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Vol. 8 No. 29
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Thursday, August 20,1970
$5 per year
Dear
Reader
BY HARRY MURPHY
The prognosticators say
there is a pall of
disillusionment and
accompanying voter apathy
upon the country and the
politicians on the campaign
trail can expect small vote
totals in the Sept. 9
primaries.
I hope they’re wrong.
Several bills of interest to
the Christian community
likely will come up before the
next General Assembly
session, including revisions in
welfare and abortion laws.
Swaying influences on
legislators come from two
major sources, votes and
lobbyists’ money which
finances the hunt for votes.
Hie electorate is getting
more sophisticated, and
maybe too sophisticated.
There seems to be a feeling
that if there isn’t a man
among the gubernatorial
candidates who measures up
to a citizen’s standards, then
John Q. will just abstain from
voting.
But someone will All the
office and it’s best that as
many people as possible
decide who it is.
There are varying opinions
as to what makes a person
run for public office-
publicity, service, power? But
there’s no doubt that the
campaign trail, particularly
for statewide offices, is a
rough one.
A candidate for statewide
office, mounting a serious
campaign, leaves his home on
Monday and often doesn’t
return until Saturday or
Sunday.
In the interim, he sleeps
and eats in strange places,
shakes hands and talks with
strangers who may be hostile.
He wants you to vote for
him, but the next best thing
is that you just vote. A
candidate feels bad enough if
he gets beaten, but if the
voter turnout is small, then
this compounds the misery.
This is as if a jury of 12
persons sentences you with
only 7 of them voting, the
other 5 not caring enough
about your future to even
vote.
A candidate first of all
wants money from people,
then work and thirdly votes.
Some concerned citizens give
all three, but the vast
majority are asked to do
nothing but vote.
This in our helter, skelter
society seems to be an
imposition to many, however.
They withdraw from saying
hello to the candidates, won’t
even take his brochure and
read about him.
The poor candidate is
prone to feel as if he is
peddling prostitutes or
pornography, instead of a
share in the democratic
process.
We easily slip into the
feeling that ,we’re doing
someone a favor by going to
the polls, when actually it’s
ourselves we are helping.
Max Lemer, an American
editor and author of the early
1900’s, felt that, “Of the
many things we have done to
democracy in the past, the
worst has been the indignity
of taking it for granted.”
Voter apathy is an
indication of this indignity.
We get out of government
something akin to what we
put in, and the Christian
community is looking for
much.
Sr. Madeline Back
From Europe Tour
Sister Mary Madeline Roddenbery, R.S.M., director
of elementary schools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta,
returned to Atlanta last week after being a member of
a seminar group of 50 educators participating in a
study of the British Primary Schools.
The study group seminar
was under the direction of
Dr. Vincent Rogers, a
Fulbright scholar and author
of the book, TEACHING IN
THE BRITISH PRIMARY
SCHOOLS.
As a member of the
seminar group, Sister
Madeline visited the schools
in Oxfordshire and
Leicestershire, where they
have the unique aspects of
family or vertical grouping,
transitional grouping, and the
integrated day. Part of her
time in the schools was spent
in observation and discussion
with the headmaster and
teachers. The remainder of
the time was spent in small
group instruction in the
various classrooms or
individual instruction under
Sister’s supervision and
direction.
In commenting on her
impression of the British
Primary Schools, Sister
Madeline stated:
“The British Primary
Schools, which I visited,
were truly child centered.
The Headmaster and
teachers were remarkably
committed to their
profession (which paid
them an amazingly low
salary) as teachers of our
most vital raw material,
our children.
“The atmosphere in the
schools is warm, friendly,
relaxed and at the same
time full of purpose.
FR. O’CONNELL
Franciscan
Graduates
In Athens
Rev. Neil J. O’Connell,
O.F.M. has accepted a
position as assistant professor
of history and assistant to the
chaplain at Prairie View A.
and M. College in Prairie
View, Texas.
Fr. Neil will receive his
Doctor of Philosophy degree
in history from the University
of Georgia, Aug. 22.
Since September 1967,
while working toward his
degree in Athens, he has
assisted Chaplains Fr.
Christian Malone, O.F.M. and
Fr. Joe Holohan, O.F.M., at
the Catholic Center at the
University of Georgia.
He received his B.A. from
St. Bonaventure University in
1960, S.T.B. from Catholic
University in Washington,
D.C. in 1964, and his M.A. in
History from Siena College in
Albany, New York in 1967
when he came to Athens for
work on his doctors degree.
Fr. Neil will assist the
present chaplain at Prairie
View, Fr. Robert Bowen, in
addition to his duties as
assistant professor of history
there. Prairie View was
founded in 1876 and is the
second oldest state supported
higher learning in Texas.
“Hie Headmaster is a
vital figure in the school.
He is always available, in
and out of the classrooms,
talking over a ‘cup of tea’
with faculty members and
knows each child by name.
“The teacher has a great
deal of freedom in the
scheduling and planning as
well as execution of the
plans in her classroom.
Innovation and creativity
are not only welcomed but
encouraged.”
