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PAGE 4—True; BULLETIN,, December 9, 1981 WILL THE CONGO BANKRUPT THE U.N.? P Sum and Substance The U. N. is in trouble. For long months it has been plag ued by the threat of Red China’s admission into the or ganization, by the problem of disarmament, the Soviet test explos- i o n s, the t r o ubles in Algeria, An gola, South Africa. Now the Congo seems to be just about the toughest task that has ever confronted the world organization. The pessi mists say that the whole ter ritory is a festering sore that will never heal. The fact is that the Congo enterprise may bankrupt the U. N. By the end of 1961, it will have cost about 180 mil lions of dollars. The United States will pay about half this expense. But there is a lim it— and Adlai Stevenson, the American ambassador to the U. N., has recently pointed this out. WHO MUST PAY? Speaking at the dedication of the new Fordham Law School at Lincoln Square, New York City on November 17th he asked the question: “Who must pay to save the Congo,” Ultraconservatives would prob ably answer, “Pull the U. N. troops out of that jungle and let the natives slaughter each other as they have done in the past.” Which answer would delight the Soviets who hope to get their hands on the rich natural resources of the Con go. In speaking at the Fordham REV. JOHN B. SHEERIN, C.S.P. dedication, Stevenson said: “The stark fact is that if the members will not pay for the United Nations, they will not have it.” He maintained that it is time for the defaulting na tions of the U. N. to realize that the U. S. cannot continue to shoulder gigantic drain on its capital: “Do other nations perhaps think that the United States, although we do not call the tune at the U. N., and do not wish to, can somehow be pre vailed upon to pay the piper?” In his talk Stevenson made a stirring plea for the U. N. and for the World Court. He urged especially that the Con nolly Amendment be repealed so that the World Court could become a functioning court of justice. To me the response of his learned audience was most significant. His hearers were members of the judiciary and represen tatives of 20 law schools throughout the country. As he was delivering his plea for re- p e a 1 of the controversial amendment, I thought of the flood of mail coming to my office from “the radical right” describing advocates of repeal as pro-communists. Most of this mail is vituperative, alarmists, emotional. So I wondered what would be the reaction of legal experts to Stevenson’s views on this legal question. The audience gave him sus tained and enthusiastic ap plause. The vehemence of the applause seemed to catch him off balance. Obviously he had not expected it—at least not to such a degree of fervor. He had probably expected the Congo troubles to sour the au dience on the U. N. His face lighted up and he quipped into the microphone: “I must leave now to preach the Gospel to the Soviets at the U. N.” 'FINANCIAL VETO' The very day that Steven son was giving his Fordham talk, a 15-nation committee came up with a suggestion about the problem of financ es. After studying the prob lem for many months ,the com mittee proposed that the mat ter be referred to the World Court. The U. N. Charter says spe cifically that expenses of the organization must be borne by members of the organization. But countries like Soviet Rus sia have been trying to frus trate the Congo operation by means of “a financial veto” on the grounds that nations should not have to support military activities to which they have political objections. If the World Court should rule that the member nations are obligated to pay for the Congo operation a fair share of the cost, some of them will probably leave the U. N. This may mean the death of the IJ. N. or at least the cessation of the U. N. activities in the Con go. With the U. N. out of the Congo, Russia will have a free hand to exploit the civil strife that will continue to break out among the warring tribes. The inevitable result must be a war between the U. S. and Russia for the Congo. For we would never allow the So viets to control this territory from which they could fan out to gain a death grip on the entire continent of Africa. CONTROVERSIAL VIEW ON BIRTH CONTROL JOHN C. O'BRIEN The A writer for The Center for the Study of Democratic Insti tutions, financed by the Fund for the Republic, has raised the question whether Catholic the ology obliges Catholics in non- Catholic countries to work for laws banning the sale and d i s tribution of contracep tives. He also has suggested an answer which is bound to stir up controversy among American Catholics. The writer, Norman St. John-Stevas, himself a Cath