Session Draws Hundreds of Priests

CATHOLIC COURIER DIOCESE OF ROCHESTER, N.Y THURSDAY JULY 1. 1999 PAGE S WORLD & NATION Vatican official decries growing refugee woes Session draws hundreds of priests JERUSALEM (CNS) - Hundreds of VATICAN CITY(CNS)- The Catholic priests from around the world world's refugee situation has wors gathered in the Holy Land to celebrate ened with, changes in warfare, and their priesthood and prepare for the tactics such as those used in Koso church's celebration of Holy Year 2000. vo have become more .common, a The June 22-27 international gathering Vatican official said. was the fourth meeting for priests spon "War today targets civilians sored by the Vatican Congregation for more than ever before," U.S. Di Clergy to help the world's 404,000 Catholic vine Word Father Michael A. priests prepare to celebrate the Holy Year. Blume, who heads the office for Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah of the pastoral care of refugees at the Jerusalem welcomed the 750 priests, saying Pontifical Council for Migrants it was appropriate they began the renewal and Travelers, said in ajune 25 in-, of their priestly lives in contact with the terview. "In turn, larger parts of Holy Land. Patriarch Sabbah is head of die -these populations are forced to Latin-rite Catholic Church in Israel, the flee their homes and even their Palestinian territories, Cyprus and Jordan. countries." "Everywhere you go, continue to an nounce the Life and the Resurrection," Pa Late cardinal urged triarch Sabbah told the priests. Debbie Hill/CNS Cardinal-Bernardin Gantin, dean of ihe Priests pray during Mass celebrated aboard several boats on the Sea of Galilee healing of divisions College of Cardinals, in his opening Mass June 25. An international gathering of Catholic priests embarked early in the WASHINGTON (CNS) - In a homily June 22 at die Basilica of the An morning on the lake where Jesus called forth disciples. speech given posthumously, British nunciation in Nazareth, noted the great im Cardinal George Basil Hume of portance of priests' service to the needs of of the commonality and yet the great di Ongoing animosity between local Chris Westminster urged American the faithful. versity within the church." tians and Muslim fundamentalists has con Catholics to end divisions and re- "Christ did not come to be served but to The Mass on the sea where Jesus prac tinued for more than a year and a half. focus on "Christ as the Way, the serve," Cardinal Gantin said. "Men expect ticed much of his ministry was the culmi During the meeting, the priests sent Truth and the Life." priests who really serve, who are coherent nation of three days the priests spent in Pope John Paul II thanks for his words of Cardinal Hume, 76, died of can widi their identity. The priest should be rec Nazareth. They later traveled to Jerusalem blessing. They (old him they had renewed cer June 17. Archbishop Oscar H. ognized as the other Christ." and Bethlehem. themselves "fully and joyfully" and redis Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala.* read the On June 25, a group of 520 priests made During a candlelight procession June 23 covered the "splendor" of (heir vocations. cardinal's speech, finished on his their way onto six boats to celebrate Mass around Nazareth's Basilica of the Annun In his message, Pope John Paul urged (he deathbed, before a standing-room- on the Sea of Galilee. ciation, Auxiliary Bishop Giacinto-Boulos world's priests to face the challenges ol the only audience June 25 at Washing-. As the boats pushed off from the shore, Marcuzzo ofjerusalem thanked some 520 coming millennium with confidence' in ton Theological Union. the priests began to sing hymns from their visiting priests, cardinals and bishops. Chrisl, "who conquered the world and has AiBong divisive issues in the native countries, first in English, then in "The Christians of Nazareth said they given us his (coiniuiiinnit) to be with us to church today the cardinal cited the French. have been reborn with the discovery that the end." role of women, the role of the laity, "This gives us a sense of the universality Nazareth will always occupy a special place, "We need not be afraid. We only need liturgy, religious education and of the church and its service around the so diank you in their name for having come- be afraid of not beitig real witnesses ol Je questions of faith, morals and world," said Father Gerome Thompson of in such large numbers to visit Nazareth." sus Chrisl. The only question for us is our church authority. the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, who is cur The city's Christian community has been fidelity to renew ourselves every day in out rently working in Cyprus with the Latin Pa living "moments of great difficulties" over