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The Southern Cross, Page 2 Cardinal issues racism pastoral ON ANNIVERSARY OF KING’S DEATH Chicago (CNS) O n the 33rd anniversary of the April 4, 1968, assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Cardinal Francis E. George released a new pas toral letter on racism exhorting the faithful in the Archdiocese of Chicago to work to eliminate the sin of racism. “Its purpose is to draw people’s attention to the sin of racism, which is pervasive in our communities,” said Cardinal George about the document, titled “Dwell in My Love: A Pastoral Letter on Racism.” The letter follows “Moving Beyond Racism: Learning to See with the Eyes of Christ,” a pastoral on racism released April 4, 2000, by all the Illinois Catholic bishops. “Dwell in My Love” is longer and more specific to the Archdiocese of Chicago. McVeigh execution “tests the METTLE” OF DEATH PENALTY FOES Washington (CNS) T he impending execution of Timothy McVeigh “tests the mettle of the emerging Catholic view about the inappropriateness of capital punishment” like no other case, said the archbishop of Indiana polis, in whose state the execution will take place. In an April 2 statement, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein said that, with McVeigh due to be the first person executed by the federal government in 38 years, “many believe no criminal is more deser ving of the death penalty.” The statement was signed by Archbishop Buechlein as head of the Indianapolis Archdiocese, general chairman of the Indiana Catholic Conference and member of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. McVeigh is scheduled to be executed May 16 at the federal prison in Terre Haute. He was convicted on 11 federal counts of conspiracy and murder for the April 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Catholic-Lutheran dialogue WORKS ON COMMUNION STATEMENT Washington (CNS) S haring in prayer and worship is a key part of what they do in their national dialogue, the co- chairmen of the U.S. Catholic-Lutheran dialogue said. At its latest semiannual meeting March 29- April 1 in Washington, the dialogue group began drafting a joint statement on “The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Mini stries.” Koinonia, a New Testament Greek term taken over into English, means the fellowship or communion with God and each other shared by Christ’s disciples. In an interview with Catholic MeadliiEi© Hopscotch News Service, the two dialogue leaders described prayer together as something that deeply affects the dialogue itself. Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba of Milwaukee, Catholic co-chair, said the group starts each day with Lutheran morning prayer and closes the day with some form of Catholic evening prayer. Catholic-Methodist dialogue EXPLORES VIEWS OF CHURCH Washington (CNS) S tarting a new round of U.S. Catholic-Methodist dialogue, theologians of the two traditions explored how biblical images of church are used in the teaching of their respective churches. The theme of the March 26-28 meeting in Washington was “The Church in Each Place and in All Places.” In a news release following the meeting, the partic ipants said they found a wide range of agreement in the common biblical heritage and a wide variety of images of church used by both traditions. They found that in both churches the body of Christ is the most commonly used image of the church, although it is interpreted differently by Catholics and Methodists. Participants also discussed the goals of their new round of dialogue, the method of ecumenical dialogue in general and the different ways of doing theology together. Former Republican chairman NOMINATED FOR VATICAN POST Washington (CNS) J im Nicholson, a Catholic who is former chair man of the Republican National Committee, has been nominated to be ambassador to the Holy See. President Bush April 6 announced his intention to nominate the 63-year-old Nicholson, who would succeed Corinne “Lindy” Boggs. The nomination requires confirmation by the Senate. “Jim Nichol son is a proven leader who will bring a solid sense of commitment to his work with the Holy See on critical world issues,” Bush said in a statement. Nicholson is an Iowa native who became a Colo rado real estate developer and an active volunteer for various organizations. He chaired the Repub lican National Committee from 1996 through last year’s elections. He currently is on the staff of the Washington law firm Greener and Hook. Girl sentenced in Catholic SCHOOL SHOOTING Williamsport, PA (CNS) A n apologetic Elizabeth C. Bush was given an open-ended sentence to a juvenile psychiatric facility April 4 after pleading guilty to having shot a classmate at Bishop Neumann High School in Williamsport March 7. Bush, 14, was tried as a juve- Thursday, April 12, 2001 nile on the recommendation of all parties, including the family of Kimberly Marchese, the girl wounded in the shoulder in the lunch-hour shooting in the school cafeteria. “I just want to say I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you,” Bush told Marchese during the hearing in Lycoming County Court. Marchese, also 14, attended the court session with her arm still in a sling. Under the terms of the sen tence, Bush could be held in the behavioral health service unit of New Morgan Academy near Reading until she is 21 and could undergo further detention in an adult facility after that. Czech church spokesman cau tiously WELCOMES GAY RIGHTS LAW Warsaw, Poland (CNS) A Czech church spokesman cautiously welco med a government-backed bill granting some legal rights to homosexual partnerships. However, he added that full recognition of legal marriage should be reserved for “the traditional family,” and he accused Czech society of showing “selective tolerance” toward homosexuals. “The church accepts that the state can recognize cohabiting homosexuals, whose lifestyles are a private mat ter,” said Father Daniel Herman, spokesman for the Catholic bishops’ conference, in a March 30 tele phone interview. “But it should be stressed that family is the basic cell of society. The laws should not give the same status to other forms of partner ship,” he said. The priest spoke as final drafting continued on the bill, which will extend marriage- style rights to homosexual partners. Priest in New Mexico named to head Las Vegas Diocese Washington (CNS) M onsignor Joseph A. Pepe, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been named bishop of Las Vegas by Pope John Paul II. He is to be ordained and installed in Las Vegas May 31 at Guardian Angel Cathedral. The appointment was announced in Washington April 6 by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States. In Las Vegas, Bishop-desig nate Pepe succeeds Bishop Daniel F. Walsh, who was named bishop of Santa Rosa, California, last year. Joseph A. Pepe was bom in Philadelphia June 18, 1942. He was ordained a priest of the Phila delphia Archdiocese May 15, 1970. For the past eight years, while remaining a Philadelphia priest, he has been on loan to the Santa Fe Archdiocese. He went to Santa Fe in 1993 as judicial vicar of the archdiocesan tribunal. In 1998 he was named chan cellor, moderator of the curia and vicar for priests. To Subscribe Send this in to your parish, together with your check for $15, made out to the parish. 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