Local Catholics ‘happy,’ ‘thrilled’ with cardinals’ choice for pope

April 20, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

After white smoke and bells announced the election of the new Holy Father for the Roman Catholic Church, Greenwood-area spiritual leaders and residents said they were excited and joyful as Pope Benedict XVI steps forward to lead the church into a new era.
“We are extremely happy with the decision of the cardinals,” said Father Richard Harris, of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Greenwood.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who will now be called Pope Benedict XVI, has become known as a strong defender of the Christian faith in the decades he served as the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II, Harris said.
“We thank God for His guidance and direction in calling Cardinal Ratzinger as the Successor of Peter. His reputation precedes him as a man who loves Christ, the Church and the traditions handed down by the Apostles,” Harris said. “He will be a voice who will call all people to embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Gospels, and especially Christ’s call to love and respect one another.”
Peggy Piontek, a Greenwood resident and member of Our Lady of Lourdes, said she had been following the election closely, and she was pleased to hear the cardinals’ selection.
“I am absolutely thrilled. (Ratzinger) is an orthodox man, and he is not afraid to speak the truth of the Catholic faith,” she said. “He was close to the pope, and I believe he will follow in the footsteps of John Paul II.”
Greenwood resident Robert Figueira, a history professor at Lander University, said he had the opportunity to meet Cardinal Ratzinger more than 30 years ago, when he was a graduate student on a Fulbright fellowship at Regensburg University, where the new pope was a professor of theology.
“Already then he was considered one of the preeminent Catholic academic theologians in German-speaking lands. I remember considering whether I wanted to attend some of his courses, mostly because of his reputation as a theologian, but my time was already over-booked taking history seminars, so I did not,” Figueira said. “When he became a cardinal in 1977, I realized the mistake I had made. I realize it even more keenly today.”
Figueira remembers Ratzinger as a “very smart, quiet, almost shy man of pleasant demeanor,” he said. “As a Catholic, I am very pleased that he has become pope. He will be the firm defender of the religious doctrine that we Catholics treasure as our heritage from the Apostles. He is a safe pair of hands to guide the Church into the 21st century.”
South Carolina has just over 155,000 Roman Catholics, about 3 percent of the state population.
Benedict’s predecessor, John Paul II, became the first pope to visit the state when he visited Columbia on a hot day in September 1987.
Ratzinger taking the name Benedict had special meaning for the monks at Mepkin Abbey near Monks Corner.
The Cistercians, commonly known as Trappists, were founded 900 years ago and are one of the stricter branches of the Benedictine Order.
“The monks of Mepkin Abbey rejoice in the election of a new pope,” said the Rt. Rev. Francis Kline, the abbot. “We ask St. Benedict, the author of the ‘Rule for Monasteries’ and the patron of Europe, to intercede with God for a spirit-filled reign.”
St. Benedict lived in the 6th century and the rule was the basic guide for Western Christian monasticism.
Benedictine monasteries in Western Europe helped preserve learning and manuscripts during the Middle Ages, according to the Order of St. Benedict Web site.
With the conclave needing only four or five ballots to choose the new pope, Ratzinger, 78, was selected in one of the quickest papal elections in recent history.
“The quick decision on a successor to Pope John Paul II speaks strongly about the confidence the cardinal electors have placed in the new pope,” said Bishop Robert Baker, of the Diocese of Charleston, in a released statement. “It is an assurance to the entire world of the ability of the new pope to lead the Church as the Vicar of Christ on earth.”
Baker has proclaimed Sunday as a day of “joy and gratitude in the Diocese of Charleston for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the election” of Pope Benedict XVI, the statement said.
Harris said Our Lady of Lourdes will also dedicate the 5 p.m. Saturday mass and the 10 a.m. and noon Sunday masses to the celebration of the new pope.


