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PACK 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1963 COUNCIL CONSULTOR s TRANGE BUT TRU Centralization Seen Giving Way To Regional Episcopal Assemblies By Father Gregory Baum, O.S.A. (N.C.W.C. NEWS SLRV1CL) With the Second Vatican Council, the centuries-old trend toward greater centralization in the organization of the Catho lic Church has turned. This centralization has come about for several reasons. In the Church's struggle for free dom from the interference of emperors and kings, from the middle ages on, one of the most practical means of defense was concentration of power in the hands of the Bishop of Rome, who was subject to no secular lord. This trend towards cen tralization reached its peak in the spiritual order through the definition of papal infallibility at the l irst Vatican Council in 1870. It came to seem, that the power to preach the Gospel in fallibly and to legislate in the UNIQUE KNITTING COMPANY MANUFACTURES OF ENGLISH RIB d SPORT HOSIERY Acworth Georgia C&S REALTY COMPANY “Specialists in Commercial and Industrial Real Estate” Suite 200 Henry Grady Bldg. Atlanta 3, Ga. Warehouses, Stores, Mfg. Plants, Acreage, Shopping Center Dev., Industrial Dev., Subdivision Dev., Insurance $24-2052 MIKE fe STEVE SERTICH Church Universal was almost exclusively concentrated in the person of the pope. \\E HAVE become so used to regarding the pope as the sole ruler and teacher in the Church that the bishops have become for us the heads of their dioceses and nothing more. rhis highly centralized go vernment, however, isnotreal- ly in harmony with Catholic ideals. The Church's social teaching affirms the principal of subsidiarity. This principle states that higher authorities in a society should not usurp a function that could be exercis ed by smaller units in its care. For instance, the state should not arrogate to itself what could be adequately handled by the family, or by the municipality, or by professional societies. The interference of the high est authority is only justified when the lower organs cannot take care of the problem, or when the well-being of society as a whole is touched. Recent popes have often declared that this principle of subsidiarity is also valid in the Church. The PRESENT legislation in the Church, however, does not provide for the application of the principle of subsidiarity. Between the pope and the indi vidual bishop of a diocese there exists no intermediary eccles iastical body. Now, everything that exceeds the concern of a single diocese has to be deter mined in Rome. The bishops' conferences existing in many countries have no status in can on law. They have no authority to teach or to legislate. But the .Second Vatican Coun cil, convoked by His Holiness Pope John XXIII, has already made it clear that changes are in store in regard to the effec tive status of the bishops. The simple fact of holding a council recalled to the bishops and the Catholic people the tra ditional place of the bishops in the Church as teachers and rul ers in the name of the Lord. From the press reports we know Are You Enjoying SEA-FRESH Seafood 7 Serve pRESllLotk BREADED SHRIMP * Fresh-Lock Seafoods, produced by a new process exclusive with Gorton s, retain natural juices and nutritive elements of fresh caught fish to bring you truly fresh flavor and poodness. that the bishops’ conferences emerged as necessary eccle siastical organs at the council. VARIOUS national episcopa tes met at regular intervals during the council. They acted in solidarity on several con ciliar issues, and the document on the liturgy approved by the council specifies that the gene ral principles contained in it be applied and adapted by the epis copal conferences to the needs of their countries. Even before the organization of the Church is discussed at the council, it has become clear that bishops’ conferences will be come intermediary bodies be tween the bishops and the pope, capable of teaching and legis lating in their own countries. The picture so often drawn of the Church, where all power and all teaching authority is in the pope, is certainly inadequate. The bishops are successors of the Apostles, and, in union with the pope they also teach with au thority and are able to legislate. Their prerogatives are not derived from that of Peter, but rather, from the body of the Twelve, the Apostolic College. This universal episcopal office to proclaim the Gospel and to rule the Church is called in Catholic theology the "colle- giality’* of the bishops. We have almost lost this an cient concept of the unity of the episcopal college. We tend to consider a bishop an indi vidual successor of an apostle, instead of regarding him as a member of the collective col lege body which succeeds the Apostolic College. BOOKKEEPING TAX SERVICE £ <3. B. Bice * Go. 381 PEACHTREE ST., N. E C ATLANTA 9 GA. i t TR 5-0317 V HE 5-5893 IGNATIUS HOUSE RETREATS Schedule for next six weeks F«-l> 28-March 3 March 14 17 Men Men (Macon) March 21-24 Women March 7 - 10 March 2 8-31 Men Men PHONE: 255-0503 or WRITE Please reserve a room for the Retreat Beginning _ Name —<———- Address Ci ty — Phone - iGNATIUS HOUSE 67§0 Rtv»rs de Dfiv* NW Atiania 