Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE 5
QUESTION BOX
No Answer Because
Saints in Black and White CONSERVATIVE view POWL
ST. CATHERINE OF SIENNA
Q. Ttsh fc tfce third time I hare
Mat a'letter to yea. None has
been answered In print I realise
yen mast have hundred* of let
ters to choose from, bat I think
■bine is last m important as some
I hare seen in your Question Bex.
A. Your letter is not signed,
thd I presume the other two were
not Anonymous questions end Up
In the waste basket.
• • *
Q. When the priest brings Com
munion to the sick at home I
meet him at the door with a
lighted' eandlc. He says some
thing. What is It that he says, and
a|n I snpposed to answer him?
II so, what do I say? i
A. He probably says, Pax hulc
domui (peace to this house) and
your answer should be, E t omni
bus hobitontitms in ea (and all
mho live in it). But do not worry;
if you do not know the answer
lie can give it himself. Soon he
will be saying it in English so it
will have meaning for you.
• • »
Q. As a child In England I was
Until to look upon the Sacred
usd ehallee when they were
i daring the Elevation in the
„ My husband says I should
hew my bead and strike my
breaat like everybody else in the
ehureh. Bnt 1 am not looking at
everybody else; I am watching
the altar. Please tell me if 1 am
right.
A. You are right. You might
bow your head in fervent adora
tion before and after each eleva
tion; but-1 sea no reason to strike
yodr breast
• ev »
Q. One of my best friends is n
Presbyterian minister (woman).
On Good Friday she showed me
a prayer book where it saM,
"Adoration of the Cross: Behold
the wood of the crow; come let
as adore.” She said we were
breaking the Pint Commandment
by Idolatry. I told her that we
were not adoring the wood, hot
were adoring Oar Lord and Sav
ior hanging there on that Crocs.
Was that the right answer, Fa
ther? I know the only one we
idore Is God. We venerate many
things, hat we do not adore them.
Of course the way .the prayer
book saws It you would think we
were adoring the wood.
A. You were right. ‘‘Adoration
of the Cross'* is an unfortunate
and confusing expression. I be
lieve most Cjatholios know what
it rivearts, but ft is too bad we
don’t say what we mean. The
words are used in the unveiling
of the Crosa on Good Friday.
• • a •
Q. Is a Catholic allowed to the
artificial contraception - - (dia
phragms, pills, etc.) for
BY MONSIGNOR J. 0. CONWAY
good reaeon (akkness in the fam
ily, economic situation, etc.),
without fear of going to hell, if
ho definitely is convinced that
there is nothing morally wrong
with that, regardless of what the
Church says on the subject?
As a realistic and intelligent
man, dear Monsignor, yoa know
very well that the over-popula
tion of the world will not be
solved by the rhythm method.
' If a Catholic Is In position of
committing a mortal sin Just be
cause the Church says so, what
about Protestants, Jews, Moham
medans, etc.? Would they also
commit a sin? If not, then why
would the Cathoile be punished
and not the others? Does this
sound fair to you, dear Monsig-
nor?
A. Do you not believe, dear
friend, that your membership in
the Church of Jesus Christ offers
you invaluable moans of sancti
fication and salvation which are
not available to those outside the
Mystical Body. And is not one
of the benefits — and require
ments — of membership the ac
ceptance of the Church as Mother
and Teacher?
Do you not recall the words
of Christ to His apostles: "As the
Tgtbar has sent me I also send
you.... He who bean you haass
jne,... Qo toto the whole world
and preach the Gospel,... tetA-
ing them to observe all that Z
have commanded you. . , . If he
will not hear the Church let Mm
be trfthA as the heathen art tfctf
publican?"
It is true that each man's con
science is his personal guide to
good and evil. If you follow your
well-formed and certain soft-
science you are guilty of no in
ternal sin whatever crime you
commit. You may be hanged for
it, but you will never go to hell
for it. However, it Is the duty of
each person to see that his con
science conforms to reality and
truth.
As Catholics we have accepted
the Church as teacher of truth
In Christ’s name. He purt the
Church in the world to teach toe
truth, and remains with it Ml
days to see that it accomplishes
its. purpose. H® sent the Hot?
