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The Southern Cross, Page 2 Bishop Andrew J. McDonald Rockville Centre, Little Rock bishops retire; successors NAMED Washington (CNS) B ishop James T. McHugh has become head of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y., succeeding Bishop John R. McGann, who is retiring. Pope John Paul II also accepted the resignation of Bishop Andrew J. McDonald of Little Rock, Ark., and named the vicar general of the Diocese of Memphis, Tenn., Monsignor James Peter Sartain, as his successor. In Rockville Centre, Bishop McHugh had been coadjutor to Bishop McGann for nearly a year. Under church law a coadjutor auto matically succeeds the bishop when the bishop retires or dies. The changes in Rockville Centre and Little Rock were announced in Washington January 4 by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Cardinal O’Connor OKS BEGINNING SAINTHOOD CAUSE FOR Archbishop Sheen New York (CNS) C ardinal John J. O’Connor of New York has given provisional approval to initiate the sainthood cause of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Archbishop Sheen, who died in 1979, rose to radio and television fame in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s and was a popular speaker at retreats and con ferences. His famous television series of talks, called “Life Is Worth Living,” was broadcast Tuesday evenings in prime time on ABC-TV from 1951 to 1957. Archbishop Sheen was also director of Propagation of the Faith, wrote news paper columns and conducted a suc cessful convert ministry. His saint hood cause is being promoted by the Archbishop Sheen Foundation, based in the archbishop’s home town of El Paso, Illinois. OAS COMMISSION BLAMES El Salvador for Jesuits’ 1989 murders Washington (CNS) T he Inter-American Human Rights Commission of the Organization of American States said the govern ment of El Salvador is responsible for the murders of six Jesuits and two women in 1989. In a report released in late December, the Washington-based commission found that Salvadoran state agents carried out the murders and covered them up in violation of international human rights law and the Geneva Conventions concerning the conduct of internal armed conflict. The commission called on the Salvadoran government to rescind its amnesty law, complete a full investi gation into the murders and punish those responsible. Holy Year can be time OF GRACE FOR FAMILIES, POPE SAYS Vatican City (CNS) H oly Year 2000 can be a time of grace and redemption for fami lies, Pope John Paul II said. “Family members are called to conversion, mutual acceptance and forgiveness, so that they will be strengthened for their vocation in the world,” the pope said during his weekly general audi ence December 29. The pope urged families to model themselves after the Holy Family, whose feast day was celebrated December 26. “The example of the Holy Family teaches us that every Christian family must be based on a communion of love between husband and wife, between parents and children, on unfailing fidelity and openness to the gift of life,” he said. Vatican asks for over haul OF COMMISSION FOR English translations Vatican City (CNS) T he Vatican has called for a com plete overhaul of the commission which translates liturgical texts into English. Questioning the quality of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy’s work as well as the way it functions, the Vatican ordered the revision of the commis sion’s statutes. Cardinal Jorge Medi na Estevez, prefect of the Congre gation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said the new statutes must give his office a greater say in the work of the commission, known as ICEL, including Vatican clearance of ICEL personnel. Representatives of the 11 bishops’ conferences which sponsor ICEL will meet January 21 in London to discuss Cardinal Medina’s letter. Supporting marriage is NO EXCUSE TO BASH GAYS, CARDINAL SAYS Los Angeles (CNS) C ardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles urged California Catholics to back an upcoming refer endum defining marriage as a con tract between a man and a woman, but he said they should oppose any one who “will use this measure to promote hatred against homosexual persons.” In a statement on the issue December 20 the cardinal reaffirmed the archdiocese’s “well-established ministerial commitment to homosex ual persons and their families.” Californians are to vote on Propo sition 22, a referendum on the legal definition of marriage, on March 7. Thursday, January 6, 2000 The initiative says that only a union between a woman and a man is valid or recognized in California law. Vatican agency says 31 MISSIONARIES KILLED IN 1999 Vatican City (CNS) T hirty-one church workers were killed in mission territories in 1999, Vatican missionary news service Fides said. Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, counted 15 martyrs in Africa, 10 in Asia and six in South or Central America. Rather than being a cause for mourning, Fides director Father Bernardo Cervellera said, martyrdom belongs to the joy of Holy Year 2000. “The jubilee year is a year of grace, conversion, (and) pil grimage,” Father Cervellera said in a December 28 editorial preceding Fides’ annual list of martyrs. Congressman calls for FULL DISCLOSURE ON House chaplain SELECTION Washington (CNS) R ep. John Dingell, D-Mich., rank ing Democrat on the House Commerce Committee, called for a full release of all records, transcripts and other materials relating to the selection of the new House chaplain. In a December 20 letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Dingell noted that “questions have been raised both publicly and privately” about the decision by House leaders not to nominate a Catholic priest to the chaplaincy position despite the high recommendation the priest received from the bipartisan search committee. Dingell, who is Catholic, proposed that before House members vote on the new chaplain January 27, they be presented with all committee records, transcripts, staff memoranda, correspondence and other materials relating to the chaplain search. r i To Subscribe Send this in to your parish, together with your check for $15, made out to the parish. For more information call The Southern Cross (912) 238-2320 Sod hem gss=* Savannah\ » | Name | Address I j Phone (_ I Parish _ I The Sout (USPS 505 680) Deadline: All material for publication on Publisher: Thursday must be received at the latest by noon Most Rev. J. Kevin Boland, D.D. on the previous Friday. Director of Communications: POSTMASTER: X’+'X Mrs. Barbara D. King Send Change of Address to circulation office: sfcpaj! Chalker Publishing Editor: Southern Cross Subscription Department ^ess & R ev Douglas K. Clark, S.T.L. P O. Box 948 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Editorial and Business Office: Subscription Price: $15 per year Catholic Pastoral Center Periodicals Postage Paid 601 E. Liberty Street at Waynesboro, GA 30830 Savannah, GA 31401-5196 Published weekly except the second and last (912) 238-2320 weeks in June, July and August and the last week FAX: (912) 238-2339 in December. E-mail: DCIark5735@aol.com At 601 E. 6 th Street Internet Home Page: Waynesboro, GA 30830 http://www.dioceseofsavannah.org