Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, February 8, 1974 Page: 2 of 6
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Page 2
TEXAS GULF COAST CATHOLIC
Friday, February 8,1974
Our Parish Council
A Parish Plans For Its Council
By Bernard Lyons
As part of their renewal program, Blessed
Sacrament Parish in Hollywood, Calif.,
undertook an extensive six-week survey of the
parish and community. Now, in their second
phase, they are planning a ouncil.
Many other parishes an councils might
benefit from studying the outline of the
procedures for starting a parish council at
Blessed Sacrament. It is not the only way, nor
even the best way, to organize a council, but
the plan is workable, and it is going to give the
priests and laity a good standard of
measurement by which to judge their
progress
OBJECTIVES
The objectives for the parish council
formation are six: \ ’’Id parish awareness of
programs; identify! auw.'ship; organize and
train steering committee; draft and present
by-laws and constitution to the parish;
arrange and hold election of a parish council;
and develop and form parish leadership.
Here are some of the steps that Blessed
Sacrament will follow to implement their
program:
To build parish awareness, a pastor’s letter
will be sent to the entire parish, outlining the
functions and purposes of a council, and
inviting members to volunteer their services.
Priests of the parish will deliver sermons on
Vatican II concepts and on the laity's
responsibilities in the Church and world. A
variety of Prayers of Petition will be used for
several weeks to also build parish awareness.
To identify leaders, the pastor will develop
a list of persons, and others will be gathered
from the rosters of parish organizations, the
lists of workers on past projects, and the
volunteers from the pastor’s letter.
STEERING COMMITTEE
A leadership information meeting will be
held for all those identified as leaders, and
from this meeting persons will be enlisted for
the steering committee.
The steering committee will develop
over-all directions and goals and draft a set of
by-laws and constitution.
The d.aft of the by-laws and constitution
will be discussed in small group dialog
meetings throughout the parish, and then an
informational meeting will be held to
incorporate the feed-back and suggested
changes.
Following the presentation and adaptation
of the by-laws and constitution, council
candidates will be recruited and a date set for
elections.
INSTALLATION
Upon completion of the elections, and the
announcement of the successful candidates to
the parish, a special installation will be held,
with a liturgy, for new parish council
members.
The first task* -*■ the new council will be to
hold a leadership workshop, set coals, and
appoint basic committee^.
My only disagreement with the plan would
be that development and formation of parish
leadership should be given the top priority. Of
course, I understand that part of this work
would begin at the first stage of building
awareness, but I think the organizing effort *
would go better if leadership development
were given an even higher priority.
IN
Family Clinic
LIEU OF KOHOUTEK
EDITORIALS
Constitutional Comment
The TCLU, that wants God’s name
stricken from the Constitution, also has a long
history of opposing every kind of public aid
for students in church-related schools. They
have already had a spokesman tell the
Convention that they are quite happy about
the language contained in the proposed new
Constitution in this regard, although they
would prefer more restrictive language that
would also void the existing state program in
aid of students attending church-related
colleges. Article VII, Section 3 of the proposed
new charter now being considered by the
Convention (Legislature), reads as follows:
“Public funds shall not be used for support
of religious, church-affiliated, or proprietary
schools that provide education below the
college level, nor shall public funds by
provided to any students for payment of
expenses * incurred by attending such
schools.”
The readers of this newspaper, and all
Texans, for that matter, should be aware that
this language goes far beyond anything in the
present state Constitution insofar as
elementary and secondary schools and their
pupils are concerned. The Revision
Commission states in an explanatory
comment that this new language simply
combines two separate related prohibitions
already set forth in the old Constitution, and
that it is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court
decisions in this regard.
The Commission’s explanatory statement,
to be quite plain about it, is largely untrue,
and on the whole it is grossly misleading. The
proposed language of Section 3, Article VII
(quoted above) cannot be found anywhere in
the present Constitution. It is all new
language.
Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court has
never held that public funds cannot be used in
any way at ail for the benefit of students
attending a nonpublic school, as the Revision
Commission would lead us and the
Convention to believe. On the contrary, the
Court has, for example, upheld the validity of
state programs providing textbooks and bus
transportation to these students at public
expense, and approximately half the states of
the union now provide one or both of these
aids to pupils in nonpublic schools.
The Revision Commission's representa-
tions to the Constitutional Convention and to
the public are thus clearly misleading in
relation to this matter. One can only conclude
either that the research available to the
Commission on thi§ score was woefully
inadequate, or that the Commission
determined to go well beyond the present
Constitution and prohibit even those forms of
aid that are now available to pupils in many
other states and that have been upheld by the
U.S. Supreme Court In fact, it is possible —
even probable—that the proposed language
would prohibit participation by Texas
parochial school students in programs now
being funded for their benefit under existing
fededral programs, as these federal funds are
channelled through the state and may legally
be considered as state funds once they come
under state control and management.
My own comment on this issue is that the
U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment (Article
1 of the Bill of Rights)(is all we need to insure
separation of Church and State, and that the
lexas Constitution should neither add nor
detract from that time-honored language that
has been repeatedly interpreted by the U.S.
Supreme Court over the course of almost 200
years. To go beyond the limitations therein
stated means that Texas pupils in non-public
“My Niece Is a Shoplifter
My 15-year-old niece,-Beth, has admitted to
me that she has occasionally taken Hems
from department stores that have appealed to
her such as perfume, costume Jewelry, and
purses.
On the last occasion she was caught, and her
mother was furious, but refused to make
restitution. My sister denied that her
daughter could do such a thing.
Since my sister does not have a good
relationship with her daughter, I offered to
straighten out the matter for my niece.
Now my niece wants to live with me. Beth’s
father died several years ago, and her mother
works full time. The truth is that her mother
does not really love her.! would dearly love to
have Beth come and live with me.
Her mother is agreeable. My problem,
though, is that I am wondering how I can undo
the damage that has already been done to
Beth’s personality since she didn’t seem to be
aware of right or wrong. All she was afraid of
was that she might be caugl. . What are your
thoughts on the matter?
Beth’s confusion as to an awareness of right
or wrong may be related to her mother’s
indifference to her as well as to her father’s
death.
Sometimes when a parent dies, the pattern
of family life disintegrates because the
remaining parent is overcome with grief and
shock and is left with multitudinous
responsibilities all clamoring for his or her
attention.
At the same time the children feel bereft of
the emotional and spiritual support they
received from the parent who has died, and
quite naturally they turn to the remaining
parent for extra reassurance and love.
By James J. Rue, Ph.D.
LAST RESORT
In this instance, Beth may have turned to
her mother for consolation after her father’s
death, and finding little or no response, she
may have resorted to stealing as a means of
getting attention.
Because her mother did not deal with the
problem of Beth's theft on the first occasion.
Beth proceeded to steal without any overt
admission of wrongdoing.
Thus the relationship between mother and
daughter deteriorated still further. When
Beth finally was caught in the act of stealing,
her emotional disturbance could no longer be
ignored.
Your sister’s response of anger indicates
that she, too, is unhappy and disturbed.
Whether she is unable to cope with her
daughter, or with her feelings of grief and
frustration subsequent to her husband’s
death, the two problems would appear to be
related.
That is, your sister may be so concerned
with rebuilding her own life, or feeling sorry
for herself that die cannot or will not give
guidance and love to her daughter.
Ideally, Beth’s problems and her mother’s
could be ameliorated by joint counseling.
When they confide their feelings and
problems to an experienced counselor, the
real reasons for Beth’s petty thievery will
become apparent to both of them. They may
at this point discover that the mother-daugh-
ter relationship means a great deal to ther
and they may be able to sustain each other t
a more mature basis in the future.
CONFUSED
Because your sister is agreeable to
granting Beth permission to live with you,
this may not indicate a genuine indifference
to her daughter’s welfare. Your sister may be
temporarily overwhelmed and confused and
through counseling she may develop a desire
to strengthen this relationship.
On the other hand, it might be advisable for
you to provide a home for Beth during
counseling. In this way some of the tensions
between mother and daughter may be
lessened.
