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DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol. 57 No. 2
Thursday, January 8,1976
Single Copy Price — 15 Cents
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READY FOR THE INFLUX « The National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception stands ready for the
expected flood of visitors who will visit and worship
there during the bicentennial year of 1976. About
750,000 people passed through the massive structure’s
doors during the Holy Year just ended, and even more
, are expected during the coming year. The shrine is the
largest Catholic church in America, and the seventh
largest in the world. (NC Photo)
THROUGHOUT DIOCESE
POPE TELLS LEADERS
Leave Nothing Untried
In World Peace Search
BY JOHN T. MUTHIG
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope Paul
VI pleaded with wmrld leaders Jan. 1 to
“leave nothing untried’ in the search for.
world peace.
The Pope made his plea in a sermon
during a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s
Basilica marking the ninth celebration
of the World Day of Peace, which he
himself established.
Pope Paul also urged the “man in the
street” to “fight for peace with the
powerful' weapons of love and
brotherhood.” No one can stay out of
the struggle for peace, he declared.
To world leaders, the Pope
exclaimed: “Leave nothing untried in
order to settle disputes, overcome
difficulties, and work for human and
social progress, especially where the
needs are greater and the difficulties
most pressing.”
“The innocent and imploring eyes of
the little ones, of the poor and of those
suffering in body or spirit from the
wounds of war are imploring the world’s
leaders. The judgment of history is
awaiting them. But stricter still is the
infallible judgment of God which also
awaits them,” the Pope warned.
Recalling his message for World Day
of Peace, sent to the world^s
governments weeks before, the Pope
recalled that the theme for the 1976
Day of Peace is “The Real Weapons of
Peace.” /
He called meditative reflection and.
prayer “real weapons of peace which,
though with difficulty and slowly, are
gaining ground.”
The Pope said that the “man in the
street” is also responsible for peace.
“All are called to work together for
peace and to fight with the powerful
weapons of love and brotherhood for
the establishment, the protection and
the spread of peace around us.
“Let each one begin on his own. The
number of participants will grow
beyond measure. This is a necessary task
and no one may remain aloof from it,”
Pope Paul declared.
Speaking of the new year and the
meaning of time for a Christian, the
78-year-old Pope observed: “We must
be miserly with our time, in order
to use it well, in intense-action, love and
suffering. There can never be idleness in
a Christian life, never boredom.
“There can be rest, r if necessary, but
always rest which includes a vigilance
which, on the final day, will open out
onto a light that sees no setting.”
In his noontime talk from his
apartment window overlooking St.
Peter’s Square, the Pope, before reciting
the Angelus with the crowds below,
expanded upon the reasons why peace is
necessary.
“Peace is needed because it is a
personal good of the first order.... It is
a synthesis of delicate and difficult
conditions that must be brought about
with skill and sacrifice, like an unstable
balance which must be carefully
maintained.
“We need peace because it is a fragile
good, which today in some parts of the
world is tormented and shattered. The
danger of incalculable ruin threatens
even people who are outside of and in
opposition to conflict of any sort.
“We need peace because, in human
political life defense is usually thought
of in terms of weapons, which can also
be used for offensive purposes.
“Arms can compromise the minds of
men who support them and the
viewpoint of people who have been
persuaded that murderous weapons are
a valid form of protection for world
peace, while in reality they can be the
most formidable threat to peace.”
HEADLINE
HOPSCOTCH
If.
New Pastoral Center
WASHINGTON (NC) -- The Catholic University of America here has established a
Center for Pastoral Liturgy. Designed to assist parish, diocesan, Religious and
community liturgical commissions in liturgical formation, the center will maintain ties
with the U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy, diocesan liturgical commissions and
other associations, both official and private.
Foreign Aid Bill Signed
WASHINGTON (NC) -- President Ford has signed a historic foreign aid bill which
for the first time separates economic and humanitarian aid from military aid. The bill
has a more humanitarian approach than past aid bills and emphasizes food and
nutrition programs and aid for the poorest countries.
