AHEAD OF PRINT

Archbishop Gregory: Nation ‘Divided Against Itself’ On Right To Life

ATLANTA- Echoing the Gospel reading from St. Mark, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory said Jan. 23 that the United States is a “kingdom divided against itself” regarding the life issue, and “if a kingdom is divided against itself that kingdom cannot stand.”

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Drive To Raise Funds, Food For St. Vincent De Paul Begins At MLK Mass

ATLANTA- The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was remembered at the annual Atlanta Archdiocesan Mass with a call to care for the unemployed, the hungry, those forced to live in the shadows.

People filled the pews on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception downtown, to join with Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, nearly a dozen priests and half a dozen deacons to celebrate the legacy of the civil rights icon.

Photo: (L-r) Beatrice Soublet speaks on behalf of herself and her husband, Lawrence, as they accept the 2012 Father Bruce Wilkinson Founders Award. Looking on are Charles Prejean, director of the Office for Black Catholic Ministry, and Luella Chambers, a member of the 2012 planning committee. (Photo by Michael Alexander)

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Catholic Schools Gauge Serving More With Special Needs

SMYRNA—The superintendent of Catholic schools, Dr. Diane Starkovich, has announced the launch of a new survey focused on gauging interest in and need for programs for students with special needs in the archdiocese.

Coming on the heels of an announcement of the pursuit of district-wide accreditation, Starkovich and the Office of Catholic Schools are continuing to seek ways to improve the Catholic school system in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The survey continues an assessment that began internally.

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Meeting Christ On The Road To Life

I feel a special affinity for St. Paul because he was so honest about what a wretched sinner he was before his conversion.

He started out as a bloodthirsty man named Saul who persecuted Christians, including the first martyr, Stephen. And then on the road to Damascus Saul was blinded by a flash of light and fell from his horse.

“Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus asked.

I find it telling that the Lord didn’t ask “Why are you doing this to my followers?”—but why are you doing this to me? The question echoes Christ’s words in Matthew’s Gospel that whatever we do to suffering people, we actually are doing to him.

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Faith & Public Policy Event Kicks Off Election Year

MARIETTA- Nearly 100 people participated in this year’s first Faith & Public Policy Workshop sponsored by the Archdiocese of Atlanta, representing the commencement of the 2012 Georgia legislative session and aiming to prepare Catholics for an upcoming presidential election season.

Key political themes and issues were presented and discussed among the crowd, which gathered in Nolan Hall at St. Ann Church on Jan. 7. Parishioners from throughout the archdiocese, Catholic school students and clergy all participated in the event, which strived to give Catholics a foundation for discerning legislation and probable candidates.

Photo: Members of the Church of St. Ann’s Life Teen Core Team and members from other area churches participate in a small group discussion based on some questions from the “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” document. (Photos by Michael Alexander)

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