Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8—'THE BULLETIN, August 9, 1958
Paris —
(Continued From Page 1)
Lady with so great an intensity
as to merit for her the vision of
the Mother of God even in this
life now reposes in a reliquary
of crystal in this lovely Chapel
of the Rue du Bas, so charming
ly referred to by His Eminence,
Cardinal Verdier, Archbishop
of Paris, as Our Lady’s “Recep
tion Room.” Having said Mass
in this “Reception Room of Our
Lady” we were the better en
abled to understand Catherine’s
own words wherein she wrote,
“There I passed the sweetest
moments of my life ... it is im-
posible for me to express all
that I experienced.” Standing at
that altar below which reposes
the body of the Saint and look
ing above to the exquisitely
beautiful statue of Our Lady of
the Globe, placed as it is at the
very spot where Our Lady ap
peared to Catherine on Novem
ber 27, 1830, ours was a fore
taste of the joy that would fill
our hearts and enrich our mem
ories during our stay at
Lourdes. In the sanctuary of the
Chapel, a little to the left, a date
cut in the marble pavement re
calls the place where the Bless
ed Virgin conversed for more
than two hours during the night
of July 18th with Catherine. To
the right but outside the sanc
tuary is the chair on which Our
Lady sat and at which the Saint
knelt as she rested her hands on
Our Lady’s knees.
Following our Mass on the
morning of April 29th, we ar
ranged for the members of our
Pilgrimage to share our joy by
attending Mass the next day in
this Chapel of the Rue du Bas,
Paris. To those who over the
years have made the Novena to
Our Lady of the Miraculous
Medal this delicately designed
Chapel of Our Lady and Cath
erine Laboure, describing so tell
ingly and so artistically the
story of the Miraculous Medal,
must have been comfort to their
hearts and conviction to their
souls. To all of us, we took leave
and moved on to Lourdes, it
was Our Lady’s preparation of
us for our visit to her most not
ed shrine — Lourdes — shelter
ed by the shadows of the Pyre
nees. Bidding us goodbye was
the soft-spoken voice of a Missi
ssippi Daughter of Charity who
serves God’s cause in that ob
scure corner of fabulous Paris.
Meet Your
President
AUGUSTA — Mrs. Jack Jo-
hannsen, prominent young ma
tron, is the president of the Au-
Weekly Calendar
Of Feast Days
(N.C.W.C. News Service)
SUNDAY, August 10 — St.
Laurence of Rome, Martyr. He
was born at Huesca Aragon,
Spain, and with his family came
to Rome, where he joined the
clergy and became one of the
seven deacons of the city under
Pope St. Sixtus II. In 258, three
days after the martyrdom of
Pope St. Sixtus, he was put to
death by being roasted alive on
a gridiron.
MONDAY, August 11 — SS.
Tiburtius and Susanna, Mar
tyrs. St. Tiburtius was the son
of a high official of the Rome
Imperial Court and was behead
ed for the Faith in 288. St. Su
sanna, said to have been a niece
of Pope St. Caius, was martyr
ed during the reign of Emperor
Dioceletian in 295 for refusing
to marry the emperor’s son, a
pagan.
TUESDAY, August 12 — St.
Claire, Virgin. She was born at
Assisi in 1193. At the age of 18
drawn by the perachings of St.
Francis of Assisi, she ran away
from home and took the veil of
Sisterhood from St. Francis. She
founded the Poor Clares, gov
erned the community for 40
years, and was consulted by
Popes, Cardinals and Bishops.
She died in 1253 and was can
onized two years later.
WEDNESDAY, August 13 —
SS. Hippolytus and Companions,
Martyrs. St. Hippolytus was put
to death for the Faith by being
torn to pieces by wild horses in
the third century. After his
death, his nurse, Concordia, and
19 other Christians were be
headed.
THURSDAY, August 14 — St.
Eusebius, Confessor. He was a
Roman priest sometimes honor
ed as a martyr. During the Ari-
an troubles, about 257, at the
order of Emperor Constantius,
he was imprisoned by being
shut up in a room in his own
house. He died after spending
seven months in constant pray
er in the room-prison.
