Newspaper Page Text
PROTESTANT WRITER SAYS:
Implementing Updating
Crucial Test Of Council
PAKISTANI women of the Jati district draw water from a deep well in a village spon
sored by Catholic Relief Services-National Catholic Welfare Conference. CRS aroused in
terest and co-sponsorship from other voluntary welfare agencies throughout the world.
POTATO CHIPS
TWIN
PKG.
ECHOLS TRANSFER INC.
Hauling & Moving
Truck & Driver $3.75 Per Hour
Tractor TYailor & Driver $4.50 Per Hour
370 Lee St., S. W. PL3-2153
Atlanta
IGNATIUS HOUSE
RETREATS BY JESUIT PRIESTS
Weekends For Men
And
Weekends For Women
6700 Riverside Drive N. W. 255-0503
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
*&ee Studio*
WEDDINGS
PORTRAITS
COMMERCIAL
BLACK - WHITE AND NATURAL COLOR
1164 N. HIGHLAND AVE., N # E.
ATLANTA, UA.
TR 6-3716
WE SPECIALIZE IN FINE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY.
OUT OF TQJVN ASSIGNMENTS ACCEPTED
H+tdusioHce in all Ua pvufti!
9l it'd, wAitten, we wAile it
Sutter & McLellan
1422 RHODES HAVERTY BLDG.
JAcksnn 5-2086
WHERE INSURANCE IS A PROFESSION NOT A SIDELINE
SENSIBLE TOYS
SENSIBLY PRICED
OPEN NITES
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
PIAY SHOPS
EVERY TOY DISCOUNT PRICED!
3687 Roswell Rd., N.E. Cherokee Plaza
Toco Hill N. Decatur Plaza
Sandy Springs North
Us« your C ft 8 Crsdlt Card
Letters
TO THE EDITOR:
“Magnificent” is the only
word I can think of to describe
the front page of the Georgia
Bulletin of Thanksgiving Day,
November 26, 19641 The column
of Archbishop Hallinan was so
full of wonder, so full of hope
and promises, and so full of
humility that tears came to
my eyes as I read it. The
symbols so beautifully pictured
represent all of Christianity and
the historical Jewish faith from
which it sprang.
We, tod, of other than the
Roman Communion, pray that
those who find it difficult to
change, may be given that pa
tience and love enough to su-
ceed, I'm sure that with God's
help and in love and charity,
we will truly come to know that
we are all “one in Christ”,
God bless Archbishop Hallinan
and the “Georgia Bulletin” for
being I
JEAN LOMBARDI
ATLANTA, GA.
BY CLAUD D. NELSON
Religious News Service Special
Correspondent
Looking at * ‘renewal and re
form” not in one session butin
the sweep of all three sessions
of the Second Vatican Council —
and doing so in an ecumenical
perspective — three yardsticks
will aid us to measure the pro
gress of aggiornamento and the
resistance to it.
The crucial questions are:
What is happening to papal in
fallibility? To the Romanity, or
Latinity, of the Catholic Church?
And to establishment — alli
ance of the Church with gov
ernment?
TO TRADmONALISTS and to
the administrators who consti
tute the Curia these have seem
ed to be, and they have been
since Vatican I, unshakeable
foundations — if not of the faith,
certainly of ecclesiastical poli
cy.
Thus, the battle rages around
all three, and in all three cases
not only aggiornamento but pro
gress toward Christian unity is
at stake.
Papal infallibility begins to
make sense to Protestants and
Eastern Orthodox — and to
countless Catholics — when it
is understood to be the voice
of the whole Christian fellow
ship under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit. Hence the inten
tion of Vatican I, after defin
ing the authority of the Pope,
to clarify the relation between
the papacy and the episcopacy.
It may not be an unmitigated
disaster that this clarification
was not attempted by a Council
on the defensive, in the era of
Pius IX's Syllabus of Errors.
A less embattled, more con
sciously pastoral generation of
bishops may have succeeded
ON TOUR
Nuns 9 Habits Shake
Up Russian People
ADRIAN, Mich. (NC)— A
Dominican nun disclosed here
that she and her nun-traveling
companion created a stir among
the Russian people when they
visited the Soviet Union in the
summer.
