photo courtesy of Bruce Darrow

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ (January 17, 2015)–Gloucester Catholic honored its girls state championship basketball teams from 1981 to 1983 prior to Saturday\’s game against Gloucester Hih. The Lady Rams were coached by Jeff Cohen and Tony Ettore in that time period and once compiled an 82-game win streak over three years. Some of the returning players included Trish McNutt, Mary Klinewski, Michelle Jensen, head coach Lisa Angelotti Gedaka, and Kathy Klinewski.

source https://www.facebook.com/gchsrams

On October 13, 1998, I held a demonstration in the street outside the theater that hosted \”Corpus Christi,\” the Terrence McNally play that depicted Christ having sex with the apostles. I did not seek to have the government censor the play, but there was a protest of my right to protest the play. The New York Times commented on my demonstration: \”The protest began with a fiery speech from William A. Donohue, the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Holding a bullhorn inside an area barricaded by the police, Mr. Donohue shouted criticisms at the opposition. \’You are the real authoritarians at heart,\’ he said. \’We\’re the ones that believe in tolerance, not you phonies.\’\”

William attended Gloucester Catholic High School (GCHS) and proudly served our country in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He retired from BP Oil Company as a pipeline operator after 20 years of service. William was a longtime member of the Brooklawn American Legion Post #72 and enjoyed coaching Gloucester City Softball. Doc lived for his grandsons and he never missed any event they participated in. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his visitation on Wednesday morning, January 21, 2015 from 9:30 to 11 AM at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Funeral service 11 AM in the funeral home. Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. 

The racial justice issues being debated over these recent killings have certainly had a negative impact on race relations. We like to believe that this country has grown away from racism but the reality is that only the outward appearance has changed. Although most of us are uncomfortable talking about race issues, it is a necessary discussion. As President Obama stated in a recent news conference, we can’t cure it if we don’t talk about it. Often times uncomfortable topics are avoided, but a solution can not be reached until we acknowledge it exists. No racial or ethnic group in America has been spared from prejudice, discrimination or antagonism. 

As Catholics, what should we do? If it doesn’t affect you directly, should you simply look away? Do we remain quiet and inactive? As Martin Luther King, Jr.’s said: \”He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it, is really cooperating with it.\”