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The Southern Cross, Page 2 MsudMiEKg Hopscotch Thursday, February 15, 2001 Vatican, Lutheran, Reformed CHURCHES DISCUSS INDULGENCES Rome (CNS) he abuse of indulgences contributed to the Reformation, and questions about the Catholic practice continued to raise ecumenical concerns during the Holy Year 2000. Representatives of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Lutheran World Federation and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches met in Rome February 9-10 to discuss the questions. “The pur pose was to clarify historical, theological and pas toral issues related to indulgences in order to come to a better understanding of each other’s tradi tions,” said a statement from meeting participants. Major funders of Catholics for a Free Choice not Catholic Washington (CNS) o foundations that have Catholic philanthropy as a focus appear in public records among the major funders of Catholics for a Free Choice, ac cording to a Catholic foundation specialist. CFFC describes itself as an independent non-profit Catho lic organization “working in the Catholic social justice tradition.” It is most noted for efforts to pro mote wide access to abortion, contraception and voluntary sterilization and to support dissent from official church teachings in those areas. Francis J. Butler, president of Foundations and Donors Inte rested in Catholic Activities, wrote about CFFC’s reliance on secular foundations in the January- February issue of Philanthropy, bimonthly maga zine of the Philanthropy Roundtable. He said a review of recent CFFC grants recorded in the Foundation Center’s grant index “shows an organi zation without a single major supporter whose pro gram focus is Catholic philanthropy.” Sexual behavior increases on TV, STUDY SHOWS Washington (CNS) new study has found that sexual behavior on television has increased from levels of two years ago. The study, “Sex on TV,” found that 68 percent—more than two-thirds—of programs sur veyed during the 1999-2000 TV season contained sexual content, up from 56 percent during the 1997-98 season. “This study confirms that sexual messages are an increasingly frequent part of the television landscape,” the study said. Commis sioned by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the study was released February 6. The foundation also had issued a similar report two years ago, and plans to do a third report two years from now. The study looked at a week’s worth of programming on 10 different channels: the Los Angeles affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS and WB, plus the HBO, Lifetime, TNT and USA cable channels. Head of church affiliate gets 7 YEARS FOR FINANCIAL DISHONESTY Cologne, Germany (CNS) German court has sentenced the head of a Caritas-owned company to more than seven years in prison for financial dishonesty. Hans- Joachim Doerfert, chief executive officer of the Caritas Tragergesellschaft Trier (Caritas Funding Co. in Trier), was sentenced in Koblenz, Germany, February 5 to seven years and three months in prison for 58 cases of financial dishonesty. Two associates were sentenced to lesser terms. CTT was founded 13 years ago to modernize the diocese’s hospitals and make them self-sufficient, so they would not need Caritas funds. The company now owns 42 social institutions and employs 9,000 peo ple. The court found that Doerfert had misappropri ated around $10 million and had plunged the hos pitals into a crisis that cost the Trier Diocese $50 million. John Brennan, diocesan attorney and papal knight, dies Father J. Kevin Boland stands with Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal John Michael Brennan, longtime diocesan attorney, in 1971. J ohn Michael Brennan, 89, dioce san attorney for over 40 years, died in Savannah February 12. He had been named a Knight of Saint Gregory by Pope John XXIII in 1961. Bishop J. Kevin Boland issued the following statement: “Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890) defined a gentleman as one who never willingly inflicted pain on another. John Brennan personified that quality to the highest degree. He was a gentleman to the core and a man of profound dignity. His pass ing is a loss, but our lives have been forever enriched. We praise and give thanks to God for the life and times of John Brennan. May his soul rest in the peace of God’s love.” Mr. Brennan, a native of Savannah, was the son of James Joseph Brennan of County Roscommon, Ireland, and Anna Egan Brennan of County Mayo. He was a graduate of the Marist School for Boys, Benedictine Military School, and the University of Georgia. He began practicing law in Savannah in 1935. He served as president of the Savannah Bar Asso ciation and the Savannah Hibernian Society in 1962, as Grand Knight of Council 631 of the Knights of Co lumbus and as Grand Marshal of the Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in 1971. Former Southern Cross editor John E. Markwalter, a fellow Knight of Saint Gregory, said, “As execu tive secretary of the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia, it was a pleasure for me to serve dur ing John Brennan’s term as presi dent. I could always bring my prob lems to him and receive his help and wise counsel. Those who knew him admired him for his faith and love of God and his Church. He lived that faith every day of his life.” Preceded in death by his wife, Virginia, and son Timothy, Mr. Brennan is survived by two daugh ters, Mary Ann Brennan Smith and Virginia Brennan Snedeker, three sons, J. Michael, Jr., Joseph Patrick and Stepehen James, fifteen grand children and three great-grandchil dren. The vigil service for Mr. Brennan was held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist on February 14. Bishop Boland celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial at Blessed Sacra ment Church, where Mr. Brennan had worshiped for 55 years, on February 15. Mr. Brennan’s family has request ed that memorial gifts be made to: the Diocesan Development Appeal of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah, 601 East Liberty Street, Savannah, GA 31401; the Hibernian Society of Savannah Foundation, Inc., 428 Bull Street, Savannah, Ge orgia 31401; or Hospice Savannah, P. O. Box 13190, Savannah, Georgia 31416. 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 I Phone ( ) I ■ Parish . I I The Southern Cross (USPS 505 680) Deadline: All material for publication on Thursday Publisher. 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)s Editor Chalker Publishing Southern Cross Subscription Department ***** & Rev. Douglas K. Clark, S.T.L. P. O. Box 948 Waynesboro, GA 30830 Editorial and Business Office: Catholic Pastoral Center Subscription Price: $ 15 per year 601 E. Liberty Street Periodicals Postage Paid Savannah, GA 31401-5196 at Waynesboro, GA 30830 (912) 238-2320 FAX: (912) 238-2339 E-mail: DCIark5735@aol.com Published weekly except the second and last weeks in or Southerncross@ix.netcom.com June, July and August and the last week in December. Internet Home Page: At 601 E. 6 th Street http://www.diosav.org Waynesboro, GA 30830