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PAGE 12 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1963
VATICAN COUNCIL NOTES
Pessimistic Outlook On Council Results Unwarranted
This is the first of a series
on the second session of the Va
tican Council by the GEORGIA
BULLETIN'S managing editor,
who has just returned after
three weeks of coverage and
conversations at the Vatican.
BY GERARD E. SHERRY
Last week we were talking
about what seemed to be the
meager accomplishments of the
second session of the Vatican
Council. On the surface, it
would appear to be justified, for
after two sessions only two de
crees, Liturgy and die Com
munications Media, have been
promulgated by Pope Paul.
Lost in all this is the rea
lization that the bishops did well
to legislate and vote upon even
these two subjects. The docu
ment on the Liturgy for in
stance, runs into some 12,00
words, and represents a monu
mental effort in prayer and
study. Not only is this true
for the Council sessions them
selves, but also for the months
before the Council and between
sessions, by the Commission
appointed to prepare the sche
ma. Also not realized is that
during the sessions only about
two hours were allotted to de
bate, five days a week. Each
session day opened at 9:00 a.m.
with a mass celebrated by a
different bishop, and offered in
the various rites of the Church.
With the numerous announce
ments to be made, the debate
seldom got under way until
around 10:00 a.m., and the ses
sion closed a little after noon.
The short time allotted to de
bate was necessitated by the
fact that the afternoons and
evenings of each day were used
by the Council Fathers to at
tend Commissions, meetings of
national conferences, and dis
cussions with experts. Surpris
ingly enough, during my stay in
Rome, there was little time for
social chitchat, even among
journalists. Many meals of the
bishops were working sessions
and their lights burned until the
early hours.
Anyone versed In the work
ings of our own state or na
tional legislatures will come to
understand how unwieldy a
"Parliament" of 2,500 mem
bers can become, especially
when the right of free speech
is honored and exercised. Some
bishops took good advantage of
the "Holy Liberty" laid down
by the late, Lamented Pope
John; So much so that they
were, cut off by the Council
Moderators. At times the debate
became very repetitious; butfor
those of us who believe in the
democratic right of free speech
it was to be expected and accep
ted as the norm.
The Decree on Liturgical Re
form was promulgatedfirst be
cause it wasthefirstitemonthe
second session’s agenda; much
of the work on it had beendone
months before. It appears to me
to be the most important, for it
is obviously the vehicle for all
renewal within the Church. Once
these reforms are instituted,
then renewal is well on its way.
Hence, the Council Fathers have
presented thefaithful with a tan
gible gift which can only fur
ther apostolic endeavors.
Much will be said about the
accomplishments (or lack of
them) of this second session.
Already, secular commentators
are being pessimistic in their
approach. They still wish to see
the Council as the battleground
between Progressives and Tra
ditionalists. Some even suggest
that the Traditionalists have
successfully stalled any fur
ther action of note. They paint
the leaders of the Roman Curia
as having successfully engi
neered the delay in approval of
the schema on ecumenism, es
pecially the chapters on the
Jews and religious liberty. They
suggest that Pope Paul has
backed the Curia in its alleged
struggle with the majority of
the Council Fathers. Yet it is
obvious that the Holy Father
sees the situation in a different
light — and with good reason.
He has made it plain that he is
not the captive of any so-called
bloc within the Council. Like
his predecessor, Pope John, he
has shied away from interven
tion in Council discussions.
This is not because of any inde
cision on his part. After all,
he told the Roman Curia that he
wanted it reformed and its work
updated; but he also realizes
their ■"hard line" onmanymat-
ters under discussion is moti
vated by their concern for the
defense of the Divine deposit.
In their desire to fulfill their
special role in the Church,
Officials of the Roman Curia
may at times appear unduly re
pressive. Indeed, there is evi
dence to suggest that their en
thusiasm for their work has re
sulted in injustice to individuals
and groups. However, I would
doubt if there was ever anything
personal about it. In all walks
of life, those with special re
sponsibility are often obligat
ed to take a "hard line". The
Council debate points to the fact
that many bishops (including
Cardinals) are unhappy about
Curia procedures; but the mis
takes should never lead to
wholesale condemnation.
Personally, I think the basic
thing wrong with the Holy Of
fice and the Curia in general, is
its public relations. While in
Rome, I listened to a talk by an
Official of the Holy Office, and
was distressed at his disincli
nation to answer even the most
elementary questions. He
seemed over-awed by the vow
of secrecy under which he was
obligated. In the circumstances,
those present learned nothing
new, and the official left us
w ith the impression that he was
only allowed to give a so-
called "party line" on its work,
most of which can be found in
any good Catholic reference
book.
