Notre Dame Alumnus, Vol. 22, No. 04
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The Archives of The University of Notre Dame 607 Hesburgh Library Notre Dame, IN 46556 574-631-6448 [email protected] Notre Dame Archives: Alumnus THE NOTRE DAME VolALUMNU. 22 APRIL, 1944 SNo. 4 2nd Lt. Joseph J. Barr, '42, USMCR, Receives Navy Cross from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (LLD., October, 1943), Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet. CITATION: "For extraordinary heroism during action against enemy Japoaeae forces in Tarawa, Gilbert Islands. November 20. 1943. Wounded in the face and light shoulder while in a landing craft, he. his right aim useless, continued to shore where he remained thirty-six hours, disregarding his own needs, to organize and lead his platoon. ISs courage and Tolor were an inspiratien -¥- to the men around him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." The Notre Dame Alumnus SOLDIERS OF CHBIST A duty, yes, but a glorious privilege AlunuU ReU(f4a444. BuUetUt to profess and defend the Faith, as a participant in Christ's priesthood and : BY REV. JOHN P. LTNCH, CS.C, '25 : militantly so. The little catechism calls us by virtue of Confirmation, "Soldiers WHAT A LIFE tremendous dignity as adopted sons of of Christ." A non-Catholic once said: "I'd be a God, brothers of Christ, participants in We know lots of cases where Notre Catholic, but I can't see myself telling Christ's priesthood. - Dame men have been living up to this my private life and faults to any man." That phrase — participants in Christ's dignity, and having a lot of fun doing The Catholic priesthood — isn't a pretty phrase to so. answered: "Well, "pep" you up. We recall one who has done an amaz you see, we Cath Lenf s over now and well give you ing work in establishing a few years olics can't afford plenty of meat to chew on — some real ago in a large city a Catholic library ?25 a crack for a dogma and doctrine supporting that which has become a model for similar Park Avenue phrase expressing your dignity — par Catholic libraries in various cities. ticipants in Christ's priesthood. psychiatrist, s o We know another who, in cooperation we tell our sins PBIESTS OF CHBIST with other Catholic college graduates in to Father. Shea Both Angers-Burke's Mystical Body, his city, established a lecture forum, around the cor p. 155, and Kavanagh's Lay Partici which has done an enormous amount of ner at St. Johns." pation in Christ^s Priesthood, (Doctoral good in diffusing Catholic doctrine on Last week we Thesis, Catholic University—1935) give morality, literature and government had a visitor, re Fmther Lyndi plenty of proofs to support and explain We know some who have set up pam ferred to us in that title. From the latter, (pp. 119, directly by a psychiatrist. The visitor phlet racks in their parishes, and the 120 and 102) we are going to quote at pamphlets have accomplished great good wanted to make some inquiries about length for theological accuracy: Catholicism. Her main objection to Ca among Catholics and non-Catholics. tholicism was telling her "private life to "St Peter entitles all Christians 'a kinely Many others have volunteered their priesthood,* not because they themselves are kinffs. any man in Confession" — and she had but because they belone to Christ the Kine- services to their pastors in various ca just been to a psychiatrist. "St. Peter's -references insinuate that this doc pacities. Hdping the pastor certainly is trine of lay participation in Christ's priesthood the essence of participation in the priest She quickly saw that inconsistent ob is consequent upon the truth of the Mystical hood. Body. The cxcsesis of the Pctrine texts shoirs jection. So in the next hour's discussion, that it is in virtue of their intimate spiritual All of these were doing something not we gave not proofs for Catholicism but union with Christ, that all Christiai^s receive a queer, not fanatical. They were being the old favorite theme, often stated in sacerdotal character, which enables them to fulfil intelligent Catholics, living out their this column. their religious oblieations in xadon with Christ the High Priest dignity as lay participants in Christ's Catholicism is a life, the life of grace "The chief sacerdotal privilege given to all priesthood — defending and promoting — and not merdy a negative thing, ab Christians through Baptism is the power to. offer and teaching Christ's doctrine. sence of sin — the glorious life of Christ acceptable worship to God. This includes the power to receive the other sacraments, to share They were being instruments of the in us, and we should live up to our dig