FRIDAY, August 15 — The
Assumption of the Blessed Vir
gin Mary. This Feast, a Holy
Day of Obligation in the United
States, commemorates the tak
ing up, soul and body, of the
Blessed Virgin into heaven af
ter her death.
SATURDAY, August 16 — St.
Joachim, husband of St. Anne
and father of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. Virtually nothing is
known of his life. He has been
honored in the Eastern Church
since its earliest days, and in
the Western Church since the
16th century.
PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE
Widely known priest of the
diocese is the Very Rev. Thomas
A. Brennan, pastor of Blessed
Sacrament Church in Savannah.
Father Brennan was ordained
in 1923 and since that time has
been stationed in Atlanta, Al
bany, Augusta and Savannah.
Father was pastor of St. Tere
sa’s Church in Albany and the
far flung Southwest Georgia
Missions for fifteen years.
Father Brennan is presently
directing the construction of a
desperately needed addition to
Blessed Sacrament School. The
cornerstone for the new build
ing was laid June 21st of this
year by His Excellency the Most
Rev. Thomas J. McDonough,
Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah.
VETERAN MISSIONER SUGGESTS HOW
TO KEEP PARISH FROM BECOMING
“SACRAMENTAL SERVICE STATION"
Very Rev. Thomas A. Brennan
Bishops Of Brazil
Appeal For Higher
Education Standards
MRS. JACK JOHANNSEN
gusta Deanery Council of Cath
olic Women. Mrs. Johannsen
has given, most generously, of
her time and talents to both re
ligious and civic organizations.
She has served as president of
the Sacred Heart Home and
School Association, treasurer of
the Augusta Deanery C. C. W.
and D. C. C. W. chairman of
Family and Parent Education
Committee, and most recently,
headed the Public Relations’
Committee.
Besides her present office, as
deanery president, she is a
member of the Parents’ Advis
ory Committee of the Parish
Council of Catholic Youth, as
sists her husband in the athletic
program at Sacred Heart School,
and will represent her parish
council, the Sacred Heart P. C.
C. W„ at the N. C. C. W. con
vention, in St. Louis, in Septem
ber.
Among offices, held in civic
organizations, are the following:
Charter President of Augusta
Aidmore Auxiliary to Elks’
Lodge No. 205, past president,
Georgia Elks’ Aidmore Auxili
ary, and many other offices and
chairmanships in these groups.
She is a member of the Augusta
Merchants Association and
Organize
Youth Group
At Augusta
AUGUST — A High School
T outh Club has recently been
organized at St. Mary’s Church.
The response has been good and
large numbers of high school
youth have been attending
meetings at St. Anne’s Hall.
Thus far, there have been
three meetings. Folowing the
second meeting, a swimming
party was held at the Bon Air
Hotel swimming pool.
The following officers have
been elected: president, Doug
las Herman; vice president, Joe
Sheehan; secretary, Mary And
ersen; treasurer, Ben Pierce.
The following are committee
chairmen: Spiritual Develop
ment, Sandra Salman; Cultural
Development, Sandra Andrews;
Social Development, Sally Mc
Mahon; Physical Activities,
Tommy Wilkerson.
Father Ralph Seikel is in
charge of the youth group.
TRIBUTE PAID
WASHINGTON, (NC) —Trib
ute was paid to Bishop Russell
J. McVinney of Providence,
R. I., on the tenth anniversary
of his consecration in the U. S.
Senate here by Sen. John O.
Pastore of Rhode Island.
Chamber of Commerce.
Mrs. Johannsen is the former
Miss Leonora Meredith, and is
the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. A.
H. Meredith. She is associated
with her father in the practice
of optometry, and husband, who
is a dispensing optician. She at
tended Houghton Grammar
School, Tubman High School,
and Junior College, in Augusta.
Mrs. Johannsen was instruct
ed and Baptized, in the Catho
lic Faith, by Father J. E. O’-
Donohoe, S. J., in 1938, and was
married at a Nuptial Mass at
Sacred Heart Church in 1939.
