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The Southern Cross, Page 2 Three dead in Seton Hall dorm fire South Orange, NJ (CNS) A n early morning fire in a fresh man dormitory at Seton Hall University killed three people and injured 58 January 19. Of the injured, 54 were students, two were firefight ers and two were police officers. The 10,000-student Newark archdiocesan university closed for the day as investigators sought to determine the cause of the blaze in Boland Hall, a six-story residence housing 600 stu dents. “This is a heartbreaking tragedy for Seton Hall University, for our families, for all the Seton Hall family,” said Monsignor Robert T. Sheeran, university president, at a 9:30 a.m. press conference. “Words cannot express what’s happening to us,” he added. Retired Detroit AUXILIARY BISHOP DIES Detroit (CNS) R etired Auxiliary Bishop Arthur H. Krawczak of Detroit, known as a humanitarian and remembered for his work with youths and for his compas sion for European immigrants, died January 13 of heart failure at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Livonia. He was 86. A funeral Mass was celebrated by Detroit Cardinal Adam J. Maida January 17, followed by burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield. “We have been blessed by the presence and ministry of Bishop Krawczak for almost 60 years,” Cardinal Maida said. “He has served our church with great vision, joy and pastoral sensitivity. He will be very much missed.” No POPE CAN DISSOLVE VALID MARRIAGES, POPE TELLS CHURCH TRIBUNAL Vatican City (CNS) T he bond of the sacrament of mar riage is so strong and sacred that not even the pope has the power to dissolve it, Pope John Paul II said. The pope, addressing members of the Roman Rota, a church tribunal that handles appeals of marriage annul- Meadllaini® Hopseotclh ment cases, said January 21 that he wanted to put an end to speculation that a pontiff had the power to dis solve valid marriages as part of his role as “vicar of Christ.” “Faced with the doubts and confusion that could emerge, it is necessary to reaffirm that matrimony validly concluded and con summated can never be dissolved, not even by the power of the Roman pon tiff,” he said. “The opposite argument would imply that no marriage is absolutely indissoluble, which would be contrary to what the church has taught and still teaches about the indissolubility of the marriage bond.” In Egypt, church LEADERS WELCOME NEWS OF PAPAL VISIT Rome (CNS) C hurch leaders in Egypt wel comed the news that Pope John Paul II will visit their country in February and said it bodes well for ecumenical and Christian-Muslim relations. “This is a historic event: a Muslim country where Christians are mostly Orthodox will welcome a Catholic pope. For our youngsters it will be a joy and an encouragement,” Father Ibrahim Isak Sedrach told the Vatican missionary news agency Fides January 20. Father Sedrach is rector at Saint Leo the Great Seminary in Cairo, where the pope will hold an ecumenical encounter during his February 24-26 visit. The encounter will underline the good relations between the tiny Catholic community and the 6 million Coptic Orthodox faithful. Father Boulos Garas, who teaches at the seminary, told Fides that Egypt’s approximately 200,000 Catholics are “oveijoyed” at the news of the pope’s arrival. Court approves closing PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON Good Friday Washington (CNS) T he U.S. Supreme Court declined to review an appeal of Maryland’s law requiring schools to close on Good Friday. Without comment January 18, the court rejected an appeal by a retired Maryland teacher who argued that the law violates the separation of church and state. Maryland, Illinois and North Dakota are the only states that require all pub lic schools to close on Good Friday, although the Illinois law was struck down by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A handful of other states designate Good Friday as a legal holi day but do not require schools to close. Britain announces CHANGES TO NORTHERN Ireland police force London (CNS) T he British government announced wide-ranging changes to the police force in Northern Ireland in a bid to attract more Catholic recmits. The proposed changes include a new name for the Royal Ulster Constabulary, which has a reputation among many members of Northern Ireland’s Catholic community as being dominated by Protestant members. In fall 2001, the name of the Royal Ulster Constabulary will be changed to Police Service of Northern Ireland. Only 8 percent of the current police force is Catholic—compared to more than 40 percent of the population at large. The government’s decisions were announced in London’s House of Commons January 19 by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Mandelson. For Christian unity week, Irish bishop says PAY, NOT PRAY Dublin (CNS) A n Irish bishop is asking Catholics in his diocese to express Christian unity by paying, not just praying. During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Bishop John Buckley of Cork and Ross scheduled a January 23 collection to aid Saint Fin Bane’s Church of Ireland Cathedral. The Anglican cathedral, built in a French neo-Gothic style by architect William Burgess, is considered one of Cork’s greatest architectural treasures. Describing the collection as “a practi- Thursday, January 27, 2000 cal expression of our common desire for unity,” Bishop Buckley said: “Christ died for all, and the Holy Spirit is at work in every person, community and culture. All churches must stand together in defense of spiritual values against the inroads of materialism.” Cardinal George to hear State of the Union as Hastert guest Washington (CNS) C hicago Cardinal Francis E. George will attend the presi dent’s State of the Union address January 27 as the guest of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. Doug Delaney, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, told Catholic News Service January 20 that he and Cardinal George would be sitting in the gallery as Hastert’s guests during President Clinton’s annual address to the joint session of Congress. Delaney said Cardinal George accepted the invitation from Hastert as an opportunity to be involved in a political event that is more nonpartisan than most. Justices hear ARGUMENTS IN Colorado clinic case on ‘bubble zone’ Washington (CNS) W ith attorneys arguing about whether a “floating bubble zone” is more or less of a restriction on First Amendment rights than the court previously has allowed, the Supreme Court January 19 took up consideration of a Colorado law lim iting protests outside medical build ings. For the third time since 1994, the court will rule on whether restric tions meant to address “sidewalk counseling” at abortion clinics are constitutional. The Colorado law adopted in 1993 prohibits anyone outside any “health care facility” from approaching within eight feet of another person to hand out a leaflet, show a sign, or engage in discussion with anyone within 100 feet of any entrances without permission. 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 Name Address Phone (_ Parish ut) her (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: Mrs. Barbara D. King Send Change of Address to circulation office: |(cpa)i Chalker Publishing Editor: Southern Cross Subscription Department *fss ** R ev> Douglas K. Clark, S.T.L. R 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 FAX: (912) 238-2339 weeks in June, July and August and the last week E-mail: DCIark5735@aol.com in December. or Southerncross@ix.netcom.com At 601 £.6* Street Internet Home Page: Waynesboro, GA 30830 http://www.dioceseofsavannah.org