By Sheila Mallon

The Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women held their 16th annual meeting on September 23 and 24 at the Stone Mountain Inn, Stone Mountain.

The meeting began with registration on Saturday morning. A workshop was held at 11 a.m. for the presidents of all the affiliates and deaneries. A film was shown which was entitled “Respect for Life.”

The general meeting was held for all the voting delegates and members at 1 p.m. There were 87 voting delegates and members present.

The reports of the officers were read and then the members heard the report of the resolutions committee from Mrs. William Dennon, chairman of the committee. The resolutions are the basis for action by the ACCW during the coming year.

Accepted unanimously by the membership were resolutions: to urge our nations’ leaders to end the conflict in Vietnam without further delay; to continue the fight for the right to life; to work in the many community action programs geared to alleviate the conditions of poverty and hunger; to appoint a committee to study the Equal Rights amendment which will come before the state legislature during the 1973 session; to combat drug addiction and alcoholism by continuing education in the community and schools and by support of the governor’s narcotics and drug treatment program; to support community projects to improve our environment by control of pollution; to work through the resources of the NCCW and the National Highway Safety Committee to reduce the tremendous death toll on our highways each year; to support Atlanta’s Villa International by becoming aware of their needs and assisting with volunteer services.

All the resolutions were tied together by the resolution on spiritual development written by the president of the council, Mrs. Ira Driskell: “Today when material things and social progress occupy so much of our time and efforts, we resolve to recommit ourselves to the spiritual qualities which are necessary for growth in Christian family and community life, and join the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council in its program aimed at spiritual revitalization.”

Following the general meeting, the members attended five workshops dealing with the five commission area: Church Communities, Community Affairs, Family Affairs International Affairs and Organization Services.

There was a concelebrated Mass at 5 p.m. The principal celebrant was the Most Rev. Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan; the other celebrants were Father Jim Maciejewski, Monsignor Michael Manning, Father Edward O’Connor and Father Pat McCormick.

The homilist was Father Joseph Beltran. He spoke of the importance of each person doing his particular job in life, whatever it might be, as perfectly as possible. To give less than one’s whole efforts was to cheat ourselves and God. He closed with the reminder that part of our job was to heed Christ’s admonition to care for the least of our brethren.

At the banquet Mrs. E.P. Faust, NCCW national director from the province of Atlanta, spoke of attending the 7th general session of the National Council of Council of Catholic Women. She said that this meeting had a more representative attendance than ever before. There were 95 presidents of diocesan councils of Catholic women, 36 spiritual moderators, 25 national directors and four national organization presidents.

The principal banquet speaker was the Archbishop Donnellan, who was introduced by Father Eusebius Beltran. The archbishop spoke to the theme of the convention, which was “Justice – a Road to Peace.”

To the delegates present, the archbishop said: “If there is one group that has been sensitive to justice in terms of giving your brother his due, it is the ACCW. The women are doing the work of the Lord in the vineyard of Atlanta.”

Mrs. Driskell adjourned the meeting until 10:30 the next morning.

The brunch meeting began with the introduction of the speaker Mrs. Dorothy Beasley, the assistant attorney general of the state of Georgia by Mae Trammell, International Affairs chairman.

Mrs. Beasley, who hails from New Jersey, spoke to the theme “Justice a Road to Peace” as it pertains to law. She said that to apply the principles of justice impartially is the only sure way to secure the peace of the community.

Youth and their involvement in crime were the main concern of Mrs. Beasley’s talk. The statistics she gave were frightening. One out of every six young people will break the law. Out of 4,304 felons sentenced in 1971 to serve prison sentences, 2,410 were under 25 and 256 were between the ages of 17 and 18. Of the 2,410 under 25, 1,505 had at least one prior conviction.

The speaker felt that only through the rehabilitation, rather than the punishment, of children who break the law will we be able to stem the rising tide of crime in which young people are fast becoming the most frequent offenders.

As Christians, Mrs. Beasley said, we are compelled to love our wrongdoers and to help them if we can. She offered a challenge to the Council and told of a program called “Volunteers in Probation.” This organization, which consists of unpaid, dedicated citizens, works in DeKalb and Fulton Counties. They assist the probation officers by working with the juveniles on a one-to-one basis, often by simply being listeners and friends. This program may help a child short-circuit the vicious cycle of crime.

Monsignor Manning then installed the new officers. They are Mrs. Ira Driskell, president; Mrs. James Maguire, executive vice president; Mrs. William Egans, president of the South deanery; Mrs. M.J. Lynch, president of the Northeast deanery, Mrs. Gerald Jabaley, recording secretary; Mrs. Ruth Smith, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Millard Norris, treasurer; Mrs. John Flack, parliamentarian; and Mrs. M.M. Veal, historian.