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VOL. 3, NO. 32.
DRIVE FOR PRAYER AMENDMENT
Attention Again Turning To
Role Of Religion In School
With the approach of another
school year, it can be expected
that public interest will heighten
and there will be an expansion
of dialogue on a subject of con
tinuing national concern — the
place of religion in the public
educational system.
Though controversy has quiet
ed over the U.S, Supreme Court
prohibition against devotional
acts in classrooms, sponsors
of a Constitutional amendment
that would override the High
Court ban and permit prayer
and Bible-reading at this time
are planning to revive their
campaign.
BROADENED discussion can
be expected, too, on the other
Leo Cardinal Suenens of Ma-
lines - Brussels characterized
as a “false dilemma for the
Church” any supposed choice
between remaining faithful to
the past and being open for fu
ture development.
The cardinal said in a radio
broadcast here that it is un
wise and untrue to maintain that
a “conflict of generations'*
must exit in the Church regard-
New Flag Over
Serra Cottage
SOUTH SAN GABRIEL, Calif.
(NC) — A new American flag
will soon be flying over the Mal
lorca home of the founder of the
California missions, Padre Ju-
nipero Serra, as a gift of the
East Los Angeles Serra Club.
The new flag will replace an
outdated 48-star flag at Father
Serra’s home in Petra, Mallor
ca.
Father Serra, a Spanish Fran
ciscan, served as a missionary
in Mexico and California for 35
years before his death in 1784.
The Serra Club is an organiza
tion of Catholic laymen who
promote vocations to the priest
hood.
i HEADS (’ II AKITI E S
Msyr. Lawrence J. Corcoran,
Columbus, O.. has been
named secretary of the Na
tional Conference of Catholic
Charities, Washington, D.C.
He succeeds Bishop-elect
Raymond J. Gallagher/, re
cently named by Pope Paul
to be bishop of Layfayette,
Ind.
major aspects of the topic —
the inclusion of "objective”
Bible study and general cour
ses on religion in public school
curricula. Stimulated by the
Supreme Court’s 1963 decision
-- which found no constitutional
prohibition against such sub
jects provided they are free of
sectarian slant and not pre
sented in a devotional context
— this topic continues to re
ceive exploration in depth from
educators and churchmen.
While many might consider
the drive for a “prayer amend
ment*’ dead, in view of last
year's unsuccessful Congres
sional effort even to bring the
subject to the House floor for
debate, there are signs to bring
“ONE WOULD think it were
necessary to choose between
tradition and the past, on the
one hand, and the attempt to
make our apostolate relevant
to the present and future, on
the other. This is a complete
ly false dilemma which Chris
tians must reject totally. We
must affirm that authentic tra
dition is and always will be the
source of all vitality in the
Church of God.
“God has spoken to all ages
and for all men,” Cardinal
Suenens said. “But we are al
ways tempted to interpret His
message as it best suits us.
That is why the Holy Spirit ne
ver ceases to keep the word
of God alive in our hearts.
“This age of the council is
an especially privileges one in
the history of the Church. We
have been given a bird's - eye
view of the Holy Spirit at work.
This is an age of great graces
for the pope, the bishops who
are assembled around him, and
for the whole Church. Because
of the grace of the Vatican
council, we are able to see the
eternal truth of Christ with
greater clarity, and love Him
with increased warmth.
“THERE IS no place in the
Church for 'progressives’ and
* conservatives,’ the cardinal
said. “All of us must keep
watch over the deposit of faith.
But all of us must scrutinize
that faith lovingly so that we
might grow and deepen in our
understanding of it.”
Turning to the subject of the
liturgical regorms begun by the
council, Cardinal Suenens said
that in this matter also Catho
lics are sometimes presented
with a “false choice,”'
“SOME OF our people believe
they must decide whether to
pray or follow the Mass.” he
said.
“It is not necessary to pray
during Mass,” said Cardinal
Suenens. “Rather, the Mass is
our prayer. It is the great com
munity action, and it must be
done together.
“Collective prayer and per
sonal prayer are not mutually
exclusive. They are both es
sential to the Christian’s spiri
tual formation,” he stated.
the subject to the House floor
for debate, there are signs
across the country as well as in
Congress that the pro-school
prayer forces presently are just
catching their breath.
This week in Washington, Rep.
Joel T. Broyhill (R.-Va.) an
nounced that “a concerted ef
fort” would be made later in
the current session of Congress
to obtain sufficient signatures
on a discharge petition that
would force the House Judiciary
Committee to release the
amendment proposal and place
it on the House floor.
THOUGH THE petition in cir
culation now has only some 30
signatures, the congressmen
said he still believed that chan
ces of obtaining the needed 218'
names are “pretty good." Rep.
Broyhill, who took leadership
of the prayer amendment cam
paign on the retirement of Rep.
Frank Becker (R.-N.Y.), call
ed attention to the fact that the
last concerted discharge peti
tion drive came within 48 names
of being successful. Maintain
ing that a majority of Ameri
cans still favor prayers and
Bible reading in schools, he
expressed belief that the
amendment campaign could be
re-stimulated.
