Cardinal calls pre-election arms smuggling ‘danger signal’

LAGOS, – Lagos Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie called the smuggling of arms into Nigeria a few weeks before the general elections a “danger signal.”

“These arms are not in the military barracks; neither are they in the hands of law enforcement agents who are authorized to carry arms,” he said.

Speaking with media executives during a March 29 seminar organized by Caritas Nigeria, the archbishop said the weapons were in the hands of politicians and their agents who were prepared to use them in urban warfare if the elections did not go their way.

The Independent Electoral Commission has scheduled the elections for April 14 and 21. It would be the first time one democratically elected government would be transitioning to another without any military interregnum.

The cardinal condemned Nigerian politicians who had always seen violence as an option for gaining access to power and described their actions as “ominous clouds of violence likely to threaten the April elections.”

Cardinal Okogie urged politicians not to regard the elections as a do-or-die affair, adding that “elections are recurrent affairs. If you don’t win today, there is still tomorrow.”

He advised the electoral commission to ensure free and fair elections, stressing that anyone using violence to secure victory should be promptly disqualified and prosecuted.

The commission “should announce the results based on votes cast, not the result that had been predetermined even before voting began,” he said. Cardinal Okogie urged security agents not to allow themselves to be used by anyone to achieve selfish and ulterior motives. “Your duty is to provide security for all Nigerians, candidates of all the political parties and (electoral commission) officials,” he said.

He also asked the judiciary to be clearly independent and discharge its responsibilities without fear or favor.

“The judiciary should see to it that cases referred to it in connection with elections are promptly disposed of before the purported winners assume office,” he said. “A situation where the judgment on a case is given months, even years into the tenure of a political officer is manifestly unjust.”

When Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, contested his loss in the 2003 presidential election, the case lasted 30 months before it was thrown out by the appeal court. Buhari is a candidate again this year.

In one state election, it took close to three years for the election tribunal to confirm the winner after his opponent had already been sworn in.

Church must take sin seriously but stress God’s mercy

VATICAN CITY – The must take sin seriously, but it must do so like Jesus did, by emphasizing God’s mercy and trust in the sinner’s ability to change, said the preacher of the papal household.

In criticizing the Pharisees, “Jesus does not deny that sin and sinners exist,” said Capuchin Father , offering a Lenten reflection March 30 to Pope Benedict XVI and top Vatican officials.

But Jesus “was more severe” toward those who “condemned the sinners than toward the sinners themselves,” the preacher said.

From the evidence in the Bible, Father Cantalamessa said, “being merciful appears to be an essential aspect of being in ‘the image and likeness of God.”

Mercy is the form God’s love takes in relation to sinners, he said.

“After we have experienced it, we must demonstrate it to our brothers and sisters, both on the level of the church community as well as on a personal level,” the Capuchin said.

Jesus does not trivialize sin, “but finds a way not to alienate sinners, instead attracting them to himself. He does not see only what they are, but what they can become if divine mercy reaches the depths of their misery and desperation,” he said.

Jesus “does not wait for them to come to him; often he is the one who goes out looking for them,” the priest said.

“Jesus is firm and rigorous regarding principles, but he knows when a principle must give way to the superior principle, which is the mercy of God and the salvation of a person,” he said.

“How these criteria drawn from the actions of Christ can be applied concretely to the new problems today’s society poses will depend on patient research and, finally, on the discernment of the magisterium,” which is the church’s teaching authority, he said.

But every Christian must recognize that just as he or she has been forgiven by God forgiveness must be extended to others, Father Cantalamessa said.

“One cannot live in harmony, in one’s family or any other kind of community, without the practice of forgiveness and mercy,” he said. Catholic Daughters sponsor scholarship tea

The Maryland State Court Scholarship Tea sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of the Americas will take place April 22 from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Musket Ridge Golf Club, Myersville.

