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ARCHDIOCESE OF ATLANTA
The Georgia Bulletin
** SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
r 'WS s °
Vol. 9 No. 31
Thursday, September 16,1971
$5 per year
Dear
Reader
By HARRY MURPHY
Pity the poor Kiwaitis.
The $1.25 billion annually
their country receives for oil
represents about $3,300 for
each of them.
The country, only slightly
larger than Connecticut, can
afford to buy anything. It
pays the cost of sending its
citizens to college, even
including postgraduate work,
but providing jobs for the
2,000 graduates annually is a
problem.
One-fifth of them work for
the government and there just
isn’t any more room for desks
in public offices.
So they race their sports
cars, whoop it up at the
country clubs and watch
television in modern,
air-conditioned homes, some
of them the most
ostentatious in the Middle
East.
But a psychiatrist who has
practiced there since 1956
says outpatients at the mental
hospital have increased from
450, when he arrived, to
18,000.
They have no more major
psychoses than anyone else,
but he has never known a
people with so many minor
neuroses.
“These people don’t know
what they want any more,”
he told a New York Times
reporter. “They have lost the
motivations to make them
produce and work. It is said
the average Kuwaiti civil
servant puts in 20 minutes of
useful work per day.”
The moral of this tragic
situation, I guess, is that a
person needs to work and to
have a goal to work toward -
raising a family and having a
comfortable retirement,
saving souls, helping the poor,
or something.
The harder he has to work
to achieve that goal, the more
appreciative he is when he
finally reaches it.
Take away this goal, then
drive and ability to withstand
hardship'go also.
A recent Georgia study
showed that an alarming
number of divorces take place
after the parents have reared
their children.
The kids were the glue
holding the bond together.
Working toward the goal of
getting them reared and
educated kept the parents
driving, overcoming money
and emotional obstacles.
But after the kids go,
there’s just Momma and
Poppa, frequently with a
huge, empty house, more
money than they need, and
no one to whom they can
talk and relate but each
other.
Affluence leads to
self-indulgence, self-centered
pursuits, and the marriage
tumbles like a house of cards.
Institutions have their
problems with affluence also,
including the Church, which
walks the tightrope between
building expensive cathedrals
and helping the poor.
There are no more
beautiful services held
anywhere, however, than in
sparsely Catholic areas where
only a dozen faithful gather
and wait for the traveling
missionary to unpack his
essentials for Mass, sometimes
held in a building belonging
to another denomination.
Hardship is not always a
bad thing.
Name Change, Black Tribunal Voted
During Sisters’ Convention Here
The Conference of Major Superiors of Women has voted at its annual convention
in Atlanta to change its name to Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
The approximately 600
sisters attending the
week-long session which
ended Sept. 11 felt that the
new title more aptly describes
the group and is more in
NEWS BRIEFS
NCCM’s Carroll Resigns
WASHINGTON (NC) - Joseph F. Carroll, retired U.S. Air
Force lieutenant general who became executive director of the
National Council of Catholic Men (NCCM) last October, has
resigned. Carroll, 61, said he based his resignation on a personal
evaluation of staff needs in light of the upcoming integration of
the NCCM and the National Council of Catholic Women
(NCCW) into a new National Council of Catholic Laity (NCCL).
'Don’t Trust Chou En-Lai’
WASHINGTON (NC) — Cardinal Paul Yu Pin, the expelled
archbishop of Nanking, got no reply when he remarked quietly
to President Nixon at the White House: “Chou En-lai is a very
insidious man.” It happened over coffee Sept. 12 after the first
of this fall’s series Sunday worship gatherings held by the
president. The 70-year-old cardinal was among 380 guests who
prayed together with Nixon in the executive mansion. Telling
newsmen about it later, Cardinal Yu Pin said that he personally
knew Chou during World War II and that the Communist
Chinese premier “cannot be trusted.” The cardinal was ousted
from the China mainland in 1948 and now lives on Taiwan.
