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GEORGIA BULLETIN. THURSDAY. MAY 30
1968
FATHER Michael A. Morris, left of Atlanta, secretary of the National Federation of Priests’
Councils, talks with Father Alexander O. Sigur of Lafyaette, La., and Father Patrick J. O’Malley of
Chicago, first president of the federation. All three were nominated for president.
(RNS Photo)
Fr. Morris Secretary
PRIESTS from the Province of Atlanta who were delegates to the
convention of the National Federation of Priests' Councils are, left to
right, Fathers Michael A. Morris of Atlanta, provincial representative;
Ralph Seikel of Savannah; Richard Condon of Charleston; R. Donald
Kiernan of Atlanta; Francis Miller of Charleston; H. C. Mulholland of
Raleigh.
Federation To
Aid U.S. Church
Father Michael A. Morris,
national secretary of the new
Federation of Priests’ Councils,
say the organization will be a
helpful addition to the present
structure of the American
Church.
“The NFPC is not a radical
organization,” the 2-9-year-old
Atlanta priest said in an
interview. “The members believe
strongly in the need for
structures wherein men can work
effectively. The members see it as
an aid and helpful addition to the
present structure of the American
Church.”
Father Morris, director of the
Archdiocesan Office of Religious
Education, served as provincial
representative to the convention
in Chicago. Another Atlanta
priest, Father R, Donald Kiernan,
consulting editor of the Georgia
Bulletin, was a delegate.
Other officers of the
federation are Father Patrick
O’Malley, 36, administrator of an
inner-city parish in a Negro and
Puerto Rican neighborhood in
Chicago, president; Msgr, Colin
McDonald of Manchester, N.H.,
vicepresident; Father Raymond
Decker of San Francisco,
treasurer. _ ®j
Discussing the new federation,
Father Morris said it would not
be concerned only with priests’
problems. “The federation is
concerned with any of the
problems which concern the
Church, the whole People of
God. I think this is admirably
demonstrated by the fact that the
first order of business of the new
body was to go on record as
supporting the Poor People’s
March morally and financially.
The financial contribution of
$2,500, though not large,
represents a substantial sacrifice
in terms of the new federation’s
merger budget.”
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Father Morris said the
federation will introduce
democracy into the
decision-making process of the
American Church.
“Democratic procedure, I
believe, is perfectly consonant
with the life of the People of God
as well as traditional ecclesiology.
“It seems to me that the
formation of the NFPC is
consistent with the principle
established by the Second
Vatican Council which
recommended national
conferences of bishops. The
NFPC is simply an extension of
that principle. An effective,
national organization for priests
addressing itself to the goals and
problems of the American
Church would seem to be very
desirable.”
Father Morris pointed out the
federation is an organization or
federation of priests’ councils,
not individual priests.
“It seems to me that one of
the first problems we must solve
is the selective procedure for
members of senates,” he
commented. “I believe that
senates, in order to be truly
representative, should be totally
elected by the priests of a given
diocese.
“Then, we can deal with the
very vital question of the present
procedure whereby senates cease
to exist when the ordinary dies.
This practice treats senates much
the same as vicars general and is
inconsistent with the fact that
senates are elected representatives
of the body of priests.
“This has been the recent,
rather disturbing experience of
the Atlanta Senate whose
petition to be reconstituted
between ordinaries was denied. I
believe the American experience
of representative democracy as a
viable and efficient means of
government has much to offer us
in this area.”
Asked about the reaction of
the nation’s bishops to the new
federation, Father Morris replied,
“At present the bishops have not
officially recognized the
organization.
“However, this has nothing to
do with its vitality. It exists and
represents nearly 40,000 priests
who belong to senates or
associations. It will begin to
operate, to face the tasks assigned
by the 300-member House of
Delegates and it will be heard
from.
are structurally and constantly
accountable to the House of
Delegates and through the house
to the local senates or
associations. This principle
maintains the authority of the
organization at the grass-roots
level.”
Mass Ends
Father R. Donald Kiernan,
pastor, has announced that St.
Anthony’s is discontinuing its 1
a.m. Mass on Sundays.
‘‘The principle of
‘accountability’■ is the
underpinning of the organization.
The actions of the national
officers and the executive board
In an announcement to the
parish, he said attendance at the
Mass did not warrant a regularly
scheduled early morning service
on Sunday.
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