The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Vikings rally to top B-L, defend Region III-AA crown

April 20, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

SALUDA — The Emerald High School baseball team stuck to its coach’s belief of always being aggressive and it paid off with a No. 1 seed in the Class AA state playoffs.
Aggressive base running is what laid the groundwork for the Vikings’ come-from-behind 5-4 victory over Batesburg-Leesville Tuesday night at Saluda High School in the tiebreaker game to determine the top seed from Region III-AA.
With runners on second and third and one out, trailing 4-3, Emerald’s Blake Moore dribbled a slow roller to Panthers pitcher Edwin Keeler. Josh Lovvorn immediately headed for home on the hit and Keeler caught him in a rundown, throwing to his catcher Greg Asbill, who applied the tag.
However on the play, Emerald’s Milton Brown reached third safely, but Moore went around first and headed for second.
“I knew he was going to throw it and I really didn’t think I had it, but we wanted to put pressure on them all game long,” Moore said.
Asbill hurled back and rocketed a throw to Rusty Whittle, but the ball sailed way over the B-L second baseman’s head and rolled into a wide-open outfield. Both Brown and Moore trotted home to give Emerald its first lead at 5-4.
“We always teach our guys to be aggressive and he was being aggressive. Now, had he been thrown out, then I’d probably have a different opinion,” Vikings coach Chad Evans said, with a grin. “But we teach them to be aggressive and it paid off.
“As soon as it came out of his hands I knew it was going to be high. I didn’t know it would get by the center fielder like it did, but I’m thankful that it did. There was nobody out there. We’re very fortunate.”
Emerald starter Brandon Miller worked out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh, as the Panthers put runners on first and second with one out. But the sophomore southpaw got B-L’s James Rawls to line out to Lovvorn at short. Lovvorn easily tossed to teammate Ryan Wilkie to double up Josh Blake at second, ending the game and giving Emerald the No. 1 seed.
Miller went the distance for the Vikings for his eighth win in as many decisions, allowing four unearned runs and scattering six hits, while striking out three.
The Vikings now have at least two home playoff games, starting with Thursday’s matchup with Region IV-AA fourth-place Columbia.
“It was a very important win, because it keeps you at home, and our guys love playing on our field,” Evans said.
“We have Columbia now, and I don’t know anything about them. But that region, with Swansea, Gilbert and Pelion, can be tough. So, we know we’ll have to battle, but we’re going to get after it.”
Miller retired the first six B-L batters he faced. But the Panthers returned the favor in the bottom half of the third, knocking in two unearned runs on a pair of two-out singles.
But B-L could have had more. Asbill’s bases-loaded single to center did bring in Jamele Jeffery to make it 2-0, but Sam Bodie was gunned down at the plate to end the inning. Vikings center fielder Justin Lovvorn played the hit on one bounce and while his throw home to catcher Wade Scott was a little wide of the plate, Scott made the tag on the non-sliding Bodie.
The Vikings made up the deficit over the next two innings. Miller gave Emerald its first hit of the game by leading off the fourth with a double. He came around for the team’s first run when Scott followed with a single.
Josh Lovvorn opened the fifth with a single. A passed ball and a ground out later and Lovvorn was on third. He later scored Moore’s two-out bloop single to center to tie the score at 2.
B-L quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, plating two more runs to grab a 4-2 lead, but Emerald cut into the deficit again with one more in the sixth.

Toros light up the night

Soccer club turns on lights on Phoenix Street fields

April 20, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Special to the Index-Journal

