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The Church In Atlanta...
By MARY LACKIE
Atlanta and three other dio
ceses across the country have
been selected for a nationwide
television series because they
reflect the 'now look’ in Catho
licism.
"If Cardinal Newman could
write oh the ‘Present Position
of Catholics in England* more
than 100 years ago, Why can’t
we do a film on the present
position of Catholicism in Ame
rica?’* asked Jerry Lackamp,
executive producer of radio and
television shows for the Diocese
of Cleveland.
Lackamp, who visited Atlanta
last week, is on a month’s leave
of absence to research and pro
duce the four-part series sche
duled for May. The series is
being produced by the National
Courtcil of Catholic Men for the
NBC-TV network program,
"The Catholic Hour.”
He said, "Our primary pur
pose in the series is the study
of Catholic thinking and insti
tutions in the past 10 years
while recognizing that during
this time we have had the Se
cond Vatican Council.
"We are interested in taking
a positive and practical look at
the most exciting developments
in Catholicism today including
the ecumenical situation,”
Lackamp said,
Lackamp has produced radio
and television shows for five
years in Cleveland working in
cooperation with the Jewish
community and the Council of
C hurches of Christ of Greater
Cleveland to present five radio
programs and five television
shows a week.
Short films promoting the
ecumenical campaign are shown
on all three TV stations. They
are produced by the St. Francis
and Catholic production Center
in California and the Presby
terian National Office of radio
and TV and are co-sponsored
by the diocese and the Council
of Churches of Christ.
A recent program on the tele
vision show, "Scope” presented
a dialogue between two Anglican
sisters and two Catholic nuns,
Lackamp said. Panel discus
sions between teen-agers and
religious leaders of all faiths,
and interviews with visitors
which have included Bishop
Pike and Malcolm Boyd are part
of the joint effort.
Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Cincin
nati and Oklahoma City are
separated geographically, but
were selected for the study be
cause they represent develop
ments and changes in the laws’,
structures and attitudes of the
American Catholic which will
have long-range effect on the
Church in America, Lackamp
said.
During his travels Lackamp
BULLETIN
ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
VOL. 6, NO. 3 ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1968
CATHOLICS OPPOSED
Abortion Bill Given
Three-Hour Hearing
An Episcopal priest from California, a Presbyterian layman
from Denver and a Catholic physician from Toledo, Ohio, told
members of the Senate JudiciaryCommitteeitwouldbe a mistake
to liberalize the state's abortion
In a three-hour public hear
ing Tuesday, members of the
committee heard testimony
favoring and opposing House
Bill 281 which loosens the sec
tions governing aboftion.
A rough count of persons who '
testified showed 21 opposed the
bill and 12 favored it. However,
among spokesman favoring the
change were representatives of
the Medical Association of
Georgia, anobstretics-gyneco-
logy professor at Emory Uni
versity, housewives and the
Georgia Citizens for Hospital
A bortionS.
Following the hearing, Sen.
Robert Smalley of Griffin said
it would be several days before
a decision was made on the
bill.
Father Charles Carroll, an
Episcopal priest who is chap
lain at the University of Cali
fornia’s San Francisco Medical
C enter, said he opposed the bill.
"The state should protect
those who can’t protect them
selves.’’ He outlined the moral
imperatives of the Oath of Hip
pocrates and asked, "Where is
the ethic of American medi
cine?”
Father Carroll quoted Karl
Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The priest said, "Bonhoeffer,
who was martyred by the Nazis,
laws.
said abortion is nothing but
murder.”
The Presbyterian layman,
John Arehibold,a Denver attor
ney, said the Georgia bill does
not protect against malprac
tice suits and could not stand
up under a court test. ‘The
fetus has legal rights in Geor
gia at the present time. The
present bill has no provisions
for review of decisions to per
form abortions or no way to
appeal a decision.”
Arehibold said he thought
House Bill 281 violated the equal
protection clause of the 14th
Amendment.
Dr. John Hillebrand, the
Toleda physician, said the
burden of proof on whether a
fetus is a human being rests
with the proponents of the bill.
"If proponents of the bill can
prove the fetus is not human,
then I would back both of these
bills,” he commented. The
second bill which was discuss
ed has several amendments to
House Bill 281.