olic, maintains that in a dem ocratic country like the United States Catholics do have the right to work for passage of such laws, using all normal political means, such as public campaigns, distribution of lit erature, and lobbying of legis lators, to attain their end. WOULD IT BE WISE? By such means in the past, he notes, laws restricting gambling, betting and drinking have been added to the statute books, but not by Catholics. St. John-Stevas might have added that the groups who have lob bied for the restrictive laws he mentions often have accused Catholics of trying to impose their views of morality upon others when they have opposed legislation authorizing artici- cial contraception. But, while St. John-Stevas concedes Catholics the right to work for statutory prohibitions against the sale of contracep tives, he suggests that whether it would be wise for them to do so is open to considerable doubt. Because laws prohibiting the sale of contraceptives and cli nics for instruction in their use have proved generally in effective, St. John-Stevas ar gues that Catholic support of such legislation would contrib ute little to public morality. Laws embodying moral pre cepts, St. John-Stevas suggests, are only enforceable when they are supported by a correspond ing moral concensus in the community. In proof of this he cites the fiasco of prohibition under the Volstead Act. The most stringent bans against contraception are on the sta tute books of Massachusetts and Connecticut, which even makes the use of contracep tives a crime. Yet, save for the exclusion of birth control cli nics, the statutes in these states are without effect. Catholic efforts to put such legislation on the books or to extend it to areas where it is not now in force, therefore, in the opinion of the author of the study, would be ineffective so far as results are .concerned. At the same time, he sug gests, they would tend to in* crease the fear of Catholicism in the minds of non-Catholics and increase the likelihood that when Protestants visual ize the Church the image will be not that of a religious body but of a political power struc ture. MIDDLE ROAD Instead of working for a to tal legislative ban on contra ceptives, St. John-Stevas rec ommends that Catholics should try to prevent the state from becoming an advocate of con traception, to keep the state neutral on the issue. He also believes that Catholics could well support measures com manding rather general sup port, such as the banning of sales of contraceptives from slot machines and restriction of sale to adults. One or more Catholic hos pitals have incurred adverse criticism from some quarters for denying non-Catholic doc tors on their staffs the right to give birth control advice to patients in the hospital and terminating the services of such doctors if they give such advice to their patients outside the hospital. St. John-Stevas upholds the right of Catholic hospitals to ban the giving of birth con trol advice within their walls, but he maintains that what non-Catholic doctors do outside the hospital is none of the hos pital’s business. As for the giving of birth control advice to patients in tax-supported public hospitals, St. John-Stevas sees no solu tion but a compromise such as has been worked out in New York. There a doctor in a public hospital may give birth control advice to a female patient if she wishes it or if her health would be jeopardized by preg nancy. But contraceptive ad vice not required for medical reasons is left to voluntary ag- enceis and doctors in private practice. Employees of the hospital having religious or moral objections to contracep tive procedures are excused from participating.' CHURCH'S UNITY KINDLES STUDENT'S INTEREST Sharing Our Treasure God seldom sends the grace of conversion through a vacu um. He channels it usually through men and women who act as His ambassadors in spreading the Faith. To all His followers Je sus addresses the words first spoken to the Apos tles: “You shall be wit nesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Judea, in Sa maria and even to the very ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). You can witness for Christ by telling others of your wonder ful religion and the happiness it brings you, by giving them Catholic literature and bring ing them to Mass. This is illustrated in the REV. JOHN A. O'BRIEN conversion of Marc K. West, a high school student in Miami, Florida. “I was reared a Bap tist in Greenville, South Caro lina,” related Marc, “and at tended Sunday school virtual ly every week. I painted mu rals of the life of Christ in the Sunday school rooms. “While in the seventh grade I became interested in the Catholic religion and read ex tensively