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PAGE 7—December 9, 1976
Youth Pro-Lifers
Hit Foreign Aid Sterilization Link
FORT MITCHELL, Ky. (NC) --
President Gerald Ford, Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger and probably
President-elect Jimmy Carter are going
to get some mail soon from the National
Youth Pro-Life Coalition (NYPLC),
protesting foreign aid tied to “coercive
sterilization policies” in underdeveloped
countries.
The resolution was one of several
approved at the NYPLC’s sixth
Thanksgiving for Life Convention,
which took place Nov. 26 to 28.
About 500 young adults attended the
three day meeting, while 300 more
attended parts of the convention.
Delegates came mostly from the
Midwest, although some came from as
far away as Massachusetts, Colorado,
Texas and Ontario in Canada.
The largest meeting yet of the
NYPLC (the first Thanksgiving for Life
VATICAN-ITALY
in 1971 drew only 70 people) the
gathering was mainly a “how to”
convention, with many workshops
focusing on organizational techniques.
However, a number of workshops dealt
with other matters, including the
elderly, childbirth education, the
handicapped, child abuse, and rape.
“Abortion and euthanasia are the
overriding concerns of NYPLC,”
according to Joyce Beck, president.
“But being pro-life involves so much
more so that the other workshops are
necessary.”
To help delegates appreciate the
inconveniences faced daily by the
handicapped, a local association for the
handicapped ran a “wheelchair obstacle
course” throughout the convention,
which was held in a split level motor inn
having virtually no provisions for the
handicapped.
Led by Cincinnatian Dan Cleary who
has cerebral palsy, the delegates tried to
wheel themselves along carpeted
hallways, to cope with unexpected
steps, and tried to open heavy glass
doors from their chairs.
Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) sponsor of
an anti-abortion amendment to this
year’s Health, Education and Welfare
appropriation bill, addressed the
convention. The amendment seeks to
forbid the use of medicaid funds for
abortions, but federal couts have
prevented its enforcement.
“Everyone is concerned about the
human problems some pregnancies
cause,” the congressman said, “but
aren’t there human solutions to these
problems? Must violence be the answer
to everything?”
Negotiators Work On Concordat
ROME (NC) - Vatican and Italian
negotiators here have agreed in principle
to broad changes which would bring
their Fascist - era concordat into line
with both modern democratic principles
and the decrees of the Second Vatican
Council.
Public and parliamentary debate has
now begun on the main lines of a
proposed revision of the 1929
concordat. The proposal was presented
to the Italian Chamber of Deputies Nov.
25 by Premier Giulio Andreotti.
A concordat is an agreement between
the Holy See and a state which
establishes rights and privileges of the
Church in that country.
Major provisions of the draft
agreement include:
— An end to the provision making
Catholicism the state religion of Italy;
— New accords on marriage which
would take account of Italy’s liberalized
divorce law and other recent marriage
legislation;
— Optional enrollment in Catholic
instruction classes in elementary and
secondary schools.
The concordat proposals, which still
must be approved by the parliament and
by Vatican officials, also strikes from
the present agreement any reference to
the “sacred character” of the city of
Rome.
The current concordat provides that
the Italian government must take action
to stop anything in Rome which “could
go against the sacred character of the
city.”
The phrase has sometimes been cited
by Rome prelates when fighting the
showing of pornographic films, many of
which are aimed against the Church.
Several small but vocal political
groups, including the radical party, have
been pushing recently for the
abrogation of the concordat. But little
popular interest has been aroused in the
whole issue.
The Vatican has expressed on several
occasions in recent years its willingness
to redraft the Church-state agreement.
Italy’s Communists, who make up the
country’s second largest party, said after
Andreotti’s speech to parliament that
the proposals were “a good basis to start
the discussion” of concordat reform.
The reforms, which would whittle
down the present 45 concordat articles
to a streamlined 14, were drafted by
three representatives of the Vatican (led
by papal foreign minister Archbishop
Agostino Casaroli) and three
government officials.
While the proposals look like a
sweeping reform on paper, they do not
do very much more than recognize
current practice in a variety of fields.
The present concordat article which
recognizes the civil effects of canonical _
marriages, for example, became largely ^
non-functional when Italy passed
liberalized divorce legislation several
years ago.
