An Anchor of the Soul, Sure a/nd Firm -
ST. PAUL
Fall River Mass., Thursday, May 1, 1970 PRICE 10¢ Vol. 14, No. 19 © 1970 The Anchor $4.00 per Year
Marian Medal Awards Honor 20 Educators
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FIVE NEW DiOCESAN PRIESTS: Gathering with their shepherd following ceremony on Friday night in the Cathedral, were five priests who are to serve in the diocese. Rev. James R. Mclellan, Rev. Joseph D. Maguire, Rev. James W. Fahey, Bishop Connolly, Rev. Thomas L. .Rita, and Rev. Thomas F. McMorrow.
First. Appeal Gifts Total $305,9.24 Off to an' excellent" start, first returns from 114 dioce~ san parishes for the Catholic Charities Appeal total $305,-
Twenty educators, four of whom have devoted more than one-half century in the development of children in " 924. diocesan schools, were awarded the Marian Medal in recis most heartening to see ognition of their service at the annual Catholic Teachers' the"Itinitial parish reports in exconvention in Attleboro tocess of those of last year," was ing in Bishop Feehan High school the enthusiastic comment of day. Bish6p Connolly, who auditorium. Joseph C. Murray of North originated the highest dioceThe recipients: Dighton, diocesan Appeal lay Sister Teresa of Jesus, O.P., chairman. san award, presented the medals before a capacity gather-
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Pope Cit e s Respo~sibility Of Communications Media , VATICAN CITY (NC)-The powerful effects that mass communications today can have on the development of young people places "an immense responsibility" on everyone involved in the media. This was the message of Pope Paul VI writing on the theme These tools must be used "to of World Communications young people to inform and Day, to be observed this year help form themselves, to ~ri':lg out on May 10. The theme. of the real problems of the world, the day is "Social Communications and Youth." . World Communications Day is sponsored by the Pontifical Commission for Social Communica-
tiO;~~ Pope's message
said that men must make good use of the extraordinary opportunities to reach young people today by the press, movies, radio and television.
Tells Vincentians To Update Work For Ind igent JERSEY CITY (NC)-The So<;iety of St. Vincent de Paul must get away "from the food basket image" and become involved in a broader way in work for the poor. The observation came from Luke' J. Smith, executive secretary and veteran worker for the society in the Rockville Centre, . N.Y., diocese, at a meeting here .' of 200 delegates of the'society's iEastern Region. Speaking on the theme of updating the society in modern times, Smith said the members Turn to Page Three
to seek the authentic values of life and to live up to their callTurn to Page Six
Auxiliary Bishop James J. Gerrard, too, applauded the laity of the diocese for their generous response to the Appea! honoring the quarter-century jubilee of Bishop James L. Connolly as a member of the United States hierarchy. "The first returns indicate that the Appeal donors are honoring
our Shepherd because the Appeal is a tribute to him on the occasion of his silver anniversary in the episcopacy," the
Mixed Marriage, N'ew Directives WASHINGTON (NC) - Pope Paul's new mixed marriage norms drew generally enthusiastic reaction among Protestant, Orthodox and Jewish religious leaders. Most of those interviewed were enthusiastic about what they saw as progress and liberality in the way Catholicism is now approaching the problem, although some thought the papal document did not go far enough. The Pope's Apr~l 28 mot!! Turn to 'Page iEleven
New Bedford prelate asserted. Two parishes have already gained a place on the honor roll for "going over 'the top"of their highest previous totals. ~ey are: Notre Dame, Fall River. Our Lady of Angels, Fall River. Rev. Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, diocesan Appeal director, foresees the probability that many more parishes will be added to' . the list. A new plan, inaugurated last year divides the 1194-square mile diocese into five areas, listing the five leading parishes in each section. Previously, the leaders were ranked regardless of location. The areas include Cape Cod and the Islands, the AttIeboros, Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River.
Upholds Church Tax Exemption WASHINGTON (NC) The United States Supreme Court has' upheld the constitutionality of a New York
Bishops Reaffirm Reliance 0 n D.locesan .... I~ewspapers
SAN FRANCISCO (NC)-America's Catholic bishops gave an unequivocal and unanimous expression of support to the nation's Catholic press in a statement released at the seqliannual meeting of bishops here. Adopted without dissent by a voice vote, the The complete text of the bishbishops' resolution acknowledged "We are especially ops' statement read: communication of a encouraged by the positive . "The Turn to Page Sixteen contribution to human understanding and to the knowledge of the Church provided by the diocesan newspapers under our jurisdiction and at the same time conscious of their journalistic responsibilities to all who read them." iExpressing their "earnest hope that the diocesan newspapers of this country will be welcomed into every Catholic home," the bishops stated that: _ "As bishops of Christ's Church, charged with tile continuing dissemination of Christ's essential message to the world, we rely strongly on the Catholic press."
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State law which exempts churchowned property from taxation. The 7-1 majority opinion was written by Chief Justice Warren iE. Burger. Justice William O. Douglas, the sole dissenter, based his objection on the belief that tax exemption. is the first step to state establishment of religion. The test case was brought by Frederick Walz, Bronx lawyer who owns a parcel of land-22 feet by 29 feet--on Staten Island that is taxed $5.24 a year. Burger said Congress from its earliest days had viewed the religion clauses of the Constitution as authorizing statutory real estate tax exemption to religious bodies. He declared:
See Highest .Court Deciding Legal Problems of Abortion WASHINGTON (NC)-The U. S. Supreme Court will ultimately settle the legal problems of abortion, a California attorney has told a meeting of the Diocesan Attorneys Association here. Joseph J. Braildlin of Los Angeles says: ·"It appears clear that the United States Supreme Court if basic issues as to the rights there is to be any definitive resof the unborn child will have olution of the problem." Turn to Page Twenty to be finally decided by the
"Nothing in this national attitude toward religious tolerance and two centuries of uninterrupted freedom from taxation has given the remotest sign of leading to an established church or religion and, on the contrary, it has operated affirmatively to help guarantee the free exericse of all forms of religious beliefs." Several months ago, a New York City official said religious institutions there own $692 million worth of property. Taxes on it would have brought in $36 million. Douglas feels the present involvement of government in religion as typified in tax exemption may seem inconsequential but "it is, I fear, a long step down the establishment path." "Perhaps J have been misinformed," he said. "But as I have read the Constitution and the philosophy, I gatherered that independence was the price of liberty." The First Amendment to the Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof -' (, *. Burger rejected Douglas' "establishment" fears. He said if tax exemption is the first step, "the second step has been long in coming."