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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1968)
2 THE GEORGIA BULLETIN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1968 ‘Avante Garde’ (Continued From Page 1) Father William Nerin, leader ot the Community of John XXIII in Oklahoma City; William Griffin, first president of John XXIII community in Madison, Wis.; and Dr. James Perdue, a research scientist who helped form a new type of experimental community—within a parish structure-also in Madison. The speakers discussed how their communities began, their purposes and problems, attitudes toward the established church structure, and answered questions from the audience. The liturgical service opened with a brief musical prologue played by Yeshwau and the Utopians, a six-member group. They provided spontaneous music throughout the service in combined African, American “soul,” and “psychadelic” rhythms. identification with the musical selections, and that it was more a performance than a service. During the meeting the speakers explained how their communities differ. Father Nerin’s group employs him as its only full-time priest; Griffin’s group employs no full-time clergymen; and Perdue’s group works cooperatively with priests of the parish to which they belong. All three said that while they believe in their communities’ search for new ways to give meaning to Christian belief, they don’t believe such communities are appropriate for all persons. “We believe that communities such as ours do have a place in the Church, but we know they won’t appeal to everyone,” Griffin stated. Scriptmre Scholars Fifteen centuries after St. Jerome translated the Old Testament into the vernacu lar of his day—that is, into Latin—fifty U.S. and Canadian Biblical scholars have pro duced a 1,500 page commentary on the Bible named in his honor—the Jerome Biblical Commentary, published by Prentice-Hall, Englewood, N.J. St. Jerome’s translation of the Old Testament, together with his earlier work in translating the new Testament into Latin, produced the so-called Vulgate Edition of the Bible, and was the first great Catholic attempt to understand the word of God from the original sources. The service then proceeded to the Offertory because, as Andrew Leahy, CCL president explained, the Liturgy of the Word had already taken place during the talks and accompanying dialogue. What followed included personalized prayers, an energetic, interpretive dance by a young black stripped to the waist and holding a gold chalice, an' Our Father sung by the audience in rousing, folk style, scriptural readings by lay men and women, and distribution of the Eucharist from some 25 baskets which had been filled with small slices of French bread. Griffin, Perdue, and Father Nerin all expressed reservations about the service later. “It was an unfortunate choice,” Griffin said. All three agreed there was too little group participation, that there was little cultural Each man discussed the opposition he faced as the communities formed—from Catholics with more traditional leanings along with fear and antagonism from the clergy. But not from their bishops. They stressed the importance of their bishops’ attitudes toward the communities, and praised t hem for being “open and non-judgmental.” Bishop Victor J. Reed of Oklahoma City and Tulsa and Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell of Madison are the Ordinaries concerned. “Bishop O’Donnell neither approved nor disapproved of us,” Griffin said. “He simply has allowed our people to follow their consciences in their religious practices.” The speakers touched repeatedly on two fundamental causes they say influence Grape D is pute Calls For Election OAKLAND (NC) - Bishop Floyd L. Begin of Oakland has called upon California growers and farm workers to hold impartially supervised elections as a means of settling California’s grape industry dispute, which is now in its fourth year. In a statement issued here, Bishop Begin said such elections would determine whether workers wish to exercise their right to organize, and if so, whether they wish to be represented by the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC, AFL-CIO), or by some other workers’ organization. He maintained that continued refusal to hold such an election can only “question the integrity” of the growers’ claim that non-striking farm workers have repudiated the UFWOC. Bishop Begin noted that the U.S. Catholic bishops at their meeting in November endorsed the farm workers’ right to organize. He said the bishops were also aware of the problems of the growers, particularly family farmers. FATHER Raymond Brown, S.S., of St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, is one of the edi tors of the Jerome Biblical Commentary. (NC Photos) FATHER Roland Murphy, O. Carm., of the Catholic Uni versity of America, Wash ington, D.C., is one of the editors of the Jerome Bibli cal Commentary. (NC Photos) FATHER Joseph Fitzmyer, S.J., of Woodstock College, Woodstock, Md., is one of the editors of the Jerome Biblical Commentary. (NC Photos) formation of experimental communities. They are the frustration of individual Catholics in parishes that are usually too big, coldly impersonal and non-communal, and a growing belief that the Catholic religion needs groups which search independently for new ways to bring meaning to their religious beliefs. None of the speakers, in reply to audience questions, said they believed in divorcing themselves from the “structural” Church since such an action would, according to Father Nerin, “mean that we’ve turned our backs to other Christians.” “This is not what we believe the Christian message is all about,” he said. ihe versatile and exciting THE LIVE WIRES Starring MGM Recording Star LOU ROBERTS (3 P.M.-2 A M.) and LOVELY SUZANNE 760 W. PEACHTREE • 875-4251 THE Silver Poodle Salon FIRST IN DOG GROOMING 5153 Buford Hwv. Doraville, Ga, . Ph. 451-0311 INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION STUD SERVICE DOG SUPPLIES PUPPIES PET PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARRIS GET YOUR CHRISTMAS ORDERS IN EARLY Ponce de Leon OPEN AIX at Highland NiGH'l THE GREAT RESTORATION OF MALE PLUMAGE... SELECTED FOR YOU FROM THE fashion caters of the world THE European Specialty Shop and Boutique for Men. 284 BUCKHEAD AYE., N.E. 233-2248 Open 11-8 Monday thru Saturday j COME IN * ! AND SELECT ! YOUR I | Turkeys & Hams f I for 1 UJ5. 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