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WASHINGTON (August 25, 2000) -- One in eight Americans--more than 33 million people--are 65 or older. On September 24 the Church in the United States will recognize this group when it celebrates the Jubilee Day for Older Persons around the theme "Celebrating the Blessings of Age." "Blessings of Age, the bishops' pastoral message, emphasizes that aging is a gift to the entire faith community," says Sheila Garcia, Assistant Director of the NCCB Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth. "The Jubilee Day gives us an opportunity to honor and to thank older people in our families, parishes, and communities," notes Ms. Garcia. The Secretariat has compiled a Resource Packet containing prayers, prayer services, workshop models, and suggestions for recognizing older persons on the Jubilee Day and on other occasions.
Sheila Garcia can be reached at 202-541-3041.
The North American Academy of Ecumenists (NAAE) will meet to focus on a declaration signed by Lutherans and Catholics last year and its implications for greater unity for all Christians. Ecumenical scholars from all over the world will gather at the Holiday Inn Westport in St. Louis on September 29-October 1 to discuss the Joint Declaration, and to foster understanding and discourse beyond the boundaries of the Catholic and Lutheran
traditions. "This annual meeting of scholars devoted to ecumenism is an appropriate follow up to the October 1999 signing of the Joint Declaration on Justification by Faith by Cardinal Edward Cassidy for the Holy See and Lutheran leaders last October," says Brother Jeffrey Gros, Associate Director of the NCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. "Scholars will have the privilege of hearing theologian Bishop Edward Braxton give his refections on the role of the theologian in service to the Church, as demonstrated in this joint declaration."
Brother Jeffrey Gros, FSC can be reached at 202-541-3021.
In celebration of the Jubilee Year, the Catholic Communications Campaign (CCC) will sponsor a film festival on Friday and Saturday, October 13 and 14. Sponsored by the U.S. Catholic Conference Office for Film & Broadcasting, the theme of the event is ``Faith on Film: Stories of Christ and Christianity.'' The festival, which begins at 1 p.m. Friday and concludes Saturday evening, will include panel discussions by well-known movie critics and film scholars. Among the seven films to be screened are The Gospel According to St. Matthew, A Man for All Seasons, the 1927 version of Kings of Kings and Black Robe. The festival will be held at the Clearview Cinema on East 59th Street in Manhattan. "This event is a celebration of Christ, Christianity and cinema art," says Gerri Pare, Director, Office for Film & Broadcasting and a reviewer for Catholic News Service and the CCC Movie Review line (800-311-4CCC). "For centuries religion and the arts have been intertwined. The film festival will show how the motion picture arts can contribute to a better understanding of Jesus and an appreciation of our faith."
Gerri Paré can be reached at 212-644-1880.