Spirit 'Of Truth to remain with
it forever. No believing CathoOe
can rightly fonna his conscience
seme Mohammedans) without
their being guilty of internal sin.
They are living according to their
carefully formed and certain con
science.
Chtholic teaching may impoee
greeter burdens on us than oth
ers are obliged in conscience to
bear; but wo bear these burdens
with love, in union with Jeeus
in His Mystical Body, fortified
by His sanctifying love for us
as shown in the Mass and tot
sacraments. He carried His Cross
first, and we carry ours in union
with Him.
I do not hope that rhythm
alone will solve the problems -of
over-population in many lands.
I doubt that diaphragms, pills
and abortions will solve all auto
problems. And I know that the
problems are real, and rather
frightening. But I am more frt±
quently concerned with the real
and frightening problems of in*
dividual families, and with many
of these I find rhythm of little
help. I am puzzled as I share
their troubles, but when the
teaching authority of the Church
— which is the teaching author
ity of Jesus Christ in matters of
faith and morals — tells me that
something is wrong, I am not
going to condone or recommend
it.
Freedom of conscience is a
glorious right of each man. It
comes from God. But conscience
cannot be a reliable guide until
it is carefully formed, and we
must heed all truth from both
reason and authority in forming
it
• • »
Q. Am I correct In
that aged Catholics (past toe
child-bearing stage) may marry
with the permission of their fas*
tor, for companionship? I have
been eonfused for years on this
problem. Sometimes In reading
Cathoile articles on marriage f
get the feeling that only Cath
olics who are absolutely ante
they ean have children oejkt to
get married.
A. You are correct in your as
sumption — except that sud>
elderly people do not need any
permission from their pastor. Jg
they are free to marry they have
an absolute right to marry and
need permission from no one.
I can understand the feeling
without listening to the teachings you got from reading some Cath-
of the Church regarding good and
evil.
Protestants, Jews and Moham
medans act in good faith in form
ing their consciences without re
gard to the Church. They do not
accept her as either Mother or
Teacher. In consequence the
things they do may violate true
morality (like the polygamy of
TO UNITY
olic articles on marriage. They
insist so much on procreation as
the PRIMARY purpose of mar
riage that you get toe impres
sion no other purpose imity
counts. Love alone is a sufficient
purpose, and with it may btf com
bined convenience, security, hap
piness a home, companionship
■iy* lymfuel |IBll-|IT*"(
Cites Laymens’ Duty
MILAN (NC)- Catholic lay
men have a "grave duty toward
Christ and toward the -Church'*
to work for the unity of all Ch
ristians, Augustin Cardinal Bea
told students and faculty
members of the Catholic Uni
versity of the Sacred Heart.
The German Cardinal, who
heads the secretariat for Pro
moting Christian Unity of
Christians expects from Lay
men;'* He first stressed' the
real possibilities that exist
to foster unity work as demon
strated by developments in the
ecumenical field in recent
years.
“Things have been seen in
these past few years that have
not been seen for centuries,"
he said, "These are facts which
speak for themselves but also
speak above all as a testimony
of the irresistible work of the
Holy Ghost in the Church and
in all those who have been bap
tized. This divine help will be
able to move, though only little
by little, the mountains of ob
stacles which still exist in the
path toward unity.”
The Cardinal stressed that
against this background of the
reawakening of the world to a
desire for unity the layman has
a real role to play.
“The unity of the Church, that
perfect unity willed by Christ,
depends on the contribution of
each and all of its members,"
he stated. "Consequently a n
are in fact in a position to con
tribute to the relization of uni
ty and therefore every member
has the grave duty toward
Christ and toward the Church to
interest himself In the unity of
all believers in Christ and to
work for it,"
THE CARDINAL warned,
however, that the work for uni
ty can fail "if the support were
to lack a collective effort of
sanctification on the part of the
whole Church." He continued:
"Experience shows this great
est contribution to the cause of
unity comes from the example
of those virtues which shine
forth eminently in Christ, that
is humility and charity; while
pride, indifference and selfish
ness have been and always are
the main causes of division."
