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4 THE GEORGIA BULLEflW/VH^RSdAV,id^MBER jZ.'l&fr'
Most Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan D.D, J.C.D. - Publisher
Rev. R. Donald Kiernan - Acting Editor
Wendy Marris - Assistant Editor
Member of the Catholic Press Association
2699 Peachtree N.E. and Subscriber t0 n.C.W.C. News Service
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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.
On Being Father
At his mid-weekly audience Pope Paul returned to a subject which
has been a matter of concern for him for some months. He speaks of
the ways in which efforts for the renewal of the church can be
exaggerated, and dangerous teachings can confuse and trouble the
people of God. When the Pope expresses himself in this manner, most
of the mass media, which like to see things in black and white, in pros
and cons, accuse the Pontiff of dragging his feet on aggiomamento
and of blocking the progressive effects of Vatican Council II.
When the full texts of the papal statements finally become
available, it usually appears that the Pope has in fact provided a very
balanced view of the church picture; when he warns against excesses
on the one side, he never fails to encourage legitimate growth and
change where this is indicated. In his statement on this question last
September, for example, the Pope spoke of “buds of spring which
sprout on die ancient trunk where some did not think that there l
could be signs of new life...precious energies all the more worthy of
affectionate attention because so frequently their source is the in
genuous and youthful.” These spring, he said, “from a striving for
earnestness and personal commitment, from an essential research,
from an inner deepening of the religious expressions, from a trusting
attempt to give to the spiritual life a new language of its own and to
theology some original expression. They spring from some practical
and courageous sacrifice which gives testimony of an unusual Chris
tian authenticity. AH of this deserves attention and often admira
tion, too.”
The Pope goes on to point out how easy it is for even good ideas
to lose their way when separated from the living tradition of the
church. How easy to be “instinctively...anti-constitutional” when
allowed to grow “outside of the normal furrows of the apostolic
field,” how “easily subject to decay” when “detatched from an
ecclesial context.;.They are streams that do not make up a river. They
are often magnificent forces which, without wanting it that way,
produce little and at time disturb, and which, after moments of great
fervor, usually weaken and disappear.”
These are not harsh words but fatherly ones, they are plainly not
intended to discourage new understanding and vigor of expression in
matters of faith. They warn, all the same, of the dangers of a religious
enthusiasm that gets carried away in its own excitement, one that too
readily sets aside the structured ways for a freedom that proves
illusory. No one surveying world events at this time in our history,
and particularly within the church itself, will have anything but
sympathy for the concerns of Pope Paul.They are not those of a pontiff
who has set himself against development and change, but rather one
anxious to channelize the best energies of the time into those areas
most profitable for the lasting good of souls.
The Pilot
Christianity And Tea Cups
A distinguished translator of Chaucer, Professor Nevill Coghill,
commenting on Chaucer’s interest in manners, has said, “One of the
things I notice in the 20th Century is the decline of manners, the
decay of honor and what is noble and truthful. Good manners is
Christianity applied to teacups and coffee spoons.”
Many present-day problems could be solved by a copy of Emily
Post or Amy Vanderbilt.
Consider the generation gap. It is true that there is a tension and
hostility between younger and older people. Much of this is due to
the sweeping away of a paternalism that gave the floor, in other days,
to older people and expected younger folks to sit quietly and listen
without—externally, as least-talking back. Now such a paternalism is
gone. And, as a result, there is a sometimes bitter exchange of views
with an accompanying alienation of the one group from the other.
Manners would help in this adjustment. Older people should be
able to present their views and the wisdom of their years but in an
acceptable way, with reverence for their listeners. Younger people
should be able to grant courtesy to their elders and present their own
reaction with a similar reverence and kindness. In an atmosphere of
mutual politeness and dignity and patience there could be a
reconciliation of varying viewpoints with the emphasis on arriving at
truth and the wise path to follow, instead of a policy of dictation by
the one group and arrogant rejection by the other.
This would be Christianity in action. The Anchor
How Can We Forget?
TURNING UP THE CALENDAR—A workman carefully cleans plaster from an ancient Roman
calendar found recently below the fourth century Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome
during repair work. The days for each month are listed; so far- three months have been
found and experts believe an entire year will be discovered. (NC Photos)
GEORGIA PINES
'By R. Donald Kiernan
How quick we can forget. In this-day of big
-organizations and publicity stresses on the
inner city plights, it seems to me that
individuals can be forgotten and the suburbs
can be automatically catagorized as being
“affluent”.
Readily there comes to mind a tragic
incident which happened
last Spring out in
Hapeville. A nursery
exploded, and along with
the loss of lives there was
one hero, a negro woman.
This woman returned
time and time again into
the burning building to
bring out as many
children as she could, and
finally collapsed herself. Her heroic action left
seven small children without a mother.
Newspapers gave her a fitting tribute but even
now, less than one year, her name has faded
into obscurity. Obscurity, except by the little
tots she saved and the children she left
without a mother. I wonder, in our anxiety to
share, if her name could be included among
our prayers and her children among our gifts?
Now out in Brookhaven, bordering on the
corner of the former Veterans Administration
Hospital grounds is a pocket of poverty nestled
among Atlanta s affluent suburbs. Concerned
persons, as individuals or through action in
their churches, have been serving the needs of
the poor through “inner-city ministeries”, now
a group of suburban churches have initiated a
ministry to help these people in a section
named Lynwood.
Concerned Churches...Lynwood, they call
themselves, have mustered the talents of two
Catholic church groups (Assumption and St.
J ude’s), three Episcopal churches (Atonement,
St. Bartholomew’s and St. Martin’s), one
Lutheran (Peachtree Road), one Methodist (St.
James) and three Presbyterian (Covenant,
Oglethorpe and Providence). And do they do a
good “selling Job”. Why they even got this
writer to scrap a column he had already
written in order to bring before the public
what they are working for and what they need.
Talking to one of these dedicated (and
convincing) women, she pointed out that most
women think twice before they drive to town
and battle traffic. “Here’s their opportunity,
Father”, she said, and added, “why they can
help practically right in their own back yard”.
A supervised recreation program is to begin
on December 16th, which will run Mondays
through Saturdays, but volunteers are needed
to teach arts and crafts. Mothers, high school
and college students who have some special
skill are desperately needed, and in lieu of their
time possibly they might be willing to donate
some materials for arts and crafts...and yes,
even sports equipment would be most
welcomed.
This whole project is operated out of the
Lynwood Park School, a building located at
the northernmost terminus of Osborne Road
which begins at Peachtree in Brookhaven.
Christmas is the time of giving, and New
Year s is the time for resolutions. It seems to
me that combining these two seasons we might
make the resolution for the coming year to
give of ourselves to those less fortunate.