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There Is No Utopia
Neither the frantic dissemination of
mimeographed letters and the publication
of statements of legislators and public offi
cials denouncing President Kennedy’s civil
rights proposals as unconstitutional, nor
the repeated threats of national leaders of
Negro groups to organize a mass march on
Washington in order to pressure lawmakers
into enacting the proposals into law seem to be
justified.
Contrary to the claims of the merchants
of fear and of distrust of the United States
Government, we still live under a government
of laws and not of men.
There is only one body of men empowered
by the United States Constitution to pass
on the constitutionality of any law, and that ■
is the United States Supreme Court. They,
and they alone, can decide whether or not
any given legislation is contrary to the pro
visions of the Federal Constitution. If the
proper majority of lawmakers or states
believes that the Constitution, as construed
by that Court is not sufficient to guarantee
what they conceive to be the rights of citi
zens of the United States, they may effect
such changes in it as will, in their judge
ment, provide adequate safeguards. Such pro
cedure is part and parcel of our “Govern
ment of laws, not of men.”
Thefe are rules governing the legis
lative processes of the Congress of the
United States, adopted under the sanction
of Article I of the Constitution. Among
these rules is one permitting unlimited
debate, commonly known as filibustering.
There is also provision for the closing
off of debate if the proper majority chooses
to do so. These rules too, are part and par
cel of our “government of laws.’’
Now, both the interpretation of the Consti
tution as it stands at any given time in his
tory and the right to amend it may suffer
either through human error, majority in
justice, or just plain prejudice—as may the
right of unlimited debate or the right of
cloture.
But there is no such place as Utopia. This
side of Heaven there will never be one. And
unless the due processes of law, as instituted
by the Constitution of the United States, as it
stands now and as it is presently construed
by the United States Supreme Court, are
permitted to work in an atmosphere of mini
mum tension—free from hysteria and civil
disorder generated by partisans of either
side of any controversial issue—we may soon
find ourselves living under a government of
men and not of laws.
Your Child And God
God’s World
(By Leo J. Trese)
It is a wonderful privilege
which parents have, to be the
first persons to introduce a
child to God. The introduction
is not quite as simple as saying,
“Mickey, this is God.” A child’s
a c quaintance
with God
comes grad
ually, day by
day and year
by year, It is
the parents,
however, who
have the hon
or of unveil-
i n g God’s
face to their child.
His first image of God and
his first feeling about God will
remain with the child throughout
his life. The image later will be
refined and perfected, as know
ledge increases, but the child’s
basic attitude towards God will
be permanent. That is why it is
so important for a child to see
God, from the beginning, as He
really is—a God of love.
A child should hear, “God
loves you,” as often as he
hears, “Mommy loves you,’’or,
“Daddy loves you.’’ The child
should know that God watches
over him, lovingly, as he
sleeps, and that God is with
him, helping him, all the day
long. The child should hear
often of God’s goodness, too;
God’s goodness in nature as
well as God’s goodness in
supernature. “Isn’t God good
to give us the grass and the
trees and the beautiful
flowers?’’ “Isn’t God good to
listen to our prayers?’’
“Wasn’t it good of God to give
you such a beautiful soul?’’
Love and goodness. A child’s
concept of God should be built
around these two ideas. Even
tually a child must know about
God’s justice, too; but prefera
bly not until the conviction of
God’s love has been indelibly
impressed upon his mind.
When the subject of hell does
come up, a child should know
the true nature of hell. He should
not be given a picture taken
from Dante’s Inferno. Hell is
the awful state of unhappiness
suffered by persons who have
cut themselves off, forever,
from God. God doesn’t want
anyone in hell. God doesn’t
send anyone to hell. A soul in
hell is there because he chose
hell for himself. There was
something in this life which he
loved more than he loved God.
Much as He loves us, God cannot
make us love Him if we do not
want to. God cannot make us
come to Him in heaven if we
refuse. This is the truth about
hell. It is the truth that a child,
according to his capacity,
should have.
