Newspaper Page Text
ARCHBISHOP BERNARDOS TO CANON LAW SOCIETY
PAGE 3—October 25,1973
Study of Revelation in Relation to Marriage Urged
BY JOHN MAHER
WASHINGTON (NC) - Archbishop
Joseph L. Bemardin of Cincinnati urged
members of the Canon Law Society of
America (CLSA) to promote “further
study of revelation” in order to reach a
better understanding of “what makes a
true, indissoluble marriage.”
In the keynote address for the 35th
annual convention of the CLSA here,
Archbishop Bemardin, former general
secretary of the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops, said that “further
penetration into God’s word to man,
better formulations of God’s truth in
the context of contemporary social and
intellectual realities” are “what
development of doctrine, in its
authentic sense, means.
“In particular, more study is needed
relative to the sacramentality of
marriage. Topics which need further
study include the natural contract of
marriage and its connection with the
sacrament in the case of Christian
spouses. Such concepts as marriage
being a complete union, a total sharing
of life, a covenant, and so on, need to
be brought into focus more sharply. A
correct understanding of these and
other similar ideas is very crucial to the
discussions now taking place as to what
makes a true, indissoluble marriage.
These discussions treat of what
constitutes valid consent, what is
signified by the term consummation of
marriage, who is psychologically and
not just physically suited for marriage,
etc.”
The archbishop said that the answers
to these questions will influence
programs and procedures devised to
prepare persons for marriage and to
assist people who have married, even
when their marriage fails.
He urged that theologians, canon
lawyers, Scripture scholars, historians,
specialists in the behavioral sciences,
parish priests and married couples be
involved in these studies and that the
research “be conducted in a spirit of
faith and under the guidance of the
magisterium (the Church’s teaching
authority).
“Only in this way can our endeavors
be assured ultimately of manifesting
authentically the concern and love of
Christ for the people whom we serve in
His name,” the archbishop said.
“Moreover, when approached in this
way, there need be no fear that we may
seriously undermine our traditional
teaching regarding the indissolubility of
marriage as reaffirmed by the (Second
Vatican) Council.”
Discussing the necessity of preparing
people for marriage, Archbishop
Bemardin noted the prevalence, even
amcxig some young Catholics, “that
marriage, if need be, can be a relatively
temporary arrangement” and the
termination of 50 percent of all teenage
marriages in this country in divorce.
The archbishop said that “if we do
not quickly find effective ways of
preparing young people adequately for
marriage, we will be undermining the
very stability of our Church and our
society and thus creating far more
serious problems in the not-too-distant
future.
“I am certain of one thing: Whatever
approach we decide on to prepare
people better for marriage, we must
begin the catechesis much sooner than
we do now. Since marriage is both a
sacrament and a vocation, formation in
the authentic values of marriage must be
undertaken at a relatively early age.”
The archbishop noted the special
procedures that have been established in
some U.S. and Canadian dioceses for
counselling teenagers seeking to marry.
Speaking of the problem of couples
whose marriage has failed, Archbishop
Bemardin reminded the canonists of
Pope Paul’s statement that the salvation
of souls “remains the supreme purpose
of institutions, of law, of regulations.”
“While all Church law, especially
procedural law, must be in conformity
with divine law in the sense that it
should help us to harmonize our life
better with the divine realities and not
lead us away from those realities,” the
archbishop said, “it is always subject to
development and change. At any given
time, for the sake of the common good,
there should be a definable course for us
to follow and we should follow it. But
we should never rest content; we should
never feel that all our work has been
done in refining canon law so as to
make it more suited to its purpose, the
Salus animarum (salvation of souls).”
Archbishop Bemardin said there is
hope that the Vatican may prolong the
extension of the period of use of the
procedural norms in effect in the United
States for the past three years. These
norms for processing marriage cases in
Church courts have made it possible to
handle more cases and to dispose of
them more rapidly.
But the archbishop urged the canon
lawyers to prepare for the possibility
that the Vatican may not grant an
extension and may require the use in
the United States of Causas
Matrimoniales, the norms issued in 1971
by Pope Paul for use throughout the
Church. He recommended that each
Church province in the United States
“call a meeting as soon as possible of
the bishops and the tribunal personnel
to plan for the maximum utilization of
Causas Matrimoniales.”
In a talk on “The Meaning of
Conjugal Love,” Mr. and Mrs. Patrick
Crowley, president couple of the
International Confederation of Christian
Family Movements, described conjugal
love as developing each other, learning
and growing together.
Mrs. Crowley recommended that
couples make an annual visit to
someone who is trained in the
techniques of communicating with one
another. People make annual visits to
doctors and dentists, she remarked, but
“nobody goes to anyone for their head
or their heart every year.”
In a question and answer period, the
Crowleys agreed with a canon lawyer’s
suggestion that conjugal love be
considered in determining the validity
of a marriage, but they observed that
establishing objectively what conjugal
love is, and whether it exists in a
particular case, is very difficult.
