Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Cross, August 15, 1963—PAGE 5
REV. HERBERT J. WELLMEIER
Some time ago, I read a story
of a half-drowned soldier being
dragged ashore by island sav
ages in the Pacific Ocean dur
ing World War II. They appear
ed to be about to spear him to
death as an enemy when, notic
ing a religious medal around his
neck, they asked in pidgin Eng
lish "Are you a Jesus-man?”
The savages obviously had rem
nants of Christi mity from long
ago.
That phrase has been rattling
in my brain for the two weeks
since I read it. And it might
almost be a standard slogan to
ask ourselves and test the
depths of our Christ-likeness,
"Are you a Jesus-man?”
The sources of grace most
readily available to us are Con
fession and Communion. Un
fortunately, may teen-agers,
like their grammar-school bro
thers and sisters, neglect these
sacraments all summer, It is a
common experience among all
priests in September to have
young penitents acknowledge,
"My last confession was three
months ago,” as the newspap
ers say on their church page,
"God does not take a summer
vacation.” It should not be a
case of "school’s out, church
is out!” We cannot be real
good "Jesus-men” unless we
maintain that personal contact
that comes in the intimate un
ion of the Eucharist,
In the matter of confession
there is a point I would like to
drive home, too. The church
realizes and respects the pen
itents personal preferences for
a particular confessor. Each
priest is somewhat different in
his approach to counseling and
advising. But in the total pic
ture, tne priest is always ab
solving in Christ’s name, as
ultimately it should matter very
little who hears our confession.
Some youths fear they will be
recognized and shamed. Actual
ly one who is desirous of spir
itual progress doesn’t mind lay
ing the soul bare to his confes
sor, And such a person also
does not resent being question
ed, realizing that the confessor
sometimes needs to probe a bit
to diagnose and prescribe spir
itual remedies. Every priest is
solely concerned with dispens
ing God's mercy and forgive-
Vietnam Situation—
(Continued from Page 4)
any faster,
"It’s just a storm in a tea
cup,” an intimate supporter of
the President told this corres
pondent, speaking of the
Buddhist agitation. "In time it
will calm down, if people don’t
pay attention to it.” This was
three weeks after the May 8
clash in Hue in which at least
eight persons lost their lives.
This attitude is a political
error, aggravating the evil
instead of curing it. And, as
Catholics see it, it leaves their
religion exposed to criticisms,
which, however unreasonable,
will still be damaging. It gives
enemies of the Church another
pretext for attacking Catholics.
Of course the tactics of
President NgodinhDiem and his
government in dealing with re
fractory citizens are not
dictated by his religion. But un
fortunately people inside Viet
nam and outside it are not all
logical or fair minded. They are
influenced not only by fallacies
but even by labels.
In most of the foreign press
the routine procedure during the
Buddhist dispute has been to
, speak of "the Catholic Presi
dent Ngo dinh Diem.” Corres
pondents have justified this
harping on the President’s re
ligion by saying that it is "re
levant.” By constant emphasis
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this relevance becomes that of
cause to effect in the average
reader’s mind. He concludes
that President Diem does what
ever he does in the current af
fair as a result of being a
Catholic.
The Buddhists at Xa Loi pa
goda here,headquarters of their
campaign, get hold of foreign
press stories unfavorable to the
government and stressing the
President’s religion within a
surprisingly few days of publi
cation. They mimeograph them
hastily and distribute them to all
comers. Thus the President’s
religion, which the Buddhists
usually refrain from mentioning
in their own statements, is em
phasized, in the context of the
present dispute, for the Viet
namese public through these
replayed foreign news dispatch
es.
The President has made sev
eral public gestures of con
ciliation and reassurance. Ca
tholic Vietnamese have wel
comed these with special satis
faction. Unhappily their effect
has been weakened by such
factors as the bitterness in a
recent speech of the President’s
sister-in-law.
