AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, SURE AND FIRM -HEB. 6: 19
t eanc 0 VOL. 21 1 NO. 48
FALL RIVER I MASS' I THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1977
Charismatics Topic Of Priests' Parley
Religion: How Does It Fare? By Jim Castelli WASHINGTON (NC) - There may be a religious revival in America, but much of that revival involves religious movements that downgrade an essential element of "mainline" religion - a sense of community and communal responsibility. That's one of the conclusions that Peggy Ann Shriver, a toplevel National CQuncii of Churches (NCe) staffer, draws from a summary of information on religious trends she has prepared. Mrs. Shriver is assistant general secretary and staff executive for the NCC Office of Research, Evaluation and Planning. Mrs. Shriver noted that the American Catholic Church has become interested in the evangelization of the unchurched; that, she said, is a new dimension. "Catholics have shown a historic lack of interest in expanding their horizons because they've been so busy ministering to themselves, primarily to new immigrants," she said. "There hasn't been such pressure to look to the unchurched." Mrs. Shriver described other trends in American religion today: - The "born again" movement is growing, partly because. of association with public figures. But, she said, the movement is occasionally militant, in such areas as the controversial "Christian Yellow Pages" business directories which list only "born-again" businessmen - - and is sometimes aligned with right-wing political groups.' - The charismatic movement is growing and crossing traditional lines, for example,including both Catholics and Lutherans. - There is a disenchantment with large church bureaucracies and a "new localism" that focuses attention on "one's own doorstep." - The fastest growing group in the U.S. population is Hispanics. Although traditionally Catholic, Hispanics are also moving into Protestant churches. - Population trends show that churches today must target single people and childless couples. As the current population ages, the time between 1980 and 2000 should mark a time of growth in church membership.
BISHOP CRONIN inaugurates Mass to be offered at 3:45 p.m. each Sunday at St. Luke's Hospital, New Bedford, and transmitted throughout hospital on closed circuit TV. He is assisted by Msgr. John J. Oliveira.
Sterilization Ban Reaffirmed WASHINGTON (NC) - Catholic hospitals "can in no way approve the performance of any sterilization procedure that is directly contraceptive," according to a document issued by the U.S. Catholic Conference (USCC) administrative board. The document, a commentary on a 1975 Vatican statement on sterilization, deals with the problem of sterilization for Catholic health facilities in the United States. It was prompted, at least in part, by 'legal attempts to force Catholic hospitals to perform' elective sterilizations, according to Msgr. Richard MaIone, executive director of the
Doctrine Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. "Freely approving direct sterilization constitutes formal cooperation in evil," the document points out. If there is present "some kind of duress or pressure," sterilizations could be performed under the principle of material cooperation in evil, the USCC document explains. ~In ethics, cooperation refers to physical or moral assistance in the performance of another's evil act. Cooperation is formal if it involves participation in and consent to the evil, and material
if it does not. Catholic moralists traditionally hold that material cooperation can be unstifled in individual cases and under certain circumstances' only if the lack of cooperation will do more harm than good.) But the USCC commentaryemphasizes that the "duress or pressure" must be separate from the reasons advanced for the elective sterilization. "If the cooperation is to remain material, the reason for the cooperation must be something over and above the reason for the sterilization." "The allowance of material Turn to Palte Seven
A Reminder .Thursday, Dec. 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation. Catholics are bound to attend Mass on its vigil, Dec. 7, or on the feast itself.
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ENJOYING GALA HOMECOMING which was highlight of celebration by Brothers of Christian Instruction of 50 years in Fall River diocese are, from left, Robert Levesque, Mrs. Levesque, Brother Theodore Letendre, Brother Thomas Farrell, Mrs. and Mr. Robert Landry.
A "grassroots" view of the charismatic renewal in the diocese of Fall -River was given last Saturday to Bishop Cronin at an unprecedented meeting of 40 priests of the diocese with him and Father Rqbert S. Kaszynski, diocesan director for charismatic prayer groups. The meeting at St. Stanislaus School was in preparation for an Advent Clergy Conference, to be held Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River. In another unprecedented action, the conference will be devoted entirely to spirituality, concentrating on charismatic renewal as a means of evangelization. There are at present 37 charismatic prayer groups in the diocese, with members representing 108 of its 115 parishes. Most of the priests at Saturday's meeting were from parishes with prayer groups. They discussed with the Bishop the influence and extent of the renewal and he in turn emphasized the importance to the movement of clergy direction. The priests were unanimous in approving establishment of a diocesan committee of priests, religious and laity that would direct renewal activities. They also supported the suggestion that liaison persons be appointed in each deanery to report to Father Kaszynski. Also meeting unanimous approval was the proposal that priests establish clergy prayer groups, probably on a regional basis.
German Bishops Dispute Kueng BONN, Germany (NC) - The German Bishops' Conference has charged that Father Hans Kueng has failed to correct serious erroJs in his book "On Being a Christian," despite repeated warnings in the past couple of years. The statement issued by the German bishops in Bonn was the latest round in a running battIe between the bishops and the controversial Swiss-born theologian, who teaches at Tuebingen University in Germany. While crediting Father Kueng's purpose in the book of expounding Christian faith in terms acceptable to contemporary society, the bishops insisted that official Church teaching must be respected without reservation, especially with regard to the divinity of Christ. -From copies of correspondence issued with the statement it apTurn to Page Seven