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The Story And Glory Of Benedict
(By Rev. Father Malachy, a priest of
the Trappist Community in Conyers.)
What’s in a name? Plenty! The
name Benedict means “blessed,” and
15 popes have borne that name.
However, the most renowned
Benedict who ever lived was not a
pope and most probably not even a
priest. Throughout this year of 1980,
the 1500th Anniversary of his birth,
the Universal Church will be
honoring one of her most illustrious
saints, Benedict of Nursia.
The “Father of Western
Monasticism” was born in central
Italy in 480, during times not much
different from our own. As Empires
have fallen in this century, then too
the Roman Empire was collapsing.
There was general upheaval in
society, morals were bad and
worsening, corruption was rife in
places high and low. Benedict could
well have thrown up his hands and
let out a cry of despair, something
we all are tempted to do in difficult
times. Benedict did not give into that
temptation, and it may be refreshing
to recall what that one individual did
to stem the drift of disintegration so
characteristic of his world, and ours.
In his DIALOGUES Pope Gregory
the Great told us much of what we
know about Benedict. As a youth he
was sent by his parents to schools in
Rome. Shocked by the licentiousness
prevailing there he soon fled to the
Savine Mountains where he settled in
a cave, at a place now called Subiaco.
There he spent three years of his
early manhood, in solitary prayer
and contemplation. Whether seeking
the peace of God or the God of
Peace, the hermit is no stranger to
seductive imaginings and violent
temptations. Saint Benedict had his
share.
While still so young he had the
discretion not to forego all human
assistance and welcomed the help
and friendship of Ramanus, a monk
of a neighboring monastery. In time
Benedict’s holiness of life attracted
the attention of others. First came
the shepherds of the locality. Later a
group of monks, having lost their
abbot, begged him to become their
spiritual guide.
Reluctantly Benedict assumed
their leadership. Unruly and opposed
to the rather rigorous discipline of
the young abbot, they would have
poisoned him had not a miracle saved
Benedict. Disheartened, he returned
to his cave. And once again disciples
flocked to him. Eventually Benedict
formed 12 monasteries, placing 12
monks in each. He governed this
small colony so well that before long
wealthy and influential Roman
families sent their children to him to
be educated according to the rule of
the monks. Among these were his
two best-known disciples, Mauras
and Placidus.
Driven from Subiaco by the
persecution of a jealous cleric,
Benedict left his foundations in the
hands of others and journeyed south
with a small band of monks. On the
summit of Monte Cassino, midway
between Rome and Naples, around
the year 529, Benedict built an
abbey which was to become a center
of piety and learning, renowned
throughout Europe, and now
world-famous. It was here that he
composed his “Rule for Monks”
which became and still is the model
for most monastic communities of
the West, and many throughout the
world. Benedict died around the year
547, not long after the death of his
twin sister Scholastica, a nun who
founded a convent near Monte
Cassino, became its abbess, and
eventually also a canonized saint.
St. Gregory’s account of
Benedict’s life was written to edity,
and contains descriptions of
numerous miracles wrought through
the saint’s intercession. Wonders are
attributed to him even to this day.
That he was a charismatic person, a
holy man, there is no doubt. That he
was also a very human, humble
person we can gather from another
source: the self-portrait he has given
us in his monastic Rule.
(Continued on page 6)
Wonderful World
Of Hartsfield
“I don’t know what the city is
like but Atlanta Airport is little more
than a backward cow-pasture.”
My know it all friend fresh from
his travels across the North American
continent was merely trying to spoil
my great adventure and impose a
little nervousness on my youth. And
in no uncertain terms, the rascal was
doing it.
But he did speak the truth. It was
1962 and as his plane touched down
to refuel on a flight from San
Antonio to New
York, the new
Hartsfield was
still standing
incomplete.
Atlanta Airport
was little more
than a bumpy
field.
A few
months later the
scene would
dramatically
change. A spanking new terminal
would open. It rose up like the New
South bragging that the shiny new
concourses would handle an annual
load of 13 million travelers.
It was wrong, of course. 15
million showed up. Within 5 years it
was 20 million. And now after 20
years that dreamy new edifice is
bulging with 42 million transients
each and every year. It was time to
discard the “new” Hartsfield. And so
they did.
Come September 1, the newest
Hartsfield terminal will open. And
it’s big. It’s the biggest in the nation.
