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Vol. XXXVIII, No. 30 Indianapolis, Indiana 50¢ Inside Archbishop Buechlein . 4, 5 Editorial. 4 Faith Alive! . 11 Question Corner . 13 Sunday & Daily Readings. 13 The Special Nursing Home CCriterionriterion advertising section . 17 Serving the Church in Central and Southern Indiana Since 1960 May 7, 1999 National Priests for Life director says abortion attacks God Pontifical Council for the Family official urges Christians to work to defend life daily By Mary Ann Wyand hristians are called to constantly promote the sanctity and dignity of life, Father Frank Pavone told pro-life Csupporters during his May 1-2 visit to Indianapolis. The national director of Priests for Life, based in Staten Island, N.Y., also serves the universal Church as an official of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family. At the start of a busy weekend of pro-life networking, Father Pavone told Catholics gathered for the monthly arch- diocesan pro-life Mass May 1 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church that the pro-life movement is “a cause that demands our urgent attention” because “we are made in the image and likeness of God, and we belong to him.” Abortion “attacks the image of God, the image of Jesus Christ,” he said in his homily for the eucharistic liturgy on the feast of St. Joseph ‘We are made in the Worker. “We’re talking about an act of violence, about tearing a human body the image and apart.” likeness of God, Christians “are called to share with God in the work of caring for his creation,” and we belong Father Pavone said. “When we fight against to him.’ abortion we are preserving the foundation of the house of God.” There is much pro-life work to be done daily, he said. “But never lose hope, never doubt for one moment that you are helping make a difference in the fight for life.” After the liturgy, Father Pavone led the gathering in prayer outside the Clinic for Women on East 38th Street. As dozens Ann Wyand Photo by Mary of pro-life supporters prayed the sorrowful mysteries of the Father Frank Pavone of Staten Island, N.Y., the national director of Priests for rosary, a woman hurriedly entered the abortion clinic. Life, tells Holy Rosary parishioners May 2 that abortion has destroyed more On Saturday afternoon, Father Pavone conducted a lives than warfare. He said Christians are obligated to help the helpless and See LIFE, page 2 work to end the killing of unborn babies. Pope beatifies Padre Pio, humble Capuchin friar He said Padre Pio endured it all with a Holy Father says Padre Pio’s simple life of spirit of obedience which itself became a path of purification. The priest died in prayer and service ‘astonished the world’ 1968 at the age of 81. At the beginning of the three-hour VATICAN CITY (CNS)—In one of long hours he spent with penitents, for liturgy, the pope read the beatification the biggest religious ceremonies in his charity works on behalf of the poor decree and set Sept. 23 as a day for spe- Rome’s history, Pope John Paul II beati- and sick, and for his ascetic practices cial devotion to Padre Pio. fied Padre Pio da Pietrelcina and said the undertaken in imitation of Christ. A drape was lifted on the facade of Capuchin friar “astonished the world” Padre Pio’s reputed stigmata—the St. Peter’s Basilica to reveal a giant por- with his simple life of prayer. appearance of bleeding wounds like those trait of the smiling Capuchin, and a The Mass May 2 was attended by of the crucified Christ—showed the wave of applause flowed through a mas- some 200,000 people who overflowed priest’s intense sharing in the Lord’s sive assembly that stretched from St. Peter’s Square and another 100,000 Passion, the pope said. St. Peter’s Square more than half a mile who watched on giant television screens Referring to years of suspicion by down a wide avenue to the Tiber River. in an open area across the city. Many Church officials, who investigated and Many people wiped tears from their were devoted followers of Padre Pio, a temporarily suspended Padre Pio from eyes. southern Italian priest known for his his priestly ministry, the pope said it Rome authorities blocked traffic for direct style of hearing confessions. showed that saints are sometimes “mis- the event, and many had predicted a day “By his life wholly given to prayer and understood” even by their own superiors. of chaos in the Eternal City, but most to listening to his brothers and sisters, this Padre Pio was exonerated from the residents seemed to have followed offi- humble Capuchin friar astonished the allegations of impropriety and fraudulent cials’ advice to either leave town for the world,” the pope said in a