,b--THE PROGRESS Friday, Nov. 15, 1963
Pandora's Box?
God's World: What
Reader's Indigestion
he food for thought prepared by the
editors of Reader's Digest is becom-
ing more difficult to masticate and some-
times impossible to swallow. After
forcing down a few pages of the Novem-
ber issue entitled, "Catholics and Birth
Control--A Bold Re-examination," we
felt desperately in need of a bottle of
"intellectual Alka-Seltzer.
The article to which we refer was
written by George Barrett and condensed
from The New York Times. The author
seems to take it for granted that artificial
birth control is the accepted and necessary
means of population control in modern
society. It follows, therefore, that since
the Catholic Church has traditionally
condemned this practice as immoral and
sinful, the Roman Church will have to
change her ancient doctrines if she is to
serve humanity in the 20th Century.
Now, the author doesn't say this
himself, at least not in the condensed
version which we read. Instead (and
this is a clever bit of journalistic art)
he looks around to find Catholics to
say it for him. Those in favor of
change and "re-examination" are the
"good guys"wthe honest, "bold," cour-
ageous Catholic intellectuals. Those
who uphold the traditional doctrine
appear in the article as conservative,
old-fashioned stuffed shirts.
pparently all one has to do today is
quote the little story about Pope
John opening a window when asked to
describe the purpose of the Second Vati-
can Council. Then in the name of "fresh
air in the Church" any subject or sacred
institution is fair game. Pick at random
a controversiM topic--say birth control--
decide what you consider to be a fresh
Catholic approach to it and then inter-
view a lot of Catholics. Eventually you
will collect a sufficient number of re-
spected Catholics who, if quoted out of
context, appear to agree with you. Add
to these a few misinformed or confused
Catholics, and behold, you have the mak-
ings of a real shocker. Thus, in the name
of objective reporting there is generated
great interest and even greater confusion.
Sometimes we modern Americans
tend to forget that Divine Law is the
result of God's Inspiration and mot the
brainchild of democratic processes nor,
least of all, the contrivance of imagina-
tive ]ournalists. Fathers of the Council
of Trent did not take up a "dogma
popularity poll" among 13th Century
Catholics in order to determine Chris-
tian Doctrine. Nor are the Fathers of
Vatican II interested in counting heads
to calculate morality.
Catholics and birth control, as it
appears in Reader's Digest, is a good
object lesson for all of us. It reminds us
that the secular press is not the place to
study Catholic theology. The actual
changes that are coming out of Vatican
II are indeed encouraging to all of us.
But many of the anticipatory articles we
discover in popular magazines leave us
with nothing short of reader's indigestion.
ONALD KNOX o n c e
wrote that you can
Simplicity or SK' ilk lgg, ,xv?
By REV. JOHN B. SHEERIN, C.S.P.
not sure whether the ban was loyal emulation, mutual rev-
inspired by a higher source
About Purgatory?
BY REV. LEO J. TRESE
UR knowledge of purgatory is rather limited. We
do know that it is the place or state where a
soul receives its final furbishing, if needed, in prepa-
ration for heaven.
The word "place" is somewhat ambiguous, as
this word means a particular
position in t h e created uni-
verse, whereas a disembodied
soul is not subject to the limi-
tations of material creation. As
far as the soul is concerned,
purgatory would be "any
place" where the soul cannot
see God.
The inability of the soul to
see GOd is the essence of the
suffering of purgatory. Housed
in its physical body, the soul
in this life is shielded from the
powerful attraction which GOd
exerts upon the human spirit.
Released from the body by
death, the soul feels the irre-
sistible pull of God's attractive-
ness. Like a rocket from i t s
launching pad, the soul tries to
go to GOd along with all the
power of its being.
