Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Cross, Page 4
O ne lone pilgrim, now somewhat infirm,
walked in the footsteps of Jesus last week.
The world does not usually notice such pilgrims,
but this time it did. News coverage of Pope John
Paul II’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land eclipsed all
other news for a week. Few noticed President
Clinton’s state visits to India and Pakistan, but
everyone knew that the Holy Father was in
Jordan and Israel.
Not every papal visit gamers so much atten
tion; there have, after all, been so many of them.
But this pilgrimage—for so indeed it was—
struck a deep chord in the hearts of Christians,
Jews, Moslems and others.
Perhaps it was the evident spiritual purpose of
the visit. Perhaps it was the fulfilment of the age
ing pope’s long-frustrated desire to return to the
Holy Land, which he had last visited as a young
By Ticki Lloyd
h, springtime! My heart pounds
out a song and overwhelms my
imagination. Spring has a way of
releasing my soul to renewed hope.
If I were to describe my spiritual
condition as a season of the year, it
would surely be spring.
The day is promising. I dash out
side to greet the flowers in my gar
den. My eyes catch sparks of light
covering the grass after last night’s
heavy rain. My ears capture pearls
of water wrestling to be free from a
leaky faucet. I’m so happy, I want
to embrace all of God’s creation.
My love of flowers didn’t just
“happen.” I grasped the significance
of flowers long before I was knee-
high to a buttercup. Sometimes I
believe I was bom snuggling a petu
nia in my chubby hand.
If I feel down about myself, I
move away from judging myself
and thank God for what he has
done for me. In my heart, mind and
soul I know God is with me in
every circumstance. If I’m going
Commeimtaffy
A defining moment
bishop during Vatican II. Perhaps it was the
enormous respect and importance accorded by
Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians to this pope,
not just because of his high office, but because
he, too, had suffered under Nazi and Communist
regimes and understands at a deep, personal level
the human cost of political strife. His solidarity
with all who have suffered such strife is com-
pellingly evident. Even those critical of his pre
decessors’ diplomacy acknowledge the enormous
moral authority of this Successor to Saint Peter,
an authority respected by both believers and non
believers because it rests on a personal integrity
beyond question.
Although mutual suspicions between Moslems
and Jews will probably not disappear or even
diminish very noticeably in the near term, the
fact that both groups could look with respect to
Springtime
Thursday, March 30, 2000
the world’s foremost Christian leader and even
sit down to dialogue with him and with each
other cannot hurt the somewhat tattered peace
process.
This particular papal visit differed from most
in that its most powerful moments took place in
silence, at the Western (Wailing) Wall and at
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, to which the pope
made an unscheduled revisit before returning to
Rome. The silence of the pope’s prayerful visits
spoke more eloquently than any words could
have done.
It will be hard not to compare any future papal
visits to this pilgrimage, which already seems
destined to become the landmark of such visits.
The quiet effect of the lone pilgrim will live on.
—DKC
unafraid to travel the world.
We hear the sounds of God in
nature. We listen to his tiny, feath
ered creatures singing from tree
branches. We see butterflies kissing
flower blooms reminding us of
angels floating through space. We
gaze at people and recognize them
as God’s creations. Each person,
though different, is the same in
spirit. God knows no strangers. We
are created in his divine image.
It is impossible to understand
what motivates the actions of oth
ers. They may or may not be aware
that something they have said or
done, has caused us emotional pain.
We do know that God loves them
and he loves us. Each day is a new
beginning. Let’s not get caught up
in regrets about what we have done
or have not done. It’s time to move
forward and leave the past behind.
After all, it’s springtime!
Ticki Lloyd is a member of Saint
Francis Xavier Parish, Brunswick.
through a time such as the death of
my brother, Bernard Michael
Moore and my niece, Sister Mary
Moore, CSJ, within a month, I need
peace. Rather than focusing on why
this happened, if I turn within
myself, I am enfolded in the love
and care of God.
Wouldn’t life be easier if every
situation had defined rules? If we
knew in advance the result of our
actions, we would look to God for
direction and follow his guidance.
A good way out of confusion is to
ask God for solutions.
Did you ever ask for advice and
later you get the feeling it was not
right for you? We could find a better
way to receive guidance by talking
to God. He knows us better than we
know ourselves. The power of
God’s wisdom will never lead us
astray.
Our faith in God should be a con
tinuous growing, opening our soul
to him. He knows us and he
believes in us. If we become quiet,
which is difficult to do in the mad
reflections
rush of living, we can feel God’s
presence. We can release hurts, dis
appointments, regrets and shame
and return to tranquility. With God,
everything is possible, even the
seemingly impossible. We have a
choice of endless possibilities that
only God can provide. When we’re
not sure we have God in our lives,
God can show us a greater love
than any love we have experienced.
Every day we should thank God for
life. In all experiences, joyful or
painful, God is there to strengthen
and comfort us.
When I think about the many
people who have enriched my life, I
put them in my prayers each day.
And, I thank God that they had a
positive influence in my life. Prayer
is resounding around the world.
Nations are uniting in prayer and
faith. We owe Pope John Paul II a
debt of gratitude for his untiring
efforts promoting peace and unity
in the world. He doesn’t just “talk.”
He “walks” the “talk.” He is the
world’s foremost evangelizer,
601 E. Liberty St.
Savannah, GA
31401-5196
Thanks
Dear Editor,
Thank you for your dedication to our Church
and to our Holy Father in Rome. Your editorials
are always inspiring and relevant. I greatly
appreciate your unrc . ained defense of the
faith.
Patrick Fetter
Saint Simons Island
Overseas Appeal
Bishop J. Kevin Boland recei ed the following
letter, dated March 16, 2000, j >m Bishop
Joseph A. Fiorenza, President of the National
Conference of Catholic Bishop
Dear Bishop Boland,
On April 1 and 2 many dioceses will take up
Letters
the annual American Bishops’ Overseas
Appeal, which helps fund the work of Catholic
Relief Services, our Migration and Refugee
Services and Department of Social
Development and World Peace, and the Holy
Father’s Relief Fund. As we approach this
year’s collection I wanted to thank the Diocese
of Savannah for its generous donation of
$36,299.81 to the 1999 appeal. Your contribu
tion to the American Bishops’ Overseas Appeal
helps these organizations to continue their good
works in a world of growing need.
It is only with the support of the people of the
Diocese of Savannah that we are able to pro
vide food, agricultural equipment, health care,
education and development loans for those in
need. Your donations also allow us to provide
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assistance to migrants and refugees in search of
new homes in the United States, and to advo
cate for just laws and policies affecting some of
the most vulnerable people in the world. In this
year of Jubilee with your help we made signifi
cant strides in responding to our Holy Father’s
call to relieve the debt of the poorest countries.
On behalf of all those we assist, thank you for
“Answering the Call to Global Solidarity.” I ask
that you help us to continue to “Provide Hope
in the New Millennium” through your support
of this year’s campaign. Please keep us in your
prayers as we keep you in ours.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Joseph A. Fiorenza
Bishop of Galveston-Houston