Theological Commission Report
DROPS OUT TO BE BISHOP -- Father Christopher
Abba (right) has dropped out of St. Mary’s Seminary
in Baltimore to become bishop of the new diocese of
Minna, Nigeria, his home country. Cardinal Lawrence
Shehan of Baltimore (left) and Father William Lee,
president of St. Mary’s, talk with the new bishop about
his assignment. Father Abba, 34, is the first student to
become a bishop in the school’s 182 year history,
although alumni and faculty have been named to the
hierarchy. (NC Photo)
Solon Pushes Abortion Hearings
BY FATHER LEO E. MCFADDEN
VATICAN CITY (NC) - A report on
Pope Paul’s International Theological
Commission since its appointment in
1969 would have to reflect several
major successes despite almost
staggering internal obstacles. But, in all
honesty, it would also have to admit a
need for new blood if the commission is
to continue to be effective.
The five-year term of the 30-member
commission, appointed “to aid the Holy
See in examining doctrinal questions of
major importance,” expires this coming
April.
Pope Paul values the commission
highly. He has described its function as
“precious,” frequently calls it “our”
commission (a term of endearment that
he bestows oh only a select few
BROOKLYN
organizations), and has told theologians
worldwide to emulate commission
members.
The commission is truly
international, its members coming from
Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and
South America. This is a plus factor, for
not only does it offer divergence in
theological approach to problems, but
adds the contribution of diverse
cultures.
On the other hand, members have
found that the burden of research
assigned to its four subcommittees has
fallen largely on Northern European
members.
Not that other members were not
willing, but many of them found that
because of time and expense they
strike decreased as the strike continued.
The LFA originally voted to strike
after failing to rea.ch agreement with the
diocese over salary adjustments called
for under a two-year contract which
expires next August. The contract called
for renegotiations on salary after the
first year.
The salary scale agreed to in the
original contract ran from $8,000 to a
maximum of $15,200 for a teacher with
13 years experience and a Ph.D. At the
time of the walkout, the LFA was
asking for an $800 increase in the scale,
and the diocese was offering $300.
The contract calls for an annual or
step increment for every teacher.
Diocesan officials said that, before the
$300 raise, the typical teacher in the
diocesan high school system was earning
$1,800 more than he did in 1970.
Members of the union maintained that
salary increases had not kept pace with
the rise in the cost of living.
Archbishop Byrne noted the Holy
Year is approaching and said that those
in the charismatic renewal should
participate “not with any messianic
haughtiness, but as loyal servants.”
Charismatic people, the archbishop
said, should not become insular but
should turn to the needs of the poor
and the suffering in their communities
and in the nation.
In the conference’s keynote address,
Bert Ghezzi, associate professor of
history at Grand Valley State College,
Allendale, Mich., told the audience that
charismatic renewal was not speaking of
mysteries out of the reach of men.
“God wants all men to come to know
Him and His power in prayer,” Ghezzi
said. “Charismatic Renewal is something
God is using to renew His people.”
God does not want to know how
many people attended prayer meetings,
Ghezzi explained, but how much each
person loved his neighbor.
simply could not travel half way around
the world for a meeting, so gradually
European members inherited much of
the work.
Ill health has taken its toll on the
original 30 members; one has died,
another resigned and many are
physically ill.
Of the 28 members asked to attend
the annual meeting in the Vatican the
second week of October. 21 showed up,
but only 17 were able to stay for the
entire session.
This means that after an entire year’s
work in not always coordinated but
highly concentrated subcommittee
groups, the commission as a whole does
not produce the final opinion.
Another weakness of the commission,
and another reason why it needs new
blood, is that some of the orginal
members have had to leave their pursuit
of scholarship to take over wholly
administrative positions.
One member chosen to represent a
geographical region has been assigned
permanently to another part of the
world.
Another problem, some members
feel, is that they have too many topics
to express an opinion on at one annual
meeting.
This year, for instance, they spent
most of their time perfecting an opinion
on apostolic succession and did not have
time to cover much of the material on
the role of women in the Church.
One Vatican source who knows the
workings of the commission said that
the opinion on women’s role in the
Church must be completely done over
by the commission next year.
That is not to say that the
commission has not made herculean
strides in theological fields. Quite the
contrary; it has accomplished wonders,
considering the immense obstacles
facing it.
The commission’s finest hour so far
was the 1971 Synod of Bishops. The
commission’s opinion on the priesthood
was cited time and time again by the
Synod fathers and by Pope Paul.
When the commission was named in
1969, its first assignment was to prepare
opinions on four topics; among them,
the priesthood and “unity in faith and
pluralism in theology.”
Those two opinions, described by a
Roman Theologian as masterpieces, are
now in print in German, with other
translations pending.
How is it possible for men scattered
around the world, working in the
“spare” time, to produce masterpieces?
From the time of their appointment
they were, in the words of a Roman
theologian who knew two-thirds of
them personally, “among the greatest
theologians living.”
Other powerful factors in their
success was touched on by Pope Paul in
an audience Oct. 11: “Their will to
serve the Church which they have
always demonstrated” and their ability
to be a “guide to all theologians in
fulfilling such a serious vocation.”
