PAGE 6—The Southern Cross, April 20, 1963
Seventeen persons (16 lay and
1 priest) were inscribed recent
ly in ceremonies at the Cathe
dral of St. John the Baptist as
members of the THIRD ORDER
SECULAR OF ST. FRANCIS.
The 16 layfolk entered the novi
tiate of the Order and the priest
(this columnist) became a fully
professed member. FATHER
RAYNER DRAY, O.F.M., of
Americus, came to Savannah to
perform the combined investi
ture and profession ceremony
and to welcome the new mem
bers into the worldwide reli
gious family of St. Francis. ...
The annual boat ride of ST.
VINCENT’S (SAV'H.) ALUM
NAE ASSOCIATION will be held
on this Saturday abroad THE
VISITOR. MRS. FRED LIND
SAY, AD 2-4356, can be con
tacted for more information and
for reservations. . . .The In
ternational-Travel Education
Foundation, a non-profit body
devoted to building better inter
national understanding, recent
ly invited the Soroptimist Club
of Savannah to act as hostesses
for a group of thirty-two Eng
lishmen and two Hollanders (all
teachers) who toured Savannah
in its historic, industrial and
educational phases. MRS. J. F.
FREWER is president of the
local Soroptimists. . . .VERY
REV. WILLIAM V. COLEMAN,
rector of St. John Vianney Semi
nary (Sav’h.) accompanied by
FR. KEVIN BOLAND. Drofes-
sior of Mathematics at the Semi
nary, and SR. MARY FIDELIS,
R. S. M., principal of St. Vin
cent’s Academy (Sav’h.) are
among representatives from
secondary schools in the Dio
cese who are currently attend
ing the Catholic Educational
Association Convention in St.
Louis, Missouri. . . .Present
at a hearing held last week in
the office of the SDA (Savan
nah District Authority) for con
sultation on harbor affairs and
to review proposals to build
additional dock facilities for
additional shipments in the fu
ture was CAPT, JOE RYAN,
chief bar pilot of the Savannah
Harbor and HUE THOMAS, of
Thomas, Driscoll and Hutton,
consulting engineers. . . MR.
FRANK ROSSITER, noted col
umnist for the Savannah Morn
ing News holds an honorary
crew member card on the ill-
fated nuclear sub Thresher.
Frank received his card after
a cruise aboard the vessel one
year ago, April 12, 1962, when
the 62nd birthday of the U. S.
submarine force was celebrated
. . . .Featured in a Savannah
newspaper article was the EU
CHARISTIC LEAGUE OF SAC
RED HEART CHURCH (Sav’h.).
The League was organized to
enlarge the altar society with
MRS. SIDNEY A. SMITH being
the first president. While some
of the members have been active
for almost one third of a cen
tury, the grand ladies of the
organization are MRS. JAMES
K. CALVITT, MRS. MARIE
VONWALDNER, MRS. C. A.
FLEMING, MRS. F. A. BLAKE-
WOOD, MRS. KATIE BRODER
ICK, MRS. E. CAFIERO, and
MRS. ANDREW PAUL. The
League assists the Parish
Council by entertaining at St.
Mary’s Home, an annual cake
sale, with Deanery meetings of
the National Council of Catholic
Women, with the making of can
cer pads, the procurement of
vestments, linens, altar wines
and hosts, and assists brides
in their wedding plans. They
also collect old gold and silver
which in turn is melted and
made into chalices for young
men of Savannah when they are
ordained to the Sacred Priest
hood. Rightly have they been
termed “homemakers of the
Church’’. . . .
Send future news items to
Fr. Lawrence A. Lucree,
P. O. Box 180
Savannah, Georgia
Sacred Heart CYO,
Warner Robins
WARNER ROBINS—The CYO
of Sacred Heart Church held a
business meeting April 7 to plan
April's activities.
Among the activities will be
a surprise night event and trip
to Conyers.
Judy Haskins, Pat Major,
Toni Luechenhoff and Margie
Egolf presented a cultural pro
gram following the business
meeting. A social followed.
DCCW Essay Contest
The Southern Cross is pleas
ed to print the prize-winning
Essays in the annual Contest
sponsored by the Diocesan
Council of Catholic women. This
Essay took first honor in Group
II. Winning essay in Group III
will be carried in a later issue.