Vietnamese Catholics feel
that in several other respects,
too, their religion is under fire
because it is also the Presi
dent’s. At the same time they
sympathize with him in his en
ormous problems and recognize
the debt that they and their non-
Christian fellow countrymen
owe him for his courage in
leadership against the commun
ist menace. They realize that if
the communists were to take
over south grievances would
soon look like a picnic wist
fully remembered.
The best way for President
Ngo dinh Diem to take the steam
out of the Buddhist agitation now
(and not all Buddhists are in
volved) would be to relax re
strictions generally on civil
liberties and make some other
reforms for which there is
strong popular desire. This
would also strengthen the re
sistance to the communists. And
it would be an opportune de
monstration of Catholic princi
ples applied for the common
good.
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ness. He is saddened for
Christ’s sake by the offenses
confessed. He is personally
concerned that the penitent be
cured of spiritual disease. He
acts as teacher, doctor and
judge. He is burdened with the
obligation to help the soul hun
gering for God's graces.
It is advisable, therefore, to
trust yourself fully into the
confessor ’s hands as a mem
ber of the flock committed to
a pastor’s care, it is better not
to consistently avoid the confes
sion box of your Parish priest.
And it is almost criminal to
downgrade any confessor to
your friends, so that his priest
ly ministry is adversely affec
ted. Pray for your confessor and
cooperate with him, Do nothing
to drive others away from the
sacrament of God’s mercy,
But are you a Jesus-man? Can
you be when you neglect to
answer the knock at the door
of your soul, as Jesus comes
calling in each Mass, He wants
to get in every time you attend
and co-offer Mass. How often do
you open the door and ' ‘play
host” to his friendly visit?
Perhaps all this is not so
timely now, because summer is
almost over. These things
should probably have been said
about July 4th, but better late
than never. And they are, to my
mind, reminders of timeless
values.
It has been said a thousand
and one times by people in
trouble with the law and police,
that as soon as they turned their
backs on God, and stopped going
to church and the sacraments,
they ran into nothing but ' ‘bad
luck.”
There is no doubt that this
expresses a truth. Even though
it's more than just bad luck
misfortune and sometimes real
tragedy does dog the footsteps
of those not walking in Christ's
footsteps,
So, for God's sake, and your
own, be a "Jesus-man” through
and through, to the very core.
Mobile—
(Continued from Page 1)
Hocklander, "so also, as I un
derstand the cases, it has
stricken attempts by the state
to exact a tax on the privilege
of religious worship.
"The wall of separation,
much talked about, has two sides
to it. Religion must not be aided
by state legislation nor, in turn,
may its practice be circum
scribed by tax restrictions
which would tax the use of ar
ticles such as these directly
and intimately connected with
the worship service itself.”
Archbishop—
(Continued from Page 1)
astray . . . and fall into a
trap of national discord which
can profit communism,”
He said he had established
many social welfare institu
tions for people of all faiths
in Hue since he had been ap
pointed there three years ago.
Throughout that time he had
never uttered any criticisms of
Buddhists, he declared. He
said that Catholics had sym
pathized with the victims' fam
ilies after the May 8 incident
and prayed for friendship be
tween Catholics and non-Catho-
lics.
The first lecture was under
the auspices of a local Catho
lic students’ association. The
public was invited to attend
and ask questions, A Buddhist
student who ventured to ask a
question was trailed by police
on leaving the hall. While not
saying the Archbishop was res
ponsible for this, the Catholic
students’ association was re
portedly reluctant to sponsor
the second lecture because
of this and other reasons. The
second lecture was given under
the auspices of a local asso
ciation of former seminarians.
Earlier , the Archbishop told
a press conference:
‘ ‘In the three years that I have
been Archbishop of Hue, I have
never seen the least restriction
on the preaching or practice of
the Buddhist Cult.”
The Archbishop denied
charged that ' ‘Catholic schools
receive government aid because
they are Catholic” and the
* ‘provincial leaders have been
removed from office because
they refused Baptism.”
