Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 8
GEORGIA BULLETIN
THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1965
Archbishop’s
Notebook
• THE RECORD
BREAD AND WINE
Concelebration Rites
With Dual Communion
It is the fixed teaching of our Church that Christians must stand '
for justice — civic, racial and economic. They must profess and
practice it. They must sacrifice for it too.
A demonstration of racial justice is a moral issue; its political
and economic factors are secondary, although important. Chris
tianity has vitalized and graced nearly twenty centuries of our
history, but it is no credit to many Christians that they came lately
to brand slavery, and now segregation and discrimination for what
they are — unjust and therefore evil.
It is because non-violent demonstrations can be acts of virtue
that this Archdiocese of Atlanta has approved our people taking
part in them. If the cause is righteous and the result is vital,
Catholics may take part. This is consistent with our standing prac
tice of total integration in our schools, hospitals and institutions.
The facts of our participation at Selma are these, despite head
lines and newspaper comments: No priest or layman was sent;
they asked to go with approval -- and it was given. No money of
the Archdiocese was ever used; those who went defrayed the small
expenses out of their salaries. My early hesitation in giving ap
proval was due solely to the risk they incurred. Twenty-four hours,
— thinking, discussing, praying, -- the hesitation turned to action.
The Church will probably take part in demonstrations again. If
the cause is right and the necessity is urgent. If they are non-vio
lent. And if those who go, whether priests or laymen, are not neg
lecting their first responsibilities to their daily role in the Church.
I add the following excerpts from letters I have received (2 to 1
in favor of the Archdiocesan stand). Each is important. You and I
should read them and think about them.
• EXCERPTS(FAVORABLE)
“...I am not among your flock, but I wholeheartedly endorse
your stand on allowing your priests and nuns to go to Selma, and be
Witnesses to the injustices found there..... I felt that out of Chris
tian brotherhood, I should write you and let you know that there
are many, not Catholic, who are behind you 100%"
i—Man, Atlanta
"....It is vital for the Church to remind us by word and deed that
we have a responsibility to exercise a Christian conscience in
this matter. As the Apostles ventured forth into foreign lands to
bring the Word to all people, so His priests today must be in the
vanguard of the march to freedom."
"....There has been much controversy, pro and con, in relation
to our priests and nuns taking part. It is our hope that their pres-,
ence and participation therein will serve to awaken and renew in
the hearts of all Christians love and complete unity in Christ
..... If our clergy fails to speak up and set an example of Christ’s
likeness, to whom can we look?"
—Couple, Atlanta
“,...I am not in the habit of writing letters.... To deny to a human
being his moral and civil rights as a man is to deny his humanity.
Certainly-moral issues are involved, and I think that the Catholic
Church should and must assuine a position of leadership in the
Struggle to ' resolve this problem..., I do not want sermons about
charity, brotherly love and other meaningless abstractions. I want
the leadership of the Church to relate these concepts to our daily
lives, and take an ‘open stand’ on the racial problem....I think this
sort of thing is precisely what ‘God’s work’ is all about."
—Couple, Atlanta
It has been my belief for a long time that the duty of the
Church is to lead its people on moral issue, and not just to follow
the wishes of its parishioners.... I am proud I am a Catholic and a
member of the Archdiocese."
—Man, Atlanta
‘‘..i.Christ Himself never won a popularity contest. We need
just look at the scene on Calvary, and the events leading up to it.
If He was present today, He .would most, assuredly be rejected
again as an agitator.’’
—Man, Atlanta
"....I strongly feel that besides the Christian issue, our Consti
tution is at stake, and all Americans should take a part in this
vital concern of our nation."
-—Woman, Atlanta
• EXCERPTS (UNFAVORABLE)
"....When these self-professed civil disobedience demonstra
tions are dignified by the presence of Catholic priests and nuns —
whose whole life is dedicated to obedience to authority, -- I am
appalled. When priests and nuns are sent in from other dioceses,
over the expressed opposition of the local bishop, I am seriously
concerned about our newly revised Catholic Church. If some
members of the Hierarchy feel that the Church must enter this
political controversy on the grounds of morality, I am convinced
that the greater good will be achieved by priests and nuns cele
brating and attending public masses — dedicated to the alleviation
of these political ills — in their home parishes. I pray God will
guide you in any future such situation."