At this moment 2,600 clergy
of the Roman Catholic Church
are meeting in Rome in the
second Vatican Council, the lar
gest Ecumenical Council ever
to assemble, the first in 92
years, the second in 400 years.
Ecumenical Councils of the
past were summoned when the
church was faced with clear
and present danger-hersy,
schism, or internal corruption.
JOHN CREIGHTON DISQUE
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
BRUNSWICK
Vatican II comes at a time
when the Roman Catholic
Church has never before seem
ed so strong or so durable. Its
membership 550 million is at
an alltime high; it has no fewer
than 418,000 priests and 945,
000 nuns.
Yet the council is convening
at a time when the church is
in the midst of transition, try
ing to plot a true and vigorous
course through intellectual and
social turbulence.
The Pope calls on the coun
cil to lead the way to a great
spiritual renewal in the church.
Through the council’s work,
Pope John XXIII hopes, the
world’s largest Christian
church will be better prepared
for the spiritual task of com
batting Communism and ma
terialism and exploring the
hope of union with other Christ
ian bodies.
The Council has vast powers
to bring about, with papal ap
proval, sweeping revisions of
both church laws and adminis
tration.
One of the discussions is the
idea of using the vernacular
instead of Latin in the mass.
There is a question of doctrine
involved but many feel that a
universal language (Latin) is
a witness to the universality
of the Catholic Church.
Another proposition con
cerns the order of deacons.
In the ancient church deacons
held an important place. The
ordination of deacons is now
merely a step toward the priest
hood. It has been suggested dea
cons be ordained separately and
allowed to marry and raise
families. Such consecrated
men, particularly in mission
work, could help overburdened
priests. But such deacons could
do little that devout laymen can
not do now.
One of the discussions at hand
is the issue of religious liber
ty. In practice Catholic states
have followed different policies.
Ireland recognizes the Catholic
religion in its constitution and
guarantees absolute freedom of
worship for all, but Spain has
restrictive laws against Pro
testants. It is hoped that out
of this council will come a
declaration of religious li
berty which will remove all un
certainty from the church’s
teaching and recognize the right
of all men to follow conscience
in a pluralistic society.
Pope John is confident of the
success of the council and it
is the project closest to
his heart.
If the council succeeds, Pope
John will be counted one of the
greatest popes. If it falls short
of expectation the church will
be better for the experience.
School
Drops
Boxing
SCRANTON, Pa., (NC)~
In the wake of boxing’s latest
tragedy St. Michael’s School
for Boys in suburban Hoban
Heights has dropped the sport
from its athletic program.
A member of the school’s
boxing squad was involved in
a match (April 6) which took
the life of Army Private Fran
cisco Velasquex—the fifth box
er to die within a year from
injuries sustained in the ring.
Father Joseph T. Conboy,
the school’s moderator of
sports, announced the school's
decision to drop boxing. The
student involved in the fatal
match is Earl Johnson, who is
reported to have said he will
never box again.
The student and Army pri
vate were paired in a match
on a card staged at the Car-
bondale (Pa.) Catholic Youth
Center. The program was ar
ranged under the auspices of
the Friends of Boxing for the
benefit of the Crippled Chil
dren’s Fund.
Velasquiz, a native of Puerto
Rico who was stationed at the
U.S. Army Signal Corps base
at Tobyahhanna, Pa., was
knocked out in the second round
of his match with Johnson. Vel
asquez died a half-hour later.
An autopsy report said Vel
asquiz died from a “massive
intercranial hemorhaging caus
ed by multiple contusions of the
right side of the brain.’’
The tragedy touched off an
investigation by Pennsylvania
boxing officials. State Athletic
Commissioner James (Sleepy
Jim) Crowley, remembered as
one of Notre Dame’s “four
horsemen’’ of football fame,
spent a day here gathering facts
and information. He said he will
make a report to Gov. William
Scranton of Pennsylvania.
Crowley declined to spec
ulate on the outcome of his in
vestigation. He said he had no
idea whether a proposal for a
six-month moratorium on box
ing in the state might lead to
a permanent ban of the sport.
WARNER ROBINS CYO MEMBERS joined other teenagers in conducting the ALSAC
drive Sunday, April 7. Team captains from the CYO were, left to right, Vicki Shilkaitis,-
Mary Clements, Joan Dembrowski, Johnny McNeeley and Margie Egolf. Other mem
bers assisted. —(Photo ABE Williams Studio)
Annual Corporate Communion
For Catholic Women’s Club
SAVANNAH—The regular
monthly meeting of the Catholic
Women’s Club was held recently
in the Club Rooms.
