The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current, June 03, 1963, Image 2

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The Georgia bulletin, June 03, 1963, Image 2

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Newspaper Page TextPAGE 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN MONDAY JUNE 3, 1963 Encyclicals Marked Pope Pastoral Status Pope John XXIII's status as a pastoral and teaching Pope was eminently demonstrated by his momentous social encycli cal Magistra, and the even more historic Pacem in Terris. Mater et Magistra was is sued on July 14, 1961, although the document was dated May 15, the 70th anniversary of the Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, the first great social en cyclical of modern times. Running to 20,000 words, the encyclical was hailed by Cath olic sociologists everwherewho predicted it would exert a pro found influence on the Church’s role in social and economic life. In this monumental document, the Pope updated the application of the earlier social encycli cals to such problems as soc ialization, the needs of under developed countries ( a moral imperative resiting on the weal thier nations, according to the Pope), the depressed state of agriculture, and the pressure of world population. On the national level, the Pope declared that the common good demanded the employment of the greatest possible number of workers, cautioned lest privi leged classes arose even among the workers, called for main tenance of euqillbrium between prices and wages, and empha sized the need to make goods and services accessible to the greatest number. THE POPE went on to urge the elimination, or at least re striction, of inequalities in the various branches of the eco- nomy—that is, among agricul ture, industry, and services; the creation of a proper bal ance between economic ex pansion and the development of social services, especially thr ough the activity of public auth orities; and the best possible adjustment of the means of pro duction to the progress of sci ence and technology. To all this he added an exhortation that the benefits which make a more human way of life pos sible be made available not only to the present generation but to coming generations. One of the most remarkable features of Mater et Magistra was the extraordinary' reaction it stirred in the non-Catholic world. No other papal encycli cal had until then excited more sustained interest outside the Catholic Church. One renowned American Protestant theolog ian, Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, de clared; "I think that the Cath olic Church is ahead of Amer ica in social legislation." A poll among U. S. religious edi tors and reporters listed the en cyclical among the ten top reli gions stories and 1961. Even more remarkable was the impact of Mater et Magis tra (soon known in Catholic cir cles under the more descrip tive title of "Christianity and Social Progress" on the secu lar world of politics and ec onomics. THE DOCUMENT was cited several times during a debate on the world’s social situation at plenary sessions in Geneva fo the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The parli amentary assembly of the six nation European Economic Community voted to distribute that part of the encyclical de aling with relations between the economically developed and un derdeveloped countries. Copies of the encyclical were distributed to every member of Britain's Parliament and every British trade union leader. The encyclical made its mark also on many parts of the Moselm world and was reported and commented upon in newspapers of every' continent. Its impact on the Catholic world was not hing short of phenomenal. Cop ies of the encyclical were cir culated among Catholic groups on a scale unknown in the case of any other document issued by a pontiff. If Pope John set new winds a blowing with his Mater et Magistra, he created a verit able whirlwind with Pacem in Terris. Never in modem Ch urch history did any papal docu ment stir such instantaneous and world wide repercussions. More remarkable still was the uniformaly favorable respon se—even in the Communist world. In this connection, how ever, the Vatican Radio was quick to note that while Com munist observers stressed the encyclical’s plea for negotiat ion to save the world from nu clear annihilation, they ignored the insistence on respect for hu man dignity and freedom that was the core of Pacem in Ter ris. IN HtS encyclical, Pope John insisted that peace can be firmly established "only if the order laid down by God is dutifully observed." He said" justice, right, reason and humanity’'de mand that the arms race cease and that the armaments stock pile in various countries be reduced "equally and simultan eously by the parties concer ned." He urged a ban on nu clear weapons. The pontiff war ned that problems of world wide dimensions can be adeq uately solved only by the ef forts of public authorities "en dowed with a breadth of pow ers, structure, and means of the same proportions." This was clearly a call for streng thening the United Nations. Other highlights of the ency clical were its trenchant denu nciation of racial discrimi nation, as completely lack ing any justification, and its forthright defense of religious freedom. Said the Pope; "Ev ery human being has the right to honor God according to the dictates of an upright consci ence, and therefore the right to worship God privately and publicly." Protestant and Jewish lea ders and other religious spoke smen in countries around the world vied in hailing the en cyclical as a document of ex traordinary scope and signifi cance. Newspapers in the Uni ted States and Europe joined in praise. AMERICAN Congressmen and British M. P.’s spoke of it as a major contribution to ward easing international tens ions, and United Nations Gene ral Secretary U Thant lauded