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The Catholic New World
News Digest: Week in Summary
2/17/02

Updates

Flap over Pfleger
At press time, a flurry of media reports incorrectly stated that Father Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Parish on the South Side, was being “ousted” as pastor by Cardinal George.

A statement regarding Pfleger’s tenure was released April 12 by the Pastoral center. It said, “Priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago serve as pastors for six-year terms. Normally each priest serves two terms ... and is then assigned to another parish. Exceptions are built into the Priest’s Placement Policy, which permits the extension of a second term or even the granting of a third term if a priest is near retirement age or engaged in a special project.” Hundreds of priests are transferred each year. Pfleger completed his third term in November.

“Contrary to media reports,” said the statement, “he has not been ‘ousted’ as pastor of St. Sabina, any more than any other pastor is ‘ousted’ at the end of his term.”

Discussions with Pfleger, Cardinal George and the Priests’ Placement Board have been ongoing for some time. Reports in secular newspapers and TV quoted Pfleger as threatening to leave the priesthood if he was reassigned.


CCHD funding justice reforms
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development announced $530,500 in grants for criminal justice reform and education projects Feb. 7, including $50,000 to the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

The 16 projects receiving grants include seven aimed at abolishing the death penalty and several providing support to victims of crime and to ex-offenders. The grants were the second round in a $1.5 million effort by the U.S. bishops, through CCHD, to work for reforms in the U.S. criminal justice system.

News:

Boston Archdiocese suspends more priests in abuse scandal

The Boston Archdiocese Feb. 7 suspended six priests from all ministry for past allegations of sexual abuse of children. Five days earlier two pastors were removed for the same reason.

Three days later, faced with a local poll reporting that nearly half of area Catholics think he should resign, Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston said he plans to stay on and work to improve the church’s prevention of sexual abuse and handling of such cases when they arise.


Directory 2002: who’s what, where and why
Wonder how to locate a favorite pastor who has moved on to another parish or retired? Do you need baptismal records from a parish that’s now closed? How about the task of finding a handicapped-accessible church before Aunt Alice comes to town?

There’s help for all these questions-and much more-in the 2002 Official Directory of the Archdiocese of Chicago, just off the press. The 450-page volume includes listings of all the institutions, priests, deacons and religious of the archdiocese, along with general information on former bishops and archbishops and current statistics.


This summer’s World Youth Day is shaping up as a demonstration of multicultural reconciliation to counter a spreading spirit of global confrontation, organizers said.
Speaking at a press conference in Rome Feb. 8, the planners said the July 23-28 World Youth Day gathering in Toronto and the July 18-21 activities for visitors in Canadian dioceses have incorporated in their programs Pope John Paul II’s recent statements on terrorism, injustice and forgiveness. Those topics are expected to be part of the catechesis and discussion sessions during the encounters, they said.

Pope prays 2002 Olympics will unite human family, build ‘world of peace’
The 2002 Winter Olympic Games can serve as a reaffirmation of the bonds uniting the members of the human family, Pope John Paul II said in a letter to Bishop George H. Niederauer of Salt Lake City.

The missive, dated Dec. 22 and made public in early February by the Intermountain Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, was written on behalf of the pope by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, a top assistant to the Vatican secretary of state.


Salt Lake City brings a different flavor as host
The fog, or “inversion” as locals call it, finally began to lift as the snow came over Salt Lake City Feb. 8.
For the first time in days, the mountains were visible and Olympic spirit was growing-despite Salt Lake City’s lack of festive decor and multicultural displays any tourist might expect.

Pope John role ‘humbling’
‘Lou Grant’ asks: ‘How do you play a saint?’
Ed Asner, best known as TV’s “Lou Grant,” said his role playing Pope John XXIII in a new Italian television movie was one of the most intimidating of his five-decade acting career.
“The difficulty for me was: ‘How do you play a saint?’ It frightened me,” Asner told reporters Feb. 8, the film’s last day of shooting in Italy.

Pope: Internet has potential but can’t replace community
Vatican City - The Internet presents “magnificent opportunities” for evangelization, but it never can replace the deeper religious experience offered by living church communities, Pope John Paul II said in a message for World Communications Day.

The pope urged the church to strike a balance in using the Internet, exploiting its communications possibilities but recognizing that it tends to deliver information, not values.


Ave Maria offers Catholic radio program service
Ave Maria Communications, a Michigan-based Catholic broadcast ministry established by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, has announced a new satellite programming service for radio stations that are geared primarily toward Catholic audiences or evangelize with a Catholic message.

