The ANCHOR
Elderly Who Assisted Church Deserve Now To Be Aided
ST. MARY - OF ·THE-WOODS (NC)-No group is as loyal to the Church or has contributed so much to the Church's welfare as the elderly. Nor is any group so poorly served by the a:verage parish. That was the consensus of a panel discussion at a conference An Anchor of the Soul, Sure and Firm-St. Paul on aging being held here recently under the joint sponsorship of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Fall River, Mass., Thursday, August 22, 1974 and St. Mary-of-the-Woods Col..... 34 PRICE 15c lege. . I 18 o . , ."IIIlO. © 1974 The Anchor $5.00 per year More than ?OO persons attended the conference held to explore practical ways of assisting the elderly and of reviving or extending their active involvement in parish life. Isolation and inflation are major problems for the aging, 'Father Rene Valero of the CathCASTELGANDOLFO (NC)--Is and spiritual formation of the olic Charities agency of Brookthe Christian life easy to live, good, just and pious person, be lyn, N.Y., told the conference. Pope Paul VI asked the thou- he a child or a mature adult." A large percentage of the res~ands aottending his weekly genThe Pope explained that orig- idents of the inner-city are eld~ral audience Aug. 14 at his suminal sin makes it difficult for erly white persons, trapped by man to live an ascetic life, which static incomes in neighborhoods mer residence here. that have grown hostile and The Pope responded to his is the hallmark of a Christian. The Pope defined an ascetic' strange, he said. Frequently the own question from two approaches. Under the theological life as "the difficult and perse- parish church is their only link 3spect, it should be easy to vering exercise of tha'li dominion to a familiar culture, and it may live the Christian life, he said. of self which put brakes on the also be their only source of com"Is not the Christian life per- spontaneous and unordered in- fort and companionship, he 'laps our salvation? And is not clinations to live by instinct and added. ,alvaltion the immense and freely passion ... It is the effort toward d d given gift of God the Fat.her, personal perfection, which for us ,believers, must be conceived ac·ee ea ers Ip ~hrough Christ the Redeemer, in ;he Holy Spirit? cording to the faith." H i t ' R' • Quoting from St. Paul, the.. 0 a ISing "And does not this gift itself :nclude the grace to correspond Pope decl~red: "The f~lI.owers o f M e d ica I Costs Jesus Christ have crucIfIed-that ;0 the conditions which are reCHICAGO (NC) - There is a is, mortified and dominated-the ~uired for sillvation, that is, faith need for leadership in the health flesh together with its passions md good works?" care field to halt rising medical and its concupiscence." Since yes is the answer t.o all How then can living the Chris- costs, according to br. Charles '.hese questions, said Pope Paul, C. Edwards, assistant secretary ti~n life be easy, Pope Paul :hen it should be easy for Chrisfor health of the U.S. Department ",By means of a sense of asked. :ians to repeat the "sweet words of Health, Education and Wel)f Jesus 'my yoke is mild, my duty" he replied. fare (HEW). But how can duty pe easy, he )urden is light.''' Dr. Edwards addressed the then asked. "This then is the On the other hand, he said, the secret of the Gospel: it can be opening session of the American Christian life Is not always easy, easy if duty coincides with love, Health Congress at McCormick 'when one forgets the human and esepecially with supernat- Place. The congress is the joint :ondition." ural life, which we call charity, annual meeting of the American This condition of mankind, and thus we ourselves can con- Hospital Association, the Cath;'because of original sin, is not clude: the Christian life, if it is olic Hospital Association, the ~ormaI. It is not whole or pernot always easy, can be always American Nursing Home Association and the Health Industries fect ... and inhibits the moral happy." Association. "Excess inflation - inflation Publication SCJys Male Religious greater than the average 'rise in consumer prices--cannot be the way of life of the Health-care More Critical of U.S. Culture industry,;' Dr. Edwards said. "If WASHINGTON (NC) -- U.S. sue. The uncritical enthusiasm of no meaningful action is taken by male Religious are becoming the 1960s for death of God theolthe industry in the' face of a more critical of U.S. culture than ogy, situation ethics, sensitivity crippling economic problem, then in the past and are beginning to and T-group training has endanI am afraid the freedom of action realize than their "religious com· gered skepticism for faddist or will be removed from the Amermitment and vows are of great technical solutions, and a much ican health enterprise." value