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.:..THE A~CHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Thu~. July 20, 1972 . . . . ~
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Cites Reasons for Clergy To Sta'y Out of Politics 1 can think of three good reasons whythe clergy should stay out of politics. None of these are theoretical reasons; I ~on't see anything in the nature of the priesthood that dictates that a priest not become a political leader. My reasons are rather pragmatic, even "political" ones~ But seen on Chicago television recently. presumably to a mliln who A community organization in fancies himself a politician, which a young priest is the such reasons would be even more important than theological reasons. First of all, there is the classic
By -
REV. ANDREW M":,';:m GREELEY
leading figure was confronting the mayor over an ordinance on bond issues. The priest was berating the mayor in fierce, moralistic language about what was. being done to the people of Chicago. The mayor listened patiently and managed to edge in, "Father, did you read the ordinance?" The priest did not reply but' c,ontinued to denounce the ordinance. Like every good politician would, the mayor saw he had found a weak point. .He intervened again, "Father, did you read the ordinance?" "No, 1 didn't," the priest stumbled' and then added lamely, "I read a summary of it." He returned to the attack and the mayor's -timing, operating flawlessly now, l~t him go on. Finally, the mayor ended the exchange, "What kind of a priest are you? You come down here and say all these things about me and you didn't even read the ordinance?" ' What kind of a priest indeed? An honest one. it is to be supposed, thdugh his honesty would make professional politicians writhe. But his excuse, later offered by the TV 'commentators, that he hadn't been able to read the o'rdinance because he was busy with church duties is one of the lamest examples of a clericalist cop-out 1 have ever heard. Because of his religious duties he should be excused from responsible professional behavior? If this isn't a plea for the political equivalent of the clerical discount, I have never heard one. Embarrassing Laity
"Catholic action" argument advanced by such teachers of mine as Reynolq Hillenbrand, Edward _Marciniak, and George Higgins: involveme:qtin politics is especially pertinent"' for those who are part of the nonclerical people of Oo~. The priest's role is to train them, and inspire and sustain them. If' be assumes the , role of a political leader he displaces a layman from such a position and deprives the laity of the training,challenging and supporting role he can playas a priest. This argument may not be persuasive in al1 circumstances but it should certainly give a priest pause before he begins to look for a 'precinct organization. - Secondly, as political leaders priests tend to be \losers. Partly because they are. politically inept and partly because they turn people off, priest-politicians frequently hurt the causes they support. , Now if you are convinced that politics is about taking stands and losing' with honor and dignity, there is nothing wrong. with But more than that must be being a clerical loser. But if you said. He disgraced the church are convinced, as ); am, that poli- and humiliated the priesthood tics are about winning, about . that day in city hall. How could the acquisition and use of power' anyone storm into city hall and in order to accomplish social denounce public officials in change, then the priest-loser (the strong, emotional language about ' ultimate in the hyphenated cler- 'an ordinance that he had not ic?) is politically irrelevant. even read? A professional politician wouldn't dare act that way. 'Congressional Outcast' The priest was freeloading on But, say the worshipers of cler- his clerical status. ical politicians, didn't Father An ordinary politician who Dririan win, a congressional elec- had made such a mistake would' tion? First of ail, Robert Drinan be finisheo and would quietly is an extremely s9phisticated and discreetly get out of politics. lawyer who has forgotten more He would be the laughing stock about politics than most priests of all his colleagues. But there will ever learn, He is not just a is not a ghost of a chance of this cut above the ordinary priest clergyman getting out, or even who messes around in politics; of his admitting that he might he is light years ahead of them. have been guilty of an intolerNevertheless, he is something able blunder. He will go on his of a congressional' outcast, rele- merry way embarrassing the gated to an irrelevant committee Catholic laity, and shaming many whose fundamental purpose he of ,the rest of us in the priestrejects. Does he have more in- hood. fluence no~ 'tllan when he was 1 am not necessarily in favor Dean of the Boston College Law of the ordinance he was opposSchool? 1 rather doubt it. ing. That is scarcely the point. Finally, most of the new wave What I am in favor of is the of "involve<;! priests" don't seem realization that if you are going to know anything about how to play with the big boys, you politics work and don't really act like a big boy and not fall seem interested in learning. A back on your Roman collar when classic example of this could be the going gets rough.