In reviewing what laymen
can do in the field of unity
work, Cardinal Bea first noted
that "it is often thought that
as a consequence of firmness
and absolute faithfulness to the
sacred deposit of Faith, there
is nothing more to be done in the
matter of doctrine in the
*cumenical field. This Is not
exact.”
The Cardinal pointed out that
he does not mean a compro
mise which he said cannot take
place i n the field of Faith.
“OFTEN ideological differe
nces which divide us are not
dogmas but misunderstandings,
which come from differences
in
AMERICAS CHURCHES
Crisis Of Conscience
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
“1* only the "outside** agitators would go away."
We are one nation, not fifty- “indivisible, with
freedom and Justice for all" we were taught
to say i n school.
THE RELIGIOUS leaders 0 f the nation have
Glanced their crisis of conscience. The humi
lity and determination with which they have set
themselves to the task of achieving justice is a
call to every individual religious person. Justice
and charity will no longer be respectable words
unaccompanied by a personal commitment to their
fulfillment. The cause has diffused itself widely
enough that each man is called upon to take his
stand, the stand heralded by the faith he embra
ces and the values he upholds.
Cardinal Suggests Council
Reduce Its Formal Work
ACROSS
1. Pole
6. 15th of some
months
9. news agency
13. emperor
14. obllgutlon
15. respite
17. source
18. ancient Jewish
month
20. iron ore
22. dabble in
25. exclamation
28. employ
27. plural ending
26. fish
29. French friend
30. Indian (N. Mex.)
31. scale note
32. platform
34. wife of Cuchulaln
35. bulging rolls of
hair
39. Greek measures of
length
41. epoch
42. energy unit
44. maidenhair fern
48. Yield
51. World War II area
52. single
63. shooting atar
55. entrance
56. aid
69. heron
60. travel
61. heavy tool
62. Anglo-Saxon coin
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
63. muffin
64. verb form
66. grape —
68. before
69. longsufferlng
71. watch maker
73. Peruvian Indian
(var.)
75. Western Alliance 40
Organization 42
76. vessels for heating 43
liquids
78. African bird
80. Elbe tributary
81. daughter of Zeus
82. conform
83. wax
DOWN
1. Inventor
2. particles
3. portico
4. sways
5. —est
6. cherished
7. decline
8. She received this
mark
9. gun shot
10. Orinoco tributary
11. of the same type
12. condition of the
church In her day
16. strange
19. military unit
21. bring up
23. precise point
24. Syrian deity
29. Army Transport
Service
45.
46.
47.
49.
60.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
60.
63.
64.
65.
67.
68.
70.
72.
74.
77.
79.
revises
lamb
Eric, the —
exist
Hindu cymbal
Mediterranean
Island
honey-eater bird
Christmas —
Pope whom she
Induced to return
to Rome
also
Spanish one
sea (fr.)
rogue
Italian seaport
Tumeric
She belonged to
the Third Order of
8t. —
own
During her time
the Pope was an
— from Rome
linear measure
procure
state (abbr.)
bury
hoard
German numeral
speed
soothe
seize
male swan
compass point
southern state
(abbr.)
ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S PUZZLE ON PAGE 3
GENOA, Italy (NC)—"Let us
do what is necessary. This Is
always a good rule for summit
level meetings such as the ecu
menical council.”
With these words, Giuseppe
Cardinal Slri of Genoa, expres
sed his belief that the council
should deal only with a few maj
or and compelling Issues rather
than with the numerous propo
sals that have been presented.
Moreover, the Cardinal stress
ed that one more session is all
that is required to complete the
necessary work facing the Sec
ond Vatican Councl..
"ONE MORE session is
enough and it is convenient,"
Cardinal Siri declared In an ex
clusive interview with the N.C.
W. C. News Service. "Today
the bishops cannot remain ab
sent for too long a time. The
dioceses would suffer too
much.”
Asked what he thought re
mained of the necessary work
to be completed, the 57-year-
old churchman singled out the
schemas dealing with the sour
ces of Revelation and doctrine
on the bishops. To these he al
so added "all material that
concerns laymen and the pres
ence of the Church in the world
(Schema 17). The rest can be
completed through the commis
sions and, even better, through
ordinary means."
