Newspaper Page Text
HELP YOUR
UNITED
APPEAL
Atlanta
SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
VOL. 3, NO. 44
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1965
$5.00 PER YEAR
PARIS ARCHBISHOP
Prelate Explains
Worker- Priest
Project Purpose
BY FATHER EDWARD DUFF, S.J.
VATICAN- CITY—On the day
when the Vatican Council voted
cloture to further debate on the
schema on the life andministry
of priests, the French hierarchy
with the approval of the Holy
See, announced that Catholic
priests would once again be per-
mitted to take jobs in factories.
In a later interview the Coad
jutor Archbishop of Paris,
Pierre Veuillot, chairman of
the episcoparcommittee which
will oversee the project, ex
plained its purpose and scope.
The announcement will have
wide repercussions, especially
in France where the restric
tions imposed by Rome in Sep
tember, 1953, practically put
an end to the much publicized
legation that the Catholic
Church was not genuinely in
terested in the working class.
The experiment of the worker-
priests and its virtual suppres
sion became stormy symbols
Of opposing attitudes and pro
ceed a spate of literature, and
undoubtedly, much spiritual an
guish. And now the program is
to be restored but with modi
fications which, hopefully, will
assure its success. Despite the
improvement of the standard
of living of many sectors of
the French working class and
a partial evolution of its at
titude toward religion, the ur
gency of the apostolate of wor
king priests remains “impera
tive,” Archbishop Veuillot told
the readers of La Croix, Paris
Catholic daily.
The gravity of the situation
had been set down in 1949 by
Emanuel Cardinal Suhard of
Paris in the judgment that “the
Church has ceased to exist for
one of the evil consequences
of the industrial revolution: the
creation of a vast propertyless
proletariat, defenseless before
the factory owner, embittered
by the injustices endured by its
social caste and persuaded that
the Church was allied with its
class enemies.
THE PROBLEM is indeed a
complicated one, but it includes
the fact that the Church of the
19th Century continued to staff
its country parshes and did
not sufficientlyfollow the people
Favor Policy
BURLINGTON, Vt. (NC)--St.
Michael’s College students fav
or current American policy in
Vietnam by a vote of nine to
one, according^ to a poll con
ducted by the college newspap
er.
in the rural exodus to the new
industrial centers. And there
was Karl Marx with his plausi
ble explanation of their plight.
In 1943 a book by a chaplain of
the Catholic youth movement,
JOC, Abbe Henri Godin, brief
ed the extent of the estrange
ment of the workers from the
Church. Its title raised the
question of whether France was
not in fact a mission territory
much like China. '.The war ex
perience of comradeship in the
army, in captivity and inforced
labor brigades taught many
young priests that they were cut
off from much of the nation’s
life, that, though they and the
working class shared common
sufferings, they did not share
a single credo.
A move, endorsed by Cardi
nal Suhard, was begun to bridge
the gulf between the Church and
the proletariat. To demonstrate
their solidarity with the con
cerns and aspirations of the
workers, priests were autho
rized to take jobs in mines and
factories. Monsignor Montiniof
the Vatican was known to be
sympathetic to the effort.But the
calcified class structure of
French society and the inexpe
rience of many of the worker-
priests i proved the undoing of
the apostolate. Upper-class
Catholics were hostile from the
outset, seeing in it a treason
to the alleged traditions of the
Church. Many of thepriest-wor-
kers so completely identified
themselves, ■ emotionally at
least, with the distress of their
fellows on the assembly lines
that their talk took on a class
warfare tone.
Some were undoubtedly ex
ploited politically. Becoming
active iri the trade unions, they
found themselves officers of
locals of the Confederation Ge-
jirirale du Travail and thus on
the receiving end of marching
orders from the CGT’s secre
tary general, Benoit Franchon,
Stalin’s man; in France.
ARCHBISHOP Veuillot had
two requests to make. He asked
that there be no noisy publi
city: “Let the working priests
do their, job without surround
ing them with the halo of an
extraordinary adventure.” Se
condly, let all of Catholic
France, priests, religious and
laity, be thus reminded of the
common obligation of fraternal
love, since all are involved in
the enterprise of “breaking
down the wall which still se
parates the working class from
the Church so that it might en
counter the living Christ.”
ON STEPS OF The North American College in Rome are shown
from left, the Rev. Mr Patrick McCormick, a seminarian at
North American, Archbishop Hallinan, and the Rev. Eusebius
Beltran.
A COUNCIL CLIMAX.—Solemn'proclamation of five documents of Vatican Council II
was Carried out by Pope Paul Vi (October 23) in a public session in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Casting their votes on the documents here are, Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviana (left) and
Arcadio Cardinal Larracna.
ON NON-CHRISTIANS
Statement Points
Week At Vatican II
VATICAN CITY—Those who
felt the ecumenical council’s
statement about the Jews fell
short of expectations were am
ply reassured during the coun
cil’s seventh week by Pope
Paul’s reference to the Jews
as people to whom are owed
“respect, love and hope.’’
