SERVING SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
t eanc 0 VOL. 22, NO. 28
FALL RIVER, MASS., THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1978
20c, $6 Per Year
The Hidden Power ofPrayer By Father John B. Healey
FATHER HARRINGTON
In ~YC Ministry To Hispanics Father Kevin J. Harrington, chaplain to the Hispanic community of the Attleboro deanery, is attending a summer institute for workers in the Spanish apostolate sponsored by the Northeast Pastoral Center for Hispanics. He is spending the summer in New York City gaining increased conversational proficiency in Spanish and ministering to Hispanics in a large Bronx parish. In mid-August Father Harrington will return to Attleboro, where his headquarters are at St. Joseph's rectory. There are at present some 12,000 Hispanics in the Fall River diocese, served by Father Charles Soto, OFM in New Bedford and by Father James E. Murphy in Taunton as well as by Father Harrington.
Recently I thought up a sure-fire plan that could radically change for the better our general spiritual condition in, say, two or three years. It could be called a hidden power strate· gy because, at least in its beginnings, it requires a measure of simple trust and faith. It is, in fact, a deceptive approach because it is so very simple, direct and easy (in a sense) to put into practice. It is not really new in Chritian history. Actually, over the centuries those who have tried it and stayed with it maintain that it is guaranteed to succeed. It is the kind of thing that can be readily underestimated, downplayed, looked askance at( or considered too simplistic for serious application. Anyway, here it is. 1) Before every parish council meeting in every parish,- aU present will spend one hour (not a minute less) in praising Jesus Christ together, reading Scripture aloud to one another, listen. ing attentively to one another's expressions of faith, gratitude and petition to God, observing periods of silence and meditation, singing joyous songs together, etc. etc. It is most important that there be no prepared "agenda" or discussion during this entire hour. 2) The priests in every rectory will do the same together with
those on their pastoral team at least twice a week; 3) Religious will do the same at least twice a week; 4) Every grade in Catholic schools will do the same (for at least a half.hour) at the start of every school day; 5) The Diocesan Pastoral Council and Priests', Sisters' and Brothers' Senates will do the same for an hour before every general meeting and before every executive committee meeting. 6) Every major diocesan meet-. ing (for whatever purpose) will do the same. Well, there it is. The nature and source of this "hidden power" is, of course, mentioned widely in the New Testament. The usual word for it is "Spirit," sometimes Holy Spirit, a.k.a. Paraclete. This power always manifests itself in the set-up described in No. 1 above since Jesus Christ promised this would happen (cf. Matt: 18:1920).
• what's inside • • Greeley vs. nuns p. 8, 7 • Mulligan stew
p.9
• faces behind figures
p. II
The immediate effects of this hidden power are described in the New Testament in various ways some of which are unity, peace, joy and love. Some long· range effects of this power, described again in the New Testament and borne out continuously by those who have adhered to this play, are: 1) A growing sense of belonging with other believers that is sometimes called Mystical Body or church or community. It becomes clear that there is some forceful inner dynamic at work fashioning love and unity among those who bring such great personal and spiritual differences to the operation. (It is really the Spirit again, creating from within what can never be imposed from without.) 2) A deeper personal relationship to Jesus Christ. Since every personal relationship is different from every other one, we cannot generalize about this. Many say that He becomes more a reality in their lives, more approachable, more human, less fearsome. They say thoughts and feelings about Him occur at the strangest· times and in the most surprising circumstances. This, they say, puts one's whole approach to the Eucharist on a deeper, more satisfying level, especially when celebrated with other believers. Once this hidden power Tum to Page Three
ARCHBISHOP CHELl
Top
U~
Observer ~ow Archbishop
VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope Paul VI has increased the prestige and status of the Holy See's top representative to the United Nations by making him an archbishop. The Vatican announced last week that Msgr. Giovanni Chell, 59, the Holy See's permanent observer at UN headquarters since 1973, has been named archbishop - the rank given to papal nuncios (ambassadors). It also announced that archbishop Jean Ruff, nuncio to Iraq and Kuwait, will become the Vatican permanent observer at UN offices in Geneva, Switzerland. The Geneva Post was previously held by Vatican diplomats with the rank of monsignor. The changes clearly indicate that Pope Paul wants to enhance Tum to Page Seven
Should Pay Tax
Court Reversal?
WASHINGTON (NC) - Cath· olic schools should pay recently imposed unemployment compen· sation taxes "under protest" pending further study of the issues involved according to a memo from the U.S. Catholic Conference's legal counsel. The advice came from USCC General Counsel George Reed in memos to Catholic diocesan attorneys, state Catholic Conference directors and superiors of religious orders which run Catholic schools. But Reed contended that the Labor Department's ruling that the taxes apply to Catholic schools resulted from faulty interpretation of federal law. The Labor Department opinion holds that 1976 amendments to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act require Catholic elementary and secondary school employees to participate in state unTum to Page Seven
WASHINGTON (NC) - The U.S. Catholic Conference has asked the Supreme Court to reverse its 1973 abortion decisions and to restore constitutional protection to the unborn. "Let us wipe the slate clean and start anew," the usee said. The USCC made its comments in a friend-of-the-court brief filed in Beal V. Franklin, a case involving an appeal against a Pennsylvania law which requires doctors who perform abortions to do all they can to save the life of a viable fetus. The court will hear oral arguments on the case in its fan team. The brief was prepared by George Reed, usee general counsel, and Patrick Geary, usec assistant general counsel. The usec has been denied permission to offer an oral argument in the case. The USCC said the court Tum to Page Seven
POOLSIDE at the William P. Sweeney home in Falmouth are children from St. Mary's Home, New Bedford, enjoying their third annual outing sponsored by the Falmouth Department of Public Works. The splash party was followed by a barbecue and the children were also presented with rosaries by the Falmouth Knights of Columbus.