Somewhere during the period of counseling
mother and daughter will come to
independent decisions about their relation-
ship. If at some later date the three of you
honestly believe that you could give Beth a
more wholesome home life, then this
adjustment could be made.
CONTINUED SUFFERING
However, the primary mother-daughter
relationship is to be desired unless it is so
destructive to Beth that she will continue to
suffer psychological consequences.
Your love and sustenance should never be
thought of as “second choice,” because even
if mother and daughter are able to rebuild a
relationship, you will be offering a gift of self
to your sister and Beth which both need.
On the other hand, if Beth does finally live
with you, a relationship with her mother
should be sustained Insofar as this is humanly
possible.
Beth’s petty thievery will in all probability
disappear completely when these relation-
ships provide her with the love and direction
she needs.
An awareness of right and wrong are
usually defined by a loving parent or
surrogate, and the adolescent who loves and
respects this adult imitates the moral
guidelines that person establishes for her.
By Lallan Graham
schools will be prohibited from receiving
benefits available to students of schools in
other states My question is: Why should
Texas permanently bind itself in such a way
as to be absolutely unable to treat nonpublic
school pupils in Texas equally as well as they
are treated elsewhere in this nation? Do we
want this kind of thing enshrined in the
Constitution of our State? I don't think so.
It is assumed that all true Americans
believe in “separation of church and state.” I
know that I do, but i also believe that this
principle is stated with force and clarity in the
federal Constitution and that we shouldn’t
embark upon a course of experimentation in
relation to this fundamental American tenet.
There is no demonstrable need to go beyond
what the Founding Fathers said on this
subject, yet the proposed State Constitution
now being considered in Austin not only goes
well beyond the federal Constitution
but it also goes well beyond what the present
State Constitution has to say on this subject.
There are in Austin outspoken proponents
of the view that the Convention should
approve the proposed new Constitution “as
is, ” and they charge that people who differ
with them on this score are “obstructionists”
or “subversives.” This line is being put
forward on the basis of the argument that
Texas needs a new Constitution. Maybe we
do, but whether we do or not, the paramount
question is “What will be the contents of the
new Constitution?” We don’t want just any
kind of Constitution simply because it would
be new. A new Constitution can also be a bad
Constitution. Newness is not the test. Rather,
we should be concerned about what it does —
what it says -- what changes it would make —
and the long range implications of its
language. Therefore, there is nothing wrong
with anyone being against a new Constitution
if they are not in agreement with its contents.
If we are going to have a new Constitution let
us first be sure it will be a good Constitution:
Wherever language is proposed that we do not
like, let us say so — loud and clear. What we
are dealing with is our Constitution, so let us
all express OUR thoughts and viewpoints. To
paraphrase Patrick Henry, if this be
“obstructionism” or “subversion” then let
those who disagree with us make the most of
it.
The Spirit in Action
Justice In An Unjust World
By Fr. Ignatius P. Clictcuti
Social problems, generally, stem from
“man’s inhumanity to man” as well as from
the imbalance of justice among human
beings. There is no question about it that
wars, revolutions, strikes have always known
their origin in man’s disregard for his
God-established equality in the world of
humans. This issue is indeed a moral problem
because it lays aside every principle of
commutative justice. No doubt the spirit of
charity is of fundamental import to the
resolution of this crucial problem. When man
loves God and his neighbor no question arises
as to who is greater o. smaller, stronger or
weaker. Everyone will recognize that not one
of us is alone; all are one in Christ, and we can
be strong in the realization that we are
together and that we share in all and every
grace of one another. Many of us, perhaps all
of us, will feel hopelessly alone in the world,
as if cut off, isolated to a considerable degree.
But certain griefs flowing out of an unjust
world make one utterly alone even in the
midst of real friends; certain circumstances
which will become fairly general give us the
loneliness of homesickness, and events may
cut us off from one another physically. But
even among this kind of injustice there is not
a single thing that any one of us can do which
does not affect every other Christian in the
pursuit of love as a mode of action for justice.