—Man, Atlanta
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
con in pontifical or solemn
Masses.
• to an abbess during the
Mass of her blessing.
• to women Religious during
the Mass of their consecration
as virgins.
• to men Religious at the
Mass of their profession, pro
vided they take their vows dur
ing the Mass.
• to the new husband and
wife at their wedding Mass.
• to adult converts in the
Mass following their Baptism.
• to confirmed adults during
the Mass of their Confirmation.
• to Christians readmitted to
communion with the Church.
• to these listed in numbers
3 through 6 on the occasion of
their jubilees.
• to priests at large assem
blies who are not able to cele
brate or concelebrate, and to
lay Brothers who attend Masses
concelebrated in religious
houses.
ALL the provisions of the
new decree go into effect on
Holy Thursday, April 15. This
is the day on which the council’s
Constitution on the Liturgy
specifically calls for concele
bration. Concelebrated Mass
es are permitted both at the
morning Chrism Mass in dio
cesan cathedrals and at the
-evening Mass of the Lord’s
Supper in parishes on Holy
Thursday evening. The liturgy
constitution spelled out five
situations allowing for concele
bration, and these simply are
repeated in the new decree.
Besides the Holy Thursday
Masses, these are: in councils,
synods and bishops’ conferen
ces; at the Mass for the bless
ing of an abbot; with the per
mission of the local bishop, at
conventual Mass and at the
principal' Mass in churches
when the needs of the faithful
do not require that all priests
celebrate individually; on the
occasion of any kind of gather
ing bf priests; in the case of
blind or infirm priests who re
quire assistance in offering
Mass. (See story, Page 2).
FATHER Bugnini in his ar
ticle said that the number of
concelebrants in individual cas
es can be determined on the
basis of capacity and circum
stances of the church and altar,
in such a way that the concele
brants may be around the altar.
He said however:
‘‘It is not necessary that all
of them materially touch the al
tar, as has been done in some
which was given.) Were they previously given that special training
how to protect themselves, or how to inflict unobserved punish
ment on those upholding law and order, or were their Roman col
lars sufficient protection (Note: (1) No; (2) No; (3) Apparently.)
"Can you justify the expenditures incurred by sending these
priests and nuns to Selma, and were these expenses borne by the
Archdiocese, or the parishes involved, or were they subsidized by
the NAACP or some foundation. (Note: No -- the small expense
came from their own pockets and they reported that the hospitality
of the Selma priests and sisters was truly Christian.'*
—Man, Atlanta
**....I did not go to Mass last Sunday, For the first time in near
ly 50 years, I intentionally stayed home in silent protest over the
public display and conduct of priests and nuns in the Selma racial
strife....”
—Man, Florida
"....Your action leaves me utterly dismayed and totally disgust
ed ... That disgusting demi-god, M. L, King, has been identified as
a man to whom the Communist Party can look for aid in accom
plishing its avowed purpose of annihilation of our country.,.. He is
aided in his unholy activities by a totally amoral opportunist who
unfortunately is President of the United States."
places where...large square or
rectangular altars, or simply
(altars) on sawhorses, like a
community table, have been
erected.
‘THIS would disfigure the
concept of art altar and distort
the idea of concelebration. Nor
is it indispensible — although
obviously preferable—that the
altar be facing the people. Con
celebration can be carried out
appropriately even with an al
tar turned toward the wall.
Carelessly constructed altars
should be avoided as much as
possible. The altar must pre
serve its sacred and solemn
‘personality.’".
Father Bugnini noted that in
the old rite for the consecra
tion of a bishop, the consecra-
tor and the priest being conse
crated concelebrated the Mass,
but the conconsecratonsdidnot.
Under the new rite; he said,
the coconsecrators “must con
celebrate with the bishop." He
said the same holds true for the
blessing of an abbot.
WHILE priests maynotjoinin
a concelebrated Mass once it
has begun, there are several
occasions on which a priest can
celebrate or concelebrate Mass
more than once on the same day.
