity How to answer M i l e H i C o n g r e s s 3 kids' questions 14 DENVER CATHOUC REGISTER February 18. 1998 Population control may be undermining world's future H cause of global warming. Demographers ecently population specialists from pens when the annual number of new now find that f>opulation decline is the An around the world met at the United births slows down appreciably or even R t G u est problem, not population growth. And Nations to discuss a new population stops entirely? What happens when a foreigrmations rebel at American efforts By I problem; Has population control gone i Colum n highly productive, affluent, powerful, to force birth control «md abortion on too far? and comfortable nation no longer has By Most Rev. them . enough young people to staff the work Demographers have been watching It is a new demographic moment for force, to produce new goods and con James T. McHugh the decline in population growth rates the world, and a challenge to all of us to tinue its economic progress? What hap over the past 20 years. The latest report. create economic, social, public health World Population Prospects: the 1996 pens to a nation's ability to defend it and cultural conditions that enable the Revision tells us that over the past de self? Who provides the financial re those taking money out. The result can world to welcome children and ensure cade growth rates fell faster, fertility sources for social security, health care longevity and dignity for all people. But declines in individual nations were and other necessary services? be bankruptcy of the pension plan. Until now there has been a well-orga basic to this is truth—truth about popu greater and more widespread than ex To some degree, migration provides nized, highly financed crusade to lower lation growth and decline, truth about pected, and migration was more exten a short-range solution for the work force environmental problems, and truth sive than previously anticipated. and for commerce. Technology also pro fertility and population growth. The United States has been in the forefront For practical purposes such evidence vides some replacement for workers. about the responsibility of governments has long been known in terms of rates But labor unions are concerned about of that crusade. Focusing on concern to aid one another for the good of all about the global environment. Vice people. of growth, fertility and mortality. The the future for today's workers and suf new phenomenon has to do with the ficient jobs for tomorrow's. President Gore cited the projected in actual numbers of people. Demogra Look at the impact on education. In crease in world population to 9 billion Most Reverend James T. McHugh is phers knew that the peak rate of popu many U.S.suburban areas there is a as reaching "right up to the ceiling." He Bishop of Camden and a member of the lation growth had declined Dom 2.1% present demand for new schools and claimed that "the developing countries NCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activities. to 1.48% between the 1950's cind 1995. new teachers. But in 20 to 30 years there still have very, very large families." And They also knew that actual world popu will be fewer children. Schools will close, he recommended fewer children per lation will continue to increase from 5.7 and many of today's young teachers will family, more birth control and more "em A' c'ib billion today to about 9.4 billion by 2050. no longer be necessary. powerment of women" through "repro ductive health" services. At the Cairo The new phenomenon is this; Each year At the same time that children are Feb. 18: ACA prayer service and Population Conference and the Beijing until 2000, world population will in declining in number, the number of reception at St. Thomas More Parish crease by 81 million; that figure will older people is constantly growing. We Women's Conference, the United States pushed hard for population control and Hall, 6:30 p.m. (please note that the steadily decline to about 41 million by are entering an era in which older people ACA reception originally scheduled t': for inclusion of abortion as a method of 2050. will outnumber children 3 to 1. In afflu for Feb. 19 at the John Paul II Center family planning. Population control advocates focus ent countries like the U.S. this figure has been rescheduled and relocated on the overall increase, which seems could be 8 to 1. The practical effect will The Vice President has much to learn about population. There is no absolute to the Feb. 18 gathering at St. Tho large. Little attention has been given to be felt most strongly in pension pro mas More); Feb. 19-24: In Rome for the annual decline in births. Yet this de grams, where there will not be enough ceiling for the number of people on earth, and population increase is not the the elevation ceremony for His Emi cline raises new questions. What hap people putting money in to take care of nence J. Francis Stafford. Scripture Readings: Lives of the Saints Year of the If Jesus said, 'call no man father,' Seventh Sunday in St. Peter Damian, why do we call priests, 'father?' Ordinary Time bishop, doctor Holy Spirit o interpret Scripture correctly, we need to "think First Reading: Peter Damian was bom A time of hope in the T with the Church" and understand particular pas Samuel 26: 2,7-9,12-13 of poor parents in sages in light of the rest of Scripture (cf. 2 Peter 1:20; Ravenna, Italy, in 1001. In definitive coming of Psalm: 103; 1-4, 8,10-13 3:16). This interpretive principle is called the "analogy 1035, he joined the of faith" (Catechism, 114). Second Reading: the kingdom of God Benedictines, living as a ^ 0 0 ^ In Matthew 23:9, Jesus emphasizes the unique role 1 Corinthians 15: 45-49 hermit and studying of our Heavenly Father. It is he who created us in his Gospel: Scripture. In 1057, he was image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-28) and made us his Luke 6: 27-38 named cardinal-bishop of A new springtime of Christianity sons and daughters through our baptism into the death In baptism we are called Ostia. He wrote prolifi- and resurrection of his Son (Romans 5:12-21; 6:3-4; 8: to mirror and image the cally on purgatory, the awaits the Church in the Year 2000 12-17). Our fidelity belongs to our eternal Father. mercy and forgiveness the Eucharist and priestly By His Holiness, Pope John Paul II Yet this passage cannot be interpreted as prohibit Lord has for us. As David celibacy. He was declared ing reference to dads or priests as "fathers" without would not harm Saul, his a doctor of the Church in s the third millen nium of the redemp contradicting other scriptural passages in which the enemy, so are we challenged 1828. His feast is Feb. 21. word "father" is used for human fathers. Such an in to love and pardon those who tion draws near, God is preparing a great spring terpretation would render the corrunandment "honor wrong us. Necrology your father ..." meaningless. David is tempted to take time of Christianity, and we can already see its first Rather, the proper sense is that all fatherhood the life of the man who has Father Kenneth Funk comes from God the Father, such that men rightly ex threatened his won life, but Feb. 23, 1974 signs. In fact, both in the non-Christian world and hibit fatherhood only to the extent that they partici he refuses to "harm the Father Andrew Warwick pate in the one paternity of God. Lord's anointed." United Feb. 24, 1980 / in the traditionally Chris with the Sacred Heart of Father James Ahem tian world, people are Archbishop posts first anniversary Jesus, may we love even those Feb. 25, 1969 gradually drawing closer who hate us and seek to pro Eternal rest grant unto to Gospel ideals and val February 18, 1988, is the first anniversary of the tect them from all harm. them. Lord. ues, a development which transfer of the metropolitan to Archbishop Charles J. the Church seeks to en- Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. The one year armiversary of his courage ... Christian hope sustains us in committing installation will be celebrated April 7. Luncheon talks highlight jubilee ourselves fully to the new evangelization and to the worldwide mission, and leads us to pray as Jesus free luncheon lecture series is being offered in the Denver Catholic Register (USPS Refectory at the John Paul II Center. At noon on taught us: "Thy Kingdom come.