Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, November 16, 1973 Page: 1 of 6
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Bishops Issue
Pastoral on Mary
Eph. 5/20
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A DAY TO GIVE THANKS
In the aatamn of 1621, Gov. William Bradford of Plymouth Colony the restored Plymouth Plantation. Teacher Kathy Lydon and Dr. Robert
decreed that a day should be set aside for feasting and for giving thanks Ronsheim, education director at Plymouth dress as colonists did. The
to God for survival In the New World. So that pupils in Boston’s Cardinal inset at left shows a cornucopia, traditional symbol of bounty.
Cushing High School appreciate what Bradford and the pilgrim colonists
were giving thanks for, 15 of them and three teachers spent a weekend at <NC Sketch)
\
texas gulf coast
CATHOLIC
Vol. IX Mo. 28
Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Friday Movomhor 18, 1973
WASHINGTON (NC) — The bishops of the
United States have issued a pastoral letter
designed to “reaffirm our heritage of faith in
Mary, the Mother of God, and to encourage
authentic devotion to her. ”
The letter, entitled “Behold Your Mother,”
reaffirms basic teachings on Mary, deplores
the decline in Marian devotions, and asks for
Catholic - Protestant cooperation in the study
of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“In writing this pastoral letter,” the
bishops say, “our concern about Our Lady is
most keenly felt in the area of devotion. No
survey is needed to show that all over the
country many forms of Marian devotion havo
fallen into disuse, and others are taking an
uncertain course.”
The bishops say they “wish to affirm with
all our strength the lucid statements of the
Second Vatican Council on the permament
importance of authentic devotion to the
Blessed Virgin not only in the liturgy, where
the Church accords her a most special place
under Jesus her Son, but also in the beloved
devotions that have been repeatedly ap-
proved and encouraged by the Church and
that are filled with meaning for Catholics.”
“There is little doubt,” the letter says,
“that we are passing through a period
marked by a lack of interest in the saints.
Much more is involved here that devotion to
the saints, even St. Mary. What is at stake is
the reality of the humanity of the risen Jesus.
There is danger of so spiritualizing the risen
Christ that we dimish awareness of His
humanity.”
The bishops urge increased devotion to
Mary both in the Mass — through special
readings and votive Masses — and in the
rosary.
“It is unwise,” they say, “to reject the
rosary without a trial simply because of the
accusation that it comes from that past, that
it is repetitious and ill-suited to sophisticated
modems.”
The bishops point out that the prayers and
mysteries of the rosaiy are based in the Bible
and they suggest that Catholics “can freely
experiment” with new forms of the rosary,
including new sets of mysteries such as ones
dealing with the public life of Christ.
In a section on ecumenism the bishops
From the Bishop's Desk,
By the time this column appears in our
Diocesan weekly, the Bishops of the United
States will be winding up (heir business at
their annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
(November 12-16). In preparing for the
meeting, we are being informed that once
more the subject of the planner of distribution
of Holy Communion* will come up for
discussion. *
For more than a thousand years, the
practice has been to place the sacred Host on
the tongue of the recipient. During the three
years when the Second Vatican Council
convened, there was never a question raised
about changing this practice You can search
the documents of the same Council and you
will find no reference to it.
Following the close of the Council, there
were those who endeavored to chart a new
way in liturgical practices and in some cases
certain practices were innovated which were
not referred directly to the Holy See. And
because the practice of Communion in the
hand had been going on, the Holy Father
deemed it best not to demand a discon-
tinuation of it. This was the case in {daces like
Belgium, France, Germany and Holland, all
of which were granted the faculty in 1969.
In 1970, the faculty was granted to Canada
for its 68 dioceses and its eight and three-
quarter million Catholics. Fallowing that, the
Bishops of the U.S.A. took up the matter at
their annual conference. It failed in obtaining
the necessary two-thirds vote and for that
reason Rome was not petitioned for the
faculty.
As time passes on, the older Bishops are
either dying or resigning and a new and
vigorous group is coming in at the bottom.
