Letters to the Editor Letters are welcomed, but should be no 1II0re than 200 words. The editor reserves me rllht to condense or edit, If deemed necessary. All letters must be signed and Include a home or business address.
A Challenge Dear Editor: In the process of trying to keep the abortion issue alive I have spent much time, effort and money along with a great deal of prayer in hopes of convincing. those who address themselves as Catholic to become more deeply involved in the prolife cause ... I am deeply disturbed by the Cursillistas, Charismatics and others who are always singing praises of Our Lord; who are always filled with thp. ';nv nf the Holy Spirit. I am disturbed because I find little to be joyous about so long as we who claim Catholicity do nothing to end this cruel, senseless murder of millions of babies . . . So, as Christmas approaches, I challenge all who claim to be Catholics to give some thought to the unborn that are being killed even as you read this. Think of this when you receive the ·Body and Blood of Jesus on Christmas day. Then ask yourself if you can still accept abortion as a way of life in America. Edward F. Acton !Hyannis
Stamps Wanted Dear Editor: We would appreciate it if you would let your readers know that our senior citizens have a cancelled stamp project to raise funds for our retirement village. They will be grateful for foreign, commemorative U.S. stamps, airmail, postage due, special delivery, and particularly 15 cents and over, besides the common stamps. It is important that a half inch margin of paper be around the stamp to protect it from damage. With rising postal rates, we urge benefactors to use third class mail in sending stamps. Fr. Philip Marquard, O.F.M. St. Francis Village 1 Chapel Plaza Crowley, Texas 76036
Combined Choirs
ocesan priests were present to make the event even more memorable; but to me the high point of the Mass was the fact that our young people's folk choir was given equal billing, so to speak, with our adult choir. The groups alternated the singing, which gave us traditional songs as well as current folk Mass favorites. Each group's singing was outstanding and made the Mass a joy for all. Many young people have never heard the adult choir and many adults avoid attending the folk Mass. On Sunday night each group was given a chance to hear and appreciate the other group's music. More combined musical presentations should be offered. They bring us closer to Christ and to each other. Alice Houst West Dennis
To Readers Since appearance of the feature story, "Fat: We Don't Want It," in our Nov. 23 issue, we have sent nearly 100 copies of the Prayer of Agreement to readers. Several have asked where to obtain further material on Christian weight control. Such publications are available from Christian bookstores in the area, including Anchor advertisers.
Anti.Bias Continued from Page One That regulation stated: "A school that selects students on the basis of membership in a religious denomin~tion 01'. unit thereof will not be deemed to have a discriminatory policy of membership if the denomination or unit is open to all on a racially non·discriminatory basis." In opening remarks at the four-day hearing, IRS Commissioner Jerome Kurtz said, "We want to make every reasonable effort to avoid hardships to schools whose practices and pol. icies are genuinely non-discriminatory in character." \ He said IRS particularly wants to review the proposal "to determine whether it applies unfairly to schools such as certain religious schools that may face certain conditions in attracting mi. nority students." IRS issued its proposed regulations in August in an effort to strengthen existing regulations from 1975 which require private schools to have policies prohibit. ing racial discrimination in order to qualify for tax-exempt status.
Dear Editor: A beautiful Mass celebrating Monsignor Henry Munroe's 25th Anniversary to the pristhood, took place this month at St. Pius X Church, South Yarmouth. It was a true gathering of the parish family celebrating this happy event in their Pastor's life. Old and young alike filled our large church on that cold wintry night to honor a man who has devoted his life to Christ. >Bishop Cronin and many Di-
Civil rights groups had charged that the old regulations were not strong enough, and federal courts have found that at least 20 private schools which claimed nondiscriminatory policies actually did discriminate in admissions on the basis of race.
THE ANCHOR Second Class Postage Paid at Fall River, Mass. Published every Thursday at 410 Hilhland Avenue, Fall River, Mass. 02722 by the Catholic Press of the Oiocese of Fall River. Subscription price by mail, postpaid f'·OO per 1'1f.
When the new proposal was issue4, an IRS source said they were aimed at the so-called "Christian academies" which have sprung up in the South and elsewhere to avoid integration in the public schools.
THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Thur., Dec. 14, 1978
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---------------------...-;::..) NCCB Will Dialogue On Women's Ministr}, WASHINGTON (NC) - The National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Women in Society and the Church has been asked "to assume responsibility for dialogue with advocates of ordination for women." Archbishop John R. Quinn, NCCB president, said the committee would not question church teaching on priestly ordination, but would examine the larger
FATHER JOHN R. FOLSTER, pastor of St. Anne's Church, Fall River, has been named diocesan liaison to the Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
Death D·efinition 'Desperate Need' NEW ORLEANS (NC)"Dying is a process and death is a moment - and it took an American Bar Association committee two-and-a-half years to arrive at this" a doctor-lawyer told a recent meeting of the National Federation of Catholic Physicians Guilds in New Orleans. Dr. McCarthy DeMere, who is both a physician and an attorney, outlined the ABA_ committee's efforts to come up with an acceptable definition of death and concluded that "we desperately need" a good definition. "The legal profession has been struggling for 70 years to come up with a 'legal definition of death, and up until 20 years ago, the cessation of breath and heart· beat were the commonly accepted signs of death," he said. After a long struggle, the ABA committee defined death as "the irreversible cessation of total brain function." And so it came as a shOCk to the committee, Dr) DeMete said, when the bar association adopted the wording, "cessation of meaningful activity of the brain.'" "That is too open to interpretation, too broad a definition," he contended. "Take Karen Quinlan, for instance. Is Karen Quinlan dead? No, she is not. But by that definition she most certainly is." Urging those who oppose abortion to get involved in the battle to achieve a good definition of death, Dr. DeMere said he had "almost begged and pleaded" the U.S. bishops to issue a statement on the legal definition of death as the irreversible cessation of total brain function, but had received no response. Dr. DeMere caHed on physicians at the meeting to work for adoption of a correct definition ot' death, saying that "good people have to fight for it. The wording adopted by the bar association will be accepted by most states, but it's wrong and people who believe in the sanctity of life should fight it."
issue of women's role in min· istry. Bishop Michael J. McAuliffe of Jefferson City, Mo. is chairman of the committee. Members are Bishop Carroll T. Dozier of Memphis; Auxiliary Bisho» George R. Evans of Denver; Auxiliary Bishop P. Francis Murp:,y of Baltimore; Auxiliary Bishop Amedee W. Proulx of Portland, Maine; and Bishop Ernest L. Unterkoefler of Charleston, S.c.
THINKING
OF CHRISTIVIAS THE HOLY FATHER'S MISSION AID TO THE ORIENTAL CHURCH
Store window displays and newspaper ad.. vertisements remind us that Christmas is not toCl far off ... Is Christmas shopping a problem fol' you? What to give at Christmas to your relatives and friends need not be a puzzle any longer . ATRULY Use our attractive Christmas Gift Cards . CHRIST·L1KE Complete your Christmas gift list now. It's CHRISTMAS simple. Select a gift below, send us the person's GIFT name and address with your donation-and WEI do all the rest. We'll send that person or persoDf; a Gift Card saying what you have done ... At thEI same time your meaningfUl gift will give millions of people the Hope of the Christ Child.
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o $ 300 Train a native Sister CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS' GUIDE
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$ 100 Perpetual Family Membership in Catholic Near East Welfare Assoc. o $ 100 Altar for mission chapel o $ 75 Mass kit for a missionary priest o $ 50 Set of vestments o $ 40 Chalice or Ciborium o $ 25 Tabernacle or Crucifix o $ 25 Individual Perpetual Membership o $ 20 Food Package for a hungry family o $ 15 Sanctuary lamp o $ 10 Annual Family Membership o $ 5 Sanctuary Bell o $ 2 Individual Annual Membership
•• •• Our missionary priests in the Holy land will bl~ MASS IN pleased to offer promptly the Masses you THE request at Christmas. Simply send us, with your HOlYlAND offering, the names of your friends and loved ones, living and deceased.
•• •• AGIFT The good you can do by remembering thl~ FOR ETERNITY missions in your Will goes to your credit eternally. Our legal title: CATHOLIC NEAR EAS'r WELFARE ASSOCIATION. Dear Monsignor Nolan: Please return coupon with your offering
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