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*
ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA
The Georgia Bulletin
** SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
Vol. 9 No. 1
Thursday, January 7,1971
$5 per year
Dear
Reader
BY HARRY MURPHY
As we enter 1971, I pray:
Oh Lord, enable us to see
I clearly the path that you
want us to take and give us
I strength to follow it no
! matter how difficult.
Give us the ability to
understand that the only
thing which matters in this
life is that we try with all our
resources to follow your
teachings.
Do not let us, O Lord, be
divided by race, money,
power, political philosophy,
religious belief or any of life’s
many other vanities.
Guide us back to the
original principles upon
which your Church was
founded, back to the
humility which characterized
it when it was small and not
“accepted” by those in
power.
Let us remember, O Lord,
that the righteous path is the
l most difficult and therefore
its travelers are few but the
rewards at its end are many.
Remind us that men’s
actions, which reflect the
contents of their hearts and
minds, are what count - not
their mutterings.
Enable those who lead
[ your Church, 0 Lord, to see
that they are to serve and not
to be served, and that it is
people, not buildings, which
are our foundation.
Imbue our Pope with the
phsyical and mental strength
necessary to deal with the
many problems he must
handle as your chief
representative on Earth.
Show us, O Lord, that
“Peace on Earth, Good Will
Toward Men” are not empty
words, but a living pattern
you want us to follow.
Make Americans realize
that our objective should be
peace and love our means to
achieve it.
Somehow give us the
ability, 0 Lord, to show
other nations that we feel are
neither no better nor no
worse than they are, and our
only objective is to live in
peace with them, giving
assistance when asked, as
good neighbors should.
Give our new governor and
other state officials the desire
and ability to guide Georgia
from the prejudice which
often has marked her past.
Let our Archbishop, O
Lord, continue the leadership
exemplified by his decision to
close our schools to those
fleeing from brotherhood.
Inject our mayor and
aldermen with the physical
and financial resources to
keep “The City Too Busy To
Hate” from breaking stride.
Our environment, which
you gave us pure and pristine,
0 Lord, is now festering with
sores inflicted by us, but
show how to heal and keep
them from reoccuring.
Help us to find answers to
the problems which beset our
clergy and religious, forcing
them into other fields, for
without these devoted men
and women to light holy
beacons, we will founder and
perhaps sink in a spiritually
barren sea.
I ask all of these things in
I Jesus’ name,
Bishops Act
1
1 On Schools 1
MUNDELEIN, III. (NC) — If there was any doubt
in Catholic minds where their American bishops
stood on the question of keeping Catholic schools
open, the issue was settled here Dec. 18.
A two-day meeting of 40
prelates from across the
nation, including Archbishop
Thomas Donnellan,
advocated a plan to resell
Catholics on the moral and
spiritual benefits of their
“value-oriented” schools.
In addition, the cardinals,
archbishops and bishops
pledged to aid Catholic
parents in efforts to get
financial help from public
and private sources to make
sure Catholic schools stay
open.
Acting as spokesmen when
the meeting ended at St.
Mary of the Lake Seminary
were Cardinals John Dearden
of Detroit and John Krol of
Philadelphia, along with
Archbishop Philip M. Hannan
of New Orleans and Auxiliary
Bishop William McManus of
Chicago.
Bishop McManus said that
the “insecurity” parents and
teachers feel about the future
of the schools has caused a
morale problem and a drop in
parochial school enrollments.
The purpose of the
meeting was “to allay
confusion whether the
bishops will back the schools
or close them up,” one
participant explained.
The 40 bishops issued a
statement that declared
Catholic schools “the most
effective instrument of
Catholic education.” It
endorsed the principle of
‘‘parental rights in
education,” acknowledged
that Catholic schools in the
United States are now “in a
severe financial crisis,” and
recommended “a vigorous
campaign” to obtain financial
relief.
The statement also noted
that “other factors besides
rising costs and school
closings -- including the
declining birth rate and
population shifts, and
problems of morale and
rationale - have played a part
in the declining Catholic
school enrollment of recent
years.”
Student enrollment, the
bishops pointed out, dropped
in Catholic elementary and
high schools from 5.2 million
in 1967 to 4.7 million in
1970.
