Doubts Sincerity of New Left's Efforts for Change In recent columns I have been severely critical of the tactics of the New Left both in the nation and in the Church. A number of correspondents have written irate letters suggesting that I have become "conservative" and have "sold out to the Estabconcretely put it, "You can't lishment." To begin with, no win without allies," and, my enorganization as inefficient as thusiastic young friends of the the Roman Catholic church New Left, the only place you're can possibly be thought of as having an "establishment," and if I have "s'old out" it was obviously at an invisible price. For I have the same position in the official Church now as I did 16 years ago- assistant pastor -about the lowliest form of
By REV. ANDREW
M.~:::;;: ::.
GREELEY
._
..... .....•.. .................-. ....-._--_._--'''-'-' '
~~"'
going to find allies is among the silent majority; you will not find allies by engaging in precisely that sort of behavior which is most likely to antagonize them. No Easy Answers
There is a large number of Americans dissatisfied with the war in Vietnam, with heavy taxation, with incompetent governmeiltal bureaucracy, with leadership that does not tell it the truth, with the directionless drift which has characterized the United States since the assassination of John Kennedy. Youth has no monopoly on such dissatisfactions. The difference, I think, between the younger generation of the dissatisfied and the older generation is that the latter realizes that there are no quick and simple and easy answers to the question of what to do about those aspects of American society which one does not like. Similarly, in the Church it is not just the young who are dissatisfied with the quality ofecclesiastical leadership but what the young clergy don't seem t~ realize is that the' silent majority is dissatisfied not merely with the top level leadership but is dissatisfied with them, too.
humanity available to any member of the white race in the United States. It is most unlikely that I will have any different position 16 years hence. But the conservative charge is more serious for, apparently to the fevered minds of the New Left, anybody who is concerned with actually accomplishing social change is a conservative. Only those who pursue tactics which have been demonstrably counterproductive are to escape the conservative label. You are either a kamikaze radical interested in self-destruction (or in "liturgical gestures" a la the Need Allies Berrigan brothers) or you have But, the response comes, "You sold out. This is of course patently ab- can't change a system in surd yet it is understandable. which the leadership is a selfOurs is an extraordinarily frus- perpetuating clique." Such a trating time for those wanting ·statement is nonsense. Of course change both in the Church and you can, but you can't do it in the larger society. The situ- . by quitting, you can't do it by ation seems to be getting worse copping out, you can't do it all around us and we are ap- by forming factional caucuses parently powerless in the face which are designed to be permanent tiny minorities, you of deterioration. Thus, American young people can't do it by insulting people, realize they can be drafted to and you can't do it by insistfight a war which they detest ing on ideological purity. by a government which not only You can do it only if you have despises them, and thinks it allies. If you have enough alshould get reelected without lies, then there it not reason their support, but which also why the Church will not in the is apparently convinced that one not-too-distant future return to of the keys to reelection is pre- the traditional method of selectcisely its hard line against the ing its leadership (and its worth noting, by the way, that two young. popes in the sixth century said Basic Weakness it was immoral for a bishop to And the young people in the be chosen by any other method Church realize that the Church than the election by the laity is governed by men who are not and clergy of his diocese). Somehow or other, I don't selected by the rank and file and who are in no way responsi- think this is really either a ble to it. In addition, many of "conservative" or a "sell-out" them either do not know what position. It is rather a suggesa large number of their' followers tion for strategy and tactics think and feel or, if they do know, that have a chance of winning but then that is, I think, the simply do not care. Under such circumstances, last thing in the world that then, the young ask themselves,. the New Left wants. For, if "What can we do?" and the they should win then they would most obvious answer is that have to exercise responsibility they can do nothing, not at and that would end all the fun. least by themselves. This is such an outrageous discovery Authorize Strike that violence of one form or another seems to be the only adePHILADELPHIA (NC)-Grganquate response. ized lay teachers in 32 PhiladelAnd herein, I think, is the phia archdiocesan high schools basic weakness of the New Left, by a 317-25 vote authorized religious or civil. It seems sing- their union leaders to call a ularly innocent of awareness strike any time after the new that the moral righteousness of school term in September. The a cause has never at any time vote was taken to bolster the in human history guaranteed position of their leaders in negovictory for that cause. tiations with archdiocesan offiAs Saul Alinsky has quite cials for a new contract.