In fact, this 600 million dollar, 2V4
million square foot fantasy of the
South is the biggest airport terminal
in the whole wide world. After you
check your bags and pick your seat
you have a one mile hike to the
nearest all-aboard ramp.
But forget your jogging shoes and
shorts. Take the subway and streak
to your plane in cool comfort. Or
just step lightly onto the moving
sidewalk. It will waltz you in
wonderful fashion to your skyward
destination, in sweet southern
comfort.
The new Hartsfield is not a mere
showpiece. It is a necessity. Atlanta
is still the crossroads of the nation.
One of those huge people carriers
touches down on Atlanta soil just
about every minute of the day. And
almost 80 percent of that human
cargo leave one gate simply to find
another without ever exiting from
the plush halls of this new metropolis
just the other side of Hapevilie.
Last week pilots practicing
another form of heaven-ward flight
gathered at the new extravaganza to
pronounce, far and wide, the
existence of another form of service
at the Airport. Father Jack Druding
represented Catholic pastors as
together the religious denominations
demonstrated their interest in serving
the heavenly bodies, coming and
going, in the lovely confines of this
gorgeous new sanctuary. Just imagine
— the parish potential is a mere
million souls each week. A mighty
ministry!
So the old 1962 Hartsfield is
tired, prematurely obsolete and
permanently shut-down.
Going Up!
The cost of print and
postage are forcing our hand.
To meet our bills we must
imitate almost everything else
and increase our costs.
Reluctantly, your Catholic
newspaper must raise the
annual rate from $6 to $8
beginning July 1.
Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Vol. 18 No. 24
Thursday, June 19,1980
$6.00 Per Year
Brave(s) Brother Francis
BY THEA JARVIS
It’s the bottom of the seventh
inning on a breezy summer night
at the Atlanta-Fulton County
Stadium. With the score Dodgers
3, Braves 1, the home team can
use a hit.
Braves’ right fielder Gary
Matthews is at bat with an 0 and 2
count and the fans expect some
action.
Action they get.
Up from the stands and onto
the dugout jumps a burly,
bearded, sanda 1 - footed
cheerleader. He is dressed in
traditional Franciscan garb.
“Erother Francis! Brother
Francis!” the crowd cheers,
drowning out the beer hawkers
and hot dog vendors.
Brother Francis raises his broad
arms high, his hands tightened to
fists, his face flushing with
excitement. He leads the stands in
a rythnic, foot-stomping,
hand-clapping chant: “Let’s go
Braves . . . let’s go Braves . . . let’s
go Braves ...”
The fans are united in a
celebration of sport, and Brother
Francis has caught the moment in
his outstretched arms.
Outside the Braves’ stadium,
Brother Francis doffs clerical
clothing and resumes life as Bob
Kelly, a seven year resident of
Georgia and undying baseball
loyalist.
Bob was born in the Bronx and
raised in West Palm Beach. He and
his wife, Jane, and their two
children, Tracey, 8, and Scott, 6,
now live in Marietta and are
members of Holy Family Church.
Queried as to how the
“Brother Francis” role began, Bob
flashes his best Irish grin.
“My partner, Rick Schirm and
I own a pub in Marietta called
‘The Pew and Brew.’ Our logo is a
Franciscan friar and we had the
monk’s outfit made up for the fun
of it.”
Explaining his link-up with the
Braves, Bob continues “On
opening night of this year, I wore
my monk’s outfit. As the game
progressed, our spirits heightened
and I just reacted spontaneously,
jumping up on the dugout and
cheering with the fans. I’ve been
doing it ever since.”
Bob claims his “Brother
Francis” character has a different
appeal from the Braves’ Bleacher
Creature or team mascot Chief
Nokahoma.
“I’m just a fan. I’m not paid. I
do it because I love it and .because
the team seems to enjoy it, too,”
beams Bob, obviously delighted
that the often dog-eared Atlanta
hitters might have their morale
boosted by the likes of a robust
Franciscan cheerleader.
Though publicity has not been
a goal for pubmaster Kelly, his
“Brother Francis” alter-ego has
brought some measure of success
to “The Pew and Brew.” The
establishment has been around for
just eighteen months and is still
introducing itself to contented
customers.
If you happen to be in the
neighborhood of Franklin Road,
off DeKalb Road in Marietta, you
might stop by “The Pew and
Brew” and bid Brother Francis
hello. He’ll be easy to recognize -
the one dressed in brown,
cheering softly as he works the
bar.
