Newspaper Page Text
4 GEORGIA BULLETIN, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1967
BULLETIN
ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan
Chris Eckl
The Rev. R. Donald Kiernan
Publisher
Managing Editor
Consulting Editor
2699 Peachtree N. E.
P. O. Box 11667
Northside. Station
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Member of the Catholic Press Association
and Subscriber to N. C. W. C. News Service
Telephone 231-1281
Second Class Permit at Atlanta, Ga.
U. S. A. $5.00
Canada $5.00
Foreign $6.50
Published Every Week at the Decatur-DeKalb News
The opinions contained in these editorial columns are
the free expressions of free editors in a free Catholic press.
6 Well Begun 9
Under the title “The
Church of Christ,” the Ar
chdiocese of Atlanta, head
ed by Archbishop Paul J.
Hallinan, has issued a 65
page booklet with the sub
title Decree Enacted by the
First Synod of the Archdio
cese of Atlanta. This ad
mirable report is recom
mended unreservedly to all
who wonder how the broad
principles of Second Vatican
THIS dramatic collage was among art
entries submitted for the “ImpactTeach-
er” program of the National Catholic
Education Association. It was prepared by
Sister Janes Frances of Tiro, Ohio, and
represents (bottom) "some of the obses
sions which are distracting the minds and
senses of children," and (top) the coun
teracting influence of an "impact teach
er." (RNS)
Council may be genuinely
implemented.
The Atlanta Synod, held
November 20-23, was the
result of meticulous plann
ing and of preparatory meet
ings that extended throughout
1966. Delegates were elect
ed for a Sisters’ Congress, a
Lay Congress, a Young
Adults Congress, all of which
were held before the end of
September.Priests met reg
ularly in spontaneous ses
sions and in two pre-syno
dal gatherings. In his de
cree of convocation, Arch
bishop Hallinan described
the synod as the “authentic
voice of the people of God -
Archbishop, priests, relig
ious and laity.” By all evi
dence, the synod was exact
ly that.
After a preamble, the de
cree has six chapters: The
People of God, Archdiocese
of Atlanta, Parishes, Chris
tian Life, Christian Forma
tion, The Church in the Com
munity. What chiefly strikes
the reader of the decree is
its careful balance between
dedication to “openness and
adaptation” and fidelty to
the “essential concept of the
Church”; its insistence on
the principle of “shared ex
ercise of authority”; and its
lack of any tone or hint of
triumphalism.
We would wish to^address
to the Archdiocese of Atlanta
a resounding “Well done.”
Archbishop Hallinan and the
people of his diocese would
probably prefer us to say:
“Well begun,” (America)
The CU-DU Affairs
The heat of controversy that racked the
Catholic University of America raised the
question of academic freedom versus the
teaching authority of the Church once
again.
Because of the eruption, the seven-
month dispute that has rocked the Uni
versity of Dayton dropped out of the head
lines temporarily. However, the situa
tions at the two schools were similar.
Dayton is still simmering from a basic
question that has divided the faculty—Were
some professors guilty of teachings con
trary to the magisterium? The charges
were brought by fellow professors.
A fact-finding commission appointed by
Archbishop Karl J. Alter of Cincinnati said
there had been on some specified occasions
teachings contrary to Catholic faith
and morals.
However, an investigation conducted by
the university cleared the professors. In
the wake of the differences of opinion,
four philosophy professors resigned in
protest against the university's handling
of the dispute.
But out of the conflict came a calm
"position paper" by Father Raymond A,
Roesch, president of Dayton. Catholic
University officials should read it.
The priest wrote: "It has become
apparent that a number of professors on
the staff of the University of Dayton and
very many friends and alumni of the insti
tution are unaware that there is a recog
nized question today by both ecclesiastical
and .academic authorities regarding the
proper role of the Church magisterium
on a university campus.” He said a
"diversity of opinion" exists in this area.
Father Roesch said a modern Catholic
theologian and philosopher" engages in
theological inquiries, even if some of his
conclusions challenge or reinterpret the
apparent meaning of past conciliar state
ments or papal encyclicals. A scholar may
respectfully, albeit forcefully, suggest a
different formulation of a doctrine or
practice. This does not mean that he is
trying to change a revealed truth, or that
he seeks to defy authority.”
