Southern cross. (Savannah, Ga.) 1963-2021, June 29, 1963, Image 4

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f PAGE 4—The Southern Cross, June 29, 1963 FACT Unrealistic And Unwise Where noise prevails, reason is of no avail. There is evidence that this week’s decision of the Supreme Court on Bible reading and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in public schools will be hooted and howled at rather than discussed rationally. Already the justices have been called “nine silly old men,’’ already the decision has been de scribed as an attack on the Bible and even on God Himself. Such views, we feel, are reactionary and wrong. Catholics in particular ought to disasso ciate themselves from any purple oratory against the Supreme Court. We must keep in mind that historically the reading of the King James Bible was a significant cause in the decision to build our parochial school system. Rather than keep fighting what we ourselves once considered religious discrim ination we proceeded to erect a private school system that today is the marvel of the world. The Supreme Court decision is regrettable, however; but not because it is an attack on religion. How could it be? Justice Clark went to great lengths to point out that “it can be truly said that today, as in the begin ning, our national life reflects a religious people.” Those are not the words of a man desiring to contend with God. Furthermore, many Protestant and Jewish groups indicated before the decision that they hoped the Su preme Court would nullify this traditional lip- service to religion; for that is all it amounts to. Are we to say now that our brethren who possess differing beliefs, to wit, some Protestants and Jews, have been ensnared by the forces of atheism? The very notion is absurd. They are not upset at all over this decision; and they too worship and love God. Those varying religious leaders have voiced their conviction that the work of religious education belongs in the home, the church and the synagogue. With tnis latter idea Catholics disagree. If they did not there would be no point in con tinuing our parochial school system. We are convinced further that many ministers and rabbis will be drawn to our position even tually and begin to build parochial schools of their own as secularism makes deeper and deeper inroads on their flocks. We are confident that they will discover that relig ious teaching cannot be effectively separ ated from general education without being watered down and lost on countless children. For those who insist on taking a dimmer view of the matter, who feel that a minority has imposed its will on the overriding major ity, who chafe at this break with American tradition and apparent expansion of the First Amendment to forbid things our forefathers never dreamed possible, there is a way out. The loophole was provided by Justice Clark’s observation that “It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented ob jectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected con si stent with the First Amendment.” Wherefore any com munity that feels outraged by this decision could simply incorporate a program of Bible study into its curriculum. As a result the children would wind up getting far more than the usual token ten verses each day. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. It is our opinion, finally, that the Supreme Court made a mistake, not in the decision itself, but in the anterior decision to con sider the case at all. After the storm that its New York Regents’ Prayer ruling arous ed last year, one would have hoped that it would not become enmeshed in similar cases that could only increase its unpopu larity and serve no substantial need of the nation. Justice Clark was aware of this point when he noted, “it is no defense to urge that religious practices here may be relatively minor encroachments on the First Amerndment. The breach of neutrality that is today a trickling stream may all too soon become a raging torrent.” Theoretically that is splendid rhetoric; practially it is unrealistic. For the history of public ecucation reveals that religious practices have been eliminated more and more over the years. The evidence has been clear that the “trickling stream” was dry ing up rather than building up into a poten tial torrent. Justices should judge with an eye on the times as well as on the lawbooks. Their failure to do so has led them to a decision that will, we fear, only help create more division in our nation. Thus, the state superintendent of education in South Carolina is reported as saying that religious exer cises would continue to be held in his state despite the court’s ruling. There are certain conflicts that cannot be