Newspaper Page Text
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PAGE C — iiecem ber 11,1969
USCC CONFERENCE
New Research Dept. To
Evaluate Rel. Textbooks
ADAPTATION of the liturgy in the new Order of the Mass seeks to help us make our worship a
more spiritually beneficial reality in our lives. As Christ at the Last Supper, facing his disciples,
speaking to them in the vernacular as He blessed the bread and wine, uttered words with special
meaning to his hearers, so too the new Order of the Mass permits adaptation through a variety of
Biblical readings, special prayers and specific intentions for our spiritual benefit. (NC Photo)
j Unity-Not Uniformity
Is Aim Of Liturgists f
Conference Seeks
To Focus Christians
On Man’s Plight
BY PAUL J, DWYER
WASHINGTON (NC)-The
first major project of the
recently established division
of research and development
in religious education of the
Department of Education,
United States Catholic
Conference, will be to
prepare an evaluation of all
major religion textbooks now
in use in Catholic schools as a
service to diocesan offices
throughout the country.
During the summer, the
division collected all available
religion texts and materials
prepared for Catholic schools
and Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine (CCD)
classes. It has also assembled
diocesan evaluations, book
reviews, articles and other
materials relating to religion
texts in current use.
Father Thomas C. Donian,
O.P., division director said in
a interview here a “definite
plan of procedure” will be
presented at the first
departmental meeting, to be
held Dec. 15, under the
chairmanship of Auxiliary
Bishop William E. McManus
of Chicago. Bishop McManus
has succeeded Bishop Ernest
J. Primeau of Manchester,
N.H., in the post of education
department chairman.
Father Donian, a member
of the Dominican Chicago
province, said the division
“has already begun to
assemble a group of qualified
people to work on a
committee that will be
involved in the project. It has
contracted every graduate
department of theology and
religious education at all
Catholic universities and
colleges throughout the
country. We hope to utilize
‘PERIOD OF PEACE
WASHINGTON (NC) -
Achievement of a community
of alertness among men and
nations in arousing an
awareness of what is at stake
in nuclear warfare,
underdevelopment, racial and
social hatred, nd
discrimination is the goal of a
“period of peace” to be
observed by the Catholic
Church beginning Jan. 1.
This was outlined in a
statement issued here by the
Division of World Justice and
Peace, United States Catholic
Conference, which has
prepared and distributed
packets of material “in
making the period most
meaningful.”
The packets have been
mailed to all Ordinaries in the
United States. The material
includes a wide variety of
suggestions adaptable to
varying conditions
throughout the nation.
Pope Paul VI will initiate
the world-wide observance by
proclaiming Jan. 1 “World
Day of Peace.” The Pope will
announce as the theme of this
third annual peace
celebration, “Self-Education
for Peace Through
Reconciliation.”
The National Conference
of Catholic Bishops, during
its recent meeting here,
agreed to celebrate the period
of peace.
“The observance of the
World Day of Peace is not
intended to be a part-time
event, giving the impression
that one’s duty to the cause
of peace has been fulfilled,”
declares the World Justice
and Peace statement.
“The observance ...,” it
continues, “is an essential
component of a whole system
of education, reflection, and
action which must be pursued
throughout the whole year.”
In the packets distributed
throughout the nation is
liturgical material, including
prayers of the faithful,
homilies, and a service for
reconciliation, designed for
their personnel in this study.”
This evaluation project, it
was stressed, will “in no way
assume the responsibility
inherent in the bishop’s office
to guard the purity of
Christian teaching in his own
diocese.”
Turning to the specifics of
the project, Father Donian
said the division at present
envisages a “three-level
approach”:
-1. “The formation of a
committee of theologians
who have a background in
teaching the laity and in
writing at the ‘popular’ level
on matters of faith. From
these we hope to develop
guidelines for the evaluation
by January, 1970.
-2. “The formation of a
larger and more
representative committee that
will include teachers, CCD
directors, pastors, parents.
This group will study the
various series of textbooks in
the light of the guidelines,
and will present evaluations
of them.
-3. “Enlistment of the
talents of a still larger group
of the same type of qualified
people as consultors. these
will largely be contacted by
mail, in order to achieve the
broadcast possible basis for
consultation, while keeping
the administrative aspects of
the project within
manageable limits.”
The goal is to have the
project in full operation
within a year, he priest
stated.
In a statement sent to the
bishops of the country in
use and promotion by the
appropriate diocesan
liturgical committees.