A film by The Chamber of
Commerce, “Salute to Geor
gia’’ was shown to the members
by Mr. Charles Weiman.
Rev. Andrew Doris, O. S. B.,
Chaplain, explained the various
ceremonies of Holy Week and
what they should mean to every
one.
The President, Mrs. Buckley,
appointed the following nomi
nating Committee: Mrs. Sam F.
Fasola, Chairman, Miss Mar
garet Collins and Mrs. E. Z.
Edwards. This Committee will
bring in a slate of officers for
the Annual Meeting, which will
be held next month.
Mrs. Robert Stradtman,
Chairman, of the Annual Cor
porate Communion, announced
that this will be held Sunday,
May 5th, at 8:39 a.m., at The
Nativity of Our Lord Church,
and urged all members to at
tend, this being the highlight
of the Spiritual Program. A
Continental Breakfast will fol
low, served by The Nativity
Parish Council ladies.
The Membership Prize was
won by Mrs. Dorothy Copes.
Delegates to the D. C. C. W.
Convention to be held May 11th
and 12th in Columbus, Georgia
will be: Mrs. John E. Buckley
and Miss Margaret Collins.
Miss Cecile Fitzpatrick,
President, Savannah Deanery,
announced that the Annual Meet
ing of the Savannah Deanery
will be held at Savannah Beach,
Sunday, April 21st, at 3:30p.m.,
and invited all members to at
tend. Miss Margaret Murden is
Publicity Chairman.
Worsening Situation In Laos—
(Continued from Page 4)
tions to armed conflict now re
portedly involving the Pathet
Lao.
Last May and June, Maj. Gen.
Kong Le joined the chief field
commander of the communist
troops, Brig. Gen Singkapo
Chounramany, in visiting com
munist governments from East
Germany to North Korea. Now
Kong Le denounces the Reds for
trying to make a communist co
lony out of Laos.
The zones occupied by the
three parties have no definite
boundaries; probably no one of
them is entirely in the hands
of any single group. In general,
the north can be said to be held
by the communist Pathet Lao,
the south by the rightists, and
the two cities of Vientiane, and
Luang Prabang by the neutra
lists. Many government offi
cials probably favor the neu
tralists but they watch anxious
ly to learn how the wind is blow
ing.
While the south is largely
controlled by the rightists,
communist soldiers and agents
from north Vietnam still pass
through southern Laos on their
way to wage guerrilla war in
south Vietnam.
It is believed that many north
Vietnamese communist sol
diers are still in northern Laos.
Racial similarities make it easy
for them to blend with Laotian
troops and the general popula
tion. The International Control
Commission appears to be
largely ineffective.
It is still impossible for
missionaries to reenter the
zone controlled by the com
munists. Thus considerable
numbers of Christians are de
prived of Mass and the sacra
ments.
The Pathet Lao authorities
have still failed to give any
information about the fate of
five priests who disappeared
in territory held by them, one
Italian Oblate of Mary Imma
culate missing since May, 1960,
two French Oblates missing
since April, 1961, and two
priests of the Paris For
eign Missions*
ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS--Winners in a State-wide Essay Contest sponsored by the
Ancient Order of Hibernians received awards at the recent meeting of the Sacred Heart
Home and School Association. Pictured receiving awards from Father Terence Kernan,
O.S.B., pastor of Sacred Heart Church are: (1. to r.), Third prize: Brenda Gannam, 7th
grade Sacred Heart School; Second prize: Joanne Jenkins, 8th grade Blessed Sacrament
School; First prize; Angela Lain, 6th grade Sacred Heart School. Title of Essay was St.
Brigid Mary, the Gael.
95
Italy’s Election Will Test
Support Of “Opening To Left
Policy Of Christian Democrats
ROME , (NC) —The Italian
general elections on April 28
will constitute a referendum
on the so-called “opening to
the left’’ policy espoused by
the country's largest party, the
Catholic-oriented Christian De
mocrats.
The political future of the
Christian Democrats is full of
uncertainty as the elections
draw near. The central issue
of this year's elections grows
out of a decision taken in 1962
at the national congress of the
party in Naples.