The proposals for change would
continue to recognize the civil validity
of religious weddings, unless the spouses
fail to meet minimum age requirements
under Italian law. But the proposals
would cut from the lawbooks the
technical impediment which the current
concordat places before civil divorce.
This technical block, however, is already
ignored in practice.
The proposals would also provide for
voluntary enrollment of students in
public school Catholic education
courses. The weekly hour of religious
instruction is now technically obligatory
for all elementary and secondary school
students.
But any parent can have a child
exempted from the course by simple
request.
The proposal giving up Catholicism’s
position as the “state religion” would
place the Catholic Church on equal
footing before the law with Italy’s
miniscule Protestant sects and with the
Jewish faith. But the practical effects
would be minimal.
Some smaller provisions in the
proposals, would have important
practical effects on special groups.
The government would no longer be
blocked from hiring a priest, placed
under church sanctions, as a teacher or a
government official.
Under the new provisions, special
treatment for clergy sentenced to prison
terms could be ended.
Also to be shed under the proposals
would be Ahe recognition by Italy of
certjfln papal honors.'
The Vatican negotiators also agreed
to cede Vatican rights of custodianship
over Rome’s Jewish catacombs. The
current concordat places all catacombs
under Vatican control, and Rome’s
Jewish community has been seeking in
recent years authorization to supervise
the Jewish underground tombs.
The measure will undoubtedly have
important ecumenical impact in Rome,
if the proposal is approved.
POPE PAUL
Catholic-Jewish Relations Lauded
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope Paul
VI told American Jewish officials here
that he is deeply satisfied with
improvements in Jewish-Christian
relations.
“Rich opportunities of
collaboration” are opening up between
the two faiths, he said.
Pope Paul received six officials of the
Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith
(ADL) in a 25-minute private audience
here Nov. 24.
The officials of the organization,
founded in 1913 to combat
anti-Semitism and violations of human
rights, were traveling back to the United
States after meetings in Jerusalem.
Seymour Graubard, honorary
chairman of the ADL, told Pope Paul in
a prepared speech that in America
“Catholic-Jewish relations have reached
a new plateau of understanding and
mutual trust.”
The Pope, in his prepared remarks,
expressed “deep satisfaction over the
improvement that has taken place in
Jewish-Christian relations” and hoped
that “collaboration will continue to
foster mutual understanding and
esteem.”
“We see rich possibilities of
collaboration open up before us,” the
Pope said.
According to David Sureck, ADL
press officer, the Pope told the ADL
officials in conversation that “people
should live in Jerusalem without
conflict and in peace.”
Sureck said that Pope Paul made the
comment after the ADL officials
mentioned how the churches and
mosques in Jerusalem are “now full of
people worshipping in freedom and
peace.”
The Vatican has been calling for a
“special status internationally
guaranteed” for the historic sections of
Jerusalem where many shrines of
Christianity, Islam and Judaism are
located.
It has defended the rights of all the
city’s various religious and ethnic
communities to continue living there
and has promoted the idea of making
the city a center of religious dialogue.
The Pope told leaders of the Jewish
group that his calls for peace “are
coupled with our appeals for the
recognition of human dignity and the
value of human life.”
He reminded the officials that he as
Pope has spoken “repeatedly” against
discrimination “of all kinds.”
Keynote speaker at the convention
was Dr. Elisabeth Jubler-Ross, whose
research on death and dying has drawn
international attention. The Swiss-born
psychiatrist summarized the research
that has led her to believe “beyond a
shadow of a doubt that dying is just the
shedding of the physical body and
nothing more. The human being
continues to live.” The research is
taking new directions at this point, she
said, and her investigations are probing
suicide, the death of children,
reincarnation, and consciousness before
birth.
“If consciousness continues after
death, naturally you wonder if it’s
present before birth,” Dr. Kubler-Ross
said. Research is just beginning in this
area but experiments in age regression (a
hypnotic technique that recalls to a
person experiences deep in the past)
indicate that at least immediately before
birth “there is much more consciousness
than we ever believed possible.” Because
this aspect of her research is so new, she
refused to speculate on just when
prenatal consciousness begins.
Other business at the convention
included presentations of the 1976
“Courage Award” to Ellen McCormack,
the New York woman who sought the
Democratic presidential nomination on
a pro-life platform. The award was
accepted in Mrs. McCormack’s behalf by
an aide.