It is a great tragedy if a
parent uses God as a disci
plinary tool. It is an injustice
to God to use Him as a club
over a child’s head. “Godwon't
love you if you do that.’’ “God
will be angry with you.’’ “God
punishes naughty boys.’’ Such
statements introduce God to the
child as a glorified policeman,
with lasting harm to the child’s
concept of God. If God is invoked
in a behavior problem, it should
be only in a positive way. For
example: “If you love God you
will do what He wants you to do,’’
or, “When you are good, you
are telling God that you love
Him.’’
A child not only must be in
troduced to God as a God of
love; the child also must be
helped to form a right con
science. A child should not be
told, ' ‘Oh, that is a bad, bad
sin,’’ when the little tyke is not
even old enough to know the
difference between moral right
and moral wrong. A child of
three or four is simply incapa
ble of committing sin. To tell
such a child that he has sinned,
is to sow in his mind guilt
feelings which may torment him
the rest of his life. As an adult
he may suffer from obscure
feelings of unworthiness whose
source is lost to memory. He
does not know why, but he still
feels guilty even after a good
confession.
When a child does come to the
use of reason, wise parents will
be careful not to magnify the
gravity of his offences. If child
ish acts of disobedience, anger
or deceit are tagged as mortal
sins, a badly twisted conscience
will result.
Yes, it is an enviable privi
lege that parents have, to be the
first to introduce their child to
God. Let them only be sure that
the introduction is made, on the
basis of truth, to God as He
really is.
(Father Trese welcomes let
ters from his readers. The
increasing volume of letters
prohibits personal answers but
problems and ideas contained in
such correspondence can be
the basis of future columns.
Address all letters to Father
Leo J. Trese, care of this
newspaper.)
Shoes Of The Fisherman
Jottings
By BARBARA C. JENCKS
What “Advise and Consent’’
did for Congress, “Shoes of
the Fisherman’’ does for the
Vatican, but in a more sensi
tive way.
Long a fan of Morris West
who paints boldly in exaggerat
ed colors but who has a great
feeling—and sometimes even
depth—for his subject, “Shoes
of the Fisherman’’ had me read
ing way into the night. I started
this book, the night the Cardi
nals went into Conclave. More
appropriate reading could not
be found. West set the perfect
background tempo in his open
ing pages which told of the re
cent mourning of the late Pope
and the desire for the College
of Cardinals to find a succes
sor, “A man for the people and
of the people as Sarto was. A
man who could bleed for them
and scold them and have them
know all the time that he loved
them. A man who could break
out of this gilded garden path
and make himself another Pe
much like Monsignor Meridith
in West’s controversial “De
vil’s Advocate.’’
Mr. West is very much at
home in the Church, sometimes
too much at home. Vatican in
trigue and conjectures are dis
played as far more interesting
perhaps than they actually are.
Yet West is not irreverent at
any time.
ter.
It reads well yet West is often
accused of writing with his eye
on Broadway or Hollywood. . .
his clipped, colorful, moving
dialogue, his personalities pho
togenic. Cardinal Rinaldi and
Cardinal Leone, (prophets of
doom?) are perhaps the best
drawn characters in the book.
Their conversations warm in
the Westese style and we easily
identify. Cardinal Rinaldi is
If ever a book hit the market
at the right time, “Shoes of the
Fisherman’’ is it. The angels
seemed to be on the West side.
This is the kind of tale that
those associated with the Catho
lic press would love to weave if
they had a portion of West’s
ability. The idea that the new
Pope, Kiril I, a Russian, was
elected unanimously on the first
ballot is unlikely. Kiril I (pat
terned on both Cardinal Agagan-
ian and Cardinal Mindzenty?)
is bearded, scarred and had
been in a Russian prison for
seventeen years.
“Brothers, what I am today
you have made me. Yet if what
we believe is true, it is not you
but God who has set me in
these shoes of the Fisherman.
Day and night I have asked my
self what I have to offer to Him
or His Church—I have so little,
you see. I am a man who was
wrenched out of life like Laza
rus and then drawn back into it
by the hand of God. All of you
are men of your time. . .Un-
POPE PAUL VI
About The Bible Reading
It Seems to Me
JOSEPH BREIG
I do not see how the U. S.
Supreme Court would honestly
have ruled otherwise than it
did when it outlawed Bible-
readings and recitations of the
Lord’s Prayer as devotional
religious ex
like you I am not a man of my
time because I have spent se
venteen years in prison and
time has passed me by. So much
of the world is a novelty to me.
