All about ecumenism
Media
Part of The Cabletow
- Title
- All about ecumenism
- Language
- English
- Source
- The Cabletow XLIV (10) October 1968
- Year
- 1968
- Subject
- Ecumenical movement
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- News and Views on the Ecumenical Movement NBM Some brethren called our attention to the missing “All About Ecumen ism” section in last month’s Cabletow. It was “missed” on purpose for wc had two articles, one by MW Dwight L. Smith, PGM and Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, and another by Bro. Antonio Cabillo, giv ing the “other” side of ecumenism, the better for the readers to view the pros and cons of the subject. We do not desire to be dubbed an “Ecumaniac” by sticking to just one side of the movement. True, we arc for ecumenism, but our readers shall not be denied the two sides of it and this magazine will welcome articles not in agreement with our personal position. It is known that there arc two main phases of ecumenism: ecclesiastical and fraternal. The ecclesiastical phase of it may be subdivided into three sections: ecumenism among Christian churches, ecumenism within one church, and ecumenism among all churches and religions. 1. Ecumenism among Christians It is recalled that the original in tent of ecumenism was to promote un derstanding among all Christians irregardlcss of their church member ships or affiliations. We have report ed incidents along this line. Lately, September 16, 1968, while in Ozamis City, this reporter inter viewed a minister who attended a conference of Pastors and Priests in that city the night before. There were some thirty priests and ministers representing fourteen denominations and churches present. There were Catholic and Aglipayan priests as well as pastors of the twelve Protest ant denominations doing pastoral and missionary work in the city. The in terviewee related that the atmosphere in the conference was most cordial and brotherly. Thej' reached an un derstanding that there will be no pro selytizing and that their primary and immediate concern is to reach the in dividual lives of their members, make them better Christians, help them im prove their living conditions in their economic, educational, and health as pects. 2. Ecumenism within the Church. Ministers and priests are more un derstanding with their members and parishioners nowadays. In a man ner of speaking, they hate sin, but not the sinner. In fact, instead of for saking or ignoring their parishioners who stray from their church, they seek to bring them back to their fold with sympathetic understanding. If the errant are unwilling to come back, they are still rewarded with forgive ness. . More and more U.S. Catholic priests are giving up their parishes for secular life. The reasons are many, and among them is the desire to marry and have families of their own and in the process have jobs that will give them security and normal lives. By the end of August this year 463 clerics have resigned, compared to 400 in all of 1967. In the past, priests who abandoned their vocations felt so dis graced. Things are more civilized now. Patrick Best, a Detroit priest Turn to next pogo OCTOBER, 1968 15 who left last May and has gone back to school, boasts that “my congrega tion even gave me a couple of goingaway parties.” George Frein, a St. Louis priests who married an ex-nun in June has been hired by Archbishop Leo F. Dworschack to teach religious studies in North Dakota. Don C. MacLeaish, a married priest from Texas, felt no guilt about leaving. "The Church has its rules, yet I don’t think I’ll go to hell,” he says. Surprisingly enough, the majority of former priests have no sense of bitterness toward the church and still consider themselves Catholics in good standing. Many attend daily Mass and receive the sacraments. Some even celebrate Mass. 3. Ecumenism among all Churches and religions. Ecumenism has indeed grown in concept. It is no longer concerned with understanding and goodwill among Christian churches; it has reached out for understanding aixjl goodwill with non-Christian churches and religions. Among themselves, with their various religious beliefs, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and others, meet in sincere tolerance, be lieving that equally, they are children of one God. For centuries, Freema sonry has been teaching and propa gating this kind of ecumenism under our well-known ideal: the brotherhood of Man under the fatherhood of God. 4. Ecumenism betzveen Freemasons and Knights of Columbus. Two international fraternities, the Knights of Columbus and Freema sonry, the first founded in mid-nine teenth century and