Senate of Priests Continued from page 1A gram was agreed upon. Available to clergy personal requests were the Rt. Rev. Peter McNerney, Rev. Gerald Kennedy* O.M.I. and Rev. Charles Mulholland. A pro gram to meet post-ordination ed ucation by which a priest may wish some further advancement in the knowledge of a particular field of study was agreed upon. A committee was formed to assist him, naming Fathers Donald Staib, John Wall and Charles Mulholland. Format of Retreats Suggestions were also made as to the manner in which the for mat for priest retreats could be patterned. Some asked that priests be given an option on the place of retreat and that confer ences be adapted to contemporary needs. Many expressed . their prefer ence for the “workshop” type of retreat held last year while study ing the council decrees. Bishop Waters said that the spiritual for mation of the clergy was foremost in the importance of the days’ considerations. Of general interest to all were the recommendations for the wel fare of retired and infirmed clergy as well as those tempo rarily incapacitated from active oastoral duty. Clerical Subsidy A presentation of recommen dations urged that the present Clerical Relief Fund now admin istered by Monsignor Hugh Dolan and Father Cletus Helfrich of Salisbury be continued and the funds be enlarged. Monsignor Ed ward T. Gilbert presented these recommendations — priests who have spent most of their lives in the diocese have in effect no other home — so some fixed ar rangement should be made with a Catholic health caring institu tion in the Diocese to receive clergy who need temporary or permanent medical care. He also cited the need for better com munications between the clergy of informing one another of the illness of a brother priest. Clerical Retirement On the subject of retirement he made recommendations at an age in which a priest may retire if he so will, an age in which a priest may resign from parishes involving large responsibilities and an age at which priests must retire from active ministry. While ages were definitely suggested it was agreed that the committee should make a further study on the matter. Stuns of retirement were suggested by Fathers Fred erick Koch and Mulholland, com mittee members. Msgr. Gilbert presented the figures. If a priest desires to retire in a church sponsored facility he would receive a monthly subsidy of $330, living privately he would be entitled to $550 a month. These allotments would be made from the present clerical fund augmented by an increased an nual sum by the diocesan clergy and a 50 cents per capita tax of every Catholic in all the parishes. The good will of the laity, Mon signor Gilbert said, would be as sured in this fund. The parishes of the diocese administered by religious orders would give like amounts to the community of the clergy for their care of dependent priests. The committee was asked to re-evaluate the recommenda tions and submit them in a more definite form at the next senate meeting which will take place on Sept. 6. School Discussions The assembled clergy voted to make the recommendations pro posed by the Rev. J. Paul Byron, Charlotte, for the merger of the two Catholic high schools in that city. The unification of the boys’ high school presently taught by the Marianist Brothers and Our Lady of Mercy High School for girls conducted by the Sisters of Mercy was seen as a conservation method of faculty membership as well as operational costs. Bishop McLaughlin stated the pressing for the replacement of the present Notre Dame High School facility at Greensboro. Father Donald Staib, coordinator at the school, said that a nearby site was under consideration and that an estimate for an all metal building construction would be received within a few days. Some priests said that a concentrated effort for a specialized CCD pro gram would be sufficient. Bishop Waters expressed his conviction that only a fully accredited Cath olic high school program would fill the conscientious needs of Catholics in that community. Fathers Wall, Koch, Mulhol land and Msgrs. Begley and Gable were asked to form a social apos tolate committee for future pro grams of Priests Senate meetings. A three-point program of communications, the commending priestly authority, pastoral coun selling, the recognition of needs of poverty, the drop-out, the re tarded, were proposed by the agenda committee for future meetings of the Senate. Serving on this subject are: Msgrs. McNerney, Begley, Dolan and Lynch and Fathers Kennedy and Wall. The approaching time for ajournment required the tabling of these recommendations to the study of the committee un til the early September meeting. MAY MEETING Bogota, Colombia — (NC) — The general secretariat of the Latin American Bishops’ Coun cil (CELAM), headquartered here, will hold a general meeting May 13-20. Members of CELAM’s departments and spe cialized institutes will report on their individual programs, with the aim of coordinating these programs. J. R. GRAHAM & SON CONSTRUCTION CO. 628 Greensboro Rood High Point, North Carolina Senate of Priests with Bishops Have Initial Meeting I .... . I III I li II mi I W Pictured are clergy of the Diocese of Raleigh who are members of the Senate of Prie and who were called into their first session on April 6 at the Bishops residence in Ralei( The assembled clergy are (front row, 1. to r.) the Rt. Rev. Peter McNerney, Rev. Charles Mi holland, Rt. Rev. Charles J. Gable, Rt. Rev. Michael J. Begley, Rt. Rev. Frank J. Howard, a Rt. Rev. Hugh A. Dolan; (second row) Rev. Edward O’Doherty, a visitor, assistant at Hendi sonville who delivered a spiritual conference to the group, Rev. Donald A. Staib, Very R< Charles J. O’Connor, Rev. John Wall, Very Rev. Michael A. Carey and Rev. Gerald Kennei O.M.I.; (third row) Rev. Frederick A. Koch, Rt. Rev. George E. Lynch, Rev. J. Paul Byron, ] Rev. Edward T. Gilbert, Most Rev. Charles B. McLaughlin, Auxiliary Bishop, and Most R< Vincent S. Waters, Ordinary of the Diocese. Editor's desk Continued from page 1A but an affected, stem windward eye was kept for deficiencies in “effort” or “application.” And when high grades of arithmetic, spelling, grammar and science would laugh at low ones in his tory and geography, there was always a comment about too much “Bat Man and Robin” and not enough home study. As they would singularly ap proach the desk you would re member your pastor 40 years ago who would give you your card with a paternal smile, re gardless of what progress or lack of it was indicated and remark, “Fred Koch has a good card.” CITY PLUMBING CO. Phone 332-3739 375-4240 211 Tuckaseegee Rd. Charlotte, North Carolina Once in awhile there would be a “terror” with a bad case of the “Budges” or a “wiggler” with a “black mark” in the “applica tion” column, and you would hear yourself say, “see me after school.” Having had some time to kill in the Washington Airport a year ago, we passed the “Avis Car rental booth” and picked up a “We’ll try harder” button from their ad campaign. Upon request the lady kindly gave me a pocket full of them, and it was great to be able to occasionally attach one to a report card that need that certain extra “umph." 1 hope everybody this week had “good card.” Twenty years ago the N.C reported on a Holy Week Seri of Sermons delivered at the ( thedral by Father Joseph T. ( Callahan, S.J., once c h a p 1 a. hero on the aircraft carrii “Franklin” and who w awarded the Congressional Mi al of Honor. Father died a f years ago and his sister, a ni since then dedicated a naval v sel to his memory. R.I.P. WATSON Insurance Agency INSURANCE PROTECTION AUTO-HOME-BUSINESS / “Gaston County’s Largest Insurance Agency” 245 East Second Are. Gastonia, N. C. BINNINGS INC. Manufacturers & Distributors Of Aluminum Building Products Storm Windows & Doors Phone 249-9193 Mize Road Lexington, North Carolina