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SERVING 88 SOUTH GEORGIA COUNTIES
The Southern Cross
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol. 53 No. 42
Thursday, November 30,1972
Single Copy Price — 12 Cents
Advent Begins on December 3rd
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy . . .’’(Isaiah) A Sister
helps a child light an Advent candle. (NC Photo)
Altar Boys Not Ruled Out
WASHINGTON (NC) - The new 18
year age minimum for permanent
lectors and acolytes, established at the
U.S. bishops’ annual meeting here, will
not rule out the practice of young altar
boys serving at Mass, according to an
official of the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops (NCCB).
Father John Rotelle, associate
director of the NCCB Committee on the
Liturgy, said here that, “just as there
will still be women readers, so altar boys
will still be used under the new norms.”
Pope Paul VI established the lay
ministers of acolyte and lector by an
apostolic letter last August.
When the letter was released in
September, it created a controversy
because the Pope had reaffirmed the
custom of allowing only men to be
permanently installed in the office of
either ministry. There were immediate
“clarifications” from the Vatican and
the national office of the NCCB,
pointing out that women would still
take part in the liturgy as readers “by
temporary appointment.”
“By temporary appointment” is the
technical terminology used to refer to
those who exercise a ministry without
formal installation.
In the same way that women will still
be readers although they cannot be
installed in the ministry of lector, altar
boys can still serve at the altar even
though they are too young to meet the
18-year minimum age for being installed
in the ministry of acolyte.
Mass, Reception on Dec. 7
The Savannah Deanery Pastoral
Council will honor the Most Reverend
Gerard L. Frey, who has been named
Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette,
Louisiana, with a special Mass December
7th at 7:30 P.M. in the Cathedral. A
public reception will follow
immediately in the S.V.A. Gym. This
Vigil Mass of the Feast of the Immacu
late Conception will be the only Vigil
Mass celebrated in the city.
Mr. James Finnegan, Chairman of the
Deanery Pastoral Council, announced
that this group was selected to sponsor
this reception since it represents a
cross-section of the Catholic community
of Savannah and Chatham County. It is
composed of members of each parish in
the area.
Rev. J. Kevin Boland, Dean,
appointed committees to coordinate the
reception. In charge of the reception
committee will be Mr. Finnegan,
chairman, with Rev. Ralph Seikel and
Sister Mary Catherine. The liturgy
committee will be headed by Rev.
Gerard Murphy as chairman, with Rev.
Msgr. Daniel J. Bourke and Mr. Boston
Williams serving with him. The publicity
committee will consist of Mrs. Alida
Smith and Mr. Daniel O’Leary.
Among the special invited guests are
the Honorable John Rousakis, Mayor of
Savannah, the Honorable Robert
Lovett, present chairman of the County
Commissioners, and Mr. J.T. Coleman*
Jr., incoming chairman of the County
Commissioners.
Also at the head table at the
reception will be the chairmen of the
parish councils from each parish in the
Savannah Deanery, as well as a
representative of the lay community, a
representative of the clergy, and a
representative of the religious
community.
Everyone is cordially invited to attend
this final tribute to Bishop Frey, who
has served the Diocese of Savannah so
capably since 1967.
Specialists to Examine
Pastoral Council Need
WASHINGTON (NC) - Ten
specialists from several fields will
explore questions relating to a national
pastoral council, the chairman of the
committee of the U.S. bishops’
Advisory Council announced.
The specialists in history, education,
canon law, theology, Sacred Scripture,
psychology, sociology and
organizational skills, will meet for the
first time from December 27 to 29 at the
Marriottsville Spiritual Center in
Marriottsville, Md., according to the
steering committee chairman, Msgr. J.
Paul O’Connor.
Msgr. O’Connor, chancellor of the
Youngstown, Ohio, diocese, said that
his committee has also sent a
questionnaire to officials of diocesan
pastoral councils to determine their
interest in a national workshop and
subjects they would like covered.
The advisory council has been
studying the feasibility of a national
pastoral council since 1970. A national
pastoral council has been described as a
body representing many segments of the
Church and meeting periodically to
discuss issues of concern to the Church
and society. It would advise the bishops
of the results of its discussions.
A year ago, the U.S. bishops
approved a report from the advisory
council saying that a national pastoral
council, while desirable, was not
immediately feasible and recommending
steps leading toward the creation of
such a body within the next several
years.
Members of the group of specialists
that will examine questions relating to
the national pastoral council are:
Father James A. Ooriden of the
Catholic University of America; Dr.