The theme for this year is Spring Garden Gala and the Catholic Daughters will be wearing hats, pearls and white gloves reminiscent of “Tea” in years gone by. Ladies are encouraged to decorate unique hats to be judged in a contest.

Last year the tea was a sell-out with 200 tickets sold. The money raised from this event goes toward Catholic high school scholarships and last year 10, $500 scholarships were awarded.

“The Tea provides Catholic Daughters from all over the state of Maryland an opportunity to gather together socially, renewing friendships while supporting the scholarship program,” said Debbie Lattus, committee chair.

Vatican to begin broadcasting papal events in HD

VATICAN CITY – Keeping in step with the fast pace of communications technology, the Vatican television center is to begin broadcasting in high definition.

The first papal event to be aired using the new format will be a special April 15 Mass celebrating Pope Benedict XVI’s April 16 birthday. “We’ve realized that if we want to continue to do a good job of broadcasting footage of the pope to other television stations, we have to be ready for the day” when high definition is expected to become the norm in television broadcasting, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman and head of the Vatican television center, or CTV.

CTV, which is in charge of producing, broadcasting and archiving filmed Vatican and papal events, must keep up with new technology, said Father Lombardi. If they don’t keep up, “people won’t be able to see the pope anymore” on their television screens, he said.

After April 15, the center gradually will start to broadcast regular Vatican events in high definition, while the major events will be aired using the new technology.

High-definition television, or HDTV, is a digital broadcasting system for television that offers greater resolution and a sharper image than found in traditional formats.

Father Lombardi said the capability would allow CTV to provide papal event coverage to the many high-definition television broadcasters around the world that are hungry for programming.

CTV also will begin archiving all new footage filmed in high definition to produce high quality documentaries on DVD, he said.

Mount St. Mary’s professor wins $63,000 on ‘Jeopardy!’

As he sits on the blue couch in his Walkersville home watching “Jeopardy! America’s favorite quiz show,” Scott Weiss knows most of the answers.

“Being in front of everyone on the planet on TV on the show – that’s a different kind of thing!” said the assistant professor in the department of mathematics and computer science at Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, who was a recent contestant on “Jeopardy!”

The 36-year-old garnered winnings of $63,000 over four rounds.

An avid puzzles and games enthusiast with a basement full of board games, Mr. Weiss decided to take an online test (along with 99,999 others) a year ago which began the process of becoming a “Jeopardy!” contestant. He was one of the lucky ones who received a call to audition in Washington, D.C. Then he was invited to Sony Studios in Los Angeles, Calif., for a December taping.

In the process, Mr. Weiss made “Jeopardy!” history. He ended a final round in a three-way tie with two other contestants; each had $16,000 after providing the question of Bonnie Parker of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. The trio returned for a new taping when usually only one contestant advances, the first time this has happened in the show’s 23-year history – a one in 25 million odds.

“I did wager intentionally to cause the tie if we all had it right,” said Mr. Weiss. “Having watched “Jeopardy!” for so long, I knew that there had never been a three- way tie before. So I saw a chance to make history and to give away some more of the show’s money.”

The Long Island, N.Y., native held a viewing party at his home to watch his four performances. In addition, the university, where he has been employed for nine years, held a large viewing party for faculty and students.

During the weekend of March 24-25, the avid “Jeopardy!” fan participated in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Conn. where he placed 19th out of 698 competitors – his second best showing. Holy Week schedules

Below are the Holy Week schedules for the bishops of Baltimore.

Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, eastern vicar

March 31 Youth Pilgrimage – 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Palm Sunday, April 1 St. Clement, Lansdowne – 10 a.m. Mass

Chrism Mass, April 2 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Homeland – 7:30 p.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, April 5 Church of the Nativity, Timonium – 7 p.m. Mass

Good Friday, April 6 Church of the Good Shepherd, Glen Burnie – 3 p.m. service

Holy Saturday, April 7 St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea – 8:30 p.m. Mass

Easter Sunday, April 8 Women’s Prison, Jessup – 12:30 p.m. Mass

Bishop Denis J. Madden, urban vicar

Palm Sunday, April 1 Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Baltimore – 10:45 a.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, April 5 Basilica – 5:30 p.m. Mass

Good Friday, April 6 St. Alphonsus, Baltimore – 8 a.m. Way of the Cross Basilica – 12:10 p.m. service

Holy Saturday, April 7 Basilica – 7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday, April 8 Catholic Community of St. Michael and St. Patrick, Fells Point – 10 a.m. Mass and 12:15 p.m. Spanish Mass

Bishop W. Francis Malooly, western vicar

Palm Sunday, March 31 Youth pilgrimage, Baltimore

Palm Sunday, April 1 St. Ann, Hagerstown – 11:30 a.m. Mass

Chrism Mass, April 2 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Homeland – 7:30 p.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, April 5 St. Michael, Frostburg – 7 p.m. Mass

Good Friday, April 6 Ss. Peter and Paul, Cumberland – 8 a.m. outdoor Stations of the Cross St. Paul, Ellicott City – 3 p.m. service

Holy Saturday, April 7 Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg – Rite of Preparation, 10 a.m. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ellicott City – 8 p.m. Mass

Easter Sunday, April 8 St. Timothy, Walkersville – 9:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Masses

Cardinal William H. Keeler

Chrism Mass, April 2 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Homeland – 7:30 p.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, April 5 Mass of the Lord’s Supper Cathedral of Mary Our Queen – 7:30 p.m. Mass

Good Friday, April 6 The Passion of the Lord Cathedral of Mary Our Queen – 3:00 p.m. service

Holy Saturday, April 7 Easter Vigil Cathedral of Mary Our Queen – 7:30 p.m. Mass

Easter Sunday, April 8 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen – 11:00 a.m. Mass

Archbishop William D. Borders He will celebrate all Easter liturgies at Mercy Ridge, Timonium

Bishop William C. Newman

Palm Sunday, Saturday March31 St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 5 p.m. Mass

Chrism Mass, April 2 St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 7 p.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, April 5 Concelebrating at St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 7:30 Mass

Good Friday The Passion of the Lord St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 7:30p.m. service

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 8 p.m. Mass Easter Sunday, April 8 St. John the Evangelist, Hydes – 10:45 a.m. Mass

NDP names new principal

Laurie A. Jones, principal of Battle Grove Elementary School in Dundalk, has been named the new principal of Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson effective July 1.

Ms. Jones, a parishioner of Ss. Philip and James in Baltimore, succeeds Clare Pitz.

Ms. Jones said she learned about the position in an advertisement in The Catholic Review and was impressed by NDP’s mission to form highly educated, well-rounded young women.

“I want to continue to oversee the strong academic program as they encounter a more global society,” said Ms. Jones.

The new principal said she is very familiar with the charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who operate NDP. Ms. Jones graduated with a degree in elementary education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore, an S.S.N.D. school.

Ms. Jones holds a master’s degree in reading education from Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore. She has also completed post-graduate certification in educational leadership at the College of Notre Dame.

Principal for five years at Battle Grove, Ms. Jones previously served as a teacher and assistant administrator in the Baltimore County school system. Bishop Hanke expressed courage

The Catholic Review is to be commended for its continuous coverage of the abject plight of the Palestinians, both Christian and Muslim.

The article “Jews react strongly to bishop remarks,” (CR, March 15) concerns the attack by the Central Council of Jews in Germany on Bishop Gregor Hanke of Eichstaett because he mentioned the deplorable Warsaw Ghetto in the same sentence as the deplorable Ramallah ghetto in Palestine. The bishop represented great insensitivity, according to a representative of the Central Council, by mentioning, though not comparing, the plight of Jews in World War II with the plight of Palestinians today.

I think Bishop Hanke knew full well what the Council’s response to his remarks would be, and I suspect he was trying to soften that response by expressing his great sympathy for what happened to the Jews in Warsaw.

