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1 V > Suggested Lenten Reading Jottings By BARBARA C. JENCKS Confirmation At St. Joseph’s, Macon The Southern Cross, February 23, 1963—PAGE 5 r—First For Native U. S. Citizen— MOTHER SETON BEATIFICATION TWO DIARIES, one written by a Jew and the other by a Negro, are paradoxically per- .haps the ideal suggestions for Lenten reading. One is new, the other well known." The >iary of Anne Frank,” avail able in paper back has been both a play on Broadway and a movie. It is the diary of a thirteen .year old Germa n girl recounting without horror the daily fear of the dreadful vio lence which finally claimed her. Nonetheless, her’s is not a de pressing diary. It is an inspir ational book and one I'd place on a list of required reading for every Catholic high school student, as well as recommend ing it strongly for adults who sometimes forget the violent heritage of their Jewish neigh bor. The other book “Child of the Dark” is the diary of a poor Negro woman in the slums of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her’s was a daily crawl through the gar bage pails of the rich on the other side of town to find en ough food for her three ille gitimate youngsters. These books are not pretty books. Yet, they are written by people who have lived in our time and of whom we should know and care. They leave us a legacy of courage and, I hope, toler ance. These may be called “ug ly books” They are for the strong of stomach, as well as heart, but there is a message badly needed for our time in both diaries. A Jewish girl of thirteen in love with the sun shine was finally annihilated in probably the most dreadful act of violence in the history of man when Hitler murdered six million European Jews. Car olina Maria de Jesus lived in the slums of Brazil as an out cast. It could have been Har- lam, New York, or Atlanta, Georgia. Her story is one of the continual battle for food, dignity, a place in the sun. It is the eternal story of those who are born with black skin. LENT, the season of prayer and penance, is the ideal time to read the diaries of the gay young Jewish girl and the tired middle-aged Negress. Their stories could not be more un like or more alike. There is a bravado which masks the stark reality. Both authors make us wonder again at the greatness of the indomitable human spir it. The diaries are simple ac counts of every-day lives. Anne Frank’s diary tells of the pres sures of the cramped attic hid ing place of her family and friends; the lack of food, the continual fear of discovery and what that would mean, and the human-like problems of coping with the personalities of eight people living in such limited quarters. Parts of Anne Frank’s diary are sheer poetry as she tells the bewildering but beautiful experience of grow ing up; the analysis of her own unpredictable disposition, the hurt vanities of those living with her, a favored love for her father and despair at the rift between her mother and herself and of a budding love for the son of the couple who shared the attic hideaway. One of the loveliest journals of growing up I have ever read is hidden under this horror story of Jewish persecution The diary is true, of course, and it does not have a happy ending for Anne Frank’s fam ily were finally ferreted out of their attic and were eventually killed because a man who did not like Jews became a die tator. We have her story to tell us at Lent and at anytime of the tremendous spirit of this teen-ager who forgave and wrote as one of her final en tries: “I still believe that people are really good at heart . . . that peace and tranquility will one day return.’’ THE DIARY by Carolina Mar ia de Jesus shocked Brazil when it was first published. “Child of the Dark’’ has been given widespread coverage. Part of the remarkable appeal is that it is written by a woman who had but two years elementary schooling and whose daily rou tine was pawing through gar bage pails to find food for her three children. Although the liv ing conditions of her family are reported with appalling real ism, the author, had courage and vision somehow that things would be better. Her sordid stories finally came to the attention of a magazine editor and thus they were trans lated for publication in the United States. “When I was writing I was in a golden pal ace with crystal windows and silver chandeliers. My dress was finest satin and diamonds sat shining in my black hair. Then I put away my book and the smells came in