Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. JANUARY 2, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE 5
GEORGIA PINES
Time For Reminiscing
BY REV. R. DONALD KIERNAN
This is the last of the year. A time for reminis
cing and a time for resolutions. The next issue
will mark my 6th. year with the newspaper and
the beginning of my third of Georgia Pines.
As I reminisce the thought comes to my mind
of the various columns which I have written
and the pleasant circumstances which prompted
me to write. Like all "store keepers" it is only
natural to take stock of the past and lay beautiful
plans for the future.
OF COURSE the column which comes more re
adily to my mind is last weeks entitled "Pity the
poor proof reeder". One wag met me and told me
that it was full of errors. After he re-read
the column his face showed a bit of embarrass
ment when he realized that it was done pur
posely, including the title . . .
then there was the little boy
from New Jersey who wrote to
explain the "other side of the
picture" after he had read my
article chiding the local news
paper delivery boy one
lady wrote and offered to buy
me bells for the tower here at
Michael’s after she had read the
series on "Bells” which was
published last summer the new stadium
at St. Pius X High School evoked a series of letters
from the loyal fans who make up the Athletic
Association at that school. . . . the article on the
census taken up last spring was the occasion of
many cards of thanks from those who were respon
sible for its huge success. . . two trips to
Savannah with attending articles on the Saint Pat
rick’s Day parade and the Savannah Generals
brought absolutely no response however,
an article written about a former curate in my
home church who had passed away brought
a flood of mail from grateful priests of the Fall
River diocese. ... as did a grateful family of
a tireless worker for the Saint Vincent de Paul
Society when Tom Clark was called to his eternal
reward Glenmary Fathers told me that
they had many visitors to their new church up
in Dahlonega as a result of the article on their
works in that section of the archidocese. . . .a
Gainesville man who worked along side of the late
President in the South Pacific was the subject of
an article written ,ust three months before John
F. Kennedy was felled by an assassan’s bullet
native Georgia priests and the article on
the Latin school was a subject of interest especi
ally to those parents who have sons Ordained or
are studying for the priesthood water pol
lution troubles on Lake Sidney Lanier and per
sonal experiences I have had in the priesthood
were the subject of articles during the early spring
July, and an eulogy to the late Archbishop Ger
ald P. O’Hara, brought a pleasant but sad memory
of a pioneer for the laith in this section of the
Lord’s vineyard all in all 52 articles on sub
jects interesting and boring.
ANOTHER CHAPTER has been written for the
catholic press in Georgia, and with it we close
the first volumn of the new Georgia Bulletin which
began printing weekly just one year ago. Its a
proud feeling to see the number of subscript
ions grow, advertisers increase, local corres
pondents sending in more news all
in all, folks, we thank you for your loyalty as we
strive more and more to give you a better news
paper more representative of the ambition and
zeal which has characterized the church in Geor
gia for over a century.
I sincerely hope that the new year will bring
to you, our readers, an abundance of God’s Bless
ings and that *64 will be the best year yet.
QUESTION BOX
What Is A Blessing?
Q. What is a blessing? How is it possible
for everything from God Himself through angels,
people, objects and events to be blessed?
A. The word blessing has a variety of mean
ings:
When we say: "Blessed be God" we mean to
give praise, honor and glory to God, as di
vine, holy, good and loving.
We could bless the angels, meaning that we
praise their goodness and glory. But this is
less common. In the Divine Praises we say,
"Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints."
May He be praised by them and in the midst of
them.
We do say, "Blessed be the great Mother of
God, Mary most holy,*’ and we also say, "Bless
ed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse."
We are giving them honor and gratitude for their
great sanctity and their role in our salvation.
A blessing given to a person on earth is
usually a benediction; asking God to look with
favor on this person, to protect and sanctify
him, to love him and make him happy. The
Lord Himself instructed Aaron and his sons
(the priests) to bless the Israelites in this
manner:
"The Lord bless you and keep you I
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and
be gracious to you I
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you
peacel"
Sometimes a blessing of special solemnity
will dedicate a person to the service of the
Lord, and invest him with signs of authority,
e.g. the blessing of an abbot.
When things are blessed they are dedicated
in some degree to the service of God and ap
pointed to serve the spiritual welfare of the
people of God: e.g, the blessing of a church or
a rosary—or even of our food on the table.