One cannot help but feel that as
Americans the members of our Conference do
not want to be bested by the Canadians; and
therefore, we, like them, should have the
practice of Communion in the hand. I pray
that we may still be allowed to continue the
tradition we have always known and
Committee Asks Action
On Diaconate Program
respected.
Vocation Committee
Calls For United Effort
The Vocation Committee of the Sisters
Council of Religious met at Our Lady of
Refuge Convent in Refugio on November 10
and 11.
The meeting resulted in the formation of a
nucleus which they hope will serve as the
beginning of a uniting spirit among all Sisters
of all Communities in the Diocese of Corpus
Christi.
Father Lawrence White, Vocation Director
of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, met with the
Committee on Sunday afternoon to discuss
ways and means by which the Sisters Council
could be of assistance in the over-all Diocesan
Vocation Program. Both long range and short
range programs were discussed.
Projected Programs for the coming year
that were discussed included single days of
renewal for high school students to be held on
deanery levels; a program emphasizing
prayers for vocations in Parish Churches and
in the homes and the use of the media —
television and radio spots, school
newspapers, billboards, etc., in promoting
vocations to the priesthood, sisterhood, and
brotherhood.
Father White offered the Diocesan office to
serve as a “clearing house” to filter in-
formation concerning the Afferent Religious
Communities to interested persons.
Present nt the meeting were Sister
Margaret Carnesi, I.W.B.S., Committee
Chairman. Sisters Bernadette Gomez,
R.M.S.S., Elizabbeth Puente, R.M.S.S.,
Maria Luisa Pena, M.DP.V.M., Rosario
Armendariz, M.D.P.V.M., and Patricia Ruth,
LW.B.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) — A U.S.
Catholic bishops’ committee dealing with the
permanent diaconate said in a wide-ranging
report compiled for the bishops’ general
meeting here (Nov. 12-16) that it will give
“priority consideration” to implementing the
diaconate program in rural areas.
It asserted that there is “growing concern
to find some way of assisting rural dioceses
lacking competent faculty personnr' to im-
plement a diaconate program.”
At the same time, the Committee on the
Permanent Diaconate of the National Con-
ference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) stated
that a workshop held in Houston since the last
bishops’ meeting “showed clear evidence of
the growth in maturity of the diaconate
across the country.”
The committee is headed by Archbishop
Daniel Shehan of Omaha, appointed to fill the
uiexpired term of Auxiliary Bishop John
Spence of Washington, D.C.,who died. It also
has a new executive director, Msgr. Ernest J.
Fiedler of the Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.,
diocese, named to succeed Father William
Philbin, a Chicago priest killed in an air
crash.
The report to the bishops’ general meeting
disclosed that a survey requested by the
Vatican Congregation for the Sacraments
revealed that:
—Fifty-nine U.S. dioceses now have
diaconate programs and at least 30 other
diocese are in various stages of investigating
and planning similar programs.
—There are 411 married deacons and 37
celibate deacons across the country already
ordained, and 870 candidates in preparation.
—The response by the people has been “99.5
per cent very well to enthusiastic” with “0.5
per cent uncertain . . .”
—Deacons are involved in about 30 different
ministries, including assisting at the liturgy,
preaching, baptizing, catechetical work,
community service, retreats, campus
ministry, diocesan administration, pastoral
work in missions, prison ministry, alcoholic
rehabilitation, and hospital work.
The report said that relations between
deacons and the clergy are “85 per cent good
to excellent” and “15 per cent uncertain.” it
pointed out that more information is needed
in this area.
In those dioceses just initiating programs ,
the report observed, the customary dif-
ficulties of new programs are present —
recruiting, screening, pastoral sensitivity and
developing good academic programs.
Thecommittee’s report strongly urged that
all dioceses planning a program submit a
final prospectus to th e committee “for advice
and suggestions and a judgment of feasibility
learned through the experience of the last
three years.”
acknowledge that Catholic devotion to Mary
“has been a sharp point of difference with
other Christians of the West” and they ask
“our brothers in other Christian churches to
reexamine with us Mary’s place in our
common patrimony.”