• So.too', the Holy Office is not
served well by some of its sup
porters in Europe and in this
country, I had a talk with one
eminent theologian who sug
gested that anyone criticizing
the Holy Office, or the Curia,
is in bad faith. He labelled
all critics, Liberals, who are
tainted by secularism. He was
so uncompromising that a Pro
testant Journalist present com
mented "God save them from
their friends". It happened to
be the same day that Cardinal
Frings of Cologne, Germany,
had entered the Council debate
to deliver a devastating attack
on Curia procedures. His re
marks drew loud applause from
the Council Fathers. I guess
the critics are in good com
pany.
Even so, such disputes are in
cidental to the major work of the
Council. After all, there are
many cardinals and prelates
within the Roman Curia. Yet,on
approval of the Liturgical De
cree, there were only eleven
negative votes. Hence, the ma
jority of Curia bishops must
have gone along with this ma
jor reform.
The pessimism of secular
commentators is, in my judge
ment, unwarranted. This is not
to say that there are not diffi
culties which lie ahead. There
will be friction among the Coun
cil Fathers, but never on the
essentials. Renewal or reform
is alw ays painful to some in our
human society. What many of us
seem to forget is that Vatican
Council II is legislating for
far more than mere human ends,
and is under the special pro
tection and guidance of the Holy
Spirit.
(To Be Continued)
‘SCAPEGOATS’
Protest Against Sudan’s
Treatment Of Christians
to bring religion into politics,"
The letter states that the con
flict between North and South
Sudan is fundamentally politi
cal. The southerners (four
million in number) are
Africans, with African culture,
speak Airlcan languages and
worship according to pagan or
Christian beliefs. The norther
ners (eight million) are of Arab
origin, speak the Arabic langu
age, have an Arabic culture and
customs, and are Moslems.
THE GOVERNMENT is in the
hands of the Northern Arabs,
who have refused any form of
autonomy to the South, In an
effort to cement the two sect
ions of the country, the Arabs
decided to eliminate all dif
ferences between the two parts,
and resorted to the Islamizatlon
of the South as a cure for the
division. As a result, Christ
ian missions and missionaries
and anything that is related to
Christianity is supposed to
stand as an obstacle to Islami
zatlon, and the abolition of dif
ferences.
The Sudan government has
accused the Christian missions
of disrupting national unity and
of "interfering in politics,"
but this is seen only as a pre
text for expelling missionaries
from the South. The govern
ment has taken all mission
schools in the South and to
date has expelled 163 miss
ionaries, including 113 Ca
tholics, It has also passed
a Missionary Societies Act
which, while claiming to re
cognize religious freedom, is
preventing virtually all mission
activity.
THE SSCA LETTER com
plains of "racial and religious
discrimination and persecution,
political slavery and economic
exploitation."
A Su>(UvUfi£ioH 0$ 1U CfMVufici SulUtiK
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NAIROBI, Kenya (NC) — A
vigorous protest against seek
ing a religious solution for a
political problem has been made
by the Southern Sudan Christ
ian Association.
'The Sudan is a full scale
police state,” the SSCA says in
a letter sent to all heads of
Christian churches, to all heads
of African states and to United
Nations Secretary General U
Thant, to denounce the religious
persecution which the Sudan
government is carrying on in
Southern Sudan.
"WE KNOW THAT miss
ionaries are only the scape
goats of an illconceived policy
aiming at giving a religious
solution (imposing Islam) to
a political and cultural pro
blem (the differences between
South and North)," the letter
says. "If Christianity and the
Christian churches are in
volved in the Southern Sudan
problem it is because the Arabs
seek a religious solution to the
Afro-Arab conflict. This means
A TALE OF
CHRIST
PAUSE FOR COKE
•OTTKO UNI>«» AUTHORITY Of fMB COCA COL* COMPANY ar
MARIETTA COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO.
THE FELLOWSHIP DINNER, recently held at Drexel High Sc
hool, was sponsored by the Student Council. Shown here is Fa
ther Richard, C. P., principal, seated with members of the sc
hool’s faculty.
STUDENTS SPONSOR
Drexel High Holds
Fellowship Dinner
Students from Drexel High
attended a Fellowship Dinner,
held recently in the school and
sponsored by the Student Coun
cil.
In keeping with the season,
the cafetorium was decorated
by the boys and girls of the
Student Council with fall leaves
and turkeys. A special table
was arranged for the faculty
members.