The Archbishop of Genoa, one
of the presidents of the coun
cil, disagreed with those who
maintained that the pace of the
council up to now has been too
ARNOLD VIEWING
Bland - Non- Controversial
BY JAMES W. ARNOLD
in mentality and terminology,
he stated'. In these cases, it is
possible to eliminate them with
a fuller explanation of doctrine,
an explanation which takes into
account the mentality and
language used today by non-
Catholic brethren.”
Cardinal Bea stated that phi
losophy and the history of phi
losophy can render great ser
vice in explaining, and that the
many non theological sciences
can assist theology. As exam
ples he cited date which can be
supplied by the general history
and history of the Church, the
possibility of collaboration bet
ween natural sciences and phi
losophy in the elaboration of
a solid Christian anthropology
as well as the collaboration oif
anthropology as philosophy in
the elaboration of a solid Chri
stian anthropology as well as
the collaboration of archeology,
history and ancient literature
in the science of Biblical ex
egesis.
The Cardinal concluded:
"While Christianity of the
Middle ages was called on to
give mankind the sublime crea
tion of the cathedrals, our era
seems to be called on or at
least to prepare thoughtfully an
incomparably greater, more
sublime, more fruitful gift—the
constructed temple of the unity
of all those who bellve
Christ.”
Moviegoers with soft spots in their hearts and
heads for the artless but painless Hollywood come
dy-dramas of the 1940's may renew sentimental
attachments by seeing "CaptainNewman, M.D.,”
the cinema version of Leo Rosten’s 1961 novel
about the joys and sorrows of running an Air Force
hospital psycho ward.
The story is mostly bland and non-controver-
sial. The essence of every character is clear
from his first five minutes on screen. The empha
sis is on acting and dialogue, rather than camera
and film editing, as a group of moderately like
able people struggle with mod
est success against the snares
of service comedy, routine ro
mance, and psychoanalytic
drama ("Doctor, come quick 1
The patient has got a knife and
gone berserk 1”)
One is grateful for the ab
sence of message, bedroom and
torture scenes. The film seems
to have been honestly made about a psycho
ward and not in one. But it is indicative of the
faults of such movies that they must be describ
ed in terms of what they lack rather than of their
positive values.
ROSTEN’S book was a nice blend of the tragedy
and comedy, pathos and absurdity, Inherent in war
time service situations and in treatment of the
mentally ill. But It has fallen into the clutches of
old Hollywood hands like scenarist Richard Breen
and director David Miller, They have been satis
fied to take a handful of the novel’s incidents,
strip away much of their complexity, and trans
cribe them more or less literally on the screen.
A few of Rosten’s events are film naturals: a
struggle with an enraged patient in a boiling show
er, a slapstick "roundup" of panicky sheep who
have wandered onto the base airstrip. Sometimes
the book is changed on grounds of taste as well as
visual effect: instead of deteriorating into per
version, a disturbed officer leaps off a water tow
er. But mostly the characters simply sit or stand
around and talk.
GREGORY Peck brings his customary intelli
gence and quiet charm to the role of a psychia
trist at a southwest desert base trying simul
taneously to cure combat psychoses and con
vince the blockheaded camp commander (James
Gregory) that his patients are not merely "odd
balls and malingerers.”
It’s not news that psychiatrists are the saint
figures of popular drama. We have become skep
tical of businessmen, clergymen, military brass
and politicians. But the psychiatrists patiently
bear, understand and forgive all, while constantly
battling Ridicule and Ignorance. Yet the trend may
be encouraging: the first step toward sanity, after
all, is trusting one's analyst. When psychiatrists
begin to show up as villains, watch out.
On the credit side, the film was shot at histo
ric Fort Huachuca, deep in Arixona’s Apache coun
try. The exteriors are startlingly crisp. The water
tower, up which Peck chases patient Eddie Albert,
looms from the flat wasteland like a giant rattle
left by some predatory baby. Some of this foot
age, shot from above by intrepid cameramen
Russel Metty, is dizzily impressive.
