Newspaper Page Text
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The Southern Cross
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J DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol. 57 No. 10
Thursday, March 4,1976
Single Copy Price — 15 Cents
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BENDING TO THE TASK ~ Cardinal Terence
Cooke of New York touring a foundling hospital in
Manhattan, stops to tie the shoe of a youngster in one
of the nursery areas. Cardinal Cooke seems to be
following the example of Jesus at the Last Supper
when the Lord washed the feet of His disciples and
told them “no slave is greater than his master; no
messenger outranks the one who sent him.” (John
13:16) (NC Photo by Chris Sheridan)
FOR CENTURY OF SERVICE
Macon Honors Sisters Of Mercy
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HEADLINE
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HOPSCOTCH ^
Archbishop Dwyer Hospitalized
OAKLAND, Calif. (NC) -- Archbishop Robert J. Dwyer, 67, retired archbishop of
Portland, Ore., was admitted to Providence Hospital here Feb. 17, and is now classified
as “seriously ill.” According to informed sources, the archbishop, who is also
publisher-editor of the National Catholic Register, was admitted to the hospital for
diagnostic tests and underwent exploratory surgery. As of Feb. 26, his condition was
described as “stable.” However, NC News learned that his general condition is “giving
cause for concern.”
Should Be Transitional
LIMA, Peru (NC) -- The social committee of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference have
declared that military rule “should by necessity be transitional” and that social and
economic policies should come from the people. “Otherwise there cannot be true
liberation from want,” the committee said. Peru has been ruled by a military
government since 1968.
On February 28, 1876, the Sisters of
Mercy of Macon were granted a charter
by the state of Georgia to operate their
high school, Mt. de Sales Academy.
In honor of the century of service the
Sisters have rendered to the people of
Macon, Fr. John Cuddy, pastor of St.
Joseph Church, preached at all the
Sunday Masses on February 29 about
the vocations of religious women
throughout the history of the Church,
highlighting in particular the apostolate
of the Sisters of Mercy in Macon since
their coming to the city in 1871.
The Mt. de Sales Glee Club, under the
direction of Mrs. Carol Smith, sang at
both the 9:30 and the 11:45 Masses,
singing such old favorites as “Jesu, Joy
of Man’s Desiring,” “Adoramus Te,
Christi,” “Ave Verum,” “Panis
Angelicus,” and “Ave Maria.” A large
group of Sisters of Mercy from Macon,
Columbus, and Atlanta attended the
11:45 Mass, and at the Offertory sang
one of their particular favorites, “Let
There Be Mercy.”
Federal Funds Sought
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (NC) -- Five Missouri nonpublic school superintendents
have asked the U.S. Office of Education to provide federally funded remedial
programs that state officials refuse to provide to nonpublic school children during
regular school hours. In a letter to U.S. Commissioner of Education Terrel Bell, the
superintendents, four Catholics and a Lutheran, asked him to invoke the by-pass
provision of Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
That law provides funding for remedial programs designed for educationally deprived
children.
After the Mass, Mt. de Sales High
School honored the Sisters with a
reception in the parish hall. Large
numbers of friends and former pupils
came to felicitate the Sisters, and many
old acquaintances were renewed.
Following this, the Sisters enjoyed a
buffet luncheon hosted by the local
community of Sisters of Mercy at their
College Street residence.
CHURCH GROUPS OPPOSE
Senate Committee Wants
Changes In Food Stamps
WASHINGTON (NC) - The Senate
Agriculture Committee has passed a
basically conservative Food Stamp
reform which includes proposals
strongly opposed by a number of
church groups, including the U.S.
Catholic Conference and the National
Conference of Catholic Charities.
Supporters of the Food Stamp
program hope to see a more liberal bill
come out of the House Agriculture
Committee and expect efforts to
liberalize the Senate bill when it is
debated on the Senate floor.
But observers say that while the
Senate bill is “conservative,” it is not
“punitive.” It would still allow many
“working poor” families to participate
in the program. In addition, the
Agriculture committee killed a proposed
change in assets requirements which
would have dropped many elderly
persons from the program.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) study estimates that the Senate
bill would drop 3.3 million persons
from the 18.1 million how in the Food
Stamp program and reduce costs of the
$5.5-billion program by $315 million.
According to the USDA study 3.7
million persons remaining in the
program would receive fewer benefits
than they do now, 5.6 million would
receive higher benefits and 5.5 million
would not have any change in benefit
levels.