Sister M. Ann Joachim, legal
counsel for the Adrian (Mich.)
Dominican Sisters, and her
companion wore their religious
habits during the visit.
“WE were as much a curio
sity to the Russian people as
Council
Praised
ROME (NC)— For the first
time in Rome's memory, a
Protestant clergyman spoke at
the Pontifical Urban University,
operated by the Congregation
for the Propagation of the Faith.
The Rev. Roger Schutz, prior
of the Protestant monastery
at Taize, France, and a guest
at the ecumenical council, said
of the event: “We are emerg
ing from a long winter to en
joy the spring of ecumenism."
HE WAS speaking during a
conference sponsored by the
universityjs Omnes Gentes (All
Peoples) asociation, whose
theme was “Toward New Di
mensions of Ecumenism.’
and tempest,” he told 700 se
minarians in the audience, “but
this does not prevent us from
asserting we are indeed ex
periencing a ’little spring’ or
a ’first spring,' according to
expressions used by (Popes)
John XXIII and Paul VI.
“The unanimous vote of the
council Fathers for the schema
on ecumenism is a source of
great hope because it will per
mit us to present to the world,
which needs to believe, a more
united church, and because it
bears witness to the pastoral
concern of bishops at" a truly
universal level.
they were to us,” said Sister
Joachim, who practiced law be
fore she joined the Dominicans
in 1928.
“Everywhere we went people
stared at us and followed us,"
she said. “Some of the older
ones would point to rosaries
as if telling us that they under
stood what they were. Others
would attempt to make the Sign
of the Cross or indicate that
we do so.
“In elevators when we were
the only occupants, the opera
tors would sometimes show us a
chain with a religious medal
which they wore around their
necks,” she continued.
“WHEN we first arrived in
Moscow, we asked our guide
where we could attend Mass.
She directed us to St. Louis
church. When we arrived we
found a neat blue fence around
the church and the gate locked
with a big chain and padlock.
Later we learned that the
French church had been closed
by Khrushchev when De Gaulle
recognized Red China,*’ said
Sister Joachim.
She said women have an im
portant role in Russia since that
country lost some 10 million
men during World War II.
“Most of the doctors and law
yers are women. The director
of the health clinic was a wo
man. Other women work as ma
sons, on construction crews,
in the fields and as street
sweepers,” she said.
AFTER repeated requests,
Sister Joachim (who is also a
writer, lecturer and educator)
was allowed to visit a Soviet
court in session.
“They must have known we
were coming," she related.
“They were trying a divorce
case. I asked the judge, who
was about 25 years old, why
witnesses were not sworn. He
replied, ’There Is no need for
witnesses to be sworn since all
Russians are honest.* “It was a
foolish question," Sister Jo
achim admitted.
where its predecessors in 1879
might not have been able to
summon the necessary courage
or theological support. But even
now, when De Ecclesia with its
especially vital Chapter III has
become a constitution of the
Catholic Church, the proof of
the collegiality pudding must
still be in the eating.
MANY FRIENDS of the col
legiality doctrine were sur
prised when Archbishop Pietro
Parente, a member of the Doc
trinal Commission, advocated
its approval, doubtless winning
many votes for it. It was said
that his acquiescence was bas
ed on the fact that the text did
not dispute the “ex sese” (by
and of himself) of Vatican I,
and that he might therefore
have sacrificed the substance
to save the form. But in the
Roman tradition the “ex sese”
could not be repealed: one has
only to take care that it not be
forgotten. Furthermore, for
every assertion of collegiality
by Pope Paul or bishops there
is a corresponding and often
more emphatic assertion of the
Pope’s ability to act alone. But
we are often reminded that,
even with “ex sese” empha
sizing papal self-sufficiency, it
must not only be understood
that this is the gift and guaran
tee of the Holy Spirit, but it
must be assumed that the Pope
speaks with the assent of the
Church. The infallibility of the
Church itself has not been de
fined.
The practical effect of col
legiality remains therefore not
only to be seen but, in large
measure, to be developed. The
way is open for the establish
ment of a senate or group of
bishops of dioceses to report
to and advise the Holy Father.
