The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current, April 18, 1963, Image 2

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The Georgia bulletin, April 18, 1963, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY APRIL 18, 1963 INTERPRETS NEW ENCYCLICAL S TRANGE BUT TRU Little-Known Facts (or Catholics E By M J MURRAY Copyright, 1»M, NCWC. News Service 'b/fienew Me upper Part of LAKE Constance FeiEzr?' Know* as "The CHRIST vywo needs AND SMILES * -TVItS MABXA3LC fULL- SCALC cauciFi* Stands in tv^c Castle or XAVIER., C>|«TW place of" ST FRANCS XAViER h NORTVURM SAAJN. A PROCESSION SEARS A 30ST OF ST JOHN -THE EVANGELIST, FROM THt SWISS SlDC TO THE GERMAN SlDE OR BACK AGAIN THE LAKE HAS frozen only pour times since THE CEREMONY SEGAN IN IS73. AMO TH/£ YEAN THE OUST CHANGED Sides for the First t/me since /830. ONE Of "THC MOST ANCIENT OF SRlTlSH INN SIGNS IS THE LAMB s CROSS, WNlCH SHOWS THE *GNUS DEI. Many SURYlVET TO TH/S day . rr was been estimated that Pea head or population . ROME MAS S<X TIMES AS MAN / CHURCHES AS MOST OTHER. CITES . ECUMENICAL ADVANCE Catholic Liturgists Hail Study Center WASHINGTON (NC) — Lead ing Catholic liturgists have hailed the establishment of an international liturgical center in the United States as a con tribution to ecumenism. Father Gerard S. Sloyan, pre sident of the national Liturgical Conference, said the new World Center for Liturgical Studies in Boca Raton, Fla., is “an important ecumenical step." FATHER Frederick R. Mc Manus, immediate past presi dent of the Liturgical Confer ence, said the new center's plans fit in with recent pleas by Augustin Cardinal Bea, S. J., for "collaboration" by Ca tholic and Protestant scholars. Cardinal Bea, head of the Vati can's Secretariat for Promot ing Christian Unity, has suggested collaboration in such fields as theology and philosophy as a means of ad vancing religious unity. Sylvia Namanda. Girl Guide of Trinity College. Nabbingo. Uganda, has been chosen to represent Uganda at the In ternational Catholic Guides Pilgrimage to Rome. The new Boca Raton center is directed by an Episcopalian minister, Canon Don H. Cope land. Its associate director is a Dutch Reformed pastor in Rott erdam, Pastor Wlebe Vos, who also is Its European represent ative. Father McManus, a priest of the Boston archdiocese and a professor of canon law at the Catholic University of Ameri ca here, is a member of its advisory board. THE WORLD Center for Lit urgical Studies will provide re search and conference facilities for work in the field of Christ ian worship. Father Sloyan, head of the religious education depart ment at Catholic University, said the center will be "equal ly valuable to Protestant and to Roman Catholic scholars, teachers and pastors." Where Insurance is a Profession Not a Sideline SUTTER & McLELLAN Mortgage Guarantee Bldg. JA 5-2086 "LAV UP TREASURES FOR YOURSELVES" THRU GRAYMOOR’S ANNUITY PLAN WlliTC TODAY W# pay you interest on an investment of $10000 Of more. ** long at you live. Aftef youf death your invest* m*nt u use J for the education of our future Priests •nd to aid th* poor of Christ throughout the world. V£*Y SfVftfNO FATHER lONAVENTURE FRANCIS, S A. GRAYMOOR. Ger*,»•„ 12 New fork Wiho.it o0; gal on, please send me further information about your Greymoor Annuity Plan, NAME ADOStSS. city .age. -ZONE. .4TATE. Peace On Earth - The Pope The following interpretive article on the new encyclical Pacem in Terris is written by an expert on Catholic social doctrine and communism. He has been assistant director since 1946 of the Social Act ion Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, Washington, D. C. In 1962 he wrote the study, "Commun ism: Threat to Freedom," which attracted national attent ion. FR. JOHN F. CRONIN, S.S. Pope John XXIII, from the beginning of his reign, has astounded and delighted the world by his paradoxical be havior. He was advanced in years, yet he moved with the vigor of youth. He called Vati can Council II, primarily to renew the inner life of the Church. But the Spirit of this Council has already attracted our separated brethren and bre athed a new atmosphere into relationship between the Ch urches. He is gentle and kindly preferring exhortation to con demnation. Nonetheless, he has made decisive and far- reaching changes within the Ch urch, in the space of a few years. His last encyclical letter, Peace on Earth, is perhaps the most remarkable paradox of all. Here is a profoundly anti-Mar xist document, yet it has much that should appeal to the com munist world. The veiled re ferences to communism are