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PAGE 4 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY ! JUNE27 i I963 BAD LAW GONE Archdiocese of Atlanta the vmT GEORGIA BULLETIN SCIVING GIO»GlA S 71 NOUTHHN COUNTIIS Official Organ of the Archdiocese of Atlanta Published Every Week at the Decatur Dekalb News PUBLISHER - Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan MANAGING EDITOR Gerard E. Sherry CONSULTING EDITOR Rev. R. Donald Kiernan 2699 Peachtree N.E P.O. Box 11667 Northside Station Atlanta 5, Ga. ^nd ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sue Spence Member of the Catholic Press Association nd Subscriber to N.C.W.C. News Service Telephone 231-1281 Second Class Permit at Decatur, Georgia U.S.A. $5.00 Canada $5.50 Foreign $6.50 Pope Paul VI We have a Pope! And his name is Paul VI, The former Giovanni Battista, Cardinal Montini, Arch bishop of Milan, has been elected by his fellow Princes of the Sac red College, Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apos tles, Supreme Pontiff of the Uni versal Church, Patriarch of the West;, Primate of Italy, Archbis hop and Metropolitan of the Ro man Province, Sovereign of Va tican City, No more awesome task could be assumed by a mere human person. Yet, Paul VI willingly and freely assumed the burden with the traditional, “Accepto, in nomine Domini (I accept, in the name of the Lord).” One of the first acts of the new Pope was to assure the world that he will re-open the Second Vatican Council, which was laun ched and nurtured by his late la mented predecessor, John XXIII, Paul VI enters into his ponti ficate with all the attributes ne cessary for the highest post in Christendom. He is in every sense a true Shepherd of the Flock. Richly experienced in pas toral care, he is an able admin istrator, well-versed in Vatican, as well as Diocesan affairs. Like John XXIII, he will be a Pope of the people; this much can be gleaned from his eight years as Archbishop of Italy's largest dio cese, the industrial city of Mi lan. From the Vatican Secreta riat of State, he was translated to the See of Milan and set about visiting his faithful, rich and poor, business men and workers. Pope Paul VI has visited fac tories, mines, and the streetcor- ners of the Milan Archdiocese, bringing the Church to the people, both as teacher and shepherd. He has humbled even the most arro gant of the enemies of the Church in his area, the Communists. His attitude towards them is an example for us in this country. He is said to believe that the Church’s task is to convert Com munists, not to combat them with hysteria and vituperation. His weapons in this fight against the Red menace are spiritual. To reach the many Communists in Milan, he organized street mis sions throughout the city in order that he could show the love of Christ, in his own words, to those 1 ‘unhappy ones who gather behind Marx,” Here, then, is our new Chief Shepherd. We urge our readers to implore the Heavens that Al mighty God will shower His choi cest blessings on Pope Paul VI, enabling him to succeed in His most fruitful ministry as Vicar of Christ on earth. Civil Liberties? The American Civil Liberties Union in Los Angeles has insti tuted a Court suit to eliminate the phrase “Under God” from the pledge of allegiance to the flag as recited in public schools. It is argued that the phrase, which was added to the pledge by Con gress in 1954, violates religious freedom granted under the Con stitution. The ACLU action comes in the wake of the U. S. Supreme Court ruling that it is unconstitutional to hold devotional Bible readings and recitation of the Lord’s Pray er in public schools. “Think of all the candles that would buy!” It appears to us that the ACLU is no longer defending Civil Li berties, but is curtailing them. Despite its denials that it is anti- religious, the actions of this group give substance to the claim that it is. Last year, immediately after the Supreme Court had rul ed against official prayer in New York public schools, another west coast ACLU branch financed a Court suit, challenging the con stitutionality of a song that pub lic school kindergarten and first -grade pupils sing before their milk and crackers. The song that was challenged: “We thank Thee, God, for the food we eat; for the family and friends we meet; for books we read and songs we sing; we thank Thee, God, for everything.” It is a sorry day when an or ganization devoted to the protec tion of minority rights has to be fought to protect majority rights. There is no question that the ACLU is using the Supreme Court ruling on reading the Bible and school prayers to drive God out of our public schools. The one consolation is that the ACLU has no monopoly in the field of Civil Liberties. The Na tional Catholic Council on Civil Liberties has announced it has entered the West Coast case and will oppose the suit by the ACLU. The Catholic group has also an nounced that it will fight the “secularist policy” of the ACLU on Church-State issues. LONG LIVE POPE PAUL3ZL SHAKESPEAREAN QUESTION- What’s In A Name ? BY REV. LEONARD F.X. MAYHEW One interesting sidelight of a Papal election is the speculation about the name chosen by the new Pope. Shakespeare’s question is raised, and while it is admittedly a minor point, it is not without in terest. A newly elected Pontiff may indicate what attitude he will adopt toward his role by the name he chooses. Like his immediate predecessor, Cardinal Mon tini reached far back into history for his name. The last Pope of the same name, Paul