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Theology for The Layman (Continued from Page 4) Gentile converts began to mul tiply the apostles decided (Acts XV) how far they were bound, or whether they were bound at all by Jewish ritual laws. And they introduced their decisions to the faithful with the words “It has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us.” There were not only changes in circumstances; as the active minds of men inside and out side the Church, got to work upon the teachings, differences arose as to what the words of Christ actually meant—one see ing one meaning in them, an other a contradictory one. Both could not be right. It was not sufficient for the Church mere ly to repeat what Christ had said, because it was precisely as to what this meant that the argument had arisen. But the apostles spoke firmly, deciding between the interpretations with complete authority. Neither of these things—new situations that had to be met, the activity of the un-stasnant mind of man upon the doctrines —ceased with the death of the apostles. They have gone on through the centuries. Every word uttered by Christ has met a great number of differing in terpretations. most of them in-, tell.ieent, some immensely at tractive, but contradicting one another. How are we to know which is the one that Christ meant? Intelligence and attrac tiveness are no substitute. We need the truth, and only His meaning it that. The words themselves can be glorious be cause they are His, but unless we know what He menat by them they are simply glorious words. Unless there is a teacher who can tell us, as the apostles told men. and tell us without the possibility of error, which of the various meanings is His, then we have no Revelation, but only an ever-growing pile of conundrums. When Our Lord said “This is my Body” and gave the apostles what looked like bread to eat— was it His Body? Was it still bread? Did He mean the words to be taken literally or,was He simply using a rather vivid figure of speech? These are not questions that concern only ex perts in Scripture, with the rest of us waiting a few centuries more for the experts to agree. In those centuries, generations of men will live and die: and Our Lord had said (John VI) that unless they should eat the flesh of the Son of Man, they should not have life in them. Endless interpretations have been suggested of Christ’s words (John III) that we are to be born again of water and the Holy Spirit: for example there are those who say that only grown-ups should be baptized, not children, and those who say that the words do not refer to baptism at all, the word water meaning prayer. We had better know who is right; because Christ said that unless this re birth—whatever it is—happens to us, we shall not enter the Kingdom of God. JOTTINGS (Continued from Page 4) rectrtvecr Our Lord rs passed, that the baptismal robe is mud died by many falls. It has not been kept spotless. Is there any one who can watch a first Com munion procession of little boys and girls going to the altar in innocence and purity and not shed a tear at this perfect beau ty in a world so sin-scarred? Or not shed a tear for his own lost youth of innocence and ideal ism? It is good for us to go back often to these major events of our lives. To me, the privilege of these two ceremonies made the joy and peace of Easter more meaningful and the gift of faith which gives admittance to par take in all the solemnities of Holy Week more dear to me. 2 Priests (Continued from Page 1) Seminary, Roland Park, Mary land, where he received his de gree as Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1958. Father Fitzpatrick will sing his first Solemn Mass in the Cathedral of St. John the Bap tist, May 8th at 10:00 A. M. The Rt. Rev. Monsignor T. James McNamara, Rector of the Cathe dral will serve as Assistant Priest. The Rev. Marvin J. Le- Frois, Pastor of St. Theresa’s Church, Albany, Georgia will be Deacon, and the Rev. Francis J. Donohue, Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Port Went worth, Ga., will be Subdeacon. The Rev. Herbert J. Wellmeier, assistant Rector of the Cathe dral will serve as Master of Ceremonies and the Rev. Wil liam V. Coleman, Rector of St. John Vianney’ Minor Seminary will be the Preacher. Father Fitzpatrick will be honored at a reception to be given on Sunday afternoon, May 8th, fro 4:00 P. M. to 6:00 P. M. at the Cathedral Day School. BARRETT & LEACH Famous Prime Western Beef Fancy Groceries - Fresh Vegetables 3771 Roswell Road CE. 7-0355 Atlanta, Ga. FULCHER Electric Service 2161 WEST BROAD ATHENS, GEORGIA ; BELL'S TWO STORES TO SERVE YOU 1247 Prince Avenue 1689 S. Lumpkin Street ATHENS, GEORGIA ATHENS LUMBER COMPANY Successor to R. L. Moss Manufacturing Company Manufacturers of Sash, Doors and Architectural MiHwork PHONE LI. 6-0161 ATHENS, GEORGIA