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LIVRGICAL CONSTITUTION Decree Stresses Sunday is ‘The Original Feast’ The ahor of the following article, Urth in a series ex ploring t> extensive changes in the Circh’s worship de creed by e ecumenical coun cil, servers an official coun cil adviseion liturgical mat ters, A pest of the Boston archdioceseand professor of canon law a the Catholic Uni versity of Aerica, he is the immediate jst president of the North African Liturgical Conference, By fathe Frederick R. McMams (N.C.WC. .Mews Service) How:an the feasts and sea sons c the “liturgical year" have caning in 20th-century daily :e? This is the pro blem ken on by the bishops of theiecond Vatican Council in a secial chapter in their constition on worship, which was fcnally enacted on Dec, 4. The ouncil Fathers were aware, dealing with this sub ject, ut Advent and Lent, Chrlstns and Easter, and half a dozei other holydays, are probablyhe only observances in the hurch calendar that have anjlmpact on most Ca tholics. AS IN jther parts of the Constitute on the Sacred Liturgy, Ire too the council has decrel a reform, which must be vrked out in detail gradually, it is intended to suit “the uditional customs and disciple of the sacred seasons" ti “the conditions of modern thes." One para graph, fcr ^cample, contains a decision tt revive the two fold chracte of the Lenten season,;irst is a time to re call thesacranent of Baptism, next as time penance, “not only infrnal anc individual, but also exrnal and social.” Ther is a long background to the uncil's decree to re form X) practices and cele- bratioQjwhlch recur in each N.SON RIVES. EALTY INC. 3669 FAIRMONT ROAD CHABLEE, GEORGIA REAL IT ATE, INSURANCE SA1S, RENTALS RESENTIAL AND COMMECIAL PROPERTY PHOI: 451-2323 C& S I RIUTY COAPANY "Specialis in CommerciAl and Industal Real Estate” Sut 200 Henry Cady Bldg. Adam 3, Ga, Warihouse! Stores, Mfg, 3 lants, .creage, Shipping Onter Dev., Jubdivison Dev,, Industral Dev,, Insurance 5242052 /IKE k STEVE SERTICH Church year. Pope St. Pius X began to disentangle the ob servance of Sunday as the Lord’s day and of Lent itself from the overgrowth of the feast days of saints. Pope Pius XII concentrated his spiritual renewal of the Church on Easter, with a rearrangement and shortening of the Holy Week services. Pope John XXIII simplified the complex series of feasts a little and tried to give some relief to the week day Mass-goer from the con stant repetition of the requiem Mass formula which prevails in some places. THIS COUNCIL, however, speaks of changes “both in the liturgy and by liturgical catechesis.” The first refer ence is to the revisions need ed if the progress of the Church’s year is to be effect ive and meaningful for the people. The second reference, “liturgical catechesis,” refers to the way in which the mean ing of the feasts and seasons is understood and taught, the way in which all the people of the Church, old and young alike, are instructed, formed, and de veloped during the liturgy it self, especially during the Mass. A lesson learned early in the meetings of the Second Vatican Council is that the truths, articles, and dogmas of faith may not be studied or preach ed a s a disjointed series of isolated facts. Their unity in the single mystery of God’s plan for men must always be foremost. THE SAME is true of the Church year with its apparent conglomeration of feasts of varying importance—it needs greater unity, greater concen tration, at least in our under standing of it. The Constitut ion on the Liturgy expresses the central point of the Church year with absolute assurance; it is the paschal or Easter mystery of “the Passion, the Resurrection, and the glorifi cation of the Lord Jesus.’’ It is worth noting how often the same unifying theme ap pears throughout the council’s teaching on sacred worship. The Eucharist is “a memorial of His Death and Resurrection..’ a paschal banquet.” 'The paschal mystery of the Pas sion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ” is “the fount from which all sacraments and sacramentals draw their po wer.” 'The work of Christ the Lord in redeeming mankind and giv ing perfect glory to God” was “achieved principally by the paschal mystery of His blessed Passion, Resurrection from the dead, and glorious Ascension, whereby 'dying, He destroyed our death and, rising, He res tored our life.' ’’ If this is the central point in Christian worship, how does it fit into the so-called liturgi cal year? The superficial an swer is die annual observance of Easter, with its special cele bration of the Lord’s passage from death to life. The coun cil’s answer is different: Sun day is the day of the Lord, the “original feast day, "around which all else circles. “EVERY WEEK, on the day which the Church has called the Lord's day, she keeps the memory of the Lord’s Resur- rection...By a tradition handed down from the Apostles which took its origin from the very day of Christ’s Resurrection, the Church celebrates the pas chal mystery every eight dav it should