When asked if she
considered this method of
instruction advisable for the
schools in the United States,
Sister answered:
“In principle their
philosophy is quite sound
and their application of
this philosophy is
beautifully accomplished.
Yes, I believe very strongly
that this philosophy
(Continued on Page 7)
NGCB Opposes
Laws To Limit
Family Sizes
WASHINGTON (NC) - The National Conference
of Catholic Bishops has told the United States
Congress that it opposes family-planning or
population-control bills on grounds they overlook an
individual’s dignity and put the cart before the horse
when it comes to assisting the nation’s needy.
SISTER DISTRIBUTES COMMUNION - Sister Adrian, D.C., one of 14 nuns granted permission
by Archbishop Philip Hannan to distribute Holy Communion to patients in Charity Hospital, New
Orleans, brings the Sacrament to a patient. There are about 200 Catholic patients who receive
Communion daily. Due to the increase, the sisters were authorized to aid the priests in their work.
(NC Photo)
Without a long overdue
family policy for this
country, “family planning
and birth control programs
are a limited and negative
approach to family life,” said
Father James T. McHugh,
testifying in behalf of the
bishops before the House
Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce. The
priest is director of the family
life division of the United
States Catholic Conference.
Programs under
consideration by the
committee, Father McHugh
said, are “very often based on
pragmatic decisions that
NEWS BRIEFS
K. C. Flay Abortionists
HOUSTON (NC) — The Knights of Columbus’ top official
deplored the inconsistent evaluation of human life by today’s
society, which he said “would usurp power of .life at its
beginning by way of abortion and at its twilight by way of
euthanasia.” Supreme Knight John W. McDevitt, addressing the
states dinner at the 88th annual meeting here of the K of C
Supreme Council, said modem society is bent upon eliminating
capital punishment for murder and other serious crimes, but at
the same time would destory life through abortion and mercy
killings. The Supreme Council is highest legislative body of the
1.2 million-member society. Delegates from the United States,
Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Cuba
attended the three-day session. McDevitt scoffed at the idea of a
population explosion as a motivation for such a trend, asserting
the nation is faced with “rather an explosion of propaganda
than of population.” “At stake are the moral standards of the
nation, the spiritual foundations of society, the future welfare
of civilization. These are pearls of the greatest value. To
abandon these is to bankrupt mankind and to push mankind
over the precipice of destruction,” McDevitt said.
Award For Bishop
ATLANTA (NC) — Archbishop Helder Camara of Olinda and
Recife, Brazil, was named the second recipient of the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
award here. The archbishop received the award in recognition of
his leadership in nonviolent social movements. It was presented
at the SCLC’s 13th annual convention. Dom Helder, as the
archbishop is affectionately known, was guest of honor during a
banquet commemorating the founding of the Atlanta-based
SCLC.
Atlantan Says Holy Name
Has New Life In V. S.
BY LOUIS C. FINK
(Mr. Fink, of Atlanta, is president of the National Association of the Holy Name Society)
Summer Schedule
There will be no paper next week, as we are on
Summer Schedule. The Georgia Bulletin does not
print the second and last weeks in June, July and
August.
| N. Y. Chancery
i ‘Bombed’
NEW YORK (NC)-Discovery of a small neatly
wrapped box leaking a frothy liquid forced employes
of New York archdiocesan chancery office into the
street while police bomb experts probed the package.
Traffic was halted on Madison avenue until the box
was unwrapped and found to contain rock salt, used
to melt snow in winter.
The chancery is directly across from the residence
of Cardinal Terence Cook where a detail of city
police has been maintained since a small fire of
unexplained origin broke out several yeas ago.
New Yorkers have almost learned to live as easily
with bombs as with traffic in the wake of bombings
in governmental buildings, offices and department
stores. No pattern and little ideological influence has
been discovered in the bombings, police said.
8
The 700 year-old
Confraternity of the Most
Holy Name of Jesus has a
new surge of life in the
United States. It never died,
of course - any more than the
Catholic Church died, or the
priesthood, or the Sacrament
of Matrimony. There were
defections from all of these
venerable institutions, as the
affluent society and situation
morality convinced a
minority that the way to
aggiomamento began with
junking everything you had.
A few people mis-read the
Documents of Vatican II and
confused destruction with
renewal. Fortunately, there
were men of Faith who
believed in established ideals.
If changes were needed in
structures, they were willing
to make those changes - while
adhering to the principles of a
group like the Holy Name
Society: reverence for the
Name of God; loyalty to the
Church; assistance to the
parish; self-sanctification;
fraternity and fellowship.
, Some people actually
believed that the name of
“Holy Name Society” was
outmoded. John Cardinal
Wright stated it poignantly;
he said that too many men no
longer worried about “taking
the Name of the Lord in
vain” because they no longer
believed in the Lord.
Canada had a frustrating
experience: a study revealed
that some men felt that
“Holy Name” meant that you
had to be holy to get in the
Society. So they formed a
national organization with a
new name which
de-emp hasized reverence for
the Divine Name. Results
were disastrous.
