Newspaper Page Text
1
V
2nd Session-
(Continued from Page 2)
the document said, but rather to
what it did not say.
Bishop Giuseppe Gargitter
of Bressanone, Italy, charged
that the text was “certainly not
the one drawn up by the prepar
atory commission. It ex
pounds its doctrine under the
one-sided light of insistence on
the rights and the central or
gans of the Roman curia.”
Bishop Pablo Correa Leon of
Cucuta, Columbia, complained
that “fully one-half the mem
bers of the preparatory
commission were not given an
opportunity to express their
mind on the text of the sche
ma.”
Criticism was frequently
heard in council lobbies on the
unnecessary delays of commis
sion meetings.
According to reliable infor
mation, Pope Paul let it be
known that he wanted the theo
logical Commission to meet
daily rather than once a week
so that a revised schema on
the nature of the Church could
soon reach the council floor.
On Oct. 30, the council com
pleted the main part of its work
on the 130- paragraph Constitu
tion on the Liturgy—the first
item on its agenda when the first
session opened in the fall of
1962. The Fathers overwhelm
ingly approved the constitu
tion’s last chapter. All that was
left for the final product was ap
proval of a relatively small
number of changes.
Debate on the Roman Curia
came to a dramatic climax on
Nov. 8 when two outstanding
cardinals clashed sharply over
the curia’s role: Joseph Cardin
al Frings of Cologne, Germany,
vigorously objected to the prac
tices of the curia’s highest body,
the sacred Congregation of the
Holy Office. Defending it was the
Holy Office’s Secretary, Alfre
do Cardinal Ottaviani.
Cardinal Frings said that the
procedures in the Roman curia,
including those in the Holy of
fice * ‘are out of harmony with
modern times, are a source of
harm to the faithful and of scan
dal to those outside the Church.
* ‘No Roman congregation
should have authority to accuse,
judge and condemn an individual
who has had no opportunity
to defend himself.”
Cardinal Ottaviani replied
with a strong protest.
“It should not be forgotten,”
he said, “that the Prefect of the
Holy Office is none other than
the Supreme Pontiff himself.”
* 'The criticism formulated
proceeds from a lack of know-
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OBSERVER DELEGATES to and guests of the second ses
sion of the Ecumenical Council were greeted last month
by Pope Paul. In Photo above Protestant theologian, Pro
fessor Oscar Cullman of the Universities of Basle and Par
is shakes hands with the Pontiff. Standing to Pope’s left is
Methodist Bishop Fred Pierce Corson, of Philadelphia, Pa.
ledge, not to use a stronger
term of the procedures of this
sacred congregation.”
The Fathers moved from de
bating the nature of the
Church to the next topic, ecu
menism, on Nov. 18, and there
was no letup in the impact of
conflicting opinions.
The first day’s debate (Nov.
18) showed the Fathers split
three ways—and in the debate,
which carried on to the end of
the session, Bishop Stephen A.
Leven of San Antonio, Tex.,'
made a strong defense of the
new order and a stinging re
buke of its critics.
On that first day an Italian
cardinal and three Eastern
Rite patriarchs opposed in
cluding a chapter on Christian-
Jewish relations in a schema
whose aim was to help bring
about Christian unity. Two
Spanish cardinals warned that
caution was needed in a ecu
menical dialogue of Catholics
with Protestants. Three oth
er speakers—Joseph Cardinal
Ritter of St. Louis and cardin
als from Venezuela and Japan
— said the council should dis
cuss all the issues.
When Bishop Leven spoke his
mind (Nov. 26), his caustic
words brought a mixed reac
tion; some of the Fathers sat
in angered silence and others
THE TEXAS CHALICE—
This gold and silver chalice,
gift of the Texas Knights of
Columbus to the National
Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception, Washington, D.
C., was used, there during the
Mass on December 8 for
President Lyndon B. Johnson
and the people of the United
States. The cup of the chalice
rests in a cluster of blue
bonnets, (The Texas State
Flower). Seven rivulets flow
to the edge of the circular
base, which is adorned with
seven coats of arms of
bishops whose dioceses are
located on the seven main
rivers of Texas, and K. of C.
emblems mounted on two
lone stars. (NC Photos)
responded with enthusiastic ap
plause.