COLONIAL POULTRY COMPANY, Inc. ONETA STREET ATHENS, GEORGIA BOOK REVIEWS EDITED BY EILEEN HALL 3087 Old Jonesboro Hoad., Hapeville, Georgia Each issue of fhis Book Page is confided fo the patronage of Mary, Mediatrix of All graces, with the hope that every reader and every contributor may be specially favored by her and her Divine Son. LOUISE DE MARILLAC, by J. Calvet, Kenedy, $4.95. “In the seventeenth century the religious life for women meant a convent and enclosure together with solemn vows,” ex plains L. C. Sheppard in the introduction to this biography of the foundress, with St. Vin cent de Paul, of the Sisters of Charity. “When Vincent and Louise, therefore, founded the Sisters of Charity as religious women without distinctive habit ... or enclosure, theirs was a consider able innovation; ‘Your convent,’ said Vincent de Paul, ‘will be the house of the sick; your cell a hired room; your chapel, a parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital; your enclosure, obedience; your grill, the fear of God; your veil, holy modesty.’ ” The story of Louise’s child hood and youth, of the begin ning and expansion of her great work, is interestingly told by Monsignor Calvet, former rector of the Institute Catholique of Paris. More interesting still, however, is his account of her interior life and her friendship with St. Vincent de Paul. As Mr. Sheppard concludes: “. . . in Vincent’s relations with her and the fascinating corre spondence that passed between them, we catch a glimpse of the workings of grace in two souls . . . The interplay of character and mind between two persons, particularly when they are bound, as were Vincent and Louise, by the bonds of affection and duty, is never all in one di rection, and Louise’s contribu tion . . . was considerable. She appears in these pages as a wo man . . . who becomes a saint by following God’s call to min ister to his poor.” CHILDREN'S BIBLE, text by W. Hillmann, O.F.M., translated from the German by Lawrence Atkinson, illustrations by Johan nes Gruger, Helicon, $2.50. This small book for children 4 to 10 years old is primarily a superbly colorful picture book which, no doubt, will captivate the very young reader or the one who is still having stories read to him. The book’s format and gay wrapper are works of art as well. Parents and libraries would do well to preserve such beautiful wrappers with plastic jackets. In less than 100 pages, more than half of which are filled with pictures, an internationally famous biblical scholar, Father Hillmann, has presented the principal stories from the Old Testament, adhering closely to the familiar wording of the Bi ble itself. He has achieved a re markable work of condensation and simplification while pre serving as much as possible the original rhythm and phrasing of the Scriptural texts themselves. About one-third of the book is devoted to the Old Testament; the remainder to the New, in cluding a final page on the Lord’s Second Coming. LOVE OR CONSTRAINT? by Marc Oraison, D.D., M.D., Ken edy, $3.75. The absence of an authentic religious consciousness and mor al sense in youth may often be traced to lack of elementary psychological knowledge on the part of parents and teachers of the very young child, according to Father Oraison, a noted French psychiatrist and theolo gian. This is the view that he develops in this new book, sub titled “Some Aspects of Relig ious Education.” Outlining the developmental stages and critical points of the psychic affective life of the child and adolescent, the author shows the dangers of overstressing negative precepts and a too rigid formalism in educational meth ods. In a chapter entitled “Ex amination of the ‘Unconscious’ of Parents” he describes atti tudes or reactions that have no thing to do with the adults’ ra tional choices but which deeply affect the child’s personality and spiritual develonment. In gen eral, he sees religious education in the proper sense as a method that will enable the child to ar rive at a true (as distinguished from a sham or sentimental) knowledge of God and a dynam ic practice of religion and moral ity. Father Oraison received his doctorate in theology from the Catholic Institute of Paris and his degree as a lieutenant in the French army in Indo-China and is at present engaged in clinical research and pastoral work in Paris. THE ADVENTURES OF CATHERINE OF SIENA, story and pictures by Mary Reed Newland, Kenedy, $2.50. Brownie Troop 187 of St. John’s School, Hapeville, listen ed to this book read aloud, ex amined the pictures and con tributed their opinions to make up this review. Although the book is primarily for younger children, these 9- and 10-year- old girls found it completely en chanting. It was read to them as one story; for younger children, the six chapters would be six separate stories. “It is a good book,” the Brownies