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Former Astronaut Says Flight To Moon Renewed His Faith
BY JO-ANN PRICE
in a “theology of space” he said he was “amazed” at the keen concern of Pope Paul
VI, whom he met in 1969.
Borman felt that “just as space flight opened the universe to human contact, so did
Christianity herald the beginning of an active code of moral conduct.”
NEW YORK, N.Y. (NC) — Col. Frank Borman, commander of the first manned
flight around the moon, told an American Bible Society meeting that the words of the
Bible were “never more applicable” than now.
Borman, an Episcopal lay reader, read from the Book of Genesis on Christmas Eve,
1968, as Apollo 8 orbited the moon.
He said that the broadcast to millions had elicited reactions from millions.
Asked in an interview whether many queries had come.from theologians interested
“He was interested in what we thought and felt as we looked back at the earth” and
in the meaning of “the concept of man going beyond the earth and the solar system.”
In his prepared remarks Borman, now' an airline executive, said that the voyage was
the “final leg in my own personal religious experience.”
“As viewed from the moon, the question of the validity or relevancy of the
Christian belief was utterly absurd. After the flight, he was more firmly convinced
than ever in his rejection of the idea that “the earth just happened” and that the Bible
“does not relate.”
The key to Christian belief is the Bible, he continued, whose words are “both a
promise and a mandate.”
“They deserve to be heard by those in our sophisticated society, who would
substitute secular institutions, or reintroduce cults, worshipping everything from
reason, to drugs, to free love. They deserve to be heard by those whose only concern is
with the here and now.”
The 1970’s, he said, are showing “signs of the declining impact of religion on
American life.” This may be one of the most “crucial” decades in all church history.
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Vol. 10 No. 21 Form 3579 to 202 East Sixth Street, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
Thursday, May 25,1972
$5 per year
Strong Criticism
Greets New Rules
Naming Bishops
BY LOUIS A. PANARALE
(NC News Service)
Some of America’s most eminent canon law scholars, along with the
National Federation of Priests’ Councils, urge clear rejection of new
Vatican rules on selecting bishops. They regard the latest norms as
retrogressive and based on an outdated concept of the Church.
In Washington, a canon law colloquium at the Catholic University of
America said the document “must be rejected by the Church for the good
of the churches (nationally) and the progress of the ecumenical
movement.”
In Chicago, the NFPC described the
new norms as “intolerable in a day when
the cry for self-determination is loud and
clear everywhere.” Rome’s decision has
perpetuated “a form of monarchical
absolutism,” the NFPC said.
The new set of norms for the selection
of bishops was made public May 12 by
the Vatican. The norms broaden
somewhat the basis of who may be asked
to contribute suggestions and evaluations.
They do not incorporate proposals for a
more democratic selection of bishops
such as those advocated by the Canon
Law Society of America (CLSA) last fall.
Both the NFPC and the canonists’
gathering urged the American bishops to
press for implementation of the CLSA
plan instead.
The new rules, which include some
hierarchical procedures already in use in a
few countries including the United States
and Canada, allow for priests and laymen
of a diocese to be consulted about
qualified “bishop material” for future
episcopal nomination.
Consultation can not be done
collectively, but only on an individual
basis, and the thoughts of non-bishops are
to be considered only suggestions and
ideas rather than lists of nominations.
The rules reaffirm the pope’s absolute
power to decide all nominations.
The new norms-contained in 15
articles totaling about 2,000 words--went
into effect May 21. They had been
drafted over a period of six years with the
help of the national conferences of
bishops around the world.
Criticism of the new norms by the
canon law colloquium was included in
five paragraphs of a 25-page report
entitled “Canonical Reflections on
Priestly Life and Ministry.” Among the
17 major participants who drafted the
critical report were several staff members
of NCCB committees: Fr. Colin A.
MacDonald, temporary committee on
Priestly Life and Ministry; Fr. William
Philbin, bishops’ committee on the
permanent diaconate; and Fr. Frederick
McManus, bishops’ committee on the
liturgy.
The canonical report was described in
its introduction as “a summary of the
reflections of the group.” In all, it treated
10 specific topics related to priestly life
and ministry.
“The participants agreed that much of
the legislation valid at present springs
from a somewhat dated conception of the
Church,” the introduction said. “The
future law of the Church must reflect the
riches of the theological vision given to us
by Vatican II and subsequent
developments.”
The NFPC statement referred to the
latest Vatican rules as a “retrogression
from Vatican II,” charging that Rome
made no room for corporate consultation
from priests and the laity.
(Photos by Jim Brown)
SR. FRANSISKA, SR. MARCELLA, FR. McCORMICK
African Nuns Visit
BY FR. PATRICK McCORMICK
Two Sisters from Malawi, a country in Central Africa, visited St. John
the Evangelist Parish during the past weekend. The two Sisters, Sr.