Sometimes the blessing of an article pei>
mlts persons who use it to gain certain in
dulgences (e.g. rosaries and medals). Some
times a blessing gives an indulgence directly
to those who receive it, e.g. the papal blessing.
Q. I stopped in one of the churches in our
diocese and went to confession. I was sur
prised to find a light on in the confessional.
I turned it out and the priest asked me to turn
it back on. Now I ask why. I was brought up
with the idea the priest didn't want to know who
was confessing.
A. And I am sure you were brought up with
the true idea. The purpose of the light was
probably something quite different: to keep people
from stumbling, falling, or being afraid of the
dark. Was there not a screen or veil which pre
vented the priest from seeing you?
Q. I am a convert and would appreciate your
answering the following question:
Why is it that Holy Communion does not con
sist of both bread and wine?
A. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church
it does so consist. In the Latin Rite, contrary
customs, convenience, and conflicts with dissident
groups combined to establish Communion for the
laity under form of bread alone.
However, you will be interested in knowing that
the "Constitution on the Liturgy" recently issued
by Vatican Council II provides that Communion
under both forms, bread and wine, may be given
to clergy, religious and laity "when the bishops
think fit . . . in cases to be determined by the
Apostolic See, as, for instance, to the newly
ordained in the Mass of their sacred ordination,
to the newly baptized in the Mass which follows
their baptism.
No doubt, the number of these cases will
late be increased.
**•
REMARKABLE DOCUMENT
Liturgical Constitution
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
ments and sacramentals. What are per
haps less well known are the norms they have
established for the eventual revision of the rites
themselves. In this regard they have decreed
that the liturgical forms should possess a "noble
simplicity.’’ "They should be short, clear and un-
emeumbered by useless repetitidns;. ..withinthe
people's powers of comprehension, and normally
should not require much explanation."
One other outstanding mark of the liturgy con-
sistltion is its pronounced biblical character. The
introduction and explanation of the general prin
ciples underlying liturgical worship refer con
stantly to the Scriptures. The reliance of the Ch
urch’s public prayer upon the inspired Word is so
complete that the Council formally recognizes that
"to achieve the restoration, progress and adap
tation of the sacred liturgy, it is essential to pro
mote warm and living love for Scripture."
Since the instructional value of the liturgy de
pends almost completely on a wise use of the
Bible, the Constitution decrees that "In sacred
celebrations there is to be more reading from
Holy Scripture, and it is to be more varied and
suitable." This is recognition both of the impor
tance of the Bible in the Christian life and also
that for most of the faithful their main knowledge
of Scripture will be from what they hear read
at Mass. One result of this will probably be
longer and more numerous Scripture readings at
Mass and a cycle of readings for Sundays espec
ially that will include more variety.
IN THE Constitution on the Liturgy we can read
not only the record of particular changes; not
even only a record of changed approach to one
particular aspect of Church life, no matter how
noble. We have a portrait of the Church as it
changes and adjusts and reforms itself. We can
look forward to forms in the Church which will
be clear in their meaning to all - the faithful
and non-Catholics alike. Exaggerated emphasis on
Juridical uniformity will be a thing of the past.
Many of the outward details that have proven so
troubling to our Protestant brethren will we shown
to be what they definitely are- passing forms of
secondary’ importance which can be replaced
to meet new situations.
Saints in Black and White
ST. GENEVIEVE 83
THREE FAITHS
Churches Push For Fair
Employment In Chicago
►/
it.
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*7
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ACROSS
1. Plague
6. Sloping passage
10. Turkish title
13. Encamped
14. District
15. Sped
16. Syllable of scale
17. Poise
19. Dismay
21. Expert
23. Spirit
25. Knotted
26. Pair
28. Smart (slang)
30. A step
33. Moral
35. Spotless
37. Jacket
38. Planted
40. Parasitic fungus
42. Disrant
43. Return
45. At no time
47 Drum
48. From (Latin)
50. Pastoral
52. Res'ore
54. Edible tuber
56. Engine
58. Having a lobe
61. She procured ...,
for pot :• starving
citizens
63. Math ratios
65. Imperial
66. Localities
68. Eyes
70. Recline
71. Desserts
73. Installs
75. Never (German)
76. Trimming
79. Her enemies tried
fo her
81. Forward
82. Conger
83. Target
85. Chalk
87. Compass Point
88. Recedes
89. Pertaining to the
blood
DOWN
1. Anent
2. Anglo-Saxon letter
3. pager
4. She took a vow of
chastity at age . . . .
