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I
PAGE 2 — The Southern Cross, September 21,1972
‘Good Conscience’
Study Sent to Rome
WASHINGTON (NC) - The U.S.
bishops have decided to send the Vatican
their study of the issue of opening the
sacraments to Catholics who have been
divorced and remarried.
The issue -- popularly known as the
“good conscience” question -- became the
center of a national controversy this
summer after it was reported that several
dioceses were already allowing certain
divorced and remarried Catholics to receive
the sacraments.
The decision to send the bishops’
study to the Doctrinal Congregation in
Rome was reached at a meeting here of
the Administrative Committee of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
(NCCB). The congregation is conducting
its own study of the issue.
The study, conducted by the bishops'
Committee on Pastoral Research and
Practices, “will express the deep pastoral
concern of the bishops of the United
States for Catholics who find themselves
in this painful situation according to a
statement of the NCCB general
secretariat.
The secretariat said, however, that
“neither the Committee on Pastoral
Research and Practices nor the
Administrative Committee has adopted
any position on the question, since the
matter is under study, presumably for
decision by the Holy See.”
The Pastoral Research and Practices
Committee assembled materials “arguing
the different sides of the question” of
admitting divorced and remarried
Catholics to the sacraments, the
secretariat said.
The U.S. study will contribute to the
Vatican study, the secretariat said, and
the “U.S. bishops are ready to be of
further service if their experiences can be
helpful.”
The secretariat’s statement also
repeated an earlier warning that the study
of the issue may not result in a change in
Church discipline.
That warning was first voiced by
Cardinal John Krol, NCCB president, in a
statement issued Aug. 17. Following the
statement, which was based on a Vatican
letter, the good conscience procedure was
halted in dioceses around the country.
Cardinal Krol had said that the
“current discipline” in these cases should
be followed. He also warned:
“It would be rash to conclude a study
must necessarily lead to change of
principles or procedure, or that a study
precludes the possibility of reaffirmation
of current discipline.”
While the good conscience procedure
had been quietly in use for some time, it
first gained public notice in late June
when the Baton Rouge diocese
announced it was beginning the
procedure. The procedure, allows
Catholics who in “good conscience”
believe their first marriage was invalid --
but could not prove that in a Church
court -- to return to the sacraments.
AID Officially Opens;
Serving Augusta Area
The Social Apostolate of the four
parishes in Augusta - Most Holy Trinity,
St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s on the Hill, and
St. Teresa’s have established an
Information - Referral service known as
AID (Assistance, Information and
Direction), in conjunction with the
Junior League of Augusta, the Economic
Opportunity Authority, and the Georgia
Railroad Bank and Trust Company.
AID officially opened on September
18th with a luncheon at the Georgia
Railroad Bank and Trust Company for
the news media and invited guests. Bishop
Gerard L. Frey, Bishop of Savannah, Mrs.
James Carter, wife of Governor Carter,
Mrs. June Sammons, Regional Director of
VAC from Atlanta, Monsignor Marvin J.
LeFrois, pastor of St. Mary’s on the Hill,
Monsignor Felix Donnelly, pastor of St.
Teresa’s, William Beatty, Social
Apostolate Chairman, Sister Anastasia
Mausser, CSJ, Research and Resource
Coordinator for AID, Mrs. A. Montaque
Miller, Acting Director of AID, and
representatives from the Junior League,
Economics Opportunity Authority, and
Georgia Railroad Bank and Trust
Company were present for the luncheon.
AID serves the entire community as a
central clearing house of information for
people to telephone when they need help
with such problems as housing, legal aid,
financial aid, welfare information, drug
problems. Calls to AID will be answered
24 hours a day, 7 days a week with
follow up calls made to be sure the
individuals receive the help they needed.
AID hopes to pin point the gaps in
services by compiling monthly statistics
on calls received.
A community resource directory has
been compiled which lists all the social
services agencies and health services,
available in Augusta.
