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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)