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Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Vol. 14 No. 42
Thursday, November 25, 1976
$5 Per Year.
Pope Approves Miracle
BY JOHN MUTHIG
VATICAN CITY (NC) -- One of the final steps leading to canonization of the first
U.S. male saint was solemnly completed here Nov. 13 as Pope Paul VI and Vatican
officials formally certified a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed John
Nepomucene Neumann.
The formal reading of the decree certifying the miracle - the scientifically
unexplainable cure from cancer of Michael Flannigan, a teenager from Wildwood
Villas, N.J. - closes over half a century of paperwork on Blessed John’s canonization
process within the Congregation for Saints’ Causes.
All that remains before the canonization can take place is the official announcement
by Pope Paul to the college of cardinals in consistory. That announcement is expected
in December.
Consistories, or solemn meetings of all the cardinals present in Rome at the time,
are called on occasion by the Pope to handle major Church business such as the
announcement of a Holy Year, the naming of new cardinals, the nomination of new
bishops, or the announcement of the canonization of a new saint. There are usually
several consistories a year.
Reliable Vatican sources told NC News that the date of the canonization will
probably be April 24, the second Sunday after Easter.
When canonized, John Nepomucene Neumann will become the first male U.S.
citizen saint and the first canonized U.S. bishop. Bishop Neumann, born in Bohemia
(now Czechoslovakia), immigrated to the United States in 1836 and took American
citizenship. He became fourth bishop of Philadelphia in 1852, a See he directed until
his death at age 49 in 1860.
Last year St. Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first native born U.S. saint in
canonization ceremonies in St. Peter’s Square. In 1946, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, a
naturalized eitizen born in Italy, became the first American citizen to be canonized.
Blessed John Neumann, who stood five feet two inches high, is especially
remembered for founding the first American diocesan parochial school system and for
spreading the diocesan celebration of 40 hours devotion.
When Bishop Neumann first suggested celebration of 40 hours to his priests, not one
supported him since they feared that the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing party would
react violently against the practice.
The bishop, however, stood firm and succeeded in popularizing a devotion which
spread throughout the United States.
During his eight years as bishop of what was then the country’s largest diocese, the
bishop built 80 churches and 35 schools.
When he arrived in the United States in 1836, John Neumann had only the clothes
on his back and one dollar. Although he had completed his seminary training, he was
not ordained and had no guarantee of being accepted for ordination by an American
bishop.
He received ordination in New York City, however, and did missionary work in the
Buffalo area. Moving to Baltimore, he became the first man to be professed as a
Redemptorist priest in the United States.
Bishop Neumann founded the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in
Philadelphia, and he introduced a number of teaching orders of Sisters and Brothers
into his diocese.
Beatification of Bishop Neumann was announced by Pope John XXIII shortly
before he died. Proclamation of the beatification was carried out by Pope Paul Oct.
13, 1963, during the second session of the Second Vatican Council.
SAINTHOOD ASSURED - Pope Paul VI has formally certified the
second miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed John Nepomucene
Neumann clearing the way for canonization of the 19th-century
Philadelphia bishop. Announcement of the canonization is expected in
December with formal ceremonies expected in April. Blessed John will
become America’s first male saint.
BLESSED NEUMANN
Rice Bowl Returns F or Refill
NEW YORK (NC) - Operation Rice
Bowl (ORB), a program to raise money
for the hungry overseas held in
connection with the 41st International
Eucharistic Congress, was so successful
that it will be used again next year.
“Because of the overwhelming
response by the American Catholic
community to this unique program,
Operation Rice Bowl will once again be
an integral part of the 1977 American
Catholic Overseas Aid Appeal,” said
Bishop Edwin B. Broderick, newly
appointed executive director of Catholic
Relief Services (CRS), the overseas aid
agency of U.S. Catholics.
About $5 million was collected
through ORB. Of this amount, 25
percent was retained by participating
dioceses around the country for local
food-relief work and 75 percent is being
sent to CRS for use abroad.
Catholic families in the United States
were asked to spend each Wednesday
evening during Lent praying for the
world’s starving, to eat a non-filling,
inexpensive supper and to contribute
the money they would have spent on
their usual Wednesday meal to the ORB
collection. A suggested menu consisted
of potato soup and a slice of bread.
The National Conference of Catholic
Bishops endorsed ORB in 1976 as a
special Lenten phase of their annual
appeal which provides the basic funding
for CRS. At their recently completed
fall general meeting in Washington, the
bishops voted to continue ORB.