Arthur Deegan of Clearwater, Fla.;
Msgr. Michael Gannon of the Catholic
Lafayette
Installation
January 8
LAFAYETTE, La. - Bishop Gerard
Frey will be installed as third Bishop of
Lafayette in the Cathedral of St. John
the Evangelist here on Monday, Jan. 8
at 11:00 a.m.
Installing prelates will be Archbishop
Luigi Raimondi, Apostolic Delegate to
the U.S. and Archbishop Philip M.
Hannan of New Orleans.
Bishop Schexnayder, now apostolic
administrator of the diocese, will preach
the sermon at the installation Mass.
PRO-LIFE GROUPS GAINING GROUND ~ Pro-life
demonstrators stage a rally on the steps of the Capitol Building
in Washington in November 1971. Throughout the country,
indications point to a reversal of the liberalized abortion trend.
This is being brought about for the most part by pro-life groups.
The pro-life movement in the U.S. -- while strongly influenced
and manned by Catholics -- does have considerable support from
Protestant and Jewish elements throughout the country. And in
many cases, local and regional Right to Life Committees are
heavily interreligious. (R.NJS. Photo)
Student Center, University of Florida;
Jesuit Father Paul Harman, associate
dean of Holy Cross College, Worcester,
Mass.; Father William J. LaDue of St.
Francis Seminary, Milwaukee; Father
Eugene H. Maly of Mt. St. Mary
Seminary, Norwood, Ohio; Msgr. Olin J.
Murdick, secretary for education for
the U.S. Catholic Conference; Sister
Mary Augusta Neal of Emmanuel
College, Boston; Dr. David O’Brien of
Holy Cross College; and Dominican
Father Thomas A. O’Meara of St. Rose
Priory, Dubuque, Iowa.
HEADLINE
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Lift
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HOPSCOTCH
Senate Meeting Cancelled
The Priests’ Senate meeting scheduled for Dec. 5th has been cancelled due to the
transfer to Bishop Frey.
Personnel Committee
The December meeting of the Personnel Committee will be held on Wednesday,
December 6th, at 11:00 a.m., at Mount deSales High school in Macon.
Study Published
WASHINGTON (NC) - The biblical section of the American Catholic bishops’
five-year, $500,000 study of the priesthood in the United States has been published
here. One of six sections of the massive study commissioned by the U.S. bishops in
1967, the 49-page biblical study is entitled, “The Priest and Sacred Scripture.” It was
edited by Father Eugene H. Maley, head of the bishops’ subcommittee responsible for
the scriptural study.
Bans Christmas Carols
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (NC) - A public school board in the Washington suburbs
has issued guidelines that appear to ban Christian carols during the Christmas season.
Based on a 1962 Supreme Court decision banning compulsory religious observances in
public schools, the Prince Georges County guidelines said: “This means no songs or
music programs that have significance for a particular religion should be performed
during the period which concides with the specific religious celebration.” County
school superintendent Carl W. Hassel said this year’s guidelines were “a little more
specific” than previous guidelines issued every year since the Supreme Court decision.
Cardinal Asks Withdrawal of Manual
WASHINGTON (NC) - Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle has called a 46-page sex manual
prepared by six medical students at Georgetown University and distributed to
Georgetown students “potentially dangerous to the spiritual welfare of those for
whose benefit it is intended.” Cardinal O’Boyle called for the withdrawal of the
manual, which was paid for by student activities funds and distributed through
university channels. The Washington prelate’s criticism appeared in The Catholic
Standard, the archdiocesan weekly. Georgetown president, Jesuit Father Robert
Henle, also writing in the newspaper, said, “The booklet does not represent official
positions of Georgetown University; it was not prepared nor has it been approved by
the medical faculty or by the university administration.” Father Henle reaffirmed
Georgetown’s commitment to Catholic moral principles and ideals.
46
Better to Go Out
With Glory...
99
The First Church in Newton, Mass., a 308-year-old parish chartered 44
years after the Pilgrims landed, has held its last service.
After efforts to merge with two other United Church of Christ parishes
failed, First Church voted to sell its building to the Greek Evangelical Church
and give its funds to several social and religious programs, including $150,000
to the national office of the United Church of Christ.
Warren T. Hollis III, a deacon, said the church had to close because its
members have become too old and too few.
Moderator Julian D. Anthony said: “It’s very much better to go out with
glory instead of using up our money trying to keep something which was
useful 50 years ago but is not useful today.”