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PAGE 4—The Georgia Bulletin, August 22,1974 MSili\ /4*cidut€*t /4et**e«. Most Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan — Publisher Rev. Peter A. Dora — Editor Michael Motes — Associate Editor Marie Mulvenna — Associate Editor Member of the Catholic Press Association Telephone 881-9732 Business Office U.S.A. $5.00 756 West Peachtree, N.W. Canada $5.00 Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Foreign $6.50 Postmaster: Send POD Form 3579 to THE GEORGIA BULLETIN 601 East Sixth Street, Waynesboro, Georgia 30830 Send all editorial correspondence to: THE GEORGIA BULLETIN 756 West Peachtree Street, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Second Class Postage Paid at Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Published weekly except the second and last weeks in June, July and August and the last week in December at 601 East Sixth St., Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 “ Poor Foreign Policy (EDITOR’S NOTE: The following editorial is reprinted from THE SOUTHERN CROSS, Savannah. It was written by Father Francis Donahue, editor.) If public reaction to the events of Cyprus over the last month tells us anything, it is that the world has become so weary of war that it pretends not to notice when bombs and bullets are killing other people. It is well that people are war-weary. It is not well that they are apparently unconcerned about war so long as it does not touch them directly. How else can one explain the lack of public outcry, not only here in the United States but around the world, when Turkish troops invaded Cyprus, killing or wounding (by Greek Cypriot accounts) more than 8,000 people, many of them women and children? Over the years, Pope Paul has called for an end to the narrow nationalism that has been at the heart of so many wars in the last century. Yet, it appears that such nationalism has been growing rather than diminishing. Foreign policy in capitals all over the world seems to be dictated not by the needs of people, but by “the national interest.” Hence, British policy in Northern Ireland - aimed at preserving the status quo rather than at securing the human rights denied to hundreds of thousands of people because of their religion. The government of Israel, fearful of the political repurcussions of granting citizenship to a large number of displaced Palestinian Arabs, has closed its eyes to the misery of displaced persons camps for more than twenty-five years. Arab governments, uneasy because their own people are asking how it is that a tiny, fledgling nation like Israel can be relatively prosperous while the Arab nations remain at the bottom of the economic ladder, continue to threaten Israel with extinction. African nations can vote en masse in the United Nations to impose sanctions upon Rhodesia and South Africa because those countries oppress their black citizens, but hold their peace when the government of Uganda slaughters thousands upon thousands of its citizens. And when Turkish guns and warplanes bombard hotels and populated areas of Cyprus, the government of the United States can do no more than administer a weak threat, which it never intended to carry out, to cut off military aid to Turkey if it does not cease its military action on Cyprus. Worse still, the government of the Soviet Union, a next door, neighbor to Turkey, and therefore, a nation which should be able to bring more pressure to bear than the United States, does absolutely nothing. Of course, it is easier to cite a problem than to solve it. But it seems to us that Americans can at least make a beginning toward changing a national world view geared more toward preserving overseas naval and air bases and protecting the privileged positions of American foreign business interests. We still live in a free society and we can make our opinions known to those we elect to guide the fortunes of this country. We can let them know that we care more about people than about things and that we do not want the government of this country aiding and abetting the policies which other nations undertake against the fundamental human rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Humility Disability Dave McGill I once saw a comedian on TV joking about how humble he was. I remember one of the one-liners from his monologue: “I just finished a book on being humble entitled ‘HUMILITY, AND HOW I OBTAINED IT.” It struck me, as I grinned at the contradiction in the title, that the quality of humility is indeed elusive - as slippery as an eel. The minute you think you’ve got it, you’ve lost it. One thing that I’ve learned from observing others is that being a Casper Milquetoast is by no means a necessary condition for humility. Being modest and grateful, not being puffed-up or arrogant, and treating everyone as if he or she was very important seem to be common traits of humble people, and I see these every day in outgoing types as well as in quieter folks. Jesus was a master at making humble pie for those without humility. Surely the biggest slices were served up on the day He saved the adulterous woman by saying to the menacing crowd, “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7). The arrogant scribes and Pharisees, who had demanded the woman’s death by quoting Old