Pope John’s “great wisdom, vision and courage," and said that "in addressing his thoughts to the peace of the world in the nuclear age, he was indeed appealing for man's survival." The United States government officially praised the encycli cal, saying that "no country could be more responsive" to its reassertion of the dignity of man and his right to peace and freedom. Besides the historic Mater et Magistra and Pacem in Terris, Pope John issued five other encyclicals in the four and a half years of his reign. In his first encyclical, Ad Petri Cat- hedram (To the Chair of Pe ter), dated June 29, 1959, he solemnly exhorted world lead ers to remember that "God cre ated man, not as enemies, but as brothers," and that "If the fires of discord are set ablaze in the world again, nothing else awaits all people but appalling destruction and ruin." He spoke of the persecution of the Church in Communist countries, especially in China; warned of the growing threat of unemployment in the world; appealed for just and harmon ious relations between workers and employers; stressed the moral responsibilities of the mass communications media; and underscored the challenges to Catholic Action posed by so cial evils everywhere. All these themes, as well as that of Christian unity, were reiterated many times by the Pope at private and general au diences. IN HIS second encyclical, Sa- cerdotti Nostri Primordia, is sued to commemorate the cen tenary in 1959 of the death of St John Vianney (the famed Cure d'Ars), the Pope hail ed the humble French pastor as a model for priests in the mod ern world. At the same time he spoke of the great need for more priestly vocations and en couraged Christian families "to give their children with joy and gratitude to the service of the Church." Pope John issued two other encyclicals the same year. In Grata Recordatio (The Grateful Memory), he called on Catho lics to recite the Rosary with particular devotion during the month of October so that world rulers might settle their dif ferences. The other was Prin- ceps Pastorum (The Prince of Shepherds), issued to mark the 40th anniversary of Pope Bene dict XV’s apostolic letter on missionary work. In this ency clical he announced the creat ion of eight new archdioceses and 29 new dioceses for the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Ur- undi. He also warned against the danger of communism in mission areas of Africa and Asia and cautioned Catholics there against letting themselves be carried away by anti-foreign nationalism. Next came the Encyclical Ma ter et Magistra. It was fol lowed on Dec. 9, 1961, by Aet- erna Dei Sapientia (The Eternal Wisdom of God), the occasion being the 15th centenary of the death of Pope St. Leo the Gr eat. In this document, the pon tiff renewed his appeal for Chr istian unity, declaring that "the Church of Christ.will find in unity the power to resist the assault of Satan’s disruptive forces." Pope John's seventh encycli cal (published July 1, 1962 and entitled Paenitentiurn Agere (To Do Penance) was directly lin ked to the Second Vatican Cou ncil. In it he urged Catholics to practice penance in prepar ation for the great gathering of the Church’s hierarchy. *** Pope John has had a distin guished career as a diplomat as well as a pastor of souls. For eight years, 1945-1953, he was dean of the diplomatic corps in Paris. POPE John XXIII works at a table in the cool gardens of the papal summer residence- at Castel Candolfo. POPE JOHN XXIII chose for his papal coat of arms his family insignia of a tower flanked by two lilies, with the addition of the Lion of St. Mark. The Lion of St. Mark is the emblem of Venice, where the new Pope, as Angelo Cardi nal Giuseppe Roncalli, had been Patriarch since 1953. An open book held by the lion has the Latin inscription: "Peace to you, Mark my evangelist.” Completing the design are the Papal tiara and the keys of St. Peter. Pope John Opens 21st Ecumenical Council In Vatican Basilica Pope Of Unity Invited Protestant, Orthodox Universally hailed as the Pople of Unity, John XX111 ad ded a special distinction to his pontificate by the number and variety of non-Catholic church men whom her personally wel comed within the ancient walls of the Vatican Palace. The guests included not on ly the official delegate-obser vers to the Vatican Council — 39 in all — but those who were received by him in special pri vate audiences. THE POPE'S visitors were not restricted to Protestants and Eastern Orthodox; there were many non-Christians — Jews, Moslems, and even Ja panese Buddhists and Shinto- ists. His Protestant callers in cluded Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Reformed eluded Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, Reformed Presbyterians, Congregation- alists, Quakers, Old Catholics, Disciples and Unitarians. Am ong countries the visitors re presented were the United Sta tes, Canada, Italy, France, Ge rmany, Switzerland, Holland, England, Scotland, Russia, Egy pt, Armenia, South Africe, Eth iopia and Ceylon. Pope John had only just been elected when Professor Leone Leoni, Chief Rabbi of Venice, flew to Rome to deliver a spe cial greeting on behalf of the Jewish community in the city where the new pontiff had spe- as Patriarch. AND THE preparations for the Second Vatican Council had scarcely got under way when - on March 18, 1959 — the Pope was visited by Archbishop Iak- ovos, the newly-elected head of the Greek Orthodox Arch diocese of North and South Am erica. Three months later he received Canon Donald Rea, Anglican vicar of Eye, Suffolk, England. Archbishop Iakovos' visit makred the first time in some 350 years that an Orthodox archbishop or bishop had cal led on a Roman pontiff. Canon Rea is chairman of the Angli can Confraternity of Unity fo unded in 1926 "to restore com munion with the Holy See." Although his visit was not made in any representative