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The Southern Cross, Page 2 Judges uphold dismissal of suit OVER FIRST-GRADER’S BIBLE STORY Philadelphia (CNS) B y a tie vote, a federal appeals court has let stand a ruling that the New Jersey first-grader who was stopped from reading a Bible story to his class four years ago did not have his constitutional rights violated. Carol Hood, the mother of Zachary Hood, plans to appeal the decision by the Philadelphia-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kevin Hasson, general counsel for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty that represented Zachary, who is now in fifth grade, said the court’s decision “reflects both the complexity and the importance of issues involving children’s rights of religious expression during the school day.” Catholic colleges again ranked AMONG BEST IN NATION Washington (CNS) C atholic colleges and universities once again made it into U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of the nation’s best colleges. As in past years, Catholic schools fared best in the rank ings of regional universities, topping the lists in the North and Midwest, with Villanova University in Pennsylvania and Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, respectively. In the national ranking, three Catholic colleges made the top 50, including the University of Notre Dame in Indiana (19th), Georgetown University in Washington (23rd) and Boston College (38th). The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, was 29th among national liberal arts colleges. Pope performs exorcism over TEEN-AGE ITALIAN GIRL Vatican City (CNS) P ope John Paul II performed an impromptu exorcism on a teen-age girl who flew into a possessed rage at the end of an audience in St. Peter’s Square, said the chief exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. The Rome exorcist, Pauline Father Gabriele Amorth, told Catholic News Service September 11 that the pope spent more than half an hour praying over the girl and order ing a demon to leave her, but failed to fully cure her. The girl, identified as a 19-year-old Italian with a history of possession, was in the front row at the pope’s weekly general audience September 6. As the pope prepared to leave, she began screaming incomprehensibly and speaking in a “cavernous voice,” Father Amorth said. 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 H®adMm© Hopscotch Legislator says pope’s views CHANGED HIS MIND ON DEATH PENALTY Jefferson City, MO (CNS) E ven a state legislator can change his mind. Democratic state Rep. Chris Liese of Maryland Heights said at a workshop on the death penalty during the annual Missouri Catholic Conference Assembly September 2 that he was in favor of the death penalty until Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis in January 1999. He said that Gov. Mel Carnahan had just been told by a Vatican-based cardinal that the pope would personally ask the governor to spare the life of convicted killer Darrel Mease. Liese, who accompanied Carnahan to St. Louis that day, said the governor turned to him and said, “You’re Catholic. What do I tell him?” Liese recalled. “I told him, ‘Governor, this is not an ordi nary pope. If I were you, I’d listen to him,”’ Liese said. “From that moment on, I knew I had to change my position. I couldn’t be in favor of the death penalty.” U.S. CHURCH LEADERS URGE Clinton to support sharing of Jerusalem Washington (CNS) L eaders of U.S. Christian churches, including the head of the Catholic bishops’ conference, have urged President Clinton to promote a sharing of Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians and among the Jews, Muslims and Christians who con sider the city sacred. In a joint letter September 6, the 15 leaders wrote: “The churches’ campaign to promote the principle of sharing Jerusalem between the two peoples and three religions is based on our steadfast commitment to an equitable solution for Jerusalem that respects the human and political rights of Israelis and Palestinians as well as the three religious communities. The churches’ interest extends to the living communities of believers as well as to the holy sites.” School choice will benefit all, CARDINAL SAYS AT MISSOURI Capitol Jefferson City, MO (CNS) D etroit’s Cardinal Adam J. Maida believes the fight for school choice isn’t just for Catholics. “Educational reform and broadening educational choice is a matter of justice, especially for those who do not have equal access to educational opportunities,” Cardinal Maida said September 2 in a keynote address to about 700 people at the Missouri Catholic Conference’s annual assembly at Thursday, September 14, 2000 the state Capitol. From the rostrum of the ornate House chamber, Cardinal Maida noted that Catholic schools serve 3 million U.S. children— many of them poor and not Catholic. Placing all these children in public schools would cost the nation about $34 billion in taxes, he said. State Department report finds WORLDWIDE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION Washington (CNS) R eligious freedoms are in grave danger in sev eral countries around the world, according to a State Department report released September 5 naming Sudan and China as among the world’s worst offenders. “Much of the world’s population lives in countries in which the right to religious freedom is restricted or prohibited,” said the sec ond annual report commissioned by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This year’s report includes information on 194 countries and territories. Congressional medal for pope APPROVED WITH LITTLE FANFARE Washington (CNS) L ittle noticed as Congress rushed to adjourn for the summer, a bill awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to Pope John Paul II was quietly passed and signed into law in late July. The award, the high est civilian honor Congress can bestow, was approved for the pope “in recognition of his many and enduring contributions to peace and religious understanding,” according to the text of the bill. On July 13, the Senate signed off on a House bill author izing a gold medal for the pope. The action by “unanimous consent” means there was no formal recorded vote. Two weeks later, on July 27, President Clinton signed the House version of the bill into law. Women theologians meet in Rome, seek more visibility Rome (CNS) A mong the 59 conferences scheduled in con junction with the September 9-10 Jubilee for Universities, one focused on a uniquely female per spective. “Women Theologians in Rome: A Long Tradition,” held September 6-8 at Rome’s Marianum institute, marked a historic gathering of female theology professors and students mostly from Europe and Latin America. About 60 people attended the conference-—all women save for Marianum’s president, Servite Father Ignacio Calabuig, and a handful of other men. Address Phone (_ Parish (USPS 505 680) Publisher: Most Rev. J. Kevin Boland, D.D. Director of Communications: Mrs. Barbara D. King < C P Q )l N Editor: ^fss Rev. Douglas K. Clark, S.T.L. Editorial and Business Office: Catholic Pastoral Center 601 E. Liberty Street Savannah, GA 31401-5196 (912) 238-2320 FAX: (912) 238-2339 E-mail: DCIark5735@aol.com or Southerncross@ix.netcom.com Internet Home Page: http:// www.d ioceseofsavan nah.org Deadline: All material for publication on Thursday must be received at the latest by noon on the previous Friday. POSTMASTER: Send Change of Address to circulation office: Chalker Publishing Southern Cross Subscription Department P. O. 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