kindly. Nevertheless, this En cyclical will steal Communist thunder on the peace Issue, just as Christianity and Social Pro gress undercut the social and economic appeal of Marxism. POPE JOHN made history by receiving in private audience Alexei Adzhubei, son-in-law of Premier Khrushchev. In the present Encyclical, as will be noted presently, he widens somewhat the "opening to the left." But the basic tenor of the Encyclical is totally different from the Marxist approach to peace and to history. To Marx and Lenin, the state is supreme. The individual does not enjoy rights, only pro- vileges. By contrast, the En cyclical states at great length and with profound eloquence the dignity, rights, and duties of the individual persons. It bases these truths upon God and the moral law implanted by God in the hearts of men. The specific rights explained by the Pope are in sharp con trast to Communist theory and practice. "By the natural law every human being has the right to respect for his person, to his good reputation, the right for freedom in searching for truth and in expressing and communi cating his opinions, and in pur suit of art, within the limits laid down by the moral order and the common good. And he has the right to be informed truthfully about public events," RELATIONS between indivi duals should be governed by a sense of personal responsibil ity and lnitative. Individuals should act for the common welfare for reasons of cons cience, not as a result of ex ternal pressure. "For any hu man society that is estab lished on relations for force must be regarded as inhuman, inasmuch as the personality of its members is repressed or restricted, when in fact they should be provided with appro priate incentives and means for developing and perfecting themselves." Government, of course, must have authority to enforce laws. Yet since "authority is chiefly concerned with moral force, it follows that civil authority must appeal primarily to the cons cience of individual citizens, that is, to each one's duty to collaborate readily for the com mon good of all." The Pope notes that "where the civil aut hority uses as its only or its chief means either threats and fear of punishment or promises of rewards, it cannot effectively move men to promote the com mon good of all." WHEN THE Encyclical com ments on political refugees, there is a note of personal tenderness and sadness that is unusual in a solemn pontifical document. At the same time, the papal letter notes that this situation shows "that there are some political regimes which do not guarantee for individual citizens a sufficient sphere of freedom within which their souls are allowed to breathe humanly. In fact, under those regimes even the lawful ex istence of such a sphere of freedom is either called into question or denied." Communism is atheistic. It holds that "the relationships between men and states can be governed by the same laws as the forces and irrational elements of the universe." Act ually, "the laws governing them are of quite a different kind and are to be sought elsewhere, namely, where the Father of all things wrote them, that is, in the nature of man," The basic theme of the ency clical is that peace will be had when truth, justice, love, and freedom prevail within nations and among nations. These are all moral concepts, excluded by the very nature of Marxism- Leninism. The contrast between the two views of human society is total. Yet these truths are expressed in a manner so friendly and so persuasive that even the most hardened Com munist is not likely to take of fense. GIVEN these sharp dif ferences between the Vatican and the Kremlin Is regard to peace, the paradox is that the Pope expects the Communist nations eventually to adopt his views of world order. Three different sections of the Ency clical Indicate this position— a position that for anyone but Pope John would seem to be one of blind optimism and im practical idealism. First the Pope calls for the establishment of public autho rity on a worldwide basis. This is to be set up by common accord and not by force. Ob viously the creation of such a supranational agency would be impossible In the context of the Cold War and present world tensions. The Pope must expect a change. Secondly, the Pope calls for the extension and perfection of the work of the United Nat ions. He asks that the Univer sal Declaration of Human Rights BOSTON (NC) — A leading Catholic philosopher has de cried what he said are attempts at some Catholic colleges and universities to deemphasizethe teaching of ethics in favor of moral theology. Vernon J. Bourke of