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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1987)
PAGE 10 — The Georgia Bulletin. April 16. 1987 Their Life In The U.S. Contemporary Catholics Surveyed THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC PEOPLE by George Gallup Jr., and Jim Castelli. Doubleday. New York. 1987. 191 pp., $15.95. BY CHRIS VALLEY Who are today’s American Catholic people? What do we say we believe? What do we say we practice? What do we say we want from — and for — the Church? Gallup and Castelli’s book provides a fascinating view of contem porary Catholicism in the United States. George Gallup Jr., heads the highly regarded Gallup Organization. Jim Castelli writes the syndicated weekly column, Gallup Religion Poll. Using survey data collected by the Gallup Organization over the past 20 years, they pro vide not only a picture of contemporary American Catholics but also a perspective on how we became this way. Who comprise the Catholic Church in America? Some 22 percent are members of racial minorities (Hispanics. Blacks and Asiatics). A large proportion of Catholics are Consensus Opposes Abortion On Demand. Two Books Fill BY TOM MIRALLES SPREADING LIGHT - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN, by Antonia Malone. Paulist Press (997 MacArthur Blvd., Mahwah. N.J.) $8.95. SHARING THE JOURNEY - ACTIVE REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH’S PRESENCE WITH MENTALLY RETARDED PARSONS, edited by Ellen Cook. Wm. C. Brown Co. (Dubuque, Iowa) $6.95 Anyone concerned about the development of religious education programs for children and adults with handicap ping conditions, will find in “Spreading Light" essential in formation and guidance about this specialized ministry. A comprehensive how-to-manual, it meets a definite need as churches are becoming more aware of their obligation to provide trained teachers and appropriate programs for this very diverse group of the faith community. “These young people are as badly in need as anyone of the interaction, love, strength, and solace provided by a warm and loving Christian community,” Antonia Malone asserts, as she stresses the importance of a structured pro gram in a group setting. She suggests that organizers con centrate on three areas: affirmation, community building, and getting to know Jesus. With this theory in mind. Ms. Malone turns to more practical matters: the procedure for establishing a program, class structure, ways of developing a team, and hints for successful teaching. A wealth of material is included here: an excellent bibliography and resource guide, year plans with suggested lessons, sample liturgies and prayer services, and ideas for training sessions. It is a most complete list of materials that are both current and readily available. Ms. Malone has been careful to make her materials adap table for Protestant as well as Catholic religious educators. Her book is an essential guide to a ministry “full of unex pected blessings,” and is a must for Christian education directors, pastors, teachers and organizers interested in under 30 years old — some 29 percent. Catholics make up 44 percent of the population in the East. 26 percent in the Midwest and West, and 16 percent in the South. Catholics now equal Protestants in education and income. At the same time. Catholics remain the “most urban’’ of religious groups in America, with 39 percent living in center city areas and another 35 percent living in suburban areas. Addressing substantive concerns, Gallup and Castelli cover a broad range of topics: priestly celibacy, religious and racial tolerance, sexuality, nuclear arms, abortion, personal religious practices, and American economic life and social policies. Much of what Gallup and Castelli document is already widely known. Catholics are part of the "broad consensus that opposes abortion on demand." Birth control is the "largest symbol of dissent within American Catholicism, with 75 percent believing “one can practice birth control and remain a Catholic in good standing. By two to one. Catholics agree that married men should be allowed to be ordained as priests. Some of the findings will come as a surprise. The authors document that Catholics are more tolerant toward other religious, racial and ethnic groups than are Americans as a whole. Catholics support for increased government spend ing for social programs, like education and Medicare, is above the national average. Catholics have, since the Viet nam War, become a “peace ” people, “one of the most signficant public-opinion shifts in recent decades." There has been a "significant" increase in Catholic religious ac tivity outside of Mass in the past ten years, such as confes sion, the Rosary, and involvement in parish organizations All of “The American Catholic People” is enlightening, authors find that American Catholics: no longer worry about how to be “accepted," rather the worry now is about how to lead. “In the quarter century since Kennedy's election, American Catholics have developed a stunning momentum — economically, socially, politically, spiritually — that ensures that they will have a pro found impact on the shape of American society a quarter century from now, Gallup and Castelli write. How do Catholics believe the Church can better serve them? According to this study. Catholics want “practical help" in becoming effective parents, approaching moral issues, and deepening a personal relationship with Christ. "The American Catholic People," though only 191 pages long, is a treasure-trove of information about Catholics and of insight on the American experience of Catholicism. It is both a study of and a tribute to our people. Chris Valley writes frequently for the Georgia Bulletin Special Need the religious education of special