Bishop Broderick released details of
the initial $2.5 million allocation of
ORB money. The funds had been
targeted to support some 30 food and
food-related developmental activites in
24 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle
East and Latin America.
Bishop Broderick said that $1 million
will be spent directly to support
emergency food programs in 10
countries. Another $1.5 million will go
to increase food production in
developing countries. Additional funds
later will be used to broaden other
projects and food programs.
Shipments already made of food
purchased with ORB funds, include
410,499 pounds of rice sent to
Bangladesh in August. In November,
CRS has placed orders for $400,000
worth of rice, beans and dried milk.
This includes more than 2 million
pounds of rice for Chile and India; more
than 800,000 pounds of beans for
Tanzania and Kenya; and 260,000
pounds of dried milk for Mexico.
Bishop Broderick pointed out that
the direct support of $1 million for
food programs abroad will benefit
mainly those countries “for which CRS
is not privileged to secure allocations
from the U.S. government-donated food
stocks,” and will be used to buy goods
other than those available from
government sources.
“This allocation permits us here at
CRS to bring immediate relief to a
number of countries in need,” he
explained. “The other $1.5 million will
be used for projects which strike at the
root causes of poverty and famine in
various parts of the developing world.”
Countries designated by CRS to
receive direct food support and related
food support projects include: Angola,
Bangladesh, Chile, Haiti, India,
Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico and
Lebanon.
In Angola, which has only recently
achieved national status, the local
Caritas-Angola - the Angolan
counterpart of CRS - is working to
serve the needy victims of civil strife. To
help out, CRS has allocated $50,000 to
buy food on the local market.
From ORB comes also $200,000
being used in Lebanon to aid thousands
of victims of the civil strife there.
Countries which will benefit from the
additional $1.5 million set aside for
ongoing projects already in existence
but in need of back-up support include
Upper Volta, Sri Lanka, Jordan (East
Bank), India, Guatemala, Ecuador,
Mexico, Colombia, Philippines, Senegal,
Brazil, Dominican Republic, Morocco,
Yemen and Ghana.
Holy Childhood Association
Helped By Christmas Seals
It has been said that Christmas is a time especially for children. Each day is an
experience in excitement as wide-eyed youngsters eagerly anticipate the surprises that
await them. It’s that way with children anywhere in our country.
But then there are other children. Children in India where empty stomachs are not
unusual; children in Southeast Asia who still have vivid memories of the war that
ravaged their country and left them without one or both parents; children in Haiti who
have never known what it is like to live anywhere but in the slums. It’s pretty hard for
any of these children to say “Merry Christmas,” and mean it.
Marriage Encounter Program
Growing In Local Popularity
What they need is to know that someone does care about them. That’s why children
across the United States will call upon their neighbors in the next few weeks and invite
them to buy Holy Childhood Christmas Seals which not only brighten holiday cards
and gifts, but also the lives of young children.
The Holy Childhood Association takes care of children all year long, children in
more than 90 countries. But what makes it all so special is that whatever help is made
possible comes from other children, children in every state of our nation. It is this
concept of “children helping children” that gives the Holy Childhood its unique
dimension.
Proceeds from the sale of the Christmas Seals, which are reproductions of religious
masterpieces, will be used by the Holy Childhood Association to bring medical aid,
clothing, an education and nutrition to those who need more than just surprises for
Christmas. Although it will take many hands, this year can make a difference for them
because others were willing to share their blessings.
The Holy Childhood Association, founded in 1843, has its National Office at 800
Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa.
In the archdiocese, the Holy Childhood program is directed by Father Vincent M.
Mulvin.
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Diplomatic Relations
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Vatican spokesman Father Romeo Panciroli hinted Nov.
11 that the Vatican and Greece maybe on the verge of setting up diplomatic relations.
Asked by a reporter if the Vatican and Greece were about to establish permanent
contacts, Father Panciroli said that the Vatican “is looking with interest and attraction
at such a prospect, which would officially ratify the cordiality of relations between the
Vatican and the Greek government.”
‘No Right To Non-Life’
VATICAN CITY (NC) - The Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano has said that
convicted murderer Gary Mark Gilmore of Utah has no moral right to demand
execution and that a court has no right to grant such a demand. The death penalty is
rightly coming to be seen as an unacceptable affront to human dignity, the paper said.
“There is a right to life, but there is no right to non-life,” wrote Franciscan Father
Gino Concetti, who often writes on theological matters in the paper, in comments on
the Gilmore case.
