Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 20 No. 19
FATHER BILL HOFFMAN
Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Thursday, May 13,1982
$8.00 Per Year
FATHER BILL HOFFMAN, a priest of the Archdiocese of
Atlanta, has worked with the Fathers of the St. James Society in
South America for the last 10 years. Father Hoffman recently
returned to Atlanta after stopping over in Havana, Cuba for a visit.
BY MSGR. NOEL BURTENSHAW
Father Bill Hoffman’s adventures have yet to be written. The Atlanta priest
has been working in the South American missions for 10 years, travelling on
foot, in jeep and on horseback, touching the lives of so many. His final
assignment was in Andahauylas in South Central Peru. After completing his
service with the Fathers of the Missionary St. James Society, he felt it was time
to return to his home diocese of Atlanta.
So it was to be.
However, there was one more adventurous stop on the way. “When I was
a student in Rome,” says the bronze, fit and prematurely graying missionary, “I
made friends with a student from Cuba. He is now Father Alfredo Petit and is
rector of the seminary in Havana. I felt it would be most interesting to visit
Alfredo.”
The adventure began. Five years previously, Father Bill had made an attempt
to visit his friend, but the Cuban authorities had other ideas. A visiting visa was
refused. “This time, says Father Hoffman, whose home is in Gainesville, “it
was simple. They happily granted the visa.”
The journey was straight from the pages of a Graham Greene novel. First
there was the ride in a rickety bus from Andahuaylas to Lima, 36 hours long.
Then the Cuban Airline plane was a white-knuckle Soviet vintage model which
had the uncomfortable habit of leaking smoke into the cabin at times.
“Something to do with the filter system,” says Father Bill. “Anyway, I was
more than glad to get to the Havana airport.”
The greeting from the Cuban officials was courteous, but the priest was told
that since he had a visitor’s visa, he must BE a visitor and stay at a hotel, not at
the seminary with his friend. “After a hassle, the government official agreed to
let me stay one night with Alfredo, but he insisted only one night.”
The story becomes more interesting at this point because the office of the
Papal Nuncio in Havana would come to the rescue of the Atlanta priest. “I can
see you are surprised,” grins Father Bill, “that Cuba has a Papal Nuncio. Well,
E Rome and Cuba never broke off diplomatic relations. Cuba has an ambassador
| in the Vatican and through the assistance of my friend Alfredo, the Papal
jo Nuncio in Havana came to my help. I was placed on the diplomatic staff
temporarily and therefore could stay at the seminary. It worked out fine.”
Father Hoffman explained that the only secure way to get mail or packages
into Cuba is through an embassy. “That’s how religious books and articles get
in. In fact, that’s how I first contacted my friend-by writing to him through
the office of the Papal Nuncio.”
To a limited extent, Father Hoffman found freedom for the Church in Cuba.
“Obviously the seminary is open. They have 34 students studying theology and
in the last 10 years they have ordained 100 priests for the seven different
Cuban dioceses.”
Father Hoffman goes on to explain the situation of the Church in a Marxist
society. “All Catholic schools have been closed. Education is strictly under the
supervision of the state. All children, elementary and high school, belong to
some Marxist youth group. The Church is not allowed to be an educator.”
“But the churches are open. In fact, soon after arriving I went with Alfredo
to offer a weekday Mass in one of the parish churches and the attendance was
good. There is religious freedom in Church. But it is against the law to speak of
religion or religious topics or even pray outside the church. In that way religion
and Marxism have learned to co-exist.”
The petty persecutions were obvious too. “They are there,” says Father
Hoffman, “and you see them and hear of them. A brother of one of the priests
at the seminary lost his job simply because a priest was present in the family.
Also everyone making application for a job is asked ‘if religion is practiced’. If
they answer yes, then it will prove most difficult to obtain a job, very difficut
indeed.”
The Atlanta priest ordained now for 20 years was in great admiration of so
many Cubans who insisted on publicly declaring their Christianity and
suffering the consequences.
“For example,” says the returned missionary, “I met with a group of
university students who told me that the question of belief and practice of
religion surfaced on the university entrance form. All said they insisted on
making it known that they were practicing Catholics even though down the
road, employment will be difficult to obtain. They are often most courageous.
The witness they make to their faith stays on their record.”
While Cuba is ordaining some native priests no foreign missionaries are
allowed into the country. “It is unfortunate,” says Father Hoffman, “because
they need them. A few years ago, the Cuban government relented and allowed
a priest, who was Cuban born, to return from Miami to serve the Church.
However, it was discovered that he was an agent of the CIA so no more
foreigners were permitted.”