children and adults. Antonia Malone, who received an M.A. in Christian education from Princeton Theological Seminary, has run the special religious education center at St. Mary’s Church in New Monmouth, N.J., for more that 15 years. “Sharing the Journey," an excellent book designed for parents of persons with mental retardation, is also a helpful resource for anyone who ministers with families. Chapters include suggested processes for discussion, reflection and prayer experiences to be used individually or in parent discussion groups. Contributing writers are members of The National Apostolate with Mentally Retarded Persons (NAMRP) - parents, professionals, catechists and volunteers who share first hand experiences of living with or ministering to persons with mental retardation. As stated by Ms. Cook, “Despite the lack of concrete answers and clear direction, parents and friends of people who are mentally retarded bear witness to the realities of hope and growth and joy as significant parts of their ex perience...Whether or not these people have an organiza tion or a title, they are doing what Jesus did — they are modeling and being God’s compassionate presence in the world. They are sharing the journey, making it less chaotic and lonely. The articles offer suggestions and issue challenges, but they also present a vision of confident and caring parents, responsive professionals, and a Church which offers hope and presents a caring, human face." This is a book of inspiration as well as information, it is one that should be in the hands of parents and anyone con cerned about persons with mental retardation. Topics include: Residential services, parent advocacy, sexuality, medical issues, death and dying issues, family concerns, legal issues, special religious education, parish involvement and sibling relationships. Mrs. Miralles is director of special education at St. Jude's in Sandy Springs. Her program is open to children and young people from other parishes. Commentary Some Examples Of Public Civility BY MSGR. GEORGE G. HIGGINS NC News Service Theologian Father Richard McBrien concludes his excellent new book, “Caesar’s Coin: Religion and Politics in America, ’ ’ with a brief postscript on the need for civility in the ongoing debate about the role of religion in American public life. Quoting the late Jesuit Father John Courtney Murray, Father McBrien notes that “civility dies with the death of dialogue ’ We are either “lock ed together in argument” or locked together in combat. Father Murray thought that the former was "a rare spec tacle." Father McBrien's book is such a spectacle — a classic ex ample of civility in the public debate about controversial issues <e.g., abortion, prayer in the schools, conscientious objection) in the area of public policy. One would be hard put to find a single tendentious or uncivil word in this timely study. In Father Murray's view, argument ceases tobecivil when "dialogue gives way to a series of monologues, when the parties to the conversation cease to listen to one another, or hear only what they want to hear, or see the other’s argument only through the screen of their own categories." In my experience, this is a good description of much of the U.S. literature on Latin American liberation theology. With exceptions that prove the rule, books and articles pro and con on this subject tend to be monologues, with both sides hearing only what they want to hear or seeing the other's arguments only through the screen of their own categories. In Murray's language, they tend to be locked together in combat. One example will suffice Howard Wiarda, a scholar and author, called liberation theology “a living fossil" in the museum of "bad ideas" at a recent press con ference introducing Michael Novak's new book on liberation theology, “Will It Liberate?" “I'm ready to conclude." he said, "that liberation theology's time has already passed. As a theory of economic develop ment it really is quite silly and amateurish " Such patronizing rhetoric violates all Father Mur ray's rules of civility. Though obviously to promote the new book, it runs counter to Novak's purpose in writing it. To his credit, Novak calls for a civil dialogue on liberation theology. This, he says, “will require each participant in the debate to 'cross over' into the point of departure of the other's point of view, both with sym pathy and alert skepticism, but in the end with a painstaking desire to understand " Novak has met this challenge reasonably well. He takes his subject seriously and comes to the dialogue with a willingness to listenas well as talk. Isay this even though his “alert skepticism" comes through more clearly, to meat least, than does his “sympathy. Novak concludes that, whatever its strong points, liberation theology will not liberate. A leading propo nent of U.S.-style democratic capitalism, he argues that “liberal democracy with a heavy dose of capitalism will do more for Latin America's poor than social futures conceived by liberation theologians. Other U.S. critics of liberation theology have reached the same conclusion but with much less civility. By happy coincidence. Philip Berryman's book “Liberation Theology" has been published concur rently. Berryman doesn't agree with Novak, but he takes his arguments seriously, addresses them one by one with civility and. at least on some issues, is willing to concede Novak may have a point. Berryman and Novak are still ideologically miles apart; yet the simultaneous publication of their com plementary volumes is encouraging. It suggests that we may have reached the point where it is possible to dialogue about liberation theology instead of indulging in a counterproductive series of monologues. John Courtney Murray would be pleased. Msgr. George C. Higgins