The Dayton president wrote that he
conferred with Father Bernard Haering
who told him that doctrine must be con
stantly studied, otherwise the Church will
be outmoded. "This does not conflict with
the accepted principle that solemnly
defined Church doctrine can never change;
otherwise infallibility has no meaning,"
Father Roesch said.
Father Roesch confronted the issue
when he said, "It is evident that a new
attitude toward sacred truth has developed
a quality of mind characterized by an
awareness of a certain relativity of all
human knowledge, A fact of our time, new
in its emergence into'our consciousness,
is a new posture of realism about the
limitation of human knowledge. This
attitude is characterized by a positive
openness to truth based upon the
appreciation that no man and no insti
tution has a monopoly on all truth.
"Such an outlook reflects a healthy
attitude over the smugness of scientism
and over the triumphalism of meta-,
physicism. It holds that truth is relative in
several ways ... by the quality of the
possessor . . . in the limitations of the
transmitter . . . its applicability to the
human situation."
Father Roesch's words apply to the
situation at Dayton, to the situation at
Catholic University, and to similar situ
ations of freedom and authority which may
arise at other Catholic universities.
—CHRIS ECKL
FATHER-Georges Dominic Moreau, O.P., who for 33 years was a missionary
in the Congo and escaped a massacre of his co-workers there, celebrated his
50th anniversary as a priest at a ceremony in the convent of the Dominican
Sisters of Bethany, Millis, Mass., where he now serves as chaplain. A native..of
Belgium,. Father Moreau was ordained in 1917 by the famed Desire Joseph
Cardinal Mercie'r, ^During his missionary career the Dpminicgn priest solicit
ed funds in the U.S. for the construction pf St. Albert the Great Seminary in
Nicaragua, The seminary’s alumni include Bishop James Bali of Buta and some
40 other Congolese priests. (RNS PHOTO)
GEORGIA PINES
Those Letters
— By R. Donald Kiernan —
One of the first things I always read
in a magazine or a newspaper is the
"Letters to the Editor”. This particular
column never fails to fascinate me. It
is always most interesting to read how
people can look at the same article and
get different ideas and impressions. Then
too, with little imagination, it is possible
to see the reactions of different people
as they write their "Letter -to the
Editor."
Equally interesting is the reaction of
the editor. Sometimes with one well
placed sentence he
can deal a devestat-
ing blow to the writ
er. After all, he
has the last word.
Then occasional
ly people with the
same name write
in and then the one
who did not write is
incensed, and so he
writes a letter to
the editor saying that he is not the one
who said "so and so...”, and then the
editor usually has some appropriate com
ment like "no one said it was you!"
"Name withheld" is another category.
I've often wondered why someone does
not want their name published if they go
to all that trouble of writing. I've often
suspected that it is the author of an article
commenting on his own article. Although,
I must confess, if my own mother wrote
a letter to the editor of the GEORGIA
BULLETIN I would be embarrassed. Then
too, I guess that is presumption. I recall
the first time my mother ever heard me
deliver a sermon, I asked her how she
liked it and her reply was; "you’ve got
a long way to go to be another Bishop
Sheen". Ever since that day I’ve never
asked her if she liked "Georgia Pines".
"In the five or six years I have been
writing for the Georgia Bulletin, I have
received about five letters to the editor.
By comparison this is very few. I’ve
often wondered if anyone reads Georgia
Pines. Then, onjthe other hand, it really
doesn’t matter because the column never
does carry any earth-shaking pronounce
ments. Oh, I’ve written a few articles
that people have misunderstood, thinking
that I had my guns aimed at someone or
something. It would only stir the muddy
waters trying to explain, so I just "light
a candle” hoping that the commentator
will not bemyaccuser "duringthemillen-
ium”.
Those letters signed by the Third As
sistant Substitute Secretary for the Pre
vention of Cruelty to Homing Pigeons, or
the 11th District Representative of the
National Association for the Preserva
tion of Water Buffalo’s is still another
class of writers. Often time I suspect
that they are people with titles writing
before they consult their pigeons or buffa
lo’s. During the war years my family
had not heard from my brother who was
fighting in Italy at the time for quite
some months. Then one evening in our
home town newspaper there was a petition
or article equally important as pigeons
and water buffalos. Signed to this peti
tion was the name of one Dr. Thomas F.
