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PAGE 6 - July 1, 1971
FOR 40 CAREER GIRLS
‘Under The Clock’ Has
New Meaning At Biltmore
By Doris Revere Peters
NEW YORK (NC) - It’s
hard to be a stranger in a big
city when you’re a young
woman and responsible for
earning your own living. It’s
even harder when that city is
New York with its spiraling
housing costs.
But thanks to the
dedication, perseverence and
imagination of two “older”
women - both retired
Dominican Sisters - young
women can now live
economically at one of the
city’s most prestigious
addresses.
“Under the clock at the
Biltmore” in past generations
meant a big date, a ball, a
prom, or at least tea in the
lounge of the Hotel Biltmore.
Today, “under the clock” is a
meeting place for 40 young
career girls. They live in the
hotel’s penthouse, which is
run by Miss Henrice Binder
and Miss Rose Ellen
Ferguson.
For 25 years these two
women successfully operated
Casa Francesca in Miami
Beach, a home away from
home for young working
girls. They realized the need
for that kind of home in the
larger and more crowded
urban areas. And they
dreamed of one day opening
one in New York.
The finally arrived here
and after months of hunting,
talking and begging found a
sympathetic listener in the
manager of the Biltmore.
Just a year ago, with very
little money but with the
help and encouragement of
“a really great mother
general,” they took over the
82 rooms on the Biltmore’s
top floor. Today their dream
includes still more space and
air conditioning.
In the state of New York
charter, the 32-room project
is called “Fatima House.”
However, it is known to
founders and residents as The
Young Women’s Towne
House.
Modest weekly rates
ranging from $35 t;o $40 are
made possible by the
contributions of other people
who see the need for such a
non-profit organization, and
by an active board of
directors which includes
Hildegarde, the chanteuse,
syndicated columnist Bob
Considine and others.
The girls make their own
beds and look after their own
rooms. There is maid service
once a week. Pay phones are
in the hall. One room,
originally a large public
bathroom, has a washing
machine and clothes dryer
and a deep basin for
shampoos. There is also a TV
lounge with a soft drink
machine and a broiler for
heating TV dinners.
The Young Women’s
Towne House is open to
young career girls of all faiths
and ethnic origins. They
come from small towns and
big cities, from every state,
and from countries around
the world.
The girls enjoy the
comforts of the hotel and its
central location. Their
parents feel secure in the
protection of the parent-like
atmosphere. There are neither
curfew nor restrictions, but
the only men allowed in the
rooms are members of the
girls’ immediate families.
A sign on the piano in the
hall invites the girls to use it
until 11:30 p.m. “When we’re
ready to go to bed, they’re
ready to sing,” Miss Ferguson
said with a smile.
Of their own lives Miss
Binder said: “Things have not
changed. We live the same as
we always did.” She added
that they both feel the
religious life is “the only
life.”
Together they bring 60
years of experience in
religious life to their new
project in Fatima House.
PAPAL EXHORTATION
r i —
Document Stresses Value
Of Celibacy For Religious
By Father Leo
E. McFadden
ROME (NC)- Pope Paul VI
has reiterated the value of
Religious celibacy and
stressed that any apostolic
involvement by Religious
must be based on a well
developed spiritual
formation.
In an apostolic exhortation
dated June 29 and announced
at a Vatican news conference
July 1, the Pope also called
members of Religious
communities to a life of
prayer.
Although an international
commission of experts on the
Religious life collaborated for
two years with the Pope in
preparing the document, the
final version and many of the
revisions were personally
written by the Pope.
A Vatican source said the
commission had submitted
“about twice the material”
that is contained in the
58-page document, but that
obviously “Pope Paul knew
what he wanted to say about
Religious life and said it.”
The source indicated that
Pope Paul’s primary intention
was to stress that “the
Religious life has a major role
in the modern world and it
must be continued.”
The exhortation contains
no new doctrine and is
phrased in general terminology
to embrace all forms of
Religious dedication -from a
life of strict contemplation to
an active ministry in the
world.
An informed source said
the new exhortation is
intended as a corollary of the
exhortation to bishops issued
in January, in which the Pope
reviewed the needs of the
Church five years after the
Second Vatican Council.
Pope Paul devotes a major
part of this new exhortation
to what he terms the essential
commitments of the
Religious life -poverty,
chastity and obedience.
Saying that the “supreme
rule of Religious life and its
ultimate norm” is following
Christ, the Pope asks:
“Is it not this
preoccupation which in the
course of the centuies has
given rise in the Church to
the demand for a life which is
chaste, poor and obedient?”