Confirmation Rite Revised
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope Paul VI has revised the rite of
Confirmation, trying to make it more significant by linking it
closer to Baptism and Communion. The new rite, released in its
Latin text on Sept. 14 is to be translated by local bishops’
conferences and confirmed by the Vatican. Its use will be
mandatory as of Jan. 1, 1973. Major changes from the old rite
include the laying on of hands by the bishop on each candidate
as a ritual separate from the anointing with chrism, the
elimination of the practice of the bishop slapping the cheek of a
candidate, and a change in the prayer accompanying the
conferral of the sacrament.
Canon Law Society
Sets Meeting Here
The Annual Meeting of the Canon Law Society of
America will be held at the Regency Hyatt Hotel here
October 11 - 14.
The annual meetings of the
Society are becoming an
increasingly important event
in the life of the Roman
Catholic Church in this
country, and even abroad.
Committees of the Society
have been instrumental in the
adoption of Due Process
programs in Catholic Dioceses
of the United States, in
providing the American
Bishops with a serious
critique of the proposed “Lex
Fundamentalis” or
Constitutional Law for the
Catholic Church, and in
providing professional studies
of the developing authority
crisis and institutional
changes in the Church.
This year’s meeting will
focus directly on questions
which deal with “Governing
the Church.” Major addresses
and workshops which have
been scheduled include the
following:
“What It Means to Govern
the Church’’ - an address by
Father Anthony Padovano,
noted Catholic theologian.
“The Human Dimension of
Authority and Obedience in a
Faith Community" ■ • an
address by Father Thomas
Swift, noted Jesuit canonist
and an active advisor of
communities of religious
women in renewal programs.
‘ ‘ A comparative
Examination of the Exercise
of Authority in the Church” -
an address by Dr. William
Sexton, Associate Professor of
Management at the University
of Notre Dame.
“Church Structure: A
Theologian Reflects ' on
History” - an address by Rev.
Walter J. Burghardt, Jesuit
Theologian.
“Performance Evaluation
for Pastors” • ? a seminar
conducted by Dr. Felix Lopez,
President of Felix M. Lopez &
Associates, consultants in
manpower planning and
development.
In addition, a film
developed by the Matrimonial
Court of the Diocese of
Brooklyn will be discussed as
a tool for improving the
handling of Church
annulments, and a seminar
for religious will be
conducted by a canon lawyer
and Brother, Leonard A.
Voegtle.
Committee reports to the
Society will review the work
being done by American
Canon Lawyers to provide a
professional critique of the
developing reform of Canon
Law.
A Committee has been
established to provide legal
counsel to Catholics involved
in administrative disputes
being settled by “Due
Process” procedures.
The Society will also
determine its priorities for
the coming year, a year
bound to be marked by
important questions
pertaining to the authority
and institutional questions
facing all Churches today.
President of the Society
this year has been Rev.
Robert Kennedy, assistant
Chaplain at the United States
Military Academy at West
Point. The Reverend
Raymond Goedert of Chicago
is Vice-President.
accord with the times.
Also during the session,
Sister Martin de Porres Grey,
chairman of the National
Black Sisters Conference,
announced creation of a
Tribunal for Black Religious
Affairs.
It is a structure to deal
with the problem of Black
Sisters who are in white
congregations which do not
appreciate the pace at which
the Black Sister wishes to
Sister cited statistics
indicating that in the past
several years black sisters
have been forced out of white
congregations because of
conflicts and persuasion.
The Tribunal has seven
persons-attorneys, sisters and
one black brother -Sister said.
It will implement grievance
procedures, call for the rights
of the black sister, support
liberation and serve as a
mediator between black
sisters and white communities
as well as being an organ for
survival of black nuns in
white congregations.
Opening her brief address
to the assembly, Sister Martin
de Porres prayed for the
recognition of a different
persuasion, a different set of
values and what might be a
contradictory direction.
Historically black people have
been “separated” she said
because white people insisted
on it. This is true also of the
Church.
The purpose of the NBSC
is to unify efforts and
minimize obstacles in order
that black sisters may effect
change. It is a sign of
contradiction to those who
think there is intrinsic value
in “whiteness,” Sister
continued. The NBSC aims to
help restore self dignity and
self respect in blacks, she
commented.