Temporary Barrier
But, although God is every-
where, no soul with the least
taint of self-love can see Him
who must be the total object of
our love. One who dies free
from grave sin has not rejected
God. Yet, even unrepented ve-
nial sin or unfulfilled penance
for sin constitutes a barrier be-
tween the soul and God. This is
not a permanent barrier, as
mortal sin is; but this tempo-
rary barrier must somehow be
demolished before the soul,
completely purified of self, is
erence, friendly concord w free for union with Him Who
FATHER TRESE
son who has worthily received
the Holy Annointing in his last
illness would be in no need of
purgatory. This w o u ! d be
true also of anyone who has
gained a plenary indulgence
just before death, or who was
able to make an act of perfect
love for God in his final mo-
ments.
Nevertheless, I o v e dictates
that we take no chances in pre-
maturely canonizing those who
have gone before us. Many or
few, the souls in purgatory
plead for the charity of our
remembrance.
What Is Life's
than the Vicariate and wheth- never jealous competition or must be our all. Pur-ose
Mt 1 " "'croscop'c View enjoy your voyage on Pc- eritforbadethesaleormere- troublesome polemics, no, As the soul "strains at the T
, jL -,.j
ter's bark provided you don',t ly the display of the books, never!" leash" to reach God, yet cannot HE immigrant-packed
SS
The controversial "pop-
ulation explosion" prob-
lem was placed under a
mcroscope in Detroit
and received a high-
powered going over by some
150 Catholic physicians and
clergy.
The day-long scientific pro-
gram at the Pick-Fort Shelby
Hotel was part of the 25th jubi-
lee celellration of the Catholic
Physicians' Guild of Detroit.
Theme of the meeting was
"The Church, the Physician
and the Population Expansion."
Discussing the social aspects
of population expansion, Rev.
John L. Thomas, S.J., of St.
Louis University, said there is
a "backlog of bitterness"
growing among today's young
married couples who have "the
right and the obligation" to
the moral principles and the
medical knowledge regarding
sex and regulating the family
size but who are not getting it.
Father Thomas said it is
amazing the number of cou-
ples who have seized on the
implication of change arising
from the Second Vatican
Council to convince them-
selves that the Church will
somehow ease her opposition
on such things as contracep-
tive devices.
The widespread ignorance of
couples regarding sexual mar-
ality in marriage calls for a
"whole new system of educa-
tion and training" as well as
a "rethinking" of the moral
principles and premises in this
area, he said.
"We have an obligation to
prepare these young people to
make adequate decisions once
they are married. They need
this moral training and medi-
cal information when they are
still free, not when they have
become a party to a sacred
contract," Father Thomas said.
Dr. Thomas Burch of George-
town UmversRys Center for
Population Studies, Washington,
D.C., said there is no cer-
tainty standing-room-only signs
will be placed on this earth,
just because demographers pre-
dict a rapid population growth.
"Something will happen to
change this situation," he
claimed. The more dynamic
view today, he said, is that
man will not sit idly by but
will strive to solve the prob-
lem of over-population.
Dr. Bernard Pisani, head
of the rhythm research clinic
St. Vincent de Paul's Hospi-
tal, New York, urged doctors
to "open avenues of com-
munication" on the subject of
love and procreation between
parents, clergy and physi-
cians.
Explaining the work of his
clinic, founded in 1961, Dr. Pi-
sani said studies indicate that
the rhythm system has been
employed with "a remarkable
percentage of success" among
the 300 couples under study.
Although data available is in
no way final, Dr. Pisani dis-
closed the results prompted the
New York Archdiocese to open
similar clinics in other Catho-
lic hospitals.
"The search to perfect the
rhythm method will do much
to create happier families," Dr.
Pisani stated.
The Ray. Michael J. O'Leary,
of Sacred Heart Seminary's
philosophy department, Detroit,
scored advocates of govern-
taunt-sponsored birth control
programs for their use of econ-
omic pressures to promote
their ideas against the con-
science of individual.
He also criticized promot-
ers of "selfish love" by
means of novels, movies and
other communication means
which affect the attitudes of
"many of our own Catho-
lics."
Father O'Leary said that "it
would be a tremendous bless-
ing" if doctors would become
better informed on the subject
of periodic contenance and
would pass on this information
to those patients who need this
knowledge.
Council Tidbits
By R/EV. PLACID JORDAN, O.S.B.