These are on Maundy Thurs
day, both at the Chrism Mass
in the morning and at the Mass
of the Lord’s Supper in the even
ing; at the Mass of the Easter
Vigil and again on Easter Day;
in the three Masses of Christ
mas; and during synods, pas
toral visits or clerical gath
erings which the bishop or his
delegate when, in, the judgment
of the bishop, another Mass
should be celebrated for the
HUNGRY CHILDREN like
little Paul, this African lad
who lives along the Congo
River, love their - powdered
milk„when it is properly pre
pared. Our American agency,
Catholic, Relief Services-NC
WC, distributes food as well
as clothing and medicines in
more 'tHan 70 nations of the
world? 1 ■
convenience of the people. Fath
er Bugnini said that these
are "well defined cases which
no one is allowed to extend."
The priest went on to say that
when it is impoossible to find
enough Mass vestments of the
color of the day for all the
concelebrants, the principal
celebrant is to wear the color
of the day, and the rest of the
concelebrants may wear white
The main celebrant must say
all the formulas and perform all
the gestures required by the
rubrics, the priest said. Buthe
said that the concelebrants need
say only those prayers and ges
tures expressly indicated in the
new rite. As for the formulas
which they do not say aloud,
they can either ’‘say them
mentally or merely listen" to
the pricnipal celebrant.
FATHER Bugnini said that al
though the deacon and subdeacon
in a solemn Mass may be
priests, they are not allowed to
concelebrate. But they may
at the Communion receive the
Body and Blood of Christ under
both species even if they have
offered Mass the same day or
will do so.
Outlining the history of the
new rite of concelebration.
Father Bugnini said the first
plan was drawn up in Novem
ber of 1963, even before the
ecumenical council enacted the
Constitution of the Liturgy,
which called for the extension
of “concelebration, whereby
the unity of the priesthood is
appropriately manifested."
The following March, he said,
a study group was formed by
the postconciliar liturgy com
mission to work on the rite
of concelebration and the ques
tion of Communion under both
kinds. That April, this group
submitted a plan for examina
tion by 30 consultors from the
world over.
THEIR observations and sug
gestions, said Father Bugnini, ■
W£re used in formulating a sec
ond plan, which was returned to
the consultors last May 21.
The text was submitted to the
entire liturgy commission on.
June 6, Father Bugnini recall
ed, and was approved at the
plenary session of June 18-20.
With changes suggested by the
commission, the new rite was
Submitted by the commission
chairman, Giacomo Cardinal
Lercaro of Bologna, to Pope
Paul VI on June 26. The Pope
gave permission for its use on
an experimental basis.
; ; Father Bugnini said the-first
experiments were entrusted to
Benedictine abbeys in six coun
tries—including St. John’s ab
bey in Collegeville, Min
and to Le Saulchoir, Dominican
house of studies, just outside
Paris.
AMONG the conditions speci
fied were that there be no more
than 20 concelebrants and that
reports indicating difficulties
and suggesting solutions were
to be sent to the commission.
Photographs of the ceremonies
were to accompany the reports.
After these initial concele-
brations, general meetings were
usually held among the Reli
gious and laity who were pres
ent. All were asked to give
their impressions and sugges
tions "From these general
meetings, lively and intelligent
reports were issued... which
were useful for the final formu
lation of the rite," Father
Bugnini wrote.
‘‘....My family and I have decided to withhold all contributions to
the Catholic Church as long as members of the Holy Orders make
ridiculous public spectacles of themselves in cheap *n — poli
tics’. I was ashamed I was a member of a church that allowed its
leaders to be mesmerized by a protestant, common rabble-rouser.
We are giving all our contributions for church and charitable or
ganizations to the white Police Fund in Selma and Montgomery,
Alabama."
—Woman, Atlanta
’’....Your article in the paper made me sick. When I saw those
nuns, in the parade as well as our priests, I was ashamed to be a
Catholic. The dayyoucametoGeorgiawas a sad day for many, as
we now realize."
— "Disgusted” (unsigned)
“....The term love connotes protection ... I do not see how you
can justify your action in exposing our gentle nuns to possible phys
ical harm, and to words and actions that they could not comprehend,
and had never heard or seen before... (Note: No sisters have en
gaged in demonstrations outside the Archdiocese as yet.)