Dr. Hillebrand and Dr. J.
Norman Berry, an Atlanta Ca
tholic physician, both said there
was no way to determine if a
child would be born defective.
Dr. Berry pointed out there
is room for speculation on what
is a grave or remedial defect,
‘The science of genetics does
not make an absolute judgment
on possible defects.”
Dr. Newton Long, professor
of obstretics and gynecology at
Emory University, said, "I
favor House Bill 281.” He said
based on figures of 80,OOOdeli-
veries in Georgia, he would
anticipate that there would be
256 abortions a year.
"I don’t know what objec
tions to abortions exist,” said
Mrs. H. A. Harrington. "I am
in favor of optional abortion if
the mother chooses to have
one.”
Dr. Kenneth Anderson, a psy
chologist who is co-chairman
of the Georgia Citizens for Hos
pital Abortions, said, "We sup
port the bill. It has increased
the penalties for illegal abor
tions. The bill gives a woman
the opportunity to have an abor
tion if she so desires.”
Mrs. Roger Reed, who said
she represented the North
Georgia Association of the Na
tional Association of Social
Workers, said she favored the
bill. Jim Gaudin, a member of
the association and of St.
Thomas More parish, said he
was against the bill.
Michael Humphries, an edu
cational psychologist and board
member of Planned Parenthood,
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
Archbishop Asks Conference
For Liturgical Reform Plans
Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan,
phairman of the U.S. Bishops'
(Committee on the Liturgy, has
‘called on the 7,000 -member
[Liturgical Conference to come
Rip with concrete proposals for
•liturgical reform in the United
States.
The archbishop’s appeal
came in response to a Liturgi
cal Conference letter circular
ized among the nation’s bishops
and criticizing them for their
lack of leadership in liturgical
renewal.
The Liturgical Conference
statement emphasized "serious
distress at the continuing ab
sence of significantly open,
creative, and vigorous leader
ship in matters liturgical on the
part of the National Conference
of Catholic Bishops."
Especially criticizing the
discussions of the liturgy car
ried on at the bishops’ meeting
in Washington, D.C., last Nov
ember, the statement then
warned of the possibility of
liturgical disobedience. With
obvious reference to "under
ground Masses” and "agapes"
being celebrated around the na
tion, the statement's authors
predicted:
"There will continue to be an
increase in the disregard in
which the liturgical authority
of the bishops is being met
throughout the nation by sin
cere and dedicated people, both
clergy and lay.”
Archbishop Hallinan's reply,
while confirming the Liturgical
Conference’s complaint, criti
cized the conference for con
centrating blame on the bishops.
"By speaking of the absence of
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
I
Priests Should Return Ballots
Archdiocesan and religious priests should
return their ballots in the election of two
at-large members to the Senate by Jan. 31.
Father Eusebius J. Beltran, chairman of the
Senate’s elections committee, said the ballots
should be sent to him at 2699 Peachtree Rd.,
NE., Atlanta, 30305. •
Two priests, one religious and one arch
diocesan, will be added to the Senate follow
ing the election.
I
JERRY Lackamp emphasizes a point while discussing the Church
in the United States.
has explored changes in parish
structure, an awareness of the
layman’s role, and the increas
ing involvement by priests and
bishops in the political and mor
al concerns of the whole com
munity, he said.
‘There are a few isolated
things taking place on the West
coast—the Immaculate Heart
of Mary sisters are movingina
new direction and there is some
very interesting experimental
.work in the liturgy in San Fran
cisco," Lackamp said.
He commented, "Several
years ago people were saying
that a more advanced liturgy
will build community—this has
not happened. It is unlikely that
it will happen.
•The liturgy is the public
And The 6 Now 5 Look
worship of the community—
you can sing guitar masses,
recite the prayers of the faith
ful, and even exchange the kiss
of peace—but to the extent you
are not experiencing com-
m unity, the liturgy will be emp
ty,’’ Lackamp said.
As a result of conversations"
with Catholic ieaders through
out the country, Lackamp ob
served, “It has been my ex
perience that most important
to revitalizing and restructur
ing the parish is better com
munication between priests,
laymen and sisters. Only now
are attempts being started to
ward the restructuring of the
parish."