TENSE AS this may sound, the bulk of the film
is comedy, built around a brash orderly (Tony
Curtis), a wheeler-dealer who somehow turns
every disaster into triumph, and a sincere but
dimwitted assistant (comic Larry Storch), who
with the stuffy commandant serves as foil for
Curtis. There Is also, thank heaven, a doll of a
nurse (Angie Dickinson), who is as sweeras all
movie heroines used to be.
Comedy in a neuropsychiatric ward for combat
casualties? It's nothing to be alarmed abut. The
sane people are the funny ones; the sick are treat
ed with respect and compassion. The humor, In
fact, is no more offbeat (and not much brighter)
than if TV’s "McHale's Navy” had been lifted
on masse to section eight.
Bobby Darin, as a hillbilly aerial gunner with a
guilt complex, is put under sodium pentothal by
Peck and thus gets another chance to do his crazy-
man bit (last time: "Pressure Point**). There are
no hard feelings against Darin, who may well have
talent within a certain range, but he Is building
a reputation as an actor on the basis of mad
•cenes. This is like Judging a golfer on his ability
to swing hard.
BUT THE gravest fault in "Newman" is still
the failure of Miller and Breen (Henry and Phoebe
Iphron, who contributed "Take Her, She's Mine”
to our culture, also fiddled with the script) to
find a way to tell this story inmovle terms. In the
Darin episode, the actor is simply given the frame
in which to win his Oscar. We sit through what
amounts to a 10-minute medium closeup of Darin
being hysterical on a cot while he relives an event
that could well be shown in flashback.
IN A TEDIOUS bit of potential comedy, Curtis
and his ward of invalids tease Storch about a
stolen salami, but all the actors do Is jaw at each
other. Later, writers and director handle an entire
comic episode - the filching of the topfive feet of
the colonel's Christmas tree - by having Curtis
stand there for five minutes and tell Peck about it.
If one does not insist that a movie be more than
Just dialoge in technicolor, "Newman” Isa rea
sonable success. Everyone Is so warm and decent
and genial, and we haven’t been able to say that
since the last PTA dinner-dance cocktail hour.
CURRENT RECOMMENDED FILMS:
For everyone: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World;
Lord of the Flies, Lilies of the
Field.
For connoisseurs; Winter Light, Tom Jones, The
Leopard.
Better than most: America America, Dr. Strange-
love, Love With the Proper
Stranger, Billy Liar, Charade.
slow. On the contrary, he said,
"I am of the opinion that there
was too much haste. A council
must be respected and must deal
with few, necessary, unpost-
ponable, supreme things. The
others can be dealt with in a
different way.”
HOWEVER, he said the pro
cedure of the council could be
improved "in the sense of in
troducing a form permitting or
derly but clear discussion on
certain points. If this had been
done, everything would have
been simpler and clearer as
well as more conclusive.”
Asked if he favored lifting the
rules of secrecy that surround
the work of council commis
sions and council projects that
have not yet come to the floor,
the Cardinal was emphatic.
"No, Everything that Is in the
process of formation, even
though merely civil, must reach
a certain perfection before be
ing communicated to the pub
lic. Before that ‘moment, as
everybody knows, even busi
ness firms, reserve is neces
sary."
THE CARDINAL continued:
"Assuming, for the sake of ar
gument, that the public should
also know, Its right (to Infor
mation) will begin at a certain
point; the point I mentioned.
Not before. This is, after all,
an ordinary rule.”
Turning to specific matters
before the council, Cardinal
Slri said he did not think it Is
necessary for the council to
discuss the question of religious
liberty. "This doctrine is al
ready quite clear and precise,
at least for those who know it.
The schema which was pre
sented was not right; naturally
this is my humble opinion."
As for the relation of the
Church to the Jews, the Cardi
nal stated that he thought it
would be "better not to speak of
it, because, to speak of it, we
should first of all say what our
Lord Jesus Christ and St. Paul
said of the great drama. To
speak without mentioning that
would be a real error and 1 do
not think that it would please the
Jews very much. Let us leave
them alone and pray for them
and let us love them as bro
thers.”
CARDINAL Slri also indicat
ed that he does not think jthe
council will take action on race
relations. "The Catholic doc
trine is clear on this point, and
to speak of certain matters, in
themselves right and true, could
play into the hands of political
factions. Since everything is
already clear, 1 do not see why
the matter should be stirred up
in such a place (the council hall).