FAMILIES
White House
Conference Held
BY THEA JARVIS
The White House Conference on
Families was held this month and
among the state representatives from
Georgia were two members of the
Diocese of Savannah.
Mr. Cheatham Hodges, Executive
Secretary of the Georgia Catholic
Conference, and Mrs. Mary Kay
Persse, Diocesan Director of Family
Life in Savannah, traveled to
Washington to discuss and evaluate
the state of family life in our
country.
“It was good to meet and
converse with people from all over,”
stated Mrs. Persse. “What was
somewhat distressing was an
overemphasis on individual freedoms
to the detriment of family life.”
Some delegates were concerned
enough about the flow of the
conference to express their
disapproval by walking out.
“Several pro-family factions left,”
recalls Mrs. Persse. “They could not
agree with what they perceived as the
tone of the conference.”
Delegates to the conference
reflected a wide variety of opinion
on the status and importance of the
family. The Planned Parenthood
Organization, the American
Association of University Women,
and the Pro-Family Coalition were
among the many groups represented.
Asked if the Church was a
presence at the conference, Mrs.
Persse replied affirmatively.
“The Church was definitely in
evidence. Bishop Stafford gave the
Catholic delegates an opening
benediction and other denominations
were also there with lay and clerical
representation.”
No effort was made to politic,
however. Church conferees were
content to let their voices be heard in
a positive, supportive manner.
The Church does have a definite
role to play, however, according to
Mrs. Persse.
“The Church needs to encourage
parents to be the prime teachers of
their children. If they don’t do it,
institutions will take over.”
Mrs. Persse also sensed that some
members of the teaching and social
science professions were moving
towards excluding parents from
decision-making.
“Some professionals have a ‘we
know best’ attitude. The challenge to
the Church is to promote parents as
the ones who will make the most
important decisions where their
children are concerned.”
The conference included
workshops on a wide range of
subjects. The media workshop,
attended by Mrs. Persse, encouraged
parent participation in their
children’s viewing, reading and
listening decisions.
“The need for parents to educate
their children on the use of the
media was agreed upon,” relates Mrs.
Persse. “Sadly enough, parents don’t
seem to be doing this.”
One of the high points of the
conference was an address by
President Carter which stressed the
unique value of each family member,
and the need to support the family as
a vital unit of society.
In another address, George Gallup
noted his recent survey which
showed violence to be a growing
concern among those working with
families in the United States tcday.
A further meeting of the Georgia
delegation has been planned to
continue the discussion of family
goals on the state level.
Schillebeeckx Speaks
BERKELEY, Calif. (NC) -
Dominican Father Edward
Schillebeeckx, whose theological
writings on Christ are under
examination by the Vatican’s
doctrinal congregation, said he does
not expect the Vatican to censure
those writings.
The Belgian-born Father
Schillebeeckx, who has been a
professor of theology for 22 years at
the Catholic University of Nijmegen,
the Netherlands, said also in an
interview:
The Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith runs the risk of
“stopping the maturing of
theological comment” if it takes too
harsh a stance on competent
theological inquiry.
Ecumenism under Pope John Paul
II has “less hope” than under Pope
Paul VI.
Father Hans Kung, another
controversial theologian, had
defensible reasons for not going to
the Vatican when asked, but should
have gone anyway, Father
Schillebeeckx said. The Vatican has
said that Father Kung can no longer
teach as a Catholic theologian.
Father Schillebeeckx,
commenting prior to his
commencement address at the
Dominican School of Philosophy and
Theology in Berkeley, also said the
Vatican has created a “false
dilemma” for itself regarding his
teachings.
“If they do not repudiate my
writings, then it becomes a kind of
‘consecration’ of my work,” an
implicit endorsement which may
annoy some Vatican theologians,
Father Schillebeeckx said.
A committee of nine cardinals,
members of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, has had a
report since December on discussions
held that month between the
65-year-old professor and three
Vatican theologians. To date the
cardinals have not issued any public
evaluations.
Signed by Father Schillebeeckx as
well as the three-member interview
team, the report summarizes
discussions to clarify the Dominican
priest’s Christology (the scientific
study of the person of Jesus,
especially the union in Christ of
human and divine natures.)
It should be made clear, he said,
that both his 1974 book, “Jesus: An
Experiment in Christology.” and its
recently translated sequel, “Christ:
An Experiment of Jesus as the
Lord,” were both “written with the
given that Jesus is the Son of God.”