Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2—The Southern Cross, April 19,1973
'A.
'
ST. JAMES FIRST COMMUNICANTS. Youngsters
of St. James parish, Savannah, received their First Holy
Communion on April 8 at the 5:30 p.m. Mass. They
are shown here with Mrs. Mary Ann Scott, Instructer
(1. second row), Father John Kenneally, Associate
pastor (center, back row), Father John Cuddy, pastor,
and Sister Kathleen Mark, I.H.M., instructor.
School for Exceptional Children
Holds Annual Holy Week Program
BY MRS. WM. C. BRODERICK
The blessing of palms and a
description of Christ’s triumphal entry
into Jerusalem began the second annual
observance of Holy Week for the young
people of the Savannah Deanery Sunday
School for Exceptional Children, their
teachers, aides and families as they
gathered in St. Benedict’s Hall on Palm
Sunday afternoon.
Led by the Spiritual Moderator,
Father Fred Nijem, a procession of
palms followed to the singing of “Praise
Him, praise Him, all the little children.
God is love, God is love.”
Then followed a Mass whose liturgy
was geared to the understanding of the
children. For his homily, Father gave a
brief explanation of the Last Supper,
the Stations, followed by adoration of
the Cross, and some of the ceremonies
of the Easter Vigil. This concluded with
the story of the Resurrection as the
children sang, “Allelu! Allelu!
Everybody sing Allelu! For the Lord has
risen it is true. Everybody sing Allelu!”
At the Communion of the Mass the
children who were not able to receive
were given a special blessing by the
celebrant as they gathered around the
Table of Sacrifice. As the Mass ended,
, the observance was brought to a close
with the singing of “He’s got the whole
world in His hands”.
The staff of this Sunday School, in
addition to Father Nijem, includes the
following teachers, Mrs. Margaret Bland,
Mrs. John (Maribelle) Bryant, Mrs. Earl
(Rose) Miller, Mrs. A: F. (Carolyn)
Moye and Miss Rosalie Williams. Their
aides are Miss Debbie Brickner, Miss
Mary Sue Brickner, Miss Terri Bunger
and Miss Susan Roughen. Mrs. William
C. (Mary) Broderick is Director and her
assistant is Mrs. Albert H. (Marie)
Roughen.
‘Wonderful to See GodfPOW
ST. COLUMBANS, Neb. (NC) -
“Some day, Father, some day I’m going
to tell the whole world how wonderful
it is to see God--for I have seen Him.”
These were the words one returned
prisoner-of-war used to tell Navy
Chaplain Edward Roberts of the faith
he found during his years in a North
Vietnamese POW camp.
Father Roberts said he and the 15
other chaplains stationed at Clark Air
Force Base in the Philippines to greet
the returning POWs “repeatedly heard
other men say the same thing.”
The 41-year-old Columban priest,
who joined the Navy as a chaplain in
1968, wrote of his experiences for
Columban Mission, the monthly
magazine of his order.
“I’ll never forget my experience of
offering Mass for that first group” of
POWs, Father Robers said. He explained
that the first men to return were mostly
those that had been imprisoned for as
long as eight or nine years.
“The new liturgy was completely
strange to them. All the changes we had
come to understand and accept
gradually over the years, they had thrust
upon them all at once,” he said. “When
I was explaining the new liturgy to the
men, I found out that they did have the
Mass down from memory almost
exactly as it is in the old Roman
Missal.”
But most of the men came to like the
new liturgy very quickly, Father
Roberts said, “and I think it was
because of the strong sense of
participation they had to develop in
conducting their own services.”
The Navy chaplain said it was a thrill
to give Communion to just-released
prisoners. “I don’t think I could ever
Tax Credit
Appeal Made
WASHINGTON (NC) - Citizens for
Educational Freedom, a non-sectarian
organization of citizens interested in
parental freedom of choice in
education, has appealed to the President
and the Supreme Court to recognize the
right of Congress to grant tax credits to
parents of nonpublic school children.