What Bishop Hanke experienced was the tactic used when Israel is criticized for its deplorable and degrading treatment of the Palestinians. Like other messengers of truth about Palestine, he was accused of anti-Semitism. I applaud the bishop for his courage. I think if more people who are aware of what is happening to the Palestinians speak out, the chances for peace and justice will be far, far greater.

Father Fessio dismissed as provost of Ave Maria

UPDATED

NAPLES, Fla. – A day after he was asked to resign his post as provost and leave the campus March 21, Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio agreed to continue to have a role at Ave Maria University, including teaching and serving as a theologian in residence.

A statement sent the evening of March 22 by the university’s public relations firm said Father Fessio accepted the school’s offer that he continue his relationship with Ave Maria in a nonadministrative capacity.

The university’s March 21 announcement that Father Fessio had been asked to resign as provost cited “irreconcilable differences over administrative policies and practices.”

Father Fessio, 66, had served as chancellor or provost of the Catholic university in Florida since its founding was announced in 2002. He also has continued to serve as editor of Ignatius Press, a San Francisco-based Catholic publishing company he founded in 1978.

Father Fessio told reporters from various publications that he was not given a reason for his dismissal. The university’s statement said, “There has never been any difference in our commitment to our mission or to the magisterium of the church. Nor is there any diminishment of our commitment to maintaining the highest quality of scholarship.”

The March 22 press release repeated that “the separation of Father Fessio from the university’s administration had nothing to do with our shared commitment to our mission as a Catholic university ‘ex corde ecclesiae.’“ The version of the press release posted on the university’s Web site was signed by Ave Maria President Nicholas J. Healy.

“Ex corde ecclesiae” means “from the heart of the church” and is also the title of Pope John Paul II’s 1990 apostolic constitution on Catholic higher education. The statement said that, “as a sign of our esteem for his great gifts and abilities, we have asked Father Fessio and he has agreed to continue a relationship with us.”

Father Fessio will be designated a theologian in residence and maintain a room on campus, it said. He also will participate in commencement exercises, teach an already scheduled 2007 summer program for high school students, and in the spring 2008 semester will assume as-yet-undefined teaching responsibilities at the university.

Father Fessio also will investigate starting a semester-abroad program in Rome “and how our Austrian semester-abroad program might be continued. It is expected that in developing plans for study-abroad programs Father Fessio will be spending a significant amount of time in Europe.”

In interviews with Florida daily newspapers, Father Fessio said he had no indication before the meeting in which he was dismissed that such an action was coming.

“I asked for a reason but was not given one,” the News-Press of Fort Myers quoted Father Fessio as saying.

As provost, Father Fessio had duties that involved overseeing the university’s academic functions.

In 2002, the priest’s Jesuit superiors cut short his involvement with another fledgling Catholic school, Campion College in San Francisco. The school, which has apparently closed, was to offer a two-year humanities program. It was started out of Ignatius Press to embody the spirit and curriculum of yet another school started by Father Fessio, the St. Ignatius Institute.

The institute, started in 1976 when Father Fessio was on the faculty at the University of San Francisco, emphasized traditional Catholic values and Jesuit teaching methods. In 1987, the institute severed ties with Father Fessio and Ignatius Press and continues to operate as a four-year program of the University of San Francisco.

Ave Maria University was founded by Tom Monaghan, founder and former owner of Domino’s Pizza. The university in Florida opened in temporary quarters in 2003, with plans to move this summer to permanent buildings on a 5,000-acre site nearby, planned as a whole city with an oratory and the university as its center.

In 1998, Monaghan sold his pizza chain and donated some of the proceeds to the Ave Maria Institute, a two-year Catholic college in Ypsilanti, Mich. The school grew into the four-year Ave Maria College, which is now Ave Maria University.

The Monaghan-founded Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich., which opened in 2000, announced in February it would move to Florida in 2009.