If representative of all par'.s
of the Church, and not a body
permanently residing in Rome,
such a group might be of great
help in establishing policy,
leaving only administration to
the Congregations that are per
manently seated in Rome and
that make up the Curia. It is
scarcely to be expected that
any such advisory body, with
either permanent or rotating
membership, will be created
until after the Council's conclu
sion, But the policy is affirm
ed, and may be implemented as
Pope Paul and his successors
find expedient — perhaps
through successive experi
ments,
“Romanita” is closely con
nected with what seems to Pro
testants, even more to Ortho
dox, the excessive legalism of
the Catholic institution. It con
stitutes an additional barrier
for the Orthodox, who protest
that the early Church did not
speak Latin, nor feel the need
of a highly developed juridial
institution! Catholics from cen
tral Europe, North America,
Africa and Asia have seen in
the Council that they are in an
overwhelming majority, and
need not in the long run be sub
jected to Latinisms that are
not essentially Catholic, Pope
John's long and sympathetic
contacts with the East helped
him to open the way for a
measure of de-Latinizing. De
velopment of a meaningful col
legiality will obviously take his
Church further along that road.
CLOSELY LINKED with the
intransigence of many of the
Latins is a fear — almost a
horror — of surrendering such
control of governments and sup
port by them as are still en
joyed in several Latin coun
tries. This may help to explain
the daring and dogges resis
tance to any meaningful state
ment on religious liberty, al
though it has become doctrin-
ally — after approval of the
decree on ecumenism — an in
escapable corollary, and was
never contrary to official doc
trine.
At one point in the third ses
sion, the U.S, bishops’ press
panel gave an indecisive an
swer to a reporter's query
whether the adoption of the pro
posed religious liberty declara
tion would have any important
practical effect.
In answer then to a more pre
cise question — whether cer
tain concordats had not allied
the Church with governments in
imposing deprivations and pen
alties on non-Roman Chris
tians, and whether the new dec
laration would not <stop> the
Church from entering into such
alliances — Father John Court
ney Murray, S,J„ a leading
American authority on Church-
state relations, assented to the
first part of the question and
gave an emphatic (and heart
felt) affirmative to the second.
HE WAS ON the panel because
of the important part he had in
developing and piloting the dec
laration through its various
states. There are among the
Council Fathers some friends
of religious liberty who think
that the declaration in its pres
ent form would be thought of as
too much based on the United
States experience, and should
therefore be somewhat further
revised.
Pope Paul’s problem is to
maintain the unity of faith, wor
ship and Christian spirit that
exists among the bishops, be
neath and above these and oth
er controversies, with mini
mum obstruction or delay of an
aggiornamento that will make
possible a wider unity — in the
Church, between clergy and lai
ty, Latins and non-Latins, ad
ministrators and theologians,
etc.; and between the Church
of Rome and other Christian
Churches, which do not have the
same concept of unity, or even
of dialogue, to which the Pope
subscribes.
A distinguished observer has
remarked more than once in
private conversation that the
“conservatives” have not pre
sented their best case. This
may be in part an illustration
of the Lord Acton dictum that
power corrupts. Why should
they resort to reasoning when
they occupy the strategic posts
and can at least delay action,
as , in my view, they did be
tween the first and second ses
sions, and more notably in the
dosing days of both the second
md third sessions? This had
a cumulative effect that might
eventually produce sufficient
reaction among the majority of
the bishops to challenge the
strategic position of the minori
ty.
But foundations have been
laid, windows have been open
ed. Whatever the Council may do
with its unfinished business,
including the formidable task
presented by Scema 13 on the
Church in the world — and I re
main a resolute optimist — the
currents that are flowing
through the Roman Catholic
Church will continue to cleanse
and renew it. The currents
may ebb, but they will return.
Let the non-Roman Churches
not doubt the Catholic renewal;
let them be open to the currents
that must cleanse and renew
their own house of faith.
PREPARING vestments for the many Masses and sacred
functions of the 38th International Eucharistic Congress, to
be held in Bombay from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6, keeps these In
dian nuns busy.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1964 GEORGIA BULLETIN PAGE -
Archbishop’s
Notebook
• WHAT DO PARENTS THINK?