through the rotting walls and rats ran over my feet. My satin turned into rags, and the only things shining in my hair were lice.” Somehow this woman, apart from the hundreds upon hun dreds of others who eeked out existence in the Brazilian slums held a strict moral code for her children, fought like a tiger for garbage pail food and trash can clothing so that they could be fed and dressed and thus able to go to school daily. She tried to shield them from the primitive, pagan sights and sounds which were daily and nightly events in her slum section, “the pigsty” as she called it. She writes: “Life is like a book. Only after you’ve read it you know how it ends. It is only when we are at the end of live we know how our life ran. Mine, until now, has been black. As black as my skin. Black as the garbage dump where I live . . . How horrible it is to see your children eat and then ask ‘Is there more?’ This word more bounces inside a mother's head as she search es the cooking pot knowing there isn’t any more.” NO, the diaries of the Jew ish girl and the Negro woman are not pretty reading. The young Jewish girl was almost unaware of “man’s inhumanity to man” whereas the Negro woman was painfully aware of it every moment. The diaries may seem strange to offer as Lenten reading suggestions but the age-old message is here. Others have had to suffer for their beliefs, have valiantly born their crosses. We were chosen, through no merit of our own, to be born of a people signed with the Cross, on Ash Wednesday we are reminded again that as Christians we are responsible for those who suffer any injustices because of race and the color of their skins. In vain we fast or do our little ritual of penances if we do not love our neighbor . . . be he black, Jew, or what ever. Korean Orphan Sponsored By Ga. Prisoners REIDSVILLE- -On Saturday afternoon, February 9th, a group of Georgia State Prison Inmates met in the prison mess hall for something besides complaints. They met to dis cuss their sponsoring a three year old orphan of Korea. These men of the Catholic Forum voted to sponsor little Barbara Hong. She will be cared for by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartes Orphanage in Ichon, Korea. The men will donate ten dollars a month toward the expense of cloth ing and feeding the child. These men have now added another conviction to their re cord, but on the right side of the ledger. THREE YEAR SENTENCE SEOUL, Korea, (NC)—A mil itary appeals court here has sentenced former Premier John M. Chang, leading Korean Cath olic layman, to three years in jail but has suspended the sen tence for five years. The Sacrament of Confirmation was administered to one hundred and eleven children of Saint Joseph Parish at 7:30 p.m. on January 22nd by the Most Rev. Thomas J. McDonough. The confirmandi entered the church singing “Come Holy Ghost.” During the ceremony they sang a verse of the “Veni Creator,” the “Confirma Hoc” and the res ponses to the prayers chanted by the bishop. Other music for the ceremony was supplied by the Boys’ Choir under the direction of Rev. John Fitzpatrick. Scores School Seizures V atican Rejects Sudan’s Denial Of Persecution VATICAN CITY, (Radio, NC) —Vatican Radio has rejected a claim by the Interior Minister of the Sudan that his govern ment’s expulsion of Christian missionaries is a simple at tempt to rid the country of the relics of colonialism. The real goal of the Sudan, Vatican Radio said, is “to im pose the Moslem religion, the Arab language and customs on the people of the southern Su dan, who belong to a different race and have different tradi tions.’’ The Vatican Radio commen tator said: * ‘The authoritative represen tative of the Khartoum govern ment, reacting to criticism in the international press on the religious persecution being carried out in that country, tried to present these painful events in the southern Sudan as a simple carrying out of a scholastic policy which is part of the program of national uni fication. * ‘The (Interior) Minister sta ted that the Khartoum govern ment had the right to confiscate the schools run by the mission- ers and replace these people by trustworthy teachers, since these schools had been created and financed by the colonial ists. “The truth is that the mis- began to build their years before s loners schools many they received subsidies from the British government, which regularly gave them substantial funds only in the last 10 years of its administration.” (Sudanese Interior Minister