Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Cross
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER
Vol. 59 No. 28 Form 3579 To: 601 E. 6th St. Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Thursday, August 10, 1978 Single Copy Price - 15 Cents
A
Man
Of Peace
Paul the peacemaker is dead.
The fifteen year pontificate
of Pope Paul VI was a time of
disagreement and unrest in the
church and in the world. Upon the
frail shoulders of Giovanni
Battista Montini fell the burden of
bringing the dreams of Vatican II
to reality. Upon these same
shoulders lay the task of bringing
the separated religions closer
together and of helping to keep a
world, now possessing the means
for its self-destruction, from
crossing the point of no return.
Paul did not shirk the
awesome tasks. The Council
Decrees were put into effect. They
were not implemented overnight,
without bitterness or disagreement,
but throughout it all Pope
Paul remained the kindly father,
the model of patience. He was
kind in his dealings with those
who found transition difficult. To
the end he was Christ-like in his
dealings with dissidents, never
closing the door to them.
He remained calm during the
furor raised following the issuance
of his encyclical “Humanae Vitae”
in 1968. His approach to those
rejecting it was one of love and
understanding. The violent
reaction by many to his
restatement of these Church
teachings must have been almost
impossible to bear, but bear it he
did, never wavering, always
assuming the role of teacher and
peacemaker.
His quest for peace between
nations was highlighted by his
historic journey to the United
Nations in October 1965 when he
begged the world to engage in war
“never again.” When localized
warfare broke out he was always
the first to offer to mediate. He
offered himself as hostage in
negotiations in other acts of
violence, specifically in acts of
terrorism. In these hours of trial
he was always there offering his
prayers and his services.
Pope Paul took the message
of peace throughout the world by
his personal visits. He took the
church, in the visible presence of
himself, preaching a message of
peace and love. Following in the
footsteps of his predecessor John
XXm, Paul displayed an
unquenchable thirst for religious
unity. This thirst resulted in
numerous meetings and dialogues
with heads of other Christian
Churches, with Jewish leaders,
with leaders of other faiths. These
ongoing dialogues are bringing
these bodies closer together and
Paul was responsible for much of
this advancement.
Yes, Pope Paul will be
remembered as a man of peace
- peace for the church, between
religions, among nations. He never
once abandoned his search for the
light of peace no matter how dark
the clouds of dissent and anger
around him grew.
Jesus in His sermon on the
mount told us, “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be
called children of God.” The child
of God - Paul VI - has left our
world to join his Father. May the
soul of this peacemaker be granted
eternal peace in heaven.
John E. Markwalter
Pope Paul VI Dies At Age 80
SYMBOLIC CHAIN - Watched by Swiss guards, Castelgandolfo, Italy, signifying the death of Pope Paul
Vatican attendants stretch a large black chain across VI. (NC Photo)
the door of the papal summer residence at
World Leaders Hail Pontiff
Religious and civil leaders hailed
Pope Paul VI as an extraordinary figure
on the world scene.
The tributes began within hours of
the pope’s death Sunday (Aug. 6).
Archbishop John R. Quinn of San
Francisco, president of the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops and the
U.S. Catholic Conference, called Pope
Paul “one of the century’s greatest
popes” and “a man of extraordinary
vision.”
Bishop Thomas C. Kelly, general
secretary of the NCCB and the USCC,
labeled Paul “one of the boldest and
most innovative of popes.”
Archbishop Quinn messaged
condolences at the pope’s death to
Cardinal Jean Villot, Vatican secretary
of state.
“The bishops of our conference,
our priests, Religious and lay people
join me in sentiments of sorrow at the
death of His Holiness, Paul VI,” the
archbishops message read.
“As we commend him to the loving
mercy of Christ, we also thank our
gracious Lord for giving to his church
so wise and courageous a pope whose
memory will ever be in benediction.”
A White House spokesman said U.S.
President Jimmy Carter was “deeply
shocked” at the news of the pope’s
death. Carter’s mother, Lillian, was
among the last of Pope Paul’s visitors
when she met him in a private audience
late last month.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)
said in a statement, “Pope Paul was a
deeply compassionate man, who shared
my own particular concern for the
plight of refugees and other victims of
war and catastrophe around the world.”