Following closely Vatican
II teachings (half the
references in the exhortation
are to council documents),
the Pope reminds Religious
that they have “vowed to
Christ, generously and
without reservation, that
capacity to love, that need to
possess and that freedom to
regulate one’s own life, which
are so precious to man.”
This, the Pope contends,
helps the entire world.
The Pope’s comments on
the value of chasity in the
modern world take on a
special significance because
they come just three months
before the convening of the
1971 Synod of Bishops, in
which a major debate could
evolve over the value of a
celibate priesthood.
The Pope calls chastity a
“source of deep peace.”
“Without in any way
undervaluing human love and
marriage . consecrated
chastity . . .brings that
surpassing excellence to
which all human love is more
than ever threatened by a
‘ravaging eroticism,’
consecrated chastity must be
today more than ever
understood and lived with
uprightness and generosity.”
The Pope insists that the
value of consecrated chastity
is based on “the Word of
God, the teachings of Christ,
the life of His Virgin Mother
and also apostolic traditioa”
A life of prayer must be
the constant basis of any “life
style” for the Religious, the
Pope says.
Recognizing that the
Religious is “striving to attain
holiness by a narrower path,”
by becoming involved in
problems of the world, Pope
Paul says that true witness in
the world depends on the
“formation of the inner
man.”
Speaking directly to the
religious, the Pope continues:
“In view of the hectic pace
and tensions of modern life it
is appropriate to give
particular importance - over
and above the daily rhythm
of prayer - to those more
prolonged moments of
prayer.”
In a concluding appeal, the
Pope urges an authentic
renewal of the Religious life
to meet the needs of the
world without abandoning
what is genuine and valuable
in current Religious
institutes.
Only in this way, he says,
will the goodness of Christ
effectively be brought to the
world.
It has been known for the
past year that a document on
the Religious life was being
prepared for the Pope’s
signature. Actually experts on
the Religious life began
compilation of data two years
ago. Their proposals
underwent nine or ten
revisions before the Pope
wrote the final version.
Religious communities,
particularly in the United
States, criticized the
Congregation for Religious
during the past year for
preparing a major document
without consulting Religious
around the world. The
congregation had no official
role in preparing the
document or in advising the
pope. (Traditionally, authors
of or contributors to papal
documents are never
identified by name).
The Pope did not
incorporate all of the ideas
suggested to him by his
commission of experts. For
instance, one Vatican source
said the commission
suggested the Pope point out
the need of proper
motivation in aspiring to the
Religious life and provide a
thorough theological
explanation of the Religious
vocation.
The Pope did neither.
Although he suggested that
the life of the Religious is
much more than simple
sociological involvement, he
did not develop the
theological basis of the
Religious life. Instead, he
chose rather to emphasize the
basis of modern religious life
as a consecration and
commitment to God
nourished by prayer.
“MUSIC IN THE CELEBRATION must serve the worship of God, and thus must have qualities of
holiness and good form, be suited to the liturgical action and nature of each of its parts ....” Here
a small choir serves to enhance the Mass in a small congregation without interfering with the
service itself. (NC PHOTO by Frank Hoy)
Worship And The World
Something Old,
Something New
By Fr. Joseph
M. Champlin
Worship is usually warmer,
more effective with a small
congregation than in a large
cathedral. But Pope Paul’s
Mass at Yankee Stadium
proved that in unique
situations a eucharistic
celebration, prepared with
great care and designed for
participation by the people,
can move a huge community.
In such circumstances, of
course, liturgy planners have
more resources at their
disposal and greater
opportunities to present
artistically perfect programs.
All of these principles were
verified at the April
ordination of Bishop Francis
Harrison in Syracuse, New
York (an event described in
last week’s column). A superb
40-voice choir supported by
brass ensemble, organ and
classical guitar offered over a
thousand participants a grand
musical treat.
These artists performed
new and old works, classical
polyphonic pieces and simple
contemporary hymns, Latin
Gregorian chants and English
folk melodies.
A partial list of items
should illustrate how diverse
and ambitious the musical
program really was.
--Prelude before the
liturgical celebration: “Jesu
Meine Freude” . . .Flor
Peeters.
--Processional hymn:
“Praise to the Lord” .. .Tra
ditional.
-Alleluia verse: “Your
words, O Lord” .. .Lusien
Deiss.
--Ordination ceremony:
“Veni, Creator Spiritus”-
. . .Gregorian chant and
‘‘Peace, My
Friends” .. .Raymond Repp.
-Presentation of gifts. “O
Maria Sine Labe
Concepta” .. .J.J. McGrath
(former organist-music
director-composer at the
Immaculate Conception
Cathedral).
-Sanctus: “Mass for
Christian Unity”...Jan
Vermulst.