OME (NC) Council
Fathers who have
their seats on the Gospel
side of the council hall
in St. Peter's can watch
a mysterious amber light on a
camera posted just behind a
big statue of the Prince of the
Apostles.
The light is bright red when
flashed on. and when it is, that
means Pope Paul VI is watch-
ing!
In his private study, the
Pontiff has a special televi-
sion receiver which he uses
from time to time to follow
council proceedings. The am-
ber light is his link.
"The Father's eye," the engi-
neers in charge have called it.
"When 'il Papa' is looking,"
they say, "the 'boys' better be-
have... !"
Since he is probably the best
known among the council's lay
auditors, Raimondo Manzini,
editor of the Vatican City news-
paper "L'Osservatore Romano,"
has been given a special title by
some of the bishops:
They like to call him endear-
ingly and facetiously, "Father
Auditor."
The Italian for "Father" be-
ing "Padre," and "Padre" be-
ing the title used for priests
who are Religious, Manzini
feels rather complimented oc-
cupying the unique position of a
"lay padre"!
Archbishop Pericle Felici, the
council's general secretary, is
a pretty strict boss. I-[e sees
to it that order is kept in the
hall.
He has announced that he
does not want to see council
go down to the engine room.
Which means that your Catho-
lic life can be serene provided
you don't visit official Rome,
the engine room of the Church.
The reference, of course, was
not that one might be scandal-
ized by sins of
the flesh in of-
ficial c i r cles
but by bureau-
cratic sins of
duplicity, chi-
canery and red
tape.
This Council
has been insist-
ing on a spirit
of apostolic
simplicity as a
basis for re- FR. SHEERIN
form in the Church, It is true
that it is building a bridge of
understanding to the contempo-
rary world but it rejects world-
liness in all its shapes a n d
forms.
Pope John said he wanted to
let some "fresh air" into the
Church and so the Council Fa-
thers are getting rid of t h e
musty cobwebs and rubbish
that stand in the way of aggior-
namento.
Hush-Hush Manner
The old skullduggery, how-
ever, is making a frantic at-
tempt to stave off reform.
Some weeks ago, the Council
Fathers were shocked by the
hush-hush manner in which a
ban was imposed on the Kaise/"
and Xavier Rynne books on the
Council.
To this day we are uncer-
tain as to the extent of this
ban which was issued by the
Vicariate of Rome. We are
Fathers wandering about be-
hind their seats during debates.
No promenading! says his
oral ukase.
Of course, the bishop may
go to the much.used coffee
lounge, but there they find
another "Verboten": "No
smoking."
It is tough for some of them,
but the fire hazard in St. Peter's
is too serious to take a chance
on, even in cloakrooms.
Vatican guards on duty in the
papal gardens feel sad because
these days they rarely if ever
get to see the Holy Father.
"Pope John," said one, "used
to take his walks here every
day, but Pope Paul .... He
seems so terribly busy. He
houldn't neglect his exercise.
We'd love to see him once in a
while anyway."
@
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President, Most Reverend Thomas A. Connolly, D.D., ff.C.D.
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MARY BRESNAHAN--Associate Editor
At any rate, the authors were
not given their day in court
to defend themselves.
At this moment Rome is
buzzing with another story. It
concerns a circular reported to
have been sent by Cardinal Am
tonuitti of the Sacred Congre-
gation of Religious to superiors-
general of religious orders
which have a house at Rome.
As Le Monde (Oct. 30) says:
"The circular puts t h e m on
guard against 12 Council ex-
perts, among whom are Fathers
Congar, Kung and Ratzinger."
I need not mention the reac-
tion of the American bishops
generally to such maneuvers:
behind - the - scenes tampering
with a man's good name is
particularly obnoxious to the
American sense of fair play.
(Remember the outcry at the
time of the banning of the four
Catholic scholars at Catholic
University.) But what is the
reaction of Pope Paul and the
Council Fathers generally to
this sort of thing?
