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Pope Paul Forceful Spokesman On Social Problems
(N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE)
His Holiness Pope Paul VI
has long been a forceful and
eloquent interpreter of the
Church’s doctrine on major so
cial questions facing the world
today.
Especially noteworth in this
regard are the messages which,
as papal Substitute Secre
tary and Pro-Secretary of
State, he sent in the name of
Pope Pius XII to Catholic so
cial congresses in several na
tions.
In these documents the then
Msgr. Giovanni Battista Mon-
tini dealt with such issues as
overpopulation, world hunger,
public health, the role of the
governoment in the national ec
onomy, the international com
munity, and the parish and so
ciety.
Here are some of the key pas
sages from these messages on
major social questions:
—On world hunger.
“Beyond your borders,
masses of human beings still
suffer from undernourishment
in a universe where economy
looks for its equilibrium ever
more and more on a world scale.
The Holy Father has no hesi
tation in thinking that activities
such as yours, even if they be
of limited range, are an ef
ficacious help in establishing
the temporal conditions for a
stable peace, for can peace be
brought about as long as in
numerable families share but
in an appallingly insufficient
manner the wealth of the earth
which nourishes?’’ (Letter to
the French Social Week, July,
1950.)
—On public health programs.
* ‘Certainly there could be no
question of contesting the rights
and the duties of the State in
the matter of public health and
especially in favor of those
who are less fortunate, of those
whom poverty renders less pro
vident and more exposed.
“A just legislation on hy
giene, preventative medicine,
and adequate and sanitary hous-
plagues such as tuberculosis or
cancer, a legitimate preoccu
pation for the health of young
generations and many other
measures that encourage the
health of the body and spirit of
the framework of wholesome
social relations—all this co
operates toward the prosperity
of a nation and its interior
peace. . .
“But these achievements in
the field of security, of medi
cine, or of assistance ought to
conform themselves to the mor
al principle of respect for men
and for the family. Unfortu-
in this matter is not
(Letter to he
Week, July,
The State and economic
The economic world is pri
marily a creation of the free
will of men; it pertains to the
State, therefore, to create those
conditions which may allow pri
vate initiative to expand within
the limits of the moral order
and of the common good.
“The church, therefore has
always benevolently regarded
and encouraged those forms of
business undertakings in which
she finds it possible for the per
sonal initiative of all partici
pants to assert itself and to ex
pand, as, for example, in the
case of craftsmen’s projects,
the family-sized farm, and co
operate undertakings . . .
“But the Church also main
tains that, in complete conform
ity with the proper order, big
business can remain within the
realm of private initiative, pro
vided that evident considera
tions of the common good do not
militate against such a situa
tion.” (Letter to the Italian
Catholic Social Week, Septem
ber, 1952.)
—On the international com
munity.
“Now, in spite of the hard
lesson on events, too many
Christians still remain deaf to
the warnings of the papacy.
How many, for example, con
tinue to shut themselves up
within the narrow confines of a
chauvinistic nationalism, in
compatible with the courageous
effort to start a world com-
munityh demanded by recent
popes?
‘ ‘But undoubtedly even more
numerous are those who have
not renounced their strange in
ertia despite the frequently re
peated appeals of the Holy Fa
ther for ‘action against every
inaction and desertion in the
great spiritual combat where
th e stakes are the construc
tion, nay, the very soul, of
the society of tomorrow’ ...”
(Letter to the French Social
Week, July, 1953).
—The parish and the com
munity.
“In our tragically divided
society, does not the parish
. . . function as a school- of
peace and social justice, in
viting all the faithful, without
distinction, to unite with one
another around its altar? In
tellectuals and illeterates, poor
and rich, employers and
employees, gather there to
gether on the basis of Chris
tian equality . . .
“Its spirit is that of the peace
of Christ, unto which we have
(Continued on Page 2)
ing, the attempt to provide ev
eryone with the best medical
care, the elimination of social
nately, fear
unwarranted.”