Like a flaming phoenix rising from the ashes, new lights have been erected at the Greenwood Toros soccer club field on Phoenix Street.
The facility was illuminated for the first time on Tuesday night during a ceremony on the field. Speakers at the event included master of ceremonies and outgoing Toros club president Claude Robinson, Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson, and Lander University soccer coach Van Taylor. Each of the men made a brief speech, followed by the unveiling of a new plaque dedicated to the Toros Lamplighters. The Lamplighters are a group of individuals and businesses that have contributed financially to the lighting project.
After the unveiling of the plaque, the switch was thrown and the lights flickered to life. The under-8 boys Thunder team and the under-10 girls Mustangs team took the field and played the first exhibition under the new luminaries.
“This field has been a 20-year process,” said Robinson, addressing the crowd gathered at the field.
“We started the field search around 1984. It’s been a long process, but we finally got it done. We’ve got our field, our not-for-profit status, and now we’ve got our lights.”
Mayor Nicholson was also enthusiastic about the new facility and what it could bring to the community.
“We need a vibrant downtown, and this field project will help bring that in,” said Nicholson, addressing the crowd. “These kids are our tomorrow.
“It will definitely add to the downtown revitalization process,” incoming Toros president Chris Kirkland said.
“If we can host tournaments here, it will bring in people to eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and stay in our hotels. Some of them may even decide to stay.”
Robinson was also keen on the prospects of soccer tournaments takeing place at the Phoenix Street field.
“We’ve put in a bid to host the State Cup tournament,” Robinson stated.
“That would be huge not just for our teams, but for the community.”
The dedication of the complex struck a chord all the way up to the collegiate level, as Taylor indicated in his words to the crowd.
“I came here in 1985, and I wanted to get involved with the youth program,” Taylor said. “I can’t think of a better investment in youth soccer than this one.”
The field officially opened in the fall of 2004, without lighting capabilities. However, that didn’t stop the club’s teams from claiming a home field advantage.
Since the field at Phoenix Street has opened, the Toros have a record of 16-0-1, scoring 92 goals while only surrendering 12 goals.
With the new lights now up and going, the bright future of the Toros program just got even brighter.

Opinion

Specter of classroom fear is hindrance to education

April 20, 2005

“The ideal condition would be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; but since we are all likely to go astray, the reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach.” That sounds as if some very wise man said that last week. It does, after all, lend itself to the world of 2005. It was said, however, by a very wise Greek, Sophocles, who died centuries before Christ.
Youngsters in South Carolina have more opportunities to learn from their teachers than ever before. On the other hand, too many teachers find that teaching, while still a satisfying pursuit, is fraught with peril.
In recent times we have seen teachers targeted by irate parents. More than that, though, too many of them have to be concerned about their safety because of threatening behavior from some students.

IT’S ENOUGH THAT TEACHERS have to contend with a mountain of mandated paper work and have to be administrators of social experiments that detract from the primary purpose: teaching.
Teaching is difficult enough, of course, without such distractions. When it has to be done in classrooms where teachers have to wonder about personal safety, it’s a commentary not so much on schools, but society itself.
It hasn’t helped, naturally, that several schools around the country have been the scenes of illogical and tragic shootings. Experiences like that have a negative impact on school safety in general. Some classroom incidents may be traced to that manufactured mentality, but not all. Some students simply tend to be trouble looking for a place to happen.

THREATS AND ABUSIVE language are part of our classrooms more than anyone would like to acknowledge. Ask teachers, though. They know, first hand.
Example: Two Aiken Middle School sixth-graders who threatened to slash their teacher with a knife have pleaded guilty and been placed under house arrest. One is a girl, 13, and the other is a boy, 12. Both were ordered to undergo mental evaluations.
It’s unfortunate, but teachers these days face things teachers didn’t have to worry about not too long ago. Unless that one factor can be eliminated, what’s the use of trying to improve schools? Fear teaches, of course, but it teaches the wrong lesson.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Rebecca W. Christopher

RENTZ, Ga. — Services for Rebecca Watson Christopher are 1 p.m. today at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Greenwood, S.C., conducted by the Rev. Raymond Adams, assisted by the Revs. Dr. Willie Edmond, Claude Tolbert, Ernest Cannon and Norris Turner. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 12.
Pallbearers are grandsons and nephews.
Flower bearers are nieces and Breezewood Community Club.
Honorary escorts are Women Aide Society No. 87 and Club of Wisdom members.
The family is at the home of a son Willie James Christopher Sr., 217 Cannon Drive, Greenwood.
Parks Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.