At that time the party au
thorized Prime Minister Amin-
tore Fanfani, to form a govern
ment with the support of the
Socialist Party. This meant that
the Socialists would not be rep
resented in the government.
But they would give the Fanfani
government their support in
Parliament to carry out a pro
gram of action to which both
parties had agreed.
The declared object of this
new alignment was to secure
a broader base for democratic
action, isolation of the com
munists and assuring the great
est possible number of citi
zens the chance to share in
the Italian economic miracle.
The “opening to the left’’
however, has given rise to much
debate. The Italian Socialist
Party is the only socialist party
in Europe to collaborate with
the Communists. Because of
this alliance, Italian Catholics
have been admonished always
by ecclesiastical authorities not
to collaborate with the Social
ists.
However, since 1956, as a
result of the Soviet Repression
of the Hungarian Revolt, the
Socialists have detached them
selves little by little from the
Communists. One objective of
the “opening to the left,” in
fact, was to encourage this
split and make it complete and
final.
Yet Christian Democratic
leadership has been criticized
not only by the communists and
the right-wing interests of big
business. Many authoritative
members of the Christian De-
cratic party, particularly the
more conservative ones, have
looked on the new policy with
disfavor.
The acceptance of Socialist
support was a great blow to
many, particularly “since the
Christian Democratic party
of the last general election of
1958 specifically excluded any
kind of collaboration with the
Socialists. As a result those
party members who oppose the
center-left policy look on the
coming elections as an oppor
tunity to ask the voters if they
accept this policy.
Despite criticism and reser
vations, the “opening to the
left’ ’ went into effect in March,
1962. The Fanfani government,
Padre Pio No Stereotype—
(Continued from Page 1)
pilgrims.
Most grab his hands,
kissing the woolen half-gloves
that cover them. A definite odor
of medical alcohol emanates
from them. Some ofthemenare
silent, others ask for prayers:
“A rosary, Father.’’ “Bless
you, Father.” One man called
but “padre mio” (my father),
and the friar touched his head
and said in a good strong voice
“figlio mio” {my son).
Some boys broke out of the
line and almost tripped the old
man as he moved towards the
‘door. The friar pushed them
aside half-roughly and said
chidingly; “Boys, boys! Our of
the way.”
Once out of the sacristy,
Padre Pio climbed the steep
stairs leading up to the old
monastery, assisted by two
younger friars. Those inside the
sacristy could still see him, for
the wall of the sacristy is a
glass partition decorated with
frosted figures of Franciscan
saints, and none left until he
had disappeared through the
upper doorway of the monas
tery.
After a brief breakfast and
rest Padre Pio returns to the
church to hear confessions of
the women. For almost two
hours each morning he sits in
his confessional, carefully rail
ed off to protect him from too
enthusiastic penintents, hear
ing the sins of the great and
the obscure.
So heavy is the demand on
his time, that tickets must be
issued by number to people
waiting to confess. On half the
day’s tickets are allotted to
people of the town and the
other half to visitors from afar.
At noon Padre Pio is again
the object of an intense but or
derly group of men who line the
corridor of the monastery lead
ing from his cell to the re
fectory on the floor below.
In the afternoon Padre Pio
hears the confessions of men
and in the later afternoon hears
the recitation of the Rosary
and officiates at Benediction.
In all, it seems a simple and
not unusual routine for a friar,
but the attraction of Padre Pio
draws thousands. Many more
thousands “visit” him by mail
monthly. One of his secretaries
estimated that the English-lan
guage mail alone is more than
1,000 letters a month.
The devotion of his followers
and the prying interest of the
curious often have bedeviled his
life. Newspapers constantly
scrutinize Padre Pio, the ad
ministration of the hospital
—the funds flowing into the hos
pital from abroad are im
mense—and even the Vatican
has sent a visitor to investi
gate the phenomenon which is
Padre Pio.
At present the hospital re
mains in the name of Padre Pio
who has been especially
exempted from his vow of pov
erty for this purpose. However
administrators of the hospital
say that a plan is being work
ed on by which title to the
hospital can be transferred to a
special foundation fund which
will be under Vatican protec
tion in the future to avoid the
need of paying taxes on dona
tions leveled by the govern
ment.
Yet the practical problems
converging on this unusual
friar somehow do not seem as
engrossing as the man himself
and effect he has on hundreds
of thousands of persons around
the world. For there is nothing
except Padre Pio himself to at
tract anyone to San Giovanni.