charac ter, it was marked by a ges ture on the part of the Pope that revealed his warmly human nature. Noting that the canon was carrying a breviary that looked a "bit old," he said to his interpreter: "Mine is not so new, but it’s newer than his. I will give it to him." Pope John gave a private aud ience in May , 1962, to ano ther Greek prelate: Metropoli tan Damaskinos of Volos, Gre ece, who spent 30 minutes in what was desceibed as "a very cordial" conversation with the Pope. On Dec. 2, 1960, one of the most historic events in church history took place when Dr. Geoffrey Francis Fisher, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, paid a long-heralded visit of "homage and courtesy" to the Pope. FIVE months later, Queen Elizabeth, the nominal head of the Church of England, was received by the pontiff amid scenes In which human warmth and sympathy mingled with the ceremonies of rich pomp and splendor. She was the third British monarch in history and the first in 38 years to meet a Pope. Pope John had another An glican visitor in the person of the Rev. John Colin Stephen son, of Walsingham. He came as a representative of Dr. Ar thur Michael Ramsey, Arch bishop of York, newly-chosen successor of Dr. Fisher as head of the Canterbury See. In April, 1963, the Pope gave a private audience to Dr. Mervyn Stock- wood, Anglican Bishop of South wark, England, who told report ers the meeting was further evidence of growing goodwill among Christians of different belief. In June of the same year, the Pope received Anglican Bi shop Joost de Blank of Cape town, South Africa an outspo ken critic of that country's ra cial segregation policies. THIS was three months af ter Pope John had been visi ted by the top leader of the str ongly Calvinistic Church of Sco tland, another event of unusual historic significance. The visi tor was Dr. Archibald Camp bell Craig, 73-year old moder ator of the General Assembly of the Scottish Church, who la ter disclosed that Christian uni ty was a major topic of con versation. One of Pope John’s most re cent visitors was the Rev. Les lie Davison, president of the Methodist General Conference of Great Britain, who comment ed later: "It is a blessing to be in the Pope's company. He is a gracious man of obvious saint liness of character." American churchmen receiv ed in audience by the Pope in cluded two Episcopalians, a Me thodist, a Southern Baptist, and the head of America’s largest Negro church body. PRESIDING Bishop Arthur Lichtenberger of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S., was the first head of any Ame rican Protestant body to meet a Pope when he called upon John XX111 in November, 1961. He described the visit as "very affable” and informal. In June, 1962, the Pope was visited by Canon Albert J. du Bois of New York, executive director of the American Chu- uch Union, an Anglo-Catholic wing within the Episcopal Chu rch. One of Pope John’s most ap preciative visitors was a Me thodist Bishop Fred Pierce Corson of Philadelphia, who is also head of the World Metho dist Council. Adelegate-obser ver at the Vatican Council, he was received by the pontiffinan almost hour-long audience last October. “He’s very- expressive," Dr. Corson later said of the pontiff. "Just the kind of person you love to be with. Whenever he wanted to say something to me, he would pat me on the arm. And really, I had all I could do to keep from patting him back." "THE attitude and views of the Pope," Dr. Corson added, "reflect a healthy and helpful outcome for the Council and Catholic-Protestant relations. The Pope is a practical per son and realizes the many ob stacles that are in his way. He realizes as well as anyone that religion is a matter of the heart and of the emotion as well as of the mind.” Another notable meeting was the audience given by the Pope in October, 1961, to Brooks Hays, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He said the Pope told him "we are brothers in Christ" and that he responded by telling the pon tiff that it was a great pri vilege for him to greet Pope John as a "fellow Christian.” The following December, Dr. J. H. Jackson, president of the 5,000,000 - member National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. met the Pope in what he called a "very friendly, very cordial, very Christian audience. Add ed the Negro churchman: "I found the Pope to be a great spiritual soul in whom the th ought of discrimination does not exist. I think it is very en couraging in one who is the spiritual leader of so many millions." POPE JOHN’S Jewish visi tors included five officials of B’nai B’rith, international Jew ish fraternal organization, and a delegation of 102 American Jewish leaders, who were re ceived in 1960. Among the B’nai B’rith vi sitors was its president, La- bel M. Katz of New Orleans, La., who praised especially Pope John’s "understanding in respect to the sensibilities of the Jewish people," as shown by his recent actions in order ing revisions of certain litur gical prayers referring to Jews. Similar appreciation was voi ced also by Rabbi Abraham L. Feinberg, a leader of the Cana dian Jewish Congress, who had a private audience with the Pope in 1959. In July, 1962, Pope John re ceived Shizuke Matsubara, a Shinto high priest from Kyoto, Japan, who was accompanied by members of his family. The following November, the Pope gave a special audience to 28 Japanese Buddhist monks who had gone to Rome after an Am erican tour. They heard the Po ntiff declare that "both Budd hism and Catholicism honor God and work for peace and the good of mankind." POPE John XXIII receives in audience King Ce* rgf O. K. Rukidi III of Toro in the East African territory of Uganda. King Rukidi told the Pontiff of the work performed in his kingdom by the White Fathers and other Catholic missionary groups, and asked for the Pope’s blessing for himself and his people.