FATHER Richard, C. P., the
Texas Chalice
Washington, d. c. <rns;
— A Solemn High Mass was
offered here for President
Johnson and the people of the
United States at the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Con
ception. The "Texas chalice"
was used at the service — the
most precious of the shrine's
chalices. The gold, 14-inch high
chalice was last used at the
shrine's dedication on Nov. 20,
1959. A gift of the Knights of
Columbus of Texas, it is dedi
cated to Mary, Patroness of
the United States.
principal, spoke a few words to
the students before the dinner
reminding them of the many th
ings for which they should be
grateful.
George Terrell, president of
the Student Council, also gave a
brief address to the students.
Quoting from H. W. Beecher
he reminded the students that
"The thankful heart will find in
every hour some heavenly bles
sing."
The meal was prepared by
mothers of the students who ge
nerously volunteered their ser
vices. The facilities of the
Home Economics Department
were used in preparing the din
ner. Among those helping w ere:
Mrs. M. Terrell, Mrs. F. Har
ris, Mrs. A.M. Smith, Mrs. C.
Jeter and Mrs. R. Reese, Home
Economics teacher.
GIRLS FROM the junior
class, all Home Economics stu
dents, arranged the tables and
served the dinner. This is the
second event at Drexel spon
sored the Halloween Dance,
also held at the school.
Legion Of Decency
The following revised pledge of the Legion of Decency will be
recited at all Masses in the churches within the Archdiocese*
Sunday, December 15.
REVISED PLEDGE
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
I promise to promote by word and deed what is morally and artis
tically good in motion picture entertainment.
I promise to discourage indecent, immoral and unwholesome motion
pictures especially by my good example and always in a responsi
ble and civic-minded manner.
I promise to guide those under my care and influence in their
choice of motion pictures that are morally and culturally inspiring.
I 1 promise not to cooperate by my patronage with theatres which
regularly show objectionable films,
I promise as a member of the Legion of Decency to acquaint
myself with its aims, to consult with its classifications and to unite
with all men of good will in promoting high and noble standards in
motion picture entertainment.
I freely make these solemn resolutions to the honor of God, for
the good of my soul and for the welfare of my country.
Amen.
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD
Highest Civilian Medal
For Pope John XXIII
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1)
we mourned six months ago:
His Holiness Pope John XXIII.
"HE WAS A MAN of simple
origins, of simple faith, of sim
ple charity. In his exalted of
fice he was still the gentle pas
tor. He believed in discussion
and persuasion. He profoundly
respected the dignity of man."
President Johnson had an .
audience with Pope John at the
Vatican in August, 1962.
THE CITATION accompany
ing the medal for the late Pon
tiff said;
"His Holiness Pope John
XXIII— dedicated servant of
God. He brought to all citizens
of the planet a heightened sense
of the dignity of the individual,
of the brotherhood of man, and
of the common duty to build an
environment of peace for all hu
man kind."
Miss Caulfield and seven ot
hers received the medal "with
special distlncition." Blue and
white sashes were draped over
the shoulders of these hon-
orees.
The ceremonies were witn
essed by members of the cab
inet and Supreme Court and a
number of other dignitaries.
The medal is a white star with
small gold stars on a circular
field of blue at its center. The
star is set against a red back-
bround framed in a gold design.
The medal is attached to a
blue and white ribbon which en
circles the neck of a man re
ceiving it. For a woman recip
ient, the ribbon is shaped in
a bow and can be pinned to the
clothing.
ONE OF THOSE receiving the
medal from President Johnson
was Genevieve Caulfied, a Cat
holic who has spent a half-cen
tury teaching her fellow blind
persons to find fulfillment in a
seeing world.
Born 75 years ago in Suf
folk, Va., Miss Caulfied losther
sight in infancy through an ac
cident. She studied at the Over
brook School for the Blind in
Philadelphia, Trinity College
here and Columbia University
Teacher’s College, then taught
for seven years in New York
City.
IN 1923 SHE opened her first
school for the blind in Tokyo.
She went on to establish other
schools in Thiland, Vietnam,
the Philippines and other places
in the Far East. She now wor
ks in Bangkok, Thailand. Seve
ral years ago she agreed to act
as special adviser for a pro
gram of medical treatment for
blind children sponsored by Ca
tholic Relief Services - Nat
ional Catholic Welfare Confer
ence in Saigon, Vietnam.