avoided such as the right of educational integration. This was a noble and monumental decision of the Su preme Court, and did much to bring about the present improvement in Negroes’ rights. But this latest venture of the court was both unnecessary and undesirable. In a word, the decision was not evil, mere ly unwise. STAR - HERALD - CAMDEN Parental Pride And Parental Prudence God’s World By Leo J. Trese It is quite natural for par ents to be ambitious for their children. If we love someone, we necessarily desire that he be happy. Equating happiness with success, parents are eager to see their children successful; in school now, and in their life’s vocation later. More over, parents tend to meas ure their own success, ma terial and spiritual, which their children achieve. If their child graduates with honors or gets a high-level job or makes a good marriage or enters the convent or becomes a preist, mother and father feel that this is an accolade to themselves. It is proof that they have reared their child well. Such parental pride is un derstandable. It is one of the rewards which accompany par enthood. However, parental am bition and pride contain a built- in danger. This is the danger that, in their zeal for a child’s future, parents may try to push a child beyond the limits of his capacity. There is no sur er way to implant an inferior ity complex in a child than by demanding of him more than he is able to give. Overzealousness exhibits it self especially in parental at titudes toward school perform ance. By the very nature of av erages, fifty percent of all chil dren will be average or below average in their mental ability. However, many parents find it hard to accept the fact that they have an average child. They assume that any child of theirs is bound to be brainy. As a consequence, little John ny, who has an IQ of 100 and who has to work hard to get C’s on his report card, is prodded and pushed to better his grades. His lot is doubly unhappy if he has a brighter brother or sister in school. Then Johnny’s average perfor mance is compared often with that of his more clever sibling. "Why can’t you get A's and B’s as your brother (sister) does?” Try as he will, Johnny cannot measure up to his parents’ ex pectations. Frustrated in his efforts, he becomes more and more conditioned to failure. With sympathetic understanding and with recognition of the ef fort he does make, Johnny could grow to a reasonably self-con fident adulthood. As it is, he will be permanently marked in his own mind as a second class individual. He will suffer, for life, from feelings of inferior ity. Feelings of inferiority can be generated, too, by parents who are habitual faultfinders. Such parents cannot bear the thought that their child is anything less than a paragon of virtue. They are lavish with criticism, with such phrases as, “You are a bad boy (girl),” You are a stu pid boy,” “You are a clumsy boy,” “You can’t do anything right,” and “I never can de pend on you.” Eventually this child comes to accept , in his own mind, that he really is a bad or stu pid or clumsy or undependable person. It is a conviction which he will carry into adulthood. The harm is intensified if his par ents rarely speak a word of praise; perhaps fearing (mis takenly) that praise will spoil the child. On the contrary, parental praise is essential to build up a child’s confidence in him self and to give him a feeling of self-worth. Prudent parents do not flatter, but they do watch for occasions when they can honestly commend the child. The oftener such occasions oc cur, the better. There will be times when a child’s behavior must be criticized, even pun ished. However, when rebukes must be administered, it is im portant to distinguish between the child’s behavior and the child himself. It is much bet ter to say, “That was a naughty thing you did,” than to say, "You are a bad boy;” much better to say “You told me a lie,” than to say, "You are a decietful little girl.” And, on balance, approbation always should be more frequent than reproof. Parents who accept their child as he is and ask of him no more than he is able to deliver; who counterpoint cor rection with frequent approv al; these are parents who are living their child a healthy im age of himself. (Father Trese welcomes let ters from his readers. The in creasing volume of letters pro problems and ideas contained in such correspondence can be be the basis of future columns. Address all letters to Father Leo J. Trese, care of this news paper.) By Father Patrick O'Connor Society of Saint Columban (Radio, N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE) SAIGON—A New York Times editorial (June 17) concerning Vietnam contains some mis leading statements