Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1988)
Vol. 26 No. 29 Thursday, September 1, 1988 $15.00 Per Year "Last Temptation Of Christ" Archbishop Calls Reparation Day For Film's Divisiveness (Archbishop Eugene A Marino, S.S.J. has written the following letter to the archdiocese, calling for a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, September 2 in response to the pain caused as a result of the movie, “The Last Tempta tion of Christ. ’’) My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Last Friday the controversial film “The Last Temptation of Christ” opened here in Atlanta. Although I have not per sonally viewed this motion picture, I have read several reviews by people I know and trust. I feel confident in discouraging Catholics from seeing this film version of a fictional account of the life of Jesus, largely because it has already proven to be confusing at best, misleading and in accurate at least, and religiously biased and offensive at worst. For those of you who might be considering attending this movie, may I suggest an alternative - ? Why not contribute the price of a ticket to a charity of your choosing in your local community? And why not invest the time you save in reading an authentic account of the life and teaching of Jesus in one of His biographers such as St. Mark or St. Mat thew? My principal reason for writing to you at this time is to express my concern over the outrage, the hurt, and the not- so-subtle divisiveness that this film has already occasioned, if not caused, in many parts of our country, consequences which we will no doubt experience in our own community. Because of the pain and harm which has already been suf fered and which continues, I am designating this Friday, September 2, as a day of prayer and fasting in reparation to Jesus Christ. In our Catholic tradition, every first Friday of the month is a day set aside for reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the offenses of a sinful humanity. The human heart is universally the symbol of love, and the Sacred Heart is the manifestation of God’s infinite love for us, per sonified in Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. By honoring Jesus in this way we acknowledge our belief that Christ is one with those who suffer, and we confess our own sinfulness, which contributes to the pain of a fractured human family. I encourage all Catholics to join me in a silent demonstra tion of our love and reverence for Jesus Christ by fasting on bread and water and praying on Friday, September 2.1 in vite all men and women of good will who love the name and the person of Jesus to join us. I will close this day with an hour of Eucharistic adoration at the Cathedral of Christ the King at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. May Mary, the Mother of Christ, bless our effort and draw us ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her son and to her own Immaculate Heart. Faithfully yours in Jesus Christ, Utjfit/fl.QriJi/Ustd MJ, Archbishop of Atlanta Labor Day "This Labor Day, American Catholics are being called to discover and practice the virtue of ‘solidarity’ . . . Solidarity ties us together. It helps us to see each other as members of one family—where an in justice to one is a blow to all and progress for those in need strengthens the whole community. ” U.S. Bishops’ Labor Day Message Networks Link Workers, Jobless BY PAULA DAY Six area church congregations, in an effort to give prac tical help, show their solidarity with the unemployed by sponsoring Job Networks. The networks meet once a week and offer a variety of “classes” as well as emotional support to those seeking employment or searching for different work. St. Jude’s Job Network m£ets from 7:15 to 10 p.m. each Monday. An average of 80 people attend the sessions, ac cording to Trudy Knocke, contact person for the group. The focusing session, which emphasizes helping par ticipants decide exactly what type of work they really want, is a strong attraction. Exercises include writing one’s own job description and answering such specific questions as “Do I want to work inside or outside? With or without a win dow? With or without people?” St. Jude’s Church is at 7171 Glenridge Drive in Atlanta and interested persons may call Mrs. Knocke at 393-4578 tor information. St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 4905 Roswell Road in Marietta, sponsors a yearly Job Rally in connection with its Job Net- (Continued on page 6) Dr. Soriano's Office Door Is Open BY RITA McINERNEY Dr. Maria Soriano prac tices her healing with skill ed professionalism and Christian love for both the children she treats and their worried parents. “I feel that I am doing something good,” she says with an assurance born of dedication to her work and confidence that God guides her always. She loves being a doctor and “being a pediatrician is the best. I love children, especially the preemies, the newborn.” “When it comes to treating children, you have to know the mother and father,” she believes. “You have to know their pro blems. You suffer with them. Many times you suf fer more than the mother. You know this could be wrong, this could happen. You have to be close to the Lord. I try to do my best but I know the final work comes from Him. You just have to pray.” Praying is as necessary to her as a stethoscope. Daily Mass at her church, All Saints in Dunwoody, strengthens her. Praying with fellow cursillistas is another source of grace. “When I have a problem, they pray with me.” She jokes about her prayer life with the fond familiarity of one on good terms with her God. “When night comes I can hear Him say, ‘O Lord, here comes Maria again!’ ” A “solo practitioner,” she treats newborns to college-bound teenagers at her office in a professional building at Piedmont Hospital. The waiting room is func tional, no expensive col onial reproductions here. Two examining rooms have windows looking out on the city. Her office is small, two desks, two chairs. A paperback, “Short History of the Catholic Church,” is on one (Continued on page 6) HEALING HANDS — Dr. Soriano cradles four-month-old Johnny Ruiz in an office visit for the baby still recovering from a difficult birth.
