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First Returns Exceed 1970 First 'returns from the 114 diocesan parishes added to Special Gift donations brings the total to $314,427 in the Catholic Charities Appeal. "It is most heartening to see the initial parish reports," said Dr. David Costa, Jr. of New Bedford, diocesan lay chairman of the Appeal. "It indicates a most favorable response by the people in the parishes to the Most Rev. Daniel A. Cronin's call for funds for the charitable and social ser-
vice works of the diocese," he added. Bishop Cronin applauded the laity of the diocese for their generous response to his plea for the Appeal. He thanks the thousands of parish solicitors who called on fellow parishioners last Sunday. "It is most gratifying to see the whole-hearted support of all peoples. People do want to help people in need. That is what I am trying to do through the various agencies of the Appeal," said the Bishop this morn-
The ANCHOR An Anchor of the Soul, Sure and Firm.,-St. Paul
Fall River, Mass., Thursday, May 6, 1971 PRICE 10¢ Vol. 15, No. 18 © 1971 The Anchor $4.00 per year
Teachers Convene At Feehan High The 16th annual, Catholic Teachers' Convention of: the Fall River Diocese 'opened ,at 9:30 this morning at Bishop Feehan High School, Attleboro, as Bishop Cronin was principal concelebrant at an opening Mass.
. At the first general session, Archbishop Humberto S. M",· deiros delivered the convention's keynote address, on "The Teacher as a Model of Faith." Bishop Cronin presided at the gatherTurn to Page Seventeen
ing from Appeal Headquarters. Every parish which surpasses its 1970 final total figure in the Appeal in this year's campaign is listed on the honor roll. One parish has already gained a place on the honor roll by surpassing the amount donated during 1970. This parish is Our Lady of the Angels, Fall River, with a total of $12,666.00 up to this date exce,eding its 1970 total by $1,559.25 Turn to Page Two ,
Bishops Defend Celibacy; See No Change Coming DETROIT (NC) - The coun- change within 10 years, as 64 try's Catholic bishops made it per cent of priests in a national official at their Spring meeting: survey said they believed likely. they will hold the line and not Preliminary Reflections opt for an optional celibacy deMany priests have been urging bate when the Rome Synod of a practical discussion of optional Bishops takes up the priesthood celibacy by bishops and synod, crisis in October. short of changing the law. The From the bishops' national National Federation of Priests meeting emerged instead the Councils which too~ that posimakings of a plan to explain tion in Baltimore at its annual more clearly the rationale behind meeting in .March, came in for' 'celibacy Clnd remind everyone of its importance to the priesthood.They hope that will do 'much to quench the flaming pub. lic controversy on whether long unquestioned Church law should All Catholic residential, auxilchange to let priests take wives. iary and retired bishops of the The 235 bishops wound up Province of Boston have issued their three·day session here by a joint pastoral letter urging electing their national confer- U:S. withdrawal from Vietnam. ence president and three senior Signing the letter from the men in the hierarchy to go to Diocese of Fall River were, Most, Rome in five months as the Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, Bi~hop of American delegation., Fall River; Most :Rev.. James J. Two of them promptly said Gerrard, Auxiliary Bishop of there wa!;l.no possibillity',that the Fall River; Most Rev. James L. all-celibate tradition would ' Connolly, formerly Bishop of Fall River. "We do not question the sincerity of the motives of our elected officials," the bishops explained, "but if the evidence we see and hear is accurate; we &re compelled by conscience to
some support and a lot of criti: cism as trouble-makers when the bishops met. Two American priests will be chosen through mail balloting by the bishops over the next few months to go to the synod as auditors. Some bishops and other observers, seeing negative reaction to the NFPC at the hierarchy's meeting, here, were Turn to Page Seventeen
Provincial, Bishops Urge Peace As Top ~overnment Priority, question the wisdom and morality of at least some aspects of our policy. " , "We urge that the most rapid possible t~rmination of the war and the establishment of peace , in Vietnam be given the highest priority by our government," the bishops resolved. The' text of the' statement is as follows: Dearly beloved in Christ: One of the central moral prob· lems facing our nation today is the war in Vietnam. We share the deep concern of millions of our feHow Americans over this prolonged conflict and the anTurn to Page Nineteen
Church Needs Catholic Press To Effect Real Communication
SIGNS SCHOOL AID BILL: Vermont Gov. Deane C. Davis signed into law a bill which allows local school districts in Vermont to aid parochial and private schools as, from left, House Minority Leader Thomas Candon and Msgr. Raymond A. Adams, chairman of the Diocesan School Board, and Rep. Kenneth Parker look on. Candon is also a member of the diocesan board and was instrumental along with 'Msgr. . , Adams is working for the bill's successful passage. NC Photo. .~
WATERFORD (NC) The Catholic Church needs and must continue to have the most "vigorous press we're able to produce for America today." Its values are so many that no one reason can be given for "Why a Catholic Press?" James Doyle of New York, executive director of the National Catholic Press Association, said 'at a publications and communications seminar at Holy Redeemer College here in Wisconsin. The Catholic press, Doyle said, is the Church's effective tool for communication - and it gathers news, entertains, defends the Church against critics, criticizes Church institutions, provides a forum. "It does a lot of different: things-from helping to fight a
political battle against abortion - helping to arouse Catholic consciences to the violent im· morality of our continued killing in Vietnam-all the way to poster c.ontests for kids and cartoons poking fun at pastors and parish councils." , Under Pressure He quoted Pope Paul VI who said those who practice Catholic journalism must be "heralds of truth, justice and peace," and must Christianize society, reflect things as they are, explain and defend the Church. Doyle conceded that the CathA oli<: press, along with other institutions in the Church, is "under attack and pressure." Circulations have fallen, he pointed out, but the drop is also Turn. to- :Page Eighteen