about Ca tholics, according to Catholic sources here. The article states: “Most high government officials, cheifs of provinces and mili tary officers (in Vietnam) are Catholics.” It is obviously impossible to ascertain the religious affilia tions of all military officers without lengthy research. But it is certain that only three out of the 19 generals in the Viet namese armed forces are Ca tholics. Only one of the four corps commanders is Catholic. Out of 17 cabinet ministers, only five are Catholics. The vice president and the chief of staff are non-Catholics. Out of 44 chiefs of provinces and city mayors, less than half ‘Smokescreen’ Tactics Hit PORTLAND, Ore., (NC)~ The Catholic priest member of a newly formed group to better racial relations here deplored "smokescreen procedures” DOMESTIC LONG LIVE POPE PAUL 3ZE Heirs Of John The Good It Seems to Me the o f t o Pope John the Good left to his successor and to us a spiritual heritage so great that we are only beginning to see its magni tude. Because of him, the world is closer to unity and stable peace than at any time in many cen turies—p e r- haps even at any time since coming Christ earth. John XXIII disarmed psychologically a world which, for the first time in history, was armed with such power as to be able to extermi nate itself. He turned the na tions away from a fatalistic, zombie-like march of death by reminding men that they are not automations, but beings of free will. The chief instruments which made possible John XXIII’ s> marvellous achievements were his own lovable goodness and his ecumenical council. He will stand forever as an electrifying example of what a single soul filled with faith, hope and chari ty can accomplish; of the fact that simple holiness is a force of irresistible power. AS THE FIRST requisite for the unity of humanity, John cre ated Christian unity-in-love. He did so by believing in the integ rity of the individual con science, and by acting upon that belief. Out of his goodness, he spoke to the goodness in others; JOSEPH BREIG the results were miraculous. At the heart of all goodness is humility; John the Humble saw that the first step in a success ful appeal to others is self correction. He called his world council of bishops to reform and renew the Church, removing from the human side of it, as far as humanly possible, every spot and wrinkle. Because he humbled himself, he was loved by other Chris tians; and swiftly there spread through Christendom the reali zation that much Christian dis agreement was due to talking at cross-purposes in theological terms that meant different things to different people. THUS WAS BEGUN the pro cess of Christian reunion. But John the Good’s heart was set upon the brotherhood of all men under God. Having embraced the other Christians, he em braced the Jews, and received a wonderful response. Then, in his crowning official act, he reached out to all human beings of good will in his very great encyclical, Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth). The greatness of Pacem in Terris lies mainly in its noble simplicity. In words that anyone can understand, John the Good, as head and teacher of the Church, speaking in the name of God-in-Christ, saluted, more generously and winningly than it ever before has been saluted, the glorious dignity of each and every member of the family and race of mankind. Mother” Of Priests Jottings Saigon Catholic Sources Say Vietnam Editorial Misleading are Catholics, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The “Mew University” ofDa- lat was founded by Catholic founders and Catholic money, some of it donated by Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, some by Gregor io Cardinal Agagianian, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. The state university in Hue has indeed a Catholic priest- scholar as rector, but it is con- continued on Page 5) “The priests of the Lord of fer incense and loaves to God; therefore they shall be sacred to their God and shall not pro fane His name.” Offertory, Corpus Christi * * * THE FIRST ORDINATION ceremony took place at a fare well banquet in a city of the near East nearly 2000 years ago. A young carpenter who was to die the next day like a com mon criminal pronounced the mystic words which would make twelve men the first ordained priests of the new land. In every age, not a day has dawned in which the Mass, first enacted that night in the Upper Room, has not been offered. What the young carpenter who was Al mighty God did that night has been repeated through all ages. At every moment somewhere in the world, the Body and Blood of Christ is being offered again by one of His priests. The or dination of young men of every race and color and