The second phase of the program is a
volunteer referral service. AID feels it can
encourage volunteer ism by matching the
needs of the agencies for volunteers with
talents and skills of the applicants.
Hopefully, this will spur the members of
the parish to do their part in social
services by volunteering their time and
talents to worthwile causes. AID is
affiliated with the National Voluntary
Action Center in Washington, D.C. and
will serve as a clearing house for all
volunteers in Augusta.
The Junior League and the Economics
Opportunity Authority have funded
$5,000 each for the project while the
Georgia Railroad Bank and Trust
Company has contributed six months
rent for the leasing of the office space,
helped set up the bookkeeping records,
and has offered advice in public relations.
The Augusta Richmond County Council
on Alcohol and Drug abuse has furnished
its staff to take evening and weekend
calls. The services of Sister Anastasia
Mausser CSJ, the Research and Resource
Coordinator, were donated by the Social
Apostolate.
AID’s first challenge will be to render
the citizens of Augusta the best service
possible.
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PRIESTS MAKING THEIR ANNUAL RETREAT last week at Savannah Beach took time out from prayer and meditation long
enough to take a cooling dip in the pool. Here, Father John Kenneally (1.) leads Fathers William Simmons and Michael Ring off the
diving board.
An Abortion Group’s Chicanery
BY ELLEN McCORMACK
To what extent is the anti-Catholicism
of pro-abortion forces a carefully
orchestrated effort? This disturbing
question arises when one surveys material
distributed by the National Association
For Repeal Of Abortion Laws. All
quotations which follow are from
NARAL material currently in my
possession, material available in full for
all who wish to check for themselves.
In advising pro-abortion groups on
successful strategy, NARAL emphasizes
how important it is to divide the Catholic
laity from their bishops. “As we all
know,” says NARAL, “opposition to
repeal comes from the Church hierarchy,
not from most Catholics .. .One way of
softening the polarization along religious
lines, which is engendered by the firece
opposition of the Roman Catholic
Church to abortion, is by encouraging
participation in the repeal movement by
Catholics who do not subscribe to the
official position of their church. Organize
Catholics for Abortion Law Repeal.”
But how can a pro-abortion group do
this effectively? NARAL suggests three
basic steps:
“1. Find a sympathetic Catholic who
may not believe in abortion but who
believes that the Catholic Church should
not impose its views on non-Catholic
neighbors. Ask her to organize other
Catholics with the same conviction,
including, possibly, members of the
Catholic clergy. The Chairman of New
York’s Catholic Women for Abortion
Law Repeal recommends that the group
not be formalized in any way but that
individuals who ‘join’ agree to a) a general
statement of position, b) support of
repeal bill, and c) having their names used
in these connections. Since the group will
have no structure or resources, mailings
and other projects will be handled by
your repeal organization.
“2. Hold a press conference to
announce the formation of the group and
its position.
“3. Catholics for Abortion Law Repeal
can send letters (individual and group) to
legislators, governor, etc., place ads in
newspapers. Its chairman can be
spokesman for the group’s official
position in press conferences, on radio
and TV.”
But isn’t it unethical to set up a
“dummy” Catholic organization to attack
the bishops when that organization does
not really exist? Furthermore, isn’t it
dangerous? Won’t the press investigate
and expose such tactics?
NARAL is apparently convinced that
the media will not scrutinize pro-abortion
groups closely. In fact, three paragraphs
after outlining its Catholic strategy,
NARAL announces happily that “the
media can be your best allies”.
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Life work? NARAL dismisses such people
contemptuously. “Right to Life groups
claim to be nonsectarian and usually have
a token Orthodox Jew, Lutheran
clergyman, or minister of a
fundamentalist sect to namedrop when
they are charged with attempting to make
the law reflect a single, narrow view of
morality.”
Note the double standard here. While
“token” Orthodox Jews and Protestants
are sneeringly dismissed as Catholic
fronts, it is perfectly acceptable to set up
dummy “Catholic” organizations for the
purpose of publicly attacking Catholic
bishoos.