in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice, and to par Hedonption. nity as adopted sons of God and brothers take of the Holy Sacrifice in Holy Communion. Throu^ them, Christ was continuing of Christ "It is through the baptismal character that all His mission. the baptized parUcipate, as members of Christ Briefly, Catholicism is not a code or in all the sacerdotal functions of the whole Mys set of rules to live by, but a Person to tical Body, for through it they are made members BATTLEFIELD BUT PLAYGBOUND TOO live for. Chesterton expressed it far of the same body: The character of Confirmation Most of our younger alumni are sol better in: "Catholic doctrine and Cath augments the baptismal participation in Christ's priesthood, because it increases the sacerdotal diering — and many have died — for olic morals are walls, it is true, but the power given in Baptism, and intensifies the Chris God, country and Notre Dame. walls of a playground." tian's configuration to Christ as priest llie pri mary sacerdotal function of the confirmed is to To us older alumni there is extended CONnNUING CHBIST'S LIFE profess publicly and defend the Faith. also the duty and privUege of soldiering for God, country and Notre Dame. The Catholic layman hardly thinks of "ST. THOMAS SAYS" For God — to live as an adopted son himself as marching side by side with "St. Thomas outlines in general terms just the priest in the crusade of Christ and what this more active and more extensive partici of God and brother of Christ and ad for Christ pation of the confirmed is, when he says that vance His Will and Kingdom. Baptism enables the Christian to perform those For Country — to protect it against Yet that is his destiny and privilege duties that pertain to his own salvation, whereas pagan corruption and totalitarianism by — because he participates in the priest Confirmation makes him capable of fulfilling the promoting Christian principles in gov hood of Christ. functions that are concerned with the public pro fession and defence of the Faith. From this ernment, literature, education and all You are apostles with your priests. Thomistic definition, it is evident that the phases of society. You, too, are instruments of the Re character of Confirmation is given for a wider For Notre Dame — to live as a son demption. Through you, Christ contin purpose than the spiritual enrichment and exal tation of the confirmed man himself. In the pub of Notre Dame, with the real spirit of ues His mission. lic profession and defence of the Faith, the con Notre Dame, which is her spirit — to You are where your priests cannot be firmed is to teach, admonish, and strengthen live for her Son. — in offices, factories, stores, clubs, others in the things that pertain to divine wor ship. Briefly, these privileges and duties include It's a duty but a glorious privilege army camps, and battleships. all that is comprised under the heading of Cath also — and a lot of fun. You are Christ-bearers there in the olic Action. All these duties pertain not to the "Catholic doctrine and morals are state of grace. confirmed's private spiritual life, but to his social spiritual life." walls, it is true, but the walls of a play Practice of our Faith should befit our ground." The Notre Dame Alumnus This magazine is published bi-monthly by the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dmme. Indiana. Entered as second class matter October 1, 1939, at the Postofnce. Notre Dame« Indiana, under the act of August 24. 1912. Member of the American Alumni Council and of the National C^tholie Alumxii Federatioa. James E. Amutrong* '25, Editor; Vt^lUam R. Dools7,''26« Managing Editor VOL 22 APRIL. 1944 NO. 4 Our Program for Progress By James E. Armstrons, '25, Alumni Secretary Pearl Harbor hurled a physical chal You cerned with graduate study; they are lenge at America which ended the philo not concerned with the education of sophical approaches to our entry or non- The first front is you, the individual priests and brothers; they are not con entry in world war. On December 7, alumnus. You have been trained by cerned with the library and the art gal 1941, we were in, ready or not. Notre Dame to know truth. You have lery as agents of culture; they are not been taught objective standards by concerned with tradition and the pres As Notre Dame men, we are witness which right and wrong are measured. ervation of Notre Dame's character and ing, almost daily, incidents that are You have been taught the proper end of integrity for your sons and grandsons. moral Pearl Harbors. Attacks on the man, the only end, and the means to This is not a fault, except as concen state, attacks on the church, attacks on that end.