Death Penalty Continued from Page One penalty as a means of selfprotection. In recent years, however, bishops and moral theologians have moved more toward opposition of the death penalty. In June 1972 the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty as then practiced constituted cruel and unusual punishment because it was imposed in a random and discriminatory manner. The court has now agreed to review a case involving the death penalty in the Fowler vs. North Carolina case. A total of 29 states have reinstated the death penalty since the 1972 decision. 150 have been sentenced to die since then with no actual executions. and theologians Bishops speaking oJlt against the death, penalty have offered the following reasons: -Support for the death penalty is incompatible with the developing "right to life" approach which is behind the Church's strong opposition to abortion. "Even the most wretched and unfortunate human being has a life which must be regarded as inviolable," said the Indiana Catholic Conference. -The argument that capital punishment is necessary as a deterent has been challenged strongly on both statistical and moral basis. If it cannot be proven that the death penalty acts as a substantially greater deterrent than life imprisonment or other penalties, it cannot be justified, according to some bishops and theologians. -The death penalty removes all possibility of rehabilitation and sorrow, contradicting Church beliefs in penance and hope. -Vengeance, rather than justice, is often the real motive behind support for the death penalty.
Liv'e In Program Begun by Bishop
tHE ANCHORThurs., Nov. 7, 1974
3
St. Louis Meeting For Mercy Nuns Some 700 Sisters of Mercy and associates will meet at the Marriott. Hotel in St. Louis the weekend of Nov. 15 for a threeday Health and Social Apostol· ate convocation. 'Sister Mary Concilia Moran, RSM, administrator general of the community, will give the' keynote address the first night of the meeting, developing its theme, "Mercy is the Face of God turned toward Man." Discussions, talks, and audio· visual presentations will focus on challenges and the role of Mercy women in health ministries. The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy, whose generalate is at Bethesda, Md., is a religious apostolic community involved in the Church's ministries of teaching and healing.
NECO CONVENTION: Needs for adequate transportation, health care, and municipal services, as well as healthful environmental conditions compelled people in one sector of Minneapolis to form the North East Community Organization. A local convention introduced members of smaller neighborhood gro ups to NECO to solve en masse the common problems that were besetting them. NECO is funded by the Campaign for Human Development scheduled for the weekend of Nov.. 23-24 throughout the Diocese of Fall River.
Must Dispel Myths About the Aged Continued from Page One old people are mobile and able to participate in programs we can help plan with them. Only two per cent are in institutions. -"The myth of senility must be debunked. Ninety-three per cent of us will be as bright and sharp in our 70s as we were in our 30s. We will think more slowly, but witt{ the accretion of the wisdom gained with years and eX!perience. This wisdom is now a wasted national resource. Political Power ......:..The political impotence myth about the aged is being debunked by the 'gray panthers' who are proving that retired persons can be flexible and active and influential. Among these are
LITTLE ROCK (NC)-Bishop Andrew J. McDonald of Uttle Rock has begun a "live-in" program to become better acquainted with the priests, ReHgious and laity in Arkansas and to gain insights into grass roots Oppose President's views of diocesan needs. By arrangement with pastors, Trip to So. Korea the bishop spends two or three NEW YORK (NC)-Prominent days ea'ch week "living-in" at religious leaders, academics and local rectories and listening to Korean residents in the U. S. what Catholics have to say. He have protested President Gerald said he does more listening than Ford's planned visit to South talking during the informal visits. Korea in November. Bishop McDonald began planOne 50-member group, calling ning the project last spring. He 'itself the Committee on Human suggested a number of possible rights in Korea, said in a letter topics "so the conversations and to the President and to Secrediscussions do not drift without tary of State Henry Kissinger: aim or with too much emphasis "It would be most undesirable on one or two aspects of the for the President of our country a postolate." to visit Korea while 200 patriots Vocations, youth, educati~n, ... are unjustly held in prisons liturgy, minority groups, fi- and while Park Chung Hee connances personnel, The Guardian tinues to affirm his right to si(the diocesan weekly). relation- lence opposition by arrest withships among pastors, deans 'and out warrant, harsh interrogation bishop, pastoral councils., the and secret court martial." Holy Year and the bicentennial. Members of the committee in'Bishop McDonald said the clude Dr. Sterling Cary, pres"live-ins" are not an inspection ident of the National Council of tour and' are apart from Confir- Churches (NOC); Father William .mation tours, church blessinzs McIntyre, secretary of the Maryand such. knoll Fathers; Dean Krester Bishop McDonald, the former Stendall of Harvard Divinity vicar general of the Savannah, School and Professors Edwin Ga., diocese, succeeded Bishop Reischarer, James Thompson Albert L. Fletcher, retired, in and AI,an Cohen of Harvard Uni. versity. September, 1972.
