Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 8 No. 22
Thursday, May 28,1970
$5 per year
Dear
Reader
BY HARRY MURPHY
.
The United States flag is a
symbol, one which should be
respected. What should be
respected more, however, is
what the flag stands for.
As with statues, pictures,
medals and similar objects,
the flag is to be revered for
what it symbolizes, but not as
an end in itself.
Protestants often
misunderstand Catholics who
kneel before statues and pray.
The statues, as well as holy
pictures and medals, remind
us of Christ and saints and
what they did. It is not stone,
paper and metal to which we
pray,' but persons of
exemplary deeds who have
gone on before.
The flag symbolizes the
United States, a youngster of
less than 200 years struggling
to live up finally to laws
written by its founding
fathers.
Some of these say all men
are created equal, and have
the right to peaceful assembly
and to petition their
government.
Saluting the flag,
defending it, wrapping
yourself in it will not make
you a good American, no
more than just going to Mass
will make you a good
Catholic.
One state official outlined
the way he would defend
against a demonstrator
attempting to lower Georgia
and American flags thusly:
“I would take a machine
gun and cut off his hand or
foot. It wouldn’t kill him, but
I guarantee you he would
never climb a flag pole
again.” r
I believe that the youth
who tried to lower the flags a
couple of weeks ago in the
Capitol demonstration was
wrong. Someday I hope and
believe he will realize this.
The Stars and Stripes may
not mean much to him, but
some things do, perhaps a
loved one’s picture, a peace
medallion or similar object.
He wouldn’t look too kindly
on them being spat upon,
burned or otherwise
despoiled.
There have been many
instances of late of persons
defending the flag -
construction workers, a war
veteran and an elderly lady.
This is fine if no violence is
involved on either side, just as
would be a protection of our
Church’s statues.
But would these defenders
react as readily and as
strongly if a minority group
were being mistreated?
Total support for a
country, person or church is
risky business. The president,
congress, the Pope and the
bishops err. To remain silent
when they do is wrong,
because silence generally
means consent.
To express dissent in any
lawful way should be
permitted. If a particular
method of dissent is found
distasteful, it can be legislated
against and denied if upheld
by the courts.
Meanwhile, if Americans
and Christians would stress
principles more than symbols,
the matter would resolve
itself.
End To War
In Indochina Immediately
TAMPA, Fla. (NC)--Members of the conference of
major superiors of Jesuits closed their meeting here
with a request to all U.S. senators that the Indochina
war be ended without delajf, that military
appropriations be reduced and that steps be taken to
heal the alienation of American youth.
In a letter sent by the
11-member group over the
signature of conference
secretary Father John V.
O’Connor, S.J., the priests
said their action showed their
concern “over moral issues
afflicting the conscience of
every citizen of the nation.”
“We speak to you,” the
priests declared, “out of our
deep appreciation ' of the
dignity of all human life and
of the brotherhood of all
mankind...
'‘We wish to express to
you our deep concern over
the moral implications of the
war in Indochina. We must
ask whether the results,
which are sought in good
conscience by those who
support the war, are any'
longer proportionate to the
evil involved.”
Commenting that their
concern over the war had
been heightened by confusion
about U.S. goals in Indochina
and “by the questionable
morality of the recent
escalation of the war by the
invasion of Cambodia and
the resumption of the
bombing of North Vietnam.
“In addition, we deplore
any attempt to motivate the
American people to accept
this escalation on the basis of
our never having lost a war.”
The Jesuits then expressed
theiy concern over the effects
of the war in the United
States and asked the senators
to:
-Take steps to end the war
without delay.
--Cut back military
appropriations and channel
the money into peaceful
directions.
--To modify Selective
Service regulations to allow
selective conscientious
objection “as recently
espoused by the United
States Catholic Conference.”
— And to take these
positive steps in an effort to
heal the alienation of our
youth frorii this country.
“We earnestly address
these requests to the Senate
of the United States,” the
letter closed, “as American
citizens and ministers of
religion, grievously distressed
over the present moral stance
of our beloved country.”
