Newspaper Page Text
!
o
o
4%
' *
QUESTION BOX
Protestant Attendant?
Saints in Black and White
ST. ROBERT BELLARMINE 102
BY MONSIGNOR J. D. CONWAY
Q. I ATTENDED a girl friend’s wedding last
Sunday. Just recently she became a convert. Her
sister, a Protestant, was her only attendant. The
other witness was Catholic, but 1 had always
thought that both witnesses must be Catholic. Was
a dispensation granted to permit this, or don’t
both witnesses have to be Catholic?
A. CANON LAW makes no requirements re
garding the religion of witnesses to marriage It
simply states that the marriage of a Catholic must
take place before a priest (usually pastor or as
sistant) and two witnesses. In
some dioceses there may be
special requirements, and it is
generally held more fitting that
in a Catholic ceremony, parti
cularly at Mass, the witnesses
should be Catholic.
Even if there are diocesan
{regulations requiring that wit
nesses be Catholics, I am con
fident that any bishop would make an exception
where a recent convert is concerned. It was
most fitting that she should have her sister as
attendant.
»**
Q. I WONDER if you could explain the Church’s
stand on cremation. I am very curious as to why
it should be prohibited. What is the difference
since our bodies will turn to ashes anyway? What
about people who are killed in fires or die in ex
plosions? I am sure we shall all rise again on
the Last Day regardless of the manner of our
death.
When I was in grade school I was taught that the
reason was because our bodies were temples of
the Holy Spirit; but when a church or temple is
desecrated and becomes unusable it is burned.
Why then should not the Church allow her ”human
temples" to be disposed of in the same manner.
A. EARLIEST CHRISTIAN burial customs were
probably borrowed from the Jews, and to some
extent possibly from the Egyptians. Burial was a
fairly common custom among theGreeksand
Romans. Many of the barbarians who invaded Eu
rope had the custom of cremation. The Emperor
Charlemagne imposed a death penalty against any
one guilty of cremating a corpse. This generally
discouraged the practice in westernEuorpe. Pope
Boniface. VIII, in 1299, clearly forbade cremation
by church law.
In later times, and even a hundred years ago,
some people who did not believe in the resurrec
tion, used cremation as a means of expressing
their defiance of church teaching. As you say, the
resurrection is just as easy for a body which is
burnt as for one which is buried and devoured
by worms. But at least the gesture was grandilo
quent. In consequence church laws became more
stringent, forbidding Christian funeral cere
monies to those who ordered that their bodies
be cremated. Moralists held that they might not
receive the last sacraments of the Church be
cause of their evil intentions.
Now, because of changed customs and attitudes,
the Church does not insist on these penalties,
unless it is evident that the person is ordering
cremation out of defiance of faith.
***
Q. IN ONE OF your columns I read about a
woman asking her assistant priest if there would
be room in heaven for everybody. His answer was,
"I am going there, and I will help you to get in."
1 hope that woman reads your column every
week like I do because according to the Scriptures
the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.
St. John 14, 6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way,
and the ruth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father but through me."
A. THERE FOLLOW in this letter a number of
similar quotations, but 1 am not printing them
here, because I think we all believe firmly that
L ^f.
there is no way to heaven except through Jesus
Christ. He is the Son of the Father who shared our
human nature that we might be able to share in
His divine nature. He redeemed us from our sins,
gave us the example and pledge of our future
resurrection, and continues to sanctify us through
His Mystical Body here on earth.
I am sure that the assistant priest was merely
attempting a bit of humor to parry a question
which seemed a bit foolish.
***
Q. ON THE second Sunday after Easter the pas 1
tor of my church made the following statement
from the pulpit: ’ Any Catholic parents who send
their children to any school other than a Catholic
school commit a mortal sin." He said there are
no if’s, and’s, or but’s. No excuse at all. It is a
mortal sin for Catholics to send their children
to public schools.
Is this correct? If so shouldn’t all Catholic par
ents who are sending their children to public
schools and who intend to continue to do so be
excommunicated? For good reason we have our
children in public school.
A, I WOULD NOT dare make a statement like
that of your pastor, for fear my parishioners
might take me seriously. Then what would I do?
Build new class rooms and hire more lay teach
ers? Using what for money?
I am familiar with Canons 1372-1674 which em
phasize the obligation which Catholic parents have
to take care of the religious education of their
children, the kind of religious education which
must be given in schools, and the duty of Catholic
children not to frequent non-Catholic, mixed or
public schools. However, if your pastor will read
Canon 1374 he will find that there are some if’s.