5, G«org<a FROM THE Scriptures we know that the Twelve were re sponsible for the whole mis sion of the Church. Together they received the word of Je sus to go and preach the Gospel to all nations, and to baptize men in the name of the Bles sed Trinity. Together they re ceived the power to exercise the sacramental life of the Church. The supreme role of Peter within the Twelve did not ddate their common call- as the foundations of the Now just as the pope is the iccessor of St. Peter so the ishops as a whole (the episco- il college) are the successors : the Twelve. The role of the Dostles was certainly unique ad inimitable. They had seen le Lord Jesus, they had been itnesses of the wonderful lings God had done in Jesus BUT THEIR office of preach ing and interpreting the mes sage once-for-all delivered to the Church, and of perpetuating the deeds of salvation in a sac ramental liturgy—this was pas sed on to their successors. In this sense, the bishops, as a body, are the heirs of the Twelve. This doctrine has immediate practical consequences. A bis hop in the Catholic Church is not only the head of his diocese: he is also, and first of all, a member of that body which has the care of the Universal Church. He is coresponsiblefor the life of the whole Church. His eyes are not simply turned to his own diocese; he looks, rath er, at the whole Church, con scious that he has a real re sponsibility for what happens in it. At the council, the bishops re discovered this mission again. Suddenly they realized what the apostolic office to which they are appointed means in the Church of Cod. In union w ith the pope, their head, the bishops exercise their sacred ministry for the good of the universal Catholic community. At the council the collegiality of the bishops has become a meaning ful term again. Could this coresponsibility for the Church Universal find expression in an organizational structure after the council? It certainly couldl The creation of episcopal conferences as legis lative bodies is already a partial exercise of the bishops’ colle giality. Little-Known By M. |. MURRAY i E LENTEN SACRIFICE Facts for Catholic* CopyrSfht, 1»63. W.C.W.C. N«w» Servtc* BUT THERE would be a way of giving even more perfect ex pression to episcopal colle giality. If an ecclesiastical body were created at Rome, conven ing every two or three years, and made up of bishops dele gated by the various episcopal conferences, the pope and these bishops together could discuss and determine the ways of the Church and the adaptation of Catholic life to the needs of the day. This is a plan proposed by many bishops. In this way the collegiality of the bishops would be constantly exercised. From this description it be comes obvious that there is a certain dialogue structure in the exercise of supreme autho rity in the Church. While the pope, as the successor of St. Peter, has supreme jurisdic tion in the Church, he is, at the same time, a member of the episcopal college and, as such, engaged in dialogue with his brethren, the other bishops. A greater consciousness of this dialogue structure, such as the bishops gained at the Vati can council, will change con siderably the quality of Catho lic life. There will be great- r er diversity. GREATER freedom will exist for the initiative of men whom the Spirit inspires. Until now, so many good ideas, so many ways of pastoral renewal, could not be translated into action be cause the Church was so com pletely centralized. While the pope was always willing to hear the bishops, his administrative body, the Roman Curia, was not used to dialogue of any kind. This will now change. At the council this has changed al ready. Reevaluation of the episcopal office and decentralization in the Church must not be under stood to mean that the Second Vatican Council will give more power to the individual bishop in his diocese. More power in this connection means more independence for episcopal con ferences, with legislative pow er to apply and adapt the general norms valid for the Church Universal. In the application of the lit urgical renewal, regional bod ies of bishops will determine the path to be followed. There will be a really conciliar at mosphere in these episcopal conferences. Proposals will be read, various views will be submitted and discussed,, spe cialists will be asked to make their comments, and bishops less in contact with the vital currents in the Church will be brought up to date. THE BISHOPS will learn to feel coresponsible for the Ca tholic life in the whole area entrusted to them. There will be ecclesiastical forces at work making the bishops more cons cious that they are teachers and leaders in the Church. When studies on the Second Vatican Council speak of re emphasizing the episcopal of fice, they do not have in mind an increase of episcopal power in regard to the people over whom the bishops are placed, but rather the increase of pow er in regard to the central au thority of the Church. Bishops become more pow erful when they are able to orientate and adapt Catholic life in their churches to the needs of the people, without the handi cap of a uniform legislation des tined for the Church Universal. WE MAY BE certain that the dialogue