Newspaper Page Text
GEORGIA BULLETIN
PAGE 4
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1964
the
Archdiocese of Atlanta
GEORGIA
LETIN
SMVINO OIOROIA'S 71 NOtTHMM COUNTIES
IwSCT Official Organ of the Archldocese of Atlanta
Published Every Week at the Decatur DeKalb News
PUBLISHER- Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan
MANAGING EDITOR Gerard E. Sherry CONSULTING EDITOR Rev. R. Donald Kiernan
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rev. Leonard F. X. Mayhew
2699 Peachtree N. E.
P. O. Box 11667
Northside Station
Atlanta 5, Ga.
Member of the Catholic Press Association
and Subscriber to N. C. W. C. News Service
Telephone 231-1281
Second Class Permit at Altanta, Ga.
U. S. A. $5.00
Canada $5.00
Foriegn $6.50
The Publisher
On Page One we publish the
final article in our series of 12
on the Catholic Press. Its author
is the man who makes the week
ly appearance of this newspaper
possible -- Archbishop Paul J.
Hallinan.
Our Catholic Press series con
cludes at an appropriate moment,
for next week some 500 priest
and lay editors of Catholic news
papers and magazines will as
semble in Pittsburgh for their
annual convention. In this Pen-
sylvania city the joys and the
travil of the Catholic Press will
be discussed and thrashed out in
order that its influence and ef
fectiveness will be strengthened.
Significantly, some of the most
important men in the Catholic
Press are always absent from
our conventions -- the bishops
who are also the publishers.
While editors and their staffs ex
pound at great length on what is
right (or wrong) about our
newspapers and magazines, sel
dom, if ever, do the Bishop
publishers have their say. Inas
much as they are the only auth
entic teachers within a diocese,
we believe it more than approp
riate to have their considered
views and at frequent inter
vals.
Hence, we draw the attention
of our readers to this final art
icle on the Catholic Press writ
ten exclusively for the GEORGIA
BULLETIN by our publisher,
Archbishop Hallinan. It is a long
article but a necessary one. It
explains our philosophy in sim
ple language even if in great de
pth. We believe we will all bene
fit from its publication. Certa
inly the staff of the GEORGIA
BULLETIN subscribes to it and,
we think, so will our readers
once they have read and diges
ted it.
Vile Proposal
Two officials of Fulton County
have publicly advocated court-
enforced sterilization to lower
the county’s welfare bills. One
of them declared such a mea
sure “the only short-range ans
wer to the problem" of caring
for the children of persons com
mitted to jail for law viola
tions. Leaving aside allusions to
the precedent set by Nazi Ger
many’s use of sterilization to
rid society of “undesirables",
this vile proposal is no new
comer even on the local scene.
On February 19, 1957, Geor
gia Senate bill 117, which would
have legalized eugenic steriliza
tion, was defeated in committee.
Bishop Francis E. Hyland, then
bishop of Atlanta, opposed the
bill during the hearings and tes
tified, “we cannot and we must
not attempt to breed children as
we breed cattle."
Solicitor General Hinson Mc-
Aulifee, one of the present ad
vocates of enforced sterilization,
stated on May 12 that such a law
has not been passed because
“everyone is afraid" of “some
small groups" who oppose ster
ilization. We presume Mr. Mc-
Auliffe does not need reminding
but we hasten to assure him
that the Catholic Church is such
4 | _ , ,
a group.
Whatever form proposals for
legally enforced steriliza
tion take, they have in common
a completely debased conception
of the human body and the hu
man person. Absolute dominion
over our bodies belongs not to
us but solely to God. The mean
est human beings are of suffic
ient dignity to be free, in
their physical and personal
integrity, from the arrogant ec
onomizing efforts of minor offi
cials. What gross materialism:
to reverse the end-means rela
tionship between money and a
man, made in the divine image!
Communities certainly need
to recognize the problem of
crime and the many Wel
fare costs. There are almost
innumerable steps which ought
to be taken by public and private
agencies under the broad heading
of education and the improvement
of environment. The costs of
crime and welfare will only be
aggravated by the cheapened and
demoralized philosophy implicit
in proposals for enforced steri
lization.
6 Becker Amendment’
We are not impressed by the
panic pressures being applied by
certain political . and religious
groups in support of the ‘Becker
Amendment" to restore Bible
reading and prayer to public
schools.
When the Supreme Court ruled
on this question last summer, we
urged calm acceptance of the de
cision and suggested that all try
and live with it. This because,
contrary to first impressions,
the Court had not banished God
from our public schools. Prayer
and Bible study was not ruled
out; merely the imposition of any
one formula of prayer or Bible
study-- a formula that might
seem to favor or\e religious
body at the expense of another.
We are pleased, therefore,
to note that one of the leading
Catholic constitutional lawyers
in the country, William B. Ball,
of Harrisburg, Pa., has also
urged caution in any steps to
change the Constitution and re
verse the Supreme Court ruling.
