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PAGE 4—The Southern Cross, May 15,1975
Pentecost
On Sunday March 18, we celebrate
one of the major liturgical feasts of the
Church year, the feast of Pentecost. On
this day we recall, the day the Apostles
received the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
and courageously left the safety of the
upper room to go out into the crowd to
preach the gospel of Jesus.
It took courage to preach the gospel
to the crowds assembled in Jerusalem
because as St. Peter told them, he
wanted to talk to them about Jesus
whom they had crucified. People do not
like to be reminded of their sins and
they could have reacted by a further
attack upon Jesus by doing to His
disciples what they had done to Him.
St. Peter went on, however, to tell
them that he, in obedience to Christ’s
command, came to them not in a spirit
of condemnation for their past sins but
to offer them forgiveness and the
opportunity to become one with Jesus
through Baptism.
While St. Peter’s first proclamation
met with great success, he realized that
as time went on his imitation of Christ
would bring much rejection and finally
even death.
As baptized Christians, as confirmed
Christians, we too have received the
Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the
Holy Spirit and we too are called to be
courageous.
As we seek to proclaim the gospel of
Christ, our pulpit will be our homes, our
places of work and recreation. Our
audiences will be members of our
families, our neighbors, our fellow
workers. We must not condemn, but by
our personal example manifest love and
forgiveness. We may not be required to
give our lives, but obviously we will be
asked to swallow our pride. We may not
be required to suffer physical pain but
obviously we will be asked to make
sacrifices.
Certainly there are a great many
injustices , and other ungodly acts
performed each minute of every day.
Unfortunately we who are Christians too
often are guilty of such acts. Too often
we seek to justify our anger and our
hatred by claiming our response is
normal, a means of self defense. In the
face of these injustices, we must seek not
to defend ourselves but proclaim the
love of Jesus.
The Apostles became more and more
courageous as they recognized God
dwelling within them. May all of us who
call ourselves Christians become more
and more aware of the presence of God
in this world and courageously live as
Jesus would have us live.
(Reprinted from THE CATHOLIC BANNER,
Charleston, S.C.)
The Sounds of Openess
Mary Carson
It was one of the first warm evenings of the
year, warm enough to have the windows open.
The sounds of cars passing were clear.
We live on a main street with heavy traffic.
It’s a major disadvantage. I’d rather not be
reminded that thousands of cars and trucks pass
every day. I’d rather not hear the traffic
passing.
I can hear it going by with the windows shut,
but the sound is more distinct with the
windows open.
Instead of traffic, I’d prefer to hear the
rolling of surf on a beach, the evening song of
birds, the buzz of cicadas, the chirping of
crickets.
I try to block out the sounds of traffic and
imagine I hear something more pleasant.
But the thought occurs to me that if I am to
be truly “open” I have to realistically hear what
is there, rather than what I’d like to hear.
How often, particularly as parents, we live
with the windows closed .. .refusing to accept
what we hear.
Our children come to us with a problem. It
may be a very trivial problem to us. We’ve
much more difficult, important things on our
own minds. We let our concerns “shut the
window,” blocking out the child, muffling his
voice.
Or we can open - listen - hear what he’s
saying, understanding that his problem is
dead-serious to him.
It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s
impossible. If I am on the phone, receiving
news that a loved one is seriously ill, it’s
impossible to interrupt that conversation to be
deeply moved by the fact that one kid ripped
another’s homework paper.
At that moment, my reaction would be that
the one could be dealt with later, and if the
other didn’t know enough to get a piece of
scotch tape and fix it, she’s pretty dense. I
wouldn’t become involved with the battle of
the homework.
\
There is some value to children learning
when to present their problems .. .and their
learning to size up their own problems in
relation to other people around them.
But suppose I’m writing this column and one
of my children bursts in with “something
important.” I have a half-hour to get the
column to the Post Office before it closes. My
reaction to the child would be, “Can it wait till
I get this in the mail?”
They’ve learned to evaluate their own
problems. If it can wait, they know I’ll listen
later.
But if it can’t wait, I listen then. And
sometimes miss deadlines. (Editors please
note!)