Mohamed Ahmed Irwa gave his version of the expulsions— which in the past several months have totaled over 120 mission aries, including 90 Catholics-- in the Khartoum newspaper, the Sudan Daily. Similar state ments were issued by heads of Sudanese diplomatic missions in various Western capitals, including Washington.) Vatican Radio continued: “The mass expulsion ofmis- sioners from the Southern Sudan cannot be justified by the confis cation of the schools, which was carried out in 1957. The expul sions began only a few months ago and after the Missionary Societies Act came into force.” Vatican Radio dealt with the Irwa assertion that the expul sion of missionaries took into account the personal position of each missionary individually. It said: “These expulsions on the contrary are ordered indiscri minately. For example, war rants of expulsion were issued against a Sister who died two years earlier and against a youth Sc cope Kids are always saying, “I deserved an A. Why did the teacher give me a B.' opportunity to write your own report card. How do You rate yourself? Here is an A--Excellent 1. I welcome Lent as an opportunity for spiritual growth, deepening love for Christ. 2. I willingly obey the fast and abstinence laws, sharing Christ’s sufferings. 3. I am resolved to attend daily Mass and Communion, even though I must get up an hour earlier. 4. I intend to participate in the parish devotions, such as the Way of the Cross. 5. I’ll spend 15 minutes daily in spiritual reading. 6. I am trying to do one special act of love and pen ance. 7. I plan to keep up at least some of these practices after Lent. C-Average 1. I tolerate Lent as a ne cessary annual evil, so I bear with it. 2. I am reconciled I have to fast. Anyway, I need to diet and lose weight. 3. I know I ought to go to Mass and Communion oftener, but every Sunday is enough. 4. I’d like to attend even ing devotions, but there is homework, dating, etc, etc. 5. We have religion in Class; what more do I need. 6. I will cut down on movies and candy. 7. I’ll be glad when Lent's over, so I can enjoy life again. F-Failing 1. I despise Lent because life is tough enough without addi tional penances. 2. I think these medieval laws ought to be abolished in the enlightened twentieth century. 3. I wouldn't be caught dead at weekday Mass, and Holy Communion is obligatory only once a year. 4. I’m not going to do anything extra. Church is for Sunday. 5. I think ignorance is bliss, knowledge complicates life. 6. I might become neurotic unless I do what comes nat urally. 7. I say one day is like an other. So Lent came and went. So what? Brother who had returned to Italy two years previously.” Vatican Radio said that Interior Minister Irwa tried to convey the idea that only those missionaries who had been en gaged in educational work are being expelled. “The fact re mains,” it said, “that the Mis sionary Societies Act forbids missioners and the native clergy the exercise of every kind of religious or relief ac tivity. It is also true that priests, Sisters and Brothers who have never been engaged in educational work have been ex pelled from the country.” The commentator reported that only 22 priests are left in the Vicariate Apostolic of Juba in the Southern Sudan. Four of these are attached to the semi nary and two are in charge of the organization for native Bro- Speaks On Council MIAMI—The spirit of unity generated by the Vatican Council is having an effect both inside and outside the Catholic Church, Bishop Coleman F Carroll of Miami told a meeting of Eposcopalian clergy and laity here. He was invited to speak be fore the St. Philip Episcopal Men’s Club. He was introduced by Episcopal Bishop James L Duncan of South Florida. He said although there is not likely to be unity in Christen dom “in our lifetime,” it is evident that “a better atmos phere has been created” and it continues to improve. thers, he said, leaving only 16, including the Vicar Apostolic, available for the spiritual care of about 220,000 Catholics. He added: “The Khartoum government is in fact determined to impose the Moslem religion, the Arab language and customs on the people of the Southern Sudan who belong to a different race and have different traditions Baptists In Rhode Island Launch Drive To Defeat Textbook, Guidance Aid PROVIDENCE, R. I., (NC) —The Rhode Island Baptist: State Convention has launchedl a campaign to defeat legisla tion which would provide state aid for students in Catholic and other private schools in the state. The