(NARAL itself made such a public
attack in an advertisement in the New
York Times on April 28, 1972. The ad
denounced “the Roman Catholic Church
- the most powerful tax-deductible lobby
in history” and informed the public that
“The Catholic hierarchy - as in the days
of the Spanish Inquisition - wants to
dictate your beliefs”.)
As a help to pro-abortion groups,
NARAL distributes a sample petition by
which “Catholics” can be solicited to
oppose their bishops. To emphasize their
significance, the first eleven words of the
petition statement are printed in capital
letters. These eleven words are — “WE,
THE UNDERSIGNED ROMAN
CATHOLIC RESIDENTS OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF
PENNSYLVANIA”.
Finally, NARAL advises pro-abortion
groups to raise the Catholic question at
every legislative hearing on abortion.
“It is valuable to have a scholar testify
on the position of the Catholic Church
throughout history, showing that the
present position is dogma, not church
law, that it’s only 100 years old, and that
there is a strong minority opinion against
it.”
Any such testimony would be quite
misleading, but, as with the dummy
Catholic organizations, truth appears to
take second place to an effective public
relations campaign.
Fake Catholic organizations to attack
the bishops. Sample petitions supposedly
from Catholics but actually distributed
by the pro-abortion group itself. False
testimony on the Catholic Church at
legislative hearings.
And so we are left with our original
question. To what extent is anti-Catholic
bigotry an important and carefully
organized part of the public relations
effort to sell abortion?
(If you have any questions on abortion
for this column, please write to Women
For The Unborn, Box 269, Merrick, New
York 11566).
DPC Fall
Meeting
By Mrs. E.V. Smith
The Fall Meeting of the Executive
Committee of the Savannah Diocesan
Pastoral Council (DPC) was held at the
Holiday Inn, Dublin, Ga., on Saturday,
Sept. 16.
In attendance at the meeting were
Bishop Gerard L. Frey, Bishop of
Savannah; Rev. Francis Nelson, Priest
Coordinator; Mrs. Alida G. Smith,
Executive Secretary; and representing the
deaneries: Mr. J.T. Coleman, Jr.,
Savannah; Dr. Michael O’Brien, Augusta;
Mr. Philip Seyfried, Valdosta-Brunswick;
and Mr. Gustave Gotsch, Albany.
Representatives of the Macon, Columbus,
and Statesboro deaneries were unable to
attend.
Among the topics discussed was the
matter of deanery nominations to the
Diocesan School Board.
Each deanery having a Catholic school
is requested to submit two names,
together with background information,
except Savannah, which will submit four
names because of the large number of
schools there. These nominations must be
sent to Mrs. Smith at the Chancery Office
no later than Sept. 30,1972.
Election of representatives to the
Diocesan School Board will take place at
the next DPC meeting on October 14 at
St. Joseph’s Church, Macon.
Suggestions for the Bishop’s Live-In
Program in the seven deaneries were
discussed. This year, it is hoped that a
broader deanery image can be achieved,
rather than the parochialism engendered
by artificial parish boundaries. Also,
Bishop Frey hopes to be able to meet and
talk with not only the organizational
members, such as parish councils and
school boards, but also with those people
who do not belong to the parish
organizations.
The Confraternity of the Laity Drive,
to be held in October, was discussed by
the Executive Committee. The Bishop
explained that the Confraternity of the
Laity is the diocese’s principal source of
funds from within the diocese itself.
Funds realized from this drive are used for
the good of the Church in the Savannah
Diocese. A motion was made by Dr.
O’Brien, seconded by Mr. Seyfried, and
passed unanimously that: “The Executive
Committee of the Diocesan Pastoral
Council endorse the Confraternity of the
Laity Drive and urge its backing by
the people of the diocese this year.”
Other topics discussed included the
election of a permanent chairman for the
Diocesan Pastoral Council to be held at
the October meeting; structure of the
Pastoral Council at each level; plans for a
Parish Council Workshop; and the Parish
Goals Program for Self-Evaluation.