He told the House Judiciary Com
mittee that the country should try
first to work out the details of
the High Court’s formulation, re
membering that its principles are
neutrality, not antagonism,
toward religion.
Catholics have always been in
the vanguard of those who advo
cate a genuine separation of
Church and State. It is the tra
ditional view of the Catholic
Church in America. For this
reason, we believe the “Becker
Amendment" should be defeated.
However, if the fears of its sup
porters are realized, and the
Supreme Court ruling is used to
eliminate religion from public
life, then, and then only, would
we favor amending the Consti
tution.
^ U( N x
Z+PUfolb
Irresistible Force
GEORGIA PINES
Our Own
BY REV. R. DONALD KIERNAN
At one time there was a very popular car
toon in one of the ecclesiastical magazines call
ed “Julie (or Housekeepers are hard to get)”.
Though humorous I really did not think it was
too true to life. Possibly my own personal en
counter with housekeepers has always been ple
asant, but the ones I have known have been de
dicated women with a deep sense of loyalty and
a sincere interest in the parish.
In our own newspaper, however, the GEORGIA
BULLETIN carries a cartoon called “Specks,
the Altar Boy”. I have never known anything so
true to life. As a matter of fact, each week
as I watch the newspaper be
ing put together I can always
recollect some young lad I have
known doing or saying some
thing just as humorous as the
caption under “Specks.”
I GUESS THERE are very
few priests today who have not
at one time or another served
on the altar as a youth. It
is probably from the inspira
tion and example of our own
parish priests that many of are priests today.
Indeed, the greatest thrill a priest gets is one
day to watch the Bishop confer Holy Orders on
a young man who once was his altar boy.
I don't know of any more inspiring sight than
to see the parish “ruffians” all decked out in
cassocks with clean, starched white surplices,
looking like angels as they walk down the aisle
in a procession. If, at any time, they are a joy
and source of pride of their own parents they
are equally as much to the parish priests too.
SOMETIMES, GOING through a rehearsal (like
Holy Week ceremonies) the priest wonders if
the ceremony will come out like anything asked
by the Liturgists. But like a miracle, the boys
always seem to “come through” and do their
very best.
1 guess at times the parents too suffer as
much as the little tots. I have never yet known
an Altar Boy who has not suffered from “first
fervor”. Once they have learned the “Suscipiat,” .
‘Specks’
you can't beat them away with a club. The 7
a.m. Mass is not too early and should
Father need a server for the next Mass, then they
are only too anxious to stay around. All the while,
the parents are dragged out of bed and made to
stay around the church until the little angel
has had his fill of serving for the day.
GOODNESS KNOWS the number of mothers who
have sent the little one off to church looking as
if he had just stepped out of the ecclesiastical
tailor shop. Hours later, returning home, our pride
and joy looks as if he has just finished
hand-to-hand combat with a demon.
Don't feel bad though, Mother. Many a priest
regularly includes in his Sunday afternoon chores
the arduous task of hanging up cassocks that have
been left on the floor by “the boys.”
ITS FUNNY HOW there is a sudden absence
of Altar Boys on Saturday mornings and during
the summer months. Let there be a funeral or
wedding on a class day and you would think that
the annual state convention of Altar Boys was
being held right in your own sacristy.
Visiting priests are a challenge to the Altar
Boy. The good Padre is always good for a
“tip”. I guess the size of the “tip” determines
whether the priest is a missionary or a secu
lar. Anyhow, if a priest appears in sandals the
“Boys” might not know what the Vow of Poverty
means but they do know that there will be more
praying than paying.
WITH AGE WE all grow forgetful. Forgetful
to everything except the Latin responses. This
seems to be one thing a man never forgets.
The other day a man came up to serve me and
after Miss he confessed that this was the first
time he had served Mass in twenty seven years
and he did an excellent job.
Whenever I walk down the aisle in a process
ion I always feel sorry for the boys sitting in the
pews instead of taking the time to become Al
tar Boys. There is something about an Altar
Boy that makes him a “regular fellow.” Though
they might be likened to “Specks.” and thojgh
we might joke and kid them . . . God love 'em,
I don’t know what we would do without them.
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Your World And Mine
BY GARY MacEOIN
The outside world tends to regard the Republic
of South Africa as the sole surviving bastion of
white supremacy in the Dark Continent, That is
far from correct. The Republic is indeed the hard
core of the resistance to the Negro’s claim to
control his own destiny. It provides the will and
tfie power to continue the rule of terror. But it is,
part of d wider complex, for it is flanked by satel
lites who increase its economic
strength and provide political
buffers against the pressures of
African nationalism.
This sphere of influence com
prises almost all of Africa be
low the tenth parallel south of
the equator. It includes South
west Africa, Angola Bechuana-
land, Rhodesia, Mozambique,
Swaziland and Basutoland. The total area is far
more than that of the United States. The climate
and soil are the best in Africa. It supplies most
of the world's diamonds and half is gold, plus
an abundance of copper and other minerals.
THE WITHDRAWAL of the European powers
from the entire equatorial belt of Black Africa
has stressed the isolation of this bloc, and the ero
sion of its position continues. The Federation of
the Rhodesias has broken up because of the maneu
vers of the white minority to perpetuate a politi
cal and economic monopoly in the entire Federa
tion. The result has been that Northern Rhodesia
and Nyasaland have gone over the side of Black
Africa, while Southern Rhodesia is drawn more
tightly into the South African orbit.
What everyone is asking is whether the indepen
dent African states are able to implement their
undertaking to complete the "liberation” of the
continent. I think the answer is quite clearly that
they cannot. The Negro states living on both sides
of the equator have no military potential, nor the
economy to create one. The Arab states further
north profess common cause with them, but even
they are no match for South Africa. She is a more
formidable adversary than Israel, and the>rab§
have found they cannot even match Israel in the
field.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
CEDAR RAPIDS
Festival
Of Faith
BY GERARD E. SHERRY
I was busy in the garden late Saturday after
noon when the call came through. The main
speaker at an inter-faith celebration for the Feast
of Pentecost had suddenly taken ill and would I
care to take his place at the Memorial Coliseum
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
What was involved was getting from Atlanta
to Cedar Rapids and back the same day, for
Monday is a busy time in our office. The diffi
culty was, Sunday is a bad day getting planes
early enough to travel long distances, and late
enough to get home at a decent hour. Jet trans
portation did the job
and my 2,000 mile
round trip was ac
complished without
any trouble. My only
regret was that I had
a good excuse for
getting of the gar
dening.
The Cedar Rapids
event was called a “Festival of Faith” and was
in honor of Pentecost. It is believed to be the
first inter-faith venture that actually commemo
rates a feast day. For a small middle-west town
the attendance was quite good: Several thousand
of a congregation and almost a hundred priests
and ministers from the surrounding area, along
with a mass choir of four hundred, representing
30 church, college, and high school choirs.
The order of service was also an impressive
event. There was the Introit and the Collect for
the day as well as a Litany for Unity recited
by an Orthodix priest. It is worth repeating some
of it:
REAPINGS
AT
RANDOM
Minsiter: For the many times we have
looked at a speck in the eye of
others rather than at their sin
cere faith andperserveranceand
good will. . .
Congregation: LORD, FORGIVE US.
Minister: For our sarcasm, narrow-min
dedness and exaggerations in con
troversy and our hardness and
severe judgments of Thy Grace
in their souls. . .
Congregation: LORD, FORGIVE US.
Minister: For the bad example we give
in our lives, thereby discourag
ing, lessening or even destroy
ing the effects pf Thy,grace in
their souls . . .
Congregation: LORD, FORGIVE US.
Minister: For our forgetfulness to pray
for them often, warmly and with
brotherly love . . .
Congregation: LORD, FORGIVE US.
Minister: In spite of differences in lan
guage, color and nationality . . .
Congregation: JESUS, MAKE US ONE.
Minister: In spite of our ignorance of one
another; of our prejudices and
dislikes . . .
Congregation: JESUS, MAKE US ONE
Minister: In spite of all spiritual and in
intellectual barriers. . .
Congregation: JESUS, MAKE US ONE.
Minister: O God, that there may be but
one sheep fold for the one Shep
herd . . .
Congregation: BRING TOGETHER US SEP
ARATED CHRISTIANS.
Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox shared
the platform and pulpit. Even the humns were
well-chosen for general acceptance —“Holy
Holy, Holy,” and “Holy God We Praise
Thy Name.” To me, apart from being privi-
ledged to give the address on ecumenism,
the most satisfying partofthe hour longcere-
mony was the recitation of the Apostles Creed
and the Our Father by the assembled congre
gation made up of so many different deno
minational groups.
How many people realize that such a gather
ing would have been impossible and beyond
the comprehension of Christians 20 years ago
and 200 years ago. Significantly, however,
it was not out of place 2,000 years ago.
The Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox
congregations in Cedar Rapids joined
in the spirit of the first Pentecost and their
presence at the Festival of Faith gave witness
to their belief in unity. Whatever the problems
before us, we have to acknowledge that such
manifestations of brotherly concern are an
essential beginning. We still have much
searching to do in this inter-faith area, but
we are talking together and this is a posi
tive element.
Gone are the days when the stumbling blocks
of arrogance and pride substituted for
dialogue. The essence of ecumenism is love,
and this must be the positive reaction i n
every approach to Christian unity, From the
national point of view the Cedar Rapid®
meeting might not appear important, To me,
it was, because they were doing something
together— something which people only tlUt
about in many other places.