He denounced the danger of
communist agitators who do
not hesitate to "put on the cas
sock or the Buddhist robe to
deceive people.” He noted that
the General Buddhist Associa
tion was no more than a mil
lion members who belong to
a ’’number of independent
sects.
ON 10TH ANNUAL MARIAN WEEK—A large eight by
twelve foot oil painting of Our Lady of the Ecumenical Coun
cil is enshrined in this modernistic outdoor altar on the
monastery grounds of the Marian Fathers. in Stockbridge,
Mass. The artist was Father John Szantyr, a young Marian
priest. Prayers for peace, the pope and the ecumenical
council will be offered up at services here during Marian
Week, August 18 to 25. This year marks the tenth anniver
sary of the Marian Week observance.—(NC Photos)
League For Polish Aid
Seeks Gov’t Guarantee
Of Religious Freedom
GREEN BAY, Wis., (NC)—
The Polish communist govern
ment was urged to grant reli-
gtious freedom to the Polish
people in a resolution voted by
the Catholic League for Reli
gious Assistance to Poland.
The resolution, adopted at the
league’s eighth national con
vention, called on the Polish
government ‘ ‘to guarantee com
plete religious freedom to the
people of Poland.”
Delegates from many parts of
the United States attended the
convention here (Aug. 6 and 7),
whose theme was "Two Decades
of Service.” The Catholic Lea
gue for Religious .Assistance to
Poland is marking its 20th an
niversary^.^
In the past 2-years the league
has given more than $5 million
for the use of the Church both
inside and outside Poland.
Supplies which it has shipped
to Poland or to Poles in ex
ile in Europe include clothing,
48,885 religious vestments,
2,163 chalices and more than
9,000 missals.
Msgr. Alfred A. Am-
bramowicz of Chicago, execu
tive director of the league, said
its aid in the coming year will
be concentrated on the Polish
Pontifical College and Institute,
both in Rome, and the Polish
seminary in Paris.
"Poland needs educated
priests, and when the semi
narians and priests leave Po
land they have only $5 in their
pockets,” Msgr. Ambramowicz
said. The educational program
costs the league about $80,000
a year.
Also slated to receive aid are
the Polish Bishops who will
come to Rome with little or no
money to attend the second ses
sion of the- Vatican council,
opening September 29, the mon
signor said.
Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona of
Green Bay offered the opening
Solemn Pontifical Mass for the
convention here in St. Francis
Xavier cathedral. Also at
tending the opening sessions
was Auxiliary Bishop Roman
Atkielski of Milwaukee.
After the Mass, Bishop Bona
welcomed the delegates and
read them a message conveying
the blessing of His Holiness
Pope Paul VI.
Bishop Bona stressed the
doctrine of the Church as the
Mystical Body of Christ as the
theological foundation of con
cern by Catholics everywhere
for the fate of the Church in Po
land. "Poland now is suffer
ing,” he said.
A sermon prepared by Bishop
Stephen S. Woznicki of Saginaw,
Mich., was read to the con
vention by Msgr. Wallace Fili—
povicz, rector of SS. Cyril and
Methodius Seminary, Orchard
Lake, Mich. Bishop Woznicki
was unable to attend because he
was recuperating from a heart
attack.
He emphasized in his sermon
that on the league’s 20th anni
versary "Poland has not been
forgotten.” He predicted that
there will be a need for aid to
the Church in Poland for many
years to come.
Archbishop William E. Cou
sins of Milwaukee addressed a
luncheon session during the
convention and congratulated
the league on its work.
During the convention dele
gates heard a tape-recorded
message of thanks from Stefan
Cardinal Wyszynski, Primate
of Poland.
Newly elected members of the
executive committee, all from
Chicago, are: John Aszhler,
president; Msgr, Ambramo
wicz, executive director; Stella
Andelbrat; Frank Brodnichi;
Bernard Hendrzak; Joanne
Rzyuchi; and Lescadin Janga,
The next national convention
will be held in Buffalo, N, Y,,
in 1967.
