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PAGE 5 — The Georgia Bulletin, November 12, 1987
Father Gerald Peterson
Rural Reflections
Remembering
A Supportive Archbishop
Since his death on Oct. 15, ! have been reflecting on the
ministry and life of Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan and his
interest in the rural parishes and missions of north Georgia.
I'd like to dedicate this column to his memory, sharing some
of my reflections with you.
Shortly after his arrival in Atlanta at a gathering of the
priests, Archbishop Donnellan in essence said: "I thought I
came to a southern rural mission diocese. I expected my
priests to be enthusiastic about rural parish ministry, but it
seems most of you prefer the large city and parishes of Atlan
ta." His words made a deep impression on me at the time.
They spoke of his interest in the work of the total arch
diocese.
I am proud to claim 18 years of service as a Gienmary
Missioner in the archdiocese. Nine of my happiest years in
ministry were spent at St. Luke Church in Dahlonega between
1966 and 1975. After three years in Shelbyville, Tenn., I was
delighted to be transferred back to Clarkesville where I have
served as pastor of St. Mark Church and St. Helena Church in
Clayton for nine years.
During my first years in Dahlonega, the archbishop was
most supportive of me personally and of the small struggling
mission church. In 1969 when two School Sisters of Notre
Dame came to do rural ministry, the parish was too small to
pay them anything toward a living allowance. Archbishop
Donnellan generously arranged through the chancellor for
financial support.
Sister Catherine Concannon has been serving at St. Mark
Church since 1970. Six years ago she began to develop the
mission of Commerce. Without financial support through the
archdiocese, her ministry would not have been possible.
The visits of Archbishop Donnellan to the smaller rural
parishes consistently was a source of encouragement to the
people and the priests. To my knowledge, he never refused an
invitation no matter what the distance. He would come for
the dedication of a new building, a parish anniversary
celebration or just to bless a new altar.
Father Bob Poandl of Blairsville is a pastor of one of the
most distant mission parishes out of Atlanta. He told me
that on one occasion the archbishop gladly came for the an
nual confirmation, even though it was f or a "class of one."
The Incident shows the pastoral concern of Archbishop Don-
nellan.
Four years ago. Archbishop Donnellan came to Clarkesviile
tor the confirmation of eight. There were no candidates in the
parish of Clayton, i asked the archbishop if he would be will
ing on the same Sunday to pay a pastorai visit to the people
of St. Helena Church. He consented, even though it meant an
additional drive of 30 miles and the celebration of a second
Mass with a special homily. He always seemed happiest
mingling with the people after Mass.
These are a few of my reflections as a rural pastor, who
served under the guidance of the primary pastor of Atlanta
for 18 years, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan. After his long
years of faithful service, may Heaven be his reward.
Msgr. George G. Higgins
The Repentance Factor
The U.S. bishops came out against capital punishment in
1978 and 1980. Their statements were reaffirmed this year in
a statement titled “Political Responsibility: Choices for the
Future."
The bishops do not question society's right to punish of
fenders in capital cases, but believe there are better ways to
protect people from violent crime than by resorting to execu
tions.
The September issue of Crisis, a Catholic monthly,
features an article by Sheldon Vanauken on this issue. He
does not refer explicitly to the bishops because, as he points
out in a note in the October issue of Crisis, "They are not the
magisterium...and they are not immune to the Spirit of the
age." The spirit of the age in Vanauken s lexicon is an all
purpose label covering the evils of modern society.
Though he doesn’t mention the bishops explicitly,
Vanauken strongly disagrees with their statements on capital
punishment. Fair enough. Unfortunately, he proceeds to
ridicule all who oppose capital punishment, which, of course,
includes the bishops.
Vanauken finds opponents of capital punishment guilty of
“chronological snobbery...the unexamined assumption that
whatever is modern and up-to-date, including opinions and
values and morals, must be truer, better, wiser than anything
in earlier ages." That's a bit like saying that since slavery was
defended on moral grounds for centuries, those who oppose
it today are guilty of "chronological snobbery."
Vanauken also says opponents of capital punishment
subscribe to "the humanitarian theory of punishment
(which)...asserts that men who commit crimes are not
criminals at all but are merely psychologically sick; and they
should, therefore...(be) handed over to psychiatrists for heal
ing or readjustment."
Are we to conclude that all opponents of capital punish
ment, including recent popes who on occasion pleaded for
clemency in specific capital cases, were victims of this
theory? And what are we to say about the Lord himself who
befriended Mary Magdalen and defended the woman taken in
adultery, a sin thought by her accusers to be a crime
punishable by death?
