Religious Peace Summit Worldwide Leaders Join at Assisi
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Vote Florida candidate poll, Pgs.7 and 8 Vol. XXXIII No. 21 Catholic Archdiocese of Miami Price 25$ Friday, October 31,1986 Religious peace summit Worldwide leaders join at Assisi ASSISI, Italy (NC) — Religious leaders from the distant corners of the earth joined Pope John Paul II this week in a common call for peace, ex- pressed through a multitude of prayers. Sixty government leaders — includ- ing President Reagan — expressed support for the peace summit, the first event of its type in history. In the Italian hill town of Assisi, where St. Francis preached his peace message 800 years earlier, churches and civic halls overflowed with the sounds and sights of some 15 major religions. The day, which began with a welcoming talk by the pope, conclud- ed with a joint service and a common meal that broke several hours of fast- ing by the estimated 150 Christian and non-Christian representatives. In between, in a rich display of the world's faiths, were separate peace prayers by Christians, Moslems, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, African ariimists. 'There exists another dimension of peace which Balloons for Peace is not the result of It was up, up and away for peace at Epiphany grade school in South Miami on the occasion of the negotiations, political Worldwide Day of Prayer for Peace called by Pope John Paul II. Different classes worked on art compromise or economic projects representing some aspect of peace that were displayed at a prayer service at noon where bargainings' students listened to a talk by Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh, director of Catholic Community Services. Afterwards nearly 800 balloons were released by the students each taped with a peace message — Pope John Paul written by the students themselves. (Voice photo by Prent Browning) American Indians and several other cell, they shared a minute of silence. in separate prayer ceremonies. today's world, scarred by the wounds groups. The purpose of the meeting, the In the medieval church of St. of warfare and division, indeed in a Throughout, the pope was a host pope told them, was to invite the Rufino, the pope joined other Chris- sense crucified," the pope told the who made a point of respecting the world to "become aware that there ex- tian leaders and reminded them that Christian leaders. various beliefs of his guests, while ists another dimension of peace and the search for full Christian unity was Leaders from nine other Orthodox underlining their united concern for another way of promoting peace a part of peacemaking. churches joined in the service, includ- peace. which is not a result of negotiations, Sitting beside him were Archbishop ing Metropolitan Filaret of Kiev and He welcomed the delegates, male political compromises or economic Robert Runcie of Canterbury, head of Galic, who read a psalm in Russian. and female, individually as they bargainings." the world's Anglicans, and Orthodox Among the Catholics present were entered the Renaissance Basilica of St. "It is the result of prayer," he said. Archbishop Methodius, a delegate of Bishop James Malone, head of the Mary of the Angels. There, gathered The groups spent the next two-and- the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I. U.S. bishops' conference, and a in a circle next to St. Francis' monastic a-half hours demonstrating that idea "We must be true peacemakers... in (Continued on page 6) Immigration reform Priests, experts here hopeful but cautious By Araceli Cantero -whether strictly or broadly- and how Thomas Wenski, director of the Haitian and Ana Rodriguez-Soto the process will be carried out. Catholic Center in Miami. "A good Questions also remain as to the number of Haitians will benefit from Three South Florida priests who effect of the "guest worker" program and the law," he added, but it all depends on minister to farmworkers and refugees employer sanctions which are part of the INS' interpretation of the "excludability" expressed both hope and worry about the bill. provisions. Immigration Reform Act recently passed "I would have accepted any bill, "I hope the overall effect will be by Congress. then cleared the decks and corrected the positive," Father Wenski said. The law, which still has to be deficiencies with subsequent A priest who works with signed by President Reagan, provides a legislation," said Monsignor Bryan farmworkers, however, is not as chance at legalization for thousands of Walsh, director of the Archdiocese's hopeful. immigrants who have been living under Catholic Community Services and an "Several thousand people are going the shadow of deportation until now. expert in immigration matters. "For a to benefit," said Father Frank That's the good news. great number of people, [the law] offers O'Loughlin, the longtime pastor of Your chance to help others The bad news is that no one