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ARDENT PRAYER MONDAY JUNE 3. 1963 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE 3 Impassioned Feeling Marked Pope John’s Pleas For Peace World peace was a constant and ardent prayer of Pope John XXU1. He made impassioned pleas for peace in all his Christmas messages to the world. He renewed this appeal with deep feeling on more than 30 other occasions: in audien ces, on the radio and in sol emn documents. As early as October 29,1958, one day after his election as pope in the first public address of his pontificate, he called up on the world’s rulers to hear and make positive reply to the appeals of their people for peace. ON THAT occasion he asked the rulers of all nations: "Why should not discords and dis agreements be finally compos ed equitably? Why should the re sources of human genius and the riches of the people turn more often to preparing arms — per nicious instuments of death and destruction — than to increas ing the welfare of all classes of citizens, and particularly the poorer classes?" The first public reply from a chief of state to Pope John’s first appeal for peace came from U.S, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a letter sent through his personal represen tatives to the coronation cere monies, Gen. Eisenhower de clared: "I share with you the fervent desire for a peaceful solution of the momentous pro blems which beset mankind." In his first Christmas mes sage to the world, delivered ov er Vatican Radio on December 23, 1958, Pope John pleaded for efforts toward peace by men of good will and called for Christian unity in the face of men of ill will. AGAIN early in his ponti ficate, Pope John in his first Easter Message (March 28, 1959) reminded the world’s ru lers of their great responsi bility to work for peace. **We offer a prayer that peace, the daughter of gentleness and good will, may establish a lasting rule among nations, made ever anxious by the clouds which repeatedly darken the horizon. We pray for the heads of states, Joined with Us in recognizing that their high calling es tablishes them not as judges but as guides of the nations." In the first encyclical let ter of his pontificate, Pope John pleaded for Christian un ity and sounded a warning of the universal devastation that would result from nuclear war. The letter, dated June 29, 1959, and entitled Ad Petri Cathedram (At the Chair of Peter) decla red that "God created men not as enemies but as brothers. He gave them the earth to be cul tivated by their toil and energy, so that each and every one so that each and everyone might take from its fruits and what ever should be necessary for his sustenance and general needs in life. PEACE and concord among nations was one of five inten tions for which Pope John ask ed the faithful to recite the Rosary during the month of Oc tober. In his encyclical of Sept ember 26, 1959, Grata Recor dation (Grateful Memory), he urged prayers that "the men responsible for the destinies of nations great and small may attentively assess the ser ious duty of the present hour." On December 6, 1959, Pope John received in audience Pre sident Eisenhower, who was on an international goodwill tour. Speaking in English, the Pope told him he rejoiced to see the American nation striving "to ward the lofty ideals of a loy al and effective concord between nations." "The Catholic Church, whose constant yearning is the estab lishment of true peace between peoples, cannot but greet with Joy every sincere effort direc ted toward that end and wish it the most consoling success." he said. IN THE second Christmas message of his pontificate, Pope John admonished: "No peace will have solid founda tions unless hearts nourish the sentiment of brotherhood which ought to exist among all who have a common origin and are called to the same destiny ., Famed for his many sur prise strolls, His Holiness Pope John XXIII is shown walking among groups of workers gathered in St. Peter’s Square to mark the anniversaries of the two great social encyclicals— Rerum Novarum and Quad- ragesimo Anno. Shortly after this picture was tak en, Pope John issued his own social encyclical — Mater et Magistra — in July, 1960. The basis of International peace is, above all, truth." When he addressed the lead ers of Pax Christi, interna tional Catholic peace organiza tion, on April 19, 1960, he told them that peace had been and would continue to be a domi nant theme in all his speech es and personal contacts. He predicted that the forth coming ecumenical council wo uld contribute to world peace by giving an indication of the spirit of unity and fraternity which is increasing in the life of the Church. WHETHER it was a group of workers, or educators, or Oly mpic athletes, or delegates to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization conference, his admonition was always that they work for human brotherhood and peace. In his third Christmas mes sage to the world, December 22, 1960, Pope John pleaded for a fidelity to truth in the cause of world peace. "The ever more grave news of the storms which rage over some parts of the world, and threaten .