Kiernan Jr. Gosh, was the family re
lieved. Although he had no time to write
from a fox hole to us, he did have time
to sign his name to some petition. Sort
of reminds me of the Bostonlrishmanwho
had been dead for a number of years, but
never failed to vote in the mayor’s elec
tion.
Why do people write to the editor? I
really don't know. Are they ordinary peo
ple writing about extraordinary things;
or are they extraordinary people writing
about ordinary things? I believe in God,
I love our church, I believe in respect for
authority, I’m happy being a priest and
I love my parish. Does this make me
ordinary or extraordinary? Am I a
radical, a conservative or a cautious pro
gressive? I don’t think I have an identity
crisis!! In general, folks, I’m happy.
Now it will be interesting to read (if
someone writes) next week to see if I'm
ordinary or extraordinary. Or if I fall
into a new classification!
Let me close with this. I’ve had a lot of
pleasant experiences during my lifetime
and I have a lot of friends. Like my faith,
1 like to share them. This is why I enjoy
writing "Georgia Pines"; sharing both
my experiences and my friends. (I have
no axe to grind) If "Georgia Pines"
brings at least one smile, or a moment
of pleasure to someone: then I'm happy.
After all, "itsbettertolightonecandle..."
FR. KIERNAN
ANOTHER VIEWPOINT
If We Could
Start Again!
By Kempton Haynes
A conversation overheard-
"Honestly, sometimes I’m so gnarled
inside that I can’t even function.”
"I know that feeling - it’s like a big
ball of blackness lodged between your
lungs and throat.”
"That’s it exactly! You know it too...
hmm. . .When I feel this way I usually
get my check-list out and get busy."
: ■
"I’ve noticed that
you’re pretty in, . .
t was going to say
’involved. . .that’s
not the right word,
though it appears
to be on the sur
face.",
"Yes, it really is
quite the opposite - it's not involvement
at all-but I generally feel better. . .at
least for awhile.”
"You know, I don't handle it like that.
REV. MR HAYNES
I turn to things that I can do alone, on
my own terms - books, music. . ."
"God, when I'm like that I can’t stand
being alone!"
'That’s where we’re different I
guess."
"Maybe not so different.,. . we seem
to get the same results.”
‘The same resultsl Huh, I see what
you mean. I never thought of it that
way."
"All we do, is to end up more f se
parated than when we started?"
"Gee, I wish we weren’t built this
way."
"Me too. But we all seem to be."
"Wouldn’t it be nice if we could start
over again?"
"Indeed it would.. ."
***
The Rev. Mr. Haynes is pastor of
the Church of the Covenant, Methodist.
The Two Parties
Do Not See-Saw
By Garry Wills
After the last election, the Republican
Party looked dead. Now it seems to be
reviving. Like the rest of us, it has
muddled through — so far. Like the rest
of us, though, it seems an almost acci
dental assemblage, creaky and not built
for the long run. Will it survive?
Even devout Democrats were a bit
worried at the Mark-Twainian demise of
their revials in 1964. Thev want to beat
the Republicans
every election, but
they want to have
them there to beat.
That is The Two
, Party , System,
wmHIf.Qc A?Gbda :
Thing.
Our parties a-
rose, indeed, a- WILLS
gainst the planning of the architects
of our republic, who thought any "fac
tion" would bring down the structure.
Despite this, we had faction — spon
taneous, sturdy, yet improvisational in
scheme. Soma l ike a. rather mystic
view of this unstoppable phenomenon,
as if it were rooted in some deep
necessity of the nation. They think of
the two-party system as sacred — and
of third parties, for instance, as blas
phemous.
Some very dramatic reflections on the
parties are contained in the first essay
of Professor Harry Jaffa’s book Equa
lity and Liberty (Oxford, 1965). Studying
party history, he sees something that
looks obvious once it is pointed out,
but was hidden until now.
He claims that we have never had
a system of equally competing parties.