identity ... from which comes our pastoral triarchate ofjerusalem. "It gives you a sense the past few mondis, Bishop Marcuzzo said. ministry," the pope said. California bishops support Stay close to the Holy Father initiative to define marriage and follow important church events as we approach the Jubilee year. taining holiness of life." Sharon Abercrombie The Catholic Courier offe Catholic News Service Their statement affirms the theology of ers marriage articulated by Pope John Paul II the Pope's own newspaper, SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) - The Cali in his 1994 Letter to Families and on many L'Osservatore Romano. It's filled fornia Conference of Catholic Bishops has other occasions. the most direct reports from the issued a statement supporting the Defini The pontiff has emphasized that the Vatican which will inform and tion of Marriage Initiative that will appear marital union between a man and a woman inspire you throughout the year. on the ballot-for the March 7, 2000, pri in a "partnership of their whole life" is "or mary. dered to the well-being of the spouses and Now, The Catholic Courier The initiative would place California's to the procreation and upbringing of chil offers you an easy way current ban on same-sex marriages in the dren" to order with a discounted price. state constitution by adding a provision to "Other interpersonal unions which do the state's family code, saying that only mar not fulfill the above conditions cannot be L'Osservatore Romano riage between a man and a woman is valid recognized, despite certain growing trends is read by leaders, ambassadors, or recognized in California. which represent a serious threat to the fu and the faithful around Advocates of the initiative want to add ture of the family and of society itself," the the world. Now, the "or recognize" concept to law as a California bishops' statement said. buffer against the potential of California The bishops also note that in caring for The Catholic Courier being forced by federal law to recognize and educating their children, "a mother offers an easy same-sex marriages performed in other and father serve not only their family bui al way to order. states by the U.S. Constitution's requiring so expend personal resources and energy suites give ''full faith and credit" to other for the common good of society. Marriage states' laws. and family life lived generously anticipates Receive L'Osservatore Romano weekly at your door for.$109/yr — $42 off the The bishops join numerous other and prevents many of the social problems regular price. This special offer is for readers of The Catholic Courier, and is which plague society today." churches, organizations and individuals only valid for orders placed before 9/1/99, so order today. Make your check voicing support for the initiative which, An April poll of 1,200 California™ who payable to the Cathedral Foundation and we'll start your subscription right away. state the bishops, "reaffirms the profound said they were'' likely" to vote showed that importance of marriage and the family in 55 percent were in support of the Defini Na contemporary society." tion of Marriage Initiative. The poll was Address: "Catholic tradition maintains Uiat mar commissioned by the San Francisco-based riage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong Horizons Foundation, which is helping fi Gitv: St: Zip: union between one man and one woman nance opposition to the initiative. Check enclosed _ Visa MasterCard Discover Please bill me. joined in an intimate partnership of life and Republican Sen. Pete Knight from Palm- love," the bjshops wrote in their June 18 dale is the initiative's sponsor. The pro Card number: statement. "This union was instituted by posed legislation is called the Knight Ini Kxp. date: God and by its very iiature exists for the tiative by some. Many proponents, however, Signature: mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife are calling the ballot measure the Protec as well as for the procreation and educa tion of Marriage Initiative, including the tion of children." state's bishops. L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO. Underscoring diat Jesus raised die nat The official ballot title will be Definition ural contract of marriage to the dignity of of Marriage Initiative. Still others have re It's here. It's time. asacrament the bishops said, "This special ferred to die initiative by the term used to marital union thus becomes for the mar-- Send this order to: describe federal legislation on the issue, Cathedral Foundation, PO. Box 777, Baltimore, MD 21203 rietf couple their fundamental way of at Defense of Marriage Act. Voice: (410) 547-5380 • E-mail: [email protected] t .

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