be proposed to the faithful and taught to them so that it may become in fact a day of joy and of freedom from work...” It is no easy task to recover this full meaning of Sunday— in practice, in the teaching of the clergy, in the awareness of the people—but the council judges it an important, neces sary effort. The council after establish ing every Sunday as a day to celebrate the Resurrection, which is central to Christ’s “saving work,” was able to turn to the annual feast of Easter and the entire series of observances which revolve around it. These are described as the Church’s attempt to unfold “the whole mystery of Christ, from the Incarnation and Birth until the Ascension, the day of Pente cost, and the expectation of blessed hope and of the coming of the Lord.” In the course of each year, the powers and merits of Christ’s deeds are “made present for all time;” Christians are able to lay hold upon them. IN ALL THIS, the real need is to keep proportion and unity uppermost, to center every facet of the Christian religion around the Death and Resur rection of Jesus. With this in mind, the bishops of the coun cil approached the delicate question of the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the other saints. These have their necessary, significant place in the Church's year (and in the consciousness of the faithful) —certainly in the case of Mary, as well as in the case of “saints who are truly of universal im portance” throughout the Church. The Constitution on the Liturgy decrees that the saints’ feasts must not pre dominate or take precedence Again, it is a question of main taining unity and proportion in the way in which the Christian Faith is proclaimed and cele brated. Now it should be clear why, in another connection, the coun cil insists upon a return to scriptural emphasis in worship and in teaching. “It is es sential to promote that warm and living love for Scrip ture to which the tradition of both eastern and western rites gives testimony.” IN THE LITURGY of the fut ure—with the major revision of the liturgical books—“there is to be more reading from holy Scripture, and it is to be more varied and suitable.” In the liturgy of the present, preaching ' 'should draw its con tent mainly from scriptural and liturgical sources.” Bible ser vices—again in today’s pract ice — should be encouraged, particularly to unfold the many but unified sides of the mystery of Christ celebrated each year. The Bible devotions are re commended “especially on the vigils of the more solemn feasts, on some weekdays in Ad vent and Lent, and on Sundays and feast days.” One last point should be made. Some have thought that the coun cil’s liturgical renewal is a matter of revising legal re gulations for Catholic worship. This is the same kind of error that Pope Pius XII rebuked as long ago as 1947. On the contrary the council’s purpose is far deeper. It in tends to renew the Christian spirit a n d to center ob servances, practice, and under standing upon the mystery of Christ, in particular upon the paschal mystery announced in Scripture, the Lord’s dying, rising from the dead, and as cending into glory. This year, spend Holy Week in the Holy Land Thi* aster, follow the footsteps of our Lord. Join the seveh annual American Express Holy Week and EastiPilgrimage to the Holy Land. Departure: March 22, v.TWA jet.The Rev. R. E Rustige, Assoc. Editor of thdt. Louis Review, will lead your group to Jeru- salemvhere you’ll visit the milestones in the life of ChristThe Grotto of the Nativity, the River Jordan, Mount f Temptation, Lazarus’ Tomb, the Via Dolo rosa, Cvary. On Easter Sunday, you assist at a Pon tifical at the Tomb of Our Lord in the Basilica of the hly Sepulchre. Return via Rome (where an audience/ith the Holy Father has been requested), Lourdes ad Paris. Four otheHoly Land Pilgrimages on June 7, July 12, August 8 nd September 13, with visits to France, Italy, Gern\ny, Portugal, Spain via TWA jet. Each Pilgrimage id by a spiritual director and escorted by i multilingm courier. Contact your travel agent or: Americai Express Travel Agency Peachtgc Street N.E.. Atlanta 3 (JA 3-7821) NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOL’S THKATKK. Helen Hayes, left. First Lady of the American Theater, is living in a dormitory on the campus of the Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C., rehearsing for a two-week performance she will give in a new play, "Good Morning, Miss Dove,” in the university theater. It is part of the annual five-play program put on by the Catholic University School of Speech and Drama. The school is currently conducting a drive for funds to erecfc a modern theater. Left to right: Miss Hayes; Father Gilbert Hartke. O.P., head of the school, who will direct Miss Hayes' p’ay. and two members of the cast, Michada Hartnett of Savannah. Ga.. and Mari-Fyn Henry of San Jose. Calif. PRAYER CRUSADE Chair Of Unity Octave Aids Ecumenical THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN. PAGE 3 STATE OF THE UNION President Says Civil Rights Is ‘Moral Issue’ BY FR. TITUS CRANNY, S. A. This is the third in a series of three articles on the Chair of Unity Octave, January 18-25 The author is the director of the UnityApostolate, Graymoor, Garrison, N. Y. Just a short while ago our Holy Father made his historic visit to the Holy Land. He went as a “pious pilgrim” to visit the places made sacred by the life and death of our divine Mas ter. Hs pilgrimage was made for the sake of peace and reli gious unity. We too are pilgrims - all of us - on the way to heaven and to eternal life. The way is fraught with difficulties and dangers but we have the con solation and strength of the Church established for all men. We have the life-giving power of the sacraments to quicken our spiritual lives. We have the spiritual motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary to protect and to encourage us. We have part of the way. AS PILGRIMS WE do not journey alone. We make our way to heaven with others, consci ous of our ability to help them, aware of our weakness butcon- CINCINNATI (NC) — Xavier University here banned Miss issippi Gov. Ross Barnett from addressing the student body. Father Patrick H. Ratter- man, S. J., dean of men, said the governor’s position on seg regation is “basically im moral" and therefore an invit ation from a student leader to the governor had been disapp roved. GOV. BARNETT was invited by Rudolph Hasl, student coun cil president. Hasl and a group of other Xavier students were visiting Tougaloo Christian College, an integrated school near Jackson, Miss., during the Christmas hilidays. Hasl said he asked Gov. Bar nett to speak on “states’ rights or some related topic," He ex plained that "there is much div ersity of thought on the sub ject and Gov. Barnett is recog nized as embodying the view of a sizeable section of the Ameri can public.” fident in the grace of Almighty God. Everyone is a viator - one on the way - to the home that God has prepared for those who love and serve Him. Others too trod the way to heaven, those who do not share our blessed faith but seek for heaven through the means that God has given them. As Catho lics we have the best and sur est means of gaining heaven. But we should help others as best we can and long to assist them in securing eternal life. SUCH IS THE purpose of the Chair of Unity Octave, obser ved this January 18-25; to help others to attain religious unity for which they are anxiously seeking and which God desires for them. The Unity Octave is a crusade of prayer for all men, for religious unity. It seeks the greatest possible spiritual blessing for those who do not enjoy complete and perfect un ity with Christ. Christian Unity is the task of love of every Catholic, not just of the bishop, priest, or relig ious. It is the obligation and privilege of every member of the laity. Christians do not pray enough for unity; but the Chair of Unity Octave, begun in 1908, FATHER RATTERMAN,- however, pointed out that "Xavier University is a univer sity with a publicly stated com mitment— a commitment to Christian ideas and Christian ideals." "One of these ideals," he said, “is the equality of men and respect for the dignity of all men. This ideal is, of course, American as well as Christian. Gov. Barnett’s position on seg regation contradicts these- Christian and American ideals and is, we feel, basically im moral." Priests Released BONN, Germany (NC)—Fif teen of 60 Catholic priests in prison in Czechoslovakia at the beginning of 1963 were released during the year, according to the German Catholic news agency KNA. KNA said that one of the latest was Father Johann Evangelist Urban, O.F.M., pro minent educator imprisonedfor 13 years. Pilgrim reminds them of their duty and their privilege. As Pope pj U s XII said: “The fact remains that many people remain far from the Catholic truth and do not bend the mind to the inspir ation of divine grace, because neither they nor the Christian faithful raise their most fer vent prayers to God for that purpose.” ARCHBISHOP PAUL HALL- INAN of Atlanta speaks of the Imperative need of intense, dy namic prayer for reunion. “Prayer, then, is the first need; fresh prayer arising from the urgent need of unity today; daily prayer because we can only take one step at a time; community prayer, because we have pray ed too long as Individuals, in stead of praying to a common Father." Christian Unity is the con cern of all - of Catholics, of the Orthodox, and of the Pro testants. But they do not pray enough and we do not. If 600 million Catholics prayed for unity each January 18 -25 and 200 Orthodox and 270 million Protestants, the results in grace would sweep over the world and change it radically. WE ARE BRETHREN of a common Father. We are mark ed with the sacrament of bap tism. We belong to Christ - and so do our brethren, whatever be the cause and degree of se paration. The differences of centuries cannot be dissolved in a few years and the walls of prejudice and misunderstand— ing w ill not crumble without the grace of God. But steps can be taken and