The letter was signed by
the following Jesuit
provincials: Fathers James L.
Connor of Maryland; Patrick
J. Donohoe of California;
John H. Edwards of New
Orleans; Walter L. Farrell of
Detroit; Kenneth J. Galbraith
of Oregon; William G.
Guindon of New England;
Robert F. Harvanek of
Chicago; John J. Kelley of
Oregon; Robert A. Mitchell
of New York; Gerald R.
Sheahan of Missouri; and
Joseph ,D. Sheehan of
Wisconsin.
Another protest of the
Indochina war came from
New York’s Union
Theological Seminary, where
the graduation ceremony was
turned into a ceremony of
mourning for four students
Hypocritical To Deplore
Student Violence - Groppi
DE KALB, Ill, (NC)-Father James Groppi, a civil rights activist, declared here
that criticism of student violence is hypocritical, in view of what he termed as
violent acts committed by federal, state and local governments.
In a speech and news
conference at Northern
Illinois University, the
Milwaukee priest said:
“Hypocrisy is apparent to
the students who have
watched President Nixon
expand the Vietnam war into
Cambodia, who have seen
national guardsmen shoot
Kent State University
students and who have
witnessed the recent
(shooting) deaths of blacks in
Augusta, Ga., and Jackson
State University in
Mississippi.”
Meanwhile, in New
NEWS BRIEFS
Bishops Congratulate Pope
WASHINGTON (NC)-The 285 Catholic bishops of the
United States, in a letter given to Pope Paul VI at the Vatican
by Cardinal John Dearden of Detroit, expressed “deep joy” over
the Pope’s 50th anniversary in the priesthood The National
Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) told the Pontiff, in the
letter, that a bronze plaque marking the May 29 golden jubilee
would be placed in the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D/C., as “a visible reminder of this
memorable occasion” for the shrine’s visiting tourists. Cardinal
Dearden, president of the NCCB, gave the letter to the Pope
while in Rome for a May meeting of the Council of the General
Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. “Without a doubt,” the
letter said, “this event serves not only as an occasion of special
happiness for the entire Church but also as an opportunity to
reflect prayerfully upon the great mystery of the Priesthood
itself.”
Fr. Abbott Resigns
ROME (NC)-The World Catholic Federation for the Biblical
Apostolate has voted to open an international headquarters in
Rome to promote its program to create among Catholics a
greater awareness of the Bible’s unique potential for good in the
everyday lives of Christians. During a recent meeting in Rome of
the federation, Father Walter M. Abbott, S.J., one of the
federation’s founders, resigned from the posts of general
secretary and treasurer. Father Abbott is an official of the
Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity and
specializes in promotion of common Bible work among various
Christian churches and communities. The American Jesuit said
he was resigning his posts because the federation has grown so
much in size and complexity that the office of general secretary
now requires the full-time services of an executive. Named to
succeed him as general secretary is Father Bernard Orchard,
O.S.B. of London. A Catholic layman, James J. Lynch of
Boston, Mass., was elected treasurer.
Abortion Bill Vetoed
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NC)-Gov. Marvin Mandel vetoed a bill
which virtually would have stripped Maryland of all restrictions
on abortions. Acting after two pressure-packed months during
which he conducted a public hearing and received more than
50,000 letters on the issue, the governor said (May 26) he
rejected the measure purely on legal grounds. The measure
would have made abortion a matter between a woman and her
physician—no more difficult to obtain than any other medical
operation.
Orleans, La., the student
dissent subject was, also
reviewed by a former U.S.
ambassador to Ghana in his
commencement address at
Xavier University.
. Franklin H. Williams, now
president, Phelps-Stokes
Fund, New York City, told
the 245 degree candidates
that while violet student
reactions are unfortunate,
they are nevertheless
understandable as reflections
of a “neurosis in the minds of
our present national leaders.”
He denounced the Nixon
administration for a national
policy “certain'to restrict and
cripple the basic liberties of
our society’s conscience and
expression.” He said young
people could be expected to
criticize this policy when the
President speaks of the
sanctity of human life and
then orders bombers into
North Vietnam.
Williams criticized Vice
President Agnew for
name-calling which he
characterized as “words
mouthed by frustrated,
inadequate little bigots, not
by thoge who would lead a
nation.”
“Sensitive concerned
young men and
women-destined to inherit an
increasingly polluted earth,
crying out against wild
excesses of their power-drunk
elders, are daily designated as
‘irresponsible, worthless or
just plain bums’ by men
charged with the
responsibility of directing
their destinies,” he said.
Warning of the sometimes
violent methods taken by
government and law
enforcement officials against
dissenters, Williams said,
“Repressive and retrogressive
administrative proposals and
actions, directed against the
blacks, the poor, the young
their concern over the effects
the very fabric of our
pluralistic society.”
“In a democracy, dissent is
an act of faith,” he said,
“Criticism is more than a
right, it is an act of
partiotism.”
shot and killed at Ohio’s Kent
State University, two killed at
Jackson State College in
Mississippi, and six black men
shot in the backs during civil
disorders in Augusta, Ga.
The Union \ Theological
Seminary Assembly,
composed of the entire
faculty and elected student
representatives, adopted a
statement calling on the 1
United States to “turn from
moral failure and death to
peace and life.”
The statement sharply
condemns both the extension
of the Vietnam war into
Cambodia and the rationale
by which President Nixon
defended that action.
“Our President has
followed the advice of those
who have always sought the
impossible goal of a military
solution in Vietnam,” the
statement charges. “He has
appealed (o false patriotism
and false pride when he says
that we are a nation that has
never been defeated and that
therefore we must extend the
war which he had promised
to bring to an end.”
In Chicago, meanwhile,
students and faculty of
Chicago Theological
Seminary have formulated a
“Declaration Concerning Our
National Crisis” highly
critical of the Cambodian
invasion. Copies of the
declaration have been sent to
all alumni of the seminary
with the request that it be
read by the alumni in their
churches.
Purpose of the declaration
is explained in an
introductory statement:
“When the course of a nation
of which we are citizens
violates principles to which
we subscribe as confessing
Christians, we believe that we
are morally obligated to
protest.”
MEMORIAL DAY 19JO-... between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place .. .(NC Photo)
Catholics Aid March
BY HARRY MURPHY
Catholic response, even
though slight, compared
favorably with those of other
religious denominations asked
to aid the “anti-repression”
march which arrived here
Saturday.
Some 15 nuns and a few
priests, including Sr. Marie
Bodell and Fr. Alan Dillmann
of the Atlanta Archdiocesan
Office of Urban Affairs,
participated in the march and
attendant activities.
The office earlier had sent
out appeals to parishes for
food to feed the marchers
and others attending the
event. Enough to feed 600
persons' r Was finally rounded
up under Sr. Bodell’s
direction, but less than half
came from Catholics, she
said.
Participants came from as far
away as New York and
Kansas City to take part in
the biggest civil rights
outpouring since the King
Funeral two years ago.
Catholic involvement
began a week earlier when
Hosea Williams of SCLC
called some 60 persons
together in Macon to form
the “Coalition Against
Repression.”
Sr. Bodell a Sister of Notre
Dame, attended the ^meeting,
along with Rev. Austin Ford,
an Episcopal priest who heads
Emmaus House in its
inner-city work.
She was appointed to
arrange for feeding and
housing the marchers. With
donations of food from many
sources and a $100 donation
(Continued on Page 7)
Mulherin Heads
Georgia K.C.
$ 2 ft:
Pope Deplores War
| Spread In Indochina |
VATICAN CITY (NC)~ Pope Paul VI has once
again deplored the extension of the conflicts in
Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and has urged all
who have “the power and the responsibility” to push
for a negotiated peace.
deplore that there have been
erected into a system those
methods of terror which civil
conscience rightly repudiates.
It is not by means of- new
injustices that one combats
those against which one has
risen up. Nor is it in violating
the rights of man that one
can reestablish the order that
has been distrubed even by
criminal actions.”