Vocational
Education Bill
Passes House
WASHINGTON, (NC)— The
House of Representatives has
passed and sent to the Senate
a bill to expand the Federal
program of aid to vocational
education.
Private colleges and univer
sities and other private, non
profit agencies and institutions
would be eligible to share in
some funds under the bill.
However, before adopting the
measure by a vote of 377 to
21 (Aug. 6), the House reject
ed an amendment intended to
specify that private schools
could share in all portions of
the program.
Federal funds allocated under
the bill to aid vocational educa
tion would total $45 million in
the first year, $90 million in
the second year, $135 million
in the third year, and $180
million yearly thereafter.
The bill provides that five
per cent of the annual total be
used for grants to state educa
tion boards, or, "with the ap
proval of the appropriate state
board,” to local educational
agencies and to colleges, uni
versities and "other public or
nonprofit private agencies or
institutions” to pay for re
search or pilot projects in voca
tional education of youths.
Programs developed under
this section would be aimed
"particularly (at) youths in ec
onomically depressed commun
ities who have academic, socio
economic, or other handicaps
that prevent them from suc
ceeding in the regular vocation
al education programs.”
An effort to amend the bill
to specify that the other 95
per cent of the funds—earmark
ed for distribution by the states
for regular programs—would
be available to private nonpro
fit scyools on the same terms
as public schools was made by
Rep. William T. Cahill of New
Jersey.
However, Cahill’s amend
ment was deafeted by a vote of
123 to 44.
Before the vote, Rep. Frank
Thompson, Jr., of New Hersey,
a principal backer of the meas
ure, stated that under the bill as
it stands the states would be
"at liberty” to contract with
private schools for vocational
education programs
All cars should be equipped
with a basic first aid kit, flares
and other emergency gear for
use in case of trouble.
Non-Catholic Clergymen
To Attend Liturgical Week
PHILADELPHIA, (NC)—
Non-Catholic clergymen of this
area have expressed gratitude
at being invited to attend the
North American Liturgical
Week here August 19 to 22.
More than a hundred letters
of appreciation from ministers
have been received by a conven
tion committee appointed to
welcome members of other re
ligious groups.
Some of the letters express
regret at inability to attend,
others indicate intention of at
tending some or all of the ses
sions, but common to all the
replies has been a warm appre
ciation for having been invited,
Father James J. Murphy, com-
Refuses
Hearing
Summons
JERUSALEM, Israel, (NC)—
The High Court justice who
cast the lone dissent in a De
cember decision denying Jewish
nationality to a Carmelite priest
has refused to attend a hear
ing on whether he insulted the
Jewish Faith in a June speech.
Justice Haim Cohn wrote
(August 2), in refusing a sum
mons to a rabbinical court, that
he never sought to insult the
Jewish Faith.
The summons was based on a
complaint from a private peti
tioner, Dr. Arieh Wagenaar,
after Justice Cohn said in a
speech here June 17:
"One of the bitterest ironies
of the state (of Israel) is that
the same racist approach that
was propogated by the nazis
. . . should, because of an
allegedly sacrosanct Jewish
tradition become the basis for
the official determination or
rejection of Jewishness in the
state of Israel.”
Israel’s High Court turned
down in a 4-1 decision (Dec.
6) a plea from Carmelite Fa
ther Daniel, a 40-year-old Po
lish Jew, that thc“cpurt make
the government recognize him
as a Jew and give him
citizenship under the country’s
Law of Return. The law says
that all Jews coming to Israel
automatically become citizens.
The court ruled that Jewish
birth did not give the priest
the right to Israeli citizenship.
In his refusal of the sum
mons, Justice Cohn wrote that
he had the highest regard for
the honor of the Jewish na
tion and for the honor and
rights of "all who are cre
ated in the image(of God).”
For this reason, he rejects any
interpretation of Jewish law
which would deny this honor or
these rights, he said.