Three of the current NYPLC officers
were re-elected for another term:
President Joyce Beck, Newport, Ky.;
Secretary Maggie Guenther, Milwaukee,
and Treasurer Jim Vorell, Cleveland.
Elected vice-president was Terri Piccolo,
Omaha.
Other resolutions passed by the
delegates included:
Authorization of an NYPLC
observance on Jan. 22, the fourth
anniversary of the Supreme Court’s
1973 decision striking down state
abortion laws.
— Support for passage of a human life
amendment to the U.S. constitution.
— A call for “continued dialogue and
exchange” between those who favor a
states’ rights approach toward
prohibiting abortion and those who feel
the human life amendment approach
would be the most effective.
— A statement “in support of
freedom of movement and right to life
of individuals oppressed by the
governments of captive nations.”
“UNDESIRABLE ALIENS” ~ Maryknoll Father
Edward Gerlock (left) of Binghamton, N. Y., and
PIME Father Albert Booms of Harbor Beach, Mich., at
a New York press conference tell of being expelled
from the Philippines as “undesirable aliens.” Father
Gerlock said he hopes the Filipino Church will speak in
his behalf to prevent similar government action against
others. (NC Photo by Chris Sheridan)
Priest Hopes Church Will Speak For Him
NEW YORK (NC) - A deported
Maryknoll missionary Father Edward
Gerlock, said at a press conference here
that he hopes the Filipino Church will
speak in his behalf in order to keep the
government from taking further action
against others.
Father Gerlock, 40, of Binghamton,
N. Y., and PIME Father Albert Booms,
30, Harbor Beach, Mich., met with
reporters after both had been expelled
from the Phillippines in mid-November
as “undesireable aliens.”
Father Gerlock said he believes the
recent actions were only the “tip of the
iceberg,” and said he suspects that
further action by the Filipino
government will hinge upon the reaction
of the Church.
He said that if the Church fears
offending the government and believes
that it can coesist with the government,
“I’m afraid that this is the beginning of
the end.”
Father Gerlock said that Cardinal
Jaime Sin of Manila had stated the
Church must speak out about issues
involving justice. The priest said he
hopes the cardinal will speak out on his
behalf. He said he believes the'cardinal
“must speak out on concrete issues
rather than general issues.”
In addition to the expulsion of the
missioners, two Catholic radio stations
on Mindanao Island were closed Nov. 19
and, according to Father Gerlock, the
Catholic newspaper has been under
pressure from the Filipino government.
Father Gerlock had spent 14 years in
the Philippines. In 1973 the government
tried to expel him from the country,
but put him on probation.
Father Gerlock then was chaplain of
the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF),
an organization of poor peasant farmers
who attempted to defend their rights
against large landowners. The
government has since suppressed the
FFF.
For the past two years he has been
living and working in Manila as chaplain
to a group of squatters. When arrested
on Nov. 18 he was accused of joining
with a group of bishops and other
Christians in presenting a letter at the
South Korean embassy petitioning
clemency for jailed South Korean poet
Kim Chi Ha. He was arrested about
noon Nov. 18 and after a “seven-minute
trial” was enroute to Hawaii by 6 p.m.,
less than seven hours after his capture.
According to Father James Noonan,
Maryknoll regional superior of the
Philippines, this action is a violation of
the agreement between the Filipino
government and the United States
which not only entitles a person to
counsel but also requires at least a
three-day notice before such action can
be taken.
A telegram explaining Father
Gerlock’s deportation was sent to
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger by
the Maryknoll Fathers. The telegram
states, “We most strongly protest as
Christian missioners these actions taken
against our brothers and sisters. As
American citizens we demand an
immediate investigation of these
incidents aimed at a restoration of
justice and a pledge by the government
of the Philippines to foster and respect
rather than continue to violate the
human rights of those citizens and
peaceful aliens under its jurisdiction.”
Father Booms, 30, had been in the
Philippines for two and a half years. On
Nov. 19 he was arrested in Zamboanga
and taken to Manila where he was
accused of “meddling in government
affairs” and deported.
Father Booms, assistant superior of
the Pontifical Institute for Foreign
Missions (PIME Fathers) was pastor in
the Manila slum called Tondo. He is the
third PIME Father to be expelled this
year. He said that while in the
Philippines he had “allowed peasants
the use of Church facilities for
meetings.”
During the past months, Tondo has
been the site of many demonstrations
calling for land reform and civil rights.