“Not only are the fields of
war operations extending
themselves further,, but the
people directly concerned
and in whose name the wars
are being fought seem to
count less and less,” Pope
Paul asserted.
The Pope was speaking
(May 18) to the college of
cardinals in reply to an
address of homage for the
50th anniversary of his
ordination given by Cardinal
Benedetto Aloisi Masella,
acting as dean of the college.
Pope Paul warned that the
“deeper military commitment
of the great powers” filled
the situation with still greater
perils, and addressed “a
pressing appeal to all, who
have the power and the
responsibility in the affair to
be willing to apply-on both
sides-every effort and some
sacrifice if necessary to the
search for a just and equitable
negotiated settlement.”
Such a settlement, he said,
should “take account of the
rights and legitimate interests
of all the people swept up in
the conflicts.”
It should also consider the
“expectations of a humanity
fearful for it own fate,” he
said.
Pope Paul also deplored
the use of terror as a weapon
against injustice and disorder.
“Also we cannot fail to
The 68th annual meeting
' of the Georgia State Council
Knights of Columbus was
held in Augusta the weekend
of May 15-17. The annual
convention is the highlight of
activities of the Knights of
Columbus in the State of
Georgia and was extremely
well attended with the fifteen
councils located in % most
major cities in the state well
represented.
At the final business
session, officers for the
fraternal year beginning July
1, 1970 and ending June 30„
1971 were elected, with
Bernard J. Mulherin having
been elected to the post of
State Deputy.
Mulherin presently is
serving this fraternal year in
the capacity of State
Secretary and is a past Grand
Knight of Patrick Walsh
Council No. 677 in Augusta,
Ga. where his two brothers.
Newman Chaplain Warns
Youth Tired Of Fighting
BURLINGTON, Vt. (NC)--A Newman chaplain
made a cross i country trip to warn here that the
nation’s youth “are tiring of the historical practice of
old men starting wars that have to be fought by
young men.”
Patrick R. Mulherin and
Matthew W. Mulherin, both
of Augusta, served as Grand
Knight and his father, the late
James B. Mulherin, served on
two occasions as Grand
Knight and his grandfather,
Captain P. H. Rice was the
first Grand Knight in 1902.
Other officers elected for
the coming fraternal year
were:
John E. Dayton, State
Secretary, Council 4371,
Warner Robins; Xavier M.
Dugas, Re-elected State
Treasurer, Council .1939,
Brunswick; William S. Purdy,
State Advocate, Council
4599, Marietta; William
Baker, State Warden, Council
5484, Augusta, Georgia.
The convention also
elected the following as
alternates to the Supreme
Convention which will be
held in Houston, Texas in
August of this year: Charles
C. Chesser, Council 677,
Augusta; Daniel J. Keane,
Council 631, Savannah, Ga.
Monsignor George Lewis
Smith, pastor of St. Mary’s
Help of Christians parish,
Aiken, S.C. was keynote
speaker. He addressed the
Saturday night Banquet.
Father Charles L. Forsyth,
O.S.B., Catholic chaplain at
the University of CQlorado in
Boulder, in the baccalaureate
address to 1,300 graduates at
the University of Vermont
here, also noted the young
have begun to taste “some of
the possibilities of politics”
and “hopefully they will
come to realize that political
detachment is an
unforgivable apostacy for
any generation.”
The Benedictine, a World
War II Army chaplain who is
president of the National
Catholic Campus Ministry
Association and an executive
committee member of its
Protestant counterpart, the
National Campus Ministry
Association, spoke oq the
generation gap.
Father Forsy th, who lost a
leg in the Battle of Luzon in
1945 and was decorated with
the Silver Star, said he always
has tried to understand the
young, but added “I refuse to
worship at the altar of
youth.”
Father Forsyth, who
received an honorary
doctorate at the graduation
exercises, made these
observations:
--“I recognize the
generation gap, and I accept
the deficiencies that it brings
with if when I try to talk
about/ and analyze the
(Continued on Page 8)
B. J. Mulherin
State Deputy