In a letter sent to President Nixon
and to all the Supreme Court justices,
Dr. Edward F. Spiers, national executive
director of CEF, said that tax legislation
“involves only a revision of the income
tax laws, which is the prerogative of the
Congress.
“This method avoids any church-state
relationship. There are only two actors:
the parent and his government. There is
no entanglement of government with
school and/or church. The parents and
the child are the only beneficiaries (plus
the state). The financial assistance
advances the child’s secular education, a
clearly public purpose.”
Spiers told NC News that sending the
letter seemed appropriate at a time
when Congress is moving toward tax
credit legislation.
put into words how it felt to give these
men the Body of Christ, the first time
they had received the Eucharist in many
years,” he said.
“And I’ll never forget that prisoner in
the first group who couldn’t wait for
Mass. As soon as he could he came right
down to the chapel. He went to
confession and said very simply. ‘I’d like
Communion right now, Father. I’ve
waited so long for it.’ ”
Father Robert said he and the other
chaplains were inspired by the depth of
the prisoners’ faith and pains they had
taken to preserve it during their
imprisonment.
The men had put together their own
books of worship, he said, and they
worked together on keeping the Bible.
“The North Vietnamese would allow
them Bibles for a time and then take
them away,” said Father Roberts.
“Some managed to save passages or
chapters or even whole books. Men were
assigned to memorize whole sections so
they could write them down on any
scraps of paper they could find
whenever the Bibles were confiscated.”
The men also made rosaries from
A Catholic Congress on Worship for
the southeastern states has been
announced for early November in
Savannah, Ga. Sponsored by the
Bishops of Georgia, North Carolina and
South Carolina, the Congress’ theme
will be “We Believe, Let Us Pray.” Plans
for the Congress include Key addresses
by noted speakers as well as nine
workshops covering various areas of
liturgical prayer.
whatever material they could find.
Father Roberts cited one striking
incident that occurred at Clark Air
Force Base:
“One night I was talking to a man,
not a Catholic, about a serious problem
he faced. Suddenly, he said, ‘I have
something I want to share with you,’
and he brought out a rosary made of
pieces of bread rolled together on a
string. He had made this rosary for a
Catholic friend a long time ago in the
prison camp, and the friend had
returned it before his release as a
memento of their comradship.”
He said the returning POWs often
went to the base chapel to pray and
meditate. “Many of them told me that
private personal prayer was the greatest
part of their spiritual life,” he said, “but
all of them insisted on the great need
they experienced for common
worship-even if it had to be without
priest or minister.”
“All in all, it is clear that great faith
has come out of this awful experience
for most of these men,” Father Roberts
said.
“And many of them, I am convinced,
did see God.”
A steering committee for the
Congress met last week in
Atlanta and chairman Monsignor Marvin
Le Frois of Augusta outlined the
program stating it would be geared “to
foster continuing liturgical growth” and
would include priests, sisters and laity
from the tri-state area. Monsignor Le
Frois added that, as in the past, parishes
in the three states will be expected to
send several delegates to the Congress
which first began in 1967.
CONGRESS ON WORSHIP steering committee met in Atlanta last
week to plan the November Congress which will be held in Savannah.
Pictured during the Atlanta session are: Mrs. Marie Mulvenna of Atlanta;
Father Edward Wahl, C.O., of Charleston; Monsignor Marvin Le Frois,
chairman, of Savannah; Father Fred Nijem of Savannah, Father Henry
Gracz of Atlanta and Father Michael Smith of Savannah. (PHOTO by
James W. Brown)
Worship Congress Planned
CHRISTIAN SERVICE IN SOUTH GEORGIA FOR ME?
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN SERVICE WHEN?
IN SOUTH GEORGIA? June I5th-August 15th
Volunteer summer service programs in
parish and civic Community for men and
women of college age, aimed at providing
experience and background which will
help decide vocations in life.
WHAT WILL I DO?