SOCIAL REFORM
Social reform is based on the principle of
commutative justice which safeguards
against injustice from equals that would
further accentuate the social issue. The
keynote in this vital issue of justice is the
complete integration and full recognition of
every class, especially that of the
wage-earner. It often happened in the course
of history, as it already happened in our
recent past during the industrial revolution.
that an exclusive individualistic concept of
property as well as a declining understanding
of interests led to the accumulation of wealth
in the hands of a few. From this the
wage-earner was completely excluded as well
as from private and stock ownership.
It was just this exclusion of productive
goods from the hands of the workingman that,
during the widespread economic depression
of the past, led to the creation of the
proletariat, however, Catholic social teach-
ing as contained in the encyclical
Quadragesimo Anno by Pius XI, in Mater et
Magistra and Pacem in Terris by John XXIII,
and Populorum progressio of Paul VI, is
clearly directed at abolishing the proletariat
by granting the wage-earners their rightful
position as a social class in an existing social
order. Here is a salient quotation from Mater
et Magistra in which Pope John laments:
“The lack of reciprocal trust finds its
explanation in the fact that men, especially
those more responsible, are inspired in the
unfolding of their activity by different or
radically opposed concepts of life. Unfortun-
ately, in some of these concepts, the existence
of the moral order is not recognized: an order
which is transcendent, universal, absolute,
equal and binding on all. . . . Wherefore, the
repeated and impassioned appeals to justice
and the demands of justice, rather than offer
the possibility of meeting or understanding it,
increase the confusion, sharpen the contrast,
keep disputes inflamed, and in consequence,
the belief is spread that to enforce one’s rights
and pursue one’s own interests, no other
means are left than the recourse to violence,
source of the most serious evils.” Hence, the
good Pope sums it up in these few words:
“The moral order (of which justice is the
moderator) does not hold except in God.”
Letters to the Editor.
Requests From Our Readers
Dear Edita*
If your readers have used Christmas and
Easter Cards — but in good condition and
they wish to send them to a Missionary in
India, to make our Indian children happy, the
Cards should be mailed by ordinary package
to:
Rev. Fr. Eugenio Petrin, Catholic Mission,
P.O. Binnaguri, 735203, DM. Jalpaiguri,
W. Bengal, INDIA.
To avoid customs duty in India, these words
must be written on the package:
“No commercial value—Used Qiristmas-
Easter Cards — Printed matter.”
If the senders wish to get a ‘Thank you*
answer, they should write clearly their
address inside the package.
We badly need also financial help to feed at
higher cost this year, the cathecumens and
children trusted to our care. Could somebody
help us? Thanks.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Fr. E. Petrin
To the Editor:
May I take this opportunity to make a
request of the Texas Gulf Coast Catholic
readers?
How many times have you wished you could
help a Missionary but didn’t have the means?
Our community here at Don Bosco Seminary
in New Jersey has an idea. Saving cancelled
postage stamps is a great way to support the
Missions. All you do is save your stamps and
send them to is for sorting. We in turn sell
them to collectors and send the money to the
Missions. This is your chance to help a
Missionary.
If you are interested, contact:
The Salesian Stamp Exchange.
Dept. L
Don Bosco Seminary
Newton, N.J. 07360
A**y collector interested in purchasing
stamps can also contact us at the above
address.
Brother Teodoro Montemayor, S.D.B.
texts gulf coast
C ATHO LIC
Published weekly, except the last week of December and the last week of July.
Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi%
President.........................Moat Rev. Thomas J. Drury, D. D.
EdUor and Bualnaaa Manager.................Father Raymond Pena
Circulation Manager...............................Mrs. Irene Doyle
Advertising Manager ............................Mrs. Alice Price
Address all communications to:
TEXAS GULF COAST CATHOLIC
P. O. Box 2584. Corpus Christi, Texas 78403
Telephone - 882-6191 Ext. 34
Price: $4.00 per year
Entered as Second Class Matter United States Post Office
Corpus Christi. Texas
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Pena, Raymond. Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, February 8, 1974, newspaper, February 8, 1974; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth835845/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .