Bulletin (Monroe, Ga.) 1958-1962, May 27, 1961, Image 7
\ [BOOKS@ (MAKE 1 La ( HOME m lAdrlterd an (/ t^eaderd EDITED BY LEO J. ZUBER 2332 North Decatur Rd. Decatur, Georgia A. M.D. G. For the greater glory of God and for the spiritual benefit of authors, publishers, reviewers and readers. * * * MEXICO. LAND OF MA RY'S WONDERS, by Joseph L. Cassidy, St. Anthony Guild, 1958, 192 pp., map, illus., $4.00, and OUR LADY COMES TO AMERICA, by Raphael Gras- hoff, Grail, 1958, 37 pp., 35c. Reviewed by Leo J. Zuber Less than forty years after Columbus discovered this con tinent, the Blessed Mother ap peared to a Mexican Indian, baptized as Juan Diego, and, in a Veronica-in-reverse ges ture, she left her image clear ly imprinted on his coarse cloak. Mary’s appearances and her message and great gift to the startled Aztec occurred in December 1531. Lourdes? That was over 325 years later. Fa tima? Over 385 years later than Giiadalupe. America had pri ority. That cloak, which the most zealous doubters of miracles cannot explain away, now en shrined in the cathedral at Guadalupe (Mary asked for a chapel), greatly beloved as it is and has every right to be is but one of many Marian shrines in that land. Nearly thirty of these are described briefly and individually illu strated in Father Cassidy’s book. Our Lady Comes io America is exclusively on Our Lady of Guadalupe. Neither book is newly published yet each, because of its subject, is perennially new. With the travel and sight- “It is my wish that a chapel be built to me in this place. Here I will show myself a loving Mother to all in these lands, and to those who love and seek, me, implore my protection, and call on me in their labors and afflictions. Here I will manifest the tender compassion I feel for your people, listening to their lamentations and supplications and giving them con solation and relief. No?ie who seek me here in true need or affliction shall go away unconsoled.” Words of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, to Juan Diego, at Tepeyac, Mexico, December 9, 1531. Original charcoal sketch by Marilyn C. Herrin, based on various sources. THOMAS PACKING COMPANY PHONE 5534 P. 0. BOX 333 GRIFFIN, GEORGIA seeing season hard on us, with avowed and overt Communism at our very sills in season and out, it is timely to recall our priority, to remember and to view with perspective some of the riches which our American Catholic heritage bears today from its roots in the past. Besides, May and Mary are only one little letter apart. AMERICAN CATHOLICISM, by John Tracy Ellis, Rand Mc Nally 1956, 208 pp., $1.25. Reviewed by Msgr. George J. Flanigen For those who want a quick survey of Catholic history in the United States the 159-page text of this little paperback book is the answer. Only one thoroughly familiar with the field could have compressed the intricate subject into so few pages and made it intelli gible. Msgr. Ellis is professor of history at the Catholic Uni versity of America, secretary of the American Catholic His torical Asosciation and prob ably the greatest living au thority on American Catholic history. The four chapters are re visions of the four Walgreen Lectures Msgr. Ellis gave at the University of Chicago in January 1955. With quick but masterful strokes the author first paints the picture of America from its discovery by Columbus to the establishment of the American hierarchy in 1790. His second chapter traces the Catholics’ attainment of religious liberty and their growth in the young nation. This section dealing with the last half of the nineteenth cen tury outlines the part that Catholics played in the Civil War and the great growth of the Church in this country due to the tides of immigration. From 1908 on Msgr. Ellis designates as the period when the Church reached maturity. The book is one of the American Civilization Series being published by the Uni versity of Chicago. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, by Denis Meadows (Paper back-book edition, All Saints Press, Inc., N. Y. 246 pp., in dexed, 60c; hard cover edition, Devin-Adair Co., N. Y., $4.50.) Reviewed by W. L. Schmidt The availability of a paper bound, news stand type edi tion of this book is significant of one purpose. It is meant for average laymen. Denis Mead ows serves this person well, for there are no deep theolog ical discussions of controver sies that raged at various times during the Church’s twenty centuries of growth and development. There is, in stead, a clear presentation of the founding and progress to wards its present state of existence that is excitingly readable. One fact stands out in al most every page. The Church, though Divinely founded and guided, is made up of human beings. As its members in cluded saints and sinners, so were there among its Popes and Ministers saints and sin ners. There are no