Regarding Mass for Jan. 1,
the Pontifical Commission of
Justice and Peace has advised
that the Votive Mass for
Peace prepared especially for
this celebration last year can
be celebrated in the various
countries Jan. 1 or either the
preceding or following
Sunday, leaving the local
Ordinary free to choose the
Sunday or weekday most
suitable.
The U.S. bishops’
committee on liturgy,
however, noted that from a
theological and liturgical
point of view, the use of the
Votive Mass for Peace on
Sunday, Jan. 4 which is
Epiphany, is not appropriate.
Also included in the
specially prepared peace
packets is a variety of specific
projects and resource
materials designed for
possible implementation at
the diocesan and community
level.
The Pope’s initial
intention in 1968 in
proclaiming a World Day of
Peace was to find an original
striking idea for the cause of
peace.
“This idea is the festivity,”
the World Justice and Peace
statement explains. “Every
cause calls for collective
celebrations, and peace is no
exception to the rule. The
Pope wished to graft this new
festivity to the existing one,
one of the most joyous and
universal: New Year’s Day.
“Acknowledging the need
for personal prayerful
commitment to peace, the
Holy Father also noted the
need for collective
commitment and communal
celebration,” the statement
continues.
‘‘It must be the
mobilization of all men and
of all groups for the cause of
peace,” it declares.
»
October and made public
(Dec.l) the USCC education
department’s 20-member
committee on education
noted that “one of the
pressing issues facing us today
is the growing criticism of the
teaching of religion in
Catholic schools and in the
Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine. More presisely, the
criticism is foucused on the
doctrinal orthodoxy of many
of the textbooks used in
religious education programs
and the manner in which
religion is presented by some
teachers.
“Most bishops,” the
statement continued, “have
received letters from parents
and other adults expressing
their concern over what is
being taught in some
classrooms. They report
examples of instruction given
by individual teachers, and
cite passages from texts
which disturb them deeply.”
The committee’s
statement noted the “growing
demand for some
authoritative guidelines from
the bishops on the teaching
of religion.” The question of
evaluating religion textbooks
was raised at the bishops’
meeting in Houston, Tex.,
last April, the statement said.
Msgr. Raymond Lucker,
USCC education department
director, informed the
bishops of the establishment
of the new division of
research and development,
and explained that one of its
tasks would be an evaluation
of religion textbooks.
Bishop Primeau, then
episcopal chairman of the
education department,
emphasized that the
department “is essentially a
service department, answering
the needs of diocesan
offices.” He strongly advised
against any action on the part
of the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops (NCCB)
which would assign to the
USCC department of
education any responsibility
for censorship.
The committee’s
statement said it encouraged
“the efforts made by many
Catholic schools and CCD
programs to give parents a
better insight into the
developments in the field of
religious education, and to
help them fulfill their role as
the primary and principal
educators of their children.”
The committee said it is
convinced “there are many
irresponsible and exaggerated
attacks being made today
against the religion textbooks
that are being used in our
schools and CCD classes, as
well as against the teachers of
religion. Charges of heresy
and deliberate distortions of
the truth are being made.”
The committee said that
while it recognizes that
individual teachers have made
statements of questionable
orthodoxy, in general, the
new religion textbooks are
good and give solid
presentations of Christian
doctrine. This is not to say
that they cannot be
improved.
“The textbook writers are
the first to admit this,” the
statement continued, “and
they welcome helpful
guidance and constructive
criticism. They are seriously
attempting to use the best
that theologians, Scripture
scholars, liturgists, educators,
social scientists and other
experts have to offer.”
The committee’s
statement asserted that
“some of the religion
textbooks are better than
others. Some may be
criticized for the emphasis
they have laid on certain
aspects of Christian doctrine
and the lack of emphasis on
others, or for their favoring
of one theological opinion
over another.
“But the committee on
education believes that it is
irresponsible to condemn
almost all of the religion
textbooks on the market as
unorthodox and heritical.
Such an approach tears down
the confidence of our people
in our schools and in the
Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine.”
This is the second of nine
articles on the reform of the
eucharistic liturgy.
BY FATHER
VINCENT J. GIESE
(NC NEWS SERVICE)
“What are they doing to
the Mass? Timie was when it
was always the same, no
matter where it might be
celebrated in the world.”
How often has this remark
been made since the end of
Vatican Council II?
Uniformity, especially in
externals, had been that
hallmark of the eucharistic
liturgy since the Council of
Trent 400 years ago, when
the council Fathers, for
disciplinary reasons, froze the
Mass in a well-defined
structure and encased it in
the dead language of Latin.
Today, amid the liturgical
changes which have taken
place since the end of Vatican
II, unity rather than
uniformity is the dominant
characteristic of the Mass.