SILHOUETTE OF A NUN: Are some parish communities becoming fragmented into separate st~reotypes at the expense of communication and the religious growth of children? NC Photo. '
Some Fundamental PrincipllBS Contiriued from Page Sixteen tion for the Sunday sermon to Saturday night at the movies. The man whose multiple activities leave little time or energy for reading, prayer, and reflection needs to make some drastic cut-backs in his schedule. Good as any project may seem, it cannot compare in importance with preaching God's word nor s'llould it interfere with the hours required to f\:llfill this serious tesponsibility. Sensitive, Liturgies Individuals are very disposed for worship at the critical moments, of their, lives. These crucial times are the occasions of birt.h, death, sickness, guilt and love. Translated into liturgical terms this means the rituals for baptism, marriage, and funerals, the ceremony for~nointing of the sick, and the sacrament of Pen'ance, Sensitive, ,personal liturgies in these circumstances make lasting 'impressions upon partcipants. One never forgets the priest who celebrated well a parent's funeral, who made the wedding, service a joyful event, who helped lift the heavy burden of guilt from an anxious heart. ,/ Parental Sharing Teachabl<;l' moments are also ideal liturgical moments. Today's catechetical programs路quite beautifully stress parental involvement in the teaching of youngsters. They seek, to do so at those times - Baptism, First Communion, First Confession, and Confirmation - when both parents and children are ready for something extra religionwise. The more intimate the connection between these worship and instruction efforts, the better. Lay Participation Priests ideally should engage the total parish community in both planning and executing the liturgy. A corps of lay lectors is a fine start along this road of active participation, but the goal
in my mind reaches far beyond that limited horizon. 1 envision here such elements as a' parish liturgy committee' which plans with the priests - and, musicians the ,Sunday wors~ip programs; I am thinking of, people who make vestments, eteate banners, bake altar breads; ,:1 have before my eyes also the well-trained ushers, ,the families in offertory' processions, the children at a Confirmation Mass' or classroom Eucharist. This list could go' on,' of course, but the point is that the more parishioners that play a pari in the initial preparation and final execution of any; liturgy, the more fruitful will! be that cel-' ebration. The new Roman Missal has this to say abo'ut that point: "It is of greatest importance that the celebration of the Mass, the Lord's Supper, be so arranged that the ministers and the faithful may take their own proper part in it and thus gain its fruits more fully. '
C~tholic
Daughtrers Cite NewspQper!i NEW YORK (NC)-Two daily newspapers, The Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Detroit News will receiv,e citati6ns from th~ Catholic Daughters of America for their stand in banning ads for X-rated movies. The awards are to be presented during the group's national ~on颅 vention July 15-21 in Atlantic City, N. J.
Endorse ~haYez Lettuce Boycott WASHINGTON (NC)-The Social Development Committee of the U. S. Catholic Conference (USCC) has endorsed the boycott of iceberg lettuce called by Cesar Chavez' United Farm Workers Union. The committee said that a "fundamental issue of social justice" is at stake in the union's efforts to organize workers and negotiate with lettuce growers in California and Arizona. ' The union, which sponsored a successful boycott of California grape~ in the late 1960s, called the lettuce boycott in May. It wants its supporters to refuse to buy iceberg lettuce unless it bears a label with the union's black Aztec eagle symbol. Chavez cited the failure of negotiations with the growers as the basic reason for the boycott. "Further complicating the problem," a social development committee statement said, "is the fact severe and repressive anti-, labor'legislation has already been enacted in Arizona and similar legislation is being sponsored in several other states." ' The Arizona law bans secon'dary boycotts by unions arid aI-lows courts to halt strikes scheduled for the harvest time. Union leaders said these provisions would cripple their efforts. In its statement, the ~ommit颅 tee said it wants "to bring about collective bargaining and a just settlement of the dispute."
Celebrating Life Continued from Page Sixteen evident example is the wedding feast at Cana. First, of all, he took the time to attend. Secondly, he enjoyed the elements of the wedding celebration. Thirdly, he fulfilled both his divine nature and his mother's wishes in performing the miracle of changing the water into wine. Compared with work in our sense, performing miracles was really part of Christ's work. He had all the elements of his life represented in this single true celebration. How did he do it? It was part of anything else, through repeated similar experiences.
CHAS. F.
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