Fransiska Moyo and Sr. Marcelle Simukoko, are members of the Rosarian
Sisters, a community of African Sisters founded in their home diocese of
Mzuzu.
Sr. Marcella was born in the country of
Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia). When
she was a young girl, her family moved
into the more peaceful farm areas of the
Cinangie tribe in Central Malawi. Her
family was originally of the Bemba tribe.
Sr. Marcella’s family were members of a
Christian African Church know as the
Congregation of Christian African
Protestants (CCAP). This Church was
an offshoot of the European Presbyterian
V/11U1V11.
Her family sent her to a Catholic
boarding school in Katete, a mission of
the Mzuzu Diocese, where she was taught
by the Missionaries of the Immaculate
Conception, a community of French
Canadian Missionary sisters. Later she
became a Catholic and after finishing
secondary school she entered in 1958 the
Rosarian Sisters. Both sisters were
counselors to the Mother General before
coming to the United States.
Presently the two are studying at Mt.
St. Joseph’s College in Cincinnati, Ohio
for their bachelor degrees in education.
They expect to return to Malawi and
continue their work in the missions
around Christmas time. They have been
in the United States for two years now.
Sr. Fransiska was born in Malawi, into
a Catholic family. Originally her family
came from South Africa, but around
1800 they left South Africa because of
the tribal wars and migrated to the more
peaceful areas around Lake Malawi where
in time they became part of the Tumbuka
tribe.
Prior to beginning their studies at Mt. St.
Joseph both taught the 8th grade.
Both sisters speak English, which is the
official language of Malawi, and the
language used in the schools from the
first grade. In addition, both speak several
different dialects. The most common
language in the Mzuzu Diocese is
Tumbuka, which is the predominant tribe
of Northern Malawi.
When they return to Africa, the sisters
expect to teach in the secondary level.
Sr. Mary Therese Quinn, Sr. Gloria Reinhardt, Sr. Fransiska, Sr. Marcella, Fr. McCormick and Sr. Catherine Donegan
(Photo by James Brown)
Fr. Michael McKeever, pastor of St. Anthony’s, will retire from the active priesthood
next week. One of the highlights of his time at St. Anthony’s came last June, when he
simultaneously celebrated his 65th birthday, his 40th year as a priest and the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the parish. More about Fr. McKeever on page 3.
1972 Charities Drive
A Total Success
The final results of the Archdiocesan Charities Drive show that once again it was a
big success this year.
The total amount received by the parishes this year was $283,588.
Last year the total amount received was $277,651. The parishes forward $250,000
to the Archdiocese to finance programs contained in the Archdiocesan Budget. The
remainder is retained by the parishes. A complete report on the Drive is as follows:
Athens, St. Joseph
Atlanta, Cathedral of Christ the King
Holy Cross
Holy Spirit
Immaculate Heart
Immaculate Conception
Most Blessed Sacrament
Our Lady of the Assumption
Our Lady of Lourdes
Sacred Heart
St. Anthony
St. Jude
St. Paul of the Cross
Austell, St. John Vianney
Carrollton, Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Cartersville, St. Francis
Cedartown, St. Bernadette
Clarkesville, St. Mark
Dahlonega, St. Luke
Dalton, St. Joseph
Decatur, Sts. Peter and Paul
St. Thomas More
Fort Oglethorpe, St. Gerard
Gainesville, St. Michael
Griffin, Sacred Heart
Hapeville, St. John The Evangelist
Jonesboro, St. Philip Benizi
LaGrange, St. Peter
Marietta, St. Joseph
Milledgeville, Sacred Heart
Norcross, St. Patrick
Rome, St. Mary’s
Smyrna, St. Thomas the Apostle
Stone Mountain, Corpus Christi
Toccoa, Mother of Our Divine Saviour
Washington, St. Joseph
Miscellaneous:
TOTALS:
GOAL COLLECTED
4,000
4,688
30,000
33,515
15,000
15,131
12,000
13,020
20,000
22,864
3,500
4,251
7,000
7,013
22,500
22,282
1,000
1,752
9,000
11,242
3,000
3,350
25,000
30,300
4,000
6,489
2,500
2,536
1,000
1,209
1,500
2,720
1,000
1,062
500
505
500
1,130
1,500
2,362
13,000
14,860
16,000
15,400
3,000
3,000
3,000
3,070
3,500
4,000
10,000
9 500
5,000
4^919
3,000
2,965
9,000
9,782
2,000
2,768
4,000
4,068
4,000
5,091
4,500
4,500
4,000
6,442
750
1,350
750
1,239
250,000
3.213
3,213
253,213
283,588
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