The Encyclical on the
Celibacy of. the Priest
'The Arguments Are Timeless' National Dire'ctol', ll".IE.lL.
By now the general propo sitions in favor of clerical celibacy enunciated in Pope Paul's encyclical have been sufficiently publicized to en able priests to form a clear idea of the Pope's teaching on this delicate matter. As some one put it, it now ap pears that during Pope Paul's lifetime a reappraisal of mandatory celibacy for Latin rite pl'iests is very un likely. If the taking of polls and public or private discus sions continue, they now ap pear rather futile, except as
expressing a remote hope that the encyclical's teach ing will suffer'a reversal at' the hands of some future Pope. It seems to me that it is crucial to the acceptance or rejection of the encyclical that it depends on whether celibacy is to be considered merely as a matter of policy and ecelesiastical law, or that it is to be preferred be cause of the supporting bi blical" pastoral and theologi cal arguments - in which case the Church will never give it up, That celibacy for
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fall Riveru Mass., Thuil'sdayo Oct. 58 1961
Vot 11, No. 40
@ n967 1l'lAe Ancher
$4.00 per Year Il'RICE IOc
Synod Is Un.ity In Action Cooperation and Counsel Information concerning the nature, purpose and! ac ooal work of the Bishops' Synod in Rome has been released lin an indirect manner. Pope Paul VI spoke of it in open ling the sessions, daily communiques have given only gen Il'Jra] resumes, and a daily during the council that we in <l4 unofficial" newsletter has stituted it and the council Vir provided bits of information. tually brought 1t into being. "In the council the need was ""This new instrument of the Church's explained seen as itOIl" mthc
visible government," Pope Paul, "must be deriving immediately recent council. It was
seen for the Catholic episcopacy, whose collegiality was made plain in thecouncil's ConstituTurn to P~e Sixteen
priests is not a divine pre cept but only "highly fit ting" is admitted by the Pope and by the Fathers of the Council. That the Church has power to change the law 01' admit exceptions is equal ly obvious. That the bishops of Vatican II in the Decree , on the Ministry and Life of Priests have confirmed the law of celibacy is-not open to question (See No. 16). The Pope's encyclical mere ly expounds and adds to what was said in the Decree. The text of the Decree Turn to Page Six
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RAYMOND A TARTRE, S.SB.
Schedule Connolly High Dedication on Oct. 20 Archbishop Luigi Raimon~ di, new Apostolic Delegate ,to the United States, will of ficiate at the dedication of Bishop Connolly High School for Boys in Fall River at 3 Friday afternoon, Oct. 2Q. The 'archbish-
Hold College Day Next Thursday Junior and senior high school students, planning to further their educations in a highly competitive world, will do themselves and their parents a favor by attending College Day at Stonehill College on next Thursday, Columbus Day, Oct. 12. Representative of 73 Catholic colleges, extending !from the At lantic seacoast to· the Mid-West, will have representatives at the . North Easton college to meet students and parents, and, to answer their questions College Day has proved an immense success in the past. Best indices of the import of College Day is the ever-increas ing number of colleges repre sented at the annual two-hour affair which is followed by an open house. (See Page Five)
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New Apostolic Delegate To Officiate at Exercises' op wHl also give the principal talk. - It will be the first public ap pearance in New England of the Apostolic Delegate who arrived in Washington last Thursday. The Most Rev. James L. Con nolly, Bishop of Fall River, who has been the guiding force be hind the construction of three other regional diocesan high schools in 'the diocese, will bless the institution and preside at ceremonies that will follow in the new school auditorium. An open house will be held for the relilgious and lay teachers of the Diocese on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22, will be open house day for all the laity of the Dicese. Archbishop Raimondi is at home in the Apostolic Delegation
Prayer of Faithful This Sunday,. the faithful of the Diocese will, at all Masses in Churches and chap els, use a Prayer of the Faith ful composed especially by Pope Paul VI, for the success of the World Congress of the Laity that is to be held in Rome during October.
in Washington. He spent sevea years here, from 1942 to 1949. when the then Arrhbishop Am leto Cicognani was the Apostolic Delegate. Meanwhile, he haa been in the Vatican's diplomatic service since 1938, having served in India, Haiti and Mexico. He ill internationally known for hill sense of humor, his friendliness and approachableness, his devo tion to his work. In an interview on his arrival in this country a fortnight ago, the Archbishop opined that '!the Delegate is essentially a repre sentative to and at the service of the hierarchy. He is to work in a fraternal onderstanding; he and the hierarchy are serving the same cause." The Delegate sent his greet ings to the people of the United States generally, and especially to. the Catholics. "Since my appointment," he said, "I feel that I am associated with them in a special way. JI: want this relationship not to be merely an abstraction, but a pastoral relationship which is one of affection and esteem. JI: feel today that I am bound to the hierarchy and the faithful ill Turn to Page Two "
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FOURTH NEW DIOCESAN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL TO BE DEDICATED ON OCT. 20 BY APOSTOLIC' DELEGATE