St. Louis (Mo.) University said such efforts are "a good way to en sure that Catholic philosophers will live within their own ghetto." BOURKE also argued that the layman, "by virtue of his status of life," is more suited to teach ethics than is the priest or Religious. The 56-year-old philosopher spoke Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Cat holic Philosophical Associ ation and a vice president of the World Union of Catholic Phi losophic Societies, he is the author of many works on phi losophy. He edited a 25-volume edition of the works of St. Tho mas Aquinas whose publication was completed in 1950. BOURKE charged In his ad dress that some Catholic school officials have the idea that there is "something wrong with phi losophy." "They have used this judg ment to change the status of speculative and practical phi losophy in Catholic colleges and universities in the United States," he said. "In some in stitutions, only the non-Catholic students are offered the op portunity to study philosophy. He insisted that philosophy and theology are two distinct sciences, and that to attempt to make ethics—a branch of philosophy —into a sort of the ology can only result In confus ion. CONTRASTING ethics and moral theology, he said: be implemented. Again, here are hopes that would seem im practical , if nothing changed in the Communist world. FINALLY, Pope John takes up—in language somewhat vei led but nonetheless clear—the delicate question of co operation with the Communist nations and movements. Here he makes a sharp distinction between "false philosophical teachings regarding the nature, origin, and destiny of the uni verse and man" and "historical movements that have economic, social, cultural or political ends ...even when these movements have originated from those teachings and still drew inspri- ation therefrom." The teach ings remain the same—com munism Is intrinsically wrong. But movements cannot avoid" being subject to changes, even "Ethics aims at a reflective examination of what is good or bad in human activity here on earth, in the light of ordinary human experience and reasoning "Moral theology brings a dimension to the study of mora lity, but it presupposes that its students possess a good know ledge of natural morality. (And) the best way for them to achieve this is through the study of et hics." Does moral theology need ethics today?" he asked. "I think it does. 1 think some Cat holic philosophers should re cognize their duty as scholars to work in the field of philo sophical ethics. "BOTH philosophy and the ology are habits which can be acquired by human intellects. Unless they are understood by living men in each generation, philosophy and theology not only make no progress; they die... Let us have but one generation of Catholic scholarship that is ignorant of the resources of ethics, and we will have suf fered an Irreparable loss In learning, in the Church and in the world." Bourke said the modern world's multiplicity of relig ious beliefs makes the study of ethics all the more important. "We live in a world In which thinking men do not agree and in which such disagreement is regarded as a very valuable thing,” he said. Pay a Tribute WASHINGTON (NC) — Sen. Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania placed in the Congressional Re cord (April 9) an article by Father Andrew W. Pier, O.S. B., of Cleveland on the work of SS. Cyril and Methodius, of a profound nature." As did Pius XI in his great Encyclical on Atheistic Com munism, Pope John notes that even in communism there are elements of truth and idealism. "Who can deny that these move ments, insofar as they conform to the dictates of right reason and are interpreters of the law ful aspirations of the human person, contain elements that are positive and deserving of approval?" Because of these two facts— the possibility of change and the existence of some truths amidst the errors of Marxism—it may be possible to work with Com munist states or movements for good causes. "It can happen, then, that a drawing nearer to gether or a meeting for the at tainment of some practical end, "IN SUCH a state of affairs,” he continued, "there should be some able Catholic philo sophers who will think and write as philosophers and not as the ologians in disguise. "There is no need to conceal the fact of religious commit ment, but if they devote them selves to philosophy, Catholics should do so in all intellectual honesty, using methods and knowledge open to any philosop her, and upholding the acknow ledged professional standards in the field. This is particularly so in