On October 17, in Adrian,
Michigan, Sister Martin told
the CMSW, the NBSC will
conduct a five-day workshop
for white congregations “on
how to keep and attract black
sisters.” Sister sees the
workshop as a possible
thermometer by which to
measure the sincerity of
white congregations in regard
to black sisters.
Representatives of Los
Hermanas (Spanish-speaking
sisters) and NBSC (National
Black Sisters Conference)
spoke to the CMSW of the
specific orientations of their
groups.
Sister Gloria Gallardo
traces Las Hermanas to June,
1970, when it organized for
service to the Hispanic
people. Today there are 900
members representing 60-70
religious congregations.
Ongoing projects include
formation of intercommunity
teams for education, religious
education, social work and
health of Spanish-speaking
people; training teams to go,
upon request, to religious
congregations to conduct
seminars and workshops on
the Hispanic culture; a
communications center to act
as a clearing house and
personnel bank, and a central
religious formation center for
Spanish-speaking sisters.
Las Hermanas’ second
national conference will be
held in Sante Fe at
Thanksgiving.
Resolutions of the
convention called for
representation of women (lay
and religious) at the Bishops’
Synod in Rome, involvement
of religious women in
developing pastoral
statements on policies
affecting Catholic education
in the U.S., membership of
American sisters in the Sacred
Congregation for Religious to
share in the decision-making
that affects their lives, and
active participation, of sisters
in the revision of Canon Law.
They called for
co llaboration with the
Conference of Major
Superiors of Men and the
Canon Law Society of
America in working out
structures of due process
relating to women religious
and for members of CMSW
working with these groups in
studying questions of
transfers of religious between
congregations.
Resolutions also spoke to
active participation of
religious women through
workshops such as those
outlined by the National
Center for Urban Ethnic
affairs, and support for the
individual congregation in
working through the national
Center for Concern and other
such organizations that
promote the dignity and
defense of human life.
The Conference passed a
resolution encouraging
congregations to sponsor low
to moderate income housing
for families and for the
elderly. The resolution also
calls for sisters to provide for
the management of such
programs. The superiors see
this as an area of new
ministry for sisters.
Another significent
resolution approved the
Leadership Conference’s
participation in a group called
SISTERS UNITING. Five
national Sisters’ organizations
have now pledged
cooperation with each other
and collaboration on
important issues that effect
all sisters and their service to
the world. They are: National
Assembly of Women
Religious, National Sisters
Vocation Conference,
National Coalition of
American Nuns, National
Sister Formation Conference
and the Conference of Major
Superior of Women newly
named* Leadership
Conference of Women
Religious.
Legislation and
housekeeping mechanics
which formerly consumed
CMSW convention times,
dissolved to a minimum at
this ’71 session. Polarities
(Continued on page 3)
Writes Driver’s
10 Commandments
ADELAIDE, Australia
(NC) — Anglican Bishop
Thomas T. Reed of Adelaide
has published Ten
Commandments for drivers in
the Adelaide Church
Guardian:
Thou shalt hold only the
steering whell.
Thou shalt not make a god
of thy horse-power.
Thou shalt not take the
center line in vain.
Remember the driver
behind you to help him pass
thee.
Thou shalt fasten thy seat
belt.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit
inebriated driving.
Thou shalt not steal thy
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headlights, his ears with thy
horn, nor his enjoyment with
thy litter.
Thou shalt not bear false
witness with thy signals.
Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor’s right of way.
Keeping those
commandments, Bishop Reed
said, could go a long way
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE OFFICERS
Srs. Marchotte, Carroll, Brennan
*President ? Visits
BY SHIRLEY WARD
Attending the conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious was Sister
Bernadette Vetter, the president of the order of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.
Sister Bernadette’s visit
was a happy one for the three
nuns who are the parish
assistants at St. Thomas the
Apostle Church in Smyrna,
Ga., because they are
members of the order of
which she is president.
