Pl'acing Bla~e for Vietnam Recalls U.S. Isolationism
THE ANCHORThurs., April 5, 1973
Risen Lord
The "hate America" journalists are busily engaged in trying to pin the blame and the guilt for the Vietnam war on the American people and its most popular leaders. Since the Kennedy administration is still immensely popular, it becomes necessary to blame it for the war. David Halber- approach to foreign policy and starn's brilliantly written but ~,he American responsibility to h II b make the world safe for de. S a ow ook argues t~at the mocracy." Ev:,er since then, our war was caused by the elite that ~enn,edy brought to ~ashin~ton th~ best and .th: brIghtest, by their own admission.
By REV. ANDREW M. GREELEY
intellectual hetters have urger! on ~s. the need for responsible participation in foreign problems. " We were morally responsible to resist Japanese aggression in China and Hitler's aggression in Europe. We were morally responsible to help Europe back on its feet after World War II. We were morally responsible to support Israel. Finally, we abandoned our traditional isolationism and began to take seriously our moral obligation to help the rest of the world. War Criminals
And now those who got us This strange appeal to snobbery comes with bad grace from into it all (or their children or a journalist who cheerfully ad- intellectual descendants) tell us mitted durIng the crisis at Harp- that we are arrogant war crimier's that he was <Jne of the most nals. If they had left us alone 'brilliant journalists in the coun- we would still be isolationists try. If the Kennedy intellectuals and all the deaths of World War were arrogant, Mr. Halberstam II, Korea, and Vietnam would never have occurred. easily matches them. Then there is Henry Fairlie's Maybe the 1939 isolationists obscene effort to blame all the were right after all, but if anytrouble of the 1960s on the fact .one can remember those years, that Kennedy raised people's ex- it was precisely the Catholic pectations both at home and ethnics who were most roundly abroad. If the President had not denounced for their "immoral" led the population to expect bet- opposition to foreign involveter things we wouldn't have had ment. The particular' villains all the subsequent trouble. Only were the kish and the German an Englishoman-indeej, only- a· Catholics (the others, it was asleft wing Englishman-could be sumed by the elites of the 1930s that dumb. ~I wonder when Mr. probably couldn't even read and Fairlie will write an analysis of write), because they dared to what Britain is doing in Ireland.) oppose riding to the aid of beThen there are the reviews of loved Mother England. And Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye in among the Irish, one of the worst the Establishment press, almost anglophobes was Joseph Kenall of which quote Halberstam nedy. You can't win. and ,Fairlie, and ridicule the ef- . But the American people may forts of Kenqeth O'Donnell and have learned. The next time David Powers. The reviews are England gets into trouble, it is angry, of course, because the going to have to go' elsewhere book is selling so well. The for help. It might try Sweden Kennedys are still popular, and or North Vietnam. that is an affront to the left © 1973, Inter/Syndicate wing journalistic establishment. Wilson's Position To make matters worse, one Kennedy is still alive and shows every sign of planting banners once again on the battlements of Camelot. For the "hate America" left, this is an intolerable affront. They should govern America and force from it an acknowledgement of its guilt, not those insufferable Kennedys"l If one wishes to blame the war on anyone, the proper choice might be Woodrow Wilson. For that quintessential nativist was the first to advocate a "moral"
Illustrate Sermon TEXARKANA (NC)-The parishioners of St. Edward's parish here in Arkansas were surprised at a recent Mass when ushers gave them small. rocks as they entered the church. Dtiring Father Leo Riedmueller's homily he told the people the rock repsented the hardness of heart of a person' who doesn't listen to the word of God'. He asked his parishioners to carry the rock with them to remind them of the fact.
Postal Rates Hurt Religious Press WASHINGTON (NC) - James Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Press Association (CPA), warned of the "demise" of many -religious publications unless Congress provides them with relief from the current postal rate structure. ' Such relief, he said, would be afforded by a bill submitted to the House subcommittee on postal service by Rep. Morris K. Udall, a Democrat of Arizona. Doyle made his comments in testimony before the subcommittee, which is holding hearings on the Udall legislationn. The CPA official's sentiments reflect the concern in Catholic press circles over the ultimate impact of postal rate increases which were approved for secondclass, non-profit publications last. June. Those increases, issued by the Postal Rate Commission, would raise postal rates for religious publications (magazines and newspapers) by an estimated 350 per cent over a 10-year period.
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RISEN SAVIOR: "Jesus lives for us today because, beyond his death, Jesus became the Risen Lord." Jesus rises from the tomb in this 16th century work by Borgo:, gnone, "The Resurrection." NC Photo.
Continued from Page Sixteen and communicate to us fatherly courage. If we let him bless us and bring us his peace, then we shall no longer be bothered about our private hurts, but rally to the cause of helping others toward a life of courage and dignity. Finally the Thomas story, a tale of doubt, illustrates the despair that freezes over so many hearts today. Thomas didn't weep or run scared; he chose the hopeless cynicism that rendered him cold to the advances of the divine. What saved Thomas was the warm and rejuvenated faith of the community. His friends gathered around him and prayed • with him and infected him with the contagious ecstacy of their own faith. Thus they prepared him to be open to the appearance of Jesus and the vision of his wounds. Thus the cold doubter could say, "My Lord and my God." Concern, Compassion Doubt and despair, especially in some parts of our intellectual community, need to feel the communal force of believers. Easter people awash with the "living waters" of God, should swarm around the helpless doubters and despairers with delicate concern and compassion. In this way they weaken the foolish defenses of disbelief and aid the person to receive the audience with Jesus who will show him the agony of his wounds and communicate the power of his hope. These are but a few of the rich impressions of the Easter event. Jesus comes again to appear to new Magdalens, frightened apostles, anl:l doubting Thomases. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring this Gospel of peace. Jesus is risen, Alleluia! He is risen indeed, alleluia.
Our Faith In the Risen Lord Continued from Page Sixteen Corinthians 9,1). "He was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. After that he was seen by five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have fallen asleep. Next he was seen by James; then by all the Apostles. Last of .all, he was seen by me" (I Corinthtians 15, 5-8).
All the other titles we give Christ draw their power. and their life from this one. If this one were not legitimate, the oth~rs would have nO value and would disappear. "If Christ was not raised, your faith is worthless." "If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life, we are the most pitiable of men." "In that case, those who have fallen asleep in Christ are the deadest of the dead" (I Corinthian 15, 16ff.).
-we would not be talking about him now. But instead, "in the time- after his suffering, he showed them in many convincing ways that he was alive, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking to them about the reign of God" (Acts 1,3): "Therefore," said Peter in the first recorded Christian sermon, "let the house of Israel know beyond any- doubt that God has made both Lord and Messiah this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2, 36). And Paul writes: "He was made Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness , - by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1. 4). By this faith, millions of people since that day have found life in his name. And so can we.
Our Messiah But the fact is, Jesus Christ has a claim on our hearts because he did rise. Because we believe in that resurrection, we are happy to confess that he is our Messiah, King Savior, and Son of God. If the faith in God which he once taught us had failed to deliver him from the power of death, he would be forgotten today. If he !lad died-and no more
Children Continued from Page Sixteen The following excerpts illustrate how the authors have attempted to translate phrases into a child's language. "Do not forget Pope Paul, our bishop, our priests, and all Christians in the world." "Do not forget the people who have left this world to meet you. Receive them into your kingdom. Keep them near you."
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