1997

By MATT DOYLE DURHAM, N.C. The gathering was to exchange ideas, frustrations, hopes, dreams and experiences. When it was over, the 31 pastoral administrators and coordinators decided to do it again next year. Parish leaders from three dioceses in the region gathered at Avila Retreat Center June 12 for a 12-hour meeting on their ministry. […]

By BOB SAYER COLUMBIA – For participants of the “Beginnings and Beyond Institute,” held recently at the Capstone Conference Center of the University of South Carolina, many new, and sometimes difficult insights were gained into the growing process of those going through the church’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The week-long workshop began […]

By FATHER J. DONALD GORSKI ZORRITOS, Peru – This mission parish of Zorritos has about 25,000 Catholics scattered through 35 widely separated pueblos, almost every pueblo with its own church. It is served by one priest and two sisters. A few months ago our parish produced its first religious sister, as a young woman took […]

COLUMBIA – Helen Alvare, pro-life spokeswoman for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, will give a series of lectures and meet with priests from the Diocese of Charleston on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the University of South Carolina. Alvare‚ will also address USC Honors College students and Carolina Scholars on Sept. 4 before traveling to […]

By PAUL A. BARRA LAKE CITY – Twenty-five years ago he danced with Baryshnikov, today he dances with Lachaunsky; Lachaunsky Jones, that is. Karl Singletary danced ballet in Europe and across the USA as a young man after training for decades under the world’s greatest Russian classicists. He was the first African American to receive […]

By PAUL A. BARRA and JORDAN MCMORROUGH CHARLESTON – The 1996-97 academic year was an exciting one for the 27 Catholic schools of the diocesan system. Lawrence Oleksiak, diocesan assistant superintendent of schools, talked about the busy and rewarding academic year with The Miscellany recently. The school year ended with three principal positions open as […]

By DEIRDRE C. MAYS A quiet air of confidence is apparent when listening to Diego Hernan Vinasco-Rivera talk about his life leading to the priesthood. That security comes from the assurance of a loving family, a consistent Catholic upbringing, an active participation in his parishes, working with people and the resulting devotion to his religion. […]

By MARY HOOD HART Recently, I read a local news story about a grandmother who was distraught because her 15-year-old granddaughter, while staying at the grandmother’s home, ran up a phone bill of over $300 in calls to an international phone-sex line. Apparently unaware that her grandmother was being charged for the calls in less […]

By PAUL A. BARRA Jeffrey A. Kendall went from fallen-away Methodist to Catholic and from construction project manager to priest, all inside of 10 years. Along the way, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Wake Forest, one in civil engineering from North Carolina A&T and two master’s degrees from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. […]

By DEIRDRE C. MAYS CHARLESTON The stained glass window portraying the Last Supper high above the altar at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist provided an historical reminder for the ceremony taking place beneath it July 12. Four priests were ordained in front of the picture of Jesus Christ sharing the ultimate sacrifice with […]