THE ANCHOR-Diocese of :-aU River-Thurs. June 1 n, 1970
13
Archbishop Stresses W.omen's Role in Current Unrest CINCINNATI (NC) - Cincinnati's Archbishop Paul F. Leibold said here 'women can provide correct· answers for many of today's critical problems, ranging from unrest among the young to turmoil in th¢ Church. Celebrating his 30th anniversary in the priesthood on "Archbishop Leibold Day" proclaimed by Acting Mayor James H. McCabe, the prelate was feted at a luncheon by the Dayton Catholic Women's' Club. . Discussing unrest among youth and violence of college campuses, the archbishop said the young "are operating from a very definite value base which is evidently quite different from what we consider our tr.aditional Christian one."
He refrained from criticism of some aims of the younger generation-rejection of "our technological monster, racism, subtle repression"-but said the time is at hand when women can provide the young with a solid value system. Spirit of Criticism He called women God's "chosen vessels of spiritual values" and said now is the most favorable time in history "for the promotion of woman toward her full human stature." The archbishop said women should be a decisive factor for the renewal of the Church and welcomed increased dialogue between them and Church leaders. He urged women to work particularly to promote loyalty' to
the Church. "A corrosive spirit of criticism has become fashionable in some sectors of Catholic life," Archbishop Leibold said. "There are, for example, so-called Catholic magazines and newspapers which seem to have no other function than t~at of reporting unpleasant news regarding facts and persons in the ecclesiastical area." Frequently such news is presented "in a unilateral way" and perhaps some news reports are "even altered and dramatized to make them more interesting and spicy, so that readers become used, indeed, not to diffidence and to a preconceived lack of esteem for ecclesiastical persons, institutions and activities."
-
Cathedral Camp Resident and Day Camp for Boys
Our -Ladv . .of , .the Lake . Day Camp for Girls Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River ILOCATED ON LONG POND, ROUTE 11, EAST ftlEETOWN, MASS.
RES) DENT CAMP Sl st Season - June 28 thru A~gust 22 - 8 Week Season
'Staff:
Diocesan Seminarians - College Students -& Teachers Under directioa of a Diocesan Priest.
Program:
Sailing, swimming, water skiing, horseback riding,. riflery, archery, hiking, overnight camping trips, arts & crafts, Indian crafts, camp crafts, athletic (team & individual) competition and inter-camp competition, professional tutorial service available.
Facilities:
Private beach, large luxurious camphol,lse, dining hall, modern washrooms, arts and crafts buildings, camp store and office, first aid and infirmary, beautiful chapel, overnight and weekend accomodations for parents.
8 WEEK PERIOD $375
4 WEEK P!ERIOI!) $195
2 WEEK PERIOD $100
Cathedral Day Camp For Boys JUNE 29 - AUGUST 21
Camp Fee 35.00 for 2 wk. period. Camp Fee $125.00 for 8 wk. season period.
FEES INCLUDE: Transportation, Insurance, Arts & Crafts, Canteen, Horseback Ridin9Weekly Cook-Outs & Milk Daily without Added Cost.
__ ... _-_.-_._._-------_._-----------------_._-~-_.
""'~._,--,_.
Our Lady of the Lake Day Camp For Girls Camp Fee 35.00 for 2 wk. period. JUNE 29 - AUGUST 21 Camp 'Fee $125.00 for 8 wk. season period. FEES INCLUDE: Transportation, Insurance, Arts & Crafts, Canteen, Horseback Riding, Weekly Cook-Outs, Milk Daily WIthout Added Cost. BOYS' CAMP
leI. 763·8874
For further information write or telephone to Registrar:
P.O. Box 63 -
East Freetown, Mass. 02717
Toll Free Call from Fall River
644-5741
-
CIRLS' CAMP
Tel. 7~·~~
.-