'Charged Of Charitable Works
Assumption Nursing Sisters Stand Trial'
As Durham Community Agencies 'Witness'
DURHAM — Maria Immacula
ta Council of the Knights of Co
lumbus, here, honored the Little
Sisters of the Assumption, a home
nursing community, during the
annual Columbus Day Banquet
on the 12th of October attended
by religious and civic leaders.
The featured speakers acted as
“witnesses” during a mock trial
of the Little Sisters who were ac
cused of “unceasingly perform
ing charitable works for the com
munity at personal sacrifice to
themselves.”
“Prosecutor” Thomas D. Dop
ier called persons to corroborate
the “charge.” H. C. Cranford, de
scribed as the most important
man in Durham because of his
role as Chairman of the United
Fund Campaign, led off by re
calling one of nearly one hun
dred instances of service to the
needy of the community by the
Sisters.
In that instance, he said that
the nursing nuns had provided
housekeeping and nursing serv
ices to a needy, non-Catholic
family for six months. He said
they “provided a wonderful serv
ice — in the .true tradition for
the United Fund Campaign
‘People Who Need People.’ ”
George Stockbridge, Executive
Secretary of the N.C. Health
Planning Council, said the Sisters
made it possible for people un
able to afford private nurses to
receive care at home rather than
to use hospital facilities. In this
way, he concluded, the Sisters
“raised the health quotient by
i 111
CATHOLICS OF DURHAM were joined by community service
organizations of their city in citing the work to the needy
sick by the Little Sisters of the Assumption. The local K of C
were host. Principals on the program are: 1. to r. Terrance M.
McCann, Grand Knight; Sister Christine, Superior of the
Assumption Convent and Nick Galifinakis, U.S. Congressman
from the Durham district.
several identifiable points in the
City.” Mrs. Theresa Russell fol
lowed with an account of the as
sistance she personally received
from the Sisters.
Richard Booth, of the Durham
Chamber of Commerce, sounded
a somewhat parochial note when
he urged that citizens do every
thing possible to keep the 'Reli
gious nurses in the city since
Charlotte is the only other city
blessed with the nursing order.
He commented that Durham, in
continual competition with all
other cities in the state, can ill
afford to give up any of the as
sets which distinguish it from its
sister cities.
REPAIR SERVICE RUBBER BELTING
SCHACHNER
Leather'& Belting Co.
and
Charlotte Leather Belting Co. Div.
Box 3205 Mi. 399-5351
CHARLOTTE, N.C.
VEE BELTS SPINNING APRONS
That boy in a stolen car. Stolen cars
have 200 times more accidents. Many fatal.
And who steals cars? 64% of people
arrested for car theft are under 18.
Teerr-agers who impulsively take a car for a
joyride. And who tempts them?
You do. 76% of stolen cars were
left unlocked. About half also had
ignition keys in them. Maybe
your boy doesn't mix with
boys who'd steal a car,
but he may walk across the
street aS they skid around
the wrong corner.
«*? •
Don't help a good boy go bad.
Lock your car. Take your keys.
Monsignor James McSweeney,
Pastor of Immaculate Concep
tion Parish, commented on the
self-sacrificial aspect of the
“charge.” He mentioned his per
sonal obseravtions of the chari
table services, — saying — the
Sisters declined the offer of a
home to be used for a convent
because it was “too luxurious.”
This building was condemned
shortly afterward as below city
standards for habitation. Aft
er his testimony it was clear that
the sisters were guilty of self
sacrifice.
Another member of the clergy,
Father Michael Carey, who rep
resented Bishop Vincent S. Wa
ters, then offered to provide a
haven in Raleigh for the Sisters
if they needed it after the
“trial.” He also substantiated the
earlier statements made by the
monsignor; it became even more
obvious at that point that the
sisters were “guilty as charged.”
U.S. Congressman Nick Galifi
anakis of Durham than described
the works of the Little Sisters as
being “in the sentiment of the
person I love most — my own
mother.” When the prosecu
tor rested his case, the defense
counsel for the Sisters, Walter
Sorgi, realized that the nuns had
no defense; in fact, they chose to
offer no witnesses to refute the
“charge.”
Jury Foreman Joseph Black
man summarized the feelings of
the jury — and of the one hun
dred-fifty guests — that the Lit
tle Sisters were indeed guilty of
personal sacrifice and of chari
table acts on the behalf of the
dependent in the community. He
concluded saying that to call
these nuns “little Sisters” was a
misnomer; instead, he argued,
that they should be called THE
BIG SISTERS OF DURHAM.
This comment brought the gath
ering to its feet for a standing
ovation as Sister Christine, Su
perior, joined Grand Knight Ter
ence M. McCann at the podium.
Sister thanked her friends on
behalf of the other “Big Sisters”
both for the testimonial dinner
and for the ways parish groups
and individuals have assisted the
nuns in accomplishing their good
works. Both the Little Sisters
Guild, of which Mrs. Edward
Back is president, and the
Knights of Columbus received
special mention as did the Im
maculate Conception Parish and
the United Fund. She added that
“it is a real pleasure and joy to
work in Durham and we hope to
stay for many more years in the
city.”
Following her remarks Sister
Christine received a plaque from
the Knights of Columbus com
memorating the occasion. In
keeping with the theme of PA
TRIOTISM at their annual ban
quet, the Knights of Columbus
mentioned the VALOR of the ^
Community of the Assumption'
in the inscription on thp award
to call attention to the fact that
the acts of the Little Sisters
were clearly “above and beyond”
what could reasonably be expect
ed of human beings — even of
THE BIG SISTERS OF DUR
HAM.
Priests’ Council Asks
Experiment Projects
PHILADELPHIA — (NC) —
The committee on liturgy of the
Philadelphia Council of Priests >
has recommended that a group
of priests be selected to engage
in authorized liturgical experi
mentation.
The committee also urged for
mation of a diocesan committee
to visit parishes to assist and en
courage implementation of the
norms for parish liturgical re
newal.
Treating of specific items, the f
committee noted that, “while the
installation of an altar facing the
people is not mandatory,” it is
“so germane to renewal” as to
render it highly recommended.
Recommendations from other
committees of the council in
cluded:
—A review of the concept of
an archdiocesan personnel
board to consider clergy place
ment and specialized study pro
grams for priests.
—Area meetings of pastors and
curates.
—Delegation of greater respon
sibility to assistant pastors.
—Establishment of a pastoral
advisory committee to consider
difficulties and grievances.
—A program of graduated *
compensation according to sen
iority for priest-teachers in dioc
esan high schools.
—Formation of faculty coun
cils for communication among
priests on faculties of individual
high schools.
—Establishment of a special
ized personnel board for priests
in education.
The Council of Priests adopted
a recommendation that at least
one clerical conference annually
be called by deaneries or other
subdivisions within the archdio
cese for consideration of prob
lems more local than those dis
cussed at archdiocesan confer
ences.
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