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The Church of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal, was the scene last week of a Papal Mass, offered by
Pope Paul, marking the 50th anniversary of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary here. The statue above
the main entrance was carved by an American sculptor, Father Thomas M. McGlynn, O.P., once stationed
at St. Monica’s Rectory in Raleigh. The Papal visit was televised to the United States on May 13.
Editor's Desk |
This is the season for proces
sions, May and graduation.
The late Edwin McNeill Poteat,
famed Baptist preacher, once
said of us during a N.C. Press
Association luncheon address at
Chapel Hill, entitled the “First
Estate speaks to the Fourth” . . .
Catholics can’t just walk, they
have to process.
A clerical columnist in the
Boston Catholic press asks, “In
lamenting the good old days,
one of the questions we could
ask ourselves is what has be
come of the May Processions in
the parish programs?”
If it is so, the writer contin
ues to rationalize that there is
the loss of the traditional set
ting. “Processions and demon
strations,” he adds, “have be
come the most conspicuous fea
ture of all protest or reform
movements.” He thinks that our
religious processions will be
back when the Pope John re
form and renewal has attained
its objectives and religion set
tles down.
For our part they were always
held at the hottest mid-after
noon part of the day, the chil
dren had to be assembled an
hour beforehand and it was up
to the pastor to calm the dis
gruntled fathers. The suppres
sion of the St Basil’s hymnal with
the hymn, “Bring Flowers of the
Rarest” and the repeated com
plete frustration of the guest
preacher are other factors. The
speaker would conscientiously
prepare a twelve or fifteen min
ute Marian sermon, possibly drive
100 miles round trip after three
Masses and a few Baptisms, only
to have a brother priest tug on
his surplice as the pulpit is ap
proached with the stage whisper
request, “Make it short.” The
See Editor’s Desk, page 5A
Fr. Francis Connell
Bishops Conduct
Raleigh Meeting
RALEIGH — Six bishops, or
dinaries of dioceses within the
Province of Atlanta and their
chancellors met here last week
together with the Most Rev. Paul
J. Hallinan, D.D., Archbishop of
Atlanta and Prelate of the Prov
ince.
They assembled to formulate
ecumenical relation guidelines
for the implementation of Vati
can Council recommendations
for relations with other Chris
tian religious groups.
The Most Rev. Vincent S. Wa
ters, D.D., Bishop of Raleigh,
with the Most Rev. Charles B.
Laughlin, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop
and the Very Rev. Louis E. Mor
ton, Chancellor, were hosts to
the assembly which met at the
Sir Walter Hotel here.
Clergy from the dioceses of
Charleston, S.C., Miami and St.
Augustine, Fla., Savannah and
the Abbot of Belmont Abbey
took part in the sessions.
Requiem Offer
For Fr. Connell,
Noted Theologian
WASHINGTON — Solemn Pon
tifical Requiem Mass for Father
Francis J. Connell, C.SS.R., 79,
for years one of this nation’s
best known moral theologians,
was offered in the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Con
ception here.
Archbishop Patrick A. O’Boyle
of Washington officiated at the
Mass. Burial was in the Redemp
tdrist cemetery in Annapolis,
Md.
Father Connell died May 12 in
Providence Hospital here. He
had been a patient for a month
and had several heart attacks.
Since his retirement from the
Catholic University of America
here, where he taught for 17
years, Father Connell had resid
ed at Holy Redeemer College,
the Redemptorist major semi
nary close by the university. He
is survived by a sister.
Father Connell had many con
tacts with the Diocese of Ral
eigh. He was a close friend of
Bishop Waters. Many clergy of
the state, both diocesan and re
ligious, attended his classes at
Catholic University. He con
ducted retreats in North Caro
lina; both for clergy and laity.
He was a moderator of a priests’
retreat-conference on the study
of Vatican Council Decrees at
Wilmington and Asheville last
year. A few years ago the annu
al N.C. Retreat for Laymen held
at Southern Pines was under his
direction.
Theology Professor
Father Connell was born in
See Father Connell, page 5A
50th Anniversary
Two Million Greet
Pope on Fatima Visit
FATIMA, Portugal — (NC)—
One might tritely wonder what
a difference 50 years makes, but
what a difference it was!
The concrete plaza in front of
the Fatima basilica, from the
high cross at the far end, was
covered with more people than
Fatima had ever seen at one
time. Observers estimated more
than two million were here for
the celebration of the 50th anni
versary and to greet Pope Paul
VI on his brief visit to the
world-famous shrine.
The Pope’s Tap Portuguese
airlines Caravelle had left the
airport at Rome at 6:30 a.m. and
landed at Monte Real military
airport near here about 9:30
a.m., where the Pontiff was
greeted by the Portuguese am
bassador to the Holy See. Presi
dent Tomas of Portugal and oth
er government dignitaries. The
Pope gave a brief response to
the president’s greetings and the
See Fatima, page 5A
Belmont Lists
129 Graduates
BELMONT — Eighteen Cath
olic students from North Caro
lina are among the 129 seniors
who are candidates for the Bach
elor’s degree at Belmont Abbey
College, here.
Receiving the bachelor of arts
degree are Thomas D. Siegle of
Winston-Salem; Jane Dugger
Massey of Greensboro; Bennie
G. Farmer of Goldsboro;
See Belmont, page 5A
BISHOP'S RESIDENCE
600 BILYEU STREET
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
My Dear Catholics of Durham:
Through the help of Almighty God, the Carmelite Sisters
of the Ancient Observance of Asheville, and the rest of the
country, I was able to preserve the Carmel of Durham by con
tinuation of a new foundation of this original branch of Car
mel. I am sure that the people of Durham are delighted that
this near-miracle was accomplished. The Sisters have moved in
but are not yet cloistered, as there is much work to be done
both within and without the convent. I believe some of you have
already been helping them, and it is my hope that more and
more friends will continue to help them as the years go on.
The principal work of the Carmelites is to assist you in
saving your souls by their prayers and sacrifices, and this is
done, not only for the Catholics, but for everybody in the
Diocese, particularly in Durham where the Sisters are located.
Only Judgment Day will reveal to you and to me how much they
have done for us and for this missionary diocese. However,
they are like the rest of us — they need to be appreciated and
loved.
I am sure that the good people of Durham, and especially
all of those who belong to the Carmelite Guild, under the for
mer regime, will reorganize and assist these good Sisters in
the spiritual work of the parishes in Durham, as well as the
Diocese of Raleigh. I am confident that Monsignor McSweeney,
Father Woods, Father Scherer, and Father Risacher, and all the
Priests and Sisters will welcome these new Sisters from Ashe
ville and help them to get settled in their new convent and
support them by their means.
I have scheduled for the Carmelites a Cloistering ceremony
which will be preceded by a Reception at 3:00 P.M., on Sun
day, May 28th. The actual Cloistering ceremony and Benedic
tion will take place at 4:30 P.M. Priests, Sisters, Laity, and
guests, will have the opportunity to see the whole convent in
Durham preceding the ceremony of Cloistering and Benedic
tion. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to make
this a real house-warming, pounding-party as well as an oc
casion to make a donation to these good Sisters and their
wonderful work. Undoubtedly, no one but the Lord, Himself,
can outdo them in their generosity to us, and I am sure you
will be well repaid.
Wishing each and every one of you God’s choicest blessings
and hoping to meet you at 3:00 P.M. on May 28 at Durham,
I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
* VINCENT S. WATERS
Bishop of Raleigh