At these times I may hear things I don’t want
to hear. I’d rather think it is something else
they are telling me. But I try to listen honestly,
and realistically to exactly what the child is
saying, and deal with what he is really telling
me.
If I don’t, I’ve closed the window.
And sometimes when parents complain, “My
children don’t listen to me,” I wonder if it is
just that the children are following an example
that’s been set.
If I never listen to my children, can I expect
them to know that they should listen to me?
What other example would they have to follow,
except to close the window?
It doesn’t mean we always agree. But if we
don’t *start by really listening to each other,
really hearing what the other is saying, there
can never be any communication
understanding - compromise.
You have to start when they are toddlers.
Habits are formed early. It’s too late when they
are young adults. If you don’t listen to the
story of the scraped knee, you’ll never get a
chance with the wounded heart.
The Southern Cross
Business Office 225 Abercorn St. Savannah, Ga. 3 1401
Most Rev. Raymond W. Lessard, D.D., President
Rev. brands J. Donohue, Editor John E. Markwalter, Managing Editor
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Should Religion
Outrank Republicans?
John Reedy, C.S.C.
The recent opinion survey which placed
organized religion second from last in a list of
24 “most powerful institutions” in America
will generate a lot of buzzing.
Some commentators will challenge the
method and significance of the survey; others
will lament this indication of religion’s
declining influence in our nation.
I would like to, do a little buzzing of my
own, from a different point of view. It doesn’t
really bother me when “U.S. News and World
Report” tells us that their respondents see
organized religion as a little less influential than
the Republican party (though that’s a pretty
invidious comparison for any institution these
days.)
Instead, I’m intrigued by the question:
Should organized religion be one of the most
powerful institutions of our nation? Personally,
I’m inclined to think that it should no(.
This is not to say that religion should be
without influence in our society, but there’s a
distinction to be made between an influence on
the lives of Americans and an institution seen as
one of the most powerful in our nation.
In spite of the trauma of recent years, I’m
still inclined to think that a sense of personal
honor and decency is one of the most
influential forces guiding the personal decisions
of the majority of Americans. Such a force,
however, is not an institution; if it were seen as
such, it probably would not be seen as one of
the most powerful influences on
decision-making in government and industry.
Looking at the history of western
civilization, I find little evidence that religion,
as a powerful organized institution, has been of
much help to the cause of religion or to the
cause of society.
On the contrary, the general pattern of this
history seems to indicate that religious leaders
handle real power, once achieved, just about as
badly as politicians, military leaders or social
crusaders.
Often people struggle for such control to
correct abuses, to improve conditions. At times
good and honorable purposes are achieved
when the power first passes from one group or
institution to another.
But it seems almost inevitable that, in time,
when an individual or a group remains in a
position of dominance, the abuses of
intolerance, arrogance, dishonesty and venality
emerge.
This seems to happen whether the people
claim to represent the peasants, the proletariat,
the laborer ... or God.
In this country, the Catholic Church as an
institution has never really had much national
power, though it did exercise heavy clout in
some cities like Boston, New York and Chicago.
In my evaluation, this lack of national power
has been good for the Church; and the exercise
of chancery muscle in those great cities has
been of questionable value for the real service
of the Church.
Unquestionably, the Church should seek to
proclaim the Gospel, to preach and give witness
to the person, vision and values of Jesus. In a
sense, this is an effort to change and influence
the lives of fnen and women.
If this work is effective with large numbers,
the religidus attitudes and values would
certainly have some influence on public
policies. Religion need not apologize for such
influence; it is a consequence of i(s basic
purpose.
But it is something quite different when
organized religion functions as one more
pressure group, as another lobby, in rewarding
and threatening politicians, in bargaining
support on one issue for support on another, in
seeking to capture key offices for people who
will respond with docility.
The issues are complicated. I would not
recommend the dismantling of the U.S.
Catholic Conference and its efforts on issues
like abortion legislation and farm labor. Since
the U.S.C.C. doesn’t have real power or control,
these efforts seem generally valid and useful.
However, if it ever really succeeded in being
considered one of the most influential
institutions of our nation, then it would be
time to consider its abolition.
