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This week, I have received Holy Communion from a man who is not a
priest. In the parishes, a number of babies have been baptized by these same
young men. They have also distributed communion at Mass with the new form
“Corpus Christi,” and have preached to our congregations.
They are our deacons. God willing, they will be back with us next
year ordained as priests in the largest group of candidates the archdiocese has
ever had -- eight. But now they are already “marked men.”
Subdiaconate bound them to the vow of celibacy, and the obligation of the daily
Divine Office. Diaconate permits them to carry out certain priestly tasks. But
ask them to hear your confession or to offer Mass. They can’t do that yet.
It’s an excellent apprenticeship for them, and an opportunity
for our laity to see what our future priests are like in this “in-service
training.” To last year’s schedule have been added two new features
-- a day of Recollection at the Trappist Monastery and a field trip to some of
our missionary parishes. When they are discussing theology next year in the
seminary, they will have a small bit of background that will allow them to say,
“I was there.”
Ideas And Deeds
A get-well card came this week from an old friend. I wasn’t
surprised to hear you were in bed -- “read the front page.” “But
I was surprised to hear you were sick” -- read the inside.
Some of our priests aren’t sure that is funny. They know from
experience that the longer a bishop is required to spend hours in bed each day,
the more ideas and projects he is likely to think up. This means more work for
priests who are already worked to the hilt. But whether the bishop’s
thoughts are on new parishes, a liturgical week, ventures in ecumenical
progress, vocations, schools, welfare projects, he is sure in this archdiocese
of total priestly loyalty and cooperation.
For priests who serve their parishes so devotedly, our priests are
notably, non-parochial, that is, they feel keenly the universality of the
Church. That is why an archdiocesan project, because it cuts across all parish
lines, is sure of good pastoral interpretation and backing.
Back In The Harness
My doctors have approved a steady increase in my appearances, so I
have enjoyed the old feeling of the harness these past weeks. My talk to half
our priest-retreatants was scheduled for fifteen minutes; it ran forty-five.
The following week the other half (at Ignatius House) was ready for forty-five
minutes, but got only eight minutes. It was good to join the well-wishers of
Father Joseph Biggers, S.M., and Father Thomas Sugrue, S.M., at Marietta, and
to attend the Silver Jubilee Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home,
and speak briefly to the group.
New Questions
Do you prefer the celebrant of the Mass to face the people across
the altar, as it is done in a number of our churches now? Do you think an
available library of books on Christian unity should be used? In an area where
Catholics number about 2% of the North Georgia population, should we not be
up-to-date on the Catholic and Protestant ecumenical efforts, and the books
which inform of us the basic belief of our fellow citizens? Do you like to sing
at Mass? Would you be willing to take a short course to be a lay catechist in
our Confraternity program? Should we plan our construction for 1964, or should
we keep 1974, 1984, and 2004 in mind? When our Village for dependent children
is completed, what area of concern should be next -- the aged, the
pre-delinquents, the mentally retarded, the emotionally disturbed?
If you write me about any of these questions, it will help me and
our consultors and our advisers to plan a program worthy of the Catholic place
in the communities of northern Georgia.
Clues
So many have guessed the name of the young priest who will play
ball in the Fourth of July classic, it hardly seems worthwhile to give them
more clues. Instead, let’s put it this way: if Pat Boone can hit the
diamond with the accuracy he can hit a musical note, will Mayor Ivan Allen
hustle the infield with the same dynamism he can hustle a new stadium?
Paul J. Hallinan
Archbishop of Atlanta |
