Page 1841 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

If the first two regular season games are any indication, the Archbishop Spalding High School, Severn, softball team is looking good for a three-peat in 2007. With 5-1 and 5-0 wins over St. Vincent Pallotti, Laurel, and Mount de Sales Academy, Catonsville, the team returns a majority of its starting line-up. The real shift comes in a changing of the guard as skipper of the team. Paul O’Brien, who successfully coached the St. Vincent Pallotti, Laurel, team for seven seasons, took the reigns just two weeks before the start of the season.

Detroit parishes lose hundreds to deportation

DETROIT – Father Anton Kcira first began to notice the absence of more and more of his regular parishioners at St. Paul (Albanian) Church in suburban Rochester Hills back in 2005, and the loss due to deportations has escalated since then. “Last year we lost about 200 families, and Our Lady of Albanians lost 120,” said Father Kcira, pastor of St. Paul’s, of the situation in his parish and at the other Albanian ethnic parish in Beverly Hills, another Detroit suburb.

God’s love is great, but hell ‘exists and is eternal’

ROME – God’s mercy and love are great, but those who reject him should know that hell “exists and is eternal,” Pope Benedict XVI said. The pope made the comments during a visit March 25 to a Rome parish that serves a predominantly immigrant population, including the city’s Filipino community. In a sermon, the pope focused on what has become a running theme of his pontificate: the importance of divine love.

‘Public correction’ to Marquette professor’s views

WASHINGTON – The “mistaken views” on contraception, abortion, same-sex marriage and other church teachings expressed in two 2006 pamphlets by Marquette University theology professor Daniel C. Maguire “should not be confused with the faith and moral teaching of the Catholic Church,” the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine said. The doctrine committee’s “Statement Concerning Two Pamphlets Published by Professor Daniel Mr. Maguire” was approved for publication by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Administrative Committee during the latter’s March 20-21 meeting in Washington.

Crowd processes to honor Archbishop Romero

The moist air failed to dampen the spirits of the candle-holding faithful as they paid tribute to slain Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero in a Fells Point procession March 24 that illuminated the streets and enlightened onlookers. Patti Ferguson of Canton hadn’t heard of Archbishop Romero, who was murdered in San Salvador, El Salvador, while celebrating Mass in 1980, before seeing the convoy led by Father Robert F. Wojtek, C.Ss.R. The pastor of the Catholic Community of St. Michael and St. Patrick, Fells Point, led participants down Lombard Street on the 27th anniversary of the outspoken religious leader’s assassination.

BOAST defeated in committee

A bill that would have provided business tax credits to businesses that support tuition scholarship programs was defeated on a 15-5 vote in the House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee March 22. The bill would have established a program called BOAST, “Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers in Maryland,” allowing businesses to claim a 75 percent state tax credit for donations to organizations that support Maryland’s K-12 public and nonpublic school students and teachers. The program would have been capped at $25 million.

Pope names three monsignors for Baltimore

Pope Benedict XVI has recognized the exemplary ministry of three priests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore by conferring on them the honorary title of monsignor. Cardinal William H. Keeler made the surprise announcement during a March 22 dinner at his Charles Street residence with the new monsignors –

While on his second tour in Iraq, U.S. Army Maj. David Anthony had no Knights of Columbus council to join. But by the time the St. Francis de Sales, Abingdon, parishioner left the Middle East 10 months later, the Camp Victory Knights of Columbus Round Table in Baghdad was established and growing. Maj. Anthony joined the Father Maurice J. Wolfe council of the Knights at St. Francis de Sales about a year and half ago because he felt the Knights provide a good opportunity to continue to serve the church and the community. In addition, his father was a 4th degree Knight and he wanted to carry on the tradition.

Mini-courses help transition

For Matt White and Kelsey Jones deciding on which college to attend is just one of the many choices they will have to face in the next four years. The youth group at St. Francis of Assisi, Fulton, is attempting to make the transition from high school to college a little smoother.

U.S. peace activists visit Vatican