Whatever happens in Con
gress — and most observers
saw little hope for success in
any prayer amendment move,
noting that many past support
ers are no longer in office and
pointing out that only some 20
amendment proposals have been
introduced compared to about
150 last year -- it is virtually
certain that the Supreme
Court’s edict again will fall con
siderably short of unanimous
compliance.
Many pockets of outright re
sistance to the High Court ban
were found -- notably in the
South, but also in individual
communities over the coun
try — immediately following
the ruling, and there were few
indications that past practices
have been altered in these lo
cations. Also, as was the case
last year, it seems likely that
the new school year again will
find the widespread introduction
of substitute devotional prac
tices.
MOST EMPHASIS probably
will be placed on “silent” pray
er or meditation. Arguments
for these practices were seen
this spring in Wisconsin where
a bill authorizing a minute of
silent meditation appeared to
have considerable support. Its
sponsor, Sen. Jerris Leonard,
told a public hearing -- where
no protest was registered —
that the practice could be fol
lowed even by atheists who
might wish to reaffirm their de
nial of God. Also, he main
tained that church-state sep
aration is not violated since
"teachers cannot participate in
leading the children’s thoughts
>1
• • 4
It seems likely, too, that low
er courts will continue to liti
gate the prayer issue, as in
Michigan, where cases are
pending against four public
schools in the Grand Rapids
suburbs which have refused
to drop compulsory devotions.
Other court action has taken
such forms as the case invol
ving a New York education de
partment ban against the saying
of prayers or singing of relig
ious songs before meals by
public school students. The U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in
July upheld the ban, reversing
a Brooklyn Federal Courtjudge
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
FALSE DILEMMA
Belgian Cardinal
Explains Council
BRUSSELS, Belgium (NC) — ing the accomplishments of the
Second Vatican Council.
ATLANTA. GEORGIA
THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1965
$5.00 PER YEAR
CATHOLIC GROUP SAYS
Government May
Conduct Family
Planning Program
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (NC)—
A group of Prominent Catholics
has stated that government may
properly conduct family plann
ing programs, ‘so long as hu-
safegruarded and no coercion
or pressure is exerted against
individual moral choice.” ,
This, stand was taken by 36
Catholic leaders, including
clergy, teachers, physicians
and others. They expressed
their views in a joint state
ment of “opinions” put for
ward as a"suggested basis for
resolving” disputes over the
government’s role in family
planning.
The statement was made pu
blic here (Aug. 9) in an ad
dress to the Family Law Sec
tion of the American Bar
Asssociation by Father Dexter
Hanley, S.J., professor of law
and director of the Institute
of Law, Human Rights and So-
ial Values at the Georgetown
University Law Center in Wash
ington, D.C. Father Hanley is
one of the statement’s signers.
IN HIS ADDRESS, Father
Hanley stressed that he was
speaking “for the Catholic
Church or its religious lead
ers. ”
"There are many positions
which Catholics take on this
public policy matter, many of
them differing from mine in
whole or in part but reached
for legitimate political and so
cial reasons and not as the re
sult of Catholic doctrine as,
such,” he said.
The statement Father Han
ley read covers five points, as
follows: ”1) In a legitimate
concern over public health, ed
ucation and poverty, the gov
ernment may properly establish
programs which perm it citizens
to exercise a free choice in
matters of responsible parent
hood in accordance with their
moral standards.
Fatima Hostel
FATIMA, Portugal (NC)— 1 The
women’s branch of the St. Vin
cent de Paul Society in Portu
gal has announced plans to build
a hostel for poor pilgrims who
come to this Marian shrine.
“2) In such programs, the
government may properly give
information and assistance con
cerning medically accepted
forms of family planning, so
long as human life and per
sonal rights: are safeguarded
and no coercion or pressure is
exerted against individual mo
ral, choice.
”3) In such programs, the
government should not imply
a preference for any particular
method of family planning.
“4) Whele norms of pri
vate morality may have social
dimensions so affecting the
common good- as to justify op
position to government pro
grams.
“5) Although the use of pu
blic funds for purposes of fa
mily planning is not objection
able in principle, the manner
in which such a program is
implemented may pose issues
requiring separate considera
tion.
“These opinions are sub
mitted as being morally justi
fied and in accordance with
the traditional Catholic posi
tion on birth control. They
are expressed out of a con
cern for civil liberty and
freedom, and are based upon
respect for the sincere con
sciences of our follow citizens
in this pluralistic society. ”
Father Hanley stressed in his
address that the public policy
issue of whether government
should finance and conduct
family planning programs is
separate from the issue of the
morality of contraception. He
cautioned advocates of govern
ment involvement in this area
against claiming that a change
on public policy would signify
a change in Catholic moral
teaching.