The letter says that recent “initiatives
taken on both sides (on the Catholic side
especially through the Second Vatican
Council) have brought Christians to consider
the difficulties of doctrine about and devotion
to Mary openly and with charity.”
“No sound ecumenism can ignore the
question of Maty,” the bishops say, and they
suggest that other Christians join Catholics in
studying a variety of theological issues
related to Maiy.
The 20,000-word letter, prin^d in booklet
form, begins with Old Testament texts and
traces the development of Catholic doctrine
concerning Mary through the New Testament
and early years of the Church to the Second
Vatican Council.
“The Virgin birth,” the letter says, “is not
simply a privilege affecting only Jesus and
Mary, but a sign and means for the Spirit to
build the new People of God, the Body of
Christ, the Church. The glorious positive sign
value of the Virgin birth is the merciful and
free saving grace of the Father sending His
Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, bom of the
Virgin Mary, that we might receive the
adoption of sons.”
The letter also reaffirms “Mary’s lifelong
virginity” and says it is “an example of the
Church’s growth in understanding of
Christian doctrine.” In this teaching, it says,
“the Church has here recognized as an aspect
of 'public revelation’ a belief not demon-
strable from the Scriptures.”
In speaking of the "blessedness of Mary,”
the letter reaffirms the doctrines of the Im-
maculate Conception and the Assumption. It
also restates the teaching that Mary is the
Mother of God.
“Mary’s initial holiness, a totally un-
merited gift of God, is a sign of the love of
Christ for His Bride the Church, which,
though composed of sinners, is still ’holy
Church,’ ’’ the section on the Immaculate
Conception says.
The Assumption is treated in relation to the
Resurrection of Christ and described as “a
gracious reminder to the Church that our
Lord wishes all whom the Father has given
him to be raised with him.”
The letter reaffirms Mary’s title of
“mediatrix” but acknowledges that the
Second Vatican Council was cautious in the
ise of this term for ecumenical and pastoral
reasons.
“Ecumenically, ‘mediatrix’ has seemed to
many who are not Catholics to clash with the
Biblical insistence on Jesus Christ as our one
Mediator (l Tm 1:5),” the letter says.
“Pastorally, the bishops were anxious that
Catholics understand even better Mary’s true
place under Christ.”
This title of Mary “takes away nothing
from Christ’s all-sufficient mediatorship,”
the letter says. Rather the title shows that
Mary “is the supreme example of loving
association with the Savior in His mission of
redeeming mankind.”
The pastoral letter was prepared by a
committee headed by Cardinal John Cai-
berry of St. Louis. Other members of the
committee are Cardinal Timothy Manning of
Los Angeles; Cardinal Humberto Medeiros of
Boston; Bishop David Maloney of Wichita,
Kan.; Archbishop William Baum of
Washington; and Auxiliary Bishop John
Dougherty of Newark, N.J.
New R tual Book For Penance Expected Soon
VATICAN CITY (NC) — The revised ritual
book for administering the sacrament of
Ifenance will be published by the end of the
year or at the beginning of the next Lenten
season, a Vatican official told NC News.
The official was reacting to speculation by
an Italian news service that a Vatican
document on confession is imminent.
“Imminent is too a strong a word,” the
official said. “Everyone from the Holy Father
down is anxious to publish the new order
(ritual book) as soon as possible.
“I can tell you that the document outlining
the new order for confession is not yet prin-
ted. After it is printed, we must wait a month
before making it public so that bishops of the
world may study the final version.
“All of this could be accomplished by the
end of the year, and certainly by the begin-
ning of Lent (Feb. 27, 1974).”
The official said that the Congreg ation for
Divine Worship, which will make the
document public, is working “in haste,
because we want the new order for confession
ready for use in the Holy Year.”
Fulfilling the command of the Second
Vatican Council, the congregation has been
working for many years to update and make
more meaningful the administration of all the
sacraments, as well as the Mass.
President John Fit/gerald Kennedy, first Catholic President — see related story on Page 4.
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Pena, Raymond. Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, November 16, 1973, newspaper, November 16, 1973; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth835544/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .