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The Southern Cross, Page 4 Thursday, April 20, 2000 T he past half-century was long ago dubbed, “The Age of Anxiety.” The horrendous crises of the first half of the 20th century—two world wars and the Great Depression, the worst finan cial crisis in all history—were followed by 50 years characterized by the threat of nuclear anni hilation, the Cold War, countless hot wars, the growing disparity between the First and Third Worlds, the partial collapse of the “Second World” (the Soviet Empire), the emergence of new plagues and, to top it off, a technological revolution that has left us overly well informed about too many trivial things, even as the level of our education has declined. The result is that we know too many “factoids” but generally lack the wisdom needed to process them, let alone to make sense of them. So good are our communications that today’s tragedies are played out instantaneously on television and over the Web and we are saturated with gloom and doom. The experts, with their endless statistical stud ies, bombard us with health and safety warnings, so that it is no wonder that many Americans report that they are anxious and worried about their futures and their children’s futures. The stock market seems to reflect the skittishness of the society, reacting sometimes bizarrely to eco nomic indicators and other omens. Underlying all these worries, though, is the basic human dread of death. Although—or because—life expectancy nearly everywhere is higher than ever, “modem” or ’’post-modem” people seem to dread death more than did their forebears, to whom death was inevitable, com mon-place and often preferable to the woes of Death, where is your Rejoice heavenly powers, sing choirs of angels, exult all creation around God's throne. Jesus Christ our King is risen. Sound the trumpet of salvation. —Exsultet earthly life. For us, death remains the uncon quered enemy, whose presence we try to banish to the margins, beyond our sight, to disguise cos metically (“Doesn’t he look natural?”) and even to deny, cryogenically and otherwise. But we cannot banish death; hidden though it sting?” may be, death is still on the prowl, as long-term murder and abortion rates attest. No matter how much medical progress is made, the very nature of living cells suggest that the Psalmist was uncannily accurate in describing the human life span as “three score and ten or four score if we are strong.” And so death remains the enemy, an enemy made more—not less—menacing by being hid den from our eyes and denied by our psyches. No human agency or technology will ultimately triumph over it. We are and will remain mortal. But rather than encourage us to hide from our mortality, the Gospel boldly confronts it. As the Church proclaims the Gospel message anew dur ing the celebration of the Easter Triduum, she reminds the world that Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who emptied himself to share our hu manity, “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). The somber details of his Passion are recounted again on Good Friday and the fact of his death fully confronted, before his glorious resurrection is proclaimed at the Easter Vigil: “Rejoice heavenly powers, sing choirs of angels, exult all creation around God’s throne: Jesus Christ our King is risen. Sound the trumpet of salvation.” Only in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is death itself vanquished by the almighty power of God. The source of our anxiety is re vealed as impotent: “Death is swallowed up in vic tory, O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55.) —DKC 601 E. Liberty St. Savannah, GA 31401-5196 Two views of financial report Dear Editor, I thought the Diocesan Annual Accountability Report 2000 was a good job; I sent [a letter to] the bishop complimenting him on his letter. The color adds so much to the report. This may not have been the first letter from the financial officer; but it is the first one I remember that I read. Keep up the good work. Father Tom Peyton Augusta Dear Editor, The annual financial report has now appeared (April 6) in The Southern Cross with a new name of Annual Accountability Report. A better name would be the Annual Non-Disclosure Report. The Chancery has traveled a long way since the days of Bishop Lessard—unfortunately, all in the wrong direction. George Hilgartner Statesboro In appreciation Dear Editor, Thank you for keeping us updated on spiritual opportunities in our area. Because of The Southern Cross we ha\e been able to attend Catholic retreats, conferences, etc., in the Southeast. In October, we were able to attend part of the retreat by the Women from Ireland at Saint James in Savannah. In February, we attended the attended the Cardinal Newman Lecture by Dolores Leckey at the Oratory in Rockhill, SC. It is also good to be informed of happenings in the Catholic Community. FAX: (912) 238-2339 E-mail: DClark5735 @ aol.com It was sad to hear of Father Richard McCormick’s death. He addressed the most controversial moral issues and his positions were carefully thought through. He will be missed. While at the Oratory, I learned of Sister Madonna Kolbenschlag’s death. I first learned of her work through The Southern Cross. It is also good to hear of progress and of controversy in our church so that we can pray for God’s will in all of our actions. Mili McDermott Martinez Thanks from the Holy Father Bishop J. Kevin Boland has received the following letter from the Cardinal Secretary of State: Dear Bishop Boland, I am writing on behalf of the Holy Father to thank you for the Peter’s Pence offering of $36,763.65 for the year 1999, kindly forwarded to the Apostolic Nunciature. His Holiness is deeply appreciative of this generous support from the Church in Savannah, and he is well aware of the lively spirit of commu nion with the See of Peter which it reflects. In gratitude to the Diocese for this testimony of unity in faith and love, the Holy Father imparts to you and to the priests, religious and laity his Apostolic Blessing. With fraternal good wishes, I remain +Agostino Cardinal Sodano Secretary of State Vatican City Letters