The Mass today has
recaptured some of the
adeptability and flexibility
which it enjoyed in the
Church’s first 1,600 years
before the Council of Trent.
Perhaps the best way to
describe the new Order of the
Mass soon to be introduced is
to say that it allows for the
development of a theme for
each Mass through the
selection of optional hymns,
scriptural readings, prefaces
and eucharistic prayers,
commentary and music.
By intelligent preparation
and through the use of
multiple options, a thematic
unity will now be possible
within each Mass geared to
the particular needs of the
worshipping groups and to
the needs of the times.
The traditional Roman
Missal, which is now being
replaced by; the new Order of
the Mass canonized
uniformity to such an extent
that the Mass could not easily
be adopted to specialized
groups.
Whether the worshippers
were young or old, suburban
or inner city, blue-collar or
executive, the Mass was
always the same.
In using the new Order of
the Mass, the criterion for
choosing among the various
options in preparing a specific
Mass will be how this Mass
will help this particular group
of people enter into
communication with God and
with one another.
People, after all, do belong
to specific cultures and ethnic
groups. Each group has its
own personality. Liturgy,
thus, ought to be immersed in
the culture, symbols, ritual
and mentality of the people.
Beyond this concern for
the life stiuation, the
eucharistic liturgy ought to
help people encounter God-
the mystery of Christ in their
midst. People must be able to
see themselves through the
Mass as they are. They must
be brought to a social
concern for others, in such a
way that they are a sign of
hope for themselves and for
others.
Thematic unity is not
something new. We already
have had a taste of it in
nuptial Masses, funeral
Masses, the Christmas Mass,
the Holy Week Liturgy, or
more recently, this year’s new
Thanksgiving Mass.
The new Thanksgiving
Mass is an example of how
thematic unity can be
established through use of
options. The theme of
thanksgiving to God for His
blesssings on our land, as “a
place of promise and hope,”
as well as an appreciation for
our responsibility to our
fellow man, are expressed
through prayers, suggested
hymns, and a choice of
readings from the Old and
New Testaments.
The suggestion that gifts
of clothes and food for the
poor be brought to the altar
in the Offertory process also
gave expression to our thanks
to God for His many
blessings.
The new Order of the Mass
extends the possibilities for
thematic unity to each and
every Mass.
Here are a few check
points we might look at in
planning a particular Mass.
-What is the objective
message of the texts of the
Mass, for example in the
Votive Mass for Peace?
-What is the age, sex,
ethnic or socio-economic
background, occupational or
vocational background of the
group?
-What is the present state
of mind of the group
gathered together, in light of
what is happening in the
world here and now or in
terms of their personal
experiences, or the reason
why they are gathered
together at this particular
moment?
-What is the physical or
psychic receptivity of the
group at this moment,
perhaps because of the time
of day, the season, the
weather, or recent
experiences?
-What are the needs of the
group in terms of their
present relationship either to
God or to others?
In short, which of the
available options is most
proper and fitting here and
now, to contribute to an
overall attractive human
experience, so as to make the
mystery of Christ among us a
more transparent and
spiritually beneficial reality in
the lives of our people?
BY JAIME FONSECA
WASHINGTON (NC) -
War and peace-and their
impact on aid and trade for
development-were the main
concern during a three-day
seminar here for 75 Christians
seeking to further the cause
of human dignity in the Third
World of underdeveloped
nations and the inner city.
What they had to say will
form the guidelines to help
local Christian communities
throughout the country
launch meaningful programs
at the diocesan level to reate
awareness and action on the
duties of the human family.
The leaders reacted with
comment and searching
questions as they were told
that there is “lunacy” in the
arms race, that it may be too
late to stop pollution, that
the next wars might be
between the suburbs and the
inner city, that military
expenditures are eroding the
welfare of the poor and the
uneducated, and that
Vietnam holds a humane
challenge but not a security
threat to the United States.
They were also offered a
few bright “happenings”: the
growing awareness of leaders
of the need for a hard-headed
look at defense needs versus
the needs of people
everywhere, the rich and
realistic doctrine of the
Church on the restoration of
justice and peace, the opening
of channels of information on
basic issues, such as youth
and the draft, and
interdependence among
nations. Compassion and
reconciliation instead of
mutual blame and hate is a
third avenue of hope.
Lady Jackson (Barbara
Ward) gave participants a
“planetary vision” of the
challenges confronting
present generations. “And
these go far beyond
ideologies’’, the British
author warned.
“All these challenges
contain a crisis, and the main
ones are: defense, the city,
the condition of the Third
World.”