She is the mother of two sons,
Jack, Jr., who is entering
Aquinas High School, this year,
and Patrick, who is a student of
Sacred Heart School.
(N.C.W.C. News Service)
GOIANIA, Brazil — An ap
peal for higher educational and
iiving standards and a warning
against exaggerated nationalism
were issued by the Bishops of
Brazil at the close of their
fourth annual meeting here.
The conference brought to
gether three cardinals and 83
archbishops and bishops — the
largest episcopal body in Latin
America — for a discussion of
some of the major problems fac
ing the Church in Brazil.
Presiding was His Eminence
Carlos Carmelo Cardinal de Vas-
concellos Motta, Archbishop of
Sao Paulo. Present at the con
ference were Archbishop Ar-
mando Lombardi, Apostolic
Nuncio to Brazil, and Bishop
Manuel Larrain Errazuriz of
Talca, Chile, who is vice presi
dent of the Latin American
Bishops’ Council.
At the close of their week-
long assembly, delegates to the
meeting issued a joint statement
urging use of effective meas
ures to put an end to illiteracy
in Brazil, and appealing to the
government to increase the
number of schools, to raise the
standards in them, and to grant
greater freedom to private edu
cational institutions.
The statement also voiced
concern at the problem of the
exploitation of industrial work
ers and the lack of constructive
programs presented by the va
rious political parties of Brazil.
A sidelight of the meeting
came with the adoption of a
resolution encouraging the faith
ful of Brazil to recite in Portu
guese the prayers connected
with the sacraments of Baptism,
Extreme Unction and Matri
mony.
The resolution broke a long
standing tradition acccording to
which all the prayers were re
cited in Latin during the ad
ministration of these sacra
ments. New rituals carrying
the Latin text of the prayers as
well as Portuguese translations
approved by the Holy See are
being prepared for distribution
in all the country’s dioceses to
help promote a better under
standing of the sacraments
among the faithful.
Foremost, however, among
topics of discussion at the meet
ing was the problem of educa
tion, as evidenced by the joint
statement issued at the close of
the conference.
“At the top of all the coun
try’s problems,” it said, “lies
the dramatic question ... of the
education of its people, the
alarming percentage of illiter
ates (51.4 percent of the popu
lation) and the lack of schools.”
The Bishops charged that the
state’s undue interference in
matters of education was re
sponsible for the continuing
school crisis. They firmly as
serted the prior rights of the
family in the educational fields.
“Education is the family’s
task,” the statement said. “The
school is an extension of the
family, since the ideals of life,
moral and religious concepts,
and the core of traditions that
guarantee the continuity of his
tory, are preserved and trans
mitted through the school when
it represents the forces of the
family.”
The Bishops added: “It is nec
essary to seek a limit to state
intervention in matters of edu
cation in Brazil to save a cul
ture which is threatened by uni
formity. We cannot help but
say that government interfer
ence is responsible for the me
diocrity of our high schools.”
Turning then to the problem
of the exploitation of the work
ing classes, the statement
charged that injustice and op
pression are common practices
in the business and industrial
world and impede the diffusion
of the message of the Gospel.
Immediate steps should be
taken to correct this situation,
they warned, since progress and
the thirst for economic develop
ment that has overtaken the
country should also work in fa
vor of the working classes.
“The Church preaches har
mony among the classes,” the
statement said. “However, it is
necessary that its preaching
should not meet insurmount
able barriers in the minds of
those who hold the concentra
tion of material goods in their
hands. . .
“It gives us grief to think of
the millions of rural workers
who should already have re
ceived aid through definite pro
grams of social and educational
cooperation. A favorable cli
mate should have been created
for the agricultural reform
which is knocking at our doors.
While we are waiting for this
reform, there is an urgent need
to change our attitude toward
the rural populations scattered
throughout our vast territory.”
The Bishops then proposed
their own program to improve
the condition of the working
classes. The programs submit
ted measures to: 1) improve
services of social and educa
tional assistance to the farming
population; 2) give technical aid
and credit to small and medium
land owners; 3) effectively guide
and control internal migration.
On the political side, the
Bishops expressed concern at
the increase in the number of
political parties which fail to
submit constructive programs.