There ■ was another
misconception about the
Holy Name Society which
developed. People mistook its
parades and monthly
corporate Communion as its
sole reason for existence.
When parades went out of
style and weekly Communion
became the practice, a few
men thought that Holy Name
was out of style. They lost
sight of the purposes of the
Society in their study of its
techniques.
Pope Gregory X started
Holy Name in 1274. Pius IV
gave it canonical structure in
1564 as a Church
Confraternity. Twenty-five
Popes have since endorsed the
Society, including his
Holiness Paul VI.
The American Hierarchy
has been generous in praise.
Ordinaries from New York
to Los Angeles have appeared
at Holy Name meetings and
encouraged the men. Typical
is the statement of the Most
Reverend John L. May, D.D.,
Bishop of Mobile: “The Holy
Name Society here is the
strong right arm of the
Bishop and I have designated
it so. I am very much pleased
and encouraged with the
spirit of the Holy Name men
in our diocese.”
Most Reverend Joseph A
McNicholas, Auxiliary Bishop
of St. Louis, told his Holy
Name men that they “were to
be commended for active
participation in the work of
the Church, taking part in the
various programs of the
archdiocese, the closeness
with your pastors, your
fulfillment of your role as
ushers, lectors, commenta
tors, cantors, workers and
other duties too numerous to
mention...”
Bishop McNicholas put his
finger on one of the
(Continued on Page 8)
overlook the dignity of the
individual and that are
questionable as to intent and
expected results.”
Silence of population bills
on the topic of abortion
“makes it even more
dangerous and unacceptable,”
he said.
Included in this blanket
denouncement were bills
S2108 and HR15159 and
others. The first, S2108, is a
nearly $1 billion
population-control bill that
would provide American
women with birth control
pills and other contraceptives.
The other bill would
amend the Public Health
Service Act to provide
specific project grants for
family planning services and
related research, training and
technical assistance.
“The various legislative
proposals contain
authorization to fund private,
non-profit agencies,
institutions and organizations
for the provision of family
planning services,” Father
McHugh said.
“We are opposed to the
utilization of public monies,”
he added, “for the funding of
private agencies whose whole
intent is to promote birth
control.”
Needed, he said, is a family
policy which is “comprehen
sive, positive, supportive of
family life.” He added it
“should include income and
work programs such as those
contained in the Family
Assistance Plan, a unified
(Continued on Page 7)
Changes And Innovations
Mark Opening Of Schools
Schedule changes and
other innovations will mark
the beginning of the new year
when schools of the
Archdiocese open on
Monday, August 31.
According to Father Daniel
J. O’Connor, Secretary for
Education, the new year will
bring not only an estimated
increase in enrollment but
several important changes and
innovations.
The estimated increase in
student population is
indicated by pre-registration
figures received in May, and is
expected in spite of the fact
that the majority of the
parishes in the Archdiocese
have been forced to increase
tuition due to steadily rising
costs. Father O’Connor said
that in several parishes in the
Archdiocese, tuition has now
reached $250 for the first
child.
The most dramatic change,
according to Father
O’Connor, is at St. Mary’s
School in Rome where the
staff will be composed
entirely of lay teachers. They
will operate under the
administration of Mrs. Doris
Ragsdale, who will be
principal of the school for the
school year 1970-71.
The Dominican Sisters
withdrew from St. Marys in
June of this year, and the
Daughters of Charity, who
will replace the Sisters, will
not come to Georgia- Until
September 1971. The people
of the parish optioned to
keep the school open despite
the fact that no religious
would be available for the
present school year. St.
Mary’s School will open on
Friday, August 28, following
the calendar of public schools
in Floyd County.
Another indication of the
importance of laymen on the
faculties of Catholic schools,
according to Father
O’Connor, is the elevation of
a layman, Mr. Gene Brisbane
to the position of Assistant
Principal at St. Joseph High
School. Sister Mary Placide,
CSJ, is the new principal of
St. Joseph following the
resignation of Father Paul
Kelley.
Father O’Connor also
noted that all lay teachers
and teaching Sisters of the
Archdiocese will be given
complete hospitalization
coverage beginning this
school year. According to
Father O’Connor, this
insurance coverage, which has
been advocated by the
Archdiocesan Board of
Education for many years, is
a very important, though
costly, step in providing
adequate fringe benefits for
the lay teachers and sisters
who staff the schools of the
Archdiocese.
Among the several
innovations to be introduced
into the curriculum and
schedules of the schools of
the Archdiocese this year,
Father O’Connor said the
most important was a new
religion curriculum for the
elementary ■ grades. The
curriculum was drawn up by
the Office of Religious
Education under the
direction of Father Michael
Morris, and will provide a
complete and ordered
approach to the study of
religion in all elementary
grades.
The second innovation’ is a
schedule change that will be
effective in all schools this
year. Each Wednesday
students will be released one
hour early to let principals
and faculties work together
from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on
curriculum planning,
in-service planning,
departmental planning, and
other cooperative efforts.
Father O’Connor said this
change in schedule will
provide the faculties of the
schools with time needed but
usually unavailable for
cooperative 'banning and
coordination iu the schools.