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Director BY MICHAEL MOTES “I was always being told by a certain friend that if I could arrange for a miracle to take place, then there would be no problem with the Shrine growing in popularity. Then one day a miracle did occur and Catholics throughout the United States realized that they did have a National Shrine and that it was time to do something about it.” When Monsignor P. J. O’Connor reminisces about his days as Director of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, it is a history lesson not only of the six-year period during which he was head of the magnificant edifice in the nation’s capitol, but of the Shrine since its very beginning. As a young student from Savannah, Patrick J. O’Connor enrolled in the Catholic University of America, then a relative newcomer to the country’s educational institutions, in 1920. His original plans had been to go to Georgetown, as his father had done before him, but fate stepped in and young O’Connor began an association with the Shrine that was to span a 60-year period. “A notice was put up on one of the bulletin boards at school that the cornerstone of the National Shrine Lighting One Candle Jim Keller was most definitely different. was to be laid in September 1920, just after I arrived as a freshman at Catholic U. “Being from the small and remote Diocese of Savannah, I was excited about the possibility of seeing such a large assembly of Catholic Bishops, plus, of course, a Cardinal. I had never seen a Cardinal in my life and this was the most exciting thing about the laying of the cornerstone.” Little did the future Monsignor O’Connor realize that 30 years later he would be appointed Director of the National Shrine and it would be during his administration that the actual construction of the above-ground Church would take place. For nearly half a century, the National Shrine consisted of the original Crypt Church Monsignor O’Connor saw begun in 1922. Following the completion of this in 1926, major construction ceased at the Shrine. “This was a very important period for American Catholics,” Monsignor O’Connor recalls. “The Church was growing throughout the country and building in local areas took precedence over any construction on a national level. “Of course, this was also the period of the Great Depression and a World War, so there was little money A SPECIAL COLLECTION for the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception will take place throughout the country at all Masses December 8 and 9. Atlanta’s Monsignor Patrick J. O’Connor served as Director of the Shrine from 1950 to 1956 and reminisces about this honor in the accompaning article. to be spent on a single building,” he added. Following his graduation from Catholic University as Valedictorian in 1924, Monsignor O’Connor furthered his education with studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York and spent a couple of years as an actor prior to making his final decision to enter the priesthood. In 1928, he entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and was ordained five years later in his native Savannah. He returned to Catholic University in 1936, this time as a member of the faculty. His interest in the National Shrine was renewed, but he thought little about it until the day in 1950 when he was informed that he had been proposed to the Board of Trustees to succeed Monsignor John J. Reilly, who had (Continued on page 3) Shrine Celebration WASHINGTON (NC) - A three-day celebration, including sacred music, prayer and recognition of service to Mary, will commemorate the feast of the Immaculate Conception at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 6-8. The shrine, American Catholicism’s major Marian shrine, has commissioned three works for the celebration. They include “The Festival Mass,” a Marian Mass composed by Robert Shafer, the shrine’s music director; a 15-minute documentary film, “To Him, She Leads,” narrated by Helen Hayes; and a new Marian musical setting for evening prayer. The evening prayer music was composed by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions in Chicago and will be used at one of seven prayer services to be held during the celebration. The Patronal Medal will be awarded Dec. 7 to Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis and Mother Teresa of Caluctta for outstanding service to Mary. The shrine and the Catholic University of America jointly sponsor the medal. For one thing this gentle giant was born and raised in sunny southern California. Beyond the golden gates of new opportunity in the exploding city of Los Angeles, the Keller family settled. It was the turn of the century and the war cry was “Go West.” Movies were the rage, fame and fortune actually existed and new beginnings were brightly born for the daring and the adventurous. Jim was indeed differ ent. He wanted adventure, but not in the West. His eyes gazed East. First to New York state where he could join the .newly formed Maryknoll Missionary Fathers. And then even further east to the gates of the Chinese Empire offering opportunities in hardship and the daily high road to dangerous missions. Only one of Jim Keller’s dreams came true. In May 1927, the young Californian put the letters M.M. after his name meaning he was ordained a Missionary of Maryknoll. But he was never to see or work the harvest of the far-off Orient. Instead, single handed, he took on the world. His superiors asked him to continue his daily hobby of writing flashing catchy thoughts, ponderable messages, consumed in a moment, by his expanding host of readers. He even gave these gems a name. The Christophers - Christ Bearing Thoughts - came into being as Father James Keller asked his legion of faithful followers for One Minute a Day. That was the beginning. Next he brought his daily thoughts to the new mysterious miracle of the airwaves - Radio. The crusty old station manager was by no means impressed with Jim Keller’s religious rattlings. Radio is entertainment. It’s jazz and dance bands, the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny and mystery plays. Why was he insistent on airing these daily thoughts among this jungle of frolic and fun? Jim was ready with his famous answer, forever the motto of his Christopher movement. “It is Better to Light One Candle Than to Curse the Darkness.” With a background of impatient, pointed commercial Christmas sales, the Advent Candle is lit. These weeks represent the dark generations of old. They are four still and lonely Sundays with only confused hope. That hope happens to be seen right now in the flicker of a candle. Soon the whole world will be caught in the flame as the Bethlehem manger mystery is unfolded. Father James Keller strained to make the world see by the light of his one candle. Advent urges us now to do the same. Vol. 17 No. 43 Thursday, December 6,1979 $6.00 Per Year MILITARY HONORS - Marine pall bearers carry the flag-draped coffin of Stephen Crowley into Infant Jesus CJ urch in Port Jefferson Station, N. Y., for a private funeral Mass. Crowley, 20, was one of two Americans killed while defending the U.S. Embassy in Islambad, Pakistan, against an attacking mob. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his valor. ‘Piece Of America Lost’ ARLINGTON, Va. (NC) -- President Carter attended the funeral Mass celebrated Nov. 30 for Marine Cpl. Steven J. Crowley, who was killed during the attack on the U.S. embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, Nov. 21. Bishop John J. O’Connor, auxiliary bishop in the Military Vicariate, gave the absolution after the Mass, which was celebrated by Father Lawrence Finegan, Navy chaplain. “There’s only one real dignitary here right now and that’s Steve,” Bishop O’Connor said, looking at Carter and other government officials who attended the service. Bishop O’Connor said the Crowley family are “simple folks,” and attributed to a neighbor an epitaph, “We lost a little piece of America . . . but maybe we have again the spirit of America.” The bishop urged the mourners to applaud twice, first for Crowley and later for the neighbor’s words “in hopes that it will give our president . . . strength and courage.” Carter did not speak during the service in Fort Myer Memorial Chapel. The president accompanied Crowley’s mother, Georgene Crowley, and his eight brothers and sisters at the Mass. Other government officials attending included Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, Secretary of Defense Harold Brown and New York Sens. Daniel P. Moynihan and Jacob Javits. Bishop O’Connor also said the graveside prayers in Arlington National Cemetery where Crowley was buried. The Mass attended by Carter was the second celebrated for Crowley. The first, celebrated by Bishop O’Connor, was Nov. 29 at his family’s parish, Infant Jesus Church in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. For his bravery, Crowley was posthumously decorated with the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Advent Home Study - Page Eight - C atholic-Orthodox Reunion Possible After Papal Visit IZMIR, Turkey (NC) - The leaders of world Catholicism and Orthodoxy made a major stride toward reunion Nov. 30, highlighting the three-day visit to Turkey of Pope John Paul II. The pope and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I of Constantinople established a high-powered ecumenical commission to resolve theological and doctrinal issues dividing their sister churches. An eventual reunion would rejoin 750 million Roman Catholics and some 200 million Orthodox after more than nine centuries of bitterness and separation. The papal visit to Turkey also included meetings with Turkish government and diplomatic officials in the capital of Ankara, visits to historical sites in Ankara, Istanbul and Ephesus, and meetings with Catholics and other Christian leaders in addition to Patriarch Dimitrios. In the overwhelmingly Moslem country there were none of the huge crowds, stretching into the millions, that met Pope John Paul on his journeys to Mexico, Poland, Ireland and the United States earlier this year. The average Turk seemed barely aware that he was around and completely unaffected by the visit. Because of domestic political and. economic problems, Turkish authorities were less than happy with the timing of the visit. Inflation is running at 50 percent. Acts of terrorism take an average death toll of five a day. Major areas of the country are under martial law. And a newly formed minority government hangs in precarious balance. Heavily armed soldiers and plainclothes security forces - 5,000 strong in Ankara and Istanbul - cordoned off every place the pope visited, discouraging spectators and sometimes dispersing them even if they began to gather in small groups of 15 or 20. Even in churches access was stringently controlled and plainclothes police toting submachine guns mingled in with the congregations. Despite all the difficulties, the papal trip was a success in the one area that counted - progress toward (Continued on page 6) ARRIVAL IN TURKEY - As he has done in all the countries he has visited, Pope John Paul II kisses the ground upon arrival at the Ankara airport to begin his three-day visit to Turkey. At right is Archbishop Salvatore Asta, papal nuncio to Ankara, and Turkish President Faari Koroturk. ORTHODOX Dialogue Commission Established ISTANBUL, Turkey (NC) - The historic Catholic-Orthodox Mixed Commission for theological dialogue announced by Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Dimitrios I in Istanbul is the largest and highest-ranking ecumenical commission formed since the Catholic Church formally entered into the ecumenical movement nearly two decades ago. It includes five cardinals on the Catholic side, seven metropolitans on the Orthodox side and at least 15 other Catholic or Orthodox bishops and archbishops. The preliminary list of members, listing 31 Catholic members and 23 Orthodox members from 12 of the 14 autocephalous (independent) Orthodox churches, is not yet complete. But its 54 members named so far makes it by far the largest bilateral commission under Catholic co-sponsorship. The list of members appointed so far was made public the day after the pope and ecumenical patriarch announced the formation of the commission at the patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in Istanbul. Catholic sources told NC News Service that the decision to include so many ecclesiastical authorities on the commission was a conscious effort to give more authority to the Catholic-Orthodox dialogue. Other joint commissions of Catholics and other Christian churches are made up overwhelmingly of theologians and other professional scholars, with only a few bishops or other church authorities. Leading the Catholic list of commission members is the church’s top ecumenical official - Cardinal Jan Willebrands of Utrecht, Netherlands, president of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity. Also on the list are Cardinals William Baum of Washington, George Basil Hume of Westminister, England, Joseph Ratzinger of Munich and Freising, West Germany, (Continued on page 7)