The difficulty is that, under those
circumstances, no human agency surrenders its
power voluntarily. Instead, it becomes the
establishment, the enemy; it defends its turf
and the real work of the Church suffers.
Liturgy
Is Working
\
Joe Breig
“Tremendous!” said a pastor in a southern
state. That was his response to my question,
“What has been the effect of the nw liturgy in
English, in teaching and inspiring your people?”
Ten-plus years after the Second Vatican
Council, the liturgy clearly is well on its way to
accomplishing the purposes for which it was
reformed and changed from Latin into the
languages of the people. " ,
That conclusion seems inescapable, not only
on the basis of interviews with pastors, but also
from my observations of the Mass in many
parishes in various parts of the nation.
With more and more confidence, familiarity
and appreciation, the people are participating in
the liturgy, worshipping together in
community, singing vigorously, and fulfilling
their roles in the weekly parish adoring,
petitioning and thanking of God.
I have noticed a continuous improvement in
the laity’s readings of the scriptural passages, in
their leading of the people in the liturgy, in
their encouraging and guiding of singing, and in
such roles as that of “extraordinary minister of
the Eucharist.” And pastors I have consulted on
my journeys confirm my impressions.
At this point I would insert one note of
caution: the leading and directing in song can
easily be overdone; and when it is overdone, it
defeats its own purposes. The organ-playing,
also, can be over-loud; overpowering. When
these things happen, the people tend gradually
to relapse into silence, leaving everything to the
choir-leader and his group.
The most effective cantor I have seen was a
young man, perhaps in his late teens or early
twenties, who played the lead guitar and guided
a small choir, along with the people, in
liturgical song. He did so quietly, unobtrusively,
and without gestures; and the congregation
responded with vigor. In short, he did not try
tp force anything; neither did he usurp the
functions of the people in the liturgy.
I have noticed the same thing about
priest-celebrants of the Mass. If they leave to
the congregation the congregation’s proper part
in the Mass, the congregation fulfills its role;
but if the priest uses the public address system
to thunder out what the people should be
saying, the people gradually leave the liturgy to
him.
The pastor who used the term,
“Tremendous!” to express the effect of the
new liturgy on his people was not a gung-ho
type, nor was he new in the priesthood. Indeed,
he had served in Ireland and 15 years in African
missions before coming to America and being
assigned some years ago to the parish where I
interviewed him.
He spoke warmly of the willingness of the
people to participate not only in the liturgy,
but in the entire life and work of the parish.
Industriously and efficiently they did whatever
needed doing, he said; w l itever was asked of
them.
Then, with a chuckle, he told me that being
“of the old school,” he had been very far from
enthusiastic about the charismatic movement;
nor does he even now participate in it. It is not
“his bag;” he is not the type. But after much
hesitation, he began encouraging the
pentecoastals in his parish, and he is immensely
pleased with them and their activities. After all,
one of the consequences of Vatican II is that
the Church is more and more returning to being
a unity in pluriformity; a many in one, and a
one in many.
Inferiority
Complex
Rev. James Wilmes
It is the fate of some people of kihdly and
cordial disposition to go through the world as
though they were caked in ice. They are in a
sense - the hot ice of self-consciousness. They
appear frozen of face, halting of speech,
stand-offish and indifferent toward others,
when as a matter of fact, they would give their
good right arm to be considered normal and
warm.
What we have here is a malady whose root is
fear, Inferiority, it is called. This is the other
extreme from conceit, which is also an inability
to forget one’s self. Shy people are distrustful
of their own powers. They appear in their own
eyes weak and ineffective, whereas in all
likelihood, they possess such fine virtues as
humility and sincerity. The best advice to such
men and women comes from Emerson: “Let no
day pass in which you have not overcome one
fear.”
Persistence along this line will warm up the
frozen countenance and thaw out the awkward
body. And the world that takes the shy person
at his or her own value will stand ready to raise
the estimate, as exaggerated self-consciousness
subsides and the real person is revealed.
Shy folks should make two discoveries. First,
other people are not employed solely in
watching what they do or say. Second, acting as
though one already possessed the virtue
admired in others, (such as, being at ease), will
generally develop the virtue itself.