Highlight of the
post-meeting news conference
was a new emphasis on
reselling the benefits of
Catholic Schools to Catholics.
Suggested as a method of
putting “more emphasis on
the religious and moral values
of Catholic school education”
was a program of
home-to-home visits by
pastors, teachers and laymen.
The purpose will be to
encourage Catholic parents to
enroll their children in
Catholic schools or other
religious education programs.
A related recommendation
was that the new stress on
Catholic school values be
carried out in each diocese
according to the locaU
situation, rather than having
one over-all plan for all
dioceses.
The prelates stressed that
their meeting “was not
intended to reach binding
decisions on the future of
Catholic schools.” Any such
decisions would have to come
from consultations with
many individuals and groups,
including bishops, educators,
parents, school boards and
others.
Cardinal Dearden said
need for new emphasis on
Catholic school values has
arisen because many
Catholics no longer see a
value in Catholic education.
He prefaced his comments
by saying that the Catholic
school crisis is not financial.
“Some don’t see the value
orientation of the schools,”
he said.
“Many are thinking only
in terms of Catholic schools
as compared to education in
public schools.”
While suggesting that
Catholic schools’ secular
education need not be
apologized for, he said
Catholics “should look
beyond” simply comparing
the secular education of the
two school systems.
The panel of four bishops
was asked whether future
closings of Catholic schools
would occur first in poorer
inner-city schools.
“We could not allow
affluent schools to stay open
at the cost of poorer
schools,” said the Detroit
Cardinal. He indicated that a
balance is sought when
deciding which schools must
close first.
Bishop McManus said the
reason why inner-city schools
are currently in the greatest
danger of closing is because
(Continued on Page 2)
TRAFFIC IN ARMS by all nations to lesser developed ones, has been decried by Pope Paul VI,
Here, Cambodian troops use a variety of weapons as they fight along the border. (NC PHOTO)
Demand Peace - Pope
ROME (NC) — Pope Paul VI has encouraged people of all nations to demand of
their leaders effective protection against the horrors of war.
He chose a workingclass congregation in Rome as his audience for such a message
on Jan. 1, the day he has set aside for world prayer for peace.
The Pope told the workers
who make up the parish of
San Felice of Cantalice on the
outskirts of this city that
they have the right to make
such a claim upon those who
rule them. “It is for this right
that we celebrate this day of
peace,” he declared.
Earlier on New Year’s Day
he told thousands standing in
rain-spattered St. Peter’s
Square that he felt recent acts
of clemency in the Soviet
Union and Spain were an
experiment in peace.
“This is not weakness nor
cowardice nor tolerance of
injustice . . .but a virile and
magnanimous affirmation of
the energies of the spirit, a
victory of good over evil,”
the Pope said of the
commutations of death
5 Teenaged Boys
Firebomb Rectory
PHILADELPHIA (NC) -
Police arrested five teenage
boys and charged them with
the Nov. 30 firebombing of
the rectory of St. Elizabeth’s
Parish here.
Police said the five have
admitted the firebombing as a
retaliation for the expulsion
of one of the boys from the
parish school.
Damage to the rectory as a
result of the bombing was not
extensive.
Scouts Set Banquet
To Honor Archbishop
Msgr. Leonard
The first Diocesan Scout
Banquet will be held Jan. 16
at 7:30 pm at the Knights of
Columbus Hall on Buford
Highway.
This event is jointly
sponsored by the
Archdiocesan Boy Scout
Committee, the Girl Scout
Diocesan Committee and
Council no. 660' of the
Knights of Columbus.
The purpose of the
banquet is to honor
Archbishop Donnellan who
has helped scouting over the
past three years by his active
participation in Catholic
sponsored scout events. This
setting will also be the
occasion for the presentation
of awards to adult scout
leaders.
The featured speaker for
the banquet will be Msgr.
Thomas J. Leonard, Director
of the Youth Department of
the United States Catholic
Conference.
Msgr. Leonard is stationed
in Washington, D.C. and will
be travelling from there for
the banquet.
The speaker was ordained
in 1956 and was named a
Papal Chamberlain in 1965
by His Holiness Pope Paul VI.
