Why Not Italy?
By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 5/29/03)
Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde will lead the pilgrimage, which honors CDU’s patron, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a major figure in Catholic education in the United States. Father Paul F. de Ladurantaye, diocesan director of the Office of Catechetics and Sacred Liturgy, will join the bishop on the pilgrimage.
CDU is located in Hamilton, just 30 miles west of Washington, D.C. It specializes in teaching the Catholic faith through distance education. It caters to those whose schedules, locale or family obligations don’t allow them to attend traditional, on-site classes. Since it was founded in 1983 by former Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, CDU has educated over 10,000 people in 40 countries in the Catholic faith.
"I am so excited about the pilgrimage," said Marianne Evans Mount, CDU’s executive vice president. "This is a special event for CDU and we are honored to have Bishop Loverde lead the pilgrimage, and to have Father de Ladurantaye, with whom we work so closely, be with us too. We are hoping that many of our students and graduates will join us, too."
A detailed brochure outlining the pilgrimage events is available by calling Barbara Keating on CDU’s toll free at 1-888-254-4238 extension 717.
Stand Up for Life
Recent reports in Roll Call and The Washington Times stated that Virginia Congressman James Moran got into a shouting match with a priest at Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria. Roll Call reported the confrontation followed a Mass at which the homily touched on life-related topics.
Moran is reported to have complained to one of the parish priests, who in turn questioned Moran’s pro-abortion views.
"I am so grateful that in the Diocese of Arlington, Bishop Paul S. Loverde has faithful priests who stand up for life — and stand up to politicians like Congressman Jim Moran, who think it’s possible to be pro-abortion and remain in good standing with the Catholic Church," said Judie Brown, president and founder of American Life League (ALL) in Stafford.
"It is a credit to Bishop Loverde’s leadership that his priests are confident enough to boldly proclaim the Gospel, even in the face of elected leaders who claim to have a mandate from the people for their immoral positions on abortion," Brown said.
Brown said she hopes that other priests throughout the country will take note of this example and show an equally firm commitment to the Gospel of Life.
"I also hope that other bishops note how Bishop Loverde encourages his priests to be the men of God that Christ has called them to be," she said.
Bishop Loverde celebrated his monthly Respect Life Mass May 24 at St. Louis Church in Alexandria. His next pro-life Mass will be June 14 at 8 a.m. at All Saints Church in Manassas, followed by prayer at a local abortion facility.
ALL, which recently was profiled in The Washington Post for its plans to build a pro-life educational center near its Stafford headquarters, continues to bring attention to priests and bishops who are faithful to Church teaching through its Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church (www.CatholicCrusade.com).
Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
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