The brother of the first Catholic
president in the United States added,
“He will be missed not only as a leader
of his church, but also as one Who made
an enormous contribution toward
promoting peace and Christian values
for all mankind.”
President Jimmy Carter said Pope
Paul had “served as a clear moral beacon
to a troubled world.”
Here is the text of the president’s
statement:
“I was deeply saddened to leam of
the death of Pope Paul VI, a man whose
life and work have served me personally
as a source of great moral inspiration.
He was a man of peace and profound
spirituality. He will be greatly missed,
not only by all Roman Catholies but by
all people, whatever their religious
convictions.
“Of Pope Paul’s many
contributions, two stand out for me at
this sad moment. First, his untiring
efforts in the ecumenical movement;
not only was he inspired in the cause of
humanity to pursue greater unity of
purpose within the Catholic Church, but
also among all other faiths. Second,
Pope Paul’s world travels, at no small
expense to his own physical wellbeing,
exemplified his role of pilgrim, carrying
the message of peace and love to the far
comers of the world, including an
inspiring visit to the United States.
“During his 15 years as pontiff, the
voice of Paul VI served as a clear moral
beacon to a troubled world. With his
passing, we have all been deprived of a
strong voice for reason, for moderation
and for peace.”
In London, Archbishop Donald
Coggan of Canterbury, primate of the
Anglican Church, said Paul’s death
“brings to an end a period which held
within it great difficulty for the leader
of the Roman Catholic Church.”
“Pope Paul met these difficulties
and faced these problems with a total
devotion to the truth, as he saw it, and
the church over which he presided,”
Archbishop Coggan said.
The funeral and burial of Pope Paul VI have been set for Saturday,
Aug. 12, at 6 p.m. Rome time (12:00 p.m. EDT), in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The body of the pontiff was transferred from the papal summer palace at
Castelgandolfo Aug. 9. It will be on public view before the Altar of the
Confession, built over the tomb of St. Peter, Thursday and Friday, Aug.
10-11.
Italian Prime Minister Giulio
Andreotti said, “We will remember him HOLY YEAR CLOSING - Savannah’s Bishop Raymond W. Lessard is
with unbreakable affection, with pictured as he was received in audience by the late Pope Paul VI on
admiration and with nostalgia. December 31, 1975 at the close of the Holy Year.
Bishop’s Statement
CASTELGANDOLFO, Italy (NC) -
The “pilgrim pope” has made his last
journey, into the annals of history.
Pope Paul VI, the 261st successor
of St. Peter as bishop of Rome, died at
9:40 p.m. Rome time Sunday, Aug. 6,
at his summer villa at Castelgandolfo.
He was 80 years of age. ,
His death was caused by heart
failure complicated by pulmonary
edema.
The death was announced to the
press by a sobbing Father Pierfranco
Pastore, vice director of the Vatican
press office, who said, “With deep
anguish, I have to say that the pope
passed on at 9:40.”
In his 15-year reign, the pontiff saw
the completion of the historic Second
Vatican Council; traveled around the
world earning the popular title of
“pilgrim pope;” made initiatives for
peace, ecumenical cooperation and
protection of life; and streamlined and
modernized church government.
The day before the pope’s death
the Vatican had announced that the
arthritis that has troubled him for
several years had worseped and that
doctors had ordered a complete rest. His
usual Sunday noon Angelus talk was
cancelled.
The pope was stricken by a heart
attack on Sunday afternoon about 5
p.m. while he was assisting at a Mass
celebrated by his personal secretary,
Father Pasquale Macchi.
At 7:30 p.m. Vatican sources said
that the pope’s condition had stabilized,
but it was also announced that he had
received the sacrament of the anointing
of the sick.
With the pope as death drew near,
in addition to his personal secretary,
physician and confessor, was Cardinal
Jean Villot, Vatican secretary of state
and camerlengo, or chamberlain of the
Holy Roman Church. As camerlengo,
Cardinal Villot assumes the government
of the church after the pope’s death
until a new pope is elected. He
summons and directs the conclave of
cardinals which is to elect a new pope.
Cardinal Villot had been spending
the vacation period with the pope at
Castelgandolfo.
