On The Irish

“If there was a certain paternalism in the relations between priests and people in Ireland in the past, it was a natural growth in a paternalistic world and suited to the temper and conditions of the time.”

“It is not suited to either the temper or condition of increasing numbers of their people today. If then Ireland was a quiet backwater, the faith and devotion of her people could be nurtured by silent prayer and meditation at Mass, that is much less true today, particularly for young people who live in a different kind of world.

Cardinal Conway (at Maynooth College)

On Being A Minority

“We’ve got to realize that we (Christians) are a minority group, not only in numbers but in impact... in Europe fewer than 10 per cent now attend church. People on the edges no longer will find comfort in the Church, while those who remain will know why they’re there.”

Dr. Robert McAfee Brown (at Stanford University)

On Vietnam

“Perhaps a very modest beginning might be homilies in all of our churches based upon ‘Pacem in Terris.’ (Pope John’s last encyclical, “Peace on Earth,” 1963). This might help our people to begin to think about their brothers’ rights to equality and their own personal responsibility for involving themselves in those issues which have brought on this war.”

A Lay Correspondent (Atlanta)

God Is -- What?

Theologians per se

Study God in every way;

If God is dead, their one salvation

Is unemployment compensation!

And again --

God is dead? I’ll be not bold

As to ask, what else is old?

One more --

Give God an unknown soldier’s tomb

Adding the usual, “Known but to ____”

Whom?

Another Layman (Atlanta)

On A Variety Of Laymen

“It’s only too true that the religious body (Catholic), of which some would call me the dandruff, counts many diverse views among its members, but I sure do not feel like embracing some of them, views of members.”

“Your comments and Bulletin editorials on racial issues are always clear be it on Hayneville, intimidation, murder etc. What I fail to understand is this -- if the events are worthy of public denunciation, why haven’t I been able to herald the slightest sign of follow up at our high schools? Isn’t the present farce (the refusal to seat an elected legislator) enacted by the Georgia legislators a made-to-order opportunity to teach our kids the difference between real democracy and phony patriotism? Do we or do we not have classes under the heading of social studies?”

Regular Lay Correspondent (Atlanta)

The Index (Make It Yourself Kit)

“The Church trusts in the mature conscience of the faithful, especially in the conscience of Catholic authors and editors and those who conduct schools for the young. (The Index of Forbidden Books no longer has the force of ecclesiastical law).”

“The Index retains a moral force insofar as it teaches the conscience of the Christian faithful to avoid, as the natural law itself demands, these writings which can put faith and good morals in danger.” Cardinal Ottavani (Rome)

Paul J. Hallinan

Archbishop of Atlanta