They protested against an
electoral law which imposes vot
ing for the entire list of candi
dates of a party, saying that it
“forces us to elect those whom
we do not desire.” They also of
fered “a word of advice” on the
nationalistic movement prevail
ing in the country.
“We are for everything in the
nationalistic movement,” they
declared, “that improves our
basic industries, increases the
value of o u r natural riches,
raises living standards, opens
undeveloped zones to exploita
tion, serves to achieve economic
independence, increases the na
tional capital and is a source of
political dignity.
“We support a sound and bal
anced nationalism, that rejects
any form of slavery either of
capitalistic or Maxist nature. We
proclaim the need for peaceful
international cooperation, with
due regard for our sovereignty.
“However we condemn ex
treme nationalism,” the Bish
ops said, “. . . which is exploit
ed as an acute form of collec
tive egoism. We condemn eco
nomic imperialism which rep
resents a type of international
dictatorship and an abdication
of national autonomy.
“We strongly condemn Soviet
imperialism . . . The experience
of Marxist infiltration in China
and in the so-called ‘peoples’
democracies convinces us that
we must be vigilant, for nation
alism is often the seductive
cloak of a more cruel form of
colonialism.”
SAFETY FOR ALL
Tip to motorists: There is a
happy medium between “speed
ing” and “poking along.”
By Robert G. Hoyt
(N.C.W.C News Service)
KANSAS CITY, Mo., —
American parishes may one day
be repaid for their financial
support of the missions — but
not in cash. The repayment will
be in the spread of the idea and
a technique.
The idea: In a period of social
fragmentation, the parish must
be something more than a “sac
ramental service station.”
The technique: A form of par
ish organization envoiving now
in Africa, the Philippines, and
Japan. It is designed to knit per
son to person, family to family,
and thus to make the parish
once more a genuine, function
ing community.
Maryknoll Father Bernard
Meyer, a veteran missionary,
developed these suggestions in
an interview here. He stopped
in this city on his way to the
West Coast, where he is sched
uled to embark on an 18-month
tour of Catholic foreign mis
sions.
Though Father Meyer spent
32 years (1918-1950) as a mis-
sioner in China, it would be in
adequate to describe him mere
ly as a “veteran.” He is also a
careful student of missionary
techniques, and a man deeply
interested in the application of
sociological methods to the apos-
tolate.
In addition, he is a best-sell
ing author. His book on Catholic
Action, “Lend Me Your Hands,”
has sold 34,000 copies and has
recently been brought out in
paperback form.
Father Meyer is convinced
that the modern urban parish
must take into account the loss
of human solidarity brought
about by the urbanization and
industrialization of society.
The inevitable result of many
modern social changes has been
to “isolate” and “de-personalize”
the individual, he said. The nat
ural community, which tended
to give the individual some
sense of having roots, and con
sequently helped to make him
realize his identity and person
ality, no longer exists.
“We don’t realize how inter
dependent we human beings
are, how much we depend on
others simply to be ourselves,”
he said. “And we certainly don’t
realize how we have been af
fected by the loss of stability in
our communities.”
“The nuclear family, of
course, is the family we know
today. We don’t think in terms
of the ‘Kelly clan’ or the
‘Schmidt clan’ any more. But
we don’t always see what we
have lost by the shrinking of the
family unit.”
The parish, as now constitut
ed, just isn’t much help, he said.
It is too big to be a family, and
the shortage of priests makes it
impossible to create “neighbor
hood parishes” of a size to cope
with the problem.
“Yet some may be found to
restore the Christian communi
ty, to build up a ‘Christian
clan,’ ” said Father Meyer.
The Maryknoll priest finds a
hint toward a solution in the de
vices used in some mission
areas, coupled with a suggestion
made some years ago by the late
Archbishop John F. Noll, Bish
op of Fort Wayne, Ind.
The mission devices, as he de
scribed them, have a striking
similarity, although they were
adopted independently. All of
them, he pointed out, were de
signed to meet problems basic
ally similar to these found in
the American urban parishes.