Several bishops and Religious have
become outspoken in their opposition
to martial law. However, Father Gerlock
said they are a small percentage.
He said the Filipino people “were
fearful, apathetic and cynical” toward
the government and President
Ferdinand Marcos.
Rally For Peace In Northern Ireland Draws 20,000
LONDON (NC) - More than 20,000
people filled Trafalgar Square here Nov.
27 for the final rally in a series held in
Britain by the Belfast-based “Peace
People” to call for peace in Northern
Ireland.
It was the first time in four years that
the British government has allowed
Trafalgar Square to be used for a
demonstration connected with Northern
Ireland.
Many of those at the rally had
gathered earlier in Hyde Park and
marched through London. At their head
was the contingent from Northern
Ireland led by the Peace People’s three
leaders, Betty Williams, Mairead
Corrigan and Ciaran McKeown.
Three boat-loads and two plane-loads
had come over from Northern Ireland
for the rally, while groups from all over
Europe, from America and elsewhere
gave the march and rally an
international flavor. A contingent came
from Norway, where Mrs. Williams and
Miss Corrigan were to go Nov. 28 to
receive the peace prize of about
$325,000 that they have been awarded
on the initiative of a group of some 30
Norwegian newspapers.
“You the people of the world have
come to prove that you care that we in
Northern Ireland should have peace,”
the crowd was told by Miss Corrigan as
the rally unfolded in a pattern of short
speeches, Bible readings, hymns and
songs, and the recitation of the Peace
People’s declaration. “Look to Northern
Ireland and learn never to make our
mistakes,” she added.
McKeown told them they were
celebrating reconciliation between the
peoples of Britain and Ireland, a
reconciliation symbolized by the
presence of Jane Ewart-Biggs, widow of
the murdered British ambassador to
Ireland.
Among others on the platform were
Anglican Archbishop Donald Coggan of
Canterbury; Cardinal George Basil
Hume of Westminster; Dr. John
Huxtable, moderator of the Free
Church Federal Council, and Prof.
Thomas Torrance, moderator of the
General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland. In the crowd were at least
three Catholic bishops — Bishops Gerald
Mahon and Victor Guazzelli, auxiliaries
of Westminster, and Bishop Michael
Bowen of Arundel and Brighton — and
Anglican Bishop Geoffrey Hewlett
Thompson of Willesden.
Throughout the rally there was
continual heckling from a small but
vocal group of sympathizers with
Republican movement, which seeks a
united Ireland. Their chief slogan was
“English troops out of Ireland” and one
of them yelled at one point: “We
haven’t finished the civil war yet.”
The hecklers were ignored by all the
platform speakers except Mrs. Williams,
who spoke last. She told the hecklers
they weren’t shouting loud enough,
before she led the rally in singing “When
Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” She then led
three cheers for the London organizers
and the London policemen who had
been out in force to shepherd the
demonstration.
Some indication of the Peace People’s
ultimate aims were given earlier at a
press conference Nov. 25. “We seek to
build a just and peaceful society in
which no armies, legal or illegal, are
patrolling the streets,” said McKeown,
the journalist who has given up his job
to become one of the movement’s
leaders. “What we are out to do is to
create a new society.”
But he shied away from spelling out
details.
The press was also told that the
expenses of the trip to London were
being borne by Thames Television, one
of the independent television
companies, and by the magazine
Woman’s Own.
Meanwhile the British secretary of
state for Northern Ireland, Roy Mason,
has hinted that Northern Ireland should
hurry up and work out some distinct
Northern Irish political identity so that
it is not left behind in the movement
towards greater self-government for
sections of the United Kingdom.
Referring to the government’s
proposals to grant Scotland and Wales a
certain degree of autonomy, Mason told
weekly newspaper editors in Belfast:
“Major constitutional changes in the
United Kingdom are in the offing. Are
the political leaders in Northern Ireland
going to sleep through these events?”
But to judge by another recent
announcement the government seems
supremely optimistic about the future
level of violence in the province. The
queen, it was announced, will visit
Northern Ireland on Aug. 10 and 11
next year — the two days before Aug.
12, the traditional date of the annual
march of the Apprentice Boys of Derry,
commemorating successful Protestant
resistance of a Catholic siege in the 17th
century. It was their march in 1969
which sparked off the rioting in Derry
that brought the British army into
Northern Ireland.