the second found ed in early eighteenth century, have not seen eye-to-eye for a long time. The first was organized to defend, protect and promote the interests of the Catholic church; the second, a century and a quarter older, had alTum to page 25 GOING PLACES! Contact: Bro. Ernesto Z. Gonzales Sister Perla B. Gonzales, O.E.S. Tour Advisors 2 Experienced personnel.. .personalized G service...Full assistance in securing g passports, visas, clearances, hotel q reservations & itineraries, immigraCU tions...BUDGET TOURS—HONGg KONG-FAR EAST-EUROPE & USA GRAND LODGE VISITATION ’69 g PAY NOW & TRAVEL LATER — q available. O 1426 San Marcelino St. N Plaridel Masonic Temple g Ermita^Tel.: 69-99-70 m Res.: 60-29-50 « Cable Address: GOEASY O £ BUDGETWISEBUDGETWISEBUDGET NUEVA ECIJA TEMPLE DEDICATED On Oct. 5, 1968 MW Joseph E. Schon, accompanied by RW Edgar L. Shepley, SGW; RW Damaso C. Tria, JGW, and Sis. Paz Tria; VW Hermogenes L. Oliveros, SGL; MW Esteban Munarriz, PGM and Grand Secretary; VW William C. Councell, Grand Orator; WB Gerardo Florendo, and the ME of the Cabletow motored to Quezon, Nueva Ecija to dedicate the new Temple of Nueva Ecija Lodge No. 73 of that town. MW Mariano Q. Tinio, Immediate Past Grand Master and VW Doroteo Joson, DDGM, were also present at the ceremonies as were visiting bre thren from Cabanatuan Lodge No. 53, Memorial Lodge No. 90, Gen. Tinio Lodge No. 168, Gen. Llanera Lodge No. 169 and Narra Lodge No. 173. Even WB Alfredo J. Pascual, a mem ber of Baguio Lodge No. 67 was there. Turn to pogo 22 16 The Cabletow IT'S UNIQUE . . . From p.g. 10 trily joined the Fraternity, but that, in the ensuing association with the other brethren and after joining the activities of the Lodge, they discover, to their consternation, that the ob jectives of Masonry are not the an swer to the motives they have in mind when they sought admission into it, and so they lose interest and shy away. To forestall this eventuality in tbc future, it behooves the Investigating Committee appointed by the Master of the Lodge, to explain fully to the candidate, that Masonry is not a pro fit-sharing organization, but rather a chain of sacrifices for the good of our fellowmen, country and mankind. Knowing these at the very start, and should he still persist in joining the Fraternity of his own freewill and accord, then we can rest assured that we have won over to our side a brother who can be relied upon to place die interests of the Order at heart, over and above personal inte rests. A SURGERY FOR RHEUMATOID KNEE. 1 he pain — and early deformity — of rheumatoid arthritis of the knee may be relieved by surgical removal of a joint membrane (the synovium) inflamed and swollen by the disease. So reports Dr. Leonard Marmor in the Atnerican Journal of Surgery. He performed the operation on 130 pa tients. Most obtained excellent knee motion and relief of pain; two pre viously in wheelchairs, could walk without discomfort. Most patients walked when leaving the hospital one week after surgery. — Lawrence Galton in Family Circle. ECUMENISM From page 1« ways been for total ecumenicity. For over a century, the two fraternal or ganizations have always been at odds, but lately, the ecumenical movement in the churches has crept into the fraternities. Here in the Philippines as in the United States and Europe, the leaders of the two fraternal or ganizations have reached friendly un derstanding. They break bread toge ther in their fraternal breakfasts or dinners, Masons are invited to speak at meetings of the Knights of Colum bus and Knights of Columbus are in vited to speak at meetings of Free masons. Among Freemasons, with all this ecumenical spirit, sometimes they cannot understand why some priests and Knights of Columbus whom they invite to speak at their meetings do not accept their invitations. It is not that they do not wish to; it is only that they cannot obtain permis sion from their bishops in time for the meetings. Some bishops readily give permission while others would rather not. The authority of a bishop within his diocese is as clear as that of a Grand Master within his grand jurisdiction. We agree with MW Dwight L. Smith that the matter of acting on petitions of Catholics to join Freema sonry should be on the same basis as acting on the petitions of others of different religious beliefs and affilia tions. A * » • A nation is no stronger than its be liefs. Every internal and external enemy we have knows the advantage of destroying a nation’s standards. —Henry J. Taylor If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. —Chinese Proverb OCTOBER, 1968 25
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