“In Japan, all members of a
parish are organized in a ‘Neigh
borhood Association’ which
meets regularly and follows a
parishwide discussion - action
program. This program grew out
of the necessity for organizing
converts, cut off from their old
associations for mutual support.
“In the Philippines, owing to
a shortage of priests, it has been
found helpful to organize each
person so that every parishion
er belongs to a ‘Barangay (clan)
of The Virgin.’ ”
In parts of Africa, because of
the need to provide a Christian
equivalent of the tribal struc
ture, every convert is recriuted
into a Catholic Action cell. He
is told, “This is the Christian
tribe.”
The fundamental idea behind
these programs, Father Meyer
declared, was anticipated years
ago in Archbishop Noll’s pro
gram for “block organization”
of every parish. This, he said,
is the heart of his own proposal.
The Fort Wayne prelate sug
gested that in every parish,
Holy Name men should be ap
pointed as block captains and
lieutenants. The “block” would
not be geographical; its size'
would vary with the concentra
tion of Catholics. “I would say
each ‘block’ would have 15 or
20 families,” Father Meyer said.
One function of the block cap
tain would be to maintain a
perpetual census of his area.
Another would be to welcome
newcomers — and, beyond this,
to integrate them fully in the
life of the parish.
“But the program doesn’t stop
there,” Father Meyer cautioned.
“This is only the beginning, the
structure.”
For the success of the block
plan, he said, two things are
necessary: “First, participation
of the people on a neighborhood
level. Second, formation of lead
ers by meeting with priests.”
“This may sound at first like
the program of a specialized
Catholic Action group, like the
Christian Family Movement or
the Young Christian Workers,”
he said. “But it is very different,
because it does not depend upon
or appeal to a specially dedicat
ed, specially educated elite. It
is supposed to include every
body, and to work at a level
that will make such mass par
ticipation possible.”
“Moreover, it is unlike spe
cialized Catholic Action because
it depends more on the priest;
it is more directive,” he contin
ued. “The prog ram for the
neighborhood meetings comes
from the priest, though it is dis
cussed at the leaders’ meetings.”
Father Meyer said a typical
meeting at the neighborhood
level would begin with a dis
cussion of a Gospel passage, to
gether with its social applica
tion — its meaning in their own
lives. The passage would first
have been discussed at the lead
ers’ meeting, so that a leader
coming into his own group
would be prepared to direct dis
cussion into profitable channels.
“Next there would be a brief
discussion on some point of the
Church’s teaching. Though theo
logically based, the discussion
would stress rather the family
and community application of
the doctrine.
“For example, from a dis
cussion of the sacraments the
group would be led to consider
the advantages of family Com
munion and of family prayer in
general. A discussion of charity
would lead to concrete ideas
about t h e corporal and spi
ritual works of mercy.
“Then — and this is crucial —
the meeting takes up the appli
cation of the Gospel teaching
and the doctrine of the Church
to specific family, neighborhood,
or community problems —
things that are really bothering
these people, that they meet
every day, especially the ones
that grow out of modern social
changes.
“Of course, just as in special
ized Catholic Action,” he said,
“the test of the meeting’s suc
cess would be the development
of ideas through discussion, and
then the taking of action, ap
propriate action.”
Father Meyer stated he is
convinced that, in a sense, spe
cialized Catholic Action is
“doomed to fail” unless sup
plemented by a program such as
the one he outlined.
K. C. Auxiliary
Meet At Albany
ALBANY — The Knights c
Columbus Auxiliary met o
Tuesday night July 22nd i
the home of Mrs. John Ros:
1313 Fourth Ave., with the pres
ident, Mrs. Fred Mills, presiding
Mrs. Peter Pagelow and Mr:
Frank Hertz were welcomed a
new members. Mrs. Marie Fie
ming introduced her daughtei
Mrs. Lincoln Heighten, who i
visiting here from Maplewooc
New Jersey.
Reports were given by th
committee chairmen. The men
bers were also reminded of th
fish fry to be sponsored by th
Knights and is open to member
and their friends.
Mrs. George Hughey, Jr. ex
tended an invitation to the Aux
iliary to hold the August meel
ing at her home. The meetin;
was adjourned and refresh
ments were served. The hostes
was assisted in serving by Mrs
Tommy Coleman. Fifteen mem
bers were present.