ethics." Bourke said the need for in tercommunication among ethics scholars of various points of view creates a special need for lay ethicians, rather than priest-or nun-ethicians. "The professional philosop her should be willing to pre sent his views to other profess ionals and in turn listen to their views," he said. "Frankly, it is difficult for priests and nuns to be accepted on this basis. Thinkers who do not share thei* Catholic beliefs are impressed by the special personal status of a priest or a Religious. "IT IS hard for the Protest ant or Jew to see how you can be a spokesman for relig ion on Sunday and a philosop her on Monday." Charging that there exists "a rather general Catholic notion that lay persons should not teach ethics," he commented: "On the contrary, they are the people who should teach practical phi losophy... in most cases." He called for more Catholic lay philosophers to devote time to ethics, since, he said, it is the part of philosophy "for which the lay person Is specif ically suited by virtue of his status of life." AT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Philosophers Hit Attempts To Downgrade Ethics And Marxism which was formerly deemed in opportune or unproductive, might now or in the future be considered opportune or use ful." Prudence tells us when "work in common might be possible for the achivement of social, cultural, and political ends which are honorable and useful." CATHOLICS who are faced with such decisions must act in accord with “the principles of natural law, with the social doctrines of the Church, and with the directives of ecclesi astical authority." The Church has the authority, not only to promulgate the teachings of ethics and religion in the tem poral sphere, but also to in tervene "when there is a quest ion of judging about the appli cation of these principles to concrete causes." Here is the widening of the "opening to the left," ment ioned earlier in the article. It explains the exchange of messages between the Pope and Premier Khrushchev. In this context w e can see why the Holy See retains diplomatic relation ships with Cuba and even re ceives soundings from the Kremlin. The Church must re ject communism as a system. But individual Communist leaders can change, as reason and common sense forces them to a more correct view of hu man nature and society-. The Pope is seeking, gently, gradu ally, and prudently, to encour age such change. Some will note the apparent contrast between this position and that of Pope Pius XI, who said: "Communism is intrin sically wrong, and no one who would save Christian civilizat ion may collaborate with it in any undertaking whatsoever." (On Atheistic Communism, No. 58) Yet the context makes clear that the earlier Pontiff was warning against two dangers— that of inadvertently promoting communism by joining united- front movements, and the possi bility that Communist trickery may deceive the unwary. THIS warning is still sound and timely. Pope John has modified it, but in a cautious and limited manner. Those who are expert in their field, who know Communist tactics, who are sensitive to the require ments of natural law and the social teaching of the Church, and who are obedient to Church authority may on occasion find it fruitful to have dealings with Communist movements or states. Thus, for example, the Christian trade unions of Fr ance at times work for certain objectives in common with the Communist unions, as in the recent mine strike. Some may consider this at titude of Pope John as daring, in view of basic Communist attitudes toward religion. Yet the Pope believes that truth and goodness will prevail. His opt imism is based on a firm faith in God's love and providence. Consequently, "every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men, and he will be this all the more perfectly the more closely he lives in communion w ith God in the int imacy of his own soul." The optimism and Christian love of Pope John have already worked miracles in the ecu menical sphere. May God grant him long years to achieve a similar result in the area of world peace. This magnificent encyclical—beyond doubt one of the greatest papal documents of all time—is a splendid beginn ing of the work of peace. Look Fox Oscar HELPED NEEDED A CNCF DOLLARS f-OR BRICKS* TC bUILD ST. PATRICK’S SCHOOL PHENIX CITY, ALABAMA c/o SISTER MARY JAMES Alterations Tuxedos Rented - "Clothes Tailored For You" /Nay j TAILORS - CLEANERS 106 W. Court Sq Decatur, Ga PER ANNUM Paid Quarterly .. con m«fln HIGHER RETIREMENT INCOME! 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