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Diocese of
Savannah
Vol. 79, No, 21
Thursday, May 27, 1999
hern
Cross
$.50 PER ISSUE
Contents
Headline Hopscotch 2
News 3
Commentary 4-5
Youth Ministry 6
40 YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD ... 7
Faith Alive! 8-9
Notices 10-11
Last But Not Least 12
Bishop J. Kevin Boland prepares to celebrate
the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the
priesthood at a special Mass at the Cathedral
of Saint John the Baptist on May 19. For more
photos of the Mass, see page 7.
Bishop Boland celebrates
40 years of priesthood
By Father Douglas K. Clark
Savannah
ith laughter, much good humor, and
praise and thanks to God, Bishop J.
Kevin Boland celebrated his upcoming forti
eth anniversary of priestly ordination at a
special Mass at the Cathedral of Saint John
the Baptist on May 19.
Over fifty priests serving in the Diocese of
Savannah concelebrated the Mass. Hundreds
of friends and members of the diocesan fami
ly attended the special service.
Father Herbert J. Wellmeier, pastor of Saint
Anne Parish, Richmond Hill, delivered the
homily. He recalled that fifteen years ago
Father J. Kevin Boland had “charged me
with the awesome task of preaching at his
25th anniversary of ordination.”
That celebration took place at Saint Anne
Church in Columbus, in 1983, shortly after
Father Boland was transferred there from
the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament
in Savannah. “Now he has gone and done it
again,” Father Wellmeier said, “and put me
on the worrisome spot of delivering the
homily at this liturgy observing the 40th
anniversary, with the added admonition that
the subject matter center on the sacred
priesthood and not himself.”
Father Wellmeier recounted, “When I
protested that there are other priests here
more eloquent possessing greater wit and
wisdom, skilled in theology and history,
brilliant in scriptural quotes and Vatican
documents,” the bishop “did not deny this,
but with his unique and beguiling smirk,
reminded me that I am the only surviving
priest who served as a co-assistant pastor
with him.” Fathers Ralph Seikel and Bob
Teoli, who were assistant pastors at the
Cathedral with the newly-ordained Father
Boland both died prematurely in 1980.
Father Wellmeier then reflected on the mys
tery of priesthood in the light of the teach
ings of the Second Vatican Council, which
began just three years after Father Boland’s
1959 ordination. His homily is reprinted on
page 4.
In his own remarks before the dismissal,
Bishop Boland quoted from a sermon by
Saint Augustine: “Whatever we may be,
don’t let your hope rest in our person as
such, but in the Person of Christ... I want to
rejoice over you and not be exalted by you.”
Bishop Boland, a native of Cork, was
ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of
Savannah at All Hallows’ College, Dublin,
Ireland, on June 14, 1959. He served the peo
ple of the diocese in many priestly capacities
— seminary teacher, chancellor, pastor and
vicar general —for 36 years before Pope
John Paul II named him bishop on February
7, 1995. He was ordained and installed as the
thirteenth Bishop of Savannah on April 18 of
that year.
Vatican plans Interreligious Assembly
By Cindy Wooden
Vatican City (CNS)
he more the world’s religions
work together, the greater
chance there is for peace and jus
tice for all people, said Cardinal
Francis Arinze.
The cardinal, president of the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue, is inviting leaders of
other Christian communities and
representatives of the world’s reli
gions to meet in Rome to outline
ways they can promote coopera
tion.
The October 24-28 Interreligious
Assembly at the Vatican will
include three days of presentations,
discussion and small group meet
ings involving about 200 invited
participants.
The Second Vatican Council
encouraged Catholics “to meet the
followers of other religions to pro
mote Gospel values, the good of
the family, the good of society,
human values, justice and peace,”
Cardinal Arinze told Vatican Radio.
If religions do not have an active
interest in those issues, he said in
the mid-May interview, then they
place themselves at the margins of
people’s lives.
“Our hope is that this meeting at
the end of the century and the mil
lennium will promote that collabo
ration which is so necessary,
because to make war it is enough
to have two or three people with
the wrong ideas, but to construct
peace the collaboration of everyone
is necessary,” he said.
After three days of discussion,
the invited guests are scheduled to
make a one-day visit to Assisi,
Italy, where, on October 27, 1986,
Pope John Paul II hosted a day of
prayer for peace with other reli
gious leaders.
On the final day of the assembly,
October 28, participants will fast
and pray according to their own
religious tradition at various places
near the Vatican.
Official Announcements
Bishop J. Kevin Boland has
announced the following appoint
ments:
Rev. James B. Walker — Will
retire from active ministry, effective May 31,
1999. Effective June 1, Father Walker will
serve as Sacramental Minister of Christ the
King Parish, Hamilton.
Rev. Robert E. Chaney — Appointed Pastor
of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, effective
June 1, 1999. Father Chaney will continue as
Pastor of Saint Anthony Parish, Savannah.
Rev. Daniel Ter Melaba — Appointed Sacra
mental Minister of Saint Peter Claver Parish,
Macon, effective June 1, 1999, through
August 31, 1999.
Rev. Mr. Timothy C. Donahue —Appointed
as deacon to Saint Anne Parish, Columbus,
effective June 1, 1999.