“There are some Fathers,”
he said, * ‘who have already spo
ken to us frequently in the coun
cil who speak as if the only text
in the Bible were Matthew 16,
18: Thou art Peter and upon
this rock I will build my
church’ . . .
“They prefer to blame the
non-Catholics, whom perhaps
they have never seen,(rather)
than to instruct the children in
their parishes. Otherwise
why are they so afraid the ef
forts of ecumenism would not
be good? Why are not their peo
ple better instructed? Why are
no their people visited in their
homes? Why isn’t there an ac
tive and working Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine in their
parishes? . . .
“The prelates who seek a
sincere and fruitful dialogue
with non-Catholics are not the
ones who show disaffection and
disloyalty to the Holy Father.
It is not our people who miss
Mass on Sunday, refuse the sac
raments and vote the communi-
ist ticket . . .”
Bishop Leven told a press
conference later that he made
the speech because “all my
life I have worked among Pro
testants.” It is unbearable to
hear Protestants talked about as
though they were a strange en
tity, he said.
Shortly before the end of
the session, Pope Paul made a
change in the makeup of the
council commissions which was
interpreted as a move to get
around delaying actions which
were reportedly holding up re
vision of controversial sche
mas.
The reorganization provided
that:
—Each commission be in
creased to 30 members (from
the normal 25).
—Each commission, after
getting its new members,
was to elect a vice president
and a vice secretary.
The Pope’s move was greeted
as an ideal solution to a prob
lem which worried many of the
Fathers. It gave the hope of
breaking through an impasse
caused by foot-dragging on the
part of a minority determined
■Stated In Decree-
Church Teaching On
Communications Media
By Msgr, James I. Tucek
VATICAN CITY, (NC) — The
Decree on the Media of Social
Communication promulgated by
Pope Paul VI at the closing
of the second session of the ecu
menical council (Dec. 4) is a
highly condensed statement of
Church teaching and a concise
program of pastoral instruction
on the subject.
The decree is so highly con
densed in fact, that it was op
posed as inadequate in the de
bates of the second session and
drew 164 negative votes at the
session at which it was finally
promulgated.
The decree states in its in
troductory paragraphs the
Church’s special interest in all
those means "which have a
most direct relation to men’s
minds” and lists fcs the most
important among those modern
means “the press, movies, ra
dio, television and the like.”
It recognizes the great service
that these can be to mankind
as well as the great harm that
their misuse can produce.
Therefore, the decree de
clares, the council judges it to
be its duty to make a pro
nouncement on these means and
"trusts that the teaching and
regulations it thus sets forth
will serve to promote not only
the eternal welfare of Chris
tians, but also the progress of
all mankind.”
There follow two chapters,
one of the teaching of the Church
and the other on the pastoral
activity of the Church.
It is established in the first
place that the Catholic Church,
by reason of its divine mission,
is obliged to preach the gospel,
and has the right to use com
munications media for this pur
pose. Pastors are therefore
instructed in their duty to in
is truct and guide the faithful
"so that they, with the help of
these same media, may fur
ther the salvation and perfec
tion of themselves and of the
entire human family.”
The decree makes It a mat
ter of Church teaching that all
who make use of the media
must be Instructed in their
proper use. The "proper use,”
it says, depends upon "theper
sons, place, time and other
conditions under which commu
nications take place.”
Beyond the varying conditions
according to which the proper
use of the communications me
dia are to be judged, the de
cree deals with three ques
tions, "which have been vigo
rously aired in our day." These
are the right to information,
the relationship between the
right of art and the norms of
morality, and the portrayal of
moral evil.
Information, or the search for
and reporting of the news, the
decree says, is "most useful
and very often necessary.’’ It
is set down as Church teach
ing that “in society men have a
right to information, accord
ing to the circumstances of
each case, about matters con
cerning individuals or the com
munity.” The right to informa
tion, however, is conditioned
upon its being true and com
plete and within the bounds
of justice and charity. Further
more, the decree declares, the
search for information must
respect the laws of morality and
the legitimate rights and dig
nity of the individual.
On the "relationship be
tween the rights of art and the
norms of morality” the council
proclaims "that all must hold
to the absolute primacy of the
objective moral order” and that
"this order by itself surpasses
and fittingly coordinates all
other spheres of human affairs
—the arts not excepted— even
though they be endowed with
notable dignity.”
