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No. 1989. PERTH, THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1976
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• Irish bishops on needy, morals DUBLIN. — At the end of their meeting in Maynooth last week, the Irish bishops issued a statement stressing the harsh realities of the economic situation in the country and expressing concern "that many people do not seem to appreciate the seriousness of the situation."
MULLAH OFFICE BEARERS
Archbishop urges laity to attend Diocesan Assembly
Pictured is the new Majellan executive: ADELAIDE.— Archbishop Gleeson this week has urged lay people from left: to attend the annual Diocesan Assembly next weekend. MARGARET BENNIArchbishop Gleeson said share their common con- pie to take back to their for the whole diocese." parishes information on the SON, diocesan presi- that the day would be of cern The Archbishop said that latest developments in the great value for lay people dent; PAULINE WARD, actively involved in their brief reports would be pre- Church, particularly where sented from the recent na- these apply to the local levpublicity KATH KEA- parishes. "This especially applies to tional and Adelaide laity el. TING; PAM SMITH, "People will have the opof parish pastoral conferences. secretary - treasurer members portunity to talk to each councils," he said. and BREDE ROGERS, other in small groups about "The assembly is a vital EMPHASIS "The emphasis will be on their own interests. diocesan vice presi- event. "Once a year it allows the their recommendations for "These will include adult dent. clergy, religious and laity action," he said. Christian formation, liturgy,
"This will help lay peo- ecumenism, and charity and service in the Church "Groups will also be arranged on regional lines for the sharing of ideas and of problems being faced by local pastoral councils." ( Incorporating Loreto Convent and St. Louis) Archbishop Gleeson will attend the assembly all day, and will be available to answer questions. Mrs. Pat Hehir, chairman of the assembly planning committee, said that parish Enrolments are invited for Years 1, 2, 3, 4 (expanding priests and pastoral councils had been invited to arto two classes in each year) . range representative groups. "But we hope many othThere are limited places available for Years 5, 6, 7 er people will come for the whole day." she said. and Year 8 (First year high school) . "The committee would like to emphasise that the Please telephone Principals' Secretaries . . . assembly is for every CatholiC, not just those already 31 1122 ST. LOUIS active in their parishes." or Mrs. Hehir said tea and 31 7280 coffee would be provided, LORETO but people were asked to bring their own lunch. of Adelaide to meet and
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JOHN XXIII COLLEGE
CLAREMONT Enrolments for Boys and Girls for 1977
PRESSURE ON CZECHS URGED In a letter to the secretary of State,. Dr. Henry Kissinger, in which he described the Czechoslovakian regime as "one of the most repressive in eastern Europe in regard to the exercise of human rights," Bishop Rausch, general secretary of the U.S. Bishops Conference, urged the U.S. Government to take into account "blatant violations" of human rights in Czechslovakia in any negotiations with that country on trade and financial matters. Having indicated specific ways in which human rights, particularly the right to freedom of religion, are violated in Czechoslovakia, he added that "its is not fashionable" to insist that human 'rights be included on the agenda because "it is often suggested that the United States has neither influence on the conduct of internal affairs of other countries, nor any business in these affairs."" He insists, however, that "when rights are violated with impunity somewhere, they are implicitly threatened everywhere."
If "a renewed sense of kind — as far as state law national purpose and co-op- is concerned — is the imeration"is not acquired, pact on society which a they said, and if various change in the law would sectors are too greedy or be likely to have. too selfish to accept the sacrifices which the situation CHANGE OR WEAKEN? demands, economic recovery Would it tend to change could be delayed, perhaps the character of the society disastrously. for the worse, to weaken the family, to make decent PRESERVING INJUSTICE living more difficult for the The habit of extravagant young? This is the type of quesor ostentatious living can blind people to the distinc- tion which has to be faced tion between luxuries and by the legislators or, in the necessities; and similarly, a case of a proposed change selfish use of economic or in the Constitution, by the industrial power can have electorate as a whole. Questions such as these, the effect of preserving injustice rather than promot- the bishops add, are obviously open to public debate ing the common good. It leads to spiralling pri- and yet they are questions ces and rising unemploy- which are usually avoided. ment. They express special con- DIVORCE It can be strongly argued, cern about "the effect of this situation on the weak for example, that the introand unorganised — the aged, duction of divorce would, widows and disabled per- as it has done in other sons living on pensions". — countries, seriously weaken and about "the plight; of family life and vastly inmany young people leaving crease the number, of childschools, colleges and univer- ren whose upbringing is dasities with qualifications :and maged by the fact that they skills they cannot use be- come, from broken homes. Yet this social dimension cause the openings are not of the matter is usually igthere." nored. NOT BINDING Instead the question is During the meeting, there discussed in the false conwas also some discussion on text as to whether the State the question of "public .mo- should impose Catholic morality" and the bishops !felt ral teaching on all, irrespecthey should point out that tive of their beliefs — it is not their view that, in something which the bishops the law of the State, "the have never suggested. principles peculiar to our Obviously, state laws whifaith should be made bind- ch the common good deing on people who do not mands may in certain cases coincide with the requireadhere to that faith." The statement issued by ments which Catholic moral the Bishops' Conference in teaching makes on the indiNovember, 1973, they said, vidual. That does not change the had already made this clear, and had repeatedly empha- character of such laws nesised that the question to be cessary for the good of sodecided in matters of this ciety.
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