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PAGE 4—The Georgia Bulletin, February 17,1977
Fools
The greatest fools the Church can
spawn are martyrs. They are the
ridiculous stunt men and women who
risk all for a dream. Every Christian
generation breathes them and having
given life to their existence trembles
with pride, gazing at the heroism of their
sacrifice. They are the stars of the show,
the center stage of the Christian drama.
We live in the age of Martyrs. We saw
seven of them shot to pieces last week in
Rhodesia. They weren’t waving any
flags. They weren’t shouting from any
soap box. They weren’t preaching on
forbidden ground. They were just
manning their post. They were there --
teaching and preaching, bringing truth to
those who would hear and wisdom to
those who will rule generations to come.
Pioneers they intended to be; Martyrs
they were destined to be.
Rhodesia is a place where it is wise
never to turn your back. Those served
are the black generations destined to rule
/
and to determine the future of that
mysterious continent. Those who govern
are the remnants of the colonial powers,
reluctantly allowing the 20th Century to
hatch. Both are angry. The blacks
because it is their land and the denial is
obvious. The colonials because they see
the luxury fade. In the middle stand the
fools. They know Right, they preach
Right, they pay the price of Right.
Missionaries are our ambassadors. As
we see their poor unfortunate bodies
lowered into African graves, we
remember the Church of Christ thrives
on their sacrifice. Even this civilized
world of mad paganism stands still in
salute as we notice their foolish actions.
Waste, they say, Fools, they say.
Apostles, we say, bearing it all so that
“others may have the salvation that is
Christ Jesus.”
--NCB
N
Half A Dozen
Sent To Heaven
Dave McGill
It’s official that “The Mary Tyler Moore
Show” won’t be back next season, and fans like
me are in shock. I’ve been watching those crazy
people for six or seven years, and Saturday
night will never be the same again. It seems to
get harder and harder to have a good hearty
laugh as I get older, and I have really enjoyed
the 30 minutes worth of chuckles I’ve gotten in
recent years from the staff of WJM News once a
week. Losing a favorite show is doubly hard on
me, because I only watch four TV programs
regularly, so when one goes, it’s like losing one
of the tires on my car.
I was pondering what might happen to the
cast of the MTM Show if there was a Heaven
for old TV characters. St. Peter is meeting them
at the gate:
“Mary, we’ve admired your struggle to be a
good and caring person. There’s a place for you
here, but you’re going to have to change your
name. How about ‘Tyler Moore’? There’s
already someone here named Mary.
“Ah, yes, dear Georgette! As we say, blessed
are the meek, merciful, pure in heart, and
peacemakers. You’ve been all of these, so come
on in and inherit the earth, have mercy, see
God, and be called a son of God (or in your
case, a daughter!).
“Murray, come on in! We’ve got a special
place for you, at the right hand of the Father.
You see, His flowing hair and long white beard
are in actuality a rug, and He’s been looking
forward to having someone here balder than He
is.
“Ted Baxter? Hmmmm, your name doesn’t
seem to be on the rolls here, sir.”
“Oh, pleeeeaaase, Pete, don’t throw me out
in the darkness to weep and wail - . And my teeth
are too pretty to gnash. Don’t you need a good
anchorman for WGOD? I’ve had such good
intentions.”
“You knew it wasn’t the road to heaven that
was paved with good intentions, Mr. Baxter.
And Chet Huntley’s got the anchorman’s job.
How about you, ma’am - What’s your name?”
“Sue Ann Nivens, and hey, you’re kind of
cute! What’re you doing after the gates close
tonight?”
“Flattery will get you nowhere. It says here
in the margin, madam, that you have made a
shambles out of the last half of the Ten
Commandments. And also that the last thing
/
we need is a TV happy homemaker. All the
happy homemakers in here were the real thing
back on earth. So I guess you and Mr. Baxter
here will have to go down to the other place.”
“Look here, buster, you can’t banish Ted
and me to Sheol. What about you - what’re
YOU doing here? Didn’t you deny the Lord
three times in the courtyard?”
“Yes, but that’s different. I changed.”
“Well la-de-da. It was EASY for YOU to
change. You had the help of tongues of fire,
and besides, your show wasn’t cancelled out
from under you.”