"1 cannot see how you can justify your actions in sending priests
into Selma either (Note: None were sent; they asked for approval
—Man, Atlanta
• COMMENT
My personal reaction to these excerpts is gratitude for those who
endorse the stand of the Church, and prayer for those who don’t.
Although the excerpts are 7 to 5 in favor, the odds of all letters
received was better than 2 to 1 in endorsement. I am glad they all
wrote, but a bishop can only regret sadly that generations of teach
ing and justice has affected some of our people so little.
The brightest note of the week was a clipping of a news photo of
rioting between whites and Negroes in a high school in my home
town of Cleveland. Across it was written the delightful title of
Wolfe’s novel, Look Homeward, Angell The sender evidently over
looked that in the picture, white youths were chasing and attacking
Negro youths 1
ARCHBISHOP OF ATLANTA
On July 3, Cardinal Lercaro
received the faculty to allow
concelebration "in particular
cases" in addition to the origi
nal seven communities. Father
Bugnini said that by this March
21, such permissions were giv
en in 1,500 cases, with the
same stipulations as were made
for the original experiments.
These went individually to 720
dioceses and 206 religious com
munities, and collectively to
eight religious orders and epis
copal conferences in three
European and five African and
eight American nations.
THE most notable of all the
early concelebrations took place
last Sept. 14, when Pope Paul
opened the third session of the
ecumenical council by concele
bration Mass with some 20 bis
hops at a specially enlarged
altar in St. Peter’s.
MIXING SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY—Pope Paul VI talks with future scientists and
technicians at the Pius IX Institute in Rome. ‘‘Your vocation is a great one, young men,”
the Pope told the students. “You must rebuild the friendship between the world of mech
anics and industry and that of spiritual life and thought."
‘SOCIETY OF BIGOTS’
Klan’s Anti-Catholic Bias
Recalled By Investigation
President Johnson's call for
a federal investigation of what
he terms "a hooded society of
bigots’*—the Ku Klux Klan- re
calls that the exercise of their
political and civil rights.
Within the past year, a cir-
culardistributed in a drive for
Klan membership in Mississ
ippi stated that Catholics are
excluded because “they bow to
a Roman dictator, in direct vio
lation of the First Command
ment and the true American
spirit of responsible, individual
liberty." Jews, Negroes and
Orientals also were described
as ineligible for membership.
THE original Ku Klux Klan
was established in May, 1866,
at Pulaski, Tenn., by six young
men as "a social club.” In
1867 it became the secret or
ganization referred to as “The
Invisible Empire of the South,"
and sought to intimidate Ne
groes and proclaim "white su
premacy." Although the origi
nal klan had no quarrel with
the Catholic religion, Catholics
had been warned by their bish
ops, at the Second Plenary
Council in Baltimore, in Oct.
1866 "to avoid secret socie
ties and all associations which
we deem unlawful.”
The first Ku Klux Klan sent
its members, dressed in white
hooded robes, on night rides of
terror, resorting to whippings
and lynchings to discourage en
forcement of the Civil Rights
Act of 1866. It was forced to
disband in 1869 but its mem
bers continued active until Con
gress passed legislation in 1870
restoring the Civil Rights Act
of 1866 and authorizing the pre
sident to use the armed for
ces to enforce its provisions.
The KKK went into decline af ter
the passage of further legisla
tion, the Force Act (1871), which
restricted its activities.
A supplementary Civil Rights
Act was passed in 1875 to pro
vide equal social treatmentfor
Negroes in specified public
places, but most of its provi
sions subsequently were de
clared unconstitutional.
A successor to the KKK, the
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan was
founded in 1915 by William j.
Simmons at Stone Mountain,
Ga., as a nativist movement
aimed against Catholics, Ne
groes, Jews, aliens and radi
cals. It became national in scope
after 1920 and reached its peak
membership in five million by
1925. Though it claimed nofor-
m al connections with the KKK
of post-Civil War days, its ro
bes and ritual were similar.
The burning of "fiery crosses,
floggings and lynchings and in
timidation of minority groups
were attributed to its mem
bers.
TOE revived andmilitantklan
concentrated its opposition on
Alfred E. Smith, four times
governor of New York, and a
strong contender for the pre
sidential nomination at the
Democratic conventions of 1920
1924 and 1928. In the national
election of 1928, the KKK was
foremost in attacking Smith, on
his Tammany connections, his
opposition to prohibition but
particularly his Catholic faith.