--Communion: “My
Shepherd is the
Lord” .. .Joseph Gelineau
and “Praise Ye the Lord”
(Psalm 150).. .Cesar Franck.
-Recessional: “A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God” .. .Mar
tin Luther.
Two monumental works
took your breath away (a
plus) while, at the same time,
they made everyone wait,
some impatiently, for the
already long Mass to move on
(a minus).
The Agnus Dei from
Mozart’s “Coronation Mass in
C Major” and “the Hallelujah
Chorus” from Handel’s
Messiah were truly
spectacular -- majestic in
themselves and performed to
perfection. But in the first
case clergy and congregation
stood rather restlessly waiting
for the distribution of
Communion to begin. In the
second instance all sat,
enjoying Handel in a position
more comfortable than
standing it is true, yet
wondering how much of the
ceremony was still to follow.
I had mixed feelings during
these delays. A musical
program should enhance the
liturgy, not interfere with it.
To quote a recent Roman
decree:
“Music in the celebration
must serve the worship of
God, and thus have qualities
of holiness and good form, be
IN MARYLAND
suited to the liturgical action
andthe nature of each of its
parts; it should not impede
the active participation of the
whole assembly, but must
direct the attention of mind
and heart to the mystery
which is celebrated.”
In some ways, those
extended works did impede
active participation and were
not suited to the liturgical
action.
However, listening (to
sacred works or inspired
music) is a form of active
participation. Further, special
occasions do call for added
solemnity.
We operate on rushed,
crowded time-tables in
America and a slow savoring
of something superb runs
contrary to our daily habits. I
wonder if we shouldn’t be
pushed now and then to stop,
listen, ponder and enjoy,
fighting off the impulse to be
always productive, always on
the go, always looking for the
next event of our lives. Just
to be remains our greatest gift
from God. The ordination of
a man to the episcopacy
would seem to be one of
those now and thens, one of
those moments when we
ought to be forced into
reflection on what life is.
In any event, the Syracuse
ordination demonstrated the
clear need for musicians and
liturgists to work as a unit
and the beautiful effects
which results when they do.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Why should liturgical
music be planned so as not to
impede the progress of the
liturgy?
2. What is the value of
classical music for liturgical
functions?
Priest To Chair Group
Probing Nursing Homes
By Robert Putnam
BALTIMORE (NC) - In a
move reflecting growing
concern for consumer
protection in health matters,
Gov. Marvin Mandel has
appointed Father Joseph A.
Sellinger, S.J., a non-medical
man, to chair an independent
commission to study
problems in Maryland nursing
homes.
“The governor felt that
Father Sellinger was
eminently qualified for the
job,” said Tom Burden, press
spokesman for the governor.
Father Sellinger, president
of Loyola College here,
explained that he accepted
the position because of the
great need for such a
commission, and because of
the governor’s confidence in
him. “He told me he felt that
1 was in a position to bring
more objectivity to the study
than anyone else in
co nsideration at the time,”
the priest said.
After consultation with
Father Sellinger, Gov. Mandel
filled out the commission of
seven by appointing three
prominent Maryland
physicians and three
non-medical professional
people, including one director
of a nursing home.
The 50-year-old priest said
he believes the five men and
one woman appointed will
“bring an expertise to the
commission that can help us
focus on what our objectives
should be and what we can
hope to accomplish.”
Nursing home problems are
not new to Father Sellinger.
He was chairman of the
special three-man panel that
investigated conditions at
Golud’s Convalisarium last
summer, where an outbreak
of salmonella poisoning killed
25 persons.
One of the recommenda
tions of that panel was that
an independent commission
be set up to study nursing
homes on a statewide basis.
Noting that there are 177
lineensed nursing homes in
the state, Father Sellinger
said his commission could not
hope to do the same type of
in-depth study that he
conducted at Golud’s.
Instead, they will concentrate
on “trying to discover that
the predominant problems
are, and if a pattern exists.”
Since his appointment
Father Sellinger has received
many individual complaints
about the treatment in some
nursing homes.
It’s a complex situation, he
said. “The elderly consumer
has no way of expressing his
problems...there is no central
spokesman, only their
individual relatives. T On the
other hand, he said, “the
unfortunate nursing home
owners have no defense
against individual
complaints.”
To further complicate the
problem, according to Father
Sellinger, situations in nursing
homes are always emotionally
charged by such pictures as
“that of an old one staring
out of a window feeling that
his life is empty.”
FOR MINORITIES
Urges More Job
Opportunities
WEST DE PERE, Wis.
(NC) — Since the Church was
active in securing passage of
major civil rights legislation in
the early 1960s, it has washed
its hands of any responsibility
and “gone up in the bleachers
and sat down,” Assistant
secretary of Labor Authur A.
