Floods, Sesquicentennial among top local stories

JANUARY: Troy couple travels to Haiti as observers for its presidential election...Users of "Lifeline" emergency response system confused over newsletter calling for cancellation of "Lifeline" phone service...Bishop Howard J. Hubbard asks Catholics to write State Legislature asking for parental notification before abortion...Albany Diocese plans events for its Sesquicentennial... Diocesan Pastoral Planning office receives plans from parish clusters...Catholic school enrollment booms.

FEBRUARY: Flooding damages several parishes in the Albany Diocese...Bishop decries welfare and Medicaid reforms as attacks on children and the poor...Sisters' Retirement Fund collection nets more than $770,000...Mercycare Corp. redefines role of hospital chaplains...40,000 postcards sent to state legislators, asking parental notification before abortion...Gen. Rosetta Burke, a Catholic, becomes first female assistant adjutant general in New York State Army National Guard...Hundreds of Catholics press their legislative concerns at Public Policy Forum...Miep Gies, protector of Anne Frank, recalls those years during Albany visit...Bishop declares that Church has role in the public arena.

MARCH: 248 future Catholics take part in Rite of Election...The Evangelist celebrates its 70th anniversary...Bishop urges President Clinton to sign partial-birth abortion ban.

APRIL: Local efforts provide outreach to Hispanic Catholics...1996 Bishop's Appeal begins...Rev. Barry Lonergan recalls final Bosnia visit before retirement...St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, bereavement program head explains benefit of Bishop's Appeal funds.

MAY: Bishop urges Catholics to oppose euthanasia in wake of court rulings...Local Vietnam war veterans contribute to rebuild a school in Vietnam...Parish clusters await Bishop's decision on future of diocesan parishes...Hundreds of area Catholics flock to Spring Enrichment program...Capital Health Network of hospitals prepares to incorporate.

JUNE: Bishop weighs status of Pastoral Planning process...Bishop writes State Assembly to protest partial-birth abortion, urges Catholics to do the same...Catholic Charities agencies worry about budget cuts...Albany Diocese ordains three priests...Diocese joins in National Day of Prayer and Fasting for Life.

JULY: Diocese announces that three persons will share chancellor role: Rev. Geoffrey Burke, Sister Kathleen Turley, RSM, and Jay Feeney...Bishop outlines role of modern priests...Bishop's Appeal campaign collects record high of nearly $6 million...The Evangelist debuts on World Wide Web.

AUGUST: The Evangelist web site receives more than 1,000 "hits" in its first two weeks...Bishop calls for civility in light of Olympic, TWA flight tragedies...Bishop welcomes Catholic Common Ground project...Cohoes Catholic Schools unite in one building...St. Catherine of Siena School, Albany, uses surveys to track student and parent concerns...Bishop says new welfare laws fail moral tests.

SEPTEMBER: Bishop calls Catholic Common Ground project and Archbishop John Quinn's effort to study the structure of the papacy "refreshing"...North Country Ministry booms in Adirondack parishes, asks for support...Diocese offers to bury bodies of 17 unborn children found in Colonie abortion clinic.

OCTOBER: Bishop notes that Respect Life Month raises key questions for voters...Pastoral Planning continues in Albany Diocese after end of formal process...Habitat for Humanity and Catholic Daughters of the Americas collaborate to build home for needy Albany family...Rev. David Noone writes from New Zealand on experiences in pastoral exchange program...Bishop stresses that Church teaching calls Catholics to a culture of life.

NOVEMBER: The Evangelist special issue highlights teen Catholics...School choice voucher proposal defeated by state Board of Regents...Priests of Diocese gather and learn at annual Priests' Convocation...New welfare reform laws concern Catholic Conference, Catholic Charities officials...Bishop mourns Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago...Workshops promote sexual abstinence for teens...Diocesan Public Policy Education Network sponsors meeting on aiding needy.

DECEMBER: Diocese kicks off its 150th jubilee year...Ceremony at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception marks start of diocesan Sesquicentennial...The Evangelist Christmas issue highlights color Nativity photo from Cathedral window.

(01-02-97) [[In-content Ad]]