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GEORGIA BULLETIN BOOK SUPPLEMENT PAGE 3 Cardinal Scores Doctor Rock Theology TIME HAS COME—A Catholic Doctor's Proposals to End the Battle Over Birth Control. Al fred Knopf. $4.95. BY RICHARD CARDINAL CUSHING (Archbishop of Boston) Dr. John Rock of Brookline has published a new book ent itled “The Time Has Come” with a subtitle suggesting that this work is intended to present "a Catholic doctor’s proposals to end the battle over birth con trol.” Since Dr. Rock writes explicitly as a Catholic and since I am his Bishop, I have been asked from several sour ces to make some observations on his latest publication. The law of the Church re quires that every Catholic who writes on a subject pertain ing to faith or morality sub mit his manuscript to Church authority for a so-called "im primatur.” This is an official statement by the local bishop that the contents are free from doctrinal and or moral error. Such a law should not be in terpreted in any sense as an unjust Infringement upon the rights of the Catholic in quest ion, but rather a means which the Church is entitled to employ in order to keep an accurate image of her official teaching before the eyes of the non- Catholic world. tion the true complexity of this problem and so commits in the field of theology the same mis take he urges against the theo logians in the field of repro ductive physiology. The entire chapter on the teaching of the Natural Law in matters which pertain to the morality of art ificial conterception in over simplified. IN HIS defense of the "nat ural” and, to his mind, "law ful,” use of the progestational steroids as contraceptive de vices, Dr Rock does not meet the incisive arguments against his position which have been continually voiced by Catholic moral theologians. In the pages of this book Dr. Rock is emphatic in his claim to be a good and devoted Cat holic. It must be said, however, that some of the positions which he defends therein are not in agreement with Catholic teach ing. Surely Doctor Rock, and other physicians, have much to offer the Church and her teaching authority if medical men and theologians study together the complex problems of human re production. Theologians must recognize the competence of Dr. Rock in the field of rep roductive physiology but he recognize their competence in the field of Catholic moral teaching. Fair minded people will ap preciate that such cooperation in no way curtails the doctor’s scientific freedom. It would rat her aid him in his dedicated pursuit of the ultimate truth in this matter, the defense and formulation of which in theolo gical terms is not the task of an individual but that of the whole teaching Church. Consuela Bright — A Moving Novel CONSUELA BRIGHT, By Con- elia Jessey. Sheed and Ward ($3.95) Most of the people in Cons uela Bright have, as one char acter put it, "brushed against God and from then on can’t talk about anything else but Him.” The atmosphere Cornelia Jes sey creates is a distinctly Je wish one; an immigrant Russian family is involved with one PH another through a generation of joys, sorrbws, misunderstand ing and affection. Ancestors and distant Spanish past are linked in the person of the central figure, all woven together to form her personality. Listening to Jews interested in Christ, most readers will forget their pleasure in the tale long enough to ponder the sig nificance of some scenes. Early in the story, Consuela asks her self how it is possible for a Jew who has experienced the scourging of the so-called Ch ristianized centuries to come to Christ. "God had to pick each Jew up in His hand and lift him across that smoking, burned and deadly land. On his own bare feet no Jew could cross that burning trrain which constantly smouldered and burst into flame when he least expected it.” Consuela's own journey to Catholicism is counterpointed by the strange path her name sake famous aunt took to arrive there; by Isaac, the idealst who believes but may have died unbaptised; Consuela’s father who followed the spirit of Ch- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Latin America pavla | WANTS YOU I REGRET to observe that Dr. Rock has published his book w ithout such an "imprimatur.” Therefore, the opinions on the morality of artificial birth con trol as presented in the text lack any official approval as authentic Catholic teaching. In this book there is much * that is good. The author has presented a detailed and grap hic account of the history of the birth control controversy in the United States, and many times he rightly criticizes the excesses to which some Ca tholics have gone in this matter. He has quoted accurately and unequivocally from officially approved Catholic authors in an attempt to present a correct picture of the much misunder stood Catholic position on birth control, and has clearly demon strated that the Church is not opposed to birth control as such but to the use of artificial means to control births. HE PRESENTS many cogent arguments for the formation of a public policy on birth cont rol, and some of his suggestions could contribute to the estab lishment of domestic peace in our pluralistic society. With reason, he calls to task those who are unwilling to face the implications of the much public- cized population explosion. There are now 150 men and women Papal Volunteers serving in twelve Latin American countries. Requests on hand at the beginning of 1963 call for 183 more as follows: Business Administrator- i man Mechanics/Handymen- 2 men Catechists- 1 woman, 2 men or women Catechetical and Social Welfare Workers- 2 men, 5 women Credit Union and Cooperative Organizers 2 men or women Community Development Organizers— 3 men, 6 women Communications Media Personnel: RADIO STATION ADMINISTRATORS- 6 men PUBLIC RELATIONS- 1 man Engineers and Technicians: RADIO TRANSMITTER MAINTENANCE- 2 men RADIO RECEIVER MAINTENANCE- 1 man CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT- 1 man CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER- 1 man LINOTYPISTS— 2 men or women NEWSPAPER LAYOUT- 1 man PRESS OPERATION and MAINTENANCE-1 man Medical Personnel: DOCTORS— 1 woman, 3 DENTIST- NURSES— MEDICAL TECHNICIANS- 3 PHARMACIST— men or women 1 man 16 women men or women 1 man Sailors (Coastal mission boat)— 2 men Secretary (English language)— 1 woman Social Workers (Juvenile program)— 3 men Teachers: ENGLISH LANGUAGE- 4 men, 11 women, 6 men or women VOCATIONAL and AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL- 16 men GRADE SCHOOL— 2 women HIGH SCHOOL (College Graduates)— 7 men, 11 women, 34 men or women UNIVERSITY (Sociology; Engineering; Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, Social Work; Physics; Chemistry.)— Youth Workers- 8 men, 9 men or women 4 men (3 with counselling experience) HE MAKES AN eloquent, and much needed, plea for Fed eral grants to perfect the so- called Rhythm System so that it might become a means of controlling births which is not only morally acceptable but also scientifically accurate. Not everything in the book, however, can pass without crit icism. It also contains several statements which are theologi cally incorrect and certainly misleading. When he speaks on the forma tion of the Catholic conscience he fails to take into considera- Requests for persons in many other categories are being received continually. The above requests have been received from the following countries: Argentina, 5; Boliva, 13; Brazil, 61; British Honduras, 34; Chile, 14; Colombia, 11; Costa Rica, 2; Ecuador, 10; Guatemala, 2; Honduras, 2; Panama, 4; Peru, 25. Papal Volunteers sent by the Church of the United States serve for a three year period. Persons joining the program are trained in the language and culture of the country in which they serve. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Papal Volunteers for Latin America National Office 1300 South Wabash Avenue Chicaeo 5. Illinois OR Rev. Leonard F. X. Mayhew 204 Battle Street La Grange, Georgia