structure within the exercise of supreme authority in the Church, brought out at the Vatican council, will qua lify the relationship of superior and subject throughout the Ca tholic Church. The bishops engaged in dia logue with the central authority of supreme jurisdiction will find it natural to enter into dia logue with the people for whom they are responsible. This already happened dur ing the time of preparation for the council. In several dioces es, bishops getting ready to engage in discussion in Rome engaged first in discussion with their people, both priests and laity. Pope John’s Ash Wednesday Plea To U.S. Children LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT ALTAR-PlECr IN EUROPE IS THE ISEUWEIM TABLEAU, WHICH WAS EXECUTED IN THE EARLY 16™ CENT. A GERMAN ARTIST. TO UKRAINE Archbishop Slipyi Intends To Return PHILADELPHIA (NC)—Met ropolitan Josyf Slipyi of Lviv wants and intends to reiurn to his archdiocese in the Ukraine despite his 18-year confine ment by the Soviet regime, it was revealed here. The 71-year-old prelate is not afraid of the consequences of such a return even if it comes to death, according to Arch bishop Ambrose Senyshyn, O.S. B. M., of the Byzantine Rite Archdiocese of Philadelphia. ARCHBISHOP Senyshyn con ferred with Archbishop Slipyi for two days at the Byzantine Rite monastery at Grottaferra- ta, a dozen miles south of Rome. The Philadelphia Met ropolitan, top spiritual leader of Byzantine Rite Ukrainian Catholics in the United States, flew to Rome for the meeting on February 13, four days af ter Archbishop Slipyi reached there. Archbishop Senyshyn said in an interview that Metropolitan Slipyi was averse to discuss ing what happened to him dur ing his years in prison. He said, however, that while the Metropolitan appears thin, his mind is very alert. CONCERNING the motivation of the Soviet Union in releasing Metropolitan Slipyi, Archbishop Senyshyn said he thinks it could be due in part to publicity given to the Metropolitan’s detention in the press of the free world. He said he believes, however, that Metropolitan Slipyi’s re lease is a single incident that does not necessarily signify any change or new trend in Soviet policy. He said that Metropolitan Slipyi was never involved in politics, but that that did not stand in the way of his impri sonment gime. by the communist re- Now, he said, Metropolitan Slipyi’s great hope is to re turn to the Ukraine to resume his duties as shepherd. Fort Oglethorpe Auxiliary Meet Plans for a spaghetti dinner to be held on St. Patrick’s day, March 17, were discussed at a recent meeting of St. Ge rard's Altar Society in the cafeteria, Fort Ogle- Mrs. Grant Wall pre school thorpe. sided. The members voted to re ceive Holy Communion in a body the Sunday following the meeting, at the 10 o’clock Mass, Mrs. Wall stated that the Mass on Saturday morning after the regular meeting would be of fered for the members. Mrs. Hunt and Mrs. Swanson had the care of the altars and linens during February and Mrs. Brown during March. MARCH 3-11 Dear Catholic school-child ren of the United States of Ame rica: This is the Holy Father speaking to you from Rome, coming to you once again w ith a paternal greeting to encourage and help your education to a sense of social responsibility. DEAR children: You all know of the great event which opened here in Rome during this past year. You will have heard from your parents , teachers and priests about the Second Vati can Council, in which the Bis hops from the various countries met to consider matters con cerning the universal Church. We are aware that you have been praying for the success of the Council: continue to im plore for it the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and do so w ith great hope. In Our meetings with the Bis hops from different countries during the Council, We heard many things which consoled Us. The Bishops of the United States told Us of the ever-growing numbers of children being given a solid Christian formation in the Catholic schools; they spoke of your diligence in your stu dies, of your fervour in the practice of your Faith, and of your desire to assist other children less fortunate than yourselves. BISHOPS from a few other countries, too, had consoling information to give Us regard ing the children and the flocks under their pastoral care. But, alas, Bishops from many other countries had a very dif ferent story to narrate. They were the Bishops from certain nations in .Africa and Asia and from some parts of South Ame rica. They told us that for the moment, until their peoples achieve a greater degree of pro gress and development, not all the children in their Diocese are privileged to havethebene- fits of a Christian education in w arm classrooms like you have; very few of them enjoy the pleasures of a comfortable home, or the luxuries and edu cational distractions that you are accustomed to; many of them languish in privations and hunger, ill-clad and exposed to the hardships of inclement wea ther; the vast majority of them lack the proper food and vita mins which would build up their little bodies sufficiently and give them the energy that nor mal children display in the rec reation of the playground. THOSE children