“As teachers of the Cathoic
religion,” he said, "bishops
and priests are primarily con
cerned with the moral questions
involved in family planning. If
those who are trying to bring
about changes in the legal struc
ture propose the change as
though it means a moral ap
proval of the methods ad-
CONTlNUED ON PAGE 3
The following appointments are announced by the Provincial of
the Passionist Fathers and the Chancery Office:
Rev. Edward J. Banks, C.P. to be Pastor, St. Paul of the Cross,
Atlanta, replacing Rev. Dennis Walsh, C.P. who has been re
assigned to the Passionist Monastery, Union City, N. J.
Rev. Richard Leary, C.P. from Principal Drexel High School to
Assistant St. Paul of the Cross.
SMILING PONTIFF Pope Paul VI greets people waiting outside the audience hall at
Castelgandolfo ijuly 281 after his Wednesday audienee.
CHURCH ATTITUDE ‘DOGMATIC
The following appointment is announced by the Provincial of
the Redemptorist Fathers and the Chancery Office:
The Rev. Robert McCrief, C.S.S.R. to be Pastor, St. Gerard’s
Fort Oglethorpe, replacing Rev. Thomas G, Kelly, C.Ss.R. de
ceased.
PROJECT CABRINI A day camp for 1.100 children in Chicago's Cabi ini-Green public
housing project is being conducted by 15 teaching Sisters of St. i l ancis of ■ Rochester.
Minn. Sponsored bv the Chicago Catholic Interracial Council and the National Catholic
Conference for Interracial Justice, the camp is financed by the Office of Economic Op
portunity' through the Chicago Committee On Urban Opportunity,
Pope Urges Confidence In
Church, Papacy By Laity
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy
(NC)—Pope Paul VI called on
modern man troubled by doubts
and anxieties to have confidence
in the Church and the papacy.
He told his weekly general
audience (Aug.4) that those who
are worried about the possibi
lity of applying unchanging dog-
m a to the changing conditions of
modern times need “confidence
in the Church and particularly
in this chair (of St. Peter)
because of the attitude itfirmly
and faithfully maintains regard
ing the religious truth it de
rives from the revelation en
trusted to it by Christ.”
He described the Church’s at
titude as “dogmatic, that is
founded not on its own learn
ing but on the word of God made
understandable by the Holy
Spirit and transmitted by teach
ing which derives its autho
rity from...the only true teach
er, Christ the Lord.”
"IT IS AN attitude,” the Pope
continued, “which does not al
low ambiguity, subjective inter
pretation,. confusion, corrup
tion or contradiction in the mes
sage of salvation. It is an at
titude which guarantees to each
and every one of the people
of God the same truth, the same
security and the same language
yesterday, today andtomorrow.
“This attiutde does not weak
en souls, does not preclude in
dividual scientific investigation
if it is truly scientific, but in
deed stimulates minds to think,
make progress and pray. It is
an attitude which does not make
i us proud, as if we were the
fortunate and exclusive posses
sors to truth, but rather makes
*tfs strong and Courageous in
defending it, prompted by love.”
Pope Paul told the crowd in
the audience hall at his sum
mer residence here, mainly
summer vacationers who have
flocked to Rome at the height
of the tourist season, that his
words were not meant for them
personally. He said he spoke
to them “ as representatives
of your age and of the currents
which agitate it, who make us
think of the attitude of uncer
tainty, criticism, doubt, idea-
logical intolerance,, agnos
ticism and even negativism
which characterizes many souls
who today have become more
sensitive, thoughtful and dis
turbed by the great innovations
of modern life.”
THE POPE continued:
“Strange and confused voices
come to us which make us very
thoughtful, often even surprised
and sad, because they are voices
coming not only from the mul
titude of those who do not have
the fortune to have our faith.,
but often also from the higher
Business Meet
TORONTO (NC)—"Keys to
Success through Business Ed
ucation” will be the theme of
the biennial business institute
of the Catholic Business Educa
tion Association to be held Aug.
19-25 at the University of
Toronto. Educators and busi
ness representatives from
throughout the U.S., Canada and
Puerto Rico are expected.
ranks of the people of God, al
ways faithful and close to us,
forwhom usually the doctrine
of the Chtirch is ilburished” by
fervent study , cultivated by
solid thinking and adorned with
the richness of Christian life.
“These voices echo errors
both ancient and modern and
already corrected and con
demned by the Church and ba
nished from the patrimony of its
truths. Or else they propose
hypotheses, purporting to be
scientific and almost im
mediately converted into affir
mations, which question the
principles, laws and traditions
to which the Church is firmly
bound and from which it can
never be separated. Or else
they suggest odious criti
cism concerning the history and
structure of the Church and pro
pose radical revisions of all
its apostolic work and its pre
sence in the world so that the
Church, far from benefiting
from those potentialities and
new formulas toward which the
ecumenical council’s updating
tends, would end up by assimi
lating itself into the world—
a world which awaits from it
not complacent acquiescence in
its controversial theories and
wordly days, but the rays of its
’light’ and the vigor of its
‘salt’.”