European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes religion a saturday october 15,1994 Vatican City apr cracking Down on Liberal trends the Vatican has ruled out communion for roman catholics who divorce arid remarry unless they receive an annulment or abstain from sex with their new partner. A letter to the worlds Bishops issued Friday and approved by Pope John Paul ii seeks to stamp pot a growing practice a particularly in the United states and other Western nations a of allowing some remarried catholics to receive communion if they believe the breakup of the first marriage was not their fault or was beyond their control. The Sharp stance by the Vatican could be another blow to the churches standing in the West where divorce rates arc High and Church membership is declining. / a a a a a a but the president of the National conference of Catholic Bishops of the United states said the letter was a reaffirmation of Church teachings and not incan affirmed who remarry tended to alienate divorced catholics. A the letter gave two specific cases in which a remarried Catholic can receive communion a Church annulment of the first marriage or if the remarried person repents for having broken marriage vows and abstains from sex with the new partner. A if the divorced Are remarried civilly they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes gods Law. Consequently they cannot receive holy communion As Long As this situation exists a Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote in the nine Page letter. Ratzinger. Heads the powerful congregation of the doctrine of the Faith watchdog of Church orthodoxy. The letter also said the ban on communion extends to divorced catholics who live with their new partners outside of marriage. A pastors. Have the serious duty to admonish them that such a judgment of conscience openly contradicts the Church s teaching a Ratzinger wrote. Was a i Giurcu learning Ami run in me in urn s be acing flocking to 2 states after reports of Mary sightings Conyers a. Apr they came from across the Conyers a. Apr they came from across the country and around the world armed with video Cam eras and rosaries Faith and Hope. A a. They camped for Days and stood in the rain for hours listening to scripture readings singing ave Maria waving White paper and White handkerchiefs a and waiting for a message from the Virgin Mary. Finally Nancy Fowler emerged from her farmhouse in this Atlanta suburb and delivered the word thursday to More than 23,500 mud covered our lady was Radiant a Fowler said. A she wore a White veil and dress and she was Fowler said she secs the Virgin on the 13th of each month on the ceiling of a room in her farmhouse. Tens of thousands of people have been drawn Here since october 1990, when she began speaking of the apparition that Only she has seen. Meanwhile in Hollywood Fla., hundreds of pilgrims flocked to the Home of Rosa Lopez who also says the Virgin Mary Speaks to her on the 13th of each month. When the Sun broke through the Clouds during a 90-minute recitation of the Rosary Many onlookers dropped to their Knees and stared at the blazing Sun. Some reported seeing crosses in the sky others a Silhouette of Mary. A i saw the lord a said a sobbing Susan Butler 26, of Boynton Beach Fla. A what one person sees another May not. If you believe you la see in Georgia Marcella Attolini of Chihuahua Mexico wiped tears from her face As she videotaped Fowler. A the Mother of god was Here to give the message to love each other a she said. Thursdays message the first since May was Simitar to those Fowler has issued previously follow god or the Earth will be plagued with War famine flood and other suffering. An assistant read the message in English and Spanish Over loudspeakers before Fowler addressed the crowd. A a i think its so important you carry in your hearts and live the message of mercy a Fowler said. She also said Mary had asked people to Pray for county officials trying to limit the crowds to 500 by restricting parking and requiring toilets water and medical care for everyone. Fowler said the messages will come Only once a year from now on in october. That a probably Good news to townspeople who Are growing tired of the spectacle and Are sporting bumper stickers that say Quot eat drink and see for the faithful the visions never grow stale. A every time you come out Here it gives you strength Quot said Tisha Fischer of Gainesville. Monica Banuelos came to Georgia with eight members of her family in one of 10 buses from Ciudad ju5-rez, Mexico. Wearing Rosary beads on a colourful crocheted Chain Banuelos said the reason for the Long pilgrimage is simple. Quot because we love the Virgin Quot she said. Irene Leon of Miami holds a Rosary and1 a photograph that believers claim shows the image of the Virgin Mary in the Glare of the Sun thursday in Hollywood Fla. A crowd gathers at a statue of the Virgin Mary outside a Small House in Hollywood Fla., on thursday where there have been reports of Mary Points to in Swaggart s fortunes from the associated press Baton Rouge la. A enrolment at the former Jimmy Swaggart Bible College has fallen so Low that the state is tatting Down Highway signs that directed travellers to the school. Before Swaggart was photographed with a prostitute outside a new Orleans Motel in 1988, the school had 1,451 students. His fortunes declined further in 1991 after another prostitute was found in his car when he was stopped by a traffic officer in California. The schools name has been changed to world evangelism Bible College. And state Highway officials say enrolment has fallen to 75 a not enough to qualify for state paid direction signs. The signs along interstate 10 Are being replaced with logo signs notifying motorists of gasoline lodging and food builds on Faith grand rapids Mich. When they get a Bank loan to build a new Church parishioners at St. Mary a Temple of the peace spiritual Church began holding rummage sales. For five years they collected donations at dinners and concerts. On a recent sunday they marched from the crumbling Steps of their Church into a new cinder Block bunding across the Street. A hallelujah a the Rev. Jessie White shouted As she Cut the ribbon across the front door. A sometimes you have to go through trials for your spiritual growth so you will have something to share with somebody in Faith. That Way they too can catch hold. If you Haven to been across the Street you can to show me How to get across.�?�. Construction of the new Church began three years ago. Members of the Small congregation did about 40 percent of the labor including Ai Walling and laying the foundation. A when the Church did take out a loan it was for $80,000 a a Small portion of the $250,000 Cost of the Worth Bishop retiring fort Worth Texas a Bishop Clarence Pope is stepping Down from the leadership of the episcopal diocese of fort Worth. Pope 65, said last week that he will retain the title of diocesan Bishop until Jan. 1, the official Date of his retirement. However he said he will take a sabbatical for the next three months and is leaving leadership of the 24-county diocese of fort Worth to his successor Bishop Jack Iker. During the past 10 years Pope became a nationally known Leader of episcopal conservatives who say the Church has been tainted by liberalism. They cite decisions to ordain women and condone Gay and lesbian May split Austin Texas a Southern Baptist. Conservatives reportedly have made contingency plans for secession from the Texas Baptist convention if they lose a statewide vote Over How Church funds Are used. The new association would not be activated unless delegates to Baptist general convention of Texas approve a plan favored by the Southern Baptist moderates Church conservative Walt Carpenter said. A hopefully it will sit dormant forever a the Houston attorney said. But a fall bets Are off if the delegates approve the plan at the two Day annual meeting which begins oct. 31 in Amarillo. If approved the plan would change the Way Church contributions Are split Between the moderate dominated state convention and the Southern Baptist convention the conservative dominated National denominational body. Currently one third of the contributions is automatically sent to the National convention while the rest stays in Texas. Delegates to the Amarillo meeting will vote on a plan to Force congregations to choose where their Money goes. Besides the state and National conventions churches could consider funding other Baptist organizations including the cooperative Baptist Fellowship a moderate missions Agency