Necessary Reforms
Naturally the Pope cannot be
expected to get involved in
every little cause celebre in
Rome. But he has revealed his
mind recently by lauding Fa-
ther Congar several times and
by his admonition to the Later-
an University on the eve of All
Saints. From this university
have issued a number of bro-
chures attacking Teilhard de
Chardin, certain Biblical schol-
ars and various Roman institu-
tions:
Pope Paul said that he ex-
pected the Lateran's relation
to other groups to be one of
"... fraternal collaboration,
In his opening address to the
Council, the Pope called upon
the Council Fathers to bring
about necessary reforms. He
said that they would not turn
the Church's way of life upside
down or break with what is
essential but that they would
strip the Church of what is un-
worthy and defective, correct-
ing "those imperfections which
are proper to human weak-
ness." The Council F a t h e r s
have been following his advice
willingly--and even the pomp
and ceremony of the Vatican
have met with their criticism.
Servants Imperfect
How does it happen that the
Bride of Christ, the Church, is
spotless within but sadly im-
perfect in some of her serv-
ants? This is not an easy ques-
tion to answez' but I think the
main source of the trouble has
been the false concept of the
Church that has been all too
prevalent.
We have thought of the
Church almost exclusively in
terms of a highly organized,
juridical body not unlike the
political kingdoms of the
world. Is it strange that the
officers of such an organiza-
tion should tend to imitate the
practices of political bureauc-
racies?
Fortunately, that one - sided
concept of the Church is being
overshadowed at the Council by
the concept of the Church as
the People of God. This con-
cept emphasizes the Godliness
of the members of the family
of Christ, all of whom help
each other and are served by
ministers who are pledged to a
life of Gospel simplicity, humil-
ity and unselfish service.
. 1
, 1 I Ab, II II !
'Mystical Experience'
By REV. G. JOSEPH GUSTAFSON, S.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy, St. Thomas Seminary, Kenmore
E have read at least three articles
within the last two weeks about
a drug called LSD-25. It's now the fad
among a restricted number of so-called
intellectuals to take this unproven stuff
for, as they say, a "mystical experience."
Harvard (whose economists must have been
taking it?) just got over a rather nasty scandal
and had to fire two professors.
Well, these wonderful experiences range, it
seems, from utter exaltation to profound depres-
sion. We quote Time: "California Prison Psy-
chologist, Wilson Van Dusen, for example,
imagined himself in a black void in which 'God
was walking on me and I cried for joy. My own
voice seemed to speak of His coming, but I
didn't believe it. Suddenly and unexpectedly the
zenith of the void was lit up with the blinding
presence of the One. How did I know it? All I
can say is that there was no possibility of
doubt'."
Why no pussibilty of doubt? The professor
was, apparently, as high as a kite. No, we must
repeat this old-world simile--he was in a self-
induced subjective area of outer space.
When one contrasts this nonsense with the
experience of the recognized mystics of world
history (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Arabic,
Indian), one can only laugh.
The lofty Plotinus did, indeed, experience a
union with the One (to use Van Dusen's bor-
rowed terms); but he wasn't intoxicated. He
was, quite possibly, inspired not by drugs hut
by God's Grace. St. Paul was rapt to the third
Heaven, and he paid an awful price for it, not
being aware of LSD, way back when. John of
the Cross, an authentic mystic, was even per-
seeuted by the Spanish Inquisition.
There must always be a dogmatic test avail-
able to discern the God-intoxicated man from the
over-stimulated, drunk on fortified wine or on
drugs. Else everybody is a mystic, if the parW
lasts that long. And you should consult not the
Bible or the Koran or the Upanishads but the
"tank" in your city jail!
find Him, it experiences inde-
scribable anguish. It burns with
a consuming but frustrated de-
sire for God, and this agony of
frustration is the very suffer-
ing which purges the soul of
the last traces of self.
There comes the moment
when the soul, restored to its
pristine purity, receives the
spiritual vision which theolo-
gians call the Light of Glory.
Suddenly God bursts upon the
soul in all His infinite beauty
and goodness and lovabillty.
The soul possesses God and
is possessed by Him. The soul
is in heaven.