Some concessions on this are being offered to Maryknoll missionaries
because of their involvement with other South American governments. “The
offer to Maryknoll still stands,” says Father Hoffman. “However the Cuban
Bishops recently met with the Maryknoll superiors and were very frank with
them. The message was - we need missionaries and we would welcome your
help. However, we do not want any missionaries here who would preach or push
the government line.”
According to Father Hoffman, no Maryknoll missionary has set foot on
Cuba.
Apart from the education apostolate of the Church, which is now firmly
closed down, the works of charity continue with the blessings and
encouragement of the Castro government. “The Daughters of Charity are most
active,” says Father Bill. “They can be seen everywhere in their blue habit.
(Continued on page 2)
NEW ASSIGNMENTS
Vice Chancellor And Four New Pastors Named In Archdiocese
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan
has announced the appointment of
four new pastors in the Archdiocese.
The four assignments will become
effective on June 1982. The new
pastors are as follows:
FATHER JOHN FALLON -
Father Fallon has been named pastor
of St. Joseph’s Church in
Washington. Ordained on June 6,
1971, Father Fallon is a native of
Longford in Ireland. After coming to
Atlanta that same year, Father
Fallon began his ministry at St.
Patrick’s Church in Norcross. He has
served in a number of Atlanta
parishes and is currently stationed at
the Cathedral of Christ the King.
FATHER JAMES F. KELLY -
Father Kelly has been assigned as
pastor of Queen of Angels Church in
Thomson. Ordained in 1969, Father
Kelly at present serves as Director of
Religious Education for the
archdiocese. He has held many
pastoral assignments both with the
Redemptorist Religious Community
and as a priest of the archdiocese of
Atlanta. Father Kelly joined the
archdiocese in May, 1975, after
leaving the Redemptorist community
and being accepted for Atlanta by
Archbishop Donnellan.
FATHER LOUIS NAUGHTON -
Father Naughton has been named
pastor of St. Mary’s Church in
Toccoa. Ordained in July, 1971 in
his native Galway, Ireland, Father
Naughton came to Atlanta that same
year. He has served as assistant pastor
in many Atlanta parishes since his
ordination. At present he is assigned
as assistant at St. Jude’s Church in
Sandy Springs. Father Naughton is
also priest-secretary of the
Archdiocesan Liturgy Committee.
FATHER JOHN A. OZAROWSKI
- Father Ozarowski has been named
pastor of St. Andrew’s Church in
North Atlanta. Ordained in March
1945 in Trenton, N.J., he came to
Atlanta from Trenton in January,
1977. Since that time he has been
assigned to pastoral appointments in
Atlanta parishes. At present he serves
as assistant pastor at the Cathedral of
Christ the King.
Father E. Peter Ludden has been
named Vice Chancellor of the
archdiocese. Since June, 1981,
Father Ludden has been serving as
pastor of St. Andrew’s Church in
President Endorses Prayer
Services For Public Schools
NC AND STAFF REPORTS
WASHINGTON, D. C. - In a
which continues to split the religious
community President Reagan May 6
endorsed efforts to amend the
Constitution to allow officially
sanctioned prayer services in public
schools.
Reagan’s amendment, according to
a White House fact sheet, would
allow state and local governments to
select or compose prayers for use in
the public schools.
The amendment, which the White
House said would be submitted to
Congress by mid-May, also would
“absolutely forbid” public schools or
other government agencies from
requiring anyone to participate in the
religious exercises.
“No one must ever be forced or
coerced or pressured to take part in
any religious exercise, but neither
should the government forbid
religious practice,” said Reagan in a
White House ceremony marking the
annual National Day of Prayer.
Despite administration emphasis
on the “voluntary” nature of school
prayer under the amendment, several
major religious groups objected.
They said it is impossible to compose
or select prayers that would be
acceptable to all faith groups.
Opponents of the amendment also
said they were concerned that
students who did not want to
participate in school prayer services
might be unwilling in the face of peer
pressure to exercise that right.
The U.S. Catholic Conference, in a
statement released May 10, praised
Reagan’s endorsement but added
that it prefers an amendment dealing
with the “larger issue” of religious
instruction for public school pupils.
See Editorial - Page 4
Father Daniel F. Hoye, USCC
general secretary, cited a 1948
Supreme Court decision which struck
down voluntary religious instruction
during school hours on public school
property. He said that decision
“paved the way” for the court’s later
school prayer decisions.
The USCC is the public policy arm
of the U.S. bishops.
In Atlanta, Father Richard Kieran,
who is secretary for education of the
archdiocese, said that the Reagan
proposal is akin to dealing “with a
symptom of a much deeper
problem.”
Like the U.S.C.C., Father Kieran
cited the Supreme Court’s 1948
decision in McCollum vs. Board of
Education in which the Court ruled
that the school authorities in
Champaign, Ill., had violated the
Constitution when they allowed
Catholic, Jewish and Protestant
representatives to give religious
instruction on school property
during school hours.