5. Of Paradise
6. Cheer!
7. Knack
8. Confer
9. She was born near
10. Dryness
11. Arabic letter
12. Some
13. Designate
16. Ladies
18. Gun
20. Plexus
22. Anaesthesia
24. Everlasting (archaic)
27. Down
29. German rifleman
31. Plunder
32. Nine; comb, form
34. Blind part of intestine
36. Unusual
39. Spanish silver
dollar (pi)
41. Course
44. Proportion
46. Insurgent
48. Medics
49. West African tribe
51. Hankers
53. Dray
55. Item
57. Redirected
59. Retaliation
60. Female name
62. Narrowest part
64. Look for
67. She helped starving
citizens during the
of Paris
69. Stock
72. Supercil'.’is perso.i
'74. Floated
76. Lair
77. Even
78. Chatter
80. Natl. Youth Adm it.
84. Place of the seal;
abbr.
86. Chemical ending
ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S PUZZLE ON PAGE 7
CHICAGO (NC)—The three
major faiths have launched a
sweeping fair employment pro
gram for church-run institu
tions in the Chicago area.
The program calls for insti
tutional hiring and promotion
policies based on ability, not
on race or other accidental con
siderations.
IT ALSO PLEDGES partici
pating institutions to "seek out"
members of minority groups
andencourage them to apply for
jobs.
The program has been ap
proved by the Catholic Arch
diocese of Chicago, the Chicago
Board of Rabbis, and the Church
Federation of Greater Chicago.
It is being carried on by the Chi
cago Conference on Religion and
Race.
MEANWHILE, IN a separate
development, the Conference
on Religion and Race has urged
the Chicago Board of Education
to adopt "an official policy...
favoring racial integration
wherever possible in schools."
The CCCRR took this stand in
a position paper on education
and race. The statement was
adopted against a background of
controversy over allegations of
"de facto" segregation in Chi
cago public schools.
"WE BELIEVE," the state
ment said, "that interracial
contacts and friendships have
ARNOLD VIEWING
‘Flies’ Vividly Exciting
BY JAMES W. ARNOLD
One suspects that the real reason for the
success of "Lord of the Flies" is that it can
be enjoyed without being fully understood. The
movie Is even better than the controversial
jiovel: it is so vividly exciting that a viewer
forgets to be alert for symbols and profundity
he may not agree with.
Despite Life magazine and its
private line to omniscience,
William Golding's story has
few certainties about it. One
1® its vast popularity (espe
cially among college males);
this is largely attributable to
to its nice blend of action, vio
lence and Significance, as well
as its cynicism about some
values cherished by social science professors.
Another is that it says something important about
the nature of society and the origins of evil in
of action, violence and Significance, as well as
its cynicism about some values cherished by
social science professors. Another is that it
says something important about the nature of
society and the origins of evil in man. Still
man^ Still another is that it is pretentious and of
ten obvious preachment
As to the exact point of the message, there
is glorious confusion. The definite losers are
those who believe in the natural perfectability
of man, if only the decaying influences of civili
zation can be blocked out. Britisher Golding
has noted that nobody believes that anymore
but the Communists.
Yet it has been a major point of Freudians
and social science that evil is imposed on the
young from outside, by everything from crowded
tenements to traumatic toilet training. If man
is not perfectible, they seem to feel, it is main
ly because corruption by the environment is in
evitable.
In "Lord of the Flies," British schoolboys,
evacuated in a future atomic war, are castaway
without adults on a Pacific island paradise.
After an optimistic beginning in hope and de
mocracy, they become enslaved to a fear of an
imaginary "beast" and crumble into tyranny,
savagery and murder. Golding's title is a
translation of the biblical devil-word, Beelzebub.
Clearly he means to say that something more
basic than inhibition or environment brings man
to Evil and Death.