It is up to the bishop to decide in what circum
stances, and with what cautions, attendance at
such schools may be permitted. We read these
days that 50 per cent of our Catholic children are
in public schools; so most of our bishops must be
reasonably tolerant - and probably for the same
reason 1 am. What would they do if they suddenly
decided to provide Catholic schools for that miss
ing 50 percent?
The law provides no excommunication for those
who send their children to public schools. How
ever, the parents’ obligations in this matter are
very strict, and if they seriously neglect the re
ligious education of their children they are, in
deed, guilty of mortal sin. They will not be ex
communicated for it, but it should burden their
consciences heavily. Let them recall the words of
our Savior: "But whoever causes one of these
little ones who believe in me to sin, it were bet
ter for him to have a great millstone hung around
his neck, and to be drowned in the depths of the
sea." (Matt. 18, 6).
A parent who neglects the religious education of
his/her children is giving them scandal.
My greatest worry about children in public
school is that very often they come from homes
poorly equipped to give them proper religious
instruction. Sunday school can never be a satis
factory substitute.
***
Q. I WOULD like to remark on a point which
has bothered me for some time: What right has
the Church to deny the Blood of Christ to the lay
man? Christ certainly spoke clearly when He
said, "All of you drink of this; for this is my blood
of the new covenant, which is being shed for
many unto the forgiveness of sins." (Matt. 26,18).
A. THE CHURCH does not completely deny the
species of wine to the laity. They do receive it
in our churches of Eastern Rite, and the ’’Con
stitution on the Sacred Liturgy" promulgated in
the second session of the present Vatican Coun
cil states that "communion under both kinds may
be granted when the bishops think fit, not only to
clerics and religious, but also to the laity, 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 professed
in the Mass of their religious profession, and to
the newly baptized in the Mass which follows."
In all truth I might simply deny the supposition
of your question: The Church does not deny the
Blood of Christ to the layman at all. We receive
the living Christ - the glorified Christ of heaven
- when we receive under either species: bread
or wine. It is because of this profound theolo
gical truth that the Church was able to permit
the custom of receiving under only one form -
that of bread - to develop during the middle ages.
And it was to defend this doctrine of the com
plete, living presence of Jesus Christ in the Eu
charist that she later forbade the giving of the
Cup to the laity.
Let us hope that the number of special occa
sions on which we can use both forms - bread
and wine - will rapidly increase.
CONSTITUTION ON LITURGY
Parade Of Insights
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
brothers. They are attached to Christ. Without
them, he is without Christ. Without Christ, he can
not worship.
IF THE VATICAN Council were to accomplish
nothing else but the Liturgy Constitution, it would
have produced sufficient results to engage us in
life-long effort. The Constitution is a call - of
Christ's Holy Spirit, we must never forget-for us
to awaken every ounce of our energy. The doors
of the treasure house have been flung wide open.
What is offered to us is not novelty, not inno
vation for its own sake. Such a view would be
frivolous.
We have available in the liturgy renewal the
complete richness of immediate contact with
Christ. Numerous demands will be made upon us,
if we are to take advantage of the spiritual oppor
tunities which are presented. Some of these de
mands will be slight, merely a matter of chang
ing habits and absorbing new ideas. We are not
asked to forfeit anything. On the contrary, we are
to be the recipients of the most generous largesse.
If there is some slight discomfort to be felt in
the awakening of our spiritual appetites, their
ready satisfaction will be a matter of delight.
THE MOST PRESSING demand is on our free
dom - to accept the Implications of worship; to
accept Christ as he shows himself in his Church;
to embrace him where he is most perfectly pres
ent: in all out brothers. If we recognize that free
dom is another name for love, we will have come
well along the way.
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE 5
ADDRESSES BISHOPS
Pope Paul Urges Council
Prayer During Pentecost
ACIIGSS
1. ecclesiastical title
5. drink
6. hlstrio
14. sparse
15. Central American
tree
16. directs
IB. queries
IS. guttural sound
21. slur over
82. defeats
24. dentine
25. stern
26. tool
88. Biblical lion
29. playing card
30. Ho received a
cardinal's
33. Latin pronoun
35. parsonages
38. Emerald Isl'
38. hurried
89. trudge
40. r.umac
41. football position
42. we all do It
43. where Tom Dooley
worked
47. silently
40. opening
50. bird of prey
51. each
59. study
93. Hla arohblshoprlo
54. open 13.
57. shelter 17.
59. Lenten penanoe 20.
60. snare 23.
61. eye cosmetie 27.
63. fish 29.