As to the third question, the
decree states that "the nar
ration, description or portrayal
of moral evil ... can indeed
serve to bring about a deeper
knowledge and study of human
ity.” Nevertheless, the decree
recommends that such presen
tations be subject to moral
restraint lest they harm rather
than help.
The teachings of the Church
are then declared concerning
the passive and active agents
of the communications media,
as well as the duties of pub
lic authorities.
The passive agents are the
readers, viewers or listeners
of the communications media.
They are instructed in their
duty to "favor those presenta
tions that are outstanding for
their moral goodness, their
knowledge and their artistic or
technical merit” and "to avoid
those that may be a cause or
occasion of spiritual harm.”
These same persons are ur
ged to Inform themselves on the
judgements passed by "autho
rities competent in these mat
ters,” but also to follow the
dictates of their own right con
sciences.
All, but especially the young,
are urged to use moderation
and self-control in using the
communications media. Pa
rents are reminded of their se
rious duty to protect their chil
dren from harm in the matter
of shows and publications.
The active agents are news
men, writers, actors, design
ers, producers, displayers,
distributors, operators, sel
lers and critics, as well as all
others who have a part in the
production and transmission of
the communications media.
They are urged to "adjusttheir
economic, political or artistic
and technical activities so as
never to oppose the common
good.”
Four special responsibilities
of public authorities are sta
ted:
1. To protect and safeguard
true and just freedom of in
formation.
2. To encourage spiritual va
lues, culture and the fine arts.
3. To help those projects
which are beneficial for young
people but which without their
help might not otherwise be un
dertaken. ■
4. To exercise a fitting and
careful watch, through the pro
mulgation and enforcement of
laws, lest grave damage befall
public morals and the welfare
of society through the base use
of the communications media.
Chapter II on the pastoral
activity of the Church opens
with the statement that "all
children of the Church should
join without delay and with the
greatest effort in a common
work to make effective use of the
media of social communications
in various apostolic endeavors,
as circumstances and con
ditions demand.”
Pastors are admonished to
hasten to fulfill in this respect
their duty "which is intimate
ly linked with their ordinary
preaching responsibility.”
At the same time, the laity
“Who have something to do with
the use of these media should
endeavor to bear witness to
Christ.” The decree states that
first a "good press should be
fostered” and a "truly Catho
lic press should be set up and
encouraged.
"Such a press—whether im
mediately fostered and direct
ed by ecclesiastical authorities
or Catholic laymen—should be
edited with the clear purpose
of forming, supporting and ad
vancing public opinion in accord
with natural law and Catholic
teaching and precepts.. .More
over, the faithful ought to be
advised on the necessity both
to spread and read the Catho
lic press to formulate Chris
tian judgements for themselves
on all events.”
The Southern Cross, December 12, 1963—PAGE 3
to stall the majority.
Some observers felt it would
have been better to choose com
pletely new commissions. But
this would have been an outright
challenge to the authority now in
the hands of high curia officials
and a cause of unhelpful fric
tion.
The council commissions will
by laying the groundwork for the
council’s third session, set for
Sept. 14 to Nov. 20, 1964.
In the debate on ecumenism,
the Fathers discussed ways to
encourage ecumenical relations
with non-Catholics. Among the
measures recommended were:
recognizing the validity of mix
ed marriages before non-Ca-
tholic ministers, permission to
attend non-Catholic religious
services and cooperating with
non-Catholics in the intellectual
field.
Time ran out before discus
sion reached the last two chap
ters (on relations with Jews and
on religious liberty) of the ecu
menism schema, but the Fa
thers were assured that the
two chapters will be among the
first items on the agenda for
the third session.
In a speech at Rome’s Can
adian College (Dec. 1), Cardin
al Suenens said that the moder
ators could have insisted that
the two controversial chapters
be brought to a vote but had
decided not to do so.
They felt, he said, that after
a cooling-off period and after
the issues had been aired in
public print the chapters would
stand a better chance of pass
ing.
Augustin Cadinal Bea, S.J.,
of the Secretariat for Promot
ing Christian Unity which drew
up the ecumenism schema, told
the Fathers at the session’s last
full working meeting (Dec. 2)
that the old saying applies:
“What is put off is not put
away.”
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