The only thing that is not new is
man and him I know and love
because I have lived with him
for so long in the simple inti
macy of survival. Even the
Church is strange to me because
I have had to dispense for so
long with what is unnecessary
in it and I have had to cling the
more desperately to that which
is of its nature and essence—
the Deposit of Faith, the Sacri
fice and the sacramental acts.’’
West always manages to bring
off several sub plots well. It is
an enviable juggling job which he
effects in terse prose. There is
an American newspaperman in
love with a married Roman
aristocrat whose annulment to a
minister in high office is before
Rrota: There is the more in
teresting sub plot of JeanTele-
mond, S. J., a thinly disguised
Pierre deChardin, who is be
friended by the new pontiff yet
his views are still ^suspect.
This book shows the Church
in full color and glamour, West
tends to exaggerate to bring off
a good yarn but a good yarn it
is. It made exciting, if not
completely plausible reading,
while we were awaiting the white
smoke that brought us the new
est successor to the “shoes of
the fisherman.’’
e r c 1 s e s
sponsored by
the authori
ties in the na
tion’ s state-
o p erated
public
schools.
Not for one
moment can I
agree with those who are calling
for a constitutional amendment
to make these practices legal.
I am strongly opposed to the
setting of any precedent of tam
pering with the First Amend
ment to the Constitution.
The amendment as it stands is
adequate, and has proved a
priceless protection for free
dom of conscience and religion.
Congress is forbidden to make
any law ' 'respecting an estab
lishment of religion.’’ And the
Fourteenth Amendment applies
the ban to state governments
also.
THERE WERE TWO chief
purposes and effects of the pub
lic school prayers and Bible-
readings—first, the teaching of
Judeo-Christian religion, and
second, the direct promotion of
religious devotion. It seems to
me indisputable that these are
among the things government is
forbidden to do “respecting an
establishment of religion."
True, Bible-reading and the
Lord’s Prayer in public schools
do not establish a religion. But
they go in that direction. How
can it be denied that such is the
tendency of government-spon
sored religious teaching and de
votion in government-operated
schools under a compulsory
education law?
ated schools, there were read
ings from the Old Testament,
say, on Monday; from the Koran
on Tuesday; from the writings
of Mary Baker Eddy on Wednes
day; from the New Testament
on Thursday; from the Mormon
scriptures on Friday, and so
on.
Since that is the tendency, I
think the Supreme Court is cor
rect in holding that such gov
ernment activity is forbidden by
the First Amendment. As the
court remarked, we do well to
take alarm even at the first
threats to our liberties.
The objecting parents, I feel
sure, would quickly cease to be
a minority and would become a
vociferous majority.
APART FROM the legal ques
tion, the primary right and re
sponsibility in the education of
children belong to the parents.
American law says so. So does
the Declaration of Human
Rights. And the popes—in
cluding John XXIII—have re
peatedly enunciated the princi
ple.
Government, therefore, has
no right to teach religion to a
child without the approval of his
parents. And in a nation like
America, with its many reli
gions and irreligions, approval
is not forthcoming.
Parents who objected, no
doubt, were in the minority; but
they had the right and the duty
to object if the public schools
were infringing on their con
sciences.
PERHAPS we could all appre
ciate the feelings of this minor
ity of parents and children if we
were to imagine a nation in
which, in the government-oper-
But what can be done to insure
the continuance of the religious
heritage without which America
as we know it would have been
an impossibility?
THAT QUESTION, I think,
brings us to the point. Now that
the Supreme Court has decided,
it will be well if we will all stop
pretending to ourselves that the
public schools can do the job of
preserving the religious trea
sure of America.
The public schools can help,
and ways can be found to make
it possible for them to help
without violating the First
Amendment and without coer
cing anybody’s conscience. But
the task belongs first of all to
parents, and then to the church
es and the synagogues, and then
to society in general.
If by our energy and ingenuity
and community cooperation we
can wipe out polio, we can cor
rect religious illiteracy. But we
won’t accomplish much until we
stop leaning on the public
schools, and address ourselves
to our religious duty.