punch-pull ing words, nor quick passov- ers, in presenting those years during which the Church’s leaders were men of the world rather than of God. But these always occurred at intervals during which some of them became intricately entwined in temporal affairs, and in governmental patronages when much sight was lost of man’s spiritual needs. But that the Church continued, and grew nevertheless, and that no fundamental errors evolved in its teachings is proof that Christ was always at the helm of Peter’s bark, or at least stood right behind it. The many saints that lived during "Light, Chief?" From Brother Juniper At Work And Play, by Father Justin McCarthy, Hanover House, 1960, 126 pp, $1.00. these various perilous times attest to that also. There is a raising interest, now, on all sides of us in the Catholic Church. In the urg- ings that every Catholic fa miliarize himself more and more with his Faith, and its history, this book is eminently timely and rewarding in its reading. ARE WE GOING SECU LAR? by Joseph H. Fichter, S.J., Marquette University Press, 1960, 32 pp., paper cover, 50c. Reviewed by Joseph Power One part of our civilization and culture is the way we think and the way we do the things of our politics and so ciety. Are we, as citizens, for getting God when we think and decide about politics and about our way of living our lives in the midst of our fellow citizens? The author uses his profes sional field of sociology to sug gest some of the answers: “. . . it was one of the criti cisms of (the churches in the U. S. A.) ... as early as 1926, that (our churches) perform such a wide variety of non religious functions in drawing our people together.” Father Fichter resolutely holds up to view the B.Y.P.U. of a Baptist congregation; a Sodality sponsoring a fashion show; the Hadassah busy about a corporate work of mercy. “Many of these activities have the . . . function of making the parish or congregation some thing more than just another formal association of human beings. A case in point, clearly demonstrated by research, is the way in which a parochial elementary school acts as a focus . . . for the total parish.” The brochure is eminently readable. The reader must, however, be a working reader. THE CONVERSION OF AUGUSTINE, Romano, Guar ding Newman, 1960, 253 pp., $3.95. Reviewed by Flannery O'Connor In his introduction to this analysis of St. Augustine’s adessey, Msgr. Guardini notes two approaches usual in deal ing with his subject, both of which he has tried to avoid. One of these sees the Confes sions as a record of a conver sion from evil to good, the out come only being of interest, FATHER JOSE LUIS DESCALZO, author of A PRIEST CONFESSES (Academy Guild Press, 1961, 218 pp., $3.95), ordained in Rome in 1953, is now alternately teaching in Spain and studying and teaching in Rome. He writes of his personal experiences and impressions during his concluding days as a seminarian, of his ordination and first routine days as a priest, and then his grisly but priestly experience at a train wreck. At times emotional and at others times hard and factual, the volume gives a sincere and convincing ac count of an important segment in a priest’s life. H. D. QUINN FLORIST Phone LE. 4-7315 522 East Avenue Gainesville, Georgia FIRST FEDERAL S&v CtiyA, amt rf'ds&o-cttTtixFK OF GRIFFIN "Service For Over A Third Of A Century" 223 SOUTH SIXTH STREET GRIFFIN, GEORGIA Denies Break Between Cuba, Holy See VATICAN CITY, (Radio, NC) — The secretary of the Cuban embassy to the Holy See, Virgilio Suarez Carreno, has denied reports that Cuba is about to break off diploma tic relations with the Holy See. A major news agency re ported from here that Premier Fidel Castro had recalled Cu ba’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Jose Ruiz Velasco. It also quoted a Vatican source as saying it is not known wheth er or not the Apostolic Nuncio to Cuba, Archbishop Luigi Centoz, is moving about freely in Havana. A check with a competent authority in the Vatican Sec retariat of State revealed that no such statement about Arch bishop Centoz could have been made authoritatively. Mr. Carreno, who is also functioning as charge d’af faires at the Cuban embassy, said it is true that Ambassador Velasco had been absent for several months, but he denied reports of a diplomatic break. the hesitations along the way of no real significance. This view leaves out of account the living man, ignores his psy chology and ends with merely theoretical insights. The other approach goes to the opposite extreme and makes psychology and the living process every thing and ends seeing the sub ject as a case history. Msgr. Guardini has steered well in between these two approaches and has produced a psycho logical study well informed on spiritual realities. He unfolds Augustine’s story on ethical levels and on the levels of mind and idea as well. The re sult is as penetrating a study of the saint as We are liable to get. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which is de signed to elucidate some of the key Augustinian ideas. It seems unfortunate that this more abstract material had to be put by itself at the begin ning. The second part, which is an interpretation of Augus tine’s spiritual drama, is the more readable section. In any case, it is good to have a book on St. Augustine by Msgr. Guardini. THE SOUL OF THE NA TIONS, Addresses delivered at the International Congress of Universal Christian Humanism, Bruce, 166 pp., $3.95. Reviewed by W. L. Schmidt To be good or bad is easy for the Russian. To be indif ferent is quite difficult. This stems from the great Messianic expectations long hidden in the Russian soul, and the firm conviction that the most pre cious thing for a man is life, and next to life is the part he plays in the world struggle for the liberation of humanity. This struggle will be a victori ous one simply as a result of human and natural forces, be lieves the Russian atheist. The Russian with religious convic tions knows it will come from the hands of God. This examination of the Russian Soul by Professor Irene Posnoff, daughter of a famous Orthodox theologian, and one of the ten contribu tors to this book, cuts deep into understanding of Russia today. Other examinations are equally enlightening. Msgr. Vincent W. Jeffers’ analysis of the Soul of Amer ica rests partly on the Declara tion of Independence and its expression of evident truths that “all men are created equal . . . with certain un alienable Rights . . . Life, Lib erty and the Pursuit of Hap piness.” Reiligion is enjoying great prestige in America to day, Msgr. Jeffers says. But it is a vague faith in faith, and an expression of a desire for material or psychological ben efits, of acquiring peace of mind. Though this is not truly religion, it does mark a break with the doctrinaire ma terialism of twenty years ago. It is a turning way from athe ism, and much good can come from this. The Chinese Soul is centered on six cardinal relations of men: Father and Son, Broth ers, Husband and Wife, Friendship, Authority, and Teacher and Pupil. The re spect of children for parents, and other human relationships among the orientals is well known. The turn of events in China, steming from the strug gle for the “liberation of hu manity” or Russian atheists, is pathetic. But it is hoped that the traditional qualities of the Chinese will not allow them selves to be conquered. Interesting expositions of the Soul of India, of the Congo, Latin America, and other countries are contained in this book. Limited space cannot touch on all of them. The prin cipal purpose of the presenta tion of these addresses given three years ago is to give lay men, as well as priests and missionaries, a deeper under standing of other peoples, their traditions and beliefs. A purpose bearing equal weight is that the Church’s mission- use the traditions and beliefs of the people in teaching the Faith and making it practical to their mode of living. JIM ALDREDGE Says REGISTER NOW TO VOTE In The City Primary September 13 THE BULLETIN, May 27, 1961—PAGE 7 kernes To Give It Up Pope Receives Headdress fmm Indian Braves VATICAN CITY, (Radio, NC) — Six teenage American Indians presented an Indian headdress to His Holiness Pope John XXIII — and he refused to part with it. The Indians, from St. John’s Indian Mission at Laveen, Ariz., near Phoenix, were received in private audience by the Pope (May 16). In Italy as the guests of the Italian government, the young braves, ranging in age from 14 to 18, were to take part in the May festival at Sassari, Sardinia, to demonstrate their native dancing and singing skill. Their Christian and Indian names are: Leo Stevenson (Apache Kid); Quentin Case (Timo); Ramon Riley (Aiche- say); John Dawson (Running Hawk); Felix Thompson (Khaye); and Fred Juan (Red Wing). All are Apaches ex cept Juan, who is a Papago. Pope John thanked the braves for the headdress, but added: “You must understand that I will not wear it.” A Vatican prelate standing nearby overheard the Pope’s remarks and asked the Pope to let him have the headdress for a Boy Scout troop he works with. But the Pope replied, “No, it’s too beautiful. I want to keep it as a memento.” Troup Dairies Bottled Health 219 South 6th St. Phone 5557 GRIFFIN, GEORGIA CARUSLE & COMPANY 116 West Poplar Street Griffin, Georgia Phone: 2258 Miss Georgia Enjoy Miss Georgia Qualify Dairy Products All Dairy Products Laboratory Controlled Homogenized Milk, Multi-Vitamin Real Churned Buttermilk and Other Dairy Products Money spent here for Miss Georgia products is not on the go — it stays at home and helps your community grow. G. C. DANIEL, MANAGER 1305 W. TAYLOR ST.. GRIFFIN. GEORGIA m