groups like the American Association of Retired Persons. -"Economic dependence is another myth. True, there are many aged single women, especially black single women, trying to live on less than $1,000 a year, and this is deplorable. Yet, 80 per cent of our older
Ordained Bishop In Bilingual Rite BOISE (NC)-In a ceremony that was a tribute to the Mexican-American . Catholic culture as Well as his own American culture, Father Nicolas E. Walsh was ordained a bishop Oct. 28 at St. John's Cathedral here. Presiding at the ordination was Archbishop' Jean Jadot, apostolic delegate in the United States. Bishop Sylvester Treinen of Boise was principal ordainer. Most of the ceremony was in English but half the hymns, part of Bishop Walsh's remarks at the end of the ceremony and half the commentary were in Spanish. Some of the prayers were also in Spanish. A large number of MexicanAmericans were present for the ceremony. Bishop Walsh was vicar for Mexican Americans in the diocese of Boise for several years before his appointment as bishop of Yakima, Wash. He was also a missionary in Columbia. _ Father Walsh was installed as Bishop of Yakima by Archbishop Thomas Connolly of Seattle on Oct. 30 in another bi-lingual ceremony, Archbishop Jadot again presided. The Yakima diocese has a large percentage of Mexican-American Catholics. An even especially for Mexican-Americans in the Yakima diocese to meet and pray with their new bishop was to be held in Wapato, Wash., Nov. 10. This was to include a Mass to be concelebrated in Spanish' which was to be followed by a ,.reception.
persons have some economic independence. Older people cherish their independence and our democracy arJIows them the chance to help plan programs for' themselves. They need our concern, not our domination. -"The myth of uselessness is deflated by the evidence of the work being done by a large army of volunteers in our many institutions for all ages. Without volunteersinany of these institutions could not function." True Renaissance Dr. Peterson said that we must "clear our minds of defeating myths and images of older people. Older people see these images reflected by us and get defeated and then withdraw. Many of the losses older people have are reactions to our judgment." Dr. Peterson told the meeting that "half of major industries now have early retirement plans. Chrysler, for example, has a union contract that provides for retirement after 30 years. A man who went to work there at 21 will retire at 51. Society is going to have a greater percentage of retired persons. Churches must prepare to see that they have the good life. "For the first in our history we can have the true Renaissance man, who can achieve the Athenian norm of serving his state by the contribution of his wisdom." .
Vetoes Farm Labor Contractors Bill WASHINGTON (NC) - President Gerald Ford has vetoed a landmark farm labor contractor bill, but said he would sign the bill after a revision-the dropping of an unrelated rider affecting some government workers.. The bill was seen by observers as a victory for the United Farm Workers of America (UFWA) because it was steered through Congress by the UFWA's legislative representative, Jesuit 'Father James Vizzard, S.J. The bill had strong bipartisan support in both houses of Congress. It was essentially an updating and strengthening OF a 1003 farm labor contractor law, which Father Vizzard helped frame -when he was with the National' Catholic Rural Life Conference.
Special
Xmas
BATHROOM 'SALE We must install or remodel rwenty bathrooms by Jan. 1 to keep our men busy. At our Lowest Prices ever. Fully Guaranteed, No Money Down, will take weekly or monthly payments. Call Dirk at 673.8872 anytime ~,##.#",## ..
,#,.",.,#",••.
WANTED FOURTH GRADE TEACHER Fields
of Mathematics and Reading Contact HOLY NAME SCHOOL Pearce & Read Streets Fat! River, Mass. 02720
Tel. 674-9131
WEBB OIL COMPANY TEXACO FUEL OILS DOMESTIC "& HEAVY DUTY ,OIL BURNERS
Sales - Service - Installation MAIN OFFICE - 10 DURFEE STREET, FALL RIVER
Phone 675-7484