The campaign, in which Gov.
Smith was defeated, was called
the most bigoted campaign in
history.
Following this "victory" the
Klan became a tremendous pow
er in politics., and supported
its own candidates against Cath- it alleged were planning “to
olics, Jews and Negroes who take over the country.”
ARTHRITIS
l Good Housekeeping^
CUIMNHiS •*
01 to
cfl* 5 *
RHEUMATISM
MUSCULAR PAINS
Maybe you've tried just about everything
to get rid of such pains without any luck.
But have you tried DOl.CIN? If you
haven’t you should know there’s nothing
in all the. world that’s faster, safer. beitb
lor nagging, moderate Arthritis, Kheun>a-
tism or Muscle Pain$... whenever they
occur...than DOLCIN Tablets.
They’ve helped many men and women
come Out from under, the shadow of pain:
They may do just the same for you.. But
you’ll never know until you try. So get
yourself a bottle of DOl.CIN Tablets at
the drugstore today. Take them regularly
and faithfully. Don't put it off! Try
DOLCIN" Tablets today! c ismu. im.i.h.
NEW NUNS NEED PEOPLE
WHY DOES A NAVY NURSE GIVE $12.50 A MONTH T
HELP TRAIN SISTER JOACHIM IN INDIA? Now in Rhoc
Island, the nurse remembers hu:
gry children overseas. “I cann
live in India myself,” she saj
“The least I can do is train a n
tive Sister. • Sister Joachim w:
- —... . y do tile good I cannot do.” . ,
Q"* ■ - Jmi-, ■ V> Like members of one family, Sist
Joachim writes to the nurse (
Christmas and Easter, for instanc<
and the nurse writes to her. Th
pray for each other’s intentio:
every day . . . New nuns nei
people. In India, where Sist
Joachim’s father earns only penni
a day, young Sisters cannot pay their own expenses. Durii
the next two years, accordingly, the Navy nurse will give $31
altogether ($12.50 a month, $150 a year) . . . Like to do the sam<
Here in New York we have the names of 167 young Sisters wl
need help to complete their training. We’U send you the nan
of a Sister to “adopt,” as soon as we hear from you. She w
write to you, and pray for you. As if she were a member
your family, you’ll share forever in the good she does for othe:
Hungry children, the blind and aging, cancer victims a
need native Sisters. Native Sisters need you. Please write
us immediately. If convenient, of course, you may pay f<
Sister’s training ($300) in one lump sum right now.
The Holy Father's Mission Aid
for the Oriental Church
GOOD FOR YOU—ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEM
BERS OF THIS ASSOCIATION? Membership is good for you.
You participate in the Masses (more than 15,000 each year) and
sacrifices of all our missionary priests and Sisters. You benefit
from Mass each morning in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome . . .
Why not, as a Lenten sacrifice, enroll your family right now?
We’ll send you a certificate in time for Easter. Your family
membership offering ($100 for perpetual membership, $5 for
annual membership) we’ll use where it’s needed most.
GOOD FOR THEM—ARAB REFUGEES IN THE HOLY
LAND NEED FOOD. For only $10 you can feed a family for a
month.. In thanks, we’ll send you an Olive Wood Rosary this
week.
♦LAST CHANCE-—OUR EASTER GIFT CARDS combine your
Easter greetings With a gift to the missions in the name of the
person you designate. Select a gift (from the list below),
send us the person’s name and address with your donation—
and we do all the rest. We’U send that person an attractive gift
card, in time for Easter, ex-plaining what you have done. Here
are some gifts to select from: Mass kit ($100>, altar ($75), mon
strance '$401, chalice '$40i, tabernacle ($25), month’s supply of
food for a refugee family ($10), sanctuary bell ($5), blanket for
an orphan ($2). .
Dear Monsignor Ryan:
Enclosed please find for
Name
Street
City State Zip Code
f£i‘Rear‘East (Missions r£i
FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, President
Msgr. Joseph T. Ryaa, Nat'l Ssc'y
Seed all comaiaaicatioas to:
CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION
330 Madison Ave. at 42«d St. Now Yark. N. Y. 10017