Freudians ignore (like everyone else) what
doesn't fit their theory and smugly explain the
fable as the eternal conflict among Id (man’s
amoral drive for pleasure and survival), Ego
(his socially acceptable veneer ) and Superego
(the rational conscience society uses to re
strain the Id), Cut off from civilization, Ego
and Superego (represented by "heroes" Ralph
and Piggy) are no match for the powerful Id
(the brutal Jack) which is man’s truer nature.
And if this is his true nature, is not all society
doomed?
Catholic critics have divided over Golding.
Some see him as a gloomy Calvinist, viewing
man as depraved and incapable of redemption.
Still others find a moving re-statement of the
idea that man is flawed by original sin. Man
is not bad by nature, or forced to become so
by Id or environment (for in fact, some men are
good), but because of an injury to his will that
often makes him prefer the animal in himself
to the divine. The defect is in man, not society.
Salvation lies not in any social scheme (even
the highest and best, like democracy) but in the
inner moral choice of each individual.
Golding, I think, is saying something old,
familiar and conservative: a good social system
is useless without a corresponding goodness in
men's souls. Paradise comes not to men soc
ially but to men individually. The idea is dis
turbing when it is used to prevent social action
and perpetuate in justice. But it is pessimistic
only if one doubts that man can be master of his
own soul.
The story, in this sense, offers hope. Only
two boys, it is true, hold to their moral integri
ty: they see evil for what it is. These are Ralph,
the democratic leader, and Simon, the saint.
Both suffer, but both are saved, physically or sym
bolically. The other "good” boy, Piggy, makes
many mistakes, but the crucial one is rationaliz
ing Simon's murder. This earns him his destruct
ion.
The fate of the others is more poetic. At the
end, confronted by the incredulous gaze of the
adult naval officer, they become again merely
little boys dressed up like savages. They are
faced, horribly, with the truth of their degrada
tion, their "loss of innocence."
The film is, as you may gather, a contender
for best of the year. In the novel, the fable
kept getting in the way of the story. But the
movie is a chilling adventure, full of frighten
ingly real boys and beautiful sounds and images,
with meaning lurking, as it should, in the under
brush. Everyone but small children will find
a level on which they can enjoy it.
Director Peter Brook (a young Shakespearean
expert new to films) stays very close to the de
tails of the novel but relies where he can on
pictures rather than words. He stunningly de
picts such scenes as the pig feast, the discovery
of the "beast" on the mountain, the frenzied
slaying of Simon - all in a gray darkness like
the twilight of the world. The sound track is
subtly used to heighten the terror. E. G., Jack’s
villainous hunters (once choir boys) chant the
"Kyrie" (the choice is no accident) as a kind
of marching song.
The movie was shot on Vieques (near Puerto
Rico^ with 34 American amateurs (aged 7 to 15
who have such a good time they seem to be im
provising in their neighborhood vacant lot. Es
pecially memorable are lean James Aubrey as
Ralph and pedantic Hugh Edwards as the prissy,
calculating Piggy. The boys are as photogenic
as the real estate.
The film’s most beautiful moment, like the
book’s, is the aftermath of Simon's death -
the. gentle purification of his body as it washes
into the dark, sparkling sea, a symbol of his
glory and resurrection. In the character of
Simon, and Golding’s obvious reverence for
him, lies the key to the fable's meaning.
The victory of Beelzebub is inevitably brief
and hollow. Who was it that really triumphed -
Caiphas or Christ, the politicians or Socrates,
Henry VIII or Thomas More, Adolph Hitler or
Anne Frank? The vicious little boys or their
Intended, uncorrupted victim? The hard guys
often win the battles, but they are born losers
of wars.
positive value and must be mul
tiplied a hundred-thousand fold
if Chicago is to be a healthy
city# a good place in which to
worship, live and work."
It said "swift progress is
overdue to establish and per
fect educational arrangements
in such a manner to promote
intercultural life.”
THE STATEMENT spoke of
"profound restlessness"
among parents who "desire to
see all our city's children un
penalized by race or color and
free to develop to full capa
city."
"We ask the religious schools
to continue to lead in preparing
students for integrated life be
cause their duty is so abun
dantly clear, but we insist that
no public or private institution
content Itself with waiting for
another’s initiative," the posi
tion paper said.