64. fabulist 30.
66. measures of length 31.
68. Ho ea?ned this 32.
title 34.
73. no good 35.
74. fruit decays 37.
76. spico 39.
77. used in roofing 42.
79. region 43.
80. Judicial 44.
examination 45.
81. king 46.
82. request for reply 48.
83. English city 49.
52.
DOWN 64.
1. monotonous 55.
2. affluence 56.
3. boats 67.
4. settles 68.
5. Alcott character 63.
8. shelter 65.
7. He studied and 67.
taught here 69.
8. trends 70.
9. chemical symbol
10. pigtail 71.
11. American tennis 72.
champ of 30's 75.
12. repugnant 78.
conquer
brands
triple
early Greek letter
plague
man of the house
neb
Japanese aborigine
vehiclo
club
emporium
day
noble
dasn
petal
harp in Naples
obligation
accommodate
state (abbr.)
chiclets
r.avant
about
He was one
islands
Slav in Saxony
Moslem Easter
not i’-eneral
excuse
stanza (Norwegian)
key
sled for hauling
logs
Roman poet
macerates
lymph
chemical (abbr.)’
ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE ON PAGE 7
VATICAN CITY (NC)-Pope
Paul VI has called on the world's
bishops to offer special prayers
on Pentecost Sunday for the
success of the Vatican council.
He also asked clergy and laity
to pray for the council, and to in
form themselves about it and in
particular to "draw closer to
our separated brethren."
NOTING that the Church's
bishops "are preparing them
selves with the greatest dili
gence for the third session of
the council," scheduled to open
Sept. 14, the Pope declared
that "such a great event calls
therefore for the overflowing
virtue of the Holy Spirit who
fills minds with enlightenment
and who strengthens wills to un
dertake new projects and to ac
cept responsibility."
The Pope’s appeal was con
tained in a letter dated April
30 and addressed to all the
bishops of the world.
He urged them "especially
as Pentecost draws near, to
redouble your prayers to ob
tain for the ecumenical coun
cil those copious and consid
erable fruits which all of us
desire,"
THE POPE called upon the
clergy and laity to "continue
with calm and reverence to
draw closer to our separated
brethren, not turning down some
opportunities for calm and
friendly conversations and, be
ing more concerned for their
welfare rather than our honor,
they may seek together the
means for recomposing broth
erhood, based on the identity
of the faith and mutual charity
which was desired by Christ
for His Church."
ARNOLD VIEWING
‘Trial’-For The Audience
BY JAMES W. ARNOLD
Did-Oswald-really-do-it buffs will be frustrat
ed further by a new movie cranked out with very
little fanfare by a group of little-known profes
sionals in Dallas. The film, 'The Trial of Lee
Harvey Oswald," received an unheralded pre
miere in Milwaukee, where it was greeted with
enthusiastic apathy. It is scheduled for national
distribution.
Hypothetical, and often ingenious, solutions to
the Oswald case have become international pas
times rivaling scrabble and even romance in-
popularity. No one who really
i plays the game will settle for
something less than a Grand
Conspiracy theory. According
to some of these, he really was
jj a rightist pretending to be a
I leftist, an undercover man for
| the CIA, or the fall guy for
j a brilliant plot to kill the Pres-
! ldent by the Dallas police.
NEARLY ALL the guesswork can find some
shred of support in the morass of public reports
on the Dallas tragedy. The game is especially
popular in Europe, but a recent Lou Harris poll
showed that 40 per cent of Americans believe
there was a connection between Oswald and his
executioner, Jack Ruby. The conjectures will
probably become legend and persist into his
tory, but for most people the forthcoming re
port, scrupulously put together by the Warren
Commission, should resolve reasonable doubts.
Incurable conspiracy fans will merely smirk and
suggest that the Commission has been fixed.
The movie, in the meantime, is not much help.
It reviews and organizes, in about 100 hurried
minutes, most of the known facts. When it’s all
over, the average viewer will probably accept
Oswald’s guilt in preference to two fascinating
but fanciful alternatives: (1) a conspiracy by one
or more law enforcement agencies tocoverupthe
truth, or (2) a set of fantastic coincidences which
made Oswald appear guilty while the real killer
escaped In the confusion.
THE FILM DOES not raise either question, al
though the defense counsel mildly attacks some of
the fuzzier aspects of the state's circumstantial
case, e.g„ the disturbing speed with which Os
wald allegedly made his cross-town getaway, and
the marksmanship problem (three hits on a mov
ing target in 6.8 seconds).