Chides ‘Kidvid’ Producers
NEW YORK (CPF) - An audience
researcher has strongly challenged what
he called four “myths” that TV
producers live by when preparing
programs for children.
These myths, according to Langbourne
W. Rust, president of Attribute Research
Service, which recently concluded a study
of children’s viewing habits for the
Children’s Television Workshop, are:
1. Children have short attention spans.
2. Children prefer to watch cartoon
characters rather than live characters.
3. Children like to watch characters
that are stupid-looking or
stupid-sounding.
4. Children are attracted to voilence
for its own sake.
Mr. Rust, in a commentary prepared
for “Variety,” the show-business
publication, asserted that television has
traditionally geared its children’s
programming to appeal to these four
misconceptions regarding young viewers.
Admitting that “each of these
suppositions about what children like has
an element of truth,” Mr. Rust said that
it is wrong to think that it is these
features - violence, cartoon characters,
short segments, etc. - that attract
children.
Speaking of the first “myth,’
attention spans, he observed:
short
“Strictly speaking, children do not
have short attention spans. They are able
to concentrate for long periods on
material they find interesting. They do
not automatically ‘tune out’ after an
interval. But children are easily
distracted, and they are very active. While
they might sit through the first five
minutes of ‘Face the Nation,’ they are
not apt to last a full half hour. Long dull
material is worse than short dull material,
but length as such does not contribute to
dullness. In none of my studies has the
length of a scene been found to reduce its
attractiveness.”
As for the myth that children are
drawn to animated characters rather than
live characters, Rust argued:
“Cartoon material tends to be
attractive (to children) because of the
way in which animation generally
demands the plot or theme to be
developed: through active physical
movement or locomotion through space.”
“Children respond to this kind of
functional action wherever it occurs,” Mr.
Rust stressed. “They are attracted by it as
much in non-animated material as in
cartoons. Furthermore, animated material
that does not have this attribute of
functional action is not attractive to
children.”
In his article, titled “Do Children
Prefer Junk on TV?”, Mr. Rust next
challenged the “myth” that children
prefer “stupid characters.”
“Children are not attracted to stupid
characters because of their stupidity.
What children do like is to see correct and
incorrect activities and solutions - all
clearly portrayed and labelled.
“What is right and what is wrong is
interesting, and any material that clearly
embodies such a theme will attract their
attention. Big Bird’s bloopers (on Sesame
Street) will continue to engage
pre-schoolers so long as Bob or Gordon or
Mr. Hooper are there to point out the
goof and show what is right.”
Children are attracted to repeated
efforts to achieve or surpass a concrete
standard, Mr. Rust said, “but failure and
stupidity are not necessary conditions to
attract them. Two people scrambling to
climb over a wall are as attention-getting
when they both succeed as when they
fail.”
Attacking perhaps the most popular
misconception about children’s
TV-viewing preferences, Mr. Rust
declared: “Violence may not be attractive
to children.”
“Two attributes which have been
consistently found to attract children are
often present in violent scenes, and they
may be the features that really attract
children. The first is the theme of
catching-chasing-fleeing-getting caught,
etc. The second is the quality of
functional action which was discussed
above.”
Admitting that violent scenes usually
contain one or both of these elements,
the violence is not a necessary indgrdient
for the children’s attention. “Other active
conclusions to chase scenes are possible,”
he said. “The winner of a race does not
have to stomp the loser to make the race,
or its conclusion, exciting.”
Indeed, he said, “violence for its own
sake actually may be unattractive to
children. Functionally active chase scenes
may be more appealing when they do not
include components of personal violence,
injury and humilation.”
He concluded:
“Producers who continue to turn out
cartoons featuring violence and stupid
characters and which have little or no
subject development will continue to
attract children so long as they are
permitted to do so. But the force of
public opinion is going against them.”
(Catholic Press Features)