The Senate bill would restrict
participation to families with a net
income at or below the federal poverty
level, about $5,500 for a family of four.
Families would be allowed a $100
month standard deduction, replacing
the present system of itemizing
deductions for medical costs, some
housing costs and so on. Families with a
member over age 60 would be allowed
an extra $25 a month deduction.
Church groups have favored the
standard deduction, which simplifies
application procedures, but had
supported a higher monthly deduction.
In addition to the standard
deduction, families applying for food
stamps would be allowed to deduct
federal, state, local and social security
taxes.
This means that a family of four with
a gross income of about $7,400 would
be able to participate in the program.
Such a family would have to pay $126
for $166 in food stamps.
The committee, in a 7-7 tie vote,
defeated a proposal to drop the
purchase requirement for stamps. Under
this proposal, instead of paying $126 to
obtain $166 worth of stamps, a family
would simply receive the “bonus”
stamps, worth the $40 difference.
Church groups strongly supported
this approach, saying it would allow
Food Stamp program participants
greater flexibility in handling their
money and bring into the program poor
people who cannot now afford the
purchase requirement.
Another change in the Senate bill
would base eligibility on actual earnings
30 days before the time of application
for stamps. This proposal would delay
strikers or the newly unemployed in
obtaining stamps, but it represents a
compromise between using current
income to determine eligibility and
using income averaged over 90 days
before application, the Administration
proposal.
The Senate bill would also require all
PHILADELPHIA (NC) - Cardinal
Joseph Suenens of Malines-Brussels,
Belgium, winner of the 1976 Templeton
Prize for Progress in Religion, will
deliver a keynote address Aug. 4 at the
41st International Eucharistic Congress.
The cardinal will open the Clergy and
Religious day of the international
spiritual gathering to be held Aug. 1-8 in
Philadelphia.
Food Stamp program participants to
pay 27.5 percent of their net income for
stamps. The average is now 24 percent,
with poorer families paying much less.
Another change would end automatic
eligibility for food stamps for welfare
families and require them to meet the
same net income test -- based on income
from welfare and other benefits -- as
families with working heads of
households.
The 71-year-old Belgian primate was
cited recently by the Templeton
Foundation for “contributing to the
reforming of the Church’s structures
and the prominence of the ministry of
the laity.”
The $88,000 Templeton Prize is
awarded annually to living persons who
have made substantial contributions to
religion.
100th Anniversary
March 2 was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope Pius XII.
A personal reflection of Pope Pius by James O’Neal will be found on page
3 of this issue. O’Neil was a member of the NC News Rome Bureau at the
time of the death of Pope Pius XII on October 9,1958.
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LENTEN MENU -- This is the sacrificial menu for the second week of
Lent: Macaroni and cheese, Vanilla pudding. Families participating in
“Operation Rice Bowl” sponsored by the 41st Eucharistic Congress, are
asked to serve this meal and offer the money to help feed the world’s
hungry. (NC Photo by Robert H. Davis)
EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS
Cardinal Suenens Keynoter
ALL INVITED TO MARCH 9 SESSION
Self-Study Probes Future Of Catholic School
Catholic schools remain a major concern in the current
Chatham Deanery Self-Study.
Self-Study Steering Committee Education Chairperson is
Sister Mary Jude Walsh, R.S.M.
Members of the Education Committee include Reverend
Ralph Seikel, Reverend Michael Smith, Mrs. Gwendolyn
Goodman, and Mr. Jack Buttimer. The Second Deanery
Assembly last December focused on all aspects of Catholic
education in the Deanery.
On March 9, at 7:30 p.m., in Blessed Sacrament gymnasium
several approaches to the future of Catholic schools in Savannah
will be aired. An open invitation has been extended to all
interested Catholics.
Discussion will concentrate on five possible approaches to
this future. The question will be placed on the floor after an
introductory dialogue between a panel composed of the
following:
Dr. Prince Jackson, president of Savannah State College, Mrs.
Jerry Horne, a lay teacher, Mr. John Jurgensen, chairman of
Sacred Heart School Board, Sister Mary Rose, O.S.F., principal
of Cathedral School, Sister Mary Jogues, R.S.H., principal of
Nativity School, and Reverend Roy Cox, pastor of St. James’
Church.
In announcing the session, Rev. Fred Nijem, executive
director of the Self-Study, said, “We hope and pray for a large
attendance. The Self-Study now moves into the
recommendation phase. We need maximum in-put from all
Catholics as we begin to finalize our ideas.”