V, died in 1621. Even now, only days after his elec tion, it is crystal clear that he intends to con tinue the work of John XXIII. Had his own bap tismal name not been John he might have decided to indicate his intention by choosing to be called John XXIV. In point of fact, his choice seems al most as clear an indication. As with Pope John, his choice of a name not used for long perhaps indicates an intention to try new paths and not to be shackled unnecessarily by tradition. The first association of tne name of the new Pontiff is cer tainly with the Apostle Paul indicating a continuation of the pastoral concern which marked the reign of John XXIIL The record of Cardinal Montini as archbishop of Milan, Italy’s richest and most industrial city, will certainly seem to bear out uus association. Following his illustrious pre decessors in that ancient see, St. Ambrose and St. Charles Borromeo, he attacked the complex problems of his diocese with vigor, imagination and zeal. In the face of considerable Communist strength among the workers of the area, Cardi nal Montini went personally to the mines and fac tories to illustrate graphically the interest of the Church in this class who have all too often felt neglected by the Church. His zeal for the work of religious instruction among the workers and for social reform was truly Pauline in its scope and energy. Cardinal Montini again showed himself in the image of the Apostle of the Gentiles in his intel lectual efforts aimed at interpreting the prin ciples of Christian faith to a world saturated by secularism. At the Vatican Council he has ex hibited the spirit of St. Paul, who placed the sal vation of souls above any other consideration, by his close association with Pope John’s program of modernization for the Church and ecumenism. Of the five Pauls who have been bishops of Rome previous to Paul VI, little is known of St. Paul L Paul II, who reigned from 1464 to 1471, in stituted a vigorous reform of the Roman Curia and showed his ecumenical interest by entering negotiations with Tsar Ivan III with a view to the reunion of the Russian Church with the Roman See. Paul 111(1534 to 1549) was likewise associat ed with reform. He appointed Cardinals who were leaders in the Counter-Reformation, approved the foundation of the Jesuits and convoked the Coun cil of Trent. He was also a humanist who appoint ed Michelangelo to paint the Last Judgement and to continue work on St. Peter's Basilica. Paul IV, although he indulged in nepotism, the most common fault of Renaissance Popes, was a rigorous reformer who refused compromise with Elizabeth I of England. Paul V’s reign was dis tinguished by his encouragement of missionary work and the foundation of religious congregations for this purpose. He also was a patron of the arts and humanities. John Baptist Montini has been touched with the creative fire of the Holy Spirit to be the instru ment of God’s work. For the duration of his reign, no man in the Church deserves more our reverence and our prayers. LITURGICAL WEEK Sacrament Meaningless BY FR. ROBERT W. HOVDA Priest of the Pittsburgh Oratory) JUNE 30 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTE COST. The word of God proclaimed in the Bible readings and meditated in the sermon prepares the people of God for the sacramental action which follows. It arouses that faith without which the sacrament is meaningless or magic. The power of the Lord comes to us in the Gospel today. And the First Reading tells us He has the whole world in His hands— "The whole of nature. . .groans in . . .travail” toward that glorious day of general resurrection and triumph He has promised. Nothing on earth then is unrelated to that per fect sacrifice of Christ we offer at the altar. And nothing on earth must be left untouched by the strength and love, the faith and hope, which come to us (and through us to all things) in our sharing of the Holy Food. Different manner. Today we ex ult again, under the symbol of his blood, in that redeeming Death which led to Jesus' Re surrection, and in that holy Sup per which communicates to us a share in His dying and ris ing again. TUESDAY, JULY 2 THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. The tremendous and shattering truth of the Incarnat ion, of God’s becoming man, and the glory *of His human mother are the themes of this Mass. It is all summed up in the refrain of the En trance Hymn: "We greet you, holy Mother, for you have given birth to the King who is Lord of heaven and earth for ever and ever.’’ And as always when Mary is hymned we think of the Church. . . . which gives birth in every age and among every people to the new race of the re deemed. MONDAY, JULY r THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Today’s feast, a throwback to Passiontide, reminds us that in the liturgy we do not always have a neat, orderly progression from one saving deed to the next, from one doctrine to the next. The Church’s public worship touches us more deeply than logic ever could, and in a quite WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 ST. LRENAEUS, BISHOP, MARTYR. (Moved from June 28. ) In the liturgy we so frequently pray for peace in the Church, as we Collect of today’s Mass, and for the end J of heresy. Not only because the deep discord we call heresy is a distortion which does not fully accord with the faith of the Church, but also because it divides the worshiping com munity and sets up altar against altar. Continued on Page 5 Braceros Program BY GERARD E. SHERRY Several weeks ago our