An amendment on school prayer
“is not really addressing the issue,
which is the whole question of
religious freedom within the public
school system,” Father Kieran said.
School prayer decisions simply
followed on the heels of the earlier
Supreme Court decision which
marked the beginning of a separation
between public education and
religious instruction, he said.
And, he said, when that separation
occurred, it did not leave the public
school system as a “neutral” or
value-free system. “In effect in
public education we are imposing a
kind of state religion of secular
.humanism,” he said. What is needed
is a format which would allow
voluntary religious instruction to be
integrated into public education, not
separated from it, Father Kieran said.
Reagan in his address to
religious leaders in the Rose Garden
ceremony, said that while opponents
(Continued on page 2)
Father Ludden greets a young
parishioner.
North Atlanta. The new assignment
becomes effective June 17,1982.
Father Ludden is a native of
Dublin, Ireland. After completing his
studies in Mount Melleray College
and St. Patrick’s Seminary in Carlow,
he was ordained a priest on June 10,
1967. That same year Father Ludden
came to Atlanta to begin his
ministry.
Father Ludden has held
assignments in parishes and in the
high schools of the archdiocese.
While assigned to the pastorates of
St. John Vianney in Lithia Springs
and Holy Spirit in North Atlanta, he
was responsible for the construction
of new churches. His latest
appointment to St. Andrew’s
involved breaking ground for a new
parish.
Father Ludden’s work in the
Chancery will involve assisting with
the administration of the entire
archdiocese. He will assist Monsignor
Jerry E. Hardy who is Chancellor.
Both men work closely with
Archbishop Donnellan in their
administration apostolate.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS
Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan announces the following appointments.
Unless otherwise noted, all are effective Thursday, June 17,1982.
Administrative Assignments
REVEREND E. PETER LUDDEN . .. from Pastor, Saint Andrew’s, Atlanta
to Vice Chancellor, Archdiocese of Atlanta.
REVEREND WILLIAM G. HOFFMAN . . . from service in Peru to Director,
Spanish Apostolate.
First Priestly Assignments for Priests ordained June 5,1982
REVEREND JAMES P. ADAMS . . . Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Jude,
Atlanta.
REVEREND WAYNE H. DYER . . . Assistant Pastor, Church of Saint Jude,
Atlanta.
REVEREND UDO ENDRIKAT . . . Assistant Pastor, Saint Thomas More,
Decatur.
REVEREND DANIEL STACK . . . Assistant Pastor, Cathedral of Christ the
King, Atlanta.
Assignments as Pastor
REVEREND JOHN C.K. FALLON . . . from Assistant, Cathedral of Christ
the King to Saint Joseph’s, Washington.
REVEREND JAMES F. KELLY ... from Director, Office of Religious
Education to Queen of Angels, Thomson.
REVEREND PATRICK J. McCORMICK . .. from Pastor, Saint Mary’s,
Toccoa to Sacred Heart, Hartwell.
REVEREND LOUIS NAUGHTON , .. from Assistant, Church of Saint
Jude, Atlanta to Saint Mary’s, Toccoa.
REVEREND JOHN A. OZAROWSKI .. . from Assistant, Cathedral of
Christ the King to Saint Andrew’s, Atlanta.
Assignments as Assistant Pastor
REVEREND DAVID R. KUKIELSKI ... from North American College,
Rome to Holy Family, Marietta.
REVEREND JOSEPH L. PEACOCK . . . from Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Atlanta to Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta.
REVEREND CHARLES C. STARR . . . from Sacred Heart, Atlanta to
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Atlanta.
REVEREND EDWARD J. SWEENEY . . . from Saint John Vianney, Lithia
Springs to Sacred Heart, Atlanta.
REVEREND EDWARD J. THEIN . .. from Church of Saint Jude, Atlanta
to Holy Family, Marietta.
REVEREND STEVEN L. YANDER .. . from Office of Religious Education
to Saint John Vianney, Lithia Springs.
REVEREND RICHARD P. WISE ... from Saint Pius X, Conyers to St.
Oliver Plunkett, Snellville. *****
Residence Assignments
REVEREND SIMON HAN BONG-SEUP . .. from Korea, to Saint Thomas
More, Decatur, effective immediately.
REVEREND STEPHEN T. CHURCHWELL ... from The Catholic
University to St. Andrew’s, Atlanta.
REVEREND WILLIAM G. HOFFMAN ... from Peru, to Our Lady of
Lourdes, Atlanta.
REVEREND E. PETER LUDDEN . .. from Saint Andrew’s, to Cathedral of
Christ the King.
REVEREND DOMINIC C. YOUNG ... from Saint Thomas More, Decatur
to Saints Peter and Paul, Decatur.
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