„t only the social ord**;, Dut more im portant many souls ... move Ua to direct a word to those who have the highest respon sibilities in the public and so cial sphere," to remind them "to act honorably in these days of general danger." In his great social encycli cal Mater et Magistra (Mother and Teacher), May 15, 1961, was a plea for cooperation on a world scale and help for the underdeveloped nations. He de plore the lack of trust among nations. Those who seek to bring peace to uthers must first know peace within themselves, declared Pope John at the Vatican on July 26, 1961, when he addres sed members of the third in ternational pilgrimage of Pax Christi. "It is certainly your duty to show in your lives a beautiful application of the words of Jesus 'beati pacifici' (blessed are the peacemakers). On September 10, 1961, Pope John XX1U, in a radio address to the world made a strong ap peal for justice and peace based on reason rather than force. He warned of the frightful effect of new weapons and called up on the rulers of nations to "face squarely the tremendous res ponsibilities they bear before the tribunal of history and the Judgement seat of God." THESE sentiments the Pope repeated at the opening (No vember 6, 1961) of the second meeting of the Central Pre paratory’ Commission of the Se cond Vatican Council. He rem inded the commission that many people were worried about world conditions and again cal led for peace. Three days ear lier he had issued another pea ce plea when he received de legates from 67 nations attend ing ceremonies marking his birthday and coronation anni versaries. Two weeks later, he told delegates to the 11th confer ence of the UN Food and Ag riculture Organization in Rome: "Today’s world is aspiring to great ends — peace and bread - One may say that the first im plies the other." In his bull, Himanae Salutls, (December 24, 1961) convoking the Second Vatican Council, Po pe John said: "Finally, to a world lost, confused and anxious under the constant threat of new frightful conflicts, the for thcoming council is called up on to offer an opportunity for all men of good will to turn their thoughts and their inten tions toward peace," THE following day in his ser mon at Christmas Midnight Mass he told the diplomats pre sent of his wish that all peo ples be assured of "the in comparable blessing of peace." He said "it is obviously not a question of just any kind of peace," and that the Church "loves peace that is based on justice." Pope John, in his Christmas radio message to the world (Dec. 21, 1961) and again (De cember 28) in his remarks at the annual reception of the dip lomats accredited to the Holy See warned the rulers of the world of their responsibility be fore God and men. "The judgement of history will be severe with those peo ple who neglect to do every thing in their power in order to remove the scourge of war from humanity," he said. Delegates of the Association of. Jurists of the U.S.A., hold ing a European conference or ganized by the Special Com mittee for World Peace Through Law, were told by Pope John (April 4, 1962) that "relations among nations, like those among people, cannot be governed by force, but must be regulated by juridical norms in conformity with reason and fou nded upon universal and immu table moral principales without which peace cannot exist among states." POPE John’s concern "over the problem of the threat to peace" was again voiced in his Easter Message of April 22, 1962. " A harmonious effort by everyone is the only hope for the preservation of peace where it already exists; and where it does not exist, everything pos sible must be done to remove whatever is endangering its foundations," he declared. At a general audience in St. Peter's basilica on May 30 he warned that without God’s help, "still more bloody battles and still deeper sorrows could come ... a conflict which could annihilate all the good that hu manity possesses," he said. A few days later ( June 3) he again appealed for an end to the slaughter in Algeria and voi ced his profound sorrow over the strife there. "Let the rule of law prevail in mutual char ity. May the day of peace soon dawn for all those regions." One month later (July 3,1962) When he received President An tonio Segnl of Italy, Pope John said: "All nations of the world, all honest and open souls are Invited to cooperate in the great undertaking of building, not ma terial weapons of destruction, but of fashioning the world in the light and constant brilliance of the eternal principles of Christian order," ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1962, Vice President Lyndon B, John son was received at the Vatican by Pope John. Johnson was on a visit to six countries to con solidate the peaceful aims of the U.S. and promote oloser co operation among nations. His efforts were praised by the Pope who told him of his own "soli citudes, encouragements and paternal insistence in facor of the great cause of peace." He added that he prayed dai ly for "those who bear the gre ater responsibilities in the go vernment of nations, so that their minds and hearts may always be aware of the deli cate responsibility they have before the Divine Law and the just expectations and aspira tions of the great human fam ily." When the world was on the brink of nuclear war, Pope John in a surprise broadcast, Oct ober 25, 1962, warned of the horrors of a nuclear war and begged the political leaders to keep negotiating towards peace. Only one day earlier a "quar antine" ordered by U.S. Pre sident Kennedy against the de livery of offensive weapons to Cuba had gone into effect, and Soviet Premier Khurshchevhad declared that any U.S. attack on Soviet shipping meant nuclear war. At the Same time troops of communist China were ad vancing into northern India. "LET THEM do everything in their power to save peace," the Pope urged world leaders. "By so doing they will spare the world the horrors of a war that would have disastrous con sequences such as nobody could foresee ... Let them continue to negotiate ... at all levels and at all times." POPE John’s extraordinary broadcase for peace soon