“OK, then, we’ll take another look at the
reruns. Meantime, you two are banished for a
time, doomed to be together to snipe at each
other in that room over there with sign
P-U-R-G-A-T-O-R-Y on the door.
“Well, that’s everybody but you, Lou. You
know, you’re not on this list, either. But come
along, I’m gonna sneak you in. You’re my kind
of man!”
“I appreciate that, Pete. Say, I brought along
a six-pack.”
“Great, Lou! Let’s go fishin’!”
Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
DEADLINE: All material for publication must be received by
MONDAY NOON for Thursday’s paper.
Most Rev. Thomas A. Donnellan — Publisher
Rev. Noel C. Burtenshaw — Editor
Michael Motes — Associate Editor
AN ALTAR BOY NAMED "SPECK"
“And how are you today, Right Reverend Monsignor?”
f—
Called By Name
.
Georgia Carolina Ministry
Sr. Patricia Blaney, OLM
Vocation Director — Sisters of Charity
of Our Lady of Mercy
Charleston, South Carolina
St. Catherine of Siena —
Doctor of the Church
In reflecting on the life of St. Catherine of
Siena it is difficult to pinpoint one specific idea
that encompasses all that she was to the
fourteenth century Church and all she
represents to us in the Church today. Catherine
Benincasa, the daughter of a dyer, was born in
Siena, in the region of Tuscany, Italy, in 1347.
She died in Rome, April 29,1380, at the age of
thirty-three. In her short life time she witnessed
the lifestyle of a contemplative nun, an active
religious, a devout spiritual guide, a counselor
to popes, and an ambassador of peace. She was
well known throughout Italy and France.
Peasants, religious, and nobles followed her
from village to village. Her frequent visions and
ectasies were a source of constant inspiration
and praise as well as speculation and question.
She lived in an era of great schism and decay in
the Church and constant warring and rivalry
among city-states and nations. She advised
kings and queens on the future of their political
governments. Perhaps most outstanding was her
influence in leading the popes from the
captivity of Avignon, France back to the tomb
of the Apostles in Rome.
What seems to captivate most of Catherine’s
writings and biographies, however, is not the
important roles she played, nor the course of
history she influenced, but rather it is her
unique and intimate relationship with God.
Peter van Breeman, S.J., writes: “When we read
the dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena we get
the impression that God has nothing to do but
simply occupy himself with Catherine.” In one
of her most significant visions, Jesus appeared
to Catherine and said: “Daughter, do you know
who you are and who I am? If you know these
two things you will be very happy. You must
know that you are that which is not, but I am
That Which Is. If your soul is possessed of this
knowledge . . . you will attain all the gifts of
grace and all the virtues of love.”
It is this truth of our total nothingness and
dependence upon God which motivated
Catherine’s life. It seemed to her that once a
soul is possessed of this truth it ought to receive
willingly and patiently everything which seems
hard and bitter, out of love of God who created
us from nothing, and who from His boundless
mercy offers us eternal happiness. Catherine
earnestly lived to proclaim the words of
Scripture: “And eternal life is this: to know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
you have sent. I have glorified you on earth and
finished that work that you gave me to do.”
(Jn. 17:3-4) It was this union and knowledge of
God which enabled her to paraphrase the great
words of St. Paul to the fearful Pope Gregory
XI, “If God is with you none will be against
you.”
The life of Catherine of Siena was one of
great pain and suffering. God chose her to be an
active agent in the history of His Church when
she would have preferred to be a hermit. God
called her to proclaim His word to popes, kings,
and rulers when she longed to be a
contemplative. Her greatness was her openness
to God and eagerness to do His will. She never
asked for greatness or fame but merely to be
united with Him in faith and in proclaiming
with Paul, “I can do all things in Him who
strengthens me.”
Resound
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ERA and Abortion . . .
LILBURN -- I wonder if Catholics realize
how closely the Equal Rights Amendment ties
in with the abortion issue.
Dean Clarence Manion, one of the country’s
most distinguished Constitutional lawyers, and
for many years Dean of Notre Dame Law
School has said that if the ERA is ratified, we
could no longer protect the unborn child (as is
now possible) by Congressional legislation to
remove abortion cases from the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court.
