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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- MEREDITH OPTOMETRISTS and OPTICIANS 737 BROAD ST. — AT THE MONUMENT AUGUSTA. GEORGIA Optometrist: Opticians: Dr. O. M. Murphy. Jr. Miss Lura Seigler Jack Johannsen RIVERSIDE GLASS CO. Off Reynolds on 12th AUGUSTA, GA. Seasons Greetings V MAXWELL BROTHERS 933 - 35 BROAD ST. PHONE PArk 2-5526 AUGUSTA. GA. Heating and Air Conditioning For The Home Refrigeration SiqCou (w)Westinghouse 1431 Greene St. 722-5304 Augusta, Ga. 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.” Member National Selected Morticians By Invitation Established 1837 Platt’s Funeral Home 721 Crawford Avenue AUGUSTA, GEORGIA E. P. Grealish, Sr. Pauline F. Peuffier U' Oontt<xc£uty Oo., Inc, "Lowest Price — Maintenance Considered" GENERAL CONTRACTORS ► General Building • Public Utilities AUGUSTA, GEORGIA E. J. McMahon & Company Plumbing and Heating Contractors 540 Bohler Ave. Augusta, Ga. Phones PA. 4-3506, PA. 4-3507 A Merry Christmas RAILROAD BANK & TRUST COMPANY AUGUSTA. 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