Priest Shòrtase Forecast Editorials
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Bible Q uiz starts this w eek see page 6 146 Year, CXLVI No. 13 25 cents Established in 1844: America's Oldest Catholic Newspaper in Continuous Publication______________________ Friday. .June 15. 1990 C onference focuses on quality of fam ily life During June, the Pitt 1 70 state Catholic Charities reps sburgh Catholic Is con ducting an Informal explore challenges of the 1990s survey on how often area Catholics go to con By PATRICIA BARTOS dependent on the economy of fession. The survey Is & REBECCA C. MERTZ local steel mills, are now primari completely anonymous PITTSBURGH — "Quality of ly made up of senior citizens. And and readers are en Family Life — Challenge of the last year. Catholic Charities aided couraged to participate. 90s,” the fourth state conference almost 10 million persons na sponsored June 7-8 at the Pitt tionally — two-thirds of whom are sburgh Hyatt by Pennsylvania not Catholic. Catholic Charities, drew some “ We set up an infrastructure in 170 Charities professionals from one world while we are existing throughout the state. today in another," he said, adding In his opening talk at the con that "w e no longer have the same ference Father Thomas Harvey, a gratitude, bonding and Pittsburgh diocesan priest who community-building. currently serves as executive The American Catholic Church director of Catholic Charities today is middle-class and it USA. noted that in this period of should be careful to keep close reduction of funds and expansion contact with those suffering in of needs he would not call himself poverty, he said. an optimist. In the 1930s, poor people were Rather, he added, "we need per part of the dialogue and obtained sons of hope in the prophetic Social Security benefits. Poor tradition, those who look at the soldiers were part of the dialogue good but who see the challenges." after World War II and won the GI In his look at “ Social Ministry in Bill, Fr. Harvey explained. the ’90s,” he recalled that 100 Later at the conference, in a talk years ago the Catholic Church on "Redefining the Family in the was a "poor people’s church” '90s, David Thomas, Ph.D.. direc Disabled with a "vision and attitude tied to tor of graduate studies at the poor people.” Jesuit-run Regis College in For far too long, 43 T h e parishes were often Denver, said that how a society million disabled ethnically organized and the per deals with children is the most ac Americans languished son giving the service and the one curate barometer of moral health. in injustice, forgotten by receiving it were of the same The U.S. treats children abysmal their neighbors and background. The service pro ly, he added. R ole playing government. Liz Schevt- viders also shared a personal Thomas also spoke of the ex chuk (above) states the religious commitment, he added. periences he and his wife shared Role playing to learn about active parenting was Chambersburg (kneeling center). Other proposed Americans Today, however, the Church's as foster parents for 47 children one of the projects for Catholic Charities profes workshop participants include, fro m left, Sis ter with Disabilities Act can "institutional presence is still ser during the last 10 years. sionals during the workshops at the fourth an Carol Sukitz, IHM. of Pittsburgh: Bernadette help remove the barriers ving a population that doesn't ex The educator has worked with confronting disabled nual state conference, held at die Hyatt. Jackson of Media: Rita Fagundo of Lancaster: ist,” Fr. Harvey said. Many the U.S. Catholic Conference on Downtown, on June 7-8. Susan Foulke of Har and Paula Raynar of State College. Americans. committees for family life. parishes, for instance, once risburg, right, plays the parent to Laurie Fink of — Photo by Jim Herrmann Catholic institutions first D a d s a re to provide human services By REBECCA C. MERTZ PITTSBURGH — Bishop S r. Mary Fidelia s p e c ia l Donald Wuerl said that for cen B ishop W uerl’s Chmiel, CSSF, writes turies, Catholic institutions "were about the memorial of keynote address sometimes the only, and many everlasting love left by p e o p le times the first providers of human Jesus on the eve of His services," including hospitals, or passion. His kingdom of By REBECCA C. MERTZ PITTSBURGH — When Mary phanages, asylums, care for the Pittsburgh diocese. love is pure, un aged, counselling, and provisions “ The first Catholic Charities adulterated, lasting, Santoro, a social worker, was for handicapped persons. generation began with caring forgiving, merciful and elected to the Zelienople Borough Council in 1980 she The bishop’s comments were women and men, lay people and everlasting. clergy, responding in love and in thought of her late father, made during a keynote address Leonard Santoro, who had im