Also, in a memorandum sent to the National
Right to Life Committee in Washington on
Sept. 15, 1975, Prof. Joseph Witherspoon, who
represented Texas in the Supreme Court case of
Roe V. Wade, stated: “My main objection to
ERA is that it is at least ambiguous relative as
to whether or not it outlaws anti-abortion
legislation and permits mothers and their
physicians to kill their unborn children. It is my
opinion that the Supreme Court might well
construe ERA as providing an additional
constitutional provision requiring the result it
reached in its 1973 decision in Roe V. Wade.
This decision invalidated the Texas
anti-abortion statute which protected the lives
of unborn children from conception to birth
against all abortions, except one made
necessary in order to save the life of a mother.”
So it would seem that from the standpoint
of these noted Constitutional Lawyers, a vote
for the Equal Rights Amendment would be a
vote for abortion on demand.
MRS. LONNIE 0. BRYANT
r
The Injustice
News Media
Teresa Gernazian
s .
If I were a millionaire, two things I’d be sure
to do. One - I’d subscribe to six or so
non-liberal daily papers from all parts of the
country. Two - I’d hire a full-time secretary to
write newspapers and television and radio
stations when fair coverage on issues is not
provided.
Currently there are three topics in particular
which I feel are not being justly presented to
the public. The first is the swine flu vaccination
program. The number of people suffering from
after effects are, in my opinion, more numerous
than the reported cases. A friend recently told
me of two men in their thirties who had been in
intensive care at a local hospital for many
weeks, one of whom may never be able to walk
again. I’ve also heard of several people who
either came down with pneumonia or
something else. We have simply not been given
the whole picture.
Another topic that has received biased
treatment is the pro-life issue. On January 23,
the day after the March for Life in Washington,
D.C. by a crowd of between 35 and 40
thousand people, the Sunday paper carried only
a small picture article on page ten. Wouldn’t
you know?
Recently WAGA TV, put on a week-long
series during the daily news broadcasts,
“Abortion in Atlanta.” With Sharon Summers
acting as moderator, three days were given
completely to the abortion side and one day
was given to a silhoutted young girl who
regretted having an abortion several years ago.
At the close of Thursday’s segment, the
audience was led to believe that Friday’s spot
would be pro-life.
Jay Bowman, Chairman of the Right to Life
Committee, had agreed to be taped for the
series with the understanding that the pro-life
viewpoints would be carried entirely for that
day. Jay was shown one minute; the remaining
part of the episode was given to a pro-abortion
lawyer. In other words, 314 pro-abortion
segments to IV2 pro-life ones. The Bowmans
have written a letter to Channel 5, requesting
equal time and many of us have either called or
written. Birthright, the volunteer group that
helps the girl or woman to find an alternative to
abortion, was not contacted for this series.
PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY when she
spoke against ERA at the recent Public
Hearing at the Georgia General
Assembly.
Opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment
are another unjustly treated group. News and
feature articles nearly always omit the Second
Section of the Amendment: “The Congress
shall have the power to enforce by appropriate
legislation the provisions of this article.”
As far as I know, our local papers carried
nothing about the alleged fraudulent signing
and distribution of 21,000 pro-ERA letters
recently in Indiana. Had it been the other way,
you bet your life it would have made the
Atlanta papers. Since I do not take the
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, I will gladly
apologize if I am wrong.
Whether you are for or against ERA, if you
watched the hour-long ABC Documentary on
January 22, “ERA: The War Between the
Women,” you’ll have to admit, if you are
honest, that it was biased. Sixteen more
minutes were given to pro-ERA arguments.
Section 2 was again omitted even though a
prominent personality was filmed making this
point.
Mrs. Phyllis Schlafly, National Chairman of
STOP ERA, was promised by ABC that her side
would have an equal number of minutes on the
program in the presentation of substantive
arguments, and she certainly would not have
participated had she known that it would have
been so biasly presented.
The narration by Howard K. Smith was
pro-ERA and his concluding statement was the
height of unfairness - it was actually a plea for
ratification of ERA.
I’m sure there are other issues which each of
you are upset about regarding the news media.
It certainly won’t change things completely if
we write or call, but its bound to have some
effect.
t
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