One suspects that a real attorney, in the Belli
mold, would have exploited these and other Issues
with less timidity. He would also have made a
glorious Roman massacre of the incredible botch
of the entire affair by Dallas authorities. The
Texas filmmakers probably found this approach
impolitic.
THE FILM’S MAIN defense, as It likely would
have been In reality, is one of insanity. The prob
lem is debated intelligently, using real evidence
that Oswald was a schizoid as a child and fic
tional psychiatric testimony that he was now a
paranoid schizophrenic and Incapable of knowing
right from wrong. There is the predictable dis
agreement by the state’s "hanging psychiatrist,"
and the audience is left to ponder: does insanity
automatically exclude a knowledge of right and
wrong? Is the right-and-wrong test itself fair?
The movie, surprisingly, is not at all sensa
tional. If the producer-writer-director-editor
team of Harold Hoffman and Larry Buchanan
turn a quick profit, it will be due to hard-sell ads
and public curiosity. The film itself has almost
no dramatic or artistic qualities. It is possible
that it was produced at Dallas' Southwest Film
Center to improve the troubled city’s image by
providing Oswald the reasonable trial he was de
nied in life by the police, the news media and ul
timately by Ruby.
IN DIRECTOR Buchanan’s antiseptic approach,
the entire action takes place in a small simulated
courtroom with the audience serving as jury.
Lawyers and witnesses are shot from station
ary cameras in medium long-shots and occasion
al closeups, with little cutting. The witnesses,
representing real-life counterparts, are allowed
some personality, but not enough to reflect on
their testimony.
Every scrap of emotional material is excluded.
The lighting is flat and gray, there is no music.
There is no footage of the actual events of Nov.
22. The only cuts to real locations (the assassi
nation scene, Oswald’s rooming house, the theater
in which he was captured) are for purposes of
dry documentation.
THE TECHNIQUE is nice legally, but it may
try viewers used to the souped-up court conflicts
staged by Hitchcock or enacted by E.G. Marshall.
Aside from eloquent summaries by both attorneys,
the only sequences with impact are occasional
reaction shots of Oswald, shown from the rear, in
profile or in extreme closeup. The actor bears a
strong resemblance only from nose to eyebrows,
an effective view which Buchanan chooses often.
The total effect, unhappily, is of complete un
reality. Had it been allowed to occur, the trial
would have throbbed with atmosphere, emotional
outbursts, interruptions, reactions from the pack
ed courtroom. There would have been a feeling of
(in Hemingway’s phrase) "how the weather was,"
a natural ebb and flow of tension and boredom,
excitement and fatigue. With his mood of sterile
impartiality,^Puchanan has boiled most of the life
and humanity from the situation.
"LEE OSWALD," then, is not much either as a
movie or as a document. But it has a decency and
dignity missing heretofore in this vast tragedy.
There is also a gratifying compassion for the
defendant, who may well have been mad, and an
implicit accusation of the society which made it
profoundly easy for him to achieve a dreadful
immortality.
CURRENT RECOMMENDED FILMS:
For everyone: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World;
Lord of the Flies, Lilies of the
Field.
For connoisseurs: Tom Jones, 81/2, The Leopard.
Referring to the council, the
Pope urged all the faithful that
"in this time of diligent prep
aration, they accompany the
common effort with their pray
ers and voluntary acts of pen
ance." He expressed the wish
that they “be informed about
the themes of the council with
opportune methods, especially
by means of the press and by
suitable talks."
The Pope recalled his pil
grimage to the Holy Land, dur
ing which he prayed that all
Christians may participate in
the riches of divine grace, and
that "men of our day may be
brought efficaciously to a bet
ter knowledge ’of the mind of
Christ.’ "
DWELLING ON his visit in the
land of Jesus, the Pope recall
ed that "there we prayed to ob
tain a sure means of approach to
the recomposition in unity of
our Christian brothers, now
sorrowfully separated from
us."
' 'On that same occasion when,
surrounded and greeted by an
immense crowd, we came to the
place ourself near the most holy
memories of the Saviour," he
said, "we moreover dwelt with
emotion on how we might direct
our ardent affection and the in
clination of our heart even be
yond the confines of Christiani
ty toward all souls and all peo
ples who believe in the one God.
This is a fact which offers great
hopes for a progress toward just
understanding, for mutual
charity and for a more sure
peace of civil society."