action can be initi ated to heal the wounds and to bridge the breach which has lasted far to long. We should realize that life on earth is a pilgrimage and our journey is towards the hol iest of places and the shrine that will be ever glorious - the eterndl mansion of heaven. As Catholics we should pray for Unity in a very ardent and con fident way during the Octave; then we should resolve to pray and sacrifice every day - when we offer daily prayers to God, when we attend holy Mass, when we perform some act of morti fication. The cause of Christ ian Unity, for which Jesus pray ed and died, is worth our very best efforts always. May we ini— tate the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the At-one-ment, in praying daily for this holy and most burning cause of modern times. She is the Mother of our pil grimage and she longs to wel come us, and those for whom we pray, in the sanctuary' of heaven. WASHINGTON (NC)— Pre sident Johnson in his State of the Union message told Con gress that racial discriminat ion is basically a moral issue and asked that the new sess ion do more for civil rights “than the last hundred sessions combined.” Mr. Johnson also urged an “all-out war on human poverty and unemployment in the United States” and called for a spec ial Federal effort to Improve teaching, training and counsel ing in schools in hard-pressed sections of the country. HE MADE NO mention, how ever, of previous adminis tration proposals for a general program of Federal aid to ele mentary and secondary educat ion. Nor did he refer to the is sue of aid to parochial schools. The President’s declarat ions on civil rights contained some of the strongest language of his message to the second session of the 88th Congress (Jan, 8). He said in part:- “AS FAR AS the writ of Fed eral law will run, we must abo lish not some but all racial dis crimination. “For this is not merely an economic issue— or a social, political or international is— sue. It is a moral issue— and it must be met by the pas sage this session of the bill now pending in the House." (The day after the Presi dent’s address, hearings on the administration- backed civil rights bill began in the House Rules Committee, whose chair man, Rep, Howard Smith of Vir ginia, has promised early act ion on the measure.) IN THE AREA of civil rights Mr. Johnson called for equal access to public accommodat ions, equal eligibility for Fede rally financed benefits, and equality in education and vot ing. “Today,” he said, “Ameri cans of all races stand side by side in Berlin and Vietnam, They died side by side in Korea. Surely they can work and eat and travel side by side in their own country." best possible education for all young people “from grade school through graduate sc hool." In 1962, Mr. Kennedy all uded to the controversy over in cluding nonpublic schools in his Federal aid proposals. He said the administration bill for ele mentary and secondary school aid—a measure excluding non public school— offered “in terms of across-the-board aid the maximum scope permitted by our Constitution." MOST CONGRESSIONAL ob servers see little likelihood that a general program of Fede ral aid to education— with or without nonpublic schools—will be enacted this year, particul arly in view of Mr. Johnson’s stress on Federal money-sav ing efforts. President Johnson’s mess age also called for relaxation of restrictive U. S. immigration laws. He said Americans “must . . . lift by legislation the bars of discrimination against those who seek entry into our coun- icularly those with much-need skills and those joining their families." Holy Name Protestants ST. LOUIS (NC)— The St. Louis Archdiocesan Holy Name Union has voted to admit non- Catholics to membership. The action, unprecedented in the society’s 700-year history, was approved by Joseph Card inal Ritter, Archbishop of St. Louis. The society here will in vite non-Catholics to become associate members, but they will not be eligible to hold of fice. There are 152 HNS bran ches in the St. Louis archdio cese. The society here also will re draft its 65-year-old com mittee structure in favor of a contemporary program align ment similar to that of the Nat ional Council of Catholic Men. The changes were approved by a seven-member committee after a two-year study of pro posals. of his address the President stressed the needfor improving U. S. schools, he did not speci fically mention a general pro gram limited to schools in par ticularly needy areas. This is what he said: “We must, by including spec ial school aid funds as part of our education program, impro ve the quality of teaching and training and counseling in our hardest-hit areas." BY CONTRAST, the late Pre sident Kennedy had pushed for general aid to education in his- State of the Union messages. In his 1963 message, for example, he referred to the need for the i/y- ■■■ Peachtree Road Pharmacy Pick Up and Delivery Service Call CE 7-6466 4062 Peachtree Rd. Atlan OtContoa f*tt INSPtCTION^CAU. 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