Neutralization Sought
BEIRUT, Lebanon (NC) -- A predominantly Catholic group has called for the
neutralization of Lebanon as a solution to the civil strife raging here since April. In a
short study released here, the Lebanese Research Committee, generally understood to
be affiliated with orders of Maronite-rite Catholic monks, called for neutralization
accompanied by guarantees that the country would remain culturally Arab.
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Penance Workshops Set
“PENANCE - WHERE WE’VE
BEEN: WHERE WE’RE GOING” is the
topic of a series of important workshops
to be led by Fr. Roy Cox in each
Deanery during the month of January.
The workshops, sponsored by the
Diocesan Liturgical Commission and the
Department of Christian Formation, are
designed to help priests, teachers,
coordinators and all who will be
responsible for introducing and
explaining the New Rite of Penance
within each parish during the Lenten
period. They will provide valuable
background and present materials which
have been developed for use in parishes
and schools.
Bishop Raymond Lessard has urged
priests, school principals, CCD
Coordinators, religion teachers and
members of parish worship and
education committees to attend the
workshops. In a recent letter to parish
leaders he said:
j‘The ritual changes involved in the
new rite of penance are not in any way
revolutionary. Our goal, however, is
much deeper than familiarizing our
people with ritual changes. We are
attempting to renew our whole
understanding of sin and reconciliation,
and so the basic attitude with which we
approach the sacrament, both as
celebrants and penitents. Certainly we
cannot accomplish this change of
understanding and attitude all at once,
through any one effort. We will miss a
very precious opportunity to begin,
however, if we do not take full
advantage of this Lenten season as we
prepare to introduce the new rite within
the Diocese.
“The proclamation of the Good News
began with Jesus’ call to repent. To lead
our people to a deeper appreciation of
repentance, as it is celebrated in the
sacramental life of the Church, cannot
help but lead us all forward toward a
renewal of our total life of faith. We can
thus expect much lasting fruit to come
forth from our efforts in this key area
of our Christian life.”
The workshops are open to all
interested Catholics, in each Deanery
area, who may wish to participate.
• In his lectures, Father Cox will
explore how the Church has tried to
express and communicate to men
throughout history the healing,
reconciling power of God in the various
forms of its Penance rituals. This
historical study will lead to appreciation
of the new Rite, which embodies the
Church’s present understanding of how
to carry on this ministry of
reconciliation among people today.
The schedule of dates, times and
places of workshops is as follows:
AUGUSTA: Wed., Jan. 14th ~
8:00-9:30 P.M. — St. Mary’s School.
SAVANNAH: Thur., Jan. 15th -
8:00-9:30 P.M. — Blessed Sacrament
Gym.
WAYCROSS: Sun., Jan. 18th -
3:30-5:00 P.M. — St. Joseph’s
Academy.
WARNER-ROBINS: Tues., Jan. 20th
- 8:00-9:30 P.M. — Sacred Heart School
Cafetorium.
COLUMBUS: Wed., Jan. 21st -
8:00-9:30 P.M. — Holy Family Social
Center.'
ALBANY: Sun., Jan. 25th -
3:30-5:00 P.M. — St. Teresa’s School.
STATESBORO: Sat., Feb. 7th -
11:00-12:30 A.M. - St. Matthew’s
School.
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Michelangelo Murals?
FLORENCE, Italy (NC) - Murals which may have been done by
Michelangelo were discovered in a basement of the Basilica of San Lorenzo
here 500 years after the great artist’s birth.
Murals depicting /lying angels, a mantled figure (probably John the
Baptist’s father Zachary writing the name “John”), and a large male figure
probably representing the Risen Christ were brought to light by chance
during restoration work.
The figure believed to represent the Risen Christ is about six feet high. Tile
murals, including some life-size sketches of legs, were found behind several
layers of plaster in a basement of the basilica’s New Sacristy, adjacent to the
Medici Chapels.
A PRESIDENT AND HIS BIBLE - George
Washington takes an oath on his Bible in a film strip
made by the American Bible Society, “The Bible and
Presidents.” Produced in four segments dealing with
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore
Roosevelt, the color-sound strips “show the impact of
the Bible on the lives of these four Presidents,”
according to the society’s Dr. James Z. Nettinga. Study
and discussion guides accompany the strips and
records. (NC Photo)