She on^e summed up her phi
losophy of life this way:
"BEING BLIND merely me
ans that you cannot see. It doe
sn't mean you can’t live a full
life if you’re willing to fight for
it and rely with utter faith on
the help of the Almighty every
step of the way."
Miss Caulfield’s citation for
the medal read; "Teacher and
humanitarian, she has been for
four decades a one-woman Pe
ace Corps in Southeast Asia,
winning victories over dark—
ness by helping the blind to be
come full members of society'.’’
OTHERS RECEIVING med
als included Ralph Bunche;
James B. Conant, former pre
sident of Harvard; retired Sup
reme Court Justice Felix
Frankfurter, former Gov. Her
bert H. Lehman of New York,
who died the day before the me
dals were bestowed; Jean Moil-
net, French statesman and An
nie Dodge Wauncka, first wo
man elected to the Navajo Tri
bal Council.
Peachtree Road
Pharmacy
Pick Up and Delivery
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Call CE 7-6466
• 4062 Peachtree Rd. Atlanta
Antioch: Where The Divine Liturgies Began
Antioch merits the title of mother of many I.Hurdles. In this
city, the early Christians surrounded the “breaking of the.
breiMl" with those ceremonies which
have come through the years as a
framework of sons: and prayer . . .
Not too far from Antioch, in the
village of MACHTA-AZAR. SYRIA,
ome 130 Metchite Rite Catholics
are a direct link to the early days
of the Church. They are mostly
poor farm laborers. They have been
i*-v : nr to r**nafr the parish church
which wi>s partly destroyed and
. made unusable by Winter rains and
The Holy Father t Mutton Aid >v j nc j Their services are donated
for the Oriental Church a nd they have been unable to com
plete the work because of their poverty. They have, appealed
to us for funds to buy material, a modest sum of 81,600. We
hope that enough of our readers will he able to help them.
*h«s would be a most appropriate thank-you to the Christ
Child who gave us the wonderful gift of the Mass or Liturgy
as it is usually called in the Eastern Rite churches. The pa
rishioners will long remember their benefactors in the lovely
Melehite ceremonies.
PALESTINE REFUGEES
The plight of these persons is pitiful. For sixteen years, they
have had to live in camps, leaving behind their homes, farms
and jobs. The Holy Father has given us the task of watching
over them in his name. We think of a poem by Cardinal Spell
man:
Somewhere—the place it matters not—somewhere
I saw a child, hungry and thin of face—
Eyes in whose pools life's joys no longer stirred.
Lips that were dead to laughter’s eager kiss,
Yet parted fiercely to a crust of bread.
A FOOD PACKAGE, costing S10 will feed a child and his
family for a month. Will you make this Christmas a happier
one for them? $2 will buy a family a WARM BLANKET.
THE DOCTRINE OF SIGNATURES
This curious, long-ago idea of some botanists held that God
impressed a signature on many plants to show their curative
powers. Thus the stalk of the ADDER S TONGUE resembled
such a tongue. The plant cured the bite of adders and other
venomous creatures . . . Most botanists dispute this intriguing
idea but there is no disputing Christ’s teaching that man has
God’s image and signature on him ... By educating a seminar-,
i?n—JOHN DI MARCO, for instance or a Sister-to-be such as!
SISTER CYRYSOSTOM. you can bring spiritual health (grace)
and often physical health.to the many who do nok recognize
Christ s central part in restoring man to his union with God.
LILIES OF THE FIELD
We read this fun-filled story of an itinerant Negro laborer
and a very stable German refugee Mother Superior building
a chap*l out oi dreams and prayers and everyday trust in
Divine Providence. The words mirror marvelously the rising
theme of the stoi\ which really hursts into song and matfnifi-.
cence We thought yo much of the many priests in the Near
and Middle East fared with just the same problems . ■ . Your
STRINGLESS GIFTS enables us to help them where the need
is greatest. A MEMORIAL CHAPEL is a lovelv way to re
member someone. The cost: S2 000 to S6.000. A CHAPEL ITEM
such as monstrance, cihorium. altar linens, sanctuary hell, etc..
ranee in cost irom fifty dollars to five dollars.
Dear Monsignor Ryan:
Enclosed please find ...... for
Name ...
Street
City .
Zone . * • • State
miUgarEstOlissioasial
FRANCIS CARDINAL SPILLMAN, Praiid.nt
Mt^r. Ja»apk T. Ryts, Nafl Wy
Wad all caaimaaUatla"*
CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
480 Uxipgton Av«. at 46th St. N«w Y or k 17, N. Y.