Mass Offers Healing for Persons Living with AIDS Austin Voss: a Champion
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DENVER Vol. L X X No. 33 35 Cents October 12, 1994 A celebration of Saint Francis Mass offers healing for persons living with AIDS BY PETER DROEGE Archbishop Stafford also pointed out that healing comes in many forms: emo For those living with AIDS and their tional, spiritual and physicad. “The an families, healing comes in many forms: ger and anguish of so many young people emotional, spiritual and physical suffering with AIDS moves us to a re Ruby and Lee Sanchez were among sponse as Church,” he added. “We are the nearly 100 people gathered Friday at called to eliminate discrimination, hatred the Cathedral of the Immaculate Concep and violence directed at those withAIDS.” tion for a communal The archbishop then anointing during Mass anointed the forehead and hands of the dozen or “When they are more people who came died Oct. 16, 1990, from afraid, give forward for healing. complications due to the “When they are afraid, AIDS virus. them courage, give them courage, when “He loved to jog and afflicted, give them pa ride his bike, but most of when afflicted, tience, when rejected, af all he loved to smile,” re ford them hope, and when called Ruby of her son give th em they are alone, assure who died at 29. While the them of the support of Sanchez frimily will for patience, when your holy people,” said ever live in the shadow of rejected, afford ffie archbishop at the con the loss of their beloved clusion of the heating cer son, their presence at the them hope, and emony. Mass was a sign of heal- In an interview w ith th e ing, in ^ e same lig^t as when they are Denver Catholic Roister, the anointing with Holy Ruby and Lee Sanchez re Oil. alone, assure called that one of the “Ruby and Lee have most difficult experiences been a wonderfiil source them of the of their son’s illness in of support for people liv volved helping him face ing with AIDS,” com support of your death. mented Ann Luke, direc holy people.” “He used to ask us to tor of the Hospice of spend the night in his Peace and member of the room so that, if he awoke, Archdiocesan AIDS Taskforce. “Their he would know that someone was there willingness to share their story has eased with him. It took time for him to stop the pain for the many fomilies and friends being afimid,” recalled Lee. of those living with AIDS,” she added. Asked how difficult it would have During the homily. Archbishop J. been for Ricardo is he didn’t have the sup Francis Stafford , the main celebrant, port of his family. Ruby responded, “We asked the gathering to remember Fr. often talk with someone with AIDS who Marty Wolf, a Franciscan priest in the h as no one to help. I t is very sad because Archdiocese, who lives with AIDS. they resdly need the love and si^>port of DCR photo tJam n B oot “When he was first diagnosed, he told someone who csLies.” THE ANNUAL BLESSING of the Animals in recognition of the Feast of Saint me he prayed for a cure,” recalled the Father Sean McGrath is the chair Francis took place Oct. 4 in Congress Park. Father Marcian T. O ^eara is shown archbishop. “As his illness progressed, m an of theArchdiocesanAIDS Taskforce. blessing the animals of Meghan Matsuura (goldfish). Shannon Jantz (turtle) his prayer became the lifelong prayer of For information on the Catholic response a n d Jasm ine Jen kin s (rabbit). Jesus, Thy will be done.” to AIDS, caU (303) 420-1280. Austin Voss: A champion of the spirit BY K E IT H COFFMAN during his treatment. IBs other relatives are taking turns at “two-week The Denver Broncos may have won their first game intervals to help out Austin’s parents in Seattle,” ac of the season before a hostile crowd at Husky Stadium cording to Austin’s grandmother Lucie Hoelsken, add in Seattle last Sunday, but they did have one of their ing that, “he needs lots of prayers.” staunchest fans in attendance. Austin Voss’ bout with leidcemia began in 1990, as T t was a pretty good game,” reports nine-year-old he was preparing to enter kindergarten at Nativity. He Bronco fan Austin Voss. “One of my new fiiends was underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatinent at able^to get us tickets.” Children’s Hospital in Den But Austin Voss did ver, and the disease was in not make the trip to Se remission for more than attle just to watch two “Austin cookies” — baked by three years. Last summer, NFL teams battle it out. that all changed, as tests The fourth grader at Na