had fruitful results. For on October 28, the Feast of Christ the King, Premier Khrushchev announced that his nation would stop work on missile sites in Cuba and would dismantle them. Presi dent Kennedy stated that the U.S. would end its blocade of Cuba and would not invade that country. On October 26, in receiving members of the Balzan Founda tion, a group similar to the No bel Foundation, led by Italian President Giovanni Gronchi, Pope John again repeated his hopes for world peace. On October 27, in answer to a telegram of good wishes from the Fathers of the council on the fourth anniversary of his election to the papacy, he said: "Let us pray constantly toge ther to the Prince of Peace that His peace, which is above all knowledge, may safeguard the hearts and minds of men, removing all dangers against peace, dangers which can cause endless ruin and tears if they are not elininated immediately and with supreme prudence." SPEAKING to some 30,000 persons gathered in St. Peter's square on the feast of Christ the King (October 28) he made another plea for peace, telling them: "Throughout the world, there are fervent efforts to build, to heal and to make the heavenly light shine more vi vidly in the faces of men." WITHOUT referring direct ly to the easing of the Cuban crisis, Pope John told a general audience on October 31, 1962, that "peace is knocking at our doors. We see the rays of peace appearing and spreading on the horizon." He added that "the world is tired of anxieties, turmoil and uncertainties." In his fifth Christmas mes sage to the world, entitled "Truth and Peace," on Decem ber 22, 1962, Pope John repea ted the impassioned peace ap peal he launched at the height of the Cuban crisis and noted that his words had not been wasted. Speaking to representatives of some 50 diplomatic miss ions accredited to the Holy See on December 23,1962, Pope John reminded them that: "The cause of peace is your own, gen tlemen, for are you not by pro fession the craftsmen of ne gotiation, the enemies of hasty and violent solutions to the difficulties between nations? But the cause of peace, to speak more truly, is the cause erf the whole world." «*« Pope John’s motto is "Ob- edlentia et Pax" (Obedience and Peace). It is painted over the door of the farm house where he was born on November 25, 188L RECORD-BREAKING PONTIFF Last Plea For Peace (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) • .Became the first pope in 600 years to take the name of John. • .Appointed, the day after his election, the first Papal Secretary of State named in 14 years. • .Within a month, broke a 400-year-old tradition by incre asing the membership of the College of Cardinals from 70 to 75. Later he increased the number ot 87. • .Named the first Negro, Japanese and Filipino cardinals. • .Visited jails and hospitals at Christmas time, saying: "Since you cannot come to see me, I have come to see you." • .Made frequent and sometimes unheralded journeys out side the Vatican. Often he mingled with the working people in the poorer sections of Rome. In the first four years of his pont ificate, John XXin drove out from Vatican City almost 150- times. • .Issued eight encyclical letters, including the already great Mater et Magistra and Pacem in Teris. At the consistory of March 28, 1960, His Holiness Pope John XXIII created seven Cardinals, raising the College of Cardinals to a record number of 85 members. Above, the Holy Father prepares to confer the red biretta upon Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa, Bishop of Bukoba, Tangan yika, the first Negro to be elevated to the Sacred College in modern times. In February, 1962, the Holy Father named ten Cardinals, raising the number of members to an alltime high of 87. • .Canonized nine saints and advanced a half-dozen other causes to the beatification stage. • .Created 40 new cardinals. • .Personally consecreated 14 missionary bishops. • .Changed an old custom which had the pope always eat alone. HE CONVENED Council Had Pope’s Mark • .Introduced a white summer hat and red leather shoes (instead of red velvet slippers) as papal attire. For winter wear, he revived the camauro, a tight-fitting red velvet cap trimmed with white fur. • .Made a 50-mile motor trip from Castelgandolfo to Sub- iaco. • .Traveled 400 miles by train to two famous Italian shri nes— Loreto and Assisi, the farthest any pontiff had journeyed from the Vatican in 105 years. Of all the actions and pron ouncements of Pope John XXIII which affected both the Catholic and non-Catholic worlds, none has been ranked as more por. tentious and revolutionary than the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Three and a half years in preparation, the Council was formally convoked by Pope John on Christmas Day, 1961. In an Apostolic Constitution he said it would be "a demonstration of the Church always living and always young, which feels the rhythm of the times and which, in every century, beautifies it self with new splendor, radiant new light, achieves new conqu ests while remaining identical in itself, faithful to the Divine Image impressed on its conte- nance by its spouse, Who loves and protects her, Jesus Christ." TEN special commissions named by the Pope to prepare the schema or drafts of pro posals had completed their work when the Council was formally opened by Pope John on Oct. 11 1962 amid scenes of unparal leled pomp and splendor. A total of 2,540 prelates and 201 officially appointed ecclesiast ical experts were present. Al so attending were 39 delegate- observers from Protestant and Eastern Orthodox bodies, in cluding three from the Russian Orthodox Church. Thefirstnon- Catholic