Commodore Barry
Father Of U. S. Navy
By J. J. Gilbert
WASHINGTON — PRESIDENT
Kennedy's visit to Ireland drew
attention to an Irishman who left
his native land two centuries ago
and became an outstanding hero
in the then very young United
States.
Reports sent back here told
how the President, so journ-
ing briefly in the country from
which his own forebears came
to America, went from Dublin
to Wexford to place a wreath
on a monument honoring Com
modore John Barry.
There is a large and gleam
ing white monument to Commo
dore Barry in the heart of this
Capital’s downtown section, but
his principal monuments are
in Philadelphia, where he died
and was buried just 160 years
ago.
News dispatches from Ire
land noted that Commodore
Barry is called the Father of
the American Navy (one writer
used the term “founder”). Not
everyone has been willing to
accord Barry this title, but
there is ample reason fordoing
so, and historians writing soon
after his death in 1803 gave it
freely.
Joseph Gurn, in his book
Commodore John Barry pub
lished in 1933, said that among
those who have worn the uni
form of America’s fighting fleet
“Commodore John Barry occu
pies a distinctive position, for
he is rightfully known as the
Father of the American Navy.
This title was not bestowed
upon Barry in our day, by per
sons actuated by enthusiasm for
his fame rather than by accur
ate historical knowledge of his
deeds and services. His con
temporaries, those most com
petent to judge, gladly accorded
him the honor.’’
Barry was born in County
Wexford in 1745 and arrived in
Philadelphia as the second mate
of an Irish vessel, when about
17 years of age, around 1762.
He was a resident of Philadel
phia and had ' 'attained a high
place in his calling” at the time
of the Revolution.
Barry, historians say, re
ceived the Number One naval
commission from the second
Continental Congress; fought on
both land and sea; showed mark
ed heroism; was wounded, and,
whether or not he commanded
the first U.S. warship to put to
sea in the Revolution, was cer
tainly engaged long before that
event in acquiring and outfitting
ships for the Navy.
He is buried in St. Mary’s
church yard in Philadelphia.
President Kennedy said in
Wexford that it was no coinci
dence that Commordore Barry
“and a good many of his succes
sors played such a leading part
in the America n struggle, not
only for independence but for
its maintenance.’’ He added that
in these days of struggle for
freedom throughout the world,
nations could learn a lesson
from Ireland, which “overhun
dreds of years of foreign dom
ination and religious per
secution" maintained its na
tional identity.
(N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE)
Interracial Program
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NC)—A
program to promote good will
between whites and Negroes
has been started by Christ the
King Church here.
At the invitation of Msgr.
Eugene J. Reilly, parish ad
ministrator, an introductory
Bishop Hyland
' Sees Pope
meeting for 60 white and Negro
leaders was held at the parish.
Msgr. Reilly told them that “if
we as Catholics work together
we can arrive at solutions that
will be just for both white and
Negro."
VATICAN CITY—Bishop
Francis E. Hyland, former au
xiliary bishop of Savannah was
among the four Pennsylvania
Bishops who were greeted by
His Holiness, Pope Paul VI
at an audience last week.
The bishops had accompanied
400 American pilgrims who had
come to Rome for the beatifi
cation of Bishop John Neumann
of Philadelphia, which had been
scheduled for June 23, but was
automatically postponed by the
illness and death of Pope John.
The pilgrims had elected not to
Pope
Remembers N. D.
NOTRE DAME, Ind., (NC)—
His Holiness Pope Paul VI im
parted by wire his apostolic
blessing to the faculty and stu
dents of the University ofNotre
Dame and recalled his visit to
the institution in 1960.
The blessing and greeting
were conveyed in a cable to
Father Theodore M. Hesburgh,
C.S.C., university president.
When he was Giovanni Cardi
nal Montini, Archbishop of Mi
lan, in June, 1960, the Pope
visited the university here,
offered the baccalaureate Mass
and received an honorary doc
torate of laws.
postpone their trip.
Other Pennsylvania bishops
greeted after the audience were
Bishop J. Carroll McCormick
of Altoona-Johnstown, Auxili
ary Bishop Francis J. Furey of
Philadelphia, and Auxiliary Bi
shop Gerald V. McDevitt of
Philadelphia.