Many of the original members can be,
and doubtless will be, reappointed.
Some will have to step down because of
health or age or the burden of work.
But in the final analysis, the original
members were great theologians, willing
to work despite overwhelming obstacles.
They stand a good chance of becoming
a guide to theologians everywhere.
BY LOUIS PANARALE
WASHINGTON (NC) - A U.S.
congressman has introduced a bill that
may light a fire under the House
Judiciary Committee which has declined
to hold hearings on the touchy abortion
controversy.
Congressman Harold V. Froehlich
(R-Wis.) has introduced a bill to create a
select committee to study the impact
and ramifications of the U.S. Supreme
Court’s January 22 decisions on
abortion.
“I am introducing this resolution
because I believe it is imperative for the
Congress to hold hearings on the
transcendent issues of public policy that
flow from the Supreme Court’s
unprecedented decisions.”
Froehlich said in a speech before the
House.
The backers of Froehlich’s bill hope
that it will either prod the House
Judiciary Committee out of inactivity
or else create another committee to do
the job.
Froehlich pointed out that the
Judiciary Committee is the appropriate
body to review the many bills and
resolutions that seek to modify the
Supreme Court’s ruling. “However, the
Judiciary Committee has demonstrated
an obvious disinclination to hold public
hearings,” Froehlich said.
In fact the Subcommittee on Civil
Rights and Constitutional Rights
formally rejected a motion to conduct
hearings on abortion,” he said.
He also noted that in the months
ahead the Judiciary Committee is likely
to be deluged with a number of other
major issues, including possible charges
of misconduct against high government
leaders.
“For these reasons, it is entirely
proper to establish a select committee,
so that the vital issues surrounding the
court’s abortion decisions may be
considered,” Froehlich said.
Some observers on Capitol Hill
believe that if Froehlich gains enough
support for his bill he will prod the
Judiciary Committee into openings
hearings on anit-abortion legislation.
Froehlich’s bill is cosponsored by
Congressmen William J. Keating
(R-Ohio) and Angelo Roncallo
(R-N.Y.). Froehlich’s office announced
that it would send letters to another
congressmen to gain further support for
the bill.
“What this bill represents,” said one
backer of the bill, “is a strategy to
secure action. It is possible that a select
committee could be a viable alternative
to the Judiciary Committee.”
Froehlich, in his speech on the House
floor, mentioned proposed
Constitutional amendments that seek to
regulate or prohibit the practice of
abortion. He specifically mentioned the
proposed amendments of Congressman
Lawrence J. Hogan (R-Md.), G. William
Whitehurst (R-Va.) and Sen. James L.
Buckley (C-R, N.Y.).
“All these proposals deserve
consideration,” Froehlich said. “The
select committee I have proposed will
permit a careful consideration of the
pros and cons of all the various
approaches that have been suggested.”
Froehlich said a select committee
would not have been needed “if the
appropriate committee of the House
had acted or had expressed a credible
intention to act on the abortion
legislation.”
He expressed concern over allowing
the Supreme Court’s abortion decisions
to go unchallenged. “The administration
cannot act to correct the Supreme
Court’s decisions. Action must come
from the Democratic leadership of the
House and Senate. We have waited for
that leadership, but nothing has
happened.”
Froehlich said he believes that the
House wants to act on abortion. “The
position of the majority has been
expressed several times on abortion
amendments proposed from the floor,”
he said.
Strike At An End
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (NC) - Lay high
school teachers of the Brooklyn diocese
ended a four-week strike by voting on
Oct. 14 to accept a diocesan offer of a
$300 salary scale increase which they
had rejected at the beginning of the
strike.
By a vote of 170-6, the Lay faculty
Association (LFA) ended the strike that
had begun on Sept. 17 and lasted for 19
school days.
The diocese had also agreed to make
a one-time only grant of $250 to each
striking teacher in order to minimize the
loss of salary the teachers incurred
during the strike. The $250 is to be paid
in June for making up classes missed
during the strike.
The strike affected seven schools and
about 12,000 students. None of the
schools closed completely during the
strike but some released students early.
Of the 505 lay teachers in the
schools, 353 originally supported the
strike, but the number of those out on
ST. pavl
Charismatic Meeting
ST. PAUL, Minn. (NC) - The
charismatic renewal has “rescued some
(people) from the lukewarm waters of
indifference to a genuine discovery of
the powers of submission to God’s
will,” according to Coadjutor
Archbishop Leo C. Bryne of St. Paul
and Minneapolis.
Addressing the opening session of the
first Upper Midwest Regional
Conference on the Charismatic Renewal
in the Catholic Church held here,
Archbishop Byrne said he found it
“easy and comfortable to be with those
who are concerned to pray more and to
pray better.”
The Charismatic Renewal stresses the
personal relation of the Christian with
God and the Holy Spirit as something
real that can be experienced in a
personal way. The meetings are often
characterized by “speaking in tongues.”
However, those in the charismatic
movement, Archbishop Byrne warned,
should not think that they possess “a
secret, esoteric and spiritual knowledge
that sets them off from the rest of their
fellow Christians.”