Baptist group sent a let ter to ministers of its 98 mem ber churches in the state. The letter urged the pastors to rally their congregations to telephone and petition campaigns directed at the General Assembly, call ing for defeat of legislation for state aid to private schools. The letter was read (Feb. 10) in a number of the church es. It has been estimated there are some 25,000 members of the 96 Baptist churches in the state. The letter did not mention Catholic schools directly, but the campaign was aimed prin cipally against Catholic school students. Legislation has been proposed which would provide students in Catholic and other private schools with certain textbooks and with guidance counseling services at state expense. The letter said it is propos ed “to spend state and local tax money for the support of private schools of which the overwhelming majority are one religious faith, thereby con stituting state support of that religion.” \tfhen You Think of Building, Think Of CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 140 Abercorn l*r— t SAVANNAH* 010*01 A SET FOR MAR. 17 VATICAN CITY, (RADION, NC)—Elizabeth Bayley Seton, widowed foundress of the Sis ters of Charity in the United States, will definitely be beati fied on March 17, the third Sunday of Lent, it was revealed here. She will become the first native citizen of the United States officially to be declared ‘blessed.” The March 17 date was reported to be the tentative date for her beatification by His Holiness Pope John XXIII late last summer. A spokesman for the Sacred Congregation of Rites said the date is now confirmed. The beatification of another American, John Nepo- mucene Neumann, C.SS.R., Bo hemian-born fourth Bishop of Philadelphia, is still tentatively scheduled for June 23. Mother Seton was 32 years old when she became a Catholic. Born Elizabeth Ann Bayley in lower manhatten in 1774, the year of the first Continental Congress, she was the daughter of a prominent physician. Her maternal grandfather, the Rev. Richard Charlton, was rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal church in Richmond, Staten Is land. Married to New York shipping heir William Seton at the age of 19, she became the mother of two sons and three daughters. In the fall of 1803, William Se ton’s doctor advised a sea voy age for his health, and he and Elizabeth went to Italy. William died in Pisa that Dec ember 27, only a week after reaching shore. He was buried in the Anglican cemetery in Leghorn. Mrs. Seton remained in Italy for several months, and while there received her first major insights in Catholicism. After arriving back in New York in June of 1804, she sought further knowledge of the Catholic Church, and was received into the Church the following March. The conversion cut her off from her relatives and their financial support; at 32 she was an impoverished widow with five children to rear. To sup port them she turned to teach ing. She moved to Baltimore and opened a school for Catho lic children. In 1808 she and several of the young women who had joined her staff later decided to become Sisters, and formed a new community under the guidance of Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore. Mother Seton and her new Sisters moved to Emmitsburg, Md., in the summer of 1809, and it was there that she died in 1821. The community she founded has branched out throughout the Uhited States. QUESTION BOX- (Continued From Page 4) sibilities are Maura, Moira, etc. IN ADDITION there are many Marian titles that can be used for names. For example: Dolo res, Mercedes, Alma, Carmel, Carmen, Sharon. Then there are compounds such as Mary Faith, Marianne, Mary Beth. In looking up the answer to this question we came across an article in the December 24, 1954 OUR LADY’S DIGEST in which a total of 144 Marian names were listed. MASON INC. AD 2-4192 18-20 W. BRYAN ST. * Printing •Office Supplies •Office Furniture •Ditto Duplicating Machines -and Supplies PAUL E. THOMPSON Your Complete Food Store 39th and Price Streets FREE DELIVERY Phone AD 4-4489 A A WESTERN MEATS FRUITS, VEGETABLES & FROZEN FOODS 3M)« IB- ttourke Savannah’s Finest Traditional Shop f0r I Men and Young Men 10 W. State St., Savannah, Ga. r,r, *ir*n ssSS: 35 XU: • FREE PARKING • TV & AIR CONDITIONING • FAMOUS MIAMI BUFFET • PERSIAN LOUNGE • CENTER OF ATLANTA LUCKIE AT CONE ST. A Good Address in Atlanta SflVflnnfiH m ompfiny MUCt i. RCMltC PrMkbot Mwm 734-3123 Then. 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