law makers in Wash ington refused to extend Public Law 78 which authorized importation of braceros from Mexico as farm laborers in this country. The move brought howls from many of the big farm ope rators, especially in the southwest and far west. For over 20 years, through an agreement bet ween the U. S. and Mexican Governments, Mex ican Nationals have been recruited to assist the farmers in the collection of the various crops. It was orginally a wartime measure, but was extended time after time un der this insistence of Farm employee groups who found the braceros to be a cheap labor commo dity. IN THE past ten years the conscience of the country has been aroused by the overall treatment of the majority of these braceros. The now famous CBS documentary TV film, "The Harvest of Shame,” brought home the tremendous poverty of these imported farm workers and the terr ible exploitation they have suffered, especially in Texas, Arizona, and California. I have first-hand knowledge of conditions in the three states mentioned — especially in California. When I first went to live there, I began discussing the problem with bishops, priests and laymen involved in the Apostolate to the braceros. I continually got conflicting views and advice, so I went and had a look myself in all areas of California. I found some big farmers who treated the Mexican Nationals very well. The housing was excellent, and working condit ions tolerable. Alas, the majority — including some receiving large Government subsidies— treated their workers as less than human beings. The hovels called homes would be labeled dis graceful in any part of the world, and the fami lies of these braceros suffered much privation and hunger. THE CHURCH was trying to do something about it; but most of the effort went into straighten ing marriages, getting people back to the sa craments, and establishing Mass centers in the various farm areas. Unfortunately, little was done to alleviate the material conditions. Several priests involved in the Apostolate for the braceros were unjustly pilloried through unfair pressures from some big farmers, who salved their con sciences with donations to the Church. Indeed I recall, not so very long ago, two priests in Northern California who were fired from their posts as chaplains to the Mexican field workers because they supported a strike in the Imperial Valley of Southern California. This can give you an idea of the influence of the big farmers. After these two priests had left their posts, I was talking to one of the Mexican bracero laymen active with these priests. He expressed great frustration at the dismissals, adding that "As far as we are concerned, these two Fathers were the only symbol we had of the Church's concern for the alleviation of our misery.” I RECALL, too, visiting a public school in Cal ifornia's Central Valley, where 400 of the 500 pupils were baptized Catholics of Mexican des cent. The principal was a Lutheran, but he cooper ated with the Catholic Church in every way to help it meet its responsibilities. Two of the teac hers were Catholic and on certain days of the week they would take a large number of the children across the street immediately after school for CCD classes held in the parish hall. I have seen the lunches brought to school by these children — mouldy cheese on dry bread, stale Mexican type tacos, and sometime? just a bunch of grapes or a couple of peaches stolen on the way to school. Many times the kids brought nothing. The school tried to cope, but their bud get for free lunches meant that some went with out. The school also kept a supply of clothes gathered through the efforts of a small, but ex cellent, PTA group composed mainly of Anglo- Americans. If the-parents of these children had had ade quate wages, this would all have been unnecess ary. If you brought these things up, even with some Church authorities, you were gently chided for being an agitator. Indeed, the stock answer I got was, "Despite their conditions, they are better off than they would be in Mexico.” Small wonder that Mass attendance and reception of the Sacraments was low among the braceros. A stock answer by the big farm organizations in support of the bracero law is that Anglo- American workers will not do the "stoop” jobs and work hard under the hot sun. This is really no argument at all, because if you treat men as human beings, providing them with decent hous ing and adequate wages, In an overwhelming number of cases they will work hard and long no matter what race they belong to, or color they are. ALTHOUGH nearly all the credit for the eli mination of Public Law 78 was given to the AFL- CIO, a small band of priests and laymen of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference have worked for the same ends for several years. Especially prominent in appearances before Congressional Committees, and around the coun try, has been Jesuit Father James L. Vizzard, Director of the Washington Office of the NCRLC. Father Vizzard has visited all parts of the coun try and has spoken with farm employers as well ias hundreds and thousands of farm workers, bracero and Anglo-American. As we said at the beginning, not all farm em ployers exploit their workers. Alas, too few treat them with the dignity that is their right. Instead of working for the reinstatement of braceros the big farmers, especially the Catholics among them, should be raising standards of employment, thus making what is obviously hard work more attractive and more rewarding to local labor. REAPINGS AT RANDOM