are boys and girls of your own age; and it is on their behalf that We are appealing to you today. The season of Lent just be ginning is the season when de vout Catholics are expected to make sacrifices and do penance for the love of Our Blessed Lord. In the past the Lenten sacrifices made by the school- children of the United States brought welcome food and clo thing and medicines to needy children in other countries. We exhort you earnestly to make those sacrifices again this year and to make them generously, not only in a spirit of com passion towards those who are less fortunate than you, but more especially for the love of Our Divine Lord Himself, who had a special predilection for little children and Who said that "as long as you did it for one of these the least of my brethren, you did it for me” (Matt. 25,40). AND remember that the Re deemer also said that a cup of cold water given in His Name shall not pass without its re ward (cfr. Matt. 10,42). He will undoubtedly repay your sacrifi ces by bestowing favours and blessings in abundance upon yourselves, your families and your country. It is in pledge of such a hea venly recompense, and confi dent in a whole-hearted re sponse to this appeal of Ours, that We cordially impart Our special Apostolic Blessing to each one of you and to your parents, your families and your teachers. JOHN XXIII Immaculate Heart Novena Set The Novena of Grace in honor of St. Francis Xavier will be given at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish by Rev. Henry R. O’Meara, C.SS.R. The Novena from March 3-11. Father O’Meara was born in Brooklyn. He was educated in local parochial and public schools. In his early teens he entered the Redemptorist Order LUTHERAN OBSERVER: Catholic Ecumenical Approach Unclear stopping the spread of commu nism in Latin America. Novena Masses will be cele brated Monday through Friday at 6:30 and 8:45 a.m., and at 2 p.m. The Masses on Saturday, March 9, will be at 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. Devotions will be held each evening at 8:00 o’clock. St. Francis Xavier, who was born in Nevarre, Spain, in 1506 was one of the greatest mis- sioners in the history of the Church. His fields of labor were India and Japan where he converted innumerable pagans. He died off the coast of China in 1552 without accomplishing his desire to evangelize China. RECKLINGHAUSEN, Ger many (NC)—Despite the “sur prising openness toward other Christian believers” shown by the Fathers of the Second Vati can Council, the Catholic Church’s approach to ecu menism is not yet clear, ac cording to a Lutheran theolo gian who served as observer- delegate of the Evangelical Church of Germany at the coun cil. Dr. Edmund Schlink, profes sor of dogmatic theology at the University of Heidelberg, said that final judgements on the part of non-Catholic Christian chur ches must be reserved until ac tual decisions are reached and formally promulgated by the Pope. DR. SCHLINK contributed a special article to the national Catholic weekly, Echo derZeit, which is published here. He raised several points which he said lead Protestants to ques tion the Catholic Church’s ap proach to ecumenism. Among them: — The fact that while it re cognizes marriages among pa gans as valid, it does not so recognize marriage of a Catho lic and a Protestant before a non-Catholic minister. .-The Catholic Church’s ap proach to the right of freedom of worship, especially in Spain and Colombia, and also its mis sionary activities in territories which are predominantly Pro testant. —The attempt by a minority within the Catholic Church to define as dogma certain opin ions concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary which would only emphasize old antagonisms be tween Protestants and Catho lics. FATHER O’MEARA and after ordination took post graduate work at Georgetown University in Washington. As a missionary, Father O’Meara was assigned to the famous "Green Hell” district of Mato Grosso, Brazil - the world’s largest unexplored territory. Tnere he criss-crossed vast jungle areas in canoes and on horses for ten years, preach ing to Indians and Brazilians. AT PRESL T FatherO’Mea- ra is stationed at the Redemp torist : louse of Post Graduate Studies, ;>art of the Catholic University of America, in Washington. From these head quarters, he travels the east coast, preaching missions, re treats, novenas, and conferen ces, not only incivilianparishes but also aboard Navy carriers, on Air Force SAC bases, and on Army posts. Hs has worked with the Brazilian Congress and the United States govern ment on programs aimed at The public is cordially vited to attend the Novena. in- Charlene Cherry Freedom Award Charlene Cherry of St. Pius X School has received the Val ley Forge Freedom Foundation Award, Rev. James L. Harri son, principal, announced. She obtained the award for a speech entitled "Checks and Balances in the Constitution.” In addition to a gold trophy, the award brings $100. The speech had won second place in the American Legion Oratori cal Contest in 1962, At an assembly Feb. 22 Fa ther Harrison expressed his feeling toward all awards which St. Plus X students received. In his words, "All the sacrifi ces were worthwhile.”