The two do not see-saw. Or, if they do,
it is an excruciatingly slow game on
the tilting board. "See" in 1800, "saw’’
in 1828. "See" in 1860, "saw" in 1932.
Those were the only four real shifts
in relative position. All the rest of the
time, despite surface flurries— a pre
sidential race that went this way or that,
and old party dying, a new one (or sim-
ly a new name for the old one) taking
Its place — we have had a perfectly,
stable situation, with a ministerial party
in de facto control of the sources of
power, and an opposition party main
taining its beneficent harrassing role
as watchdog.
The historical pattern is fascinating
to observe. Washington’s Federalists are
defeated (and disappear) in 1800. Jef
ferson’s Republicans take over the thirty
years — so completely that, during this
period, every new President was the pre
ceding man’s Secretary of Spate. It is
an all but hereditary succession, with
the head of State as Prince of Wales.
But divisions within the Republican
party kept up a kind of opposition, which
turned into the Democrats of Jackson's
1828 victory. For the next 32 years
these men stay in control — they hold
the presidency for 24 of the 32 years,
the Senate for 24, the House for 22.
Only for the briefest possible interval
in our staggered system —the two years
between 1841 and 1843 — do they lose
control of the three branches.
In 1860, Lincoln brings in the Re
publicans (a little ahead of schedule
because of his brilliant trapping of
Douglas in 1858 — but the Republicans
would have made it in time, according
to Professor Jaffa, who is the world’s
greatest authority on the Lincoln-
Doi.glas debates). Lincoln’s victory in
augurates the longest reign of all. For
72 years the Republicans hold on to their
power. During this time, a non-partisan
military hero like Harrison or Taylor
can come: in on the opposition ticket,
but only because he does not disturb
the realities. (It is the Ike phenomenon).
During this long reign the Republicans
controlled the presidency 56 years, the
Senate 62 years, the House 48. As these
offices overlapped each other, and as
this reign ramified out in lasting ap
pointments — Supreme Court, lesser
judges, civil service — a hegemony so
lidified itself which was only apparently
disturbed by passing crises.
Jaffa’s thesis should be widely stud
ied. He points out that all four of his
"electoral revolutions" occurred when
a deep issue cauged.srqassesspnept.pf the
whole American’’ outldok, * arfd *hll fbtrf~
returned the government to a new em
phasis on equality — Jefferson’s ro
mantic republicanism (vs. the centra
lizing Federalists), Jackson's even more
assertive egalitarianism, Lincoln’s op
position to slavery,and Roosevelt’s eco
nomic redistributivism. All meant to
"throw the rascals out," and they did
so with apocalyptic rhetoric. That might
point in the direction of "continuing re
volution," to use the ridiculous imagery
of our time (which is like praising the
continued spasms of the vomitorium).
But if we have had four years of "ele
ctoral revolution," we have maintained,
most of the time, an extraordinarily
stable government, reflecting the deep
conservatism of the American people.
We inherit some of the advantages of
monarchy — an experienced ministerial
party is supplying continuity and con
trol — without its disadvantages (a mo
narch to minister to rather than the
people, and the probability that ex
perience will stale into indifference).
If Jaffa is right then the Republicans
will not disappear. But they will not re
sume supremacy until a new crisis
reshuffles the deck. As a conservative
Republican, I gladly acquiesce to a sit
uation of minority opposition.
But who, at the moment is opposing?
Women
Priests
Opposed
LONDON (RNS) — The ordination of
women priests in the Church of England
(Anglican) was opposed here by the Rev.
J.B.M. Fox, Warden of the Church’s
Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary.
Fox told the annual meeting he was
thankful for the devoted work women al
ready carry on in the life of the Church,
but added: "I personally do not believe
it is in accordance with the traditions
of the Church to have women priests.
"I do not think that the ordination of
women would be acceptable to most of
us, because we cannot see that it be
longs to the traditional Catholic Church
as we know it. It will not help the unity
of the Church — I believe it would raise
very many more stumbling blocks to
unity.
It would be far better to wait until
there is some sense of real unity' be
tween branches of the Church so that
together, and as one, they might con
sider the matter.”