manner of men across the face of the world each year is truly a perennial miracle as is the coming By BARBARA C. JENCKS of Spring and the seasons change and the world’s turning and the birth of a baby. Without this annual miracle of ordina tion, we could not share the secret of life everlasting—the Mass. During this month of the Sacred Heart and ordinations, we think especially of the young men who come among us once more, the freshly anointed young men in black “who dream dreams” and whose priest hood of absolving, blessing, baptising, annointing, daily Masses, black Masses, and white Masses has just begun. ♦ ♦ ♦ TO MOST CATHOLIC mo thers, there can come no great er joy than to see a son or dained in the priesthood. One priest wrote in his diary about turning from the altar at his first Mass and seeing his mo ther kneeling at the Commun ion rail. He thought: “ * Corpus Comini Nostri—Mother, it is the Body of Christ that I give you in exchange for my body. What a paradox! To the wom an who made me I give the Body Of the One who made her.” We JFK And Pope LONDON, (NC)—The arrival of President John F. Kennedy in Rome on Sunday, June 30, will be timed to avoid interfer ence with the coronation cere mony for His Holiness Pope Paul VI, the protocol chief of the U. S. State Department has explained here. Angier Biddle Duke told With the kiss of peace, this prince among men and popes awakened the sleeping princess of humanity so that she awoke and realized her own splendor. Suddenly we knew that it really is possible to make a world in which we can live happily, if only we will be up and doing. THE EARTH can be the Home and Hearth of Mankind, if we will build with God. The blue- , print is ours in Pacem in Ter ris. The truth, said Christ, will set us free; and in Pacem in Terris the truth about the great ness and the rights of men and women is set forth in fullness and clarity, with all the autho rity and all the strength of the Church for its defense and war rant. This is John the Good’s legacy to all his fellowmen whom he loved so greatly. Finally, this man who was simple and humble, and yet a great thinker and a poet of love of God and man, completely won the heart of the world by dying the death of a saint, of fering his life and his fearful sufferings for mankind, for peace, for the Church and for Christian unity. For the first time since Goa said “Let us make man to our image and likeness,” the hu man family knelt at the bedside of a dying member, a father and brother. Modem communi cations made it possible. And in those terrible and wonderful hours, the seed of a spiritual unity of all peoples was sown. employed against members of minorities seeking jobs, decent housing and other living essen tials. Father Paul E. Waldschmidt, C.S.C., University of Portland president, said a non-violent atmosphere prevalent in Port land racial relations tends "to conceal covert evasion of re sponsibility for providing fair and equal opportunities.” “Again and again, members of minority groups seeking jobs, housing and other essentials of living, experience evasion, ex cuses, subterfuges and other smokescreen procedures on the part of fellow Americans who are in positions of power,” the Holy Cross priest asserted. K Of C Buys Lanes NEW ORLEANS, La., (NC)— Eight of the 14 Knights of Co lumbus councils of the New Or leans metropolitan area have purchased a local bowling cen ter for $150,000. Profits will be dedicated to a youth recreation center which will include gymnasium, swim ming pool and dancing facilities with name bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Each of the participating councils put up $5000. They will receive 5 per cent interest on their funds, plus additional re turns for their own council youth activities. Other councils made partial investments in the ven ture. African Martyrs CLEVELAND, (NC)—They call this the age of the layman —but 22 lay converts in Uganda showed what it really means to live the Faith 75 years ago. ) * Between 1885 and 1887, the 22 were martyred in such ways as burning alive, and beheading. The ages of the martyrs ranged from 14 to 50. Their sacrifice for the Faith was recounted here by Father Anthony J. Wouters, W. F., Dutch-born priest who lives in Rome and since 1953 has been working for their canoni zation. newsmen that the President will arrive a few hours after the papal rite. Filipino ‘Cleanup’ M A N I L A, (NC)—A drive sponsored by Catholic Action in the Manila archdiocese to clean this city’s motels and hotels of “immoralities” scored a vic tory when a court ruled that the assistant mayor may be empow ered to inspect hotels and mo tels provided he and his in spection team “do not enter hotel rooms and invade the privacy of