THE POPE declared that
these are the goals to which his
pontificate and the ecumenical
council aspire. The council is
working to make the Church
shine before all men so that they
may be attracted to "the marve
lous life of the Mystical Body of
Christ," he said. To achieve
this, therefore, "we increas
ingly exhort our most beloved
sons of the clergy and the laity
that, aware of their own dignity,
they may dedicate themselves
and their own proper means to
the stable establishment here
on earth of the Kingdom of
Christ," he added.
Without naming names, Pope
Paul expressed his sympathy
for non-Catholic religious bod
ies undergoing difficulties, a
particularly important point in
light of the difficulties which the
Orthodox Church is encounter
ing in Turkey these days.
HE SAID: "On this occasion
we demonstrate very willingly
to them our good will and that we
are close to them with our pa
ternal heart to share with them
joys and anxieties. And es
pecially we pray ardently to
the Lord for those among them
who under present circumstan
ces are in fear, desiring that,
with the removal of every dan
ger, they may enjoy in liberty,
in security and in peace their
proper rights, which are found
ed on the natural law."
Returning to the subject of
the council, the Pope noted that
the third session is being pre
pared for with great diligence
and that the new, reduced and
concentrated schemata will be
sent to the bishops soon for
their study, along with an out
line of the procedure which will
be adopted for examining and
approving the individual pro
jects.
THE POPE also addressed
himself to the council experts,
"persons qualified by virtue
and wisdom," and said "may
they, conscious of their duties,
faithfully carry out their man
date. May they yvork for the
progress of the interests Of the
council, which are superior to
individual aims, with their ex
emplary lives,
God Love You
AY MOST REVEREND FULTON J. SHEEN
What makes a missionary different from the rest of us? After
more than a decade of close intimacy with them, perhaps I can
answer this:
They live under a "must." We live under a "should". The
4 must’ is not unwelcome necessity which gripes with sharpened
fangs. It is the must" which passes into the will and the heart
and moulds the inmost desire to conform with Christ. Our Lord
often used the word, e.g., He "must first suffer many things."
Referring to His Agony, He reported, all this "must take place."
Our missionaries are under that same "must."
The same Gethsemanes, the same poverty, the
same Calvaries, the same want, the same no
where to lay their heads, the same "no room
in the inn," the same darkness set in the Heart
of Christ on the Cross, They live in poverty,
wondering where they can get fifty dollars for
sulfone, $2,500 to build a church, $10 to pay a
catechist for one month. Their bishops are on the
- road constantly, and in one country, they iive on
4og (not "hot dog" — just plain dog). They are driven out of the
Sudan. They live under the threat of their schools being disposses
sed and yet, like Paul, they are willingly "handicapped on all
sides —never frustrated; puzzled on all sides—never in despair.
Everyday we experience something of the Death of Jesus, that
the life of Jesus may be plainly seen in our mortal lives."
And we? We live under the "should” or the "ought." We
"should" be more sealed with the Cross. We "ought" to share
their burdens. We feel only the White Hands of Christ, before the
Crucifixion and the Resurrection; they feel the Scarred Hands of
Christ, after Good Friday and Easter. They are under necessity;
we are "at our pleasure." Do you not want to be one with them and
share in the sanctity of the Church? Yes, continue to contribute to
the mortar of your parishes, but forget not the mortals for whom
the missionaries suffer. Be happy that you have a nice * plant" in
your parish, but rejoice more that you share the sufferings of these
missionaries. . .
"No wound? No scar?
Yet as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole: can he have followed far
Who has no wound or scar?"
After reading this, do you think you "should" send a sacrifice
to the Holy Father for his missionaries, or do you think you
must" —that sharing His Cross you will also share His Glory.
GOD LOVE YOU to E.R. for $2,500 ‘Tobuild a school in mem
ory of my beloved husband, D.D.R.." ....toT.C. for $10 'To feed
the world’s poor.” ....to Rev. T.vT for $300 "Since my insur
ance covered a recent operation, I am glad to send this to you."
....to R.P. for $2 'This is not much, but I hope to send more when
ever I canr*
How to increase your spendable income after taxes without read
ing the Wall Street Journal? Send your appreciable securities to
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith for an annuity. Save
on capital-gains tax and receive a greater return spiritually and
financially. Direct your request for our pamphlet on annuities, in
cluding the date of your birth, to Most Rev. Fulton J. Sheen, 366
Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10001.
Cut out this column, pin your sacrifice to it and
mail it to Most Rev. Fulton J. Sheen, National Director of The
Society for the Propagation of the Faith, 366 Fifth Atenue, New
York lx, N. Y. or your Diocesan Director, Rev. Harold J. Rainey,
P. O. Box 12047, Northside Station, Atlanta 5, Georgia.