about it as well as other religions, including non- Christian ones. I was impress ed with the marvelous unity of the Catholic Church which has spanned 19 centuries and has members in every land. They believe the same doctrines, en gage in the same worship, especially the Mass, and ac knowledge the same supreme spiritual head. “In contrast are the radical differences of belief among the hundreds of non-Catholir de nominations, with members of the same sect frequently dif fering among themselves. Sure ly this is a far cry from the teaching of Jesus who insisted upon unity of faith among His followers, saying: ‘There shall be one fold and one shepherd’ (John 10:16). “My first real contact with Catholics came when I entered St. Francis Hospital for an ap pendectomy. Here I attended Mass for the first time. I was impressed with the reverence and devotion of the worshipers. My interest in the Catholic re ligion deepened and I read ‘Father Smith Instructs Jack- son.’ That brought out vividly the divine foundation of the Catholic Church and the con tinuity of the popes from St. Peter to the present pontiff. “It was clear to me that Concern About Unity DALLAS — Concern about Christian reunion by Protest ants and Orthodox Christians puts “to shame many indif ferent and self-satisfied Cath olics, a Canadian bishop said here. The statement was made by Bishop Wilfrid Emmett Doyle of Nelson, B. C., at the 11th national Congress of the Con fraternity of Christian Doc trine. network in cooperation with the National Council of Cath olic Men. Responsibility To City WILMINGTON, Del. — Sub urbanites must assume respon sibility for social conditions in Lauds CCD DALLAS, Tex. — President Kennedy said the Confraterni ty of Christian Doctrine’s grass roots progress of reli gious instruction gives promise of a healthy future for the na tion. He made the comment in a telegram sent from Hyannis Port, Mass., to Bishop Thomas K. Gorman of Dallas-Fort Worth, host to the gathering of the Church agency charged with relgiious instruction of Catholics outside Church schools. flffffpW Hiiimi Imt ■idmlim f f ffjffeft , * i f lift iff ||i Iff fill * *# fi III mn tmmlm Jpfffi * the city, Msgr. John J. Egan, director of the Chicago Arch diocesan Conservation Council, said in an address here. He criticized suburbanites who “continue to enjoy their material responsibility and . . . manage to avoid any real re sponsibility,” he said. “They cram the city’s ex pressways and scorn its slums,” he said. The Chicago prelate declared that Catholics have a duty to “be involved in every level of civic activity . . . not because there is a dogma to be defend ed or a convert to be made, but because there is a civil so ciety to be built.” Hindu Woman Leaves Convent TRIVANDRUM, India—V. F. Gangakutty, 21-year-old Hindu woman who created a stir in the Hindu press when she en tered a Convent in Palai, has left the convent and returned home. Last October, in the face of charges that she had been forced to enter the Kaniyakat WHY WE LOVE HER It Seems to Me Disney Commended NEW YORK — The Catholic Bishops’ committee for motion pictures has extended a special commendation to Walt Disney and his associates for the “out standing contribution” which their films made to “family entertainment” in 1961. Adoration Convent and was being kept there against her will, Miss Gangakutty told newsmen and police investiga tors: “I am here of my own free will and I desire to be a Christian and a Sister.” After her father, a Hindu priest, had threatened to go on a fast unless she returned home, she left with her brother who had come to visit her. People who travel by air to the capital city of Washington tell me that the first thing that takes the eye is the Na tional Shrine of the Immac ulate Con ception, with its great blue and white dome and its splendid spire hold ing aloft a golden cross. This is one of earth’s most majestic edifices. Only eight other basilicas compare with it in size, and I know of none that to my taste is more beautiful as it is approached by the vast granite steps as cending to the magnificent main entrance. The shrine is a tribute of America’s Catholics to the Virgin Mary who is the na tion’s patroness. The bishops dedicated the country to her, under her title of the Immac ulate Conception, a few years before she appeared to St. Bernadette at Lourdes in Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testa ment and that the Catholic Church is the institution which He established to transmit His teachings to all nations. Surely Christ would see to it that His Church would not mislead peo ple by teaching falsehood. For that reason He conferred upon Peter the power not only of ruling the Church but also