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CHARLES KERSCHER quietly studies at Sacred Heart School of
Theology in Wisconsin. His vocation is a late one, but next year he will
become a priest of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
Grandpa Becomes Father
BY ANNE BINGHAM
Sacred Heart School of Theology
The grown-ups thought the whole thing was a fine idea. The little ones, though, had
their doubts about Charles J. Kerscher’s plans.
“If Grandpa becomes a Father, will he still be our Grandpa?” they worried on the
eve of his departure for Sacred Heart School of Theology.
“If anything, we’ve become even closer,” Kerscher observes three years later. “Five
of the six grandchildren are in school now, and I send my grades home to them. When
we write, we talk about our schoolwork. It’s something they can relate to.”
Kerscher, who retired from the Atlanta Post Office in 1972, is one of 110 men from
33 dioceses and a dozen religious orders who are studying for the priesthood at Sacred
Heart. The theologate, located in Hales Comers, Wis., is one of two in the country that
specializes in training the so-called “delayed vocation,” men older than college-age
who feel called to the priesthood. The average age of Sacred Heart students is 38; a
few, like Kerscher, are retired. „
A native of Omaha, Kerscher has lived in Georgia since boyhood. In Atlanta, he
attended Sacred Heart Grade School, Boys High School and Georgia Tech before
enlisting in the Army just before World War II. After his discharge, he went to work
for the post office. He considers Duluth, Ga., his home town, and St. Patrick’s,
Norcross, his home parish.
“I thought about the priesthood when I was an altar boy, of course - who doesn’t?
And I always had a high regard for the priesthood,” he recalls.
When his wife, Edna Marie, died in 1976, he suddenly found himself “retired, with a
good pension, all my children grown, and no responsibilities or unfinished business. I
was free to pursue a new adventure.”
He considered the Trappists, but they wouldn’t accept candidates older than 45. He
(Continued on page 6)
NEXT MONTH, Charles Kerscher will be ordained to the Diaconate by
Archbishop Donnellan.
The Stone
The women were ashamed of their
men. In the deep dark corners of back
street Jerusalem they cowered. Sunlight
was forbidden entrance. Food was left
uneaten and morbid looks of depressive
fear blanketed each face. They were
immobile.
Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Thursday, April 19,1979 $5 Per Year
It had been three long days. The
paralyzed group of men knew the
general alarm would soon sound. Just as
the Roman ruffians had ruined the
Master, the
clanking armour
would soon sound
for them. They
were inconsolably
crushed.
But the women
were adamant. The
body must be
''anointed. The
herbs were
prepared. In
cringing desperat
ion, they appealed for proper action.
Two men would be enough. Peter and
John could do it. They shyed away.
Bartholomew was too old and .feeble,
but Thomas was strong. He could do it.
His usual protests of doubt, silenced
the appeals. No one would go.
In silent fury, making a stormy
exasperated exit, the little band of
veiled women entered into the dawn.
The streets were quiet now after days of
hearty celebration. Refuge littered the
alleyways, relics of the annual careless
joyful carousing.
They hurried past strolling patrols of
Roman police, expecting that long arm
to reach out in crippling arrest. Without
the merest mention, one obstinate
obstacle blurred their collective
thoughts. The stone. They could see it
defying their mission. They could
picture its massive hulk sealing that
sacred spacious sepulcher. Like a city
wall, it frustrated their quickened
hopeful steps.
Who would roll it back? Broad
backed centurions had jammed it in
place. With muscle and chain, with final
grunts of triumph, they had slammed it
shut. Even the wrinkled rough hands of
working Jewish women reared back in
anticipation.
They approached the task. The
clearing morning mist revealed the
awfully obvious. The stone was gone, its
rough surface failed to block their
anxious path. The gaping gateway was
completely accessable. What was
happening? Where . . .?
Like a discarded mound of rubble,
the stone of contention lay on one side.
It still had one use. It had become a
throne for a golden flowing smiling
messenger. Like a king he was enshrined
upon its hulk. His searing words reached
their disbelieving ears like angelic music.
He is not here. He is risen.
Terror and joy jaunted their
paralyzed feet into hysterical motion. In
seconds they were gone from the
garden. In minutes the world would
know.
The universe had become the
conquered stone-heap of the Risen,
Returned Lord.
Year Of Outreach And Evangelization Planned
AFTER 25 YEARS of working with the City of
Atlanta Police Department, Monsignor R. Donald
Kieman has resigned. Among those who recently
honored the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary for
his years of service to the city’s police force were Chief
of Police George Napper (left) and Public Safety
Commissioner Lee Brown.
Msgr. Kieman 4 Out Of The Blue 9
BY MONSIGNOR NOEL BURTENSHAW
In those days, the back door of the Shrine was never locked.
Occasionally a man of the street, sack on back, would stumble
through. A bowl of soup would quickly send him on his way.
But the door to the rectory of the Immaculate Conception
parish, was not left unlocked to feed the hungry poor. Men in
blue, were the main intruders.
t
The Day Watch would find a cool glass of tea at mid-day and
the Night Watch would curl cold hands around hot coffee late
into the night. For patrolling Atlanta policemen, the Shrine was
an extra precinct.
That was over 25 years ago and the welcoming cleric was
usually Assistant Pastor, Father Donald Kieman. It was an act
of hospitality to foot weary policemen, but it was also the
beginning of a romance with law enforcement in the city.
Getting to know the men and women of the law, meant
getting to know their job problems. The young Father Kiernan
became a partner up front in the searching patrol cars of the
evening. Whether it was chasing the thoughtless speedsters, or
keenly watching the sinister activities of the suspicious, Father
Kiernan was there.