The Pope’s, remarks were
contained in his talk to the coun
cil in public session (Oct. 28)
as five documents were solemn
ly promulgated — those on the
relations with non - Christians
(including the Jews), on Chris
tian education, on the pastoral
duties of bishops, on the re
newal of religious orders, and
on the training of priests.
Comfort could be drawn from
this address also by other non-
Christians .Whom ' Pope Paul
mentioned aS "still separated
from the full communion” of
the Church, but inviting them at
the same time to become aware
of its "renovated face.” No
message more timely could
have come on the seventh anni -
vers ary of the election of Pope
John XXIII ot whose inspira
tion, Pope Paul VI said, is due
the convocation of the council.
Pope Raul’s talk was a mes
sage that reflected the atmos
phere of harmony among the
council Fathers. The votes fa
voring acceptance of the docu
ments were virtually unanim
ous. There were only 88 dis
senters with the text on non-
Christians, .35 against the edu
cation document, four opposed
to the one on Religious, three
each on the bishops’ duties and
seminaries. All the other 2,
325 bishops present cast ballots
symbolizing that the ax had been
buried between the various fac
tions that during the debate had
differed on many points.
THE FATHERS had voted 422
times since the council started,
and the further they progress
ed the more they appeared to
heed Pope Paul’s appeal for
unity.
This fact augurs well for the
acceptance of the remaining six
schemas. As a matter of fact,
Pope Paul- emphasized the
“progress and growth” of the
council. The Church lives, he
said. It has youthful energy and
lasting vitality. Preservation
alone is not its objective, he
said, but a constant “effort at
perfecting the Church.” Pope
John could have spoken these
very words.
With five schemas promul-
BY FATHER PLACID JORDAN, O.S.B.
gated in previous (sessions:and
the five promulgated so far in
the fourth session, only six re
main on the council’s agenda.
The one on divine revelation
was adopted (Oct. 29) with a
near-unanimous vote of 2, 081*
27. It was then referred to the
Pope and is likely to be pro
mulgated at the public session
scheduled for Nov. 18.
THE TENOR of this key theo
logical paper, which has been
a center of controversy since
the first session, now is more
acceptable than before to Scrip
ture scholars, who asked for a
greater emphasis on the scrip
tural sources of the word of God.
At the same time, the impor
tance of doctrine derived from
tradition in the Church is not
being neglected.
The document Will leave the
various avenues of theological
‘NO MARTYR 9
ROME (RNS) — The Sacred
Congregation of Rites has in
validated the local beatification
of a 15th Century Italian boy
who allegedly and erroneously
was regarded as the victim of
a Jewish "ritual murder.” It
ruled that he must no longer
be venerated as a martyr.
In doing so it officially pro
claimed the innocence of the 12
or more Jews who were exe
cuted at Trent, northern Italy,
in 1475, after having been
■wrongly, denounced for killing
Simon Unverdarben, aged two
years and four months, during
Passover rites.
This wqs announced in a pas
toral letter issued i by Arch
bishop Alessandro M. Gottardi
of Trent, who noted that it
coincided with the promulga
tion by Pope Paul VI of a Va
tican II declaration deploring
anti-Semitism and absolving the
Jewish people of collective guilt
for the death of Christ.
THE ARCHBISHOP’S disclo
sure came in the wake of an
investigation into the centuries-
old case by Father W.P. Ec
kert, O.P., the results of which
were published several months
ago in Trentine Studies of His
torical Science. He carefully
research open until the problem
of the “two sources” of reve
lation is better clarified. But
in proposing a balanced ap
proach, j it will also add impe
tus to the work of biblical
scholars.
Earlier in the same week,
debate on the floor came to a
final close after 12 speakers
were heard on the schema on
the priesthood. One of these
was Archbishop Thomas A,
Connally of Seattle. The very
last Father to address the Coun
cil was newly appointed Arch
bishop Michele Pellegrino of
Turin.
THIS PARTICULAR debate
was climaxed by an address by
Msgr. Thomas Falls of Sacred
Heart Parish, Philadelphia, who
was a spokesman for the pas
tors who had been council guests
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
examined all the “evidence”
against the Jews in the “ritual
murder” • Contained in Rome,
Vienna and Trent archives and
came to the conclusion that the
"trial” in Trent had led to a
“judicial assassination,”
Simbn, the son of a tanner,
disappeared on Holy Thursday,
1475, and two days later his
body was found floating in a
stream near the home of one of
the accused Jews. The “trial”
of the Jews Was conducted un
der the authority of the then
PrinCe - Bishop of Trent, and
m ost of the accused were doom
ed to die by torture. Three
years later, the “trial” Was
reviewed in Rome by Pope Six
tus IV and its verdicts approv
ed.
Now, however, the Congrega
tion of Rites, which has juris
diction in all matters of bea
tification and canonization, has
not only exonerated. the Tren
tine' Jews, but ruled that the
child Simon must not receive
public veneration and that
Masses must no longer be of
fered in his honor. Presumably,
its decree involves also rede-
dicating the chapel of Blessed
Simon at the church of St.
Peter in Trent.