Right on target

To the Editor:

Bravo to the two letters on “Bush bashing” in the March 22nd edition. Right on target.

Close scores highlight CWV Championships

On March 10, Calvert Hall College High School, Towson, hosted the 48th Annual Monsignor Hugh J. Monaghan Post 736 of the Catholic War Veterans Basketball Championships. According to league administrator Leo Fenzel, each game was exciting with a number of games coming down to the wire.

In the Cub league (fifth grades and below), the School of the Cathedral, Homeland, Green team netted 10 of its 14 foul shot attempts to defeat St. Ursula, Parkville, 24 -19.

St. Ursula’s junior team (sixth graders) turned back a tough St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge, squad 25-19 as Darryle Edwards scored a team-high 17 points.

In the junior varsity (seventh graders) championship game, St. Pius X turned the tables on St. Ursula 37-34. Peter Snarski’s 14 points led St. Pius, while Ben Hupp’s 18 led the gallant St. Ursula quintet. A total of 43 foul shots were attempted with St. Pius X netting 50 percent of their 24 free throws while St. Ursula sunk only eight.

In the fast-paced varsity (eighth graders) finale. St. Ursula prevailed 33-30 over Resurrection-St. Paul, Ellicott City. St. Ursula led by seven points at the half and took an 11-point lead with less that three minutes remaining in the game. Resurrection came alive down the stretch, draining three consecutive shots from behind the three-point arc but faltered at the free throw line, converting only two of 12 attempts. Resurrection was led by Lucas McCoy who scored nine points while Alex Israel scored eight points.

The champions from St. Ursula were led by Colin Pribula (10 points), Tyler Burton (nine points) and Ryan Stinchcomb (eight points).

The Catholic War Veterans are committed to sponsoring programs to foster Catholic Parish Schools. If you would like to help in these programs, practicing Catholic Veterans should call John Jarosinski, the State Commander, at 410 933-0766.

Bishop Malooly dedicates Sykesville parish center

The space that once served as the second church for St. Joseph in Sykesville has been transformed into an office complex to meet the administrative needs of a fast- growing parish of more than 3,000 registered families. Bishop W. Francis Malooly, western vicar, blessed and dedicated the Chaminade Parish Center following a March 18 liturgy. The center is named after Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, the founder of the Marianist order of priests and brothers who have staffed the parish since 1981.

The former church building, located in Eldersburg, was built in 1965 after the parish outgrew its small country chapel in Sykesville that dates to the mid 19th century. The center stands beside the current church, which was dedicated in 1998 and is the third in the parish’s history.

The new parish center provides more than 15,000 square feet of office space, featuring 25 offices including a large conference room, a small library, a kitchenette and meeting space for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Taking up one floor, the center also uses a converted choir loft for a second, smaller conference room.

Parish offices had previously been cramped into a basement adjacent to the former church.

“Everyone likes it very much,” said Father Terry Weik, S.M., pastor. “It frees up a lot of space for religious education and youth ministry.”

Father Weik said he professed his first vows as a Marianist inside the new parish center when it was a church.

“Looking at it now, you would never know it was a church,” he said, noting that Rubeling and Associates, Frederick, was the architect and Select Building of Frederick was the builder for the renovation effort. “The whole interior has been completely redone.”

The parish conducted a capital campaign to pay for the $1.2 million renovation project, the pastor said.

“It couldn’t have happened without the parishioners’ generosity,” said Father Weik. “They’ve been very supportive.”

Within the next decade, the pastor said the parish hopes to erect a new building on a field near the church as the burgeoning religious education and youth ministry programs continue to grow.

“It’s a long-range plan,” he said with a laugh. “We haven’t started yet. We’re going to catch our breath first (from this last project.)”

During the dedication ceremony, Bishop Malooly also blessed a large framed photo and commemorative plaque recognizing Father Patrick Tonry, S.M. Father Tonry was formerly the pastor for 10 years.