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PENALTIES ALONE REMOVED Reception Was Act 01 Deception FROM CREMATION CEREMONY
LONDON: ANNE BIEZANEK, refused Communion at her own parish for running a local birth control clinic in defiance of Shrewsbury diocesan authorities, received the sacrament at noon Mass among crowds of communicants at Westminster Cathedral.
DR.
The Congregation of the Holy Office has mitigated the penalties regarding cremation, but stresses that the Christian concept of burial is still to be protected as thoroughly as possible. Competent sources in the Vatican said an instruction has been sent to the bishops of the world on the subject of cremation. It was stressed, however, that it was not designed as a wholesale authorisation to substitute cremation for the traditional form of Christian interment or burial.
First Time In A Century
LOST IN CROWD
Traditional Burial Still Remains It was pointed out that the .Church has always held that the bodies of deceased Catholics be interred. This is in accordance Christian with ancient practices, it was stated, and is also more in accordance with the doctrine of the resurrection of the body at the Last Judgment. It was also noted in the instruction that cremation objectively speaking is not contrary to faith. However, some people, particularly in Europe, have recremation — and garded may still regard it—as a demonstra.tion of atheism or a rejection of the teaching of the Church. For such as these, the Church has laid down severe penalties if they desire cremation for themselves or arrange for ethers to be cremated.
Present Law' It was pointed out that the anti-religious aspect in cremation is nowadays less violent. In some places and under certain circumstances it is required either by national custom or by serious reasons of a hygienic or economic nature. Therefore, becaust of these reasons, the penalties regarding cremation have been mitigated. However, the penalties still retain their full force for those who would practise cremation for anti-Catholic motives. The instruction does not specify what penalties are Involved or precisely how they are mitigated.
The Old Decree A decree issued by the Holy Office on May 19. 1886. though it did not say cremation is intrinsically wrong or may not be used under certain circumstances, did condemn and forbid the practice in general, specifically as a response to efforts of Masons and other sects—particularly in Italy—in founding societies to popularise it,
Another cathedral priest said: "About three thousand come to Mass and Communion each Sunday. You don't ask if each is in the state of grace. You presume that, and therefore one just cannot comment further." Referring to the doctor's claim that this was a sign that the head of the English Hierarchy, Archbishop John Heenan of Westminster, "has given Catholics their freedom," another priest of the cathedral staff said: "The onus was on the priest saying Mass whether he should refuse anyone Communion. It has nothing to do with Archbishop Heenan. That is a law of the Church."
most of them with the intention of thus publicly denying the Christian teaching on the resurrection of the body. Catholic circles in Holland are reported to have understood that while cremation remains forbidden under the present instruction, the wish to be cremated should no longer constitute a reason for refusal of the Sacrament of the Sick and Viaticum.
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Less Violent Present Church law specifically forbids the following -- cremation of a human corpse: formal cooperation (intentional) in the act of cremation; disposition for the cremation of one's own body or that of another; membership in societies advocating or promoting cremation; imparting sacramental absolution to a person who, having ordered that his body be cremated after death, refuses to retract such an order; and granting Church burial to such a person upon his death.
Dr. Biezanek, 36-year-old mother of seven and wife of a Polish ship's steward at Wallasey, Cheshire, jubilantly claimed vic,tory at an excited pavement press conference, after a six-month battle with the Wallasey clergy. But cathedral authorities said later "there were about two hundred people receiving Communion at the noon Mass and Dr. Biezanek was not recognised by the priest giving Holy Communion. The priest was cathedral chaplain Father Victor Guazzelli.
solor
The doctor was given much publicity in the news media, but jubilation appeared to have given way to anger when she returned home on Monday to Wallasesy. Archbishop Heenan, absent from the cathedral at the time, said later she was guilty of "an act of moral cowardice."
Liturgy Reform In England
LONDON: PREPARATIONS FOR LITURGICAL REFORM IN ENGLAND THIS YEAR ARE BEING INTENSIFIED. A tape-recording of an ing planned for both the experimental Mass in Eng- clergy and the laity. lish is being produced and The Vernacular Society — • ['hot() N.C. special instructions are be- of Great Britain, a Catholic group supporting the use of English in the liturgy, announced it has set up a special sub-committtee to prepare the Mass. Father Gregory Murray, 0.S.B., a leading liturgist, has taken charge of the project. The Westminster ArchPARIS diocese has announced a p AOLO CARDINAL MARELLA, WHO HEADS T HE HOLY SEE'S NEW SECRETARIAT FOR NON major campaign to preCHRISTIANS, SAID HERE THAT THE FIRST T ASK OF THE SECRETARIAT WILL BE TO BRING pare priests and people for the new changes. After the ABOUT AN EXCHANGE OF POINTS OF VIEW. summer holiday period, instructions on the reHe said it will strive to The 69-year-old Cardinal retariat will have its great- great a number as possible forms are to be given at learn what non-Christian is a veteran papal diplo- est development." of these persons, engaged all Sunday Masses throughr eligions really teach and mat who spent 15 years in in the life of the predomi- out the diocese. Other dioto let them know what the the Far East as Apostolic "This institution," he nantly non-Christian ceses are Catholic religion really Delegate to Japan. During e xplained, "must be tinents or nations." con- moves. . planning similar teaches. heart the of to the brought that time, he became an The reforms in this Cardinal Marella said "This is not as easy as expert on the Shinto reli- masses who know neither the secretariat would country are confidently exsoon Our Lord nor His Church. one might think," said the gion. enlist the help of many pected to be put into operaadapted very must I be t Cardinal. He was in Paris as papal tion next November 29, the flexibly to the character consultors with a sound Cardinal Marella, named legate to the eighth cen- and religious spirit of dif- knowledge of such reli- first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of the on May 17 by Pope Paul tenary festivities of Notre ferent countries. gions and nations. new Church year. VI to head the new secre- Dame Cathedral and was "Without any thought of tariat. emphasised that the interviewed by the Catho"Thus, it will be essen- proselytism, we will The Hierarchy has almake agency will not be a "new lic daily newspaper, La tially the task of the the submitted its final ready Catholic Church c ongregation for the pro- Croix, bishops and the hierarchy known. and, arrangements to Rome for itself it will pagation of the Faith" or Cardinal Marella said as well as of competent learn to know the non- approval. a new organ of the Second that although the secre- laity. These competent • Australia's Bishops are Vatican Council such as tariat's headquarters are persons already exist. We Catholic religions, especi- meeting this week in Sydally those practised by the the Secretariat for Pro- in Rome. "it is not in the will apply ourselves to masses of Africa and ney to consider the liturmoting Christian Unity. Eternal City that the sec- forming and arousing as Asia," he said. gical reforms for Australia. For the first time in a century a pope walked the streets of Rome carrying the monstrance in a Corpus Christi procession. Pope Paul VI is pictured as he re-established the custom. After carrying the Host around the Circus Maximus, he officiated at Benediction there and spoke briefly to the assembled thousands.
Cardinal Explains Function Of Secretariat For Non-Christians