were unanimous in de claring. “It shows what God will do for us.” “It shows that Christ is in everybody’s soul.” “It tells things we must practice more often.” “U mal <es us wish to do as Catherine Hid.” One Brownie asked, “Did those things really happen?” She was assured that SOUTH AFRICANS FLOCK TO CHURCHES TO PRAY FOR END TO COUNTRY’S RACE CRISIS CAPE TOWN, South Africa, (Radio, NC) — South Africans flocked to their churches on Palm Sunday to pray for an end to the racial crisis that has taken scores of lives in this country in recent weeks. Only a day before the nation’s Prime Minister, Hendrik Ver- woerd, had been shot in an as sassination attempt. The churches were packed in answer to a joint call by the country’s religious leaders to observe Palm Sunday as a na tional day of prayer and penance. Among those joining in the appeal was Archbishop Owen McCann of Cane Town. Leaders of the Dutch Reformed Church also signed the appeal. Their’s the church to which most Afri kaners belong. The Afrikaners are the descendants of the Dutch colonizers of South Afri ca who provide the main sup port of the ruling Nationalist party’s policy of “apartheid” or strict racial segregation. The recent crisis over “apart heid,” repeatedly condemned by the nation’s Catholic Bishops and other religious authorities, came to a head March 21 when police fired into groups of Ne groes demonstrating against the government’s strict identity pass regulations. Under the “apart heid” policy, Negroes have no vote, must live in segregated areas, face severe job restric tions, must obey curfew laws and carry police passes. In their appeal South Africa’s Christian and Jewish leaders said: “There is unanimous agree ment that the greatest need for South Africa at this time is to turn to God for pardon and guidance in the troublous events of today, and Dutch Reformed Church leaders have already called their people to humilia tion and prayer. “It has therefore been de cided to issue through the press and radio a call to the nation to observe this Sunday as a na tional day of prayer and penti- ence and to appeal to citizens of all races and groups to join in prayer on this day and, if possible, to attend some reli gious service for this purpose.” Leaders of the Anglican Church did not sign the appeal, but issued their own similar call. Meanwhile Minister of Ex ternal Affairs Eric Louw has apologized to U. S. Ambassador to South Africa, Philip Crowe, for an editorial in a Nationalist newspaper criticizing him for “gossipping” with opponents of “apartheid.” Among those nam ed ip the editorial were Arch bishop Denis Hurley, O.M.I., of Durban and Leo Boyd, Catholic leader of the Progressive party in Natal province. Mr. Louw said he regretted that the edi torial had suggested that the Amassador had acted in an im proper manner. THE BULLETIN, April 30, 13*0—PAGE 5 Bishop's Address (Continued from Page 1) sons who have assisted me in my work as priest and Bishop. To Almighty God I voice my humble gratitude for the many blessing which He has showered upon me. May these blessings continue upon me and the flock committed to piy care. To the Vicar of Christ on earth, His Holiness Pope John XXIII, I tender my filial devo tion and respectful homage. May his reign be long and may he prosper in the way of God. To His Excellency, The Most Reverend Apostolic Delegate, I reiterate my pledge of obedience and thank him in the name of all for honoring our Diocese upon this occasion. We promise him our prayers to the end that God will protect him and grant him a fruitful apostolate as the representative of the Sovereign Pontiff in the United States. Your Excellency’s presence in Savannah will always be a che rished memory and one of the greatest highlights in the history of this See. To all the visiting Archbish ops, Bishops and Abbots I prof fer my unbounded thanks in ap preciation of the many sacrifices which you have made to be with us today at this ceremony of Installation. To all the visiting Monsignori, priests and laity I am greatly indebted for coming such dis tances to rejoice with me upon this happy day. To all the Priests, Sisters, Brothers and laity of the Diocese of Savannah I repeat again what I have stat ed so frequently in the past— God has blessed our Diocese they really did. There are six Catherines, in cidentally, in this Brownie troop. Although the book’s “message” seemed uppermost in their minds, their attention and in terest showed that they also found its story absorbing and entertaining. THE MARYKNOLL BOOKS OF PEOPLE, by Albert J. Nevins, Crawley, $4.95. “When future historians write of our own times,” says Father Nevins, widely traveled Mary- knoll author, “they will prob ably call the Twentieth Century the Age of Communications. The airplane and the radio have made the globe shrink. Once the interior of China was months away