Moving in for the theological kill, Vanauken says the real
reason so many soft-headed Americans (“especially
academics and clergymen”) oppose capital punishment is
that their minds have been “darkened by the secular horror of
death." They no longer believe death is the “doorway to eter
nity" but “the end to everything."
This must mean opponents of capital punishment, in
cluding the bishops, have lost their Christian faith.
I am not suggesting, nor do the bishops suggest, that
capital punishment always is immoral. And Vanauken is free
to support capital punishment. But he argues that Christians
not only may but must support capital punishment. "The
The Yardstick
death penalty," he says, "is far more likely to lead the
murderer to repentance."
Vanauken’s concern for the spiritual welfare of people on
death row is nothing if not practical. He would like to see "the
murderer on death row given at least two weeks of life after
the last possible appeal has failed.... Two weeks for sober
contemplation of what lies ineluctably ahead." He appears
certain that people on death row will not make peace with
God unless given two weeks notice, by way of an ultimatum
from the secular state. In short, he agrees with Dr. Johnson
that it “wonderfully concentrates the mind” to know that one
is to be hanged in a fortnight.
I would like to think Vanauken here is spoofing his readers
for rhetorical purposes. But if he means to be taken seriously,
I think he ought to follow his logic to its final conclusion.
Why should the secular state limit its pastoral ministrations
to people on death row, knowing we are all sinners who could
benefit at a designated age from a similar two-week
ultimatum?
I fantasize here, of course, but so I hope does Vanauken. I
find it hard to believe he really wants the secular state to ar
rogate to itself the decision as to when the time for repen
tance has run out for any human being.
That decision belongs to God and God alone.
Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service
Antoinette Bosco
A Time For Moral Outrage
Something unsettling is happening in the United States
now. There is so much taik of money and wealth that many
people don’t want to acknowledge the poverty that exists in
their own nation. Though people talk about the homeless and
raise money for the hungry, their concern is a distant one.
Most of us don’t brush shoulders with poor people. If they
come too close, we send them off to an agency, a soup
kitchen, a shelter or otherwise get rid of them.
Someone recently related an incident in Manhattan where
a homeless, middle-aged man was redeeming cans and bot
tles quietly at a local supermarket. He was courteous and
careful to bring bottles that had been cleaned so as not to of
fend the store clerks.
After waiting his turn patiently, ne held his hand out to
receive the nickels to which he was entitled. Just then the
young clerk reached behind her back for Lysol disinfectant
spray and proceeded to humiliate him. Her colleagues laugh
ed uproariously.
Hearing this account and others, such as teen-agers who
set fires to the homeless as they sleep in streets and parks, I
ask: What is there about the poor that causes such
disrespect and brutal behavior?
I think it has something to do with the fact that as a society
we have come to love wealth and its packaging so much that
those outside this framework are discardable beings.
All around us are signs of wealth. Should anyone question
this, just turn on the TV set. The programming, including
commercials, shows wealth in most of what is aired, not only
on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
Or pick up a magazine or newspaper. Again, everything we
see or read speaks of the "good life,” from clothes, food and
furniture to daily investment tips.
Who’s important? Only the wealthy — witness the spread
in Fortune magazine earlier this month listing the 400
wealthiest people in the country. And if you missed the
magazine, USA Today reprinted the names so we could be
sure to know who’s worthy of having their names in the
paper.
We are innundated with images of wealth; so much so that
I think the message is starting to sink in: Money is the best,
go for it. People who are poor aren’t worth our time.
Thus it becomes permissible to eliminate the poor with
discourtesy, disrespect and dismissal.
I know something of how it feels to be unwanted because
The Bottom Line
of poverty. Once when I was about eight, I was the only one
not invited to a birthday party for a friend in my class at
school. She told me I wasn't invited because her mother said
I was too poor to buy a present.
After this friend opened my eyes, I took on my poverty as I
took on tonsilitis. I was diseased momentarily.
Fortunately, the church always has valued the poor, from
Christ to the many great saints to people like Mother Teresa
and the priests, Religious and lay people today who work in
soup kitchens and shelters, and who try to raise funds to help
the poor.
The Catholic Church witnesses to the value of persons, not
wealth. But our ability to hold on to Christian values is
threatened when all around us we are bombarded by images
that glamorize the wealthy.
If this attraction to the glitz of money and power pervades
society to the point that a supermarket clerk thinks nothing
of symbolically spraying away a poor man, we are a society in
great trouble.
Perhaps it is time to express moral outrage over the age of
greed that is descending upon us as a country.
Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service