Made Overtures
Vt. Volunteer
WINOOSKI PARK, Vt., (NC)
—A Puerto Rican who graduat
ed the past June from St. Mi
chael's College here is the
first candidate sponsored by the
Burlington diocese in the Papal
Volunteers for Latin America
program.
Luis Villares of Caguas, Pu
erto Rico, is scheduled to leave
on August 1 for Lima, Peru,
where he will work for two
years at the Catholic Informa
tion Center.
While a student and editor at
St. Michael’s College, Villares
joined the lecture bureau of
PAVLA on campus and spoke
before many groups. He also
won a Newspaper Fund fellow
ship that enabled him to work
for a summer on the San Tuan
Star.
Bishop Robert F. Joyce of
Burlington has agreed to under
write the initial expenses for
Villares from the Bishop’s fund.
LEOPOLDVILLE, (NC)—The
Apostolic Nuncio to the Congo
quoted Pope John XXIII as say
ing that Soviet Premier Nikita
Khrushchev made “overtures"
toward starting diplomatic re
lations with the Holy See.
Archbishop Vito Roberti, ,
speaking (June 17) at a memor
ial convocation at Lovanium
University here in honor of
Pope John, said: “When I left
for the Congo, His Holiness
Pope John XXIII told me:
‘Khrushchev has made over
tures to set up diplomatic rela
tions with the Holy See. But he
must first assure freedom for
the Church. We are hopeful that
this will be done.’ "
Priest Warned
“No Politics”
%
BUENOS AIRES, (NC)—An
tonio Cardinal Caggiano, Arch
bishop of Buenos Aires, has
warned Father Julio Mein-
vielle that he will be suspended
if he makes any more political
statements.
The Cardinal spoke as the
political campaign in Argentina
was reaching a peak prior to
the July 7 elections.
Fulltime Editor
TUCSON, Ariz., (NC)—Fa
ther Vincent J. Hope has been
appointed by Bishop Francis J.
Green of Tucson to serve as
fulltime associate editor of the
Arizona Register, diocesan
newspaper.
Father Meinvielle has been
in difficulties with Church au
thorities before. In 'September, ’
1961, Cardinal Caggiano sus
pended publication of Presen-, J
cia, a review directed by the
priest.
In 1962 he was charged by
Jews with waging an antisemitic
campaign.
QUESTION BOX
(By David Q. Liptak)
Q. With reference to all the
current news about the papacy—
Pope John’s death and the elec
tion of Pope Paul—could you tell
me whether or not St. Peter’s
grave was actually discovered
during the recent excavations
(were they made in 1950?) be
neath St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome? Has anything official
been published as to the
findings?
A. St. Peter's tombwasiden
tified as a result of the excava
tions (1939-1950) beneath St.
Peter’s Basilica. The scientific
data collected and the conclu
sions arrived at were published
in 1951 by the Vatican Press
(Esplorazioni sotto la Confes-
sione di S. Pietro, 2 Vols.).
CERTITUDE that the Prince
of the Apostles, to whom Christ
gave the Keys of the Kingdom,
was martyred in Rome, and was
buried there, stands on histori
cal evidence alone. This is to
say that the fact is actually do
cumented beyond reasonable
doubt.
THE PRECISE SITE of
Peter’s tomb has always been
identified with a primordial
area just below the main altar
of the basilica. When workmen
were preparing a tomb for Pope
Pius XI by order of Pius XII
in 1939, they happened upon a
series of ancient Roman tombs.
Further archeological explora
tions, pursued for the greater
part of a decade, uncovered
an amazing wealth of primitive
Christian finds. Among the dis
coveries was what is unques
tionably the tomb of Peter.
Close by, relics were found.
They could be the relics of the
first pope, but scientific proof
cannot be had.
THE RESULTS of the excava
tions were announced by Pope
Pius XI in his 1950 Christmas
message. In answer to whether
or not Peter’s grave site had
been uncovered, he replied:
“TO THIS QUESTION, the
completion of the work and the
study of the results answer with
an unequivocal: Yes. The tomb
(Continued On Page 5)
The Southern Cross
P. O. BOX 180. SAVANNAH. GA.
Vol. 44
Thursday, July 4, 1963
No. 1
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