In a number of parishes in the United States, the old-style
“FirstCommunion Day"' is changing. An article in Sign (Dec.
1964) explains and illustrates the experience of 6 1/2 - year-
old Susan Jelniker of Christ the King parish in Oklahoma City.
1. Susan was instructed in the great mystery by her parents.
2. Susan’s parents had previously attended a class with other
parents on “how to teach” God’s love as manifested in the
Eucharist.
3. The pastor examined Susan’s readiness at her home;
4. Susan will not make her first confession until later.
5. When Susan was ready for Communion she received it,
in her Sunday best, with her family. Afterwards, they all join
ed around a joyful family breakfast.
In these simple little changes, so meaningful to a child, there
is a great deal of theology. What do our parents think of this new
method? I would be very interested in learning your reaction.
Sister Mary Charles Bryce, O. S. B., has two interesting little
books, Come Let us Eat (for children) and First Communion
(for parents and teachers).
• THE CHURCH- DEFINED FOR OUR TIMES
Nothing that has come from the Second Vatican Council promises
more for the future of Catholicism than the Constitution, On the
Church. Liturgy, ecumenism and other steps are remaking our
lives, but out of what? Into what? Only in the great document that
reexamines the Church we love do we find the shape of God’s
design for us.
Just compare the highly juridical descriptions we learned as
children with the scriptural definitions of this new conciliar text;
“a people made one with the
unity of the Father, the Son,
the Holy Spirit”.
“The land that is God’s tillage’*
“The building of God, our Mother,
Christ’s own Body”
“God’s Holy People".
Notice the difference in emphasis? Everything in the old de
finition is true; now the jewel is turned that we may see new
facets. It’s like a legal concept of parenthood, — a juridical
bond arising from the biological relationship of progenitor and
progeny, issuing in certain rights and obligations for both, and
anchoring such entailments as transmission of family name,
property, etc. But is that all a father and mother are?
Parents are relities, not legal concepts. They love or they ne
glect; they pass on ideals or pretenses; they 'sacrifice or they
remain self-centered. They are flesh-and-blood; vital beings, 1
and we honor them best when we grasp this, and not when we
define them as abstractions.
So with the Church. It simply means more to you and me to be
included in “God's Holy People" than in “a visible, perfect,
hierarchical society”. As our narrow, almost sectarian view of
our Church is widened to the full spectrum of biblical images
given us by God, we too will widen: our horizons, our vision, our
duties, our resources, our faith.
“a perfect society"
“hierarchical structure”
“one in government"
“one in doctrine"
“one in sacraments"
• ALL OVER
That is, “from all over” (every place) not “it's all over"
(time). The renewal of our worship is only beginning. But it’s
good to know that all over the Archdiocese, signs of fresh fer
ment blend with signs oh joy in the new liturgy.
— Out at the Cathedral, hundreds of families are expected
to join in the Advent Bible Novena this month.
— In several convents, with the agreement of the priest-
confessor and the Sisters, an experiment is being conducted
to stress Reconciliation as the chief purpose of confession,
rather than the Judicial Act alone.
— A beautiful Thanksgiving Vigil was held at St. Joseph’s
Infirmary in which readers and participants were of all
faiths.
— One of my young friends from St. Paul of the Cross
second grade writes: “We hope you will be out soon to say
the new Mass”. (P. S. I offered Mass in the Hospital last
Sunday in the new style).
Thanks to all of you— for being ready. You follow St. Paul's
advice on preparation for the coming of the Lord.
ARCHBISHOP OF ATLANT/
Serving Atlanta Since 1912
PRINTING
COJ/P4/FK
550 FORREST r8aD, N. 1., ATLANTA, GEORGIA
• PRINTING
• LITHOGRAPHING
• TRInity 5-4727
tier you Cun tal !!
[ampuTirmnc]
I PIACMTRII \
) AND SPRING j
2 75 | CROSS ROADS 1 3 75
“Where Peachtree Meets Spring” Complete Sea Food Menu
Free Parking— TRInity 5-2288 and Your Favorite Beverage
OPIN OAILY 'TILL MIDNIGHT -MIMftKK AMERICAN iXPAttS