of safeguarding her from false hood. “I was also greatly impress ed with the Biblical basis for the Church’s teaching regard ing confession. I couldn’t see how anyone who claimed to get his religion from the Bible only could escape the clear meaning of Christ’s words to His first priests: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained’ (John 20:23). Why would Christ solemnly confer this power upon His priests if He did not intend it to be the ordinary means of obtaining forgive ness? “I called at Corpus Christi Rectory, where Father Joseph O’Shea gave me a complete course of instruction. Though I was already convinced that the Catholic Church is the one true Church, that course deep ened my conviction. The Church had a logical answer for all my questions. Upon the completion of the instructions I was baptized and for the first time received our Eucharistic Lord in Holy Communion. Great indeed was my joy and gratitude to God for His pre cious gift. Father O’Brien will be glad to have converts send their names and address to him at Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana, so he may write up their conversion sto ries. JOSEPH BREIG France and introduced herself with the words: "I am the Immaculate Con ception." The feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, is a holy day for Catholic Americans. Rightly understood, further more, it is a family feast of all human beings of good will of all times—from our father Ad am to the, last person who, perhaps aeons from now, will be born into the universe. Christianity’s roots in Is rael are richly commemorated among the inscriptions chisel led into the stone of the shrine. And this is as it should be, be cause the immaculate concep tion was a focal point in the fulfillment of God’s covenant with humanity, and of His promises given through the prophets. WE ARE KEENLY consci ous of the mysterious diversi ty in mankind; of the multi plicity of unique persons shar ing human nature. We are much less keenly conscious of the equally mysterious one ness, solidarity, of mankind. But it is so real that Adam’s fall involved us all. The approach of the promis ed Redeemer was signalled by the special redemption of the Jewish maiden Mary, from whom God elected to take flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone in His incarnation in Christ, the Son Mary was to bring forth. SHE WAS REDEEMED, as the theologians say, “by antic ipation.” The salvation which Christ was bringing to us was applied to her in the instant of her conception in her mother’s womb; she was set apart, from the beginning of her existence, from Adam’s fall. In her was begun the work of the Savior for whose advent the Jaws had prepared the way by their centuries of la bor and agony in the service of the one true God. The Sav ior was not yet born; but He is God as well as man, and in eternity He had selected this Virgin to be His Mother. Therefore she was preserved from the spiritual sickness of the rest of us, mysteriously inherited from our first fore bear. THE MOST GRAPHIC statement of this doctrine that I have heard was given by a Catholic street corner lectur er in his answer to a man who remarked that he did not be lieve in the immaculate con ception. “Do you believe in original sin?” the speaker inquired. The man said no. “In that case,” the speaker (Continued on Page 5) K. Helps .Build Rectory VANCOUVER, B. C. — Sov iet Premier Nikita Khrushchev probably doesn’t know it but he’s helping (in a way) to build St. John the Apostle par ish rectory here. Four dolls he sent to Diane Allison of this city, in answer to a request made by her fa ther, were placed on exhibition at the pairsh Christmas Carni val. Purpose of the carnival was to help build a new rec tory. Ghana Parish Has 20 Schools YENDI, Ghana — Our Lady of Lourdes parish in northern Ghana has built 20 school dur ing the past year, it has been reported by its pastor, Rev. Charles Erb, S.V.D. Temporary schools have been erected in 19 villages, as well as a boarding school for girls. From 30 to 45 pupils at tend each of the village schools. Mass For Fire Victims CIHCAGO — A memorial Mass for the 95 victims of the December 1, 1958, Our Lady of the Angels School fire was offered in Our Lady of the An gels Church. Three nuns and 92 children died in the fire. A modern, fireproof three- story school has replaced the old building. Since the fire, 335 Chicago schools have in stalled sprinkler systems and 70 others are installing sys tems. Medieval Man NEW YORK — Literary and philosophical works of the Middle Ages will be used to form a “composite image” of medieval man on a nationwide television program, December 10. The program is one in a four-part Christmas