As radio and television spread the
news of the pope’s death, a crowd
gathered in Piazza della Liberia, the
square outside the papal villa where
crowds used to come for his blessing on
Wednesdays and Sundays.
A policeman, one of the Carabinieri
assigned to summer duty at
Castelgandolfo, said later that the crowd
included both the sad and the curious.
“It strikes us all a bit,” he said. “After
all, there’s only one pope.”
Almost immediately after his death,
villagers and visiting nuns, priests and
tourists began to converge on the
church of San Tomasa de Villanova on
he piazza, and a Mass was offered for
the repose of Pope Paul’s soul.
The church bells tolled, and all the
lights in Castelgandolfo were turned off
in mourning.
After midnight, few apart from
televirion cameramen, jouranlists and
policemen remained in the square
outside the closed, locked doors of the
villa.
Although for the past year, there
has been speculation about the pope’s
health and the possibility of his death,
death did at last come suddenly.
The bells began tolling in the tiny
village of Castelgandolfo, where the
pope has spent every summer of his
15-year pontificate, and lights were
darkened throughout the town to mark
his passing.
A heavy iron chain was locked
across the papal palace,'a traditional act
when a pope dies.
Pope Paul VI
1897-1978
A memorial Mass was scheduled for
Monday night at St FrierV iWilica, arid
a Requiem Mass expected to be
attended by many heads of state would
be held later.
Officials in the Vatican began
immediately to make preparations for
the traditional nine days of mourning in
Rome and for the conclave that would
elect Pope Paul’s successor. The
conclave, under papal election laws,
must begin between the 15th and 20th
day after the pope’s death.
Until a new pope is elected,
Cardinal Jean Villot, Vatican secretary
of state, is in charge of the ordinary
affairs of the church.
Special Masses
In Diocese
A solemn concelebrated Mass
of the Resurrection was held at
Savannah’s Cathedral of St. John
the Baptist on Tuesday, August 8
at 5:30 p.m. Music was provided
by the Savannah Deanery Choir
under the direction of Dr. J. Harry
Persse, as well as the James B.
Copps Memorial Choir under the
direction of Mrs. Joseph C.
Schreck, who was also organist for
the occasion and the Benedictine
Priests’ Choir from the
Benedictine Priory in Savannah.
Participating in this event
were the Knights of Columbus
Immaculate Conception Fourth
Degree Assembly and local
members of the Knights of St.
Gregory, Mr. John Brennan and
Mr. Hugh Grady. Bishop
Raymond W. Lessard was the
principal concelebrant assisted by
the priests of the Savannah
Deanery.
With the death of Pope Paul VI, the world’s
Roman Catholics have lost their chief shepherd, an
eminent spiritual leader who will be remembered
first and foremost as a holy and compassionate
pastor. With a gentle but firm hand, he guided the
Church through the enormous program of renewal
called for by the Second Vatican Council.
Emphasizing the urgent need for spiritual
conversion, he called for the establishment of a
“civilization of love,” based on the teachings of
Christ, to counteract the growing secularism and
self-centeredness of our age. His repeated pleas to a
fragmented and embattled world for greater efforts
on behalf of peace and justice will continue to eel
as a reminder to the community of nations of i
unfinished agenda.
While Roman Catholics grieve the loss of their
spiritual leader, the world mourns the passing of ope
of its great and distinguished citizens.
-f LO
Bishop of Savannah
Three days before his death, the
pope received privately at the summer
villa Italy’s newly elected president,
81-year-old Socialist Sandro Pertini.
And on Aug. 1, the pope left the
papal villa to drive to the nearby little
town of Frattocchie, where he visited
the tomb of Cardinal Giuseppe
Pizzardo, a personal friend of his who
had died eight years ago.
To the small crowd present, the
pope said, “We hope to meet him after
death, which for us cannot be far away,
in the glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Bishop Lessard has asked all
of the parishes in the diocese to
schedule a special Mass of the
Resurrection for the intentions of
Pope Paul during the nine days of
mourning.
The bishop also requested
parishes to schedule a special Muss
“for the election of a Pope," to
coincide more or less with the
opening of the conclave.