Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2 — The Georgia Bulletin, February 15, 1990
Mandela's Release 'Vital' For Peace, Bishops Say
BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
PRETORIA, South Africa (CNS> — Southern Africa’s
bishops said that the release Feb. 11 of South African anti
apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was a key to racial peace
in South Africa.
They also said they hoped Mandela's freedom, after 27
years in prison, will end a "particularly sad chapter” in the
country’s history.
The bishops have "long held that Mr. Mandela’s release
is vital for a negotiated and peaceful political settlement,”
the southern African bishops’ conference said in a state
ment released Feb. 12, the day after the 71-year-old leader
walked into freedom.
Although confined to prison for more than a quarter-
century, Mandela became the symbol of the black South
African struggle against white-minority rule and the racial
system of apartheid.
"His release hopefully signals the end to a particularly
sad chapter in South African history in which many lost
their lives and countless others suffered detention, im
prisonment and exile in their struggle for justice,” the
bishops said.
The bishops said they rejoiced that Mandela is free, "able
once again to exercise his rights and undertake his respon
sibilities within his family and society.”
"Along with many others, but in a special way
nonetheless because of his leadership role, he has suffered
imprisonment and vilification in his struggle to work for a
South Africa in which each and every person would be
Priest Reportedly Breaks With Stallings
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Salvatorian Father Bruce E.
Greening, who last August joined Father George A. Stall
ings Jr.’s African-American Catholic Congregation, has
written to Cardinal James A. Hickey of Washington
reportedly indicating his desire to remain with the Catholic
Church.
Eileen Marx, archdiocesan spokeswoman, confirmed
that the letter was delivered Feb. ti. The Washington Arch
diocese has not released its contents. Mrs. Marx said the
letter was marked "personal and confidential.”
The Washington Post reported Feb. 9 that all but one of
the 300 members of Umoja Temple. Father Greening’s
church in Washington, were ready to join Father Greening
and stay in the Catholic Church.
Father Stallings had “excommunicated himself” by pro
claiming the African-American Catholic Congregation to be
independent, according to a Feb. 5 statement by
Washington archdiocesan vicar general Father William
Kane.
The statement also said Catholics who became “full and
active” members of Father Stallings’ church would also
“incur automatic excommunication.”
Neither Father Greening nor William Marshall, a
spokesman for the African-American Catholic Congrega
tion, could be reached for comment.
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Marshall told Catholic News Service Feb. 7 that “42 to 57”
percent of the African-American Catholic Congregation’s
membership, variously estimated at between 2,000 and
2,500, are Catholic.
The reported break of about 300 Umoja Temple members
would represent a significant defection from the new
church.
Father Greening had been suspended by the Salvatorian
order and his faculties as a priest in the Diocese of Rich
mond, Va., removed when he announced his intention in
August to join Father Stallings, under whom he served in a
Washington parish.
Salvatorian officials have acted to dismiss Father Green
ing from the order. Father Greening has appealed to the
Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life, which governs matters of
religious orders.
Salvatorian Father Keith Brennan, spokesman for the
order in Milwaukee, told CNS Feb. 9 that the Vatican had
not acted on the appeal as of early February.
Father Greening’s letter seeking reconciliation may
"enhance" his chance to stay with the order “if this was a
sign he was going to reconcile with the community” as well.
Father Brennan said.
The issue in Father Greening’s dismissal, Father Bren
nan said, was disobedience from the order, not the merits of
establishing an African-American rite within the Catholic
Church.
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respected and valued, regardless of his skin,” the bishops
said.
The bishops wished Mandela and his family “a joyous
and lasting reunion” and said they assured him of their
“prayers and support as he faces the many and daunting
challenges expected of him as leader and statesman in the
months and years ahead.”
Mandela, sentenced to life imprisonment for treason in
1964, soon after his release challenged the South African
government by backing guerrilla war against the apartheid
system.
“We have no option,” he said in a speech to 50,000 sup
porters in Cape Town. He urged the world to maintain
punitive economic sanctions against the white-minority-led
Pretoria government.
Mandela quoted from a statement he made at the end of
the 1964 trial: “Our resort to the armed struggle in 1960 ...
was a purely defensive action against the violence of apar
theid.”
He also demanded negotiations to end white power and
give a political voice to the voteless black majority.
Mandela headed for his single-story house in Soweto, the
black township of more than 2 million outside Johan
nesburg.
Crowds in Soweto Feb. 12 were singing a new freedom
song with the chorus, “Mandela is coming, Mandela is com
ing.”
Aging And Church
Is Workshop Topic
Monsignor Charles Fa
hey, director of Fordham
University’s Third Age
Center and a leading ex
pert in the U.S. on aging in
the American church, will
conduct two workshops on
the topic March 2 and 3.
“The Aging American
Church: Today’s Issues for
the Parish Priest,” on
March 2 is intended for
priests. It will be held in the
Catholic Center audito
rium, 680 West Peachtree
St. Registration at 11:30
a m. will be followed by
lunch and presentations un
til 4 p.m.
“The Aging American
Church: Mobilization for
the Future,” is the theme
of the March 3 workshop in
tended for deacons and lay
leaders in the archdiocese.
Beginning with 8:30 a.m.
registration, the workshop
will continue through
lunch, closing at 1 p.m. It
will be held at Immaculate
Monsignor Fahey
Heart of Mary parish, 2855
Briarcliff Road in Atlanta.
Cost of the workshop is
$20 which includes lunch.
Registration deadline is
Feb. 25. To register call
CCS Aging Services at
881-6571, extension 459.
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Call 581-0643