Carolina News' Rev. Robert McMahon Father Robert McMahon, pastor of the Newton /imre Parish, will conduct a series of Retreats in Venezuela, S.A. from Sept. 11 to 23. The re treatants will be American Priests and Sis ters who are working in the South Ameri can missions; the majority will come from the Maryknoll, Franciscan and Edmunite Com munities but Rev. Robert McMahon many American Diocesan priests will be included. Thus far about 12 American Sisters have indicated their intention of making the retreat. Father Mc Mahon will return to North Carolina on Sept. 26th. An Ecumenical Proposal CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (RNS) — Formation of a council representing local churches and syna gogues for joint action on community moral and so cial problems was endorsed by the Charlotte-Meck lenburg Ministers Association’s Executive Commit tee here. To be known as the Charlotte Council of Churches, the proposed interreligious group would be composed largely of laymen representing Prot estant, Catholic and Jewish congregations. The proposed council would be designed to “get things done.” Work of the council would in clude improving communications among churches and synagogues and among the well-to-do and the poor, launching of a prison ministry, and helping to solve problems of personal and social morality. School Lunch Service The New Hanover County School Board has agreed to allow students at St. Mary’s School in Wilmington to have lunchroom service at the near by public school. The students at the Catholic school will pay the same fee for lunch service as the public school students. The request for lunch room service was made by Sister Mary Imelda, prin cipal of St. Mary’s school on behalf of the 200 pa rochial school students. Serra Convention Bishop Vincent S. Waters will attend the re gional convention of Serra Clubs which will be held in Washington, D.C. from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. The Serra organization is composed of business and profes sional men who work to foster vocations to the priesthood. Eight other Bishops are planning to attend this m eeting and . will offer a concelebrated Mass at the prin cipal session. Salisbury Men's Club SALISBURY — “The farmer is being made the scapegoat for the rise in grocery prices” N.C. Agri culture Commissioner James A. Graham told the members of the Sacred Heart Mens club at their September meeting. Mr. Graham, a native of Rowan County, said “Much of the rise in the family gro cery bill is not because of the higher cost of living, but rather because people are living higher. Amer icans are generally enjoying a feast of good living which 30 years ago they were unable to afford.” The Commissioner added that “in the past 30 years the national per capita income had increased nearly 450 per cent. The recent increase in retail food prices reflects the cost of labor going into the processing and preparation now demanded by the present day housewife.” The Commissioner pointed out that the “farmer’s gross income does not rise in proportion to his increased business expenses.” The Sacred Heart Men’s club is headed by E. R. Bianchi and is an active organ in Sacred Heart par ish. Cursillo A Cursillo for men will be held at Bishop Mc Guinness High School in Winston-Salem beginning Thursday evening Oct. 6th and finishing Sunday af ternoon Oct. 9th. This retreat is open tp all men in the diocese; applications can be had through the pastor or directly to Father Byron — Spiritual Di rector — St. Gabriel’s parish, Charlotte. The Cursil lo is a spiritual retreat emphasizing discussion and liturgical participation. Green Stamps St. John’s Prep Seminary will be grateful for the receipt of Green Stamps to assist the furnishing of the new building. The recreation rooms in the new wing are attractive and appreciated but also quite bare, lacking chairs, tables and game equip ment. Many desk lamps will also have to be pur chased to replace those broken and worn out. The seminary operates on a limited budget and thus the items obtained by donated Green Stamps are of considerable help. Individuals as well as parish groups are asked to help the seminary with these stamps. Please forward them to: St. John Vianney Hall, 237 Victoria Rd., Asheville, N.C. Enters Trinity College Patricia Ann Hillman of Asheville is one of 263 Freshmen beginning studies at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Hillman of Biltmore Forest and is a graduate of St. Mary’s High School, Manhasset, N.Y. Your Local Photographer WALLER STUDIO 126 Vi Fayetteville Street Raleigh, N. 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By NANCY WEST All in the Family Aren’t most of us really interested in just two things: ourselves and other people? Abstractions just don’t grip us until we see their rele vance to us as people. Even God had to put on flesh to get a hearing. If I seem to linger over the obvious it is because of an entire Mon day morning spent studying two chapters of the Decree on the Apos tolate of the Laity. I was trying to come up with some pointing fingers for the mind. Struggle, struggle. The Vatican Council’s De cree is clear, scripturally based, complete, challenging. But what can be said about it? Read it, can be said about it. And? Spend your life living it, might be added. What was really obvious after this period of study was how gladly I jumped to answer the telephone’s clamor and with how much more lively interest my friend’s words were heard than the Decree had been read. Perhaps this call is a message to say that my job is not to retell the Council’s utterances but to illustrate, put flesh on them. Of course Bunyan thought of this first, but Pilgrim’s Progress is our aim, too. And which is more widely read—Jim Bishop or a theology text? As you know our task as lay apostles is to bring Christ where we are, to bring His message to the world today, and to work to make Truth and reality the same. After a typical Monday lunch of two chicken wings and three stalks of broccoli, I reflect that my friend Fe licia is a message on the lay apostolate, the Council emphasis on which is described by Martin Work as moving a pot simmering on the back burner to a front burner turned up high. Felicia gives permission, and so I’ll tell you about our conversa tion. Her main reason for calling, just an appetizer for women phon ers, was to inyite me for coffee with a county commission candidate. We couldn’t get together on this. Wrong party. But this lay apostle is carrying out something of the Decree whether she has read it or not. By working to put a man of high principle into public office, she is working to better the temporal order. The rest of our conversation related to an illustration of charism, the Decree’s term for the gifts of the Holy Spirit we must share. Felicia shared her great skill of communicating recently when she gave a talk. In the course of the talk she also shared the crises of her life for the purpose of revealing how God had drawn her to Himself and re-oriented her life. Through this incidence of giving, the receiving is still going on; the stone is dropped in the water and the widening circles of loving action spread from it. From giving the talk Felicia made a new friend, a nun. Today she told me this new friend had helped tremendously with a family problem. Further she said that she has been able to help another friend by directing her to this Sister. As the Decree quotes St. Peter, “according to the gift each has received, administer it to one another” and become “good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Stewardship testimonies welcomed: 3352 Willow Oak Rd. last what your doctor ordered... The registered pharmacist is your physi cian’s “right hand man” in protecting or restoring your health. Here your pre scription is filled with professional pre cision. Day or night, we are at your im mediate service. Count on us! 3 Registered Pharmacists to Serve Your Needs New River Pharmacy "Your Family Drug Store" Ph. 347-4175—New River Shopping Center—Jacksonville