Remember Your
Pledge To The
Bishop's Campaign
In the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Turin, Italy,
Martin Wou, Chinese Salesian deacon is ordained by Bishop
Michael Arduino, S.D.B., who was expelled from his Dio
cese of Shiu Chow, Ku Kong, China. Studying theology in
Italy or England are 35 other Chinese Salesians of Saint
John Bosco. After ordination they will work in Hong Kong,
Macao, and the Philippine Islands, awaiting the opening of
the Bamboo Curtain. (NC Photos)
REDS “TIGHTENING SCREWS’ 1
ON CHRISTIANS, MISSIONARY
JUST RELEASED REPORTS
(N.C.W.C News Service)
CHICAGO, — The commun
ists will not be satisfied until
Christianity is wiped out en
tirely in Red China, a mission
ary who was imprisoned five
years in that country declared
on his arrival here.
“Yes, they are tightening the
screws,” said Father Cyril P.
Wagner, O.F.M., who lost 50
pounds during his imprison
ment in Shanghai and now
weighs only 110 pounds.
Father Wagner arrived at
Midway Airport here with his
brother, Father Anthony Wag
ner of Teutopolis, 111., who had
gone to San Francisco to greet
him on his return to the United
States. From the airport, the
missionary went to St. Augus
tine’s church, where he offered
Mass.
Father Wagner asserted that
75 Chinese priests now in
Shanghai have been ordered, by
what is “practically an ulti
matum,” to give up Christianity
or face execution. Reiterating
his statement about the Chinese
Reds’ all-out offensive against
Christianity, he added that
“things in China are getting
worse today, rather than better.”
A native of Pittsburgh, Fa
ther Wagner was sentenced to
five years’ imprisonment by the
Chinese communists in June,
1953, on charges of “espionage
and sabotage for American im
perialists,” an allegation level
ed against all American mis
sionaries jailed by the Reds af
ter they took over the Chinese
mainland in 1949.
Father Wagner said he had
not been guilty of the charge,
but that some of his church du
ties were distorted by the Reds
so they could be used against
him in the trial.
Although he is 51 years old,
the missionary said he would
like to return to China to help
give spiritual aid to some three
million Catholics there who are
now prevented by the commu
nists from practicing their
Faith.
Father Wagner said he was
not beaten during his imprison
ment, but had to undergo men
tal torture and frequent ques
tioning. He stated that the Reds
even forbade him to move his
lips. He added, however, that
he and the other prisoners
sometimes got around the ban
on talking.
“We just scratched symbols on
the earth floor,” he explained.
Among priests who greeted
Father Wagner at the airport
were Father Fulgence Gross, O.
F.M., of Oak Forest, Ilk, who
was released from a Red China
prison last year; Father Joseph
Eckelkamp, O.F.M., of the
Franciscan headquarters in Chi
cago; and Father Valerian
Schott, O.F.M., pastor of St.
Augustine’s church.
RED MASS
LOS ANGELES, (NC) — A
Red Mass will be offered in
conjunction with the opening
of the 81st meeting of the
American Bar Association here
August 24.
His Eminence James Francis
Cardinal McIntyre, Archbishop
of Los Angeles, will preside and
Timothy Manning of Los Ange
les will be the celebrant.
Services For
Miss Conner
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Funeral
services for Miss Emily Connor
were held July 18th at the
Chapel of the Little Sisters of
the Poor.
Survivors are several nieces
and nephews.
Guide Church Mission Program
The Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith-
world-wide missionary organization of the Catholic church
Has some 31-million Catholics under its jurisdiction and a
multi-million dollar budget. The Congregation has 22 Cardi
nals serving on its top board. Cardinal Fum&soni-Biondi
(center) is its Prefect. Assisting him are Gregory Peter XV
Cardinal Agagianian (right), recently appointed Pro-Prefeet
succeeding the late Cardinal Samuel Stritch and Archbishop
Pietro Sigismondi (left) Secretary of the Congregation.
(NC Photos)