In 1966 the late
Archbishop Hallinan
personally asked Sister
Bernadette if she would allow
members of her order to
participate in an
“experiment”, and permit the
sisters to be parish assistants
in addition to conducting
schools of religious
education.
The enthusiastic reception
of this pilot endeavor by the
parishoners of St. Thomas
fills Sister Bernadette with
gladness.
Most religious orders no
longer use the term Mother
Superior in referring to the
heads of their orders. Sister
Bernadette explained that
now the feeling is that all the
religious are sisters in Christ.
She was elected by the
General assembly of the
order, and certainly her
charming personality and
educational background were
factors in being chosen. She
has a Masters degree from
Marguette University, and has
done post-graduate work at
Fordham, and John Carroll
University in Cleveland,
which is her home town.
She has taught English and
Drama, and is a constant
contributor to the HM
publication THE BLUE
LEGIONNAIRE. As
president of the order, she is
responsible for much
administrative work, and
visits all of the members of
her order in their 43 missions,
from Nebraska to Chile.
Listening to Sister
Bernadette as she spoke to
groups of parishoners from
St. Thomas, it was difficult to
separate the woman from the
religious. She is a very real
person, very trim, well
groomed, humble but most
out-spoken with regards to
the task of the women of her
order.
Naturally, she has the
utmost faith in prayer, calling
it a RE-CHARGING OF
BATTERIES, and feels the
living liturgy a source for joy
and hope. Of course she feels
there are days of harvest, and
the inevitable days of desert.
Happily the harvest is more
often at hand.
She often stated that the
inter-action of Parish priest,
sisters, and people was the
true spirit of Vatican II.
Because the members of her
order travel into the world to
share the problems of all with
whom they become involved,
she can see much hope in the
world to come.
The basic structure of the
order of which Sister
Bernadette is president is one
of service, love and prayer.
This charming, eloquent
woman is certainly a
testimony to those ideals.
Resigns As Bishop
To Become Priest
PERPIGNAN, France (NC)
— Bishop Joel Bellec of
Perpignan, who resigned
recently at age 63, has been
assigned as a country parish
priest in the Perigueux
diocese at Dordogne, a village
of 1,200 population where
St. Vincent de Paul was
ordained to the priesthood.
Bishop Bellec said his
decision to resign as bishop
was “the conclusion of
thought and reflection going
back several years.” He said
his decision was not linked to
“any particular problem that
poses itself in our
diocese....
“It stems from deeper and
more personal reasons
dictated at the same time by
conscience and by good
sense, above all, by concern
for the diocese’s spiritual and
apostolic life.”
Black Sisters Hit
U. S. Integration
The National Black Sisters’ Conference has
censured the Federal Government’s school integration
policy, calling it “divisive and detrimental to the
development of a black excellence.”
Moran Invested
By Cdl. Cooke
Charles A. Moran,
Cathedral of Christ the King
Parish, was invested Sept. 11,
by Cardinal Cooke at St.
Patrick’s in N.York, a Knight
Grand Cross of the Holy
Sepulchre of Jerusalem -
KGCHS.
Such action is seen as an
attempt to “mis-educate
black children, thus keeping
blacks subservient,” the
conference said in the
statement released here.
The Conference stated that
the school issue is not
integration, but alternative
quality education - and
quality education is an
all-black situation. The black
community controlled school
is that alternative.
The Conference states that
the black child is best
prepared to be a constructive
and productive citizen of the
United States of America in
an educational system
founded on black values,
black culture and black
mores.
The Conference opposes
busing for racial balance
stating that “the school is the
design and expression of the
community and not separate.
If children are isolated from
their community they tend to
reject the community,” the
statement said. “The
approach is not to hate white,
but to live black, to love
yourself,” it added.
Separatism is seen as a
necessary phase towards an
eventual “coalition” between
blacks and non-blacks.
Emphasis is placed on the
world “coalition” rather than
integration. Non-blacks have
rejected any meaningful
integration “where there is
real, total respect for a
person; so blacks are in a
phase of separatism from
there we may be able to move
to a phase of coalition,’ the
statement said.