He was also there, when consolation was needed. A
uniformed man hurt would send the newly recognized chaplain
to a hospital bed. More serious happenings would send him with
words of compassionate condolence to a family suffering the
heartbreak of loss.
Throughout the years of many different assignments as
pastor, in Gainesville, then back to St. Anthony’s in Atlanta and
St. Jude’s in Sandy Springs, the work with Atlanta’s police
continued.
Father Kiernan became fast friends with now retired Chief
Herbert Jenkins. The spiritual consolation along with the easy
friendly manner of the priest became important to an ever
growing Department in an ever growing city.
The work, most gratefully received by the city, and most
generously given by the priest, led to other areas of service to
the long arm of the law. The newly appointed Monsignor
Kiernan became chaplain to Georgia’s State Patrol. He also
founded and became President of the Georgia Police Chiefs
Association. Even the International Organization of Police
Chiefs called upon his knowledge and expertise. Finally three
years ago, the Governor of Georgia invited the knowledgeable
cleric to be a member of the prestigious State Crime
Commission.
Monsignor Kiernan, a native of Taunton, Mass., now pastor
of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Atlanta, after 25 years
of Atlanta police work decided his work downtown was
complete. After establishing a Chaplaincy, giving the city a
squad of spiritual helpers, he resigned.
It was a bitterly sad day down at headquarters and the city
said so loud and clear.
At a farewell luncheon, Public Safety Commissioner Lee
Brown and Chief of Police George Napper reluctantly said adieu
to the Monsignor. Mayor Maynard Jackson proclaimed
Wednesday, April 11, “Monsignor Donald Kiernan Day” in the
city and even Governor Busbee, busily completing the work of
the State budget, dropped by.
For all, it was farewell and many thanks, but don’t go too far
away. The work of policing the city will not be the same,
without the smiling and generous time consuming presence of
the Monsignor.
As he left headquarters, with the bouquets firmly in his hand,
and the praise ringing in his ears, many wondered if this was
really the end of a silver era. Monsignor Kiernan insisted that
the time for others to take over had really arrived. However his
efforts for the Georgia Chiefs and the State Patrol will continue.
But no one saw him hand in the smartly creased and brightly
buttoned uniform so proudly worn through days and nights of
city service.
Who knows ...?
The Archdiocese of Atlanta will
launch a year of emphasis on outreach
to alienated Catholics and churchless
persons. Plans for the “Year of
Outreach” were developed by the
Archdiocesan Committee on
Evangelization with input from laity,
Sisters, and clergy. The plans have been
approved by Archbishop Donnellan and
will be presented to the priests of the
archdiocese at a clergy conference on
Wednesday, April 25, from 10:00 A.M.
to 4:00 P.M.
The priests will gather at St. Thomas
Aquinas Parish in Alpharetta at the
invitation of Father Daniel J. O’Connor.
Father O’Connor and his parish leaders
have been given national recognition for
their very successful “Homecoming
Program - an Outreach to Alienated
Catholics.”
The keynote speaker will be Bishop
Bernard F. Law of Springfield-Cape
Girardeau, Illinois. He will address the
priests on “Implementing the Church’s
Mission to Evangelize.”
Bishop Law was ordained to the
priesthood in May 1961, for the Diocese
of Natchez-Jackson. He served as an
assistant pastor, editor of the diocesan
newspaper, and director of the diocesan
Family Life Bureau before being named
the Vicar General in 1971. He also
served as President of the Priests’ Senate
and on the Board of Consultors.
He was appointed Bishop of the
Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
in October 1973.
He is a member of several
NCCB/USCC committees:
Subcommittee for the Church in Latin
America, Communication Committee,
Bishop Bernard F. Lav/
Commission for Ecumenical and
Interreligious Affairs, Administrative
Board, Commission for Religious
Relations with Jews.
In 1968, he was appointed the After lunch, served by the ladies of
Executive Director of the Bishops’ st. Thomas Aquinas, Archbishop
Committee for Ecumenical and
Interrefigious Affairs. (Continued on page 8)
Prayer Amendment Defeated
WASHINGTON (NC) - The Senate
has removed an amendment to the
Department of Education bill which
would have blocked the Supreme Court
from banning future state school-prayer
laws and has attached it to a bill which
is expected to die.
By a 53-40 vote, Senate members
reversed an earlier vote by which they
had approved Sen. Jesse Helms’
(R-N.C.) proposal to strip the federal
courts and the U.S. Supreme Court of
all jurisdiction over state laws
permitting “voluntary prayers in the
public schools” and other public
buildings.
The amendment was believed to
mean certain death for whatever bill, it
was attached to. Shortly before it was
removed from the Department of
Education bill, the senators voted 51-40
to attach to a minor judicial system bill
which Helms said clearly was headed for
oblivion.
After the votes, Helms said the move
was “the surest way to kill the prayer
amendment” but warned that he would
offer it repeatedly on other measures as
well. He had proposed the amendment
in an attempt to dilute the effect of
1962 and 1963 that outlawed
mandatory school prayer, and it had
passed April 5 by a 47-to-37 vote.
“The judicial system jurisdiction bill
does not have a chance of survival, said
Helms, predicting that Rep. Peter
Rodino (D-N.J.), House Judiciary
Committee chairman, would bury the
bill “so deep that 14 bulldozers couldn’t
scratch the surface.” The bill, backed by
all nine Supreme Court justices, would
remove from the court’s jurisdiction
most of types of cases on which they
are obligated to decide.
The Department of Education bill,
proposed by the Carter Administration
and opposed by the U.S. Catholic
Conference and other groups, would
create the 14th Cabinet-level
department out of the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare. The
$13.5 billion agency would absorb
education programs from other
agencies.
(Continued on page 6)