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BringingNorth the Good News to the Diocese Texas of Fort Worth Catholic Vol. 25 No. 17 October 16, 2009 Major concerns remain unresolved in health reform bills, bishops say By Nancy Frazier O’Brien choice but to oppose the bill.” Catholic News Service “Much-needed reform of WASHINGTON — None of the our health care system must be major health reform bills before pursued in ways that serve the Congress adequately addresses life and dignity of all, never in the concerns raised by the U.S. ways that undermine or violate bishops in the areas of abortion, these fundamental values,” they conscience protection, immi- added. “We will work tirelessly grants, and affordability, said the to remedy these central problems heads of three major committees and help pass real reform that of the U.S. Conference of Catholic clearly protects the life, dignity, A tapestry showing St. Damien de Veuster hangs from the facade of St. Peter’s Bishops Oct. 8. and health of all.” Basilica at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI canonized the 19th-century Belgian One of those major bills passed The three chair the USCCB missionary who ministered to people with leprosy in Hawaii. Four others (whose the Senate Finance Committee committees on Domestic Justice tapestries, along with St. Damien’s are pictured above) were also canonized during an Oct. 11 Mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Oct. 13 in a 14-9 vote. The measure, and Human Development, Pro- proposed by Sen. Max Baucus, D- Life Activities, and Migration, Mont., the committee chairman, respectively. Pope canonizes Father Damien, four must now be combined with a The bishops reiterated their version from the Senate health earlier calls on Congress to ensure committee. that any health reform plan: others as models of Christian love Efforts in the last several — Exclude mandated coverage By John Thavis world, the pope also canonized St. Peter’s Basilica was fi lled with weeks to amend the Baucus bill of abortions and incorporate long- Catholic News Service Sister Jeanne Jugan, a French nun a sung “Alleluia.” to prohibit coverage of abortion standing federal policies against VATICAN CITY — Calling whose Little Sisters of the Poor In his homily, the pope said funding and include a conscience taxpayer-funded abortions and in them “shining examples” of continue to assist the elderly in the newly canonized had typifi ed protection clause for health care favor of conscience rights. Christian love, Pope Benedict the United States and more than the Christian vocation of radi- workers failed. — Make quality health care XVI proclaimed fi ve new saints, 30 other countries. cal conversion and self-sacrifi ce In their Oct. 8 letter to all mem- affordable and accessible to ev- including Father Damien de After brief biographies of the made “with no thought of human bers of Congress, Bishop William eryone. Veuster, the 19th-century Belgian fi ve were read aloud, the pope calculation and advantage.” F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, — Include effective measures missionary who ministered to pronounced a solemn decree of “Their perfection, in the logic New York, Cardinal Justin Rigali to safeguard the health of im- people with leprosy in Hawaii canonization and proclaimed of the faith that is sometimes hu- of Philadelphia and Bishop John migrants, their children and all before dying of the disease. them models of holiness for the manly incomprehensible, consists C. Wester of Salt Lake City said: of society, with legal immigrants At a Mass Oct. 11 overfl owing whole church. Relics of the new in no longer placing themselves at “If fi nal legislation does not meet given “comprehensive, afford- with pilgrims from around the saints were placed on the altar as SEE CANONIZATION P. 24 our principles, we will have no SEE BISHOPS, P. 9 Sisters of Life Superior General tells story 3,500 registered for fi rst of her call at Bishop’s Pro-Life banquet UD Ministry Conference Story and Photos by quet. “I addressed the child’s Joan Kurkowski-Gillen mother and said, ‘Kathleen, when hosted by dioceses of Correspondent Caitlin is 13, what are we going to For Mother Agnes Mary Dono- tell her we did to protect the lives Fort Worth and Dallas van, years of defending and of the unborn?’ At that moment I serving human life began with was recruited for the cause of the More than 3,500 participants a question. culture of life.” from the dioceses of Fort Worth Looking into the eyes of a new- An academic/clinical psy- and Dallas have already regis- born niece, the doting aunt, who chologist and published author tered to attend the University of would become Superior General of numerous articles on family Dallas Ministry Conference to of the Sisters of Life in New York intervention and mother/child be held Oct. 23-24 at the Dallas City, noticed the infant’s emerg- relationships, the former college Convention Center, located at ing personality and recalled how professor left her position at Co- 650 E. Griffi n St. in Dallas. doctors had advised her sister to lumbia University to help the late Featured speakers include abort the pregnancy because of Cardinal John O’Connor of New Washington D.C. Archbishop advanced maternal age. York establish a new religious Donald Wuerl and CNN’s se- “Out of nowhere came a community of sisters. Founded nior Vatican commentator, John Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V., thought — which I now recognize in 1991, the group of consecrated Allen. A concert by popular served as keynote presenter at the as inspiration,” the speaker told women, known as the Sisters Catholic musician John Michael On-site registration will be 2009 Catholic Pro-Life Banquet, held listeners attending the Bishop’s of Life, take a fourth vow to Talbot will also be part of the available for individuals. For Sept. 26 in downtown Fort Worth. Annual Catholic Pro-Life Ban- SEE BANQUET, P. 9 program. more information, see page 6. Page 2 North Texas Catholic, October 16, 2009 Synod of Bishops for Africa Synod offi cial highlights growth of church in Africa VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Sta- The statement also called atten- tistics released during the October tion to an increase in the number Synod of Bishops for Africa illus- of Africa’s charitable, medical, trate signifi cant growth among and educational organizations. African Catholics and point There are 53 Caritas programs toward a hopeful future for the and 42 justice and peace com- continent, according to a leading missions that offer the African Vatican offi cial. population a wide variety of The numbers indicate growth services in the areas of economic in the Catholic population, the justice, peace-building, and hu- number of church-run organi- man development. zations providing health and At the end of 2007, there were education services, and even in 16,178 pastoral health care insti- the number of African martyrs, tutions on the African continent. said Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, They include hospitals, orphan- secretary-general for the Synod ages, rehabilitation centers, clin- of Bishops, in a report read to the ics, marriage-counseling centers, synod’s fi rst general assembly houses for the elderly and dis- Oct. 5. abled, and multiple centers that The number of African Catho- respond to different needs. lics increased by more than 62 mil- African Catholic schools serve lion people from 1994, the year in more than 19 million students, which the fi rst African synod was Pope Benedict XVI leads the opening session of the Synod of Bishops for Africa in the synod hall at the Vatican Oct. 5. (CNS ranging from preschool to high held, to the end of 2007. The rate photo/Paul Haring) school. Higher institutions of of growth among Catholics dur- learning have more than 54,000 ing that period, about 60 percent, life, and laypeople. The number “the great dynamism witnessed in 1997. students; about 11,000 of those was almost twice as high as the of priests increased by 49 percent, in the statistics.” “Undoubtedly, the pastors of students are enrolled in ecclesi- rate of growth among the general seminarians by 44 percent, and lay He lauded 521 pastoral work- the particular churches will recog- astical studies. population in Africa, which was missionaries by 94 percent. ers who gave their lives in Africa nize candidates for canonization, Archbishop Eterovic said the about 33 percent. Archbishop Eterovic referred from 1994 to 2008. These African not only to increase the number of data on these organizations was The church in Africa saw a rise to this recent growth as “many martyrs include 248 victims of African saints but also to obtain a “laudable, important testimony in the number of bishops, priests, gifts bestowed on the church in the 1994 Rwandan confl ict and 40 more intercessors in heaven,” to many Christians, above all to deacons, people in consecrated Africa,” and thanked God for seminarians murdered in Burundi Archbishop Eterovic said. Catholics who work tirelessly.” Ethnic tensions in the church must be overcome, say African bishops By Carol Glatz black students,” he said. Masvingo, Zimbabwe, said it is church,” he said. Catholic News Service The faithful need Bishop Sipuka said the prin- very “painful when Catholics turn “The impression is created that VATICAN CITY — Catholics in ciples of democracy and equality against fellow Catholics in con- we need them, but they do not Africa have to overcome lingering to achieve a better in post-apartheid South Africa fl icting political, social, economic, need us,” he said. ethnic and racial tensions within have not fi ltered down to the or regional scenarios.” “Theory of fraternity and com- their own church communities in understanding of how people.