Time as we know it--hours
and days and months--is a
measurement of the physical
universe. A disembodied spirit
is outside the limitations of ter-
restial time. Therefore it seems
pointless to ask how long par-
gatory may last for any par-
ticular soul. One hour of ex-
cruciating pain can seem like
a year. As measured by o u r
wordly time, the suffering of
purgatory may endure for but
a momenta moment which, to
the suffering soul, may seem
like an eternity.
Whether we speak in terms
of "shortening the time" or of
"lessening the pain," We who
are still upon earth can help
the souls in purgatory. They
cannot help themselves. Their
time of personal merit ended
at death. They only can suf-
fer with patience, awaiting
the blessed moment of heav-
en's thundering dawn. How-
ever, God in His goodness has
given us the privilege of help-
ing these, our brothers and
sisters, in their distress. God
gladly will accept our prayers
and penances in their behalf.
Is Purgatory Crowded?
How populous is purgatory?
No one can know, but purga-
tory is probably not as crowded
as some persons think. I re-
member that when I was a
child in catechism class, the
good Sister said that almost
everyone, even saints, will at
least have to "pass through"
purgatory. I suspect that Sis-
ter's appreciation of God's holi-
ness somewhat overshadowed
her understanding of His love
and mercy.
Since the sacrament of Ex-
treme Unction removes all
the "remains of sin," a per-
Queen Frederica
edged away from the
pier at Naples. Contem-
plating t h e excrement
and emotion of the tear-
drenched immigrants was a
young Italian girl, with wist-
ful blue eyes and athletic
stance. She found herself
standing on deck beside an
American priest returning to
the United States. Full of curi-
osity, eager to try her school-
learned English, she startled
the priest with a searching
question.
"Father," she said, "these
crying people who stay behind
to weep and we, on this sturdy
ship, heading for the open sea
to a strange new land--what is
the purpose of it all? What
does man want? What are we
forever seeking?"
The priest frowned, and then
he smiled. He was being asked
his catechism by a young Ital-
ian girl whom he had only
met.
"Those on shore, and we,
heading for the open sea,
men in Naples and children
in San Francisco-all have
one supreme and paramount
purpose in life: to know God,
to love Him and to serve
Him, that we may behappy
with Him forever in heav-
en."
"Is that why we were
born?" she asked again. "Why
then do we witness such con-
fusion and perplexity and so
many tears?"
"St. Augustine suggests
that it may be because we
haven't found God," the
priest replied. "Thou h a s
made us for Thyself, O God,
and our hearts are restless,
until they rest in Thee."
Then the priest thought to
himself: "Maybe this Italian
girl is wiser than many of our
educators, who construct their
systems and build their
schools, but forget to ask the
basic question: What is a man
for? What is the purpose of
life?"
Calendar
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17,
TWENTY- FOURTH SUNDAY
AFTER PENTECOST, MASS:
Dicit Dominus--The Lord said
(Green). Introit, Grad., Al-
leluia, Off., and Com. Ant.
from 23rd Sun. after Pent.
MONDAY, DEDICATION OF
THE BASILICAS OF SS.
PETER AND PAUL, MASS:
Terribilis -- Awesome is this
place (White). GI.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19,
ST. ELIZABETH, W I D O W,
MASS: Cognovi--I have known
(White). G1. 2nd pr. of st.
Pontianus.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER
--Walter J. Sullivan, m
C.S.P.
tl
20, ST. FELIX OF VALOIS,
CONFESSOR, MASS: Justus --
The just man (White). G1.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21,
PRESENTATION OF B.V.M.
MASS: Salve -- Hail Holy
Mother (White). GI., Pref. of
B.V.M.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2"2,
ST. CECILIA, VIRGIN, MAR-
TYR, MASS: Loquebar -- I
spoke of thy testimonies (Red).
G1. Abstinence.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2g
ST. CLEMENT, POPE, MAR-
TYR, MASS: Dicit Dominus --
The Lord said (Red). GI., 2nd
Pr. of St. Felicitas, Com. PreL
