< * & DEC. 23, 1998 Page A8 __U lf Jjnrthniö (Rberrurr [ O IT Bishop Wilton Gregory Elected Vice President O f Bishops’ Conference W ith M uch G ratitude Dear Mr. Washington: I t is with much gratitude that we send this letter ol thank you lor your response to our request for you to participate in the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church Annual Christmas Banquet. This gala affair has touched many lives in terms o f future aspirations leading many young people to aspire tor positive citizen­ ship. Guest speakers have challenged us to become batons o f hope: speakers such as Quaford Coleman, Black Journalist for Gospel Today Magazine and Benjamin Hooks, former president ot the T h e C a th o lic B ish o p s o f the U n ite d S ta te s e le c te d B ish o p W ilton D. G regory o f B ellev ille, Illin o is to a th re e -y e a r te rm as v ice P re sid e n t o t the N a tio n a l C o n fe re n c e , o f C a th o lic B is h ­ o p s and U n ite d S ta te s C a th o lic C o n fe re n c e (N C C B /U S C C ). B ish o p G re g o ry , 50, is the first B la c k to be e le c te d V ice P re sid e n t o f th e C o n fe re n c e s. H e su c c e e d s B ish o p Jo se p h A. F io re n z a o f G a lv e sto n -H o u sto n w ho w as e le c te d p re sid e n t. W ilto n D. G re g o ry w as b o rn D e c e m b e r 7, 1947, in C h ic a g o , th e son o f W ilto n and E th e l NAACP, just to name a few. Very truly yours Ms. Karen Smith Banquet Chairperson Rev. A. Wayne Johnson, Pastor M orning Star Missionary Baptist Church D u n c a n G re g o ry . H e a tte n d e d C a r th a g e G r a m m a r S c h o o l, Q u ig le y P re p a ra to ry S e m in a ry S o u th , N ile s C o lle g e o f L o y o la , and St. M ary o f the L ake S e m i­ n a ry . T h re e y e a rs a fte r h is o r ­ d in a tio n to the p rie sth o o d he b e g a n g ra d u a te stu d ie s at the P o n tific a l L itu rg ic a l In stitu te ( S a n t’ A n se lm o ) in R om e. It w as th e re th a t he e a rn e d his d o c to ra te in S acred L itu rg y in 1980. B ishop G reg o ry w as o rd a in e d a p rie st o f th e A rc h d io c e se o f C h ic a g o on M ay 9, 1973. He w as o rd a in e d a B ish o p on D e- RAMADAN B y D erek R asheed >.<» • >< :* '•■.•'fi • -:/? » • •• ■ ? .. . • î Allah (God) revealed the Qur’an, a book formankind offering clearproofs o f divine guidance with a criterion for right and wrong. Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan. It is one o f the five pillars o f Islam and is a obligation o f every Muslim to practice unless they are ill or on a journey. If any day o f the month that the practice missed, they can make it up by feeding the hungry or by prolonging their fast. Fasting is a source o f self-restraint, piety and receiving God Conscious­ ness. It was prescribed by Allah (God) for the Prophets before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In the Q ur’an verses, Allah has pointed out its goal or purpose: “Fasting is a shield from the Hell-fire like one o f your shields used in fighting.” Ramadan also comes as an inter­ cessor on the Day o f Judgement. The Prophet (pbuh) has said, “the fast and the Q ur’an shall come as inter­ cessors on the Day o f Resurrection.” The person fasting shall say. ’O Lord, I prevented him from his food and drink during the day, so let me inter­ cede for him .’ The Q ur’an says, ‘I kept him from sleep during the night, so let me intercede for him ’ Then they will be allowed to intercede.” It is an act that demonstrates one’s sincerity to Allah. Only Allah (God) is aware if a person truly fasted or not. No one can know if he secretly broke his fast. Therefore, Allah has a spe­ cial reward for those who fast. Allah has said, “He leaves his food, drink and desires becauseofme. Fast­ ing is for my sake and I shall reward it and every good deed shall be re­ warded ten fold.” By A llah’s grace and mercy, if a person fasts the month o f Ramadan with faith in Allah and hoping for its reward, Allah will for­ give all ot his previous minor sins. The purpose o f fasting is to re­ lease the spirit o f man from the clutches o f desire and moderation prevailed in his carnal self. And through it, he can realize the goal of purification and everlasting felicity. It is aimed at curtailing the intensity ofdesire and lust by means ofhunger and thirst to induce him to realize how many were there in the world like him who had to go even without a small quantity o f food- at making it difficult for the Devil to deceive him and at restraining his organs from turning towards things in which there was the loss ofboth worlds. Fasting, thus, is the bridle o f the God-fearing, the shield o f the crusaders and the disci­ pline o f the virtuous. Ramadan starts on the sighting of the new moon and runs thirty days after the first ten days o f seeking1 Allah (God) and Mercy, the second ten days o f our seeking Allah (God) for forgiveness and the last ten days ofour seeking freedom from the Hell fire in the hereafter. Ramadan brings spiritual uplift­ ing to its observer. It has been re­ ported that A lla h ’s M essenger (pbuh) has said, “When Ramadan begins, the gates o f Paradise are open, the gates o f hell are locked and devils arechained.” Fasting in Islam involves abstinence from the three primal physical needs o f human beings - food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn (approximately 1 'A hours before sunrise to sunset) with the intention o f fasting. There are how­ ever, no restrictions regarding these physical needs during the night time. May Allah bless all o f you with success in com pleting this holy month. c e m b e r 13, 1983, a fte r h a v in g s e rv e d as an a s s o c ia te p a s to r at O u r L ady o f P e rp e tu a l H elp P a rish in G le n v ie w , as a m e m ­ b e r o f th e fa c u lty at S a in t M ary o f th e L a k e S e m i n a r y in M u n d e le in , and as a M a ste r of C e re m o n ie s to C a rd in a ls C ody and B e rn a rd in . B ish o p G re g o ry w a s in s ta lle d as th e S e v e n th B ish o p o f B e lle v ille on F e b ru ­ a ry 10, 1994, f o llo w in g te n y e a rs as A u x ilia ry B ish o p of C h ic a g o . A s a m e m b e r o f th e N a tio n a l C o n fe re n c e o f C a th o lic B is h ­ o p s , h e s e rv e d o n e te rm as I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I C h a irm a n o f the b is h o p s ’ c o m ­ m itte e on the L itu rg y . He is c u rre n tly a m e m b e r o f th e N a ­ tio n a l C o n fe re n c e o f C a th o lic B ish o p s C o m m itte e on D o c ­ trin e , C o m m itte e on the T h ird M ille n n iu m /Ju b ile e Y e a r 2 0 0 0 , an d A d H oc C o m m itte e on S e x u a l A b u se , as w e ll as the U n ite d S ta te s C a th o lic C o n fe r­ e n c e C o m m itte e on I n te r n a ­ tio n a l P o lic y . H e has w ritte n e x te n siv e ly on the su b je c t o f litu rg y , p a r­ tic u la rly in the A fric a n -A m e ri­ can c o m m u n ity , fo r a v a rie ty o f p u b lic a tio n s. Now You can Save 20-70% on Your Funeral Costs Due to recent changes in FTC laws, you can now purchase your casket, urn, headstone o r marker outside o f funeral homes. After your purchase we will deliver to the funeral hom e o f your choice. 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