BESIDES CALLING for an of
ficial integration policy on the
part of the Board of Education,
it also urged such steps as for
mation of an interracial com
mission to implement the-po-
licy; integration of school fa
culties; and special programs
for children whose scholastic
achievement is below average.
The CCRR’s fair employment
program centers on a hiring po
licy statement committing
church-run institutions not to
practice descrimination
THE STATEMENT pledges
an institution "to a policy of
hiring and upgrading employees
...solely on the criterion of abi
lity to perform the required
work.
"We pledge moreover to take
affirmative action to make this
policy effective; to seek out per
sons of minority groups, to in
form them of this non-discri-
minatory policy and to encour
age the m to become applicants
for employment," it says.
THE COUNCIL IS distribut
ing employment analysis forms
to be used by institutions in
assessing their current person
nel policies and their imple
mentation of the fair employ
ment pledge.
Seminary Fund
Remember the SEMINARY FUND of the
Archdiocese of Atlanta in your Will. Be
quests should be made to the “Most Rev
erend Paul J. Hallinan, Archbishop of the
Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta and his suc
cessors in office’*. Participate in the daily
prayers of our seminarians and in the
Masses offered annually for the benefactors
of our SEMINARY FUND.
God Love You
BY MOST REVEREND FULTON J. SHEEN
Now and then, an experience makes us realize how much we
are one with the persecuted and hungry members of Christ’s
Mystical Body of the Church. The last week of the Council we were
in a store in Rome which sold Church vestments and overheard
the following conversation between a bishop from a persecuted
land and the shopkeeper:
Bishop: "But I do not know whether or not I can ever pay more
than $50."
Shopkeeper: "We will take a chance on your ability to pay the
rest."
Bishop: "But I could be sent to a concentration camp or marty
red on my return to my country."
Shopkeeper: "In that case, we would forget the debt for the
glory of God."
Bishop: "But I am not sure whether or not I can even make a
$50 down payment."
At that point, we interrupted the conversation, and the Bishop
told us that he was buying $500 worth of Pontifical vestments for
his cathedral. Someone in the store offered to pay the cost, for
which there was much thank
ing of God on the part of the
Bishop. We then asked the Bis
hop how he could get the vest
ments into his persecuted land,
He said that he would drag them
on the floor, cover them with
dust and dirt, wrinkle them up
into a ball and put them into a
suitcase with rags and old clot
hes in the hope that he could
jiring them safely to his cathedral.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics would love to have an op
portunity to make a sacrifice for this Bishop, or any of the hun
dreds of bishops who live either under persecution or in great
poverty. There is no want of willingness on the part of Catholics
to help their suffering brethren. It is only a question of oppor
tunity, namely, how to do it. Where are these bishops and priests?
How can we reach them? How can we put something into their
hands? Pope John gave us an answer to this: "He does much good
who aids one in need, but he does a greater good who helps one to
aid all." This was his reference to The Society for the Propaga
tion of the Faith. It is now Pope Paul VI who allocates all the
sacrifices you send him. He distributes according to his superior
knowledge and world-wide interest. Now that we are back from
the Council let us hear from you with a sacrifice for the Wound
ed and Suffering Christ living in the Church today.
GOD LOVE YOU to J. L. for $10 "In thanksgiving for a happy
home and a country of plenty." . . .to Mrs. J. S. for $5 "My nine
year old grandson saved his pennies and asked me to send them
to you for the starving people in the world." . . .to Anonymous
for $10 "A little sacrifice from a priest in thanksgiving." . . .
to J. W. for $10 "Everytime I catch myself feeling sorry for my
self I’ll donate something towards those who really need my pity’."
Send us your old gold and jewelry— the valuables you no longer
use but which are too good to throw away. We will resell the
earrings, gold eyeglass frames, flatware etc„and use the money
to relieve the suffering in mission lands. Our address: The Soc
iety for the Propagation of the Faith, 366 Fifth Avenue, New York
New York 10001.
Cut out this column, pin your sacrifice to it and mall It to Most
Rev. Fulton J. Sheen, National Director of the Society for the Pro
pagation of the Faith, 366 Fifth Avenue, New York lx, N. Y. or
your Archdiocesan Director, Very Rev. Harold J, Rainey P. O.
Box 12047 Northside Station, Atlanta 5, Ga.