Fletcher told members of the
Conference of Major
Superiors of Men.
Fletcher, who is black, told
the CMSM conventions here:
“My purpose here is to get
you back into the
battle .. .The toughest part
of the battle.”
The Church and other civil
rights groups strove to get
social legislation on the
books, Fletcher said, “and
they succeeded. They -got
legislation on the books,
referring to schools, open
housing, access to public
accommodations, voting
rights and fair employment.
“But all except for fair
employment, these laws are
designed to help solve social
problems which are rooted in
economic deprivation. Now,
we must set a goal to end this
economic deprivation in our
time,” Fletcher said.
Federal subsidies for work
projects, which provide
millions of man-hours of
work, do not mean all
taxpayers receive the benefit
of such jobs, Fletcher
indicated.
Federal subsidies in 1965
for highway construction
across this country created
many jobs and thousands of
new business opportunities,”
he said. But only three
percent of minority labor
force of 17 percent got jobs
in highway construction,
Fletcher added.
“They were left out, and
they were kept out by
organizations for which the
Catholic Church has provided
umbrella protection, namely
the craft unions,” Fletcher
said.
The same problem with
jobs hold true in the space
program, he said. A
$2 4-billion moon-landing
program resulted in
1,300,000 jobs, “but only 4.2
percent of them went to
non-whites.”
“Is it any wonder that
whites are able to buy homes
in the suburbs and escape the
city, leaving the poor and
destitute there?” he asked.
Federal subsidies should be
shared by all taxpayers and
not just a privileged few,
Fletcher said. He stressed that
job training alone is not the
answer for troubled minority
groups.
“You knew you could
train us (blacks) to work,”
Fletcher said, “or you would
not have brought us over
here.”
The real problem arose, he
said, when blacks decided
they wanted to be paid for
the work they had been
trained to do. After World
War II, the GI bill provided
the opportunity for
thousands of blacks to receive
a college or vocational
education.
“But, except for one-tenth
of one precent, all of them
went back to what they were
doing before they went off to
college: sweeping streets,
collecting garbage,” Fletcher
stated.
Minority groups have twice
as much unemployment as
whites, he noted. “What you
could say is, that we want
equal opportunity for white
folks to be unemployed,”
Fletcher said,
“If you are sincere in your
efforts,” Fletcher told the
CMSM delegates, “you must
go to the Congress and say
there is nothing wrong with
setting a goal of parity in
197 0 concerning job
opportunity.”
Nat’l Council
W ASHINGTON--The
Steering Committee which is
carrying out a study on the
feasibility of creating a
National Pastoral Council for
the Catholic Church in the
United States will meet in
Pomfret, Conn., July 23-27,
to determine the future of its
study.
The Steering Committee
consists of 15 members of the
U.S. Catholic Conference
Advisory Council. The U.S.
Catholic Bishops last year
gave the Advisory Council the
task of determining whether a
broadly representative
national body should be
established to help the work
of the Church in this country.
Monsignor J. Paul O’Connor,
Chancellor of the Diocese of
Youngstown, is the chairman
of the Committee.
The first step in the project
was an interdisciplinary
consultation which the
Steering Committee
sponsored at Mundelein
College, Chicago, last August.
The Steering Committee
welcomes and encourages
individual reactions to the
proposal of a National
Pastoral Council for the
American Catholic Church.
Persons with views on the
desirability and possibility of
such a body should send
them, as soon as possible, to
the Advisory Council, U.S.
Catholic Conference, 1312
Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20005.
fir-'
Y ardstick
(Continued from Page 4)
and must therefore be protected from outside
agitators (including priests and seminarians),
the workers themselves on one of Del Monte’s
larger ranches voted overwhelmingly last
summer, by secret ballot, to become a part of
the United Farm Workers Organizing
Committee.
In the light of the foregoing facts, it is simply
incredible, to this writer at least, that the many
West Coast growers’ associations which, as a
part of their strategy to keep their workers
from joining UFWOC, constantly talk about the
value of freedom and the basic rights of farm
workers have yet to utter so much as a syllable
in criticism of Del Monte’s indefensible practice
of forbidding even the clergy to enter its labor
camps. Frankly this is a great disappointment.
I would have expected these growers’
associations to condemn this practice as a clear
violation of a basic human right. In any event,
if the growers themselves, acting through their
own organizations, are unwilling or unable to
correct abuses of this type in the agricultural
industry, government agencies will have to do it
for them. The State of New Jersey, as indicated
above, has already taken the lead in this regard.
It seems to me that the State of Washington
ought to follow suit-and the sooner the better.
S ■