'"
The ANCHOR
An Anchor of th.e Soul, SU're and Firm-ST.
PAUL
Fall River, Masso, Thursday, Sept. 2S 1969 PRICE 10垄 Vol. 130 No. 39 漏 1969 The Anchor $4.00 lIer Year g
Thousands Mark Annual ceo Program Sta'R In Dio1c'es'e Sunday Throughout the Fall River Diocese the opening of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine teaching year will be marked this Sunday. Although some parishes have already begun classes, discussion groups and other meetings, Sunday provides the oplPortunity to re-emphasize the Importance of CCD in an era where it is impossible to realize the former ambition of placing every Catholic child in a Catholic school, and in an era also where the necessity
C,hur,che;s Group Urges Allianc:e Wit,h y,out,h INDIANAPOLIS (NC)-A view of today's youth as vital alIies with whom the Church can and must work, rather than as "empty vessels waiting to be filled by adults," was advocated in the reports of a special study committee of the National Council of Churches. The report of. the year-long study was presented' to the Council's general board at its Fall meeting here. Youth, defined in the report as "persons 13 to 30," were described as "increasingly concerned" about the injustices, squalor and violence of todays world. "They (the youth) are challenging older generations and their institutions to incarnate and show forth the values whIch society claims verbally that it lives by," the report said. It added: "On the whole the re-
sponse society is making to this challenge is negative." Calling for recognition of "the apocalyptic and prophetic' nature of many of the young genEVERYTHING IS IN READINESS: The Diocese of Fall River toeration's analyses, responses day has in operation one of the finest CCD programs in the and styles of life," the report United States. Sunday the lay religious teachers commence the urged the church to "develop ways of hearing and discerning start of another year of instructions for elementary and high that which is creative among school students. This Taunton group holds a final preparatory the new generation's many re~o~', session for the upcoming year.' lutionary faces." , ' In place of the traditionalyouth programs aimed at fitting youth into existing patterns and structures of the church, the study calls for the church to' "join the new generation around the issues which concern it and which face the whole society In a pastoral letter to all Cl'!.tholics in the Piocese of ... >10 >10 These are issues with great theological importance and mean- Fall River,Bishop Connolly emphasized the ble~sings we ing, such as war and draft, the have in the "vigorous, functioning Confraternity. It involves increasing gap between the haves commitment of priests and religious . . . but the chief Turn to Page Sixteen
Ordinary Petitions Laity For Catechetical Support
Conflict in So. partmouth Over Choice of Lay Clothes Recent regulations of the Religious Sisters of Mercy allowing the Sisters to wear lay clothes where and as they wish has led to a conflict in South Dartmouth's St. Mary's Parish. The pastor, Rev. Msgr. Arthur G. Considine, indicates that since he assumed the Sisters would wear their University Board religious habit while teaching catechism, and at other Backs President official parish functions, he would not accept their services to do catechetical work in the parish if they opted to wear lay clothes. The Sisters have, by their community regulations, the right to make the choice to wear the religious habit or not. Msgr:. Considine points out that his desire in obtaining the Sisters to do apostolic work in the parish was to introduce religious into the community and he felt thaf a distinctive religious habit would enhance their presence as a spiritual and educational force in South Dartmouth. Latest information indicates that the Sisters will withdraw and that the catechetical work in the parish will be undertaken by lay people.