Jews Are Absolved
In ‘Ritual Murder’
ISSUES DECREES
Pope Paul VI Sets
Promulgation Theme
Of Peace And Liberty
• SEE INSERT SUPPLEMENT OF DECREE TEXTS
VATICAN CITY (NC)--The
accent was on world peace at the
liturgical ceremonies held du
ring the public meeting of the
ecumenical council at which
Pope Paul VI promulgated five
council documents.
During the Mass—which the
Pope said he was happy to cop-
celebrate with bishops fr#m
countries where “liberty is re
stricted if not refused”--the
Pontiff prayed:
“HUMBLY WE implore God,
giver of peace and lover Of
charity, that He grant the entire
family of nations true concord
with His Will, and that He deign
to pour forth the consolation and
light of His Spirit on all those
who promote plans for justice
and peace.”
The Pope said in his speech
to council Fathers thathepray-
ed that “order arid justice, con
cord arid true peace may be
happily restored” in nations
“where peace is troubled by so
many tears.”
The official program of the
meeting described the three-
hour ceremonies held on the
anniversary of the election of
Pope John XXIII as “honoring
the memory of Pope JohnXXlII,
who convoked the Vatican Ecu
menical Council and issued the
encyclical, Pacem in Terris
(Peace on Earth). The MaSs is
that of the ,. . feast of the holy
Apostles Simon and JUde with
an invocation of Almighty God,
Prince of Peace, for world
peace and peace among nations,
for a life of tranquillity within
various nations in truth, justice,
charity and liberty.”
BEFORE MASS, the council
Fathers cast almost urianimous
formal 'votes to approve four
decrees—on the pastoral duties
of bishops, the renewal of the
life of Religious, priestly for
mation, (seminaries) and Chris
tian education—and a historic
declaration on the Church's at
titude toward non-Christians,
especially the jews, who it said
are not collectively responsible
for Christ’s death.
In his speech, Pope Paul
spoke of “the Israelites, objects
certainly not of reprobation or
distrust, but of respect, love
and hope.”
OF THE five documents gi
ven formal approval following
earlier favorable votes at re
gular council meetings, the de
claration drew the largest num
ber of negative votes—88. But
these were almost lost in the
overwhelming affirmative votes
of 2,22l Fathers. There were
three null ballots.
Other results were;
Pastoral duties of bishops—
yes, 2,319; no, 2; null, 1.
Renewal of the life of Reli
gious—yes, 2,321; no, 4; null, 0.
Priestly formation— yes,
2,318; no, 3; null, 0.
Christian education — yes, •
2,290; no, 35; nul;, 0. 1
The null ballots were cast,
despite the painstaking explana
tion thelday before on how to
fill out the ballots properly s,o
they could be run through the -
tabulating machines during;
Mass. The explanation was gi
ven; by lhe council’s secretary
general, Archbishop Pericle
Felici, who announced that all
five promulgated documents,
insofar as they contain juridi
cal directives, will become ef
fective on June 29, the feast of
SS. Petei: and Paul.
IN HIS SPEECH Pope Paul
Course Proposed
ST. PAUL, Minn. (NC)—A...
course on the decrees of the Se
cond! Vatican Council has been
suggested for St. Thomas Col
lege here by its president, Auxi
liary Bishop James P. Shannon
of St. Paul. Writing in the col
lege.; newspaper, Bishop Shan
non said the course should be
prepared; and offered quickly.
emphasized the continuing
energy vitality and progress of
the Church.
He told the Fathers they were
well aware of "the importance
and repercussions which (the
promulgated documents) will
have throughout the world and
for the future.” He told them
they had come to the council
“to feel the life of the Church
. . .to discover not the years
of its old age but rather the
youthful energy of its lasting
vitality, to establish a new re
lationship between the time
which passes. . .and the work of
Christ, the Church.”
HE SAID that there is "no
question of proceeding to a
historical reconstitution. . .of
the nature of the Church. . .The
question is rathor to make the
Church more capable of deve
loping its mission of good in
the renewed conditions of hu
man society.
"That is why you have come,
and these concluding acts of the
council are providing you with
an experience of this: The
Church lives. The Church is
thinking, the Church is speak
ing, the Church is growing, the
Church is building itself up.”
MEDAL connnenioniting the
fourth session of Vatican
Council II, issued by the
Vatican, shows Pope Paul VI
in player before a repre
sentation : (if the 'Crucifixion,
while .the reverse shows the
keys of Peter, and the :
Bishop's c r o z i e r.
THE GEORGIA BULLETIN takes great pleasure in including in
this issue a supplement containing the texts of the fives decrees
promulgated by Pope Paul last Thursday. These Decrees form
a major portion of the work of the Council Fathers in their first
two months of work in Rome.The texts were supplied to us through
the kindness and courtesy of the CATHOLIC TRANSCRIPT of
Hartford, Conn. We are indebted to their editors for the type and
proofs.
COUNCIL FATHERS and Periti are shown in Rome. To the left of Archbishop Hallinan is His
Beatitude Paul Peter Meouch, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and of All The East. At the left
of the Patriarch is Abbot Walter Coggins,. O.S.B,, of Belmont Abbey, N.C. The prelates are shown
with a Maronite bishop and priest and a Brazilian bishop.