volunteers at Nativity — are detected a reoccurrence of tivity of Our Lord grade being sold to help offset the the leukemia. school in Broomfield is in Unable to use blood the Puget Sound area to enormous costs associated relatives as bone marrow undertake his own battle donors, Austin underwent a — one for his life. He is with his treatment. blood filtering procedure afflicted with acute _________________________ late last week, whereby lymblastic leukemia and “stem cells” are harvested v ^ xmdergo a bone marrow transplant at the Fred firom h im for th e upcom ing Hutidiinson Cancer Research Center later this month. transplant. The cells must be taken before he under Although he may be 1300 miles away, he is cer goes full body radiation and diemotherapy treatment, tainly not alone — literally or figuratively. Austin’s as the radiation will kill off the blood cells. AUSTIN VOSS, a student at Nativity of Our Lord mom and dad-r-rf Jeannine and Robert — and his three Reached by telephone in Seattle earlier this week. grade school is currently in Seattle undergoing treat younger brothers are taking up residence in Seattle Continued on page 10 m ent for leukemia. «38ia OCT. 12. 1994 PAGE 2 DENVER CATHOUC REGISTER Feminist speaks out on pro-life issues ARCHBISHOPS of women.” BY NANCY FRAZIER O’BRIEN Ms. Alvare admits that her COLUMN parents, Rosemary and LouisAlvare WASHINGTON (CNS) — The of Wayne, P a., w ould “kind of roll door to Helen A lvare’s office is cov their eyes” at her self-description. Answering God’s call ered with a diverse collection of car “The word feminist’ is not their fa toons, bumper stickers, and news vorite,” she said. “They actually like clippings that have caught her fancy th e re su lts of wh at I say is Catholic begins with the family over th e years. feminism, but theyre none too crazy Prominent among them is a about the words.” 1873 quote from Elizabeth Cady BY (MOST REV.) J. FRANCIS STAFFORD The youngest of four daugh Stanton: “When we consider that ters and one son in w h a t she calls a Every Sunday Fatiier women have been treated as prop erty, it is degrading to women that “very Catholic” and “very outspo Roger Lascelle takes to ken” family, Ms. Alvare thinks that the road at 6 a.m. for the we should treat our children as prop erty to be disposed of as we see fit.” if public relations work could be “in hour-plus drive from Holy a family’s blood, it’s in om ^.” Two of Family Parish in Meeker Some who don’t know her are surprised that the director of plan her sisters own a public relations to St. Ignatius of Antioch firm and her brother is a graphic in Rangely, where he cel ning and information in the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Ac artist. ebrates Mass at 8 a. m. He Born in Lansdowne, Pa., in shares coffee Euid conver tivities would relate so strongly to the early American feminist’s October 1960, Ms. Alvare graduated sation with his parishio in 1981 fi-om Villanova University. ners, then drives the same words. But “Catholic feminist” is the css pKoto title she wears most proudly. She earned her law degree at road back to Meeker, Helen Alvare Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., where he offers a second “I think the church’s position on in 1984 and a master’s in theology Mass at 10:30. abortion is the only one compatible with true femi at The Catholic University of America in 1989. In the afternoon, he nism,” Ms. Alvare said in an interview with Catholic often makes the round News Service. She worked as a litigation associate with a large trip again for parish meet “In ftict, my feminism comes right out of Catholicism, commercial law firm in Philadelphia for three years, ings. As pastor of both out of creation tradition and equality of creation and then joined the U.S. Catholic Conference Office of churches. Father Lascelle Jesus’ treatment of women in particular,” she added. General Counsel in 1987. Hiree years later, she was averages 40,000 miles a “So there’s nothing for me inconsistent about our po named to the newly created post of pro-life informa year on the highway. During the summer, if^s a simple sition on abortion and our statements for the dignity tion director. drive; state troopers smd roaming deer and elk pose the only problems. But for two months this past win ter, snowpack covered the road. On the Western Former executive shares her mission statement can community and they will be happy ever after. All Slope, winter driving can take on the hazards of an BY BETTY LEW IS Olympic event.