The effort requires rethink
ing as well as ‘ cooperation,
Lackamp said. ‘The pastor,
parish council, the bishop and
diocesan council and the na
tional association of bishops
must be willing to confront each
other with openness, trust and
love,’* he said.
‘The Church must take risks
in an attempt to serve the whole
people of God—not just Catho
lics—with the goal of not only
renewing the Church itself, but
of reforming it,” he added.
Lackamp said he does not be
lieve at this, time people are
seriously considering ‘phasing
out’ the parochial schools—but
it will come. * He said, "It is
still in the think stage. But
it is a matter of simple eco
nomics and the fact that the
layman is recognizing his re
sponsibility in the area of re
ligious education.”
He said, “I don’t think that
modern Catholicism justifies
the parochial school system—
I don’t expect a change in the
next ten years, but it will come.
As the Catholic layman grows
and assumes his responsibility
as educator of his children both
in the home and through good
religious education programs
the parishes provide, the paro
chial schools will be phased
out.”
Today’s layman is often cate
gorized in three groups, Lack
amp observed. There are those
who defend the traditional
Church structure without ne
cessarily examining the mean
ing or significance of the struc
tures; those who couldn’t care
less about developments in
theology and the restructuring
of institutions as long as they
can continue to go to Mass on
Sundays and receive the sacra
ments; and those who are overly
impatient with the slow pace of
change in this country,
‘There are layman on the
fringes of all these groups and
its probably the people on the
fringe who are doing the serious
thinking. They are the ones
who possess the insight and are!
moving in a new direction. It
is the fringe layman who is ask-j
ing the questions and their fun-:
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
MARIST FIRE:
Wine, Water 9
Wax, Soot
METHODIST MINISTER TO SPEAK
A two-inch layer of wax, wine, water and soot cover
ed the storeroom floor in the Marist chapel following
a flash fire Jan. 10.
*‘We had a power failure and were without heat or
light for 20 hours,” said Father Vincent Brennan,
S.M., Marist superior. “I was checking boilers and
switches and resetting the master clock when I heard
the school alarm. It was almost providential. Fire
had burned through the alarm wires in the chapel so
the rectory alarm wasn’t working.”
Firemen broke two clerstory windows to release
the dense smoke, but the six stained-glass windows
formerly in the old Mariot chapel on Ivy St. were
saved. 'The windows were the gift of Mrs. T. M.
Brady, her son endowed the chapel, so we put the
mother’s gift in the son’s chapel,” Father Brennan
said.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
THE statute of Our Lady of Grace which stood in
the old Marist school lobby now stands amidst
the rubble in the Marist chapel storeroom.
LARRY Poss and Father Ralph G. Vedros, S.M.,
principal of- Marist, inspect fire damage in the
Marist school chapel.
Unity Service At Cathedral Sunday
/ TThe Christian ^Council of
Metropolitan Atlanta and the
Archdiocesan Religious Unity
Commission will sponsor a
unity service Sunday at 3 p.m.
at the Cathedral of Christ the
King in observance of a "Week
of Prayer for Unity.”
Two Methodists pastors anda
Baptist minister, all officers of
the Christian Council of Metro
politan Atlanta, will be on the
J an. 21 program. Father Mat
thew Kemp, priest-secretary
of the Religious Unity Commis
sion, and Bishop Joseph L. Ber
nard in, cathedral rector, will
take part in the service.
The homily will be given by
Dr. Bevel Jones, pastor of First
Methodist Church, Decatur, and
p resident of the Atlanta Council.
Scripture readings will be
lead by Dr. William Geren, pas
tor of Dogwood Hills Baptist
Church, East Point, and Dr. A.
S. Dickerson, pastor of Central
Methodist Church, Atlanta.
They are vice presidents of the
council.
Dr. Jones, pastor of thethird
largest Methodist congregation
in Georgia, has A.B. and B.D.
degrees from Emory University
and a D.D. from LaGrange Col
lege.
He is executive secretary of
the Board of Missions of the
North Georgia Methodist Con
ference and is a trustee and
columnist for the Wesleyan
Christian Advocate, weekly
journal of Georgia Methodism.