from your own backyard. Today it is only a fraction of a second away by radio, a matter of hours by air plane. What does this mean? It means that we of America are with many good people who are in the true sense of the word cooperators of the Bishoo in the work of Holy Mother Church. Today I send affectionate greetings to Archbishop Gerald O’Hara, whose name is held in such esteem in this Diocese. To him I express my personal grat itude for all the kindness and cooperation which he has shown me during the past three vears. As I have stated before. I fer vently hope that I shall be cap able of continuing the expansion of the work which he inaugurat ed in this State. My final act of thanksgiving is made in behalf of my beloved parents. Over the vears their ex- amnle and devotion have been undoubtedly the most striking influence moon mv life. Neither one is present today at this ce remony. Mv mother was called by death just a few months ago and mv father did not feel well enough to make the jour ney to Savannah. Thev have been trulv inspirational parents to their children and they have made our home a place where God is worshipped and vocations to His holv priesthood nurtured by prayers and sacrifices. With complete confidence in Almighty God and complete faith in the spiritual assistance of my people I am optimistic about the future. Through God and the intercession of Mary, His Immaculate Mother, all things can be accomplished. Upon all of you I beg God’s blessings in the name of the Fa ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. more closely joined with the people of the world. What hap pens in Timbuktu or Ranchipur is as important as what happens down our own block.” . The purpose of his book, he says, “is to introduce you to many of the peoples of the world—people much like our selves, people who cry when they are sad, and laugh when they are happy. People who love their children as we do. People who will remind us that we all belong to one family—the hu man family; that we have one common Father—God.” It is a magnificient book, alive with photographic studies, in color and in black-and-white, of men, women and children who are members of this great human family. Father Nevins’ colorful narrative, accompany ing the pictures, the maps and clever little drawings, all add up to a volume that children and adults alike will find enchanting. QUESTION BOX (Continued from Page 4) variance with human nature.” • * * "CONSCIENCE" isanother commonly abused word. “Con science” (from the Latin cum: “with” plus scientia: “knowl edge”) does not refer to a little voice (like Pinocchio’s Jiminy Cricket), nor to a mysterious emotional faculty. Rather, it merely means a practical judg ment concerning the goodness or the evil of an action: i.e., it represents an application of the principles of morality to a par ticular case in the concrete. In telligence, therefore, and not “feeling” is the key faetor in conscience. Since one can apply the prin ciples of moralitv onlv insofar as he knows and understands them, it follows that a con science may be false as well as correct. (Example: a non-Cath- olic who ha6 been erroneouslv taught bv his minister that di vorce and remarriage is not al ways immoral, or that contra ceptive birth prevention may be morally justifiable under cer tain circumstances.) The sinfulness of evil actions performed with a false con science cannot of course be im puted to the one performing them because of the ignorance from which such actions pro ceed. It is never permissible, though, to act with a doubtful conscience, for in so acting one equivalently rashly exposes himself to the danger of com mitting sin. • • • "HERETIC" is still another abused word. The original sig nificance of the term can be seen in its Greek derivation hairesis: i.e., “choice.” Thus, the early Church lawyer-convert Tertullian describes heresy as an arbitrary choice of doctrines, without taking into account the rule of faith of the Church. Those who introduced heresies did, de facto, pick and choose those parts of Christianity they wanted to retain, while at the same time rejecting other por tions. So that St. Thomas did not hesitate to call heresy a kind of infidelity, by which one has a certain faith in Christ without accepting the whole of His teachings. In its objective sense, heresy now means a teaching which is directly contradictory to a truth revealed by God and proposed to the faithful as such by the Church. Persons who do not know the Catholic Church as such cannot be considered as formal heretics, of course. UPPY'S RESTAI ★ STEAKS DRIVE-IN LtRANT ★ SEAFOOD i 7/ ★ COURTEOUS SERVICE CALLING ORDERS TO GO Atlanta Highway Athens, Ga. BAILEY'S ROOFING - SHEET METAL HEATING - AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS Phones: Liberty 3-5281 — 3-5282 - 3-5283 P. O. Box 106 • Athens, Georgia