Testament Scripture (Dt. 22:22-24) got the point, ate their humble pie, and slunk away home. My friend Hugh Quaile once gave me a copy of an anonymous Civil War soldier’s prayer for humility. I will pass it along to you and hope that it will mean as much to you as it still does to me, as I struggle with a humility disability: “I asked God for strength That I might achieve - I was made weak, That I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health That I might do greater things - I was given infirmity, That I might do better things. I asked for riches, That I might be happy - I was given poverty, That I might be wise. I asked for all things, That I might enjoy life - I was given life, That I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for - But everything I had hoped for. Despite myself, my prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed.” "'CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY TCWARP ONE ANOTHER, FOR GOP IS OPPOSEP TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GE4CE TO THE HUMBLE” e —\ Return to Normalcy Reentry Problems Reverend John Reedy C-S.C. N > Because of the time lag in publishing, this column is being written as the former President of the United States flies back across the nation to what will undoubtedly be a painful, bitter - though very comfortable - retirement. because they were asked to sit in judgment on the most powerful office in the world. It’s going to be tough for them to go back to greeting constituents who happen to be vacationing in Washington. I took a firm resolution that I would not produce a belated moralization on the disruption which has plagued our government and our nation for the past two years. You will have heard more than you want to know about this subject before my column appears. However, I am intrigued by thoughts about what the passing of Watergate will mean to the American pattern of life. For example: - News analysts and editorial writers will have to surrender most of their preaching function back to clergymen. Oh, I’m sure they’ll still find some situations which will allow for an exercise of their moral indignation, but not on a daily basis, not with the same satisfying righteousness generated by the endless revelations of profanity, chicanery and mounting desperation. - Now, at last, addicts of day-time soap operas can relax in the assurance that the sordid chronicle of Somerset will no longer be bumped by network brass who give priority to the sordid chronicle of Washington. - Nor should we forget the difficulty facing Father John McLaughlin who will probably discover that the new administration has no need for a resident Jesuit. Possibly Father McLaughlin can get another job as a speech-writer, but I wouldn’t bet that there will be an 1 opening for him on the staff of his classmate, Father Drinan. - The greatest national trauma of the next few months will come in our search for something to talk about. With a degree of civility, one could in recent months carry on a long conversation with complete strangers, even though they were rooting for the opposite side. What shall we talk about now - especially if the football season collapses? Like millions of others, I’m relieved that it’s over. But don’t let it all slip from your memory too soon. Around the year 2000 trivia experts might ask you, “What was John Dean’s wife’s name?” or “What reporter was asked by President Nixon, ‘Are you running for some office?’” —v A Unique Baby Shower Teresa Gernazian N , On August 15 about 40 ladies attended a surprise shower luncheon at the Hilton Inn honoring June Webb, eight months pregnant with her seventh baby. This new concept of a baby shower (no baby gift) was the work of love put forth by several of her close friends. When called, we were asked to bring a letter cut out of a certain color of felt. The letters would be pinned to a burlap banner and would form a Scriptural quotation. We were also asked to use a piece of construction paper and brightly decorate it with some special message to June. These would be taped all around the room. Pat Dailey, mistress of ceremonies, explained before June arrived how we were to form the verse. We had a “dry run” so we would know where to pin our letter. When June walked in, she was truly overcome with an emotional joy that found its only relief in the free flow of tears. When she calmed down enough to express her appreciation, she described a touching scene that took place when her mother was dying. She said all the family gathered around and told their mother “I love you.” and her mother replied, “I know you do.” June said this was exactly what she wanted to say to us. Before our lunch, Lisa Ware presented a devotional so fitting for the Feast of the Assumption. She chose the First Chapter of Luke and apologized that her thoughts would be disrelated since she had a tiny nursing baby (who was there) and she hadn’t prepared herself as well as she should have. Lisa brought out a point that is rarely stressed. She stated there was no one to be happy about Mary’s baby, not even Joseph. So God in His loving allowed Elizabeth to get extremely excited about Mary’s pregnancy. She said there is no one a pregnant woman can relate to better than another pregnant woman. Then we all broke out in laughter when she said if anyone