Serve the community in one or more of
the following ways:
• Summer Vacation Bible School
+ Census Work
• Camp Villa Marie
• Housing, Poverty Programs,
O.E.O., Etc.
• Special Parish Programs
• Assisting Senior Citizens,
Visiting Shut-Ins In Their Homes,
Hospitals, Nursing Homes.
® Social Apostolate Programs
WILL I RECEIVE SPECIAL
TRAINING?
Yes. Service-related orientation
will tie given to give you the basic
tools needed to get the most out of
your mission experience.
WHO QUALIFIES?
You - if you are a Catholic, have
finished high school, are under 35
years of age, like people, and are
willing to serve your neighbor.
WHO IS SPONSORING
THE PROGRAM?
The Diocesan Vocation Committee
WHERE WILL I LIVE?
Living quarters will be provided
in the area of service.
WHEN IS THE DEADLINE
TO APPLY?
April 30th is the deadline.
The number of volunteers is limited,
so apply early.
HOW WILL I BE REWARDED
FOR MY SERVICES?
Lodging and food will be provided.
A small stipend will be given for
basic necessities. However, the
purpose of the program is to give of
yourself for a few weeks and thus
experience the Lord's spiritual
gifts and your fellow man's needs.
WHAT’S MY NEXT MOVE?
If you are interested in the
Christian Service South Georgia
Program, fill in the coupon and send
it to: Rev. Robert Mattingly,
Vocation Director
Pacelli High School
Trinity Drive
Columbus, Ga. 31907
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
K.
-“•••“■■--""-“-““""’■•-■-"-““■"“--“-“-I
I want to work in the Christian Service South
Georgia Volunteer Program. Please send me an |
application. I
Name
Address
City State Zip.
I
I
I
College Year in College,
Phone Age
l
l
l
i
>l
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Johnnie Ganem
Steak Ranch
CHARCOAL BROILED
STEAKS
PRIME STEAKS
DINNERS - LUNCHEON
COCKTAILS
DINNER MUSIC
Gaston and Habersham
AD 3-3032
I
I
I
♦
I
I
I
I
I
I
For Wedding
Invitations
The Acme Press
Phone 232-6397
1201 Lincoln Street
SOUTHERN CROSS
ADS BRING RESULTS
Beytagh
Construction Co.
RESIDENTIAL
REMODELING
LIGHT COMMERCIAL
1537 Montgomery Crossroads
EL 4-3556 - Savannah, Ga,
Home of Norman Hilton Clothes
Gant Shirts
Corbin Trousers
STolm JL
B&ourkt, 3nt.
10W. STATE S3.
SAVANNAH
The Citizens
And Southern
Banks
In Savannah
Eleven convenient locations
in Savannah to serve you!
In Savannah OGLETHORPE
In the United States, only one other
regional Congress on Worship is slated
for 1973, that one in the southwestern
region. The three day program will
include workshop presentations by two
Atlantans: Father Henry Gracz and
Sister Mary Zoghby, RSM.
Forced Abortion
Bill Tabled
SALEM, Ore. (NC) - A legislative bill
that would have required Catholic
hospitals in Oregon to perform
abortions has been tabled in committee
here.
By a 5-0 vote the state and Federal
Affairs Committee decided to table the
bill, in effect preventing any further
consideration of it during this session of
the state legislature.
If it had passed, the bill would have
forced all hospitals “entitled to a tax
exemption of any kind under state law
or supported in whole or part by a state
or local grant or subsidy” to admit
persons seeking sterilizations or
abortions. Virtually all hospitals,
including Catholic ones, receive some
form of state aid or tax exemption.
Rep. Wayne Whitehead, one of the
bill’s original sponsors, testified before
the committee that the bill would be an
exercise in “legislative futility” and
recommended tabling the measure.
He said he had received an oral
opinion from the attorney general’s
office that the bill would probably be
declared unconstitutional because it
violated guarantees of the First and
Fourteenth Amendments.
ft