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Fall River, Mass., Friday, March 26,: 1982
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MEMBERS OF HISPANIC PRAESIDIA of the, Legion of Mary from AttIe·'. boro, Taunton and New Bedford surround the Vexillum, traditional Legion stan dard, at the 20th annual Acies ceremony: held last Sunday at St. Mary's Cathedral. At right, Sister Maria Ines Cobos of the Guadalupanas Sisters who work with the diocesan Hispanic community. (Sr. Gertrude Gaudette Photo)
New canon law code
reflects mod,ern life
By Patricia Bartos
PITTSBURGH (NC) - When the church's revised Code of Canon Law goes into effect later this year it will mark "the end of the beginning of the Vatican II era," according to a canon lawyer who addressed a three day Pittsburgh forum on the new code. . Father Francis G. Morrisey, dean of the canon law faculty at St. Paul University in Ottawa, said the new law would reflect life in the late 20th century. The revised code, with 1,728 canons or' regulations, is ex pected to be' promulgated by Pope John Paul II either on Pentecost Sunday (May 30) or the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 28). Forum speakers said the new code will put into effect many changes implemented since Vatican II and will bring new concepts and terms into promin ence in church life. Among these are a type of
"bill of rights" for laymen, bringing them into church roles once reserved for clergymen. An other emphasis is that of unity and of viewing the church as a "communion of the people of God" in a world where concepts of God, religion and church are challenged. The code also stresses the need for pastoral support of marriage and recognizes conju gal love as the primary aim of marriage. Taking into account advances in behavioral science, it con siders personality failure, the in ability of a person to fulfill the marriage vows or a "lack of due discretion" in granting annul ments. According to Father Morrisey, among goals of the canon law commission were increased ·in· volvement of the laity. in the church and elimination of any form of discrimination against women in .church life. The laity will more, fully parti· cipate in the threefold mission of the church to sanctify, teach
Six nations in.world spotlight ':>
DIOCESAN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEAST MASSJ, CAPE & ISLANDS Vol. 26, No. 12'
,
rent news. Nicaraguans are con
By Jerry FUteau vinced there is a major covert
NC News Service effort by the United States to de Central America, a thin strip . stabilize the Sandinista govern
of tiny nations linking two con ment -' a move they see as a
tinents, has in the past few years logical extension of the open
drawn world atten~ion far out of U.S. policy to force the govern proportion to its size or its own ment toward the center by isola political, military· or economic ting the left politically and econ importance. omically. The Reagan adminis The reason is simple: the viola tration is equally convinced that tile region is center stage in a Nicaragua and Cuba are the chief conflict between the United supply lines to Marxist guerrilla States and the Soviet Union over forces in El Salvador and that global influence. the hard-line M~rxist elements Despite their proximity, the in the Nicaraguan government 'six key nations in the region are will gain increasing control un· about as different politically as less they are forced into isola· tion. countries within shared geogra -:- Guatemala, where Gen. phic, cultural and economic Fernando Romeo Lucas Garcia's bonds could be. right-wing government was over - lEI Salvador, where U.S. in volvement is strongest and thrown on Monday and replaced fighting fiercest, has topped the with a junta headed by retired list of hot spots for the last two Gen. Efrain Rios Montt, follows years. At the beginning of his closely on the heels of El Salva administration Reagan declared dor in civil violence. The coun· try has not received U.S. military it the front line of the U.S. bat tle to halt Soviet incursion into aid since 1977, due to massive Latin America. Its ruling junta, human rights vf.olations but the new regime has stated it will at headed by a civilian but domina ted by the military, is engaged tempt to improve its foreign im age, apparently in hope of re in full-scale civil war with left ist guerrillas. The violence and sumed U.S. assistance. In the past, the Catholic suspicion of possible fraud have Church has been a particular raised serious doubts about elec tions March 28 for a constituent target of the government and assembly empowered to draft a rightists. More than 20 church new constitution and choose a workers have been among vic new president. The left is boy tims of, violence and over 100 cotting the elections, leaving the missionaries have been forced to flee the country. field open to the centrist Chris tian Democrats and five parties - Honduras, restored to elect on the right. ed civilian rule in February, has - Nicaragua, the newsmaker seen 385 armed rebellions and of the late 1970s when leftist 126 governments in its 160 years Sandinistal' waged a two-year of independence. It is in the news war before overthrowing the U.S. chiefly because of its stategic backed Somoza dictatorship, position on the southern border comes' in a close second in cur. Turn to l?age Seven
and govern, he said. Through a sanctifying role, laymen may officiate at baptism, distribute the Eucharist, receive the vows in matrimony and in certain cases conduct a funeral. In teaching they will, as is already the case, serve as lectors and catechists, share in mission- , ary work and in teaching the faith in educational institutions and in social communications. In governing, the laity will be formally included as delegates to SEATILE .(NC) - Archbishop synods, sharing the role of Raymond G. Hunthausen of Se· priests. They may serve in church attie, singled out for criticism by offices earlier reserved for cler the Secretary of the Navy for ics and may. "possibly exert a speaking against nuclear arms, very innovative influence" par· said he strongly rejeots the no ticularly in the area of marriage," tion that bishops cannot speak Father Morrisey said. on issues that touch on politics. Dominican Father Thomas "Although it is ·troe that the Doyle, secretary of the apostolic disarmament ;issue has a political delegation in Washington, said side, it is also true .that it has that the 1917 Code of Canon Law a moral side ,that religious lead was promulgated in a world "not ers must address," said Arch hostile" to religion. Thus its pri bishop Hunthausen in a state· mary concern was that of matter ment. In a speech March 7 in PhilaTurn to Page Six
Bishop rebuts
Navy head
delphia, Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr. said it is "deeply im moral" for religious leaders to use their position to promulgate radical pacifist ideologies. Lehman cited a statement by Archbishop Hunthausen criticiz ing the Trident nuclear subma rine and said such statements "illustrate how far the abuse of clerical power has been taken by a few religious leaders." In response Archbishop Hunt· hausen published a statement in his archdiocesan newspaper, the Turn to Page Six .