knows hope and a number of solutions that did Holy Cross parish in Indiantown, now this Christmas. In the next exactly how the Immigration and not exist." in the Diocese of Palm Beach. issue of The Voice. Naturalization Service (INS) will "I don't know what to think yet But Father O'Loughlin said interpret the legalization provisions - because it's not too clear," said Father (Continued on page 13) Baltimore schools becoming interparochial BALTIMORE (NC) — Archbishop William Borders of Baltimore has called for interparochial elementary schools instead of traditional parish schools and tuition set at cost, in his pastoral statement issued this month. Parish resources are not sufficient to keep Catholic schools operating, the archbishop wrote. But by pooling resources, Catholic schools can continue, with financial stability and talented teachers paid a just salary. The archbishop's decision came more than two yeas after the archdiocesan Task Force for School Financing issued its preliminary report, calling for elimination of parish subsidies for tuition, a tuition assistance program and formation of school boards to operate parish schools. The proposals met with objections from parents, pastors and principals and a revised report made the recommendations optional with incentives to parishes which went along with the plan. The archbishop's plan brings a new identity to Catholic schools, which for the past 100 years have been run by individual parishes except for the clustering of city parochial schools and formation of three regional schools. Parishes will still run the schools — but through a corporate interparochial school board. All the parishes served by a school — whether or not they have a school currently — will be a part of it. Families will be charged the full cost of educating their children. Tuition assistance will be made available to families who otherwise couldn't afford Catholic schools. New Jersey bishops oppose removal of 'feeding tubes' TRENTON, N.J. (NC) — New Jersey's Catholic Fasters Mourn bishops said they oppose the removal of feeding After placing her Bronze Star at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, Barbara Graves, right, a tubes in "right-to-die" cases, calling the starvation Civilian Red Cross worker during World War II and the first woman to win the medal, stands arm that would result as "unnatural as denying one the with four fasting veterans. Her medal was among 88 that were placed at the monument to pro- air needed to breathe," The bishops, speaking as the test U.S. involvement in Nicaragua. (Nc photo from UPI> New Jersey Catholic Conference, maintained that food and water should always be provided to a patient. The remarks were in a legal brief filed with the State Supreme Court over a case the high court Supreme Court refuses case CRS accused of failing is to hear Nov. 3; The brief, written by William on ties between U.S., Holy See to aid poor who can't pay Bolan, an attorney and executive director of the ""WASHINGTON (NC) — The U.S. Supreme NEW YORK (NC) — A U.S. government audit conference, was filed in the case of Nancy Ellen Court said it would not hear a challenge to the accused Catholic Relief Services of improperly Jobes, 31, who has been suffering from irreversible establishment of diplomatic relations between the handling some funds and of violating regulations by brain damage and said to be in a permanent vegeta- United States and the Holy See. In declining to take refusing to give government-supplied food to people tive state. Her spouse has requested she be denied up the case, the court let stand two lower court who could not pay. But officials for CRS, the U.S. food and fluids. rulings that upheld the relationship. Critics of the bishops' overseas aid agency, disputed parts of the ties, led by Americans United for Separation of audit by the Agency for International Development, Court bans student Church and State, had filed suit in September 1984 which focused on 1984 and 1985 programs in the to end the diplomatic relationship. As in other African countries of Kenya and Burkina Faso, with teaching in Catholic Schools instances where it refuses to get involved in a case, references to other countries. The report said the ST. LOUIS (NC) — A federal appeals court in the Supreme Court had no comment on its action. relief agency improperly handled funds generated by St. Louis has barred student-teaching in parochial Americans United and other groups have alleged, in the AID-administered Food for Peace program, used schools by public university students. The decision congressional hearings and in court, that the AID financial grants for unauthorized purposes, and by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds g, diplomatic relationship violates the Constitution's failed to maintain adequate internal controls over its lower court ruling that the practice is unconstitu-- ban on government establishment of religion and operations.