He said the press reported
that the Chief Rabbinate had
issued (July 8) a statement
calling his June speech a "slur
on the Jewish people and Jew-
sih law.” If the reports were
accurate, he said, the rabbi
nical courts would have to dis
qualify themselves from exa
mining the question because
they are bound to follow the
decision of the Chief Rabbinate.
Calls For
Negro Rights
HARTFORD, Conn., (NC) —
Archbishop Henry J. O’Brien
of Hartford has urged the people
of his archdiocese "as Chris
tians and as Americans” to
"view with sympathetic under
standing all legitimate and rea
sonable efforts by the Negro
to gain full exercise of his
rights.”
He asked them to "give the
support of their prayers and of
their active influence” to
everything done in pursuit of the
Negro’s rights "which is con
stant with the good order of the
civic community and with the
requirements of justice and
charity.”
The Archbishop said that the
American Negro "now seeks
full and practical recognition
of his equal status as a child of
God and as an American citi
zen. He is not rebelling against
legally constituted authority. He
is not claiming special privil
ege. He is not making demands
which depend for fulfillment on
political or social expediency.
No, he is asking justice accord
ing to the law of God and the law
of the land.”
The Negro "has equal citi
zenship and therefore equal
rights,” the Hartford Archbish
op said. "Anyone who denies
him these in theory or in fact
cannot call himself a true Am
erican.”
mittee chairman, stated.
' ‘What is particularly signifi
cant about this spontaneous and
generous response,” said Fa
ther Murphy, "is that the origi
nal letter of invitation was in
the form of an announcement
that required no reply.”
Included among the replies
are letters from Episcopalians,
Lutherans, Presbyterians and
Quakers. Most of the mail came
from pastors of city, suburban
and country areas. Other letters
came from members of semi
nary faculties, heads of insti
tutions, administrative heads
of religious groups, an Episco
pal canon and an Episcopal bi
shop.
Typical of the replies are
these:
—' ‘Thank you very much for
the gracious invitation to parti
cipate in the sessions of the
1963 Liturgical Week, It is very
kind of your Church to include
us of the separated brethren,
to use the late Pope John's
words. . .”
—"It was heartwarming to
receive your gracious invita
tion. . .the knowledge that we
would be welcome at these dis
cussions is in itself an insight
which I for one will treasure.
The success of the 1963 Litur
gical Week will be paramount in
my thoughts and prayers in the
coming weeks.”
—‘ ‘I am deeply grateful for
the invitation to participate in
the Liturgical Week. . .(I) want
you to know how much this invi
tation means to me.”
—"I am most appreciative of
the gracious thought which
prompted the issuance of the
invitation.”
—"I hope I may be notified
of any other similar meetings.
May our Heavenly Father con
tinue to guide and bless you in
hastening the day when, in ans
wer to the prayer of Jesus,
'we may all be one.’ ”
—"Please let me know if
there is any way I can assist...
These are good days to be work
ing together.”
—"It is more than kind of the
Roman Catholic Church, speci
fically the Philadelphia arch
diocese, to extend an invitation
to the clergy of non-Roman
churches to attend, . .”
—"I was happy to receive the
communication. . .1 am looking
forward to a most inspirational
and profitable week.”
MARRIAGES
STEVENS-PAUL
SAVANNAH — Miss Helen
Holmes Paul, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Archie F. Paul of Sa
vannah and Francis M. Stevens,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis
W. Stevens, were married July
29th in Our Lady of the Incar
nation Church, Adams, Mass.,
with the Rev. John E. Forhan
performing the ceremony.
KENNEY-REMION
SAVANNAH — Miss Dolores
Elizabeth Remion, daughter of
Mrs. Charles Grossi and Wil
liam O. Remion, and Richard
Barry Kenney, son of Mr. and
Mrs. John J. Kenney were mar
ried on August 10th in the Ca
thedral of St. John the Baptist,
with the Rev. Lawrence A. Lu-
cree celebrating the Nuptial
Mass.
