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Pope begins visit to U.S.
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
ANDREWS
AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (CNS) – Welcomed by U.S. President George W. Bush
and an array of church officials, Pope Benedict XVI began his first
pastoral visit to the United States as pope April 15.
The papal plane landed under an almost cloudless sky at Andrews Air
Force Base in Maryland at 3:51 p.m. EDT, nearly 10 minutes ahead of
schedule. The pope was to spend the next two days in Washington before
traveling to New York April 18.
Among those greeting the pope were Cardinal Francis E. George of
Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops;
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States;
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington; Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services; Bishop Gerald F.
Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., USCCB vice president; and Mary Ann Glendon,
U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.
Although the two spoke privately for less than 10 minutes in a building
on the air base grounds, neither Bush nor the pope delivered any formal
remarks at the air base. The pope’s official welcome was to take place
the next day at the White House.
In their meeting, Pope Benedict sat at a small round table, and the
pontiff accepted a glass of juice. The president sat on the pope’s
right and the first lady on the pope’s left. Cardinal George and
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, also were at
the table.
It was the first time in his presidency that Bush had gone to Andrews
to welcome any head of state. The air base has hosted more than 300
arrivals or departures by heads of state since 2006.
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Deacon Natera named chancellor, succeeding Msgr. Young
TYLER – Bishop Álvaro Corrada, SJ, has appointed Deacon Rubén Natera chancellor of the Diocese of Tyler.
The appointment took effect March 31, and Deacon Natera took the oath
of office April 3 during a formal installation ceremony in St. Paul’s
Chapel in the chancery.
Deacon Natera had been vice chancellor since 2004. He succeeds Msgr.
James Young, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Nacogdoches, who had
served as chancellor since 2001.
Chancellor is a curial position required by Canon 482 of the Code of
Canon Law, the law governing the church. As chancellor, Deacon Natera
will ensure that the acts of the curia are drawn up and dispatched, and
are kept safe in the curia archives. He also will be primary notary for
the acts. He will oversee the maintenance of the diocesan archives and,
as directed by the bishop, also will oversee priest and deacon
personnel files.
He also will serve as coordinator of and bishop’s liaison to the
diocesan Deacons’ Council, the board for ordination and accreditation
for clergy and the Deacons’ Personnel Board, and will be the bishop’s
liaison for diaconal affairs.
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PROFILE At first I was uncomfortable, but I realized, it's not about me; it's about them
By JO ANNE FLORES EMBLETON
TYLER
– Growing involved in ministries “makes you look outside yourself to
see Christ in everyone around you,” said Nell Lawrence.
A member of Canton’s St. Therese Church since 1981, Nell said she finds inspiration in the words of her parish’s patron.
“You realize that Christ calls us to be servants to each other and it
doesn’t take some big, grand gesture. Like St. Therese says, it’s the
little things that make the biggest difference,” she said. “And we can
do those little things.”
For nearly three years, Nell has been director of the Tyler Diocese’s
Catholic Charities office, work she called “humbling and fulfilling.”
“I can’t take credit for anything, for any accomplishments I’ve seen in
the growth of this agency – it’s all been God, you know?” she said.
“When I took this job, it was answering a call. It’s like you go
through life (saying), ‘Okay, God. What is it you want me to do? What
am I supposed to be doing? I’m waiting ... hello? Hello?’
“And finally you hear a voice and you say, ‘Okay, is this it? Are you sure this is what you want?’” she laughed.
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