Of Seton lHa II SOUTH ORANGE (NC)Academic and disciplinary principles enunciated by the acting president of Seton Hall University will be supported by the university's board of trustees, the board secretary said here. Thomas Gassert, Newark attorney, said a statement supporting Msgr. Edward J. Fleming's policies is being drafted. . Gassert said the decision to issue a statement was made at a board meeting after Msgr. Fleming had come under student criticism for asserting that Seton Hall intended to retain its Catholic principles "till hell freezes over." As a result of the uproar which resulted from his statement, given at a Mass opening the school year, the board announced that Msgr. Fleming will remain as acting president for at least the full academic路 year. The board's action was designed to short-circuit student attempts to undermine his position in the belief that a new president Turn to Page Seventeen
feature consists of great achievements by members of the laity." In an appeal for support on the parish and
patient, youngster with the Christian recipe for a successful, happy life. A feature of the Diocesan programme is found in oilr regional Centers which are meant to grow. Not that the parish is not a center of religious service. But it is important to bring into Turn to Page Eleven
()f Christian education on the adult level has been newly recognized. "The word of God is being communicated more effectively now than ever before," said the United States Catholic Conference in a recent statement. Such new methods of communication are evaluated here by the Diocesan CCD Office. They are summed up by Edward P. McDonagh, lay coordinator, as offering a transition from old-style catechetics to "an educational approach based, where children are concerned, on the life expetience of the child. He is no longer confronted with adulttype learning." "Through human experience," said McDonagh, "we ask the child to reach out to divine experience." New CCD texts are not so much innovators, he said, as followers. They are merely applying in the religious field principles that have for some time been in the ascendancy in the general education world. "The approach is based on the work of child psychologists." "We want not only to gIve' Children something they'll understand when they grow up, but something they'll grasp now on their own level," emphasized Sister Martha Wordeman, O.L.V.M., CCD supervisor. "We Turn to Page Six
diocesan levels, the Bishop announced a collection for Sunday, Sept. 28 in order "to support teacher-t.raining and foster new talent for this field. Books, films, recordings and various educational devices must be made available." . The letter follows: The 15th annual Bishop's "He that abides in Me, and I Charity Ball, to be held Friin Him, bears much fruit without Me you can do nothing." day, Jan. 9, will be dedicated St. John: XV, v. 5. to lBishop Connolly upon the Beloved in Christ: . of his 25th anniversary ST. CLOUD (NC) - The occasion In the Spring of 1905 Pope in the episcopate. The ball coPius Xth., seeking a firm founda- Saginaw diocesan superin- ordinating committee will meet tion for the Faith, established tendent of schools has told at 2 Sunday afternoon at Bishop the Confraternity of Christian Cassidy High School, Taunton, Doctrine. It was destined to be diocesan administrators and with some 125 representatives school board members that an apostolate of the Laity. Talof parish conferences of the Soents of men and women were "schools everywhere are being ciety of St. Vincent de Paul and questioned, not only in regard enlisted to prepare a younger affiliates of the Diocesan Coungeneration to meet the changes to how they carryon the ed- cil of Catholic Women. and challenges of life in a pro- ucational process, but why they 'The organizations are co-sponfession of lively faith in Christ. .do, and what they seek to ac- sors of the annual event benecomplish." All this was born of the convic"A society which is uncertain fiting exceptional and .unaertion that any exercise of faith, . of its own values must of ne- privileged children. God helping us, makes it stronger Msgr. Anthony M. Gomes, Diand firmer. ' . cessity be uncertain concerning Now, we are blessed in the that institution which seeks to ocesan co-ordinator of the ball, Diocese of Fall River with a transmit those values," said Fr. announces that plans will be correlated Sunday and. w.orking vigorous, functioning Confra- Olin J. Murdick. committee assignments will be ternity. It involves commitment "Every school board today of priests and religious, to be finds itself faced ~ith questions made. A progress report of instisure; but the chief feature con- of what we should teach? How tutions benefiting from the Winsists of great achievements by much should we teach? Whom ter social season highlight will members of the laity. They should we teach . . >10 .... and how be given, tickets will be distribform the executive council; they much money can we afford to uted and contacts for a souvenir draw up the programmes; they devote to education?" the Mich- booklet will be assigned. The booklet will have six do the bulk of the teaching. And igan priest acknowledged. categories, noted Msgr. Gomes: their Christian lives are all the To answer these questions, In Memoriam, Very Special better for this. But precious beyond words for the young gen- Father Murdick suggested "there Friends, Guarantors, Benefaceration is the presence of pro- should exist at every level ap- tors, Sponsors and Patrons. He fessional teachers, respected propriate board structures, truly said that the theme and decoramembers of each parish, en路 representative of the communi- tions for the ball would reflect gaged in g!ving time and talent ties which they serve, and prop- the silver anniversary observance of the Bishop. Turn to Page Six to enrich each hopef14l. even im-
Stresses Va ried Queries Facing Schools Today
Charity Ball Next Jan. 9