American Catholic horizon

Title

Language

English

Year

1972

Subject

Catholic missions--Americans

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

AMERICAN CATHOLIC HORIZON * • L’Osservatore Romano, 24 August 1972. Tlia ninth anniversary of Pope Paul's Coronation was marked by solemnity throughout the United States, hi every diocese, large or small, Bishops underscored the fundamental role of the papacy in the life of the Church and urged their flock to be loyal to Pope Paul and try to share with him his concern for justice and peace and the welfare of all mankind. Following are the high lights of special messages l>y members of the American Hierarchy. BISHOP DAVID MALONEY DIOCESE OF WICHITA In his message, Bishop Maloney underlined the thrust given by Pope Paul to the Conciliar renewal, and his exceptional courage and stamina in very difficult times for the Catholic Church, when “those who live and work in academic and theolo gical fields have forgotten the serious obligation which they have to clarify and explain the faith we have inherited from the Apostles. Sometimes their voices have become voices of dis cord and dissent and even of rebellion. As always, it is the sensationists who attract attention. Meanwhile, thousands of their fellow scholars work in deep unswerving loyalty and devotion to our Faith and our Church. And they willingly ac cept the leadership Pope Paul gives, as it is his duty to give it”. In a climate of confusion and bewilderment, Pope Paul speaks clearly. His voice must be heard, “whether we like to hear it or not”, because his voice points out where our duty lies in the moral and theological fields. “That duty to teach, continues Bishop Maloney, is a duty of service. If Pope Paul did not fulfill it he would be derelict, and the people he has to serve would suffer, as would the world”. “Perhaps one of Pope Paul’s most lasting gifts to the Church as Pope in our times was to gather into a simple state ment the traditional teachings of the Faith we have all received. 682 BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE FIL1PINAS the Faith he, before all others, must defend. It is called the Credo, or Creed, of Pope Paul. It can serve well to protect us from any dangers of becoming confused about that Faith. It is clear; it is simple; it is a profession of the Faith which came from the Apostles. There we will find what God expects us to believe, simply put, without compromise and without ambiguity. In a way, we can say it is “light shining in the darkness”. Bishop Maloney emphasized also Pope Paul’s extra ordinary activity in the fields of social justice and peace, and on the means to foster peace based on justice. BISHOP EDWARD HERMANN WASHINGTON D C. Speaking at a Mass to mark the ninth anniversary of the Pope’s coronation, Bishop Hermann said that Pope Paul “seeks a balance between the spirit of personal responsibility and indi vidual freedom”. He stressed Pope Paul’s courage and faith fulness to the Apostolic mandate. Our reining Pontiff may be misunderstood by some “but with the grace of his office he steadfastly, gently and courageously sets forth truths and virtues which all men should endeavour to seek and hold fast in this and in every age of renewal”. “In a time when people are over whelmed with change” the Bishop continued, "the changeless truths are the things that Pope Paul endeavours to blend into the age of change”. “Pope Paul VI who stands as the voice of Christ, calling, counselling and directing, is an illustrous example of this fidelity to duty and office, as witnesses his daily life”. Pope Paul’s dedication to the Apostolic mandate is and has been the distinctive mark of his pontificate. JOHN CARDINAL CODY ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO The occasion for these remarks was Cardinal Cody’s silver jubilee of his episcopal ordination. In a pastoral letter to mark the occasion, he shared with the clergy, religious and laity of the Archdiocese his reflections on the priesthood. The minis terial priesthood is a composite of human and supernatural di mensions. The human dimensions are reflected in the frailty AMERICAN CATHOLIC HORIZON 683 of those who are invested with its character. These are the hu man beings who bear the burden of a world “changing with speed unparalleled in recorded history”. “For many priests the un certainty and disarray of our epoch have been lightened by events during and following the Second Vatican Council. The Council is reflected in virtually every facet of Church life”. However, when we think of the supernatural and sacramental dimension of the priesthood, “joy and optimism should permeate the lives of priests, knowing that Christ is constantly present in the Church leading her on the path to salvation”. It is in terms of this vision that even a time of confusion such as ours can become a “period in the history of the Church when a man of faith should sense a new freedom to proclaim “I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me’ ”, ARCHBISHOP BYRNE ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS Archbishop Coadjutor of St. Paul and Minneapolis strongly defended the Catholic tradition of priestly celibacy, calling it an example of a priest’s “radical love for God”. The Arch bishop, vice-president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke at a Pontifical High Mass formally opening the three-day convention of Serra International a worldwide group of Catholic laymen working to increase religious vocations. “Celibacy, as part of the commitment to the priesthood, is a faith commitment to something beyond life on earth. Our life in time is but one facet of the larger picture which includes Christ’s second coming”. Archbishop Byrne warned against a false concept of freedom which has led so many to the “torture of an artificial, purely material and egoistical world”. ARCHBISHOP LUIGI RAIMONDI APOSTOLIC DELEGATE The Apostolic Delegate made his remarks at the ceremony of the erection of the Diocese of Charlotte and the episcopal ordination of the Most Reverend Michael J. Begley as its first Bishop. “A new diocese, said Mons. Raimondi, means and represents an increase in life. This implies a dynamism proper 684 BOLETIN ECLESIASTICO DE FILIPINAS to the Church... The concept of growth and life is an aspect of the Church which calls for our attention, particularly on this occasion. A new dioecse is a manifestation of growth. There can be growth only when there is life. Therefore, a new dio cese is a manifestation of life”. Very appropriately, the Apos tolic Delegate observed that spiritual dynamism must not be mistaken for a form of activism as it is understood in human affairs. “This distinction is of supreme importance in order to avoid trends which, far from contributing to the growth and life of the Church, tend to distort it and render it sterile. This happens when the activity of the members of the Church does not flow from the one source that accounts for the vitality of the Church: the Holy Spirit.” Another reflection regards the episcopal ordination. “There cannot be a diocese without its bishop and the bishop is essen tially for the diocese. He is the centre and the moving prin ciple of the life of the diocese”. Archbishop Raimondi concluded his remarks by emphasi zing the fact that "Christianity is essentially a message of re demption, of hope, of love and of life. .. and therefore it is neces sary to look into the future with Christian confidence”, know ing that God is always with His Church.” • FRANCIS PIRO “The priest is not just a presbyter presiding over the community on religiuos occasions. He is truly the indispensable and exclusive minister of official worship, performed hi persona Christi (in the person of Christ) and at the same time in nomine populi (in the name of the people; he is the man of prayer, the only one who brings about the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the man who gives life to dead souls, the dispenser of grace, the man of blessings. The apostle-priest is the witness of the faith, the missionary of the Gospel, the prophet of hope, the centre of the community. From him it goes outwards and to him it returns. He builds up the Church of Christ, which is founded on Peter. And here we come to that title which is properly his, a title both lowly and sublime: he is the shepherd of God's people." POPE PAUL VI. Lenten Address, 17 February, 1972

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