SUMNER-CROWNOVER
TIFTON—Miss Nancy Jane
Crownover and Paul William
Sumner were married July 21st
at Our Divine Savior Church
with the Rev. Frederick Kirch-
ner celebrating the Nuptial
Mass. The bride is thedaughter
of Mr. and Mrs. William Lewis
Crownover and the Bridegroom
is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
George Jackson Sumner.
fjojr Wedding Invitations
$It’s
The Acme Press
1201 LINCOLN STREET
PHONE 232-6397
WAR AND PEACE IN THE LIVES OF THE POOR
THE POOR CLARES, faithful daughters of peace-loving
saints Francis and Clare, must wonder about their former
convent on the Via Panisperna in
Rome. In the 1870 uprising, the
Sisters were driven out at bayonet
point ... In 1934, the same building,
now the physics laboratory of a
great university, was the scene of
the first successful atom-splitting
experiment. There Enrico Fermi
and his six assistants, working in a
fountain behind the former convent,
discovered and patented the secret
of slow fission — key to the atom
The Holy Father's Mission Aid bomb! ... In POYYA, in the diocese
for the Oriental Church of TRICHUR, INDIA, the Clarists
still pursue their work of peace in our nuclear age. They
teach the children of some 150 poor families . . . The twenty
nuns have plenty of work, but no place for adequate rest or
religious services. A convent was begun, but of the total §8,500
needed for its completion, they have borrowed or scraped to
gether only some §4,500 . . . With little hope of obtaining more
from their poor families, they seek help from far-off America.
Their Superior, SISTER BERNARDINA, asks for the remaining
§4,000 needed ... St. Francis prayed, "Make me an instrument
of Thy peace” . . . Your generosity will enable his followers to
be just that; to set off, not nuclear chain reactions, but chain
reactions of grace in India!
ADMISSION: FIVE CENTS
“Dear Father: Five little girls, ages 8 to 10, and one boy,
age 4, 'put on a show in my garage. It was a rainy Saturday but
despite this they did a very good job of it. Admission was 5c. for
children and 10c. for adults. Had it been a clear day, I am sure
they would have clone better. Now they u'ant to share part of
it with you and I am enclosing one dollar for your missions.
I think thev would like it to go to children near their age.”
— Mildred T.
“Dear Mildred: Thanks. And thanks to the children. We
shall certainly follow their wishes!”
FACTS not made up out of whole cloth
CALICO is named after CALCUTTA in India; DAMASK aftei
DAMASCUS in Syria; MUSLIN after MOSUL in Iraq; DIMITY
after DAMIETTA in Egypt! Odd how many kinds of material
have names from Near East and Middle East phaces . . • Yet
many of the poor, aged, orphaned and the blind in these coun
tries must be clothed by our 15,000 missionaries, priests, Sis
ters and Brothers. Through their noble work, supported by
you, these unfortunate ones receive not merely clothing for the
body, but also the supernatural garment of grace!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1 Educate a seminarian, such as THEOPHANE M. PUTHU-
KULANGARA and MATHEW JOHN THAYIL of Bangalore,
India. Cost: §100 a year for six years.
2. Educate a Sister like SISTER BENNET and SISTER SI
ENNA of the Carmelite Sisters of Kothamangalam, India. Cost:
§150 a year for two years. (Payments for the support of a
seminarian or a novice may be made in installments.)
3. Buy a FOOD PACKAGE for a PALESTINE REFUGEE
FAMILY. Cost: $10.
4. Purchase a BLANKET for a BEDOUIN. Cost: $2.
5. Give an undesignated or STRINGLESS GIFT to be used
where the Holy Father feels the need is greatest..
6. Send a MASS STIPEND. 15,000 priests in the NEAR and
MIDDLE EAST often have no other means of support each day.
Msgr. Joseph T. Ryan, Nat’l Sec'y
Send all communications to:
CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
480 Lexington Ave. at 46th St. New York 17, N. T.