Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 8 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1964 THE CATHOLIC PRESS-7 Freedom, Boldness - Paterns For The Future BY REV. VINCENT A. YZERMANS It is difficult to talk about the future, for the very presumption implies a charitm. These, we all know from the second session of the Council, are as difficult to come by as they are to inter pret. Any discussion of the future of the Catholic press, then, necessarily Implies a certain amount of rashness and boldness that not even angels, good or bad, should be expected to possess. Nonetheless, that apologia is but an excuse for saying that editors do not fear to rush in where even angels fear to tread. The nature of their vocation makes them a hearty lot. For that rea son 1 choose to look to the future of the Catholic press from both sides of the desk; first, as an editor and, secondly, as a reader. THE EDITOR'S CHALLENGE When an editor of a Catholic publication looks to the future -- and he need not necessarily be a Catholic he should see three imperatives thrusting themselves upon him. These, as I see them, we should examine briefly. 1. Collaboration with the general press. The editor of a Catholic publication must surely by now come to the realization that he does not, and can not, live in an isolated world. He must know, and if he does not know should be fired pronto, that one of his chief duties is to enter Into an active, intelligent and fruitful dialogue with other mem bers of the communications media. This must be a part of the very air he breathes. He must col laborate with the general press, radio and tele vision not because of good public relations (let’s bury the wordl) or because it is beneficial to his own apostolate. He must collaborate, basically and simply, because of the charity of Christ. He cannot be a good Catholic editor without being a good charitable editor. The complementary nature of the communica tions media should impress him, too, with the wisdom of collaboration. Whatever he does that benefits the communications media will ultimately benefit his own paper. What people hear on the radio, the most instantaneous . news communica tion; what they see on television; what they read sketchedly in the general press; all these will whet the appetite of readers to look for a more complete treatment in the Catholic press. When the editor helps the other communications media, over and above every charitable consideration, he is really helping himself. OUR AMERICAN society is built on the principle of healthy competition. To make a good diocesan newspaper or weekly publication means that the Catholic editor must enter into the arena of com petition. Piety is no substitute for excellence. Competition demands competency. The wise editor of a Catholic publication will not be jealous of "secular” competition. He will, rather, exploit it, using it as a challenge to make his own publica tion more lively, vital and Interesting. 2. News in depth. The competition of the general press should force the editor of a Catholic publi cation to engage in greater and better inter pretative reporting. The fact that six new Mon signors have been made is not nearly as ex citing and interesting as why these six were chosen over against the other sixty possibilities. The audience of the Catholic press is rapidly maturing. Father Finn’s stories are passe. The era of triumphalism has run its course. In other words, stories about a pious good boy who kept his first Communion tie spotless are as about relevent to the reader as stories about the six dif ferent-colored shoes the bishop wears at pontifi cal Masses. More and more college graduates are reading the Catholic press. If they are not reading it, it might well be more the fault of edi tors than readers. Reporting in depth is a chal lenge to the new audience. This is the success- secret of Reston of the Times. The Catholic press could learn many lessons from him. 3. Recognizing reality. The Second Vatican Council has shown the world that the re-awaken ing of the Church is often a very slow, painful and REV. VINCENT A. YZERMANS sometimes tedious process. The Catholic press has a great deal to learn from this Council. As yet, seemingly, it has not learned this lesson. The Fathers of the Council want to make the Church a part of the warp and woof of human exis tence. They are seeking ways to present the Church as a vital, real part of humanity. They will not rest until all mankind accepts the Church as the living Body of Christ among mankind. From these discussions the Catholic press should, and in many cases is, developing a rele vancy to reality. The real problems of real men must become more and more the preoccupation of the Catholic editor. The willingness to put oneself out of the limb, the dare to be different, the courage to be different, the courage to de nounce the status quo, all these demand an aware- IGNATIUS HOUSE RETREATS RV JESUIT PRIESTS Weekends For Mon And Weekends For Women 6700 Riverside Drive N. W. 255-0503 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 Office Equipment Business Machines Sales-Service-Supplies HEYKTHS PHONE 525-6417 H4f PHONE 525-6417 172 WHITEHALL STREET, S.W. ATLANTA 3, OEOROIA ness of reality that has not been the conspicuous characteristic of the Catholic press in the past. The renewal of the Church should, we hope and pray, bring about a renewal within the Catholic press. THE READER'S RESPONSIBILITY It is, 1 believe, a healthy sign for an editor to examine