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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1987)
PAGE 8 — The Georgia Bulletin, July 16,1987 Good Preachers "Love Their Story, Their People” BY BOB ZYSKOWSKI COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (NC) — Good preachers love the story they are telling and make it their own, said Bless ed Sacrament Father Eugene LaVerdiere. They also love the people they are telling the story to, said the New Testament scholar from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Because they love the story and the people, they want to tell the people their story — and that’s the key to good preaching, he said. “Little by little it becomes not my' story but ‘our’ story.” Father LaVerdiere spoke June 22 and again June 24 at Presbyteral Assembly ’87, a meeting in Collegeville of the priests of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese. Besides love, Father LaVerdiere said, another key ingre dient in a good homily is engaging the imaginations of the listeners to the point that the picture in the preacher's mind “engages a picture in the eye of everyone else.” “Focus their imagination,” he said. He suggested developing concrete images from the Scripture readings, like a cup or a stone, to get the listeners sharing a common image. A preacher should also get the people to feel what the characters in the story are feeling, he said. “Raise questions. Focus the imagination. Challenge the imagination. Make people recognize themselves in the story,” he said. Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Morneau of Green Bay, Wis., told the priests that poetry, short stories and movies often give him ideas for images he uses in preaching. Children's stories and good jokes often help people link Scripture with their own life today, he said. Quoting author William James, Bishop Morneau said, “Laughter is always a religious experience because it expands the heart.” Bishop Morneau said preaching today cannot be the same as it used to be because “in the 20th century we see ourselves differently.” While preaching from Scripture, "use the cover of Newsweek to say this is important for us today,” he said. The Wisconsin bishop said just two images can show how differently people see themselves today. One is a picture of Earth taken from space, which has given people a new sense of the oneness of humankind, he said. The other is the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima when the atom bomb exploded there on Aug. 6. 1945. That, he said, ma’kes us realize that we now have the power to destroy all life. 11 Priests, Deacons Attend Steubenville Two priests and nine permanent deacons of the arch diocese were among 450 attending the 12th national Catholic conference for priests and deacons held at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, from June 15 through 19. Theme for the sessions was "Evangelization.'' Father Michael W. Panter of Corpus Christi in Stone Mountain and Father Gerald J. Peterson, pastor of St. Mark’s in Clarkesville, attended the retreat. Deacons from archdiocesan parishes among the 60 deacons registered were: Dick Narey, of Holy Cross parish, Atlanta, director of the lay ministry diaconate for the arch diocese; Ray Shaw, of St. John Neumann parish. Lilburn, associate director of the diaconate program , Bob Gresher, Our Lady of the Assumption, Atlanta; Jorge Gonzalez, Im maculate Heart of Mary, Atlanta, and the Hispanic Apostolate; Thomas Mackin, Christ Our Hope, Lithonia; Robert Mulligan, St. Helena’s, Clayton; John Shoemaker, Christ Our Hope; Tom Zaworski and Matias Casal, St. Philip Benizi, Jonesboro. Papal Mass Charming New Orleans: September 11-14, 1987 Tickets to Papal Mass, round trip from Atlan ta on Amtrak, 3 nts French Quarter hotel & transfers from $281 per person. Sept. 11-14. 1987 Rich’s Travel Agency 586-2214, 231-2604 The Piano Tuning Company* featuring “Total Piano Carol" Tuning — Repairs Rebuilding Refinishing ‘Over 30 yrs. exp.* P.C. Boyd, 458-3858 ‘5.00 Off With This Ad Moving? Save$ PROFESSIONAL PACKING SERVICES Licensed, Insured, Experienced Reasonable Rates. New & Used Containers. References Available. Allen & Karen Fegley Owners/Operators 426-1410 “No Job Too Small or Large” Georgia Bulletin Ads Bring Results! RUNNING OUT OF TIME? • HEADACHES? • TMJ SYNDROME? • LOW BACK PAIN? • NECK AND • SHOULDER PAIN? Cumberland Chiropractic Clinic Dr. Sidi Lemnouni, B.S.D.C 41 Perimeter Place Suite 625 (Across from Service Merchandise on Highway 41) 952-1999 Father Bertolucci Leaves TV Ministry DALLAS (NC) —• Citing personal reasons and in debtedness of over $200,000, Father John Bertolucci, a leading Catholic television evangelist, has anounc- ed his retirement from television. Father Bertolucci, a priest of the Diocese of Albany, N.Y., who has been living at the University of Steubenville, Ohio, has hosted the weekly TV show, “The Glory of God,” which is produced in Dallas, for the past six years. He also announced that he would give up speaking at conferences and itinerant preaching “for the time being ' Father Bertolucci announced his retirement in the program's July newsletter, in which he discussed his own near exhaustion, his parents' failing health and the high cost of his TV ministry. He also asked for donations to help pay off creditors owed $219,000. “When our debts have been paid I will be ready to take the next step,” said Father Bertolucci. “Please go before the Lord and seek his direction about finan cially assisting me. I am not appealing to stay on television at this time.” In the newsletter. Father Bertolucci said that dona tions to his program have fallen $70,000 a month for the past three months, a drop of 50 percent. The fall in donations followed the scandal- surrounded March 19 resignation of Protestant evangelist Jim Bakker as head of the South Carolina- based PTL ministry. PTL stands for People That Love or Praise the Lord. BUTLER... 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Kells said Father Ritter was "somewhat nervous" when he learned of the disease. However, in an interview with Bill Reel, columnist for the New York Daily News, Father Ritter said the disease was an opportunity to take stock and “probably the greatest gift I’ve received since my ordina tion.” "I’ve been delivered from a sudden, unprovided for death,” he told Reel, a longtime friend and supporter of Covenant House. “This was a shot across the bow, not a direct hit in the engine room. I’ll be able to spend more time with the kids and I'm going to think hard about how the mission of Cove nant House — which is to make works of the church manifest, to make the presence of Christ real — can be transmitted.” Despite treatment-associated nausea which has made Father Ritter “very sick,” Kells said the priest’s spirits re main high and he has continued to work at Covenant House. However, the treatment plan forced cancellation of planned visits to Guatemala, where he was to have celebrated the sixth anniversary of a house for runaways he founded near Guatemala City, and a visit to Alaska to open another shelter. Father Ritter learned of the cancer after undergoing a physical examination urged by a friend, Dr. James Ken nedy, assistant professor of clinical medicine at New York University Medical Center. Kennedy became concerned for Father Ritter’s health on a camping trip in Canada when he noticed Father Ritter was out of breath after mild exertion. The examination revealed a tumor in his chest. Norman Medford Funeral Home "Our Prices Very Reasonable" Call for Information about our Services 1408 Canton Highway - Marietta, Ga. Ph. 427-8447 Senior Citizens LOW COST LIFE INSURANCE PREFERRED RISK MONTHLY RATES Your Age 4 100,000 250,000 500,000 85 4200 3000 6000 > Policy immediately in full force. 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