The new Ave Maria Radio Satellite Network offers subscribing stations a schedule of satellite-fed programs and brief features, all free of charge.

Time doesn’t stand still here, but it is highly respected.


On Dec. 16, 2001, the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium was moved to Sacred Heart Parish, 8245 W. 111th St., Palos Hills, where it will remain throughout the winter months.

The 33-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture has been traveling to sites in the archdiocese for two years. A final determination of its future has not yet been announced.

Movies at a Glance
Capsule reviews of movies from the U.S. Catholic Conference's Office for Film and Broadcasting, judged according to artistic merit and moral suitability. Go to reviews

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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener
    
Dolores Madlener
a column of benevolent gossip

Mary’s mover and shaker — Carl Demma’s widow, Francine, a parishioner in St. Germaine Parish (Oak Lawn), will be honored as the Italian Cultural Center’s Woman of the Year on Feb. 16. Not only did this couple “gift” us with the 33-foot high stainless-steel madonna, but they made it possible for her to travel around the arch as well. Father Gino Dalpiaz, CS, center director said, “Francine is a very special person who inspires us not only through her shining example, but through her family’s offering of the Our Lady of the New Millennium statue to the community.” For tickets to the dinner-dance, call (708) 345-3842.

Good fortune cookies — Chinatown’s St. Therese Chinese Catholic Mission, having completed its church restoration last fall, is now on a campaign to assist the school. Father Michael Davitti invites everyone to an authentic 10-course dinner beginning at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Furama’s Restaurant on Wentworth Ave. Tickets are $50 per person, with clever entertainment like the children’s “good-luck” dragon dance. Call (312) 842-6777. A (4699 Chinese Year of the Horse) New Year’s Mass is open to the public, 10 a.m. Feb. 17, that includes cultural rituals by the school children in the mission church, formerly Santa Maria Incoronata (W. Alexander), that combines Italian and Chinese décor to match the cultural diversity of the parish.

Let’s ‘role’ — St. Thomas More School (S. California) believes in spotlighting positive role models. It celebrated Catholic Schools Week with a visit by Dr. Paul Jones, chief cardiologist for Mercy Hospital who spoke in church to the school’s 330 mostly African American student body on the challenges and positive impact of Catholic schooling in his life as a Catholic African American. Two months ago Anthony Goldsby, a young African American architect and rising star in the world of New York architecture, addressed the student body. . . . Fox News Channel turned its attention last week to a new teaching tool developed by the director of Girls and Boys Town, Father Val Peter (one of Father Flanagan’s successors). It’s called “The Girls and Boys Town Book on Patriotism” and can be used in junior-senior high schools or for home-school. Written in the aftermath of Sept. 11, the book’s stories and writings are about people like Harriet Tubman, Red Cloud, Irving Berlin, Gandhi and others who faced challenges. It deals with heroism vs. celebrity, as well as the unhealthy nationalism of a Hitler or Stalin. But most of all it tells why every generation must be vigilant in defending freedom. The www.boystown.org Web site also offers “Common Sense Parenting” video classes for parents of children ages 3-16. For information, or to place an order, call (800) 282-6657, weekdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Idea Exchange — The ushers at St. Mary of Celle Church (Berwyn) got a pleasant surprise when the parish gave them kudos in the Jan. 19-20 bulletin and asked worshippers to be sure and thank them for their faithful weekly service and their gift of welcome. (Still no raise in pay!)

Double play — Catholic New World photog David V. Kamba and wife Michelle announced the birth Jan. 23 of their second child, Isabelle Rose, new sister of Benjamin, 3. . . . A classified ad in The New World back in 1972 brought steady employment to ex-seminarian Dennis Newman. He became the full-time music director at St. Bernadette Parish (Evergreen Park). Through the years he has worked for churches from St. Constance (W. Strong) to St. Zachary (Des Plaines). Today, as music director at St. Fabian Parish (Bridgeview) he’s persevered in his ambition to compose church music. GIA Publications published his hymn “Jesse Tree” that was used in Catholic schools during Advent and he has a CD out, “Let the Kingdom Grow.” . . . And St. Fabian’s permanent deacon, Sal Lema, has been hired as new director of communications for the regional Carmelite

Send your benevolent gossip to Church Clips, 721 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60610 or via e-mail to: [email protected]

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