his conscience in public. At the same time, however, it is not a pleasant experience. It is always easier for an editor to talk to readers, for, as Our Lord said, it is always easier to see the moat in one’s neighbor's eye rather than in his own. As an editor, then, you must permit me the indulgence of discussing the reader's responsibi lity. 1. The ecumenical age. It is not enough to sub scribe to a Catholic publication. A weekly maga zine can carry our the garbage, or swat flies, Just as effectively as the diocesan weekly or the nation al Catholic weekly. The Catholic reader must read the Catholic press, not for himself, but for others. In this ecumenical age he must give a Christian response. The answers of the catechism do not, and cannot, satisfy the demands of ecumenical thought and dialogue. Our separated brothers de mand that Catholics read the Catholic press for only in this way will the living reality of the Church become incarnate in a local area. 2. Renewal of the Church. The Second Vatican Council has adopted a program of renewal. This reformation, in fact, is much greater than the Council itself. It will continue long after the Council becomes a matter of history. The Catholic press, directed specifically to Catholics, will keep alive the spirit of renewal. Changes in practice will come about. Catholic people must know not only that these changes are coming about; they must know why these changes are being made. The Catholic press, even more than the class room or pulpit, will be able to give the why and the wherefore. 3. The Church in the world. Never before in history has our Church commanded such universal respect and attention. The Church today is a re ligious influence of the greatest magnitude. She does not, and should not, engage in political ac tion. Nonetheless, her moral influence is felt, for good or bad, in every capital of the world. The role of leadership has been thrust upon the Church. This is part of God's providence. This leadership demands that every member of the Church assume his responsibility. The Catholic, be he cardinal or carpenter, must be able to as sume a leadership which the interior workings of divine grace imposes upon him. Leadership and influence presuppose knowledge and understand ing. The Catholic press can assist the workings of the Holy Spirit. Only the reader can bring this working to fruition. 4. Freedom of the press. We pride ourselves on being citizens of the land of the free and the home of the brave. Freedom, however, is a two- way street. An editor is as free as his readers make him, just as the readers are as free as the editor promotes. Laymen who are sychophants to refuddled clerics damage freedom as mucli as clerics who dictate to bewildered laymen. The Catholic press needs an honest, sincere and public dialogue between cleric and lay, among all its readers. One and all, from the bishop of the dio cese to the youngest first grader in the diocese, must have clear distinctions between what is "of faith" and what "of opinion"; what is "of ficial" and what is within the legitimate bounds of "free speech in the Church". Laymen hinder freedom by their silence and stupidity as much as clerics by their authority and arrogance. As I said, freedom is a two-way street. When, and only when, freedom becomes a super highway in the Church will the Catholic press and its readers be able to measure up to their mutual great potentialities. That day, l believe, is coming sooner than any of us expect. This is, I admit, a prophecy. In Christ’s time, Sacred Scripture tells us, a prophet was without honor in his own country. Perhaps, let us hope and pray with joy, this prophet will receive honor in the land of the deep South 1 JOHNSON MESSAGE War On Poverty Public, Private BYBERT • MINTING * UTHOOIAFHING TRInity S-1727 All ft* Slat* if//. COMPANY 350 FORREST ROAD. N. I. ATLANTA, GEORGIA KNOCK iAruemibac LISIEUX No matter what European Shrine you choose to visit LOURDES MONTSERRAT ST. PETER'S WALSINGHAM Choose Irish to fly you there Because Irish offer# the moat com plete service to. from, or in be tween the major shrinea of Ireland and Europe New low 21-Day Economy Excursion fare#, aa of April 1. make the round-trip fare from New York to Dublin a low $277.* Or you can fly to Lourdes for just $366.40.* Fly Irish and go direct from Lourdes to Rome. And go you can, for just 10* < down on the Shamrock Thriftair Plan. Take up to two years to pay the rest at low interest. Ask your Travel Agent to plan your pilgrimage and book your round-trip flight on Irish. © IRISH mrimnmi mm JIIIIUHGUS 1028 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Washington, D.C. Phone 296-4550 •Faret xuhjecl lo Government approval. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 es and libraries were menti oned by the President. THE FEDERAL government would pay up to 90% of the cost of this program for the first two years. Any plan in volving construction or main tenance of a facility to be used for sectarian instruction or re ligious worship would be ex cluded. -Work-study programs for 140,000 college students who are financially hard-preised. The Federal government would contract with public or private colleges or universities to pay for a maximum of 15 houra- per week of part-time work by each needy student. The student's employment could be at the school itaelf or In a public or private pub lic service program. As in work-training programs, any work on religious facilities would not qualify for assi stance. — Community action pro grams which mobilize public and private resources of one community to attack poverty. Such programs were not de tailed. The president said they would be formulated at the local level and presented to the Fed eral government for considera tion. Federal funds would pay up to 90% of coat. IF SUCH community pro grams involve use of elemen tary or secondary schools, the proposal stipulates, they must be operated by public school authorities but open to all child ren. "No child shall be denied the benefit of such a program because he Is not regularly en rolled in the public schools," It says. These are the parts of the President's proposal moat directly affecting public-pri vate cooperation. But they are not the entire plan. President Johnson also pro posed a domestic peace corps, to be called "Volunteers for America." Young and old Ame ricans would be recruited, tra ined and respond to requests from states for help in meet ing health and education needs of Indians on reservations, migratory workers and other specified problems, THE PRESIDENT would alio extend special grants or loans to low-income rural famil ies, authorize Federal loans for Investment! which will am ply hard-core unemployed and finance experimental projects to give "constructive work ex perience or training" to un employed fathers. THE JOHNSON program comes amid mounting national concern over poverty, including that expressed Feb. 22 by a ma jor Catholic Church agency, the Social Action Department of the National Catholic Welfare Con ference. Although no allusion waa made in the department’* atate- ment to the Johnaon admlniatr- ation's plans, the NCWC unit called for new initiatives by in dividuals, private groups and and government to aaslst “35 million fellow Americans who live in poverty." The department stressed that although the Church teachera that poverty can be a good thing for those who embrace itvoiun- arlly as a means of religious detachment, it is an evil for those who have no other choice. GOVERNOR CARL SANDERS is shown with members of Mrs. Malley’s senior National Problems class of St. Joseph High during their tour of the State Capitol. Students were the guests of State Senator Joseph Salome. WANTED: A JEEP FOR ERITREA PITY THF. PRIEST IN FEHREN, ERITREA. WH..V 111” Tti CALLED TO CARE FOR THE DYING! ... Hr must travel for mile* by donkey or on foot, because the mountain roads are impassable by c«r. Ho carries the Blessed Sacra- m ^ ment with him, despite the rain, the i i © sun. heat . . . The Franciscan Fa* | 1 2 them care for our Catholics In the I I ^ entire FEHREN urea—and they des* perately need a Jeep. To buy one for them, delivered in ERITREA, will coat $2,600 ... In terms of a missionary’* health, and the yeurs a Jeep can add to his life, $2,600 Ik The Holy Peibee’s Minion Aid a very small Investment. It's a small for!be Ontnisl Church investment Indeed If one counts tip the time the Jeep will save, and the additional people the priest ean care for! . . .Please help uh make It possible to give these Franciscan priests a Jeep. If you’d like to give it All by your* self, write to us immediately. Remembering what It costa for gaa and oil. tires and repairs, please send whatever you can af* ford—$1. 95. $20. $100 . . . Our priests and people In ERITREA will be grateful to you forever! THE IRISH MISSIONARIES HISTORIANS MARVEL at what they uccompllshcd. They poured out of Ireland centuries ago. building churches, schools, model farm*, medical clinics, monasteries un<l convents. People at far away as Russia spoke of Ireland then as the land of saints and scholars. The Irish were missionaries supremo! . . . Here's how you can be a missionary right now: □ By supplying a FIRST COMMUNION OUTFIT to a child preparing for the Joyful. The cost: $10. Your reward: grace and happiness. □ By paying the educational expenses of a scminarlun ITke TESFAMARIAM AMMENE. Cost: $100 u year for six years. Your reward: A priest In the family. □ By training a Slater-to-be such as SISTER A. AGATA NE- “ J GRI. The cost: $150 a year for two years. Your reward: The Joy of knowing how much she Is doing for Christ. r' By building a chapel or school In the missions: Cost: $2,500 ““ to $6,000. Your reward: The prayers of countless families for yean. HAVE YOU JOINED? MEMBERS OF THIS ASSOCIATION share every day In the Masses of Pope Paul VI. Cardinal Spellman, and the 15.000 prleata who look to u» for help. By jrour prayer* and your dues ($l*a*year for an Individual. $5 for a family) yon have an active pert In the good our priests and Sister* accomplish . . . Why not enroll your family or a friend as a gift at Easter? We'll send an EASTER GIPT CARD telling what you have done. A GENTLE REMINDER OFTEN ON IRISH TOMBSTONES one finds a quiet phr sr. a gentle request for the prayer* of people passing by . . Wo share the spirit of such requests when wo have Masses offered for the deceased, especially those we love ... Our missionary priests will offer promptly the Masses you request. The offerin'' you make is quite frequently a missionary’s only means of dally support. the will of the wise WISE PEOPLE remember the mission* In their will*. In mak ing your will plea»e mention the CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION. IThafs our legal title). Dear Monrignor Ryan: Enclosed please find for Name * Street State i£i*Rgar < Sast ffiissiotis i& 9 FRANCIS CAIWNAl SHUMAN, Preside.* Miff, impt T. I yen* Hdl le«*f CATHOLIC NIAt IAST WILPARI ASSOaATJON 420 Lexington Avo. ot 46th St. New York 17, N. Y.