French Social
1951.)
life.
Vol. 43, No. 41
10c Per Copy — $3 A Year
First Public Address
Pope Will Continue Council
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1963
Effective September 1st
Diocesan Schools Adopt
Open Admission Policy
SAVANNAH—In a letter read
at all Masses last Sunday, Bi
shop McDonough announced that
effective September 1, 1963 all
Catholic children will be ad
mitted to the Catholic schools
of the diocese without regard
to race’dr color.
Diocesan schools are located
in Savannah, Augusta, Albany,
Brunswick, Columbus, Macon,
Valdosta and Waycross. Total
enrollment in Catholic elemen
tary and high schools of the
Savannah diocese is over 9,000.
In several cities, parishes
serving the Negro population
are located within the territor
ial boundaries of one or more
predominately white parishes.
Under Bishop McDonough’s
ruling, parents of Catholic
children will be able to enroll
them in schools previously open
to Negroes or in the school of
the territorial parish where
they are living at enrollment
time.
Parishes serving Negroes
are much the same as so-call
ed “national parishes” erected
to serve groups of various na
tionalities in other parts of the
country. These parishes have
no territorial boundaries.
The Bishop’s letter referred
to a previous pastoral letter
read throughout the diocese
during Lent of 1961. In that
letter he stated:
“We cannot ignore the teach
ing of Sacred Scripture that, in
the beginning, God created man
after His own image and like
ness; that He breathed into him
an immortal soul, that He gave
him an eternal destiny. We
cannot forget that all human
beings, without regard to dif
ferences that are purely acci
dental, are created in the same
way. We cannot ignore that Je
sus Christ Our Lord, the Eter
nal Son of God, became man
and died for all men, that they
might be saved by His
Grace. . .”
. .All Catholic people in
the United States are coming to
realize as the Bishops said (in
a 1958 pronouncement) that ‘the
time has come to cut through
the maze of secondary or less
essential issues, and to come
to the heart of the problem.
The heart of the race question
is moral and religious. It con
cerns the rights of man and our
attitude toward our fellow
man.”
Bishop's Office
Diocese of Savannah
225 Abbhcohn Street
Savannah, Georgia
My Dear People:
Acting on the principles set forth in my Pastoral Letter of
Lent, 1961 on racial justice, effective September 1, 1963
Catholic Children regardless of race or color will be admit
ted to Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Savannah.
Requirements concerning scholastic qualifications, ad
mission, registration, tuition gnd transfer rights will be
applied equally to all.
All parents may enroll Catholic Children in a parish
school previously open to Negroes or in the school of the
territorial parish where they now reside.
During the past two years, I have studied this problem
diligently and have kept it constantly in my prayers. At
meetings with priests and teachers in all parts of the Dio
cese over the past few months, they have concurred unani
mously with my decision.
In you my dear people, I repose the greatest confidence
that you will accept this course of action as being prompted
by a love of God founded upon justice and charity towards all
manking.
Imparting to you my blessing, I am,
Devotedly yours in. Christ,
BISHOP OF SAVANNAH
VATICAN CITY (NC)-- His
Holiness Pope Paul VI has told
the world that he will continue
the ecumenical council begun by
Pope John XXIII as “The pre
eminent part of Our pon
tificate.”
In the first public address of
his reign (June 22), the new
Pontiff also pledged that he will
“continue with every effort”
the work for Christian unity
started by Pope John, “for
which he offered his life.”
Pope Paul declared:
“We open Our arms to all
those who glory in the name
of Christ. We call them by the
sweet name of brothers. May
they know that they will find in
Us constant understanding and
good will.”
In his first radio message
to the world, Pope Paul list
ed the other tasks which he
has set for himself in his pon
tificate:
—To make every effort to
preserve peace among nations.
—To work for the revision
of the Code of Canon Law, a
cherished project of Pope John.
—To work along the lines
mapped out by the great social
encyclicals of his predecessors
“for the strengthening of jus
tice in civil, social and inter
national life.”
In regard to the latter point,
the Pope called for “care for
the underdeveloped countries,
where the standard of living
is often unworthy of the human
being.”
The Pope declared:
“The new epoch, which the
conquests of space have open
ed to manking, will be singu
larly blessed by the Lord if men
truly know how to recog
nize each other as brothers ra
ther than rivals, and build a
world order in the holy fear
of God, in respect of His laws,
in the gentle light of charity
and mutual collaboration.”
The pontiff continued:
“Our work with the help of
God, will be to make every
effort to preserve the great
blessings of peace among na
tions—a peace which is not only
the absence of war like rivalries
or of armed factions, but a
reflection of the order desired
by God the Creator and Re
deemer, a constructive and ten
acious will for understanding
and of brotherhood, an unshak
able display of good will, ready
for every trial, an uninterrup
ted desire for active harmony,
inspired by the true good of
mankind with unfeigned char
ity.”
Pope Paul, who has spent
POPE GIVES FIRST BLESSING FROM ST. PETER’S
—On the morning of his election, June 21, Pope Paul VI
gives his first blessing from the central balcony of St.
Peter’s Basilica in Rome, to a crowd of 100,000 persons in
the square below. Shown with him are Archbishop Enrico
Dante, Prefect of Papal Ceremonies; Eugene Cardinal Tis-
serant, Dean of the College of Cardinals; Benedette Cardi
nal Alois! Masella, Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church,
and Msgr. Salvator Capoferri, Vice-Prefect of Papal Cere
monies.—(NC Photos)
most of his priestly life in the
administrative branch of the
Church known as the Roman
Curia, said he wanted to ex
press “in a special way” his
esteem for the curia. “We are
certain that its most worthy
work will be of genuine assis
tance to Us,” he said.
The Pope also saluted the
cardinals “who shared with Us
in the trepidations and prayers
of these days of waiting "be
tween Pope John’s death and
his own election.
He spoke of his love for “the
venerable brothers of the epis
copate of the East and of the
West” and said he was already
anticipating ‘ ‘the joy of embrac
ing them all at the second ses
sion of the ecumenical coun
ci.”
Greetings were also extended
to the priests, Religious and
laity of Rome, his new diocese,
and of Milan, his old one.
Those in parts of the world
where Christianity is persecut
ed, he said, “should feel Us
close to them.”
He praised the work of mis
sionaries and members of Ca
tholic organizations, and con
tinued:
“We embrace with fatherly
love all who suffer: the sick,
the poor, prisioners and exiles,
refugees.”
Finally Pope Paul saluted
the young, “in whom rests the
sure hope of a better future;”
the great and lowly of the earth;
craftsmen and laborers; schol
ars, teachers and scientists;
newsmen and writers; poli
ticians and heads of state.
At the start of his speech,
which was delivered in Latin,
the new Pontiff spoke of the
popes under whom he has
worked: “Pius XI and his un
conquerable strength of mind;
Pius XU who illuminated the
Church with the light of a teach
ing full of wisdom, and finally
Pope John XXIII, who gave to
the world the example of his
singular goodness.
“But We wish to recall in a
very special way, with grate
ful and deeply-moved rev
erence, the figure of the mourn
ed John XXIII who in the brief
but highly intense span of his
ministry knew how to win over
to himself the hearts of men,
even those who are far away,
through his sleepless solici
tude, his sincere and concrete
kindness toward the lowly and
the outstanding pastoral char
acter of his actions, qualities
to which were added the very
special enchantment of the hu
man gifts of his great heart.;;
In the face of the difficul
ties of his new post, Pope Paul
A SMILING POPE PAUL—This picture was taken immediately after the sealed conclave
area was opened at the Vatican. The new pontiff, Pope Paul VI, smiles as he receives
the congratulations from members of the College of Cardinals who elected him pope on
June 21.—(NC Photos)
said, he is sustained by Christ’s
promise to be with Peter and
his successors for all time.
