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Thursday, May 11, 2000
The Southern Cross, Page 11
Cardinal O’Connor
(Continued from page 1)
O’Connor to the episcopacy in 1979
and made him a cardinal in 1985.
They developed a close working
relationship and seemed to embody
the same outlook on matters affecting
the church, leading to a widespread
impression that Cardinal O’Connor
was the primary voice in the United
States for the mind of the pope.
“As a sign of his profound esteem
for the late Cardinal O’Connor, and to
demonstrate concretely his spiritual
union with the church in New York,”
Cardinal Sodano said, “the Holy
Father sent me to represent him per
sonally at this solemn liturgy.”
Cardinal Sodano also expressed the
pope’s condolences to Cardinal
O’Connor’s two sisters, brother and
other relatives present, as well as to
“the entire archdiocesan family,” and
imparted an apostolic blessing at the
conclusion of the service.
Cardinal William W. Baum, a
Vatican official who was another of
Cardinal O’Connor’s close friends,
spoke at the conclusion of the Mass.
He cited Cardinal O’Connor’s work
for Christian unity, and called atten
tion to retired Greek Orthodox
Archbishop Iakovos, who was present
along with his successor, Archbishop
Demetrios, and officials of other
churches and other religions.
Cardinals Law and Baum both
spoke of the Sisters of Life, an order
Cahrini
Cardinal Angelo Sodano (left), Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal
Bernard F. Law of Boston (right) and other bishops celebrate the
funeral Mass of Cardinal John O'Connor of New York May 8 in
Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
established by Cardinal O’Connor to
pray and work for the pro-life cause.
Members of the order attended the
many services held for Cardinal
O’Connor over the weekend follow
ing his death, and at the funeral Mass
their superior, Mother Agnes
Donovan, read the first lesson from
the Book of Wisdom, beginning, “The
souls of the just are in the hand of
God.”
After Cardinal Baum spoke, the
Book of the Gospels and the pall
were removed from the coffin, made
in upstate New York of red African
mahogany from the Ivory Coast, and
the cardinal was lifted onto the shoul
ders of six men for his final trip down
the center aisle of his cathedral, and
then back up another aisle to go down
into the crypt.
There, under the high altar, with
only family and a few church officials
present, the coffin was deposited in
the 13th of 21 vaults available.
The 12 previously placed there
include seven former archbishops of
New York; Coadjutor Archbishop
John J. Maguire, who served under
Cardinal Francis J. Spellman; Arch
bishop Fulton J. Sheen, who was
identified with the cathedral in a spe
cial way through his preaching there;
two former cathedral rectors; and
Pierre Toussaint, whose remains were
brought there after Cardinal O’Con
nor began his cause for canonization.
After the cardinal’s body was
deposited in its permanent resting
place, Cardinal Sodano and the others
returned for the end of the service.
After the final blessing, the organ
and brass in the choir loft thundered
forth with the introduction and
accompaniment to one of Cardinal
O’Connor’s favorite hymns, one he
had the congregation sing at his
installation March 19, 1984:
“Lift high the cross, the love of
Christ proclaim.”
(Continued from page 6)
life-blood of a parish.”
Brenda Boutin, a Saint Francis Cabrini parish
member, was excited when school plans began
moving forward. She has already registered her
youngest son, Brendan, in the half-day pre-kinder
garten program beginning in August.
As the religious education coordinator for their
Mother's Morning Out program, she has seen first
hand the interest and need for another school. “I
know how difficult it is to get in to the parochial
schools. There is so much demand for the few
spaces there are.”
A 1998 survey found that approximately 10,700
elementary school age children live within the
An Invitation to a
Golden Anniversary
Celebration
Father Thomas H. Payne cordially invites friends
and former parishioners to rejoice with him at a
Mass of Thanksgiving on May 18, at 6:00 p.m., at
Saint Michael’s Church, Tybee Island, A covered
dish supper will follow the Mass to which supper
guests are invited to bring their favorite dish. The
meat entree will be provided by the committee.
On May 30, at 7:00 p.m., a Mass of
Thanksgiving will be celebrated at Saint John the
Evangelist Church in Valdosta. A reception will
follow.
‘‘Send forth, we beseech you Lord, laborers into
your harvest, for the harvest indeed is great but the
laborers are few. ”
parish boundaries, with an expected increase of 17
percent by 2005. Of the 663 families responding,
between 122 and 161 would transfer or enroll their
children in a school at Saint Frances Cabrini.
Since the survey was conducted, there has been a
continual increase in support. With an increase in
parish income and an increased interest in their
willingness to help with volunteer services, “the
potential is very substantial,” Nelson said.
For Sister Rose Mary Collins, superintendent of
schools for the Catholic Diocese of Savannah, edu
cation is one of those issues that you have to step
back and look at as a whole. She knows parents
today are savvy individuals who realize what the
needs are and are aware of the opportunities to par
ticipate in their child's educational process. “It is an
on-going conversation,” says Sister Rose Mary.
“Education is a national priority,” adds Nelson.
“But we have an added element (over the public
schools) which is morals and value-teaching. The
Catholic Church has been in the education business
for hundreds of years and we are going to continue
the tradition.”
The parish patron saint, Saint Frances Cabrini,
was a teacher herself who founded the Missionary
Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her order
expanded to many continents and countries opening
schools, orphanages, hospitals and convents. Her
example is an inspiring and challenging one to live
up to, says Nelson.
“This is a bold venture! There is a certain amount
of risk. I'm sure we will trip and stumble, as with
any new venture, but the determination of many
people in the parish will make it go,” Nelson said.
The plan is to begin teaching pre-kindergarten and
kindergarten for the school year 2000-2001, utiliz
ing existing classroom space in the religious educa
tion building.
Expansion into portable classrooms is the next
step, and construction begins on a permanent struc
ture that will eventually be 29,100 square feet with
10 classrooms, science lab, music and art rooms,
media center, teachers' work room, administrative
area and lunch room and bathrooms.
The cost of the project is estimated at $2.3 million
and the gradual phases allow for the parish to con
duct a capital fund drive to cover the cost of tempo
rary school start-up and construction of the perma
nent facility.
Future expansion also is planned which will
include doubling the number of classrooms and
building a multi-purpose gymnasium with an esti
mated cost of $2.1 million.
Over the course of the next two years, the school
will add one classroom and first grade in 2001 and
another classroom and second grade in 2002. The per
manent school and the remaining grades third through
eighth, will be in August 2003. The use of existing
classroom space and portables allows the parish to
maximize student programs while having a minimal
impact on the existing programs and facilities.
“Once you designate a room as a classroom,” says
Nelson, “you cannot use it for everything. A school
has to be an orderly place.”
Reprinted by permission from the Savannah
Morning News.