sermon. conduct, but these accusations repre- weekend or watch the ceremony at The pope, who personally knew and sented a painful and distressing trial for home. admired Padre Pio, praised him for the the priest, the pope said. See PADRE PIO, page 2 Page 2 The Criterion Friday, May 7, 1999 Padre Pio would often spend 10 to 12 PADRE PIO hours a day hearing confessions. He also continued from page 1 founded a large hospital complex for south- ern Italy’s poor—a sign of the kind of com- More than 1,000 tour buses began passion that is needed today, the pope said. unloading pilgrims at 6 a.m. near the The pope gave Communion to an Vatican. Wearing Padre Pio scarves and Italian woman whose sudden cure in 1995 hats, many carried framed portraits of from a ruptured duct in the neck was the Capuchin confessor and held them deemed a miracle. Doctors at the time aloft as the pope declared him blessed, said the rupture was potentially fatal, but meaning worthy of imitation by the it inexplicably disappeared one day after whole Church. prayers were offered to Padre Pio. Flags and placards identified groups Many people who attended the beatifica- of Padre Pio followers from as far away tion Mass said they knew someone who as Indonesia and Singapore, while siz- was helped or healed by prayers to Padre able delegations came from Poland, Pio. Ireland and the United States. The gath- The pope, who confessed to Padre Pio ering was a demographically mixed as a young priest in 1947, had a personal crowd; an African nun sat next to a experience in that regard. In 1962, when young man with a shaved head and sun- he was an auxiliary bishop, the future glasses. Vendors sold Padre Pio medals, pope sent a letter to Padre Pio, asking him scarves, hats and other mementos. to pray for a woman diagnosed with “Padre Pio would probably be upset malignant throat cancer. at all this fuss,” said Paola Fontana, a CNS photo from Reuters A short time later, he wrote Padre Pio 31-year-old Rome resident who became An artist sketches an image of Padre Pio near St. Peter’s Square in Rome May 1. Pope John Paul II again, saying that the woman’s cancer had interested in Padre Pio several years beatified the Capuchin friar May 2 in what was one of the largest religious ceremonies ever in Rome. disappeared. The woman was Dr. Wanda ago. “What was striking about him was Poltawska, who has continued to be a close his personality. He could make people people who knew Padre Pio directly or He said Padre Pio’s international adviser to the pope on family matters. stop and think. And he had the stig- indirectly have rediscovered their faith, appeal flowed from his charity, which After the Mass at the Vatican, the pope mata—he seemed a step closer to Christ while hundreds of prayer groups “was poured out like balm on the weak- boarded a helicopter for a short flight than most of us.” inspired by his example have sprung up nesses and the sufferings of his brothers across the city to the Basilica of St. John In his sermon, the pope said many all over the world. and sisters.” Lateran, where more than 100,000 people had followed the liturgy on TV screens. In a brief talk, he called Padre Pio “a true and save the defenseless. We can save Abortion advocates “think you can son of St. Francis of Assisi.” † LIFE lives by offering help” to women consid- separate the mother and child,” he said. continued from page 1 ering abortion. “Pro-life supporters know you can’t. During a speech at St. Monica Parish The pro-life movement is pro-woman. Official Appointments pro-life leadership workshop at the on May 2, Father Pavone endorsed the We say, ‘Let’s love them both.’ Love is Archbishop O’Meara Catholic Center. Indiana Citizens for Life Media Project, indivisible. You can’t love one without Effective July 7, 1999 Later, he delivered the homily during a which raises funds to buy television loving the other. You can’t help one Rev. John E. Hartzer, reappointed pastor Mass at Holy Rosary Parish and again advertising time for pro-life commercials. without helping the other. You can’t hurt of St. Lawrence Parish in Lawrenceburg. during two Masses there on Sunday. In the fight to end abortion, pro-life one without hurting the other. You can’t “We have destroyed more lives supporters cannot overlook “the obvious support women’s rights and at the same Rev. Joseph L. Brown, C.PP.S., from through abortion than during wars,” power of the media and the necessity of time allow the closest, deepest, most ministry outside the archdiocese to admin- Father Pavone told Holy Rosary parish- using the media to convey the pro-life intimate of human relationships—that istrator of St.

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