China Martyrs
VATICAN CITY (NC) - The Congregation for Saints’ Causes, in the presence of
Pope Paul VI, has formally certified that two Italian missionaries died as martyrs
while working in China in 1930. The decress on the martyrdom of two Oblate
Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales were among several approved by the pontiff and
the Vatican congregation Nov. 13. The two missionaries declared martyred were
Italian Bishop Luigi Versiglia, vicar apostolic of Shiuchow, and his fellow Oblate,
Father Callisto Caravario. They were killed by pirates.
Guidelines Issued
WASHINGTON (NC) - The National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs has issued
guidelines for neighborhood groups to make the best use of a new federal law aimed at
eliminating “redlining” or “disinvestment,” the unwarranted denial of mortgage loans
to certain neighborhoods. The law, which took effect July 1, requires lending
institutions to disclose their patterns of mortgage loans. This allows community groups
and others to determine which institutions are redlining and which are not. The
National Center for Urban Ethic Affairs is an affiliate of the U.S. Catholic Conference,
the civil arm of the U.S. Catholic bishops.
BY MICHAEL MOTES
In a little less than a year and a half,
nearly 600 couples in the area have
participated in a program that is rapidly
growing in interest - Marriage
Encounter.
Chuck and Pat Bianco, the local
Marriage Encounter recruiting team, are
extremely enthusiastic about the
reception the weekend program has
received locally.
They are currently preparing for the
next program, set for December 3
through 5 at the Howard Johnson Inn
on North Druid Hills Road. On
Saturday, November 27, a discussion of
the program will be held at The
Cathedral of Christ the King beginning
at 7:30 p.m.
What is a Marriage Encounter?
Publicists for the program describe it
as a “crash program that teaches a
technique of communication. It gives
couples the opportunity to examine
their lives together - their weaknesses
and strong points, their attitudes toward
each other, their joys and frustrations -
and to do so openly and honestly in a
face-to-face, heart-to-heart encounter
with each other.”
The emphasis of Marriage Encounter
is on communication between husband
and wife who spend a weekend
together, away from the children and
the distractions and tensions of
everyday life, to concentrate on sharing
deeply with each other.
Marriage Encounter is neither a
retreat nor a marriage clinic. Rather it’s
described as “an unique approach aimed
at revitalizing Christian Marriage by
helping couples make a good marriage
better.”
The program is open to any couple
who want to enrich their marriage
relationship, as well as for priests and
religious who want to revitalize their
relationship with the people of God.
Participants do not have to be
Catholic, although the weekend is
presented by three Catholic couples and
a Catholic Team Priest. The weekend is
Catholic in its theology of marriage as a
sacrament of the Church, but couples of
all faiths can benefit from it.
During the weekend, a series of talks
are given by a team of trained couples
and a priest. Each talk gives a husband
and wife the opportunity to look at
themselves as individuals, as a couple in
relationship, and finally to look at their
relationship to God, the Church and the
world.
There is no group discussion nor
comment during the 44 hours the
participants spend at the encounter. The
weekend is strictly ordered to the
couples’ own mutual and personal
sharing.
Presentations are given to the group
as a whole and after each presentation
the husband and wife have time in the
privacy of their rooms for their own
personal sharing.
Reactions from participants are
impressive. Some of the comments are:
“Mary and I have been married for 25
years and we thought we knew
everything about each other. Thanks to
Marriage Encounter, we’re really getting
to know one another better.”
“Rick and I love each other very
much, but we felt as if the world was
slowly pushing us apart. Daily problems
of money, job and children were
steadily becoming more important than
our relationship. Marriage Encounter
has helped to put things back into
proper perspective for us. It’s great!”
“We had a good marriage. There was
nothing Tom and T wouldn’t do for each
other. But I wanted more than that.
And we got it! Marriage Encounter has
given us a closeness we’ve never known
before.”
“Since Marriage Encounter even our
difficulties have a new meaning. By
facing them and overcoming them
together, our relationship is
strengthened and our love for one
another grows deeper day by day.”
A priest had this comment following
the weekend: “Marriage Encounter has
helped me to realize and accept my own
humanity. It’s given me the means to
understand myself more clearly as a
man. This has proved invaluable in the
living out of my priesthood.”
Marriage Encounter weekends for
early 1977 are scheduled January 14-16,
February 11-13, March 4-6 and March
25-27.
For additional information on the
program and the information nights
held at Christ the King, contact Chuck
or Pat Bianco at 469-7286.
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