A man of rough good humor,
according to his fellow monks,
a man can bark as well as
pray, a man obviously not con
scious of himself and unmoved
by the attention centering on
him, Padre Pio, at 75, remains
a lighthouse of faith on a barren
mountainside for hundreds of
many of whom have never seen
him.
with the support of the Demo
cratic Socialist party and the
Republicans, and the Socialists
has taken several decisions
destined to improve social con
ditions and has nationalized
electrical power.
What are the prospects of the
Christian Democratic party?
The future does not look too
bright.
The party’s position today is
difficult due to a number of
things . One factor of the great
est importance is inflation, with
its marked increase in prices.
The center-left government
has promoted an increase in
the level of salaries of many
categories of workers. This
has added to the rise in prices.
The decree nationalizing elec
trical power has dampened pri
vate initiative considerably.
Add to these factors the fact
that Italy has suffered from a
severe winter and that taxes
have increased, and it becomes
clear that the outlook for the
party in power is unfavorable.
The government admits that
during the past year the cost
of living has increased by 5.8
per cent. But it adds that the
national income has jumped by
6.6 percent.
St. James
Parish Council
SAVANNAH—St. James Par
ish Council of Catholic Women
met April 8th in the meeting
room of the school, with Mrs.
Mary McEleveen, president
presiding.
All standing committees re
ported. It was suggested by
Mrs. Barbara Reardon, Chair
man of Catholic Charities, that
the council give one afternoon
this year to entertaining for
the Fragrant Garden for the
Blind.
The president announced the
next Savannah Deanery meeting
of Catholic women would be held
at Savannah Beach, Sunday, Ap
ril 19th . . . she urged all to
attend as election of officers
would take place.
(By Rev. Herbert J. Wellmeier
Diocesan CYO Director)
Rules are not meant to be
a non-sensical restriction
freedom, a spoiler of fun. Rules
are not “made to be broken.’
Rules are set up to create
good order, to accomplish
definite purpose, to let one and
all know what’s what.
The breaking of rules tears
apart good order and causes
confusion. It defeats the set
policy, trains people in disobe
dience, and results in harsh
feelings and ill will. Consistent
ignoring of rules leads to anar
chy and chaos.
The diocesan office has
policy of making very few rules
preferring to allow parish CYO
clubs or area moderators to be
autonomous. However, the gen
eral diocesan regulations have
always restricted parish clubs
from accepting non-Catholics
as members or regular atten
dants. Furthermore, the basic
local unit in CYO is the parish
club, and although in practice
most activities may be inter
parochial, the organization
must be established in parish
units. A break down of this
system is contrary to episcopal
mandate.
* 4r, 0*Al
These two basic rules have
been unwritten law since the
establishment of the CYO in
this diocese in 1957. No autho
rity has revoked this policy,
nor can anyone except the Bi
shop. Hence, neither can
anyone ignore it.
It must be remembered that
the C in CYO stands for Catholic
with a capital C. Even the widest
interpretation of the ecumenical ^
spirit does not allow unrestrict
ed and indiscriminate admis^
sion of non-Catholics to CY'O
activities. As long as the uni
versal church restricts mixed- J
marriages, an official Catholic
organization can not be loyal
and logical in promoting, ad
vancing and fostering opportu
nities for mixed marriages.
The objectors to the policy of
having parish clubs fail to rea
lize or choose to ignore the fact
that this does not limit free
association with members of
other parishes. There are times 1
and activities for parish clubs, i
other times and activities for
interparochial groups. In this
dual system, the advantage of
both large and small meetings
are obtained. In any field of
endeavor, there must be grass-
root operations and at other
times larger assemblies.
Again, we plead for coopera
tion in observance of these dio
cesan policies. There is suffi
cient freedom left to local
direction in other matters, but
these two big points are not left
to individual whim. Non-obser
vance will wreck the CYO, and
its ultimate aims and will result
in a conglomerate bent only on
having an uncontrolled non
spiritual “good time”—or it •
may result in a great big noth
ing.
BART SHEA, representative from Chatham County in the
State Legislature, is shown addressing the Sacred Heart
Home and School Association at its monthly meeting.
Mr. Shea’s talk dealt with what parents can do to fight
obscene literature.