C.B. Coleman

WARE SHOALS — Charlie “CB” Coleman, 80, husband of Elizabeth Finley Coleman, of 6 E. Fleming St., died Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
Born in Wrenns, Ga., he was a son of the late Charlie B. and Eula McDonald Coleman. He was a World War II Navy veteran and a former employee of Riegel Textile Corp. He retired from Rainbow Signs, Greenwood, and was a member of First Baptist Church and the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Teresa Camak and Brenda Culbertson, both of Ware Shoals; a sister, Elma Morris of Baxley, Ga.; three grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Kenny Standley and Leon Jones. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Harold Kay, Wallace Garvin, Jerry Garvin, Claude Grayden, Hobert Gowan and J.E. Cooper.
Honorary escorts are members of the Callaham-Morgan Sunday School Class.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at Parker-White Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Self Regional Health Care Foundation, 1325 Spring St., Greenwood, SC 29646 or a charity of one’s choice.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge.

Dakevious L. Funches

Dakevious Lamar Funches, infant son of David Funches and Adrenne Tate, died Monday, April 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Survivors include his mother and father of Greenwood; maternal grandparents, Yulonda Tate and Antonio Edwards; maternal great-grandparents, Barbara Tate, Mary Elease and Ed Edwards; paternal grandparents, Charlene Ann and Herbert Funches; paternal great-grandparents, Annie Lee Ramsey and Cleave Funches.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Ossie James Grogan

LIBERTY — Ossie James Grogan, 88, formerly of 525 Mills Ave., widow of Marion Lee Grogan, died Tuesday, April 19, 2005.
A daughter of the late Daniel and Lilly Rice James, she was a homemaker and a member of East Side Baptist Church and the Golden Gems.
Survivors include a daughter, Sandra Bryan of Greenwood; a son Dan Grogan of Clemson; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren.
Services are 4 p.m. Thursday at East Side Baptist Church. Burial is in Westview Cemetery.
Visitation is 2:30-3:45 Thursday at East Side Family Life Center.
Memorials may be made to East Side Baptist Church, 920 Anderson Drive, Liberty, SC 29657.
Liberty Mortuary is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.libertymortuary.com

Montie Kitchens

DENTON, TX – Montie Kitchens, age 83, of Denton, passed away Sunday April 17, 2005 at Denton Good Samaritan Village Health Care. She was born June 22, 1921 in Ila, Madison Co., Georgia to George Hall and Sallie Mae (Cauthen) Westbrook. She married Dr. William Claude Kitchens, Sr. in Ila December 26, 1941. He preceded her in death. She graduated in 1941 from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. She was in the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority. She was a homemaker and attended the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Denton, the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, Ga. and the Central Presbyterian Church of Athens, Ga. She was Active in the Medical Aux., the Garden Club, and the Circle 5. She enjoyed playing golf, bridge, and cooking.
Survivors are her sons William C. Kitchens and wife Janice of Greenwood, SC, Bob Kitchens of Grayson, GA, Jim Kitchens and wife Leigh of Denton, Frank Kitchens and wife Tammy of Greenwood, SC. Two Sisters Rosannah Lee of Hilton Head, SC and Beverly Nash of Fort Myers, FL. Brother George W. Westbrook of Ila, GA. Grandchildren Lauren and Joshua Kitchens of Denton. Susannah LaGroue and husband John and Jessica Kitchens of Houston. Rachel Cole and husband Don of Lawrenceville, GA. Aaron Kitchens of Grayson, GA. Great grandchildren Terry Jane Cole, Julian Westbrook Cole and Casey Jack Cole all of Lawrenceville, Ga.
A Memorial Service will be 11:00AM Saturday, April 23, 2005 at the First Presbyterian Church of Athens, 185 West Hancock Ave., Athens, GA 30601. Burial will be at Mount Herman Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Ila, Madison Co. GA. Dr. Glenn Doak will officiate the service. Memorials may be made to Denton Good Samaritan Village Health Care, 2500 Hinkle Dr., Denton, Texas 76201 or First Presbyterian Church of Athens, 185 W. Handcock Ave., Athens, GA 30601.
Mulkey-Mason Jack Schmitz and Son, Denton, Texas in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

Atlas E. McKinney

MORGANTON, N.C. — Atlas Edwards McKinney, widow of Lester “German” McKinney; died Monday, April 18, 2005.
She worked for more than 50 years at Marion Manufacturing Co. in Marion.
Survivors include a daughter, Wanda Cable of Morganton; two brothers; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Kirksey Funeral Home in Marion. Burial is in McDowell Memorial Park.
Visitation is 2-4 today at Kirksey Funeral Home, 406 Lenoir Road, Morganton. A second viewing is 6:30-8 tonight at Kirksey Funeral Home, 69 North Main St., Marion.
Memorials may be made to Burke County Hospice and Palliative Care, 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.
Kirksey Funeral Home is in charge.