“The moon landing is an
exhilarating experience for all
of us, a show of man’s
capacity to conquer nature.
God placed us here to create,
and creating we are with
scientific thrust,” Lady
Jackson said. “For the first
time we are able to see
ourselves from outer space as
a little ship . .. But what we
confront now is learning what
infinite possibilities of
destruction this little ship
carries within.”
She then remarked that
pollution in the Hudson River
will be such in a few years
that “if one falls in, one does
not drown, simply dissolves.”
“Everything is so
accelerated to a high pitch
that we are engulfed by the
crisis before we even see it.
The area of knowledge
multiplies so quickly that we
hardly have time to explore
final results. Ten short years
ago DDT was the solution for
many problems, and now we
have to ban its use because it
is leading to cancer.”
“For Lady Jackson,
“defense is the more
disastrous crisis,” although it
had honorable beginnings.
She described the arms race
and the capacity for
over-killing Americans and
Russians by 7 to 20 times, as
simply “insecurity at an ever
higher level.”
“The lunacy of such a race
is not because of wickedness,
but the result of the thrust of
technology.” Each discovery
makes defense systems
obsolete, and society has to
pump more billions of dollars
into the arms race each year,
with the resulting inflation.
“Behind this race we
totally forget the global
consequences of unleashing
thousands of megatons on the
earth.” Nuclear weapons and
radiation will kill both sides,
she added.
“The cities are increasingly
in crisis ... unemployment
grows as people move into
them. In time, the suburbs
will have to build defenses
against the anger of the
center, as the rich nations
must be defended against the
anger of the poor nations.”
Lady Jackson called for
less military expenditures in
the industrialized world-now
running to some $180
billion-to devote the savings
to the cities and the
underdeveloped nations.
“But it means you cannot
have more Vietnams. The
Christian community must be
aware of that,” she added.
The British author, now
lecturing, on economics at
Columbia University in New
York, sees, among the bright
spots the treaty banning
nuclear tests, the
anti-proliferation nuclear
treaty, the seabed treaty
which opens new hopes for
resources, and now the
Helsinski talks on the arms
race.
“The social doctrine of the
Church gives a global
dimension to justice and
peace,” Bishop Dougherty
had said in his opening
remarks. They were echoed at
the closing summary by Msgr.
Marvin Bordelon, director of
the USCC’s Division of World
Justice and Peace.
“These are not ideal goals
but pastoral realities calling
for the application of the
conscience of religion to our
times,” he said. “There is
urgency in the challenge, and
in considering the quality and
quantity of the resources we
have . . . The quality of
mercy that comes from a
non-military posture.”
The division laid stress on
participation in defining goals
and guidelines. Not only
dialogue with the main
speakers, but constant debate
in small groups brought out
these main points of concern
among the leaders:
-War and peace and youth
pose the question of
conscientious objection to
war. A rising number of
Catholics at university and
college campuses are seeking
the conscientious objector
status. There is a need for
accurate information and
counseling on this issue.
-Adult education in peace
and development can render
decisive changes in the
formulation and execution of
foreign policy. Techniques
and motivations must be
brought to bear at the
grass-roots level.
--The constructive
criticism of youth can and
must be addressed to a fresh
approach to international
cooperation and the
improvement of life in the
developing areas of the world.
--Citizens’ action and
pressure on local, regional
and national political leaders
will help to move forward
legislation for peaceful
progress at home and abroad.
Congressmen often take risks
supporting the “miracle” of
foreign aid on their own,
because their constituents
show only apathy for the
people of other lands.
--Communications media
must be made aware of the
demands and true interests of
world justice and peace in
relation with the community
they serve.
-To a safe course for
membership and leadership
efforts, the Church must
provide a theology of peace
and development in a clear,
relevant manner, so as to raise
those efforts from the purely
pragmatic approach to the
long-range thinking and
commitment by people
concerned.
Leaders in the public and
private sectors must take a
second, honest look at
current concepts of “national
interest”, “defense”, and
“welfare”, in search of
realistic approaches and
priorities.
DRAFT COUNSELING— A workshop on draft counseling was among several smaller group
discussions during a seminar convened by the USCC Division of World Justice and Peace and held
at the Washington, D.C., Retreat House, Dec. 2-4. From left, clockwise, are Paul Frazier, New
York City; Msgr. Chester Michael, Charlottesville, Va.; Mathew Ahmann, San Antonio; Father
Reynard Kinkel, O.F.M. Cap., Milwaukee; and Miss Jane Wolford, Delroit. (NC Photo)
♦
USCC Dept. Issues
Peace Statement
4