Let ua do what is necessary.
This is always s good rule for
summit level meetings such as
the ecumenical council.”
On the subject of the concept
of the collegiality of the bishops,
the Cardinal made It clear that
he does not think that the test
vote taken during the last ses
sion of the council has any
force.
"The vote on collegiality la
null, because it was done with
out specifying the meaning of
the term. When a question is
asked which may have from
three to five meanings, without
specifications, any answer is
worth from three to five an
swers, that is to say, it an
swers nothing.
REGARDING the proposal
that a senate representative of
the world's bishops be set up to
advise the pope on major prob
lems, the Cardinal said:
"Let us abide by what was
done by Jesus Christ. The con
stitution of the Church is what
it is, that is to say, what it has
been to this day. The pope is
free to choose the advisers he
wants, otherwise he would not
have the primacy. It does not
seem to *ne reverent to advise
him on his senate. He has it
and. he, and he alone, can change
what he wants.”
W
God Love You
&Y MOST REVEREND FULTON J. SHEEtf '
Helmud Thieliche asks: "Is not the (Jhruuan Wes tern world on
the same road of separation from Its origin and the source of its
blessings as was the prodigal son when he left the father's house?
Are we not In danger of being stuck with our freezers and tele
vision sets — not that they are bad in themselves but because we
have made them into a delisive kindof gtufflng to fill up our emp
tied and peaceless lives? And meanwhile we are still impressed by
all this blown up nothingness and
many even indulge in the Illu
sion that when 'X Day* comes
we shall be able to impress the
Invading Communists with all
these gadgets. 1 am afraid the
Communists will hold their
noses at the vile smelling wealth
of the man who squandered the
father's capital and goes babb
ling around a battlefield with a
few decayed Christian ideas. The Christian West becomes some
thing impossible to believe.” The Christian who has suffered
from Nazis, Communists and war has gained an insight into world-
affairs that is far deeper than that of us who "must stay up to
listen to the eleven o'clock news,”
The burden of the world is not on government, nor on foreign aid,
nor on education. The burden of saving a world in rebellion be
cause it is hungry falls primarily onus Catholics. Scripture tells
us that God's judgement begins with the Church. May we go on
building million dollar chanceries, dormitories, high schools and
religious houses—all of which are necessary—without giving one to
ten per cent of the cost to the Good Lord Who does not have walls
for His Eucharistic Presence in Africa, Asia and elsewhere? May
we Catholics continue to enjoy our cars, our gadgets, our comforts,
our snacks between meals—all of which are good—without ever
giving at least a dollar a month to the Vicar of Christ to feed the
poor In the slums of Latin America?
We have too much; they have too little I The Lord does not want
us to give up our split-level homes, but He does ask that our
hearts be less hard than Cavary's rocks, which were split at His
Love for us. The next time you are asked to make a contribution of
$1,000 for a $2 million high school with gymnasium, send $900
for the school and make the pastor happy that he as well as you will
share in bearing Christ's Cross in other parts of the world by
giving the other $ 100 to the Holy Father and his Society for the
Propagation of the Faith.
GOD LOVE YOU to M. L. for $5 "1 promised the Sacred Heart
of Jesus and also my Patron Saint that I would make my gratitude
public if my prayers were answered.” ....toS. C. for $150 "This
Is for Pope Paul and his Missions." .,..J„ J., and R. for $1
"Please use our allowances to save a soul for Christ.” ....to
J.P.C. for $500 "This is s Lenten offering for the Missions to be
used wherever deemed best.”
MISSION combines the best features of all other magazines:
stories, pictures, statistics and details, human Interest. Take an
Interest in the suffering humanity of the mission world and send
your sacrifice along with a request to be put on the mailing list of
this bi-monthly magazine.
Cut out this column, pin your sacrifice to ft and mall it to Most
Rev. Fulton J. Sheen, National Director of the Society for the Pro
pagation of the Faith, 366 Pifth Avenue, New York lx, N. Y, or
your Archdiocesart Director, Very Rev. Harold* Jw Rainey P, O,
Box 12047 Northside Station, Atlanta 5, Ga.