occupants.” Bishops Concecrated SAIGON, (NC)—Two new bi shops appointed by the late Pope John XXIII for dioceses in com munist-ruled North Vietnam have been consecrated there, according to reports received here. Bishop Paul Nguyen dinh Nhien, 63, was consecrated May 15 in the cathedral of Vinh by Bishop Jean Tran Huu Due of Vinh. Bishop Joseph Trinh Van Can, 43, was consecrated June 2 in Hanoi by Archbishop Joseph Trinh nhu Khu of Hanoi. German Peace Corps The new corps, called the German Development Service, follows the example of the U. S. Peace Corps, but it will cooper ate with all private organiza tions active in this work. These organizations are members of the new-service. BONN, (NC)—Germany’s Ca tholic “peace corps” is the model and cornerstone for a new national corps founded (June 24) in the presence of President John F. Kennedy in West German President Hein rich Luebke’s residence here. have recently come upon the story of a woman who has been a “mother” to priests in a dif ferent sense. Yet she is respon sible for “mothering” in her mind an idea which would bring to fruition that dream that is every woman's—having some part in the making of a priest. There is no higher dream than wishing to aid a young man ‘ ‘to go to the altar of God who giv- est joy to our youth.” This wo man is a convert and over whelmed by the gift that be came hers in faith—she won dered how she could answer the question: “What return shall I make to the Lord for all that He has given me?” The convert was a single woman yet in the tradition of spiritual mother hood, she could encourage a young man to enter the priest hood, she could pray for good priests, she could escite others to the thoughts of “mothering” vocations to the priesthood by prayers and alms. This she did. * * * THE WOMAN founded the (Continued on Page 5) By David Q. Liptak Q. Who succeeded St. Peter as pope? I don’t recall ever hav ing seen the answer. Could you amplify? A. From lists handed down by ecclesiastical writers such as St. Irenaeus (an Asiatic bishop who was a disciple of Polycarp, who himself was a disciple of St. John the Apostle) and from isolated references made by other early Church commenta tors, one can conclude that St. Peter’s immediate successors probably were St. Linus (d. 79), St. Anacletus or Cletus (d. 90), and St. Clement (d. 99). All three are mentioned in the Can on of the Mass. ST. LINUS was apparently of lowly birth, and may even have once been a slave. Irenaeus states that he is the same Linus mentioned by St. Paul in First Timothy IV:21. According to one tradition he reigned for about twelve years, though historical details are lacking. WHETHER ANACLETUS was the third or fourth “pope” (an anachronism to this context, since the term Papa didn’t come into use until centuries after his reign) is not clear. More over, while it was once debated whether Anacletus and Cletus were two different pontiffs, it is now generally agreed that the two names designate one^nd the same person. He may have died a martyr under Domitian, but there is no incontrovertible proof. The length of his ponti ficate is given as twelve years by one ancient chronicler, but modern historians think this figure high. ST. CLEMENT, was, in all likelihood, the fourth bishop of Rome. A considerable liter ature has evolved about him, and much of it is historical. It is certain that he authored the Epistle to the Corinthians which has always been attributed to him. This letter has incalcu- able worth in that it testi fies to Rome’s authority in ec clesiastical matters at a time (97 or 98 A.D.) when one of the Apostles, St. John, was still living. (That the Corinthian Christian community did not hesitate to appeal to Clement for adjudication of theological dispute which threatened schism, instead of consulting with St. John, is extremely sig nificant insofar as historical records are concerned.) IT IS thought that .Clement both saw and talked with SS. Peter and Paul; at least St. Irenaeus affirmed that he had. St. Clement is listed as the first of the Apostolic Fathers— the generic name given to those ecclesiastical writers who were approximately, directly or in directly, influenced by the Apostles themselves. The Southern Cross Vol. 43 P. O. BOX 180. SAVANNAH, GA. Saturday, June 29, 1963 No. 41 Published weekly except the last week in July and the last week in December by The Southern Cross, Inc. Subscription price $3.00 per year. Second class mail privileges authorized at Monroe, Ga. Send notice of change of address to P. O. Box 180, Savannah, Ga. Most Rev. Thomas J. McDonough, D.D.J.C.D., President Rev. Francis J. Donohue, Editor John Markwalter, Managing Editor Rev. Lawrence Lucree, Rev. John Fitzpatrick, Associate Editors