The ANCHOR An Anchor 01 fhe Soul, Sure and Flrm-St. Pout
Fall River: Mass., Thursday, July 26, 1973 $4.~~~~ ~.; Vol. 17, No. 30 © 1973 The Anchor
Hour of the. Missions Begins For Many
Critical Need in Medicine Remains Code of Eth ics WASHINGTON (NC) --:- The distraught parents of a Mongoloid infant tell the doctor at a hospital that they don't want the child to survive. The infant is seriously ill to begin with, so the doctor starves the Mongoloid to death. , A 15-year-old mentally retarded boy has enough intelligence to hold down a paper route, He has a kidney ailment and must bJ.ve treatment with a kidney dialysis machine, an instrument which is extremely expensive and in short supply. The boy is denied the treatment on the grounds that he is of no benefit to society. He dies. A boy is born with an "XYY" chromosome factor, a genetic abnormality which a growing number of scientists believe tends to make men "born criminals." Should the test be 'made in the first place? If so, should the parents be told ahout such a baffling phenomenon? There is no way of telling how the child will develop. So why "stigmatize" him for life and prejudice others against him? But what if he turns out to be a criminal? Maybe special training could have helped. These were among nearly a score of problems in medical ethics that were discussed at a seminar sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for
VATICAN CITY (NC)-"The the sending of priests in such a hour of the missions for many way that they may be better dispeoples is just beginning", Pope tributed among the different PJ!.uYVI declared in his message churches." for the 1973 World Mission Day The Pope also recommended which will be observed Oct. 21. that all Christians support genIn a 2,000-word message, pub- • erously projects and programs lished July 20 but dated June 29, ' aimed at increasing the number Pope Paul rejected the view that of local priests and Religious. missionaries are' no -longer releNoting that these are the first vant. persons to help assist social and The Pope lamented the falling economic development because off in missionary vocations "at they have a closer knowledge the precise moment when the of the needs involved, Pope Paul contribution offered by efforts of said:' our missions is most necessary." Turn to Page Two The Pope acknowledged there are historical and sociological reasons for the dearth of missionary vocations, linked as it is with the general falling off of vocations. "Is one talking about an A. Yes. eclipse of faith or an exhaustion Massachusetts Youth FOR Life Q. At any time did you ev~r of the biblical message?" the will sponsor a coffee house from Pope asked. He answered that it 7:30 to 11 P.M. Saturday, July observe abortions, at Yale-New would be "unhealthy" to try and . 28 at Bishop Connolly High Haven Hospital? explain away negative facts in School, 373 Elsbree St., Fall A. Yes. Q. Would you please tell us this manner. River. Performers will include "The lack of vocations must Mike Vandal of Westport and be, rather, a reason for reflection, Cathy Coelho' and Lucille La· for a stirring up of generosity vallee of Dartmouth and the and for renewing within the en- theme of the evening will be tire church comll'lunity the ap- "Celebrate Life!" Refreshments peal of Christ to pray to the will be served and proceeds will Lord of the harvest that he send benefit Youth FOR Life, an orworkers to bring in his harvest," ganization 'Working in defense Pope Paul said. ' of the unborn, the aged and the He praised missionaries who crippled. have gone to work in distant A current concern of the orlands and placed themselves at ganization, said Mike Vandal, is the service of the local churches, support of the Massachusetts He said the cooperation between Conscience Bill (H 6966), whictt foreign missioners and local protects conscientious objection churches is an '''exemplary ex- to 'abortion by persons and instipression of eccle!;ial commu- tutions morally' opposed to the nion." procedure. ,"For this reason we renew It is pointed out, however, that our invitation to brother bishops "no conscience clause, however to consider whether the dioceses broad, can ever protect comcannot and should not encourage pletely the individual from the suhtle pressures which never surface in overt prosecutable acts." The effect upon those involved in abortion procedures was vividly brought out, said Vandal, in an affidavit presented before the Plans have been finalized for U. S. Supreme Court in conneca reception in honor of Most tion with -an appeal presented by Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, S.T.D., the state of Connecticut for a reBishop of Fall River at the Oys- hearing in two abortion cases. ter Harbor Club, Osterville for The affidavit was that of a "Dr. Thursday evening, August 23. Baker" (true name under seal) from 5:3() to 7:30. regarding actual medical events Invitations have been sent out at Yale-New Haven Medical Cenfor the reception and others ter. Its text follows: "Q. Are you a medical doc· wishing tickets may contact committee members. to~?
writers and broadcasters in science, religion and related fields. The discussions were led by Sargent Shriver who in 1972 ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic party ticket for the vice presidency of the United States. His wife, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, also took part in the discussions. She is executive vice president of the foundation arid is sister of the late President John Kennedy. The foundation is named in honor of her eldest brother who died in a plane crash in World War II. A panel of 11 experts in the medical field each spoke at the seminar. Their general conclusion was that the retarded, the aged, the terminally ill have increasingly become victims of what one speaker called a "utilitarian philosophy" in medical institutions. Dr. Robert E. Cooke, who cited the case of the Mongoloid infant, said that under such a philosophy the needs and desires of the patient become secondary to what may be more expedient for the patient's relatives, the doctor or the medical institution. The dilemma comes down to the rights of the patient on the one hand and expediency on the other, f.'e said. Dr. Cooke, pediatrician-inchief- at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, tried to look objectively at the case of the Mon-
:M. D. 's Affidavit Describes Post-Abortion Experimentation. on Living Fetus
..................... .. Cape Reception For Bishop,
wb:it, if anything, you observed? A. There are two types of abortions that I have witnessed, one is what they call a hysterotomy when the fetus is much Turn to Page Two
goloid infant which 'was dramatized in a film that he has shown to various interested groups. "It's not that thO!'le doctors and nurses are some kind of insensitive monsters. I'm sure they felt there was a good reason for doing what they did. They say, 'It was a professional decision. There were no moral implications,'" Dr. Cooke said. He said there seems to be a growing failure among medical professionals and institutions to distinguish between moral and non-moral decisions. "The sole criterion for what is right or wrong is the benefit of the result.... he said. But he Turn to Page Six
Give 'Grants ,For Ethics Studies WASHINGTON (NC)-"I used to tell my wife when Kennedy was president, that the vast majority of decisions from his desk were ethical decisions, moral decisions." .The man who made this comment was Sargent Shriver, brother-in-law of the late President John F. Kennedy. Shriver was speaking informally to a few reporters at the close of a news seminar on medical ethics at Georgetown University here. The seminar was sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation to discuss with interested members of the news media events which have occurred in the field of medical ethics. The purpose of the seminar, the foundation explained, was to help members of the news media become aware of "the gathering conflict of science and morality which is becoming one of the critical issues of our time." Shriver, in his anecdote about Turn to Page Five
Bish~p Confirms
Parish Changes Most Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, Bishop of Fall River, has confirmed clergy assignment changes proposed by the Provincials of the Dominican and Franciscan Religious Orders which serve parishes within the. Diocese of Fall River. Rev. Pierre E. Lachance, D.P., has been appointed as assistant pastor at St. Anne's Parish in Fall River. The assignment was proposed by Very Rev. Georges Perreault, D.P., Prior Provincial. Rev. Stephen Majewski, O.F.M., Conv., presently assistant at Holy Cross Parish in Fall River, has been assig~ed as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Taunton. The appointment was proposed by Very Rev. Edmund Szymkiewicz, D.F.M., Conv., Minister Provincial. Father Majewski will succeed Rev. Sebastien Slesinski, O.F.M., Conv., former pastor, who will remain in the parish as assistant pastor.