Msgr. Leonard holds two
Master of Arts degrees, one in
Philosophy from St. Charles
Seminary and the other in
Education from Villanova
University.
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the two Diocesan Scout
Committees and the Knights
of Columbus Auxiliary and
chaired by Jim Kamerer have
exercised the responsibilities
for putting this event
together. Jamie Vendrell is
chairman of the Selection
Committee which processes
applications for the Pelican
Emblem and the St. George
Emblem, adult scouting
awards.
sentences for two Russians
and six Spanish basques.
The church of San Felice
on the periphery of Rome is
large, unadorned and alive
with darting youngsters who
live in surrounding walkup
flats. The church was packed
for the Pope’s visit, with
many thousands more
standing outside in the rain
listening in the darkness to
* the broadcast service.
Thirteen tiny tots, two
adults and one television
camera found the large
circular pulpit an ideal
vantage point for the papal
mass.
Speaking without notes
and therefore without his
glasses, the Pope commented
directly and with emotion on
wars “which seek to kill, to
wound, to destroy, to make
people suffer...” He said,
“This is not right. This is not
civilization.”
Recalling a personal
incident when he went with
Pope Pius XIJ. to inspect the
bombing of Rome in 1943,
he reminisced: “We
remember there was a group
of young people, insane with
pain and desperation. One of
them (shouted): ‘Papa, Papa,
better slavery than war.’”
Pope Paul paused, leaned
forward and with a swelling
of emotion, confided: “In
that city which was born in
the working class, we could
feel that what was being said
in this: ‘no, no to war. Why
must we be hit in such a
blind, fearful and unjust
manner?”
While the Pope spoke, six
bearded monks stood atop a
side altar for a better view.
Television cameras panned
the crowd of men and women
and children at prayer and
sent the transmission live to
Europe. Italian flags, clutched
in tiny hands, bobbed back
and forth above the sea of
faces.
During the Mass the babble
of excited children at play in
the nearby recreation center
intruded. If anyone minded,
no one showed it, including
the Pope. An old monk stood
in a corner of the church
reading a Latin breviary,
pausing only to kneel at the
Consecration of the Mass.
gilts ui wine
and water were brought
forward at the offertory by
parishioners. In addition, two
large bouquets of flowers
were offered by two little
girls, certainly among the
tiniest of the parish. Behind
them came two grinning boys
carrying a live lamb in a
basket. As every camera in
the church moved in on the
scene, the Pope spoke smiling
words to the children.
Early in December, Pope
Paul sent a message for the
world day of peace to
international leaders, pleading
with them to recognize all
me n are brothers.
Although he referred
briefly to this message, it was
obvious from his impromptu
and conversational homily at
San Felice that he was not so
much interested at the
moment in world leaders. He
talked simply and directly to
the people of a parish and
through them to men
everywhere.
On Jan. 1, Pope Paul also
sent several cardinals living in
Rome to celebrate Mass and
bring his personal good
wishes to prisoners, the sick,
the aged and a group of
retarded children.
Cardinal Pericle Felice
celebrated Mass at the
Institute of Sant Andrea, a
cancer treatment and study
center in Rome. Cardinal
Antonio Samore visited the
men’s jail of Regina Coeli and
Cardinal Mario Nasalli Rocca
visited the women’s jail of
Rebbibia. Cardinal Luigi
Traglia visited the Don
Orione Institute for retarded
children and Cardinal Egidio
Vagnozzi visited the old age
home operated by the priests
of the Don Guanella group.
POPE ASKS
Bishops
Reaffirm
T eaching
By Richard M.M. McConnell
WASHINGTON (NC) - Pope Paul VI - warning
that many Catholics are troubled in their faith by
ambiguities, uncertainties and doubts -- has called on
the world’s bishops to reaffirm authentic Christian
teaching.
In a statement released simultaneously here and at
the Vatican Jan. 5, Pope Paul stressed the bishops’
duty to hand on the faith in its fullness and to
proclaim the essential doctrines of Catholicism.
The papal message outlined
two trends affecting
contemporary Christianity:
silence in the face of attacks
The Pope’s 4,600-word
apostolic exhortation, dated
Dec. 8, 1970, and addressed
“to all the bishops in peace
and communion with the
apostolic see,” was issued to
mark the fifth anniversary of
the close of the Second
Vatican Council. It was
released in the United States
by the National Conference
of Catholic Bishops.