E’maseo M. Morris

ABBEVILLE — E’maseo Montez Morris, 18, of 1013 Secession Ave., son of Brenda Morris, died Tuesday, April 19, 2005 in Calhoun Falls.
The family is at the home of a grandmother, Rosetta Morris, 1013 Secession Ave.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary.

Dr. J.W. ‘Bill’ Morris

Memorial services for Dr. James William “Bill” Morris are 3 p.m. Friday at Wesley Commons Asbury Hall, Greenwood and at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Aiken.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, VA 22038-1131 or the Forrest F. Blankenship Memorial Engineering Scholarship, c/o PJC Alumni Association, 2400 Clarksville St., Paris, TX 75460.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Della Mae Robertson

BRONX, N.Y. — Della Mae Martin Robertson, died Wednesday, April 13, 2005 in Bronx.
Born in Parksville, S.C., she was a daughter of the late Cleo and Isabel Thompkins Martin and a former member of Mount Lebanon Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Thomas Robertson Jr. and a daughter, Janie Bell Law, both of New York; nine brothers, John Martin and Frank Martin, both of Fort Pierce, Fla., J.H. Martin of St. Petersburg, Fla., Billy Martin of North Augusta, S.C., Cleo Martin of Edgefield, S.C., James Martin, Edward Martin and Willie Martin of Plum Branch, S.C., Jimmy Martin of Greenwood, S.C.; four sisters, Mary Frances Martin Wells, Ethel Martin and Kate Martin, all of Plum Branch, Nellie Martin Myles of Fort Pierce; her stepmother, Marie Martin of Plum Branch.
The family is at the home of Mary F. Martin Wells, Collier Street, Plum Branch.
Services will be announced by Walker Funeral Home, McCormick, S.C.

Ollie B. Simpkins

EDGEFIELD — Ollie B. Simpkins died Saturday, April 16, 2005 at her home.
Survivors include four daughters, Jewell Mosley of Trenton, Shirley L. Taylor and Ernestine Moore, both of Edgefield, Patsy Butler of Johnston; a son, James Simpkins of Farmington, Mich.; a brother, Charlie Holloway of Mount Olive, N.C.; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. today at Pleasant Lane Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Sloan Gordon.
Burial is in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
Amos & Sons Funeral Home, Johnston, is in charge.

George Von Glahn

George Maurice Von Glahn, 73, of 311 Pitts Circle, died Monday, April 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Bronx, N.Y., he was a son of the late George Von Glahn and Rose Belasco Both. He retired from G.T.E. (now Verizon) and served in the Merchant Marines. He was a member of Souls Harbor Church of God, Tampa, Fla.
Survivors include a daughter, Karen A. Mathieson of Campsie, New South Wales; four sons, George W. Von Glahn of Greenwood, William F. Von Glahn and Walter E. Von Glahn, both of Tampa, Robert T. Von Glahn of Lexington, Ky.; a sister, Georgette Bisagno of Cresskill, N.J.; eight grandchildren. A memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark United Methodist Church.
Visitation is after the service in the church fellowship hall.
Memorials may be made to the George M. Von Glahn Memorial Fund, c/o Harley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 777, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Hazel Taggart Walton

ABBEVILLE — Services for Hazel Taggart Walton are 2 p.m. Thursday at Campfield Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Willie J. Choice, Willie P. Black, Albert Thompson, Louise Wright and John Garner. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
The family is at the home of a daughter Debbie Walton, 45 Redwood Lane.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.