He is a board member of the
Boys Club and YMCA.
Dr. Geren, founding pastor
of Dogwood Hills Baptist
Church, is on the board of di
rectors Of the Baptist Home
Mission Board and is a trustee
of Atlanta Baptist College and
T ruett-McConnell College,
Cleveland, Ga.
He has a master of theology
degree from Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Louis
ville, Ky„ and a Ph.D. from the
University of Chicago. He was-
formerly on the faculty at Mer
cer University and Limestone
College, Gaffney, S.C.
Dr. Dickerson has been pas
tor of Central Methodist Church
since 1961. It is hear the Morris
Brown College campus. The
church has a special ministry
to the Vine City area which in-
DR. JONES
eludes food, clothing, financial
assistance and help in employ
ment.
The pastor has an A.B. de
gree from Clark College, a
B.D. from GammonTheological
Seminary, an M.A. in sociology
from Atlanta University and a
S.T.M. from the Boston Univer
sity School of Theology.
Presbyterians, Episcopa
lians, Unitarians and Catholics
in Atlanta have formed'a cor
poration called Interfaith, Inc.,
to provide better housing for
low and moderate income fami
lies.
The idea for the corporation
was conceived last December
in the Public Issues Commit
tee of the Unitarian Universal
is t Congregation with the eight
charter members.
"We are interested in pro
grams of rental, ownership and
cooperative housing projects,”
said John Steinichen, a Unit
arian layman and president of
the board of trustees.
Father Noel C. Burtenshaw,
chancellor of the Archdiocese
of Atlanta, commented, "It
could revolutionize the idea of
supporting federal housing.”
Participating churches to
date include the United Pres
byterian Christ Church, United
Presbyterian Church of the
Atonement, St. Bede’s Episco
pal Church, United Presby
terian Church of the Master,
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal
Church, Trinity Presbyterian
Church U.S., the Unitarian Uni-
EMI. GEREN
The "Week of Prayer for
Unity” is marking its 60th an
niversary this year.
In the history of its develop
ment, under a variety of names
and sponsorships, the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity pro
vides an index to the develop
ment of ecumenical relations
versalist Congregation and the
archdiocese.
Steinichen said Interfaith will
primarily act as a sponsor for
various housingprogramsinthe
city and as a non-profit organi
zation to qualify for financing
under federal housing pro
grams.
‘There is a great need for
housing projects in Atlanta and
Interfaith is the best way
churches can do something ef
fective in slum clearing and
JOHN STEINICHEN
DR. DICKERSON
between Roman Catholics and
o ther • Chris tians.
Although it was founded and
introduced into the Catholic
Church as the "Church Unity
Octave” and this was its formal
title for many years, the Catho
lic week of prayer for Christian
unity began in the 1920s to be
housing through combined ef
forts,” Father Burtenshaw,
treasurer, said.
The priest, said Interfaith,
hopes that individual' church
members will become involv
ed. "Once the housing is built,
a big part of the job will be
educational and social services
which church members can pro
vide.”
Steinichen said Interfaith will
apply for federal funding within
the next six months under one
of the housing programs. He
said the trustees have not yet
decided which project to under
take. 1
The president said city hous
ing officials have been very
cooperative in working and
planning with the new corpora
tion on possible projects.
Steinichen explained, that In
terfaith is primarily interest
ed in working in northern and
eastern sections of the city
since most of the concentra
tion of housing for the poor is
in southwest Atlanta.
"We feel that we ought to
work at dispersal of housing
Week Of Prayer For Christian Unity
Jan. 1Sth-25th. 1968
called the ‘Ylhair of Unity Oc
tave,” at first infrequently and
informally but with growing
prevalence and approval.
The name change was approv
ed partly to distinguish the pur
pose of the observance from a
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
as much as we can.Some areas
are already building problems
for the future by concentrating
housing in one part of the city.”
Membership requirements
include a $100 per year from
a church, church-related body
and an elected trustee.
Steinichen emphasized that
no denominational belief would
be imposed on tenants.
Persons interested in the
program should write P.O. Box
3152.
FATHER BURTENSHAW
Archdiocese Joins Interfaith, Inc.,
For Housing For Low-Income Families