season TV series produced by the CBS Vatican Radio To WCC VVATICAN CITY — Parti cipants in the general assembly of the World Council of Churches at New Delhi, India, have assurances from the Vat ican of the best wishes and prayers of the world’s Catho lics. The assurance came in a Vatican Radio news commen tary. The news commentator briefly reviewed the history of WCC assemblies, pointing out that the first was held in Am sterdam in 1948 and the second at Evanston, Ill., in 1954. He noted that the theme of the Evanston assembly was “Jesus, Hope of the World,” and the theme of the current assembly is “Jesus, Light of the World.” He also said that on Sunday, Nov. 19, a letter signed by all the Bishops of the Netherlands was read in all that nation’s Catholic Churches, inviting Catholics to pray and make sacrifices that “Christ, Light of Truth, might free the world from the darkness of division.” LEGACY FOR YOUTH By BARBARA C. JENCKS No letter coming to my desk has ever contained such an enclosure as the one now recorded in this column. I re ceived it after the Christmas holiday several years ago. Margaret McGill, a teacher in a Woonsocket, Rhode Is land, high school, who is now studying at the University of Dublin, sent in an essay from a high school student. There appeared to be nothing startling at first. Miss McGill wrote that Constance Krasowska, English teacher at Woonsocket High School, had played the record, “The Lady and the Juggler,” to her 2-F English class. It was offered as a background for an essay on the theme of a “Gift at Christ mas.” The essays were due the last day before Christmas vacation. Among the essays passed in and especially cited by Miss Krasowska was one written by Simone Savoie on “My Great est Gift To God.” The essay read: “There are many things which I would like to give to God, but my greatest is my life. God is the One who created me and for Him I live. If He wanted to take my life away, I would not hesitate nor be afraid. God has put me on this earth to serve a purpose and it is my duty to find what job I am supposed to serve while I am here. I will and must go on praying to God for the help I need. “My life may not be much compared to gold and silver and other riches but that is all I can offer besides praying to Him. There are many people who are afraid to give their lives, so instead they give things. God appreciates everything that is given to Him for He understands. Then if poor people had nothing to give, a little prayer would satisfy God. “I have nothing to give to God except my love and my life, and I’m sure God appreciates it. I could pray to God and offer that to Him but my life is my greatest treasure and that I would offer to Him anytime.” This essay is exceptional from a freshman high school student under any conditions. A week later, Our Lord re ceived Simone Savoie’s “greatest treasure” on His Birthday. Returning from Midnight Mass in Woonsocket, Simone was the only one killed in her group in an automobile acci dent. She left this breathtaking legacy for her fellow youth . . . and a little child shall lead them. By David Q. Lipiak Q. I am an invalid, living wiih my son and daughter- in-law. Until recently, when we moved into a new parish, I was in the habit of re ceiving Communion on the first Friday of every month. In our new parish, however, the priests are unable to bring Communion to me on the first Fridays (the list is already overcrowded), but told me they would be very happy to bring Communion on the Saturday following each first Friday. My ques tion is this: Can I still ob serve the first Friday devo* tion correctly if I receive on the first Saturday instead? (Continued on Page 5) 0 2ft)* Sullrtfti 41® STH ST.. AUGUSTA, GA. Published fortnightly by the Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia, Inc., with the Approbation of the Most Reverend Bishop of Savannah; and the Most Reverend Bishop of Atlanta. Subscription price $3.00 per year. Subscription included in membership in Catholic Laymen’s Association. Second class mail privileges authorized at Monroe, Ga. Send notice of change of address to P. O. Box 320, Monroe, Ga. REV. FRANCIS J. DONOHUE REV. R. DONALD KIERNAN Editor Savannah Edition Editor Atlanta Edition JOHN MARK WALTER Managing Editor REV. LAWRENCE LUCREE, REV. JOHN FITZPATRICK, Associate Editors, Savannah Edition. Vol. 42 Saturday, December 9, 1961 No. 14 ASSOCIATION OFFICERS GEORGE GINGELL, Columbus President MRS. DAN HARRIS, Macon Vice-President TOM GRIFFIN, Atlanta Vice-President NICK CAMERIO, Macon Secretary JOHN T. BUCKLEY, Augusta Treasurer ALVIN M. McAULIFFE, Augusta Auditor JOHN MARKWALTER, Augusta Executive Secretary MISS CECILE FERRY, Augusta Financial Secretary