because of their counter- more reflective approach to aposHe said .the supreme test facing :ulture testimony," a paper pub· tolic involvement." the leadership of the American lished here said. The paper, which discussed health industry is to make deciThe paper, entitled "Aware- various aspects of the Religious sions when and where they are ness: The Experience of U.S. Re- life-prayer, the intellectual life, needed. "For in' the absence of ligious Men," was published by community, the vows, ministry- responsible and enlightened leadthe Conference of Major Superi· was written by.a subcommittee ership, the drift toward governDrs of Men of the USA (CMSM) of the CMSM delegation to the ment control of the .health indusand is intended for consideration Bogota meeting. The subcommit· try will not be checked. at the Second Inter·American tee was chaired by LaSalette Fa"I want to be both candid and Meetings of Religious, to be held ther Armand Proulx and included realistic. At no time in the hisOct. 28-Nov. 3 in Bogota, Colom- Divine Word Father Donald Ehr, Turn to Page Three ~ia. Jesuit Father Richard Cleary, "While wanting to be involved Maryknoll Father William McIn· in the concerns of the day," the tyre 'and Brother Francis Blouin paper said, "U.S. male Religious of the Brotbers of Christian In'Summer Mass Schedule are now more selective in decid- stJ'Uction. Pages EIGHT and NINE On prayer, the paper said: ing which of the goals of the 'Secular City' are worthy to purTurn to Page Three
V
Pope Paul Discusses Life and Happiness
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"These are the people who built the churches of today, the people who have been so loyal and contributed so much during their lifetimes. They deserve our concern and our care," Father Valero said. "There really are old people living on dog food and cat food because it is cheaper than regular food," the priest said. "This is no television myth." He recommendecl that churches tie into such programs as mealson-wheels. The parish can be a regional drop-off point, with vol-
unteers making home deliveries to the elderly within .the parish boundaries; or parishes can operate their own luncheon programs, he said. In addition, he said, parishes can aid the elderly in applying for food stamps and see that they receive sound dietetic information. Gove'rnment funding is available for senior citizen centers and a variety of social services. Father Valero stated, and the Church can be instrumental in mobilizing the political pressure necessary for getting financing.
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.~Y\\f-'" BISHOP AT NAZARETH CAMP: Some of the exceptional children greet Bishop Cronin during his annual visit to the summer playground in Westport that is supported by the Bishop's Annual Ball and the Catholic Charity Appeal. Marist Brother Sees Mass Media Curriculum Education Innovation MILWAUKEE (NC - A pro- cial issues and problems with gram of studies on the mass their students. "The curriculum will make media recently introduced in Australia may soon influence ed- children more critical of the mass ucation worldwide, according to media so they can read the press Marist ,Brother Kelvin Canavan, and watch TV inteIligently, in the director of elementary schools in same way we've taught them to read Shakespeare," he said. the Sydney al·chdiocese. '-We must recognize," he conA native of Australia, Brother Canavan is finishing up a year's tinued, "that the average child work at Cornell University in is spending more time before the New York where he is developing TV than in class. But we must a curriculum in mass media edu- educate them not' to take it in cation for grades 7 to 12 in the like sponges. This curriculum will Sydney Catholic schools. He was help children understand what's here recently visiting the Milwau- going on." kee archdiocesan department of The teachers wiII decide how to education. use the curriculum, Brother CanTwo years ago he worked on avan said. Some might use it as a similar curriculum for grades a separate course for an hour 3 to 6, now in operation in both or two a week, others might inpublic and private Australian corporate it into their English schools. Then he was asked by studies. Whatever the case, the' the national bishops' conference curriculum wiII make students to write the curriculum for the "more appreciative, critical and discriminating," according to its secondary sc~ols. Brother Canavan stressed the creator. . "This is not a preaching great influence mass media has on children. His curriculum course," he warned. "The teacher would allow teachers to make doesn't say what to watch or not wider use of newspapers, TV and to. It's a discovering sort of apradio programs in discussing so- proach rather than a lecture."