observers ever invi ted to a General Council of the Catholic Church, they were per sonally greeted by Pope John after die opening session. The observers, several of them from the United States, also were given a reception by Augustin Cardinal Bea, Ger man-born head of the Secret ariat for Promoting Christian Unity, who hailed them as "Bro thers in Christ" and assured them that the secretariatwould "always be most willingly at your disposal." The facilities and courtesies accorded the delegate- observers were among the most commented- upon features of the Council, and invoked an extraordinary chorus of appreciation from them. DURING a discussion on the liturgy project — a draft that was expected to have far-re- aching effects, especially in mission lands — Pope John de creed the first change in the Canon of the Mass since the 7th century. He ordered the name of St. Joseph, patron of the Council, to be inserted in the Communicantes, following the name of the Blessed Vir gin Mary. Later the Pope Intervened to break a deadlock over a draft on the sources of reve lation by terminating the dis cussion and setting up a new commission to prepare a re vised schema. The discussion had seen the Fathers of the Council divided into what newspapers described as "progressive" and "conse rvative" groups — implying that one side was pushing for reforms or adaptations inside the Church which the other side opposed as unwise or unwarr anted. The freedom of discu ssion deeply impressed the de- legate-observers who agreed, in general, that the Council had clearly established that the Cat holic Church was by no means the monolithic structure many people had imagined. WHEN the Council terminated its first session Dec. 8, Pope John named a Coordinating Commission to supervise the work of the Council pending the opening of the second session on Sept. 8, 1963. The Pope vo iced his pleasure with the Cou ncil, saying that it had enabled him "to hear the voice of the whole Catholic world." Com menting on the disagreements that had arisen between the "conservative" and "progres sive" groups, he said: "We are not friars singing in a choir." The Pope was present at only one of the Council’s general congregations, but closed cir cuit television enabled him to follow the debates. *** Father Angelo Roncalli(Pope John XXU1) served as secre tary- to Bishop Giacomo Rad- ini Tedeschi of Bergamo for 10 years, beginning his service at age 24. During that time he was also professor of eccles iastical history in the Bergamo seminary. • .Revived a 200-year-old custom by personally leading on foot the processionsto stational churches in Rome during Lent. • .Restored an ancient practice of personally wishing the feet of 13 clerics on Holy Thursday in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, his cathedral church. This is in memory of Christk washing the feet of His Apoltles at the Last Supper. • .Promoted devotion to st. Joseph, and inserted the name of the foster father of Christ in the Canon of the Mass in a motu proprio effective December 8, 1962. • .Received in audience countless world figures, including Queen Mother Elizabeth of England; Queen Elizabeth Hand Prince King Paul and Queen Frederika of Greece; King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark; King Gustav VI and Queen Louise of Sweden; King Bhmiblo Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit of Thali- land; Mwami (King ) Wambutsa IV of Burundi; King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of the Belgians; Presidents Grochi of Italy, DeGaulle of France, Stroessner of Paraguay, de Valera of Ireland and Macapagal of the Phillippines; Chancelor Adenauer of West Germany, and many other heads of state and heads of government. • .Reveived England’s Archbishop Geoffrey F. Fisher of Cante- bury on December 2, 1960. It was the first time in over 400 years that the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church and a pope met.- • .Received in November, 1961, Bishop Arthur Lichtenber- ger, presiding bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of th U. S. • .Received scores of other non-Catholic religious leaders. • .became the first individual to receive the Balzan Peace Prize, and in three-part ceremonies of its presentation, became the first pontiff to enter the Quirinal Palace in Rome since the fall of the Papal States in 1870. The Quirinal, now the residence of the Italian heads of state, was formerly the residence of the popes. • .Received Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy in March, 1962, mark ing the first time the wife of an incumbent President of the U.S. was received in papal audience. POPE John will probably be best remembered, howeve, for having convoked the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Hardly three months after his election, he announced his in- tentibn to have the council, the first since 1870. When the first session opened, less than four years afterwards, it turned out to be the best prepared for, the most widely heralded, the largest and most closely followed meeting of its kind ever held. AN AMERICAN Apache Indian boy kneels to kiss the ring of Pope John XXIII as three of his companions look on during a papal audience at the Vatican. The Indians, who are all Catholics and belong to the mission church of St. John near Phoenix, Arizona, are part of a group of six who came to Italy to participate in a festival on the island of Sardinia. They presented the Pontiff with the gift of an Indian Chief's headdress. Pope John was reported to be greatly pleased with their visit and imparted his personal blessing on them during the audience.