He is also supported, he added,
by the motherly protection of
Our Lady, “to whom We en
trust Our pontificate from its
beginning.”
To the world he said:
“The vastness of the task
that awaits Our poor energies
is such as to bewilder the hum
ble priest called to the heights
of the Supreme Keys. But We
shall dedicate to you Our pray
ers and Our daily efforts. We
need, nonetheless, you col
laboration and your prayers,
that it may rise constantly to
God 'in fragrant odor’ for the
pastor of the Universal
Church.”
Keane Named District Deputy
Daniel J. Keane of Savannah
has been appointed District
Deputy of the Knights of Col
umbus for the 1963-64 year.
Appointment of Keane, an ex
ecutive of Levy’s Department
Store, was announced today by
.Bernard S. Dunstan, State Dep
uty elect. It is effective July 1.
Keane, who was recently re
in Savannah
Episcopal Bishop Hails
Election Of New Pontiff
SAVANNAH—The Rt. Rev.
Albert R. Stuart, bishop of the
Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
has praised the action of the
College of Cardinals in select-
PRAY FOR OUR
PRIESTLY DEAD
REV. M. J. CLIFFORD
June 30, 1898
Oh God, PVho didst give to
thy servants by their sacredotal
office, a share in the priest
hood of the Apostles, grant,
we implore, that they may
also be one of their company
forever in heaven. Through
Christ Our Lord, Amen.
ing Giovanni Battista Cardinal
Montini to succeed Pope John
XXIII as supreme ruler of the
Catholic Church.
“I'm sure we’re all very
grateful that another spiritual
leader has been named and we
understand from our Roman
Catholic friends that this new
Pope will be a worthy successor
to John XXIII,” he said.
Declaring that Episcopalians
“rejoice in the possibility of
the continuance of the Vatican
Council and what this will mean
for Christian unity and world
peace,” Bishop Stuart promised
that “the Episcopal Church
will certainly be remembering
the new Pope in our prayers.”
DANIEL J. KEANE
elected Chairman of the St. Pat
rick’ s Day Parade Committee,
is the Chancellor-elect of the
Savannah Council, K. of C., and
an officer of Savannah Lodge
#183 B.P.O. Elks.
He has been active in civic
and religious affairs and is a
Past President of the Catholic
Young Peoples Association.
Pope Lunches
With Cardinals
VATICAN CITY, (Radio, NC)
—His Holiness Pope Paul VI
had his midday meal (June 21)
with the cardinals shortly after
the first rituals following his
election were completed.
Bishop’s Statement
Election
Occasion
Of Joy
The election of a new Pope,
Paul VI, to guide the spiritual
destiny of more than one half
billion Catholics throughout the
world is the occasion of great
joy and happiness. The world
has waited tensely, expectantly,
and prayerfully the outcome of
the deliberations of the Cardi
nals convoked in solemn con
clave. Now we have a Pope.
His Holiness, Paul VI, becomes
one with Peter in forging a link
in the unbroken chain of Aposto
lic succession, and the bark of
Peter is now committed into
his hands. We pray most fer
vently that the Light of the
Holy Spirit will illuminate his
way safely, courageously, and
piously.
We the Catholics of the Dio
cese of Savannah, extend to our
new Holy Father our sentiments
of affection and unswerving al
legiance to one who has been
chosen by the Grace of God to
be Chief Shepherd of Christ’s
flock.
We ask, too, for the new
Pope, the prayers of our many
friends not of the Catholic Faith,
who were as deeply and genuine
ly grieved as we were at the
death of the late and beloved
John XXIII.
In the tradition of Holy Mo
ther Church we wish for Pope
Paul VI ‘ad multos annos.’ May
he have many years and may
his pontificate be a faithful
reflection of the life and love of
Christ, the Good Shepherd.