is pregnant and nobody in the family is happy about it, not even the woman herself, just call June and she’ll be very happy about it for you. Lisa presented many thoughtful reflections about Mary and her reply to the angel, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word.” The devotional was made all the more meaningful by the fact that Lisa is not a member of the Catholic Faith. After lunch we presented June with our banner of love. One by one we walked up and placed our letter where it belonged and when we were finished St. Paul’s words to the Philippians (Chapter 4; vs. 13) were colorfully spelled out: I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. One girl, who could not attend, sent in her message on a tape and she shared her feelings of June’s friendship to her in a very touching way. There was an awful lot of work involved - hundreds of phone calls - name cards with individual Scriptural verses, and all the other things involved in a big affair like this but it all worked out perfectly. Even June’s husband was able to come by for a few minutes. In walking around and reading the various messages taped on the wall I chose one to sum up the shower. It is a quote from Eric Fromm: “Those whose hope is strong - see and cherish all signs of Life, and are ready at every moment to help the birth of that which is ready to be bom.” Thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of copies of the Watergate transcripts have been transformed overnight from best-seller status to scrap paper. (As a publisher, I know the sense of embarrassment that comes from an inventory of thousands of unsalable books. It’s something like having a dead whale on your front lawn - in the middle of a heat wave.) - Now we shall have to look for a new source of jargon for the English language. During the 60’s we had a constant supply of expressions (always outdated by at least a year or two) from the black culture, campus radicals, the Vietnam war. During the past couple of years, we have depended on Watergate for these new terms, which we hope show that we are in touch with our times. We hear people trying to sound casual as they use atrocities like: “At this point in time .. . stonewalling. . . taking the hang-out route.” And all of us seem to be more knowledgeable than we need be about the intricacies of tape recording. - Editorial cartoonists, whose only problem in caricaturing Mr. Nixon was to avoid making him look like Bob Hope, are now struggling to master an identifiable sketch of Gerald Ford. - We have to find some way to re-cycle into useful pursuits all the people who have spent the past two years becoming experts on all the players and all the plays of Watergate. Like someone who devoted years to the study of St. Philomena - only to find that she probably never existed - these experts deserve our compassion and assistance as they discover there’s no longer any use for their expert knowledge. - Also deserving a degree of sympathy are all the relatively obscure senators and congressmen who suddenly orbited into celebrity status Prayerfully Yours Rev. David E. Rosage J Prayer is a relationship with God. As we spend more time in prayer this relationship grows and becomes more intimate. Praying with Sacred Scripture draws us into a personal relationship with our loving, gracious Father. He reveals Himself as a kind, loving God who provides for us at every moment of our existence. He is a compassionate God who wants to forgive us more than we could even want to be forgiven. His guiding hand leads us along our pilgrimage back to Him - our Father. He gave His Son who is “The Way, The Truth, and The Light.” He did not leave us orphans but gave us His Holy Spirit to abide with us to nuture, guide, strengthen and sanctify us. As our relationship grows deeper in prayer then death takes on a whole new demension. Death is not to be feared but it is rather the doorway into our Father’s arms. Because of his deep relationship with God through prayer Paul could cry out: “0 death, where is your victory? 0 death, where is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15,54,55) In speaking of our victory over death St. Paul says: “Thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15,57) At the beginning of His public life Jesus invited His followers to COME. Come to Him to be taught, to be formed, to acquire a whole new spiritual way of thinking, to put on the new man. After the Resurrection He commissions them to GO and bring the Good News to all men. His invitation to us is the same: COME to Him in prayer and then GO to all men bringing the glad tidings of great joy. First Day, Matthew 28, 19-20 - All Nations — “Go, therefore . . . and lenow that I am with you always, until the end of the world.” Second Day, Luke 10, 1-20 - Rich Harvest — “He who hears you, hears me ... ” Third Day, Acts 10, 34-43 - Good News — “He commissioned us to preach . . . and to bear witness.” Fourth Day, Luke 24, 46-49 Reconciliation — “Penance for the remission of sins is to be preached.” Fifth Day, Romans 10, 13-21 - Message of Joy — “How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news!” Sixth Day, Ephesians 6, 1-17 - Foot Gear — “. . . and zeal to propagate the Gospel of peace.” Seventh Day, II Corinthians 4,1-7 -- Ministry — “We proclaim the truth openly ...”