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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.”