for the state conference banquet many cases voluntarily to the migrated to the United States sponsored by Catholic Charities needs that were so obvious to them," Bishop Wuerl said. from Italy as a young boy. on June 7. “ In successive generations of " I knew the American side of "Today, our social con Catholic Charities, the staffs have him would have been very sciousness as citizens includes become professionally compe proud," Ms. Santoro recalls the understanding that society, as tent, better prepared, and more with a chuckle, "but the Italian a whole, has the responsibility to educated so that this organized side wouldn't have liked it — a meet such needs,” the bishop and structured response of the woman's place was at home.” said. "Hence, monies collected by taxation and through voluntary Church is now recognized by Father Kris Stubna, director Bishop Wuerl introduces his father. Francis J. Wuerl, to Pope of the diocesan Office for and/or quasi-voluntary contribu everyone as highly qualified and John Paul II in Vatican City in 1986 after the pope had ordained tions from the whole body of exceptionally professional in its Catechesis, has fond memories the bishop to the episcopacy. "His eyes light up, he's so proud of of his father, Michael Stubna, citizens are used to address these approach to those we serve.” all his children.'' the bishop says fondly of his father. taking him camping. needs. And Church-related pro The bishop said that Catholic “ He has a great love for the his dad had converted into a Parish in Jefferson Boro, grams and services continue to Charities “ is the arm of the outdoors," Fr. Stubna says, ad camper. remembers her father, the late provide the spiritual and religious Church that reaches out as a ding that every summer the Sister Mary Judith Seman. John George Seman, watching dimension to these actions." family — together — to help family would travel throughout VSC, a social service represen The bishop noted that Catholic others.” the country in an old bus that tative for St. Thomas a Becket (Continued on page 12) Charities recently marked its 80th anniversary of service to the (Continued on page 2) Inside Parents, the elderly, families, parishes Priest Shòrtase Forecast Editorials......... Letters............. among topics addressed at workshops Entertainment. Statistics point to widening gap Catholic Life .... By PATRICIA BARTOS the needs of many aged members. in number of U.S. Catholics Classified........ & REBECCA C. MERTZ For Father Philip Donatelli. Madonna’s pastor, Around Diocese to diocesan priests PITTSBURGH — Through nine workshops on the three-generation family, where a grandmother In 2005 such topics as active parenting, parish ministry to or grandfather moves in with a child’s family, was the elderly, step-families, child care and aid for a new experience. He explained that he was very In 1990 3,100 to single-parent families, Catholic Charities staff open to Fr. Cheetham's idea. “ It's important with members and counselors prepared themselves to local churches in a community to find a ministry 2,000 to 1 aid families in need throughout the next decade and deal with that ministry. It necessitates the in during the recent state Charities conference at the volvement of all — priests, people, parish council Pittsburgh Hyatt. — in a hands-on involvement. I feel we've done Topics addressed during the workshops very well in dealing with the dynamics of working included: together," ELDERLY AND THE PARISH Sr. Joan reported that the numbers of elderly Sister Joan Kram, CSJ, manages COPE in are Increasing in society. In Swissvale, 20 percent Pro-nuncio named Swissvale, a Joint ministry of St. Anselm and of the population is over age 65. In Madonna Madonna Del Castello Parishes to meet the needs parish, the figure is 25 percent. And in St. Anselm VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The it is 35 percent, many of whom are alone, in need Vatican announced May 13 that of the many elderly parishioners in the of transportation and companionship. "So many Source: Study by Richard Schoenherr, UW/Madison Archbishop Agostlno community. COPE stands for Catholic Outreach to Parish of the people have no one," she added. Cacciavillan has been named The number of U.S. Catholics will continue to outpace the number of Elderly and such an effort was the brainchild of Sister works with the elderly throughout the apostolic pro-nuncio to the United active diocesan priests, causing a widening gap in the ratio of priests Father William Cheetham. St. Anselm pastor. For community. "1 have a marvelous rapport with the States, succeeding Archbishop to parishioners, according to recent research. The number of priests so long, he advised conference participants, the ministers. There is a very strong ecumenical spirit Plo Laghi. Archbishop Cac in Swissvale," she said.