Reminding the bishops of
their “grave and urgent duty”
to proclaim the faith, the
Pope cited:
“ ... the trinitarian and
Christological dogmas, the
mystery of the Eucharist and
the Real Presence, the Church
as the institution of salvation,
the priestly ministry in the
midst of the people of God,
the value of prayer and the
sacraments, and the moral
requirements concerning, for
instance, the indissolubility
of marriage or respect for
life.”
Emphasis on the
indissolubility of marriage
and respect for life
apparently reflects growing
papal concern over increasing
worldwide acceptance of
divorce and abortion.
Pope Paul has harshly
criticized relaxation of
abortion laws around the
world and has frequently
attacked Italy’s recent
legalization of divorce, a
legalization that followed
vigorous Vatican opposition.
NEWS BRIEFS
New Nuns’ Group
SAN JOSE, Calif. (NC) - At the request of a coalition of
Chicano groups, a Chicano Sisters Organization formed here to
provide information and education to parishes and religious
orders about the Mexican-American community. Led by Sister
Sandra Price, of the convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame of
Namur, the group of about 25 members plans to establish an
informational center on behalf of the Chicano movement.
Seminary By Mail
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (NC) - It may become possible
for candidates for the Lutheran minisyry in Denmark to be
ordained after completing correspondence courses. Noting that
some 170 pastorates in the country’s 2,300 Lutheran parishes
are vacant, Parliament has asked Minister for Church Affairs
Arne Fog Petersen to prepare a draft bill that would remove
existing regulations limiting pastorates to seminary-trained
ordained ministers. The proposed bill is to be drafted by a
committee of church office members and representatives of
universities here and in Aarhus.
’Mini-Popes’ Rapped
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands (NC) - The Dutch minister
of foreign affairs. Joseph M. Luns -- a Catholic - denounced
what he called “mini-popes” and said that his most depressing
experience in 1970 was the “continuing disintegration” of the
Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands. Luns said it is
depressing to see some priests “substitute their own
interpretation of the liturgy and dogma for their obedience to
the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and particularly
the authority of the Pope.” “We can do without the mini-popes
in this country,” he said.
on traditional teaching and a
tendency to reconstruct
religion from science rather
than from revelation.
“While silence gradually
obscures certain fundamental
mysteries of Christianity, we
see manifestations of a
tendency to reconstruct from
pyschological and sociological
data a Christianity cut off
from the unbroken tradition
which links it to the faith of
the apostoles and a tendency
to extol a Christian life
deprived of religious
elements,” Pope Paul
explained.
He called on each bishop,
each synod and each
episcopal conference to be
careful that their teaching
never betray “the truth and
continuity of the teaching of
the faith . . .
“We must beware, in
particular, lest an arbitrary
selection should reduce God’s
design to the limits of our
human views and restrict the
proclaiming of his v^rd to
what our ears like to hear,
excluding on purely natural
criteria what does not please
contemporary taste,” he said.
While giving encouragem
ent and support to
theologians and scriptural
scholars, the Pope said that it
is the bishops’ role to outline
the essentials of faith.
“However necessary the
function of theologians, it is
not to the learned that God
has confided the duty of
authentically interpreting the
faith of the Church.
“That faith is borne by the
life of the people whose
bishops are responsible for
them before God. It is for the
bishops to tell the people
what God asks them to
believe.”
Fulfillment of the bishops’
teaching role demands from
them both “assiduous study
of the revealed word and
constant attention to the life
of men,” Pope Paul pointed
out.
“Let us be attentive to the
questions that are expressed
through the life of men,
especially of the
young . . . Let us listen
willingly to the questionings
that come to disturb our
peace and quiet. Let us bear
patiently the hesitations of
those who are groping for the
light.
“Let us know how to walk
in brotherly friendship with
all those who, lacking the
light we ourselves enjoy, are
nevertheless seeking through
the mists of doubt to reach
their Father’s house.”
The Pope admitted that
making correct assessments of
popular opinion was an
(Continued on Page 7)