Poge 10 — Fridoy, November 24, 1972 — The Pittsburgh Catholic \atitmal meeting ends day en1 Bishops call for peace, renewal, reform Committee on Priestly Life and Although the decrees touched off a WASHINGTON (NO - In a annulment procedures to be used in this controversy because they did not allow country for another three vears. Ministry and. by a 161-69 vote, a meeting that moved so smoothly it the installation of women in the permanent office to implement ended a day early, the bishops of the ministries, the The procedures, which have been committee recommendations. bishops took no stand on United States called for peace in used for a three-year period that will that question. Southeast Asia and at home, renewed end next July, cut paperwork, shorten Cardinal Carberrv and others said efforts in Catholic education, and The the action was premature and the bishops also learned that they streamlined annulment appeal procedures, and allow fewer would vote on "Basic Teachings for procedures. cardinal said that findings of an judges to hear more marriage cases. A Catholic Religious Education." a The bishops also set up an office to total of 23 experimental procedures existing "ad hoc" committee were "extremelv controversial." The entire compendium of "irreducible doctrinal implement their ambitious and have been in use. but the bishops agreed principles" through the mail in a few sometimes controversial studv of the to seek renewal of only the three subject grew out of a $500,000 studv. weeks. itself a center of several controversies, priesthood, began implementing a considered most important. commissioned Vatican decree on lay ministries, and by the bishops in 1967. The smooth-running meeting, which With the new procedures, the called for farm reforms. was concluded in four days instead of number of marriage cases opened rose In response to recent papal decrees the scheduled five, saw only one on lav ministries and the diaconate. the Some 240 came a from 1 156 in 1969-1970 to 3.990 in 1971- bishops to incident That was when police arrested suburban Washington hotel for the 72. according to a report to the bishops. bishops adopted guidelines for the an abortion advocate who had annual meeting of the hierarchy's two The number of decisions rose from 728 training and installation of lectors, attempted to speak to the bishops. The organizations: the to 2.673 acolytes and permanent deacons. National Conference man had complained about the wealth of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). which The bishops set 18 as the minimum of the Church saving. "The biggest deals with the liturgy, ecumenism, the Despite objections from a number of bishops, including Cardinal John age for lectors and acolvtes and said brandy producer in the United States. priesthood and similar Church topics, that candidates for the Carberrv of St. Louis, the posts must Christian Brothers, is owned by the and the U.S. Catholic Conference bishops voted 178-49 to set undergo "thorough preparation." Jesuits." (USCO. which handles social and up their own permanent educational programs. In a statement on the "Imperatives of Peace." the bishops called for "an end to bombing and terrorism" in Southeast Asia, generous aid in Keep marriage case norms, rebuilding that area, pardon for "sincere conscientious objectors." and St. Maurice scientists a search for alternatives to war U.S. Bishops ask Vatican The resolution repeated a 1971 WASHINGTON (NCi - The U. S general Church law requires an appeal further delay. statement of the bishops asking for Prize winners in the "science lair" held recently at St. Maurice School in Forest bishops voted 175-41 to ask the Vatican in all such cases "generous pardon" of "sincere • Norm 7. which allows the Hills display their awards. From left are. Chester Fincke, seventh grade, first to grant a three-year extension of three conscientious objectors" to the war. The Canonical Affairs Committee residence of the party petitioning for a place; norms that have enabled dioceses to Cindy Killmeyer, sixth grade, first place; Henry Craig, sixth grade, grand and it called for help for returning report noted that this new procedure declaration that the marriage is invalid prize winner; Joseph Alton, eighth grade, first place; process marriage cases more quickly, to a source and Fred Botti, science veterans, war has avoided long delays in waiting for a be of competence for the particularly prisoners of and in instructor. larger number, in the past three second decision from overburdened marriage court. The general law In a carefullv balanced years. pastoral appeals courts and "has eliminated the requires that the competence of the message, their first in four years, the The norms were among 23 approved scandal given to worthy petitioners court be determined by the residence ol bishops called for a continuation the and by the Vatican in 1970 for use in the who. conscious of the fact that the party seeking to maintain the improvement of all educational efforts, United States for a three-year defender has already admitted that validity of the marriage, or by the including Catholic schools and religious experimental period to end July 1. 1973 there exists no valid argument in favor location of the marriage ceremony education for Catholic students in other of the validity of the marriage, must A survey done by the committee schools. nevertheless be told that 'pro forma' showed that the use of the procedural The bishops' Canonical Affairs the case must be The appealed " '28-page statement, entitled. "To Committee had recommended that the norms allowed in the United States had Teach as Jesus Did." says Catholic bishops petition Pope Paul VI to grant a Diocesan tribunals generally regard brought about "a dramatic increase in schools "afford the fullest and best three-year extension of all 23 norms, this as the most important norm tribunal productivity." Bishop Reh opportunity" for Christian education of • Norm 3. which allows a said but that primary consideration be given bishop to the young and asks parents ask and to the three most norms. the bishops conference at the important The survey showed that in 1969-70. educators to work to save and improve beginning of the three-year period for the Catholic School when the norms were not in use. 1.156 system Bishop Francis F Reh of Saginaw. permission to allow the use of a single cases were Mich . committee chairman, told the opened and 728 decisions judge in marriage cases, instead of the The importance of other religious given in 1971-72, with the norms in use, bishops, holding their annual meeting usual tribunal of three to five education efforts is described in detail. judges here, that it was the committee's The 3.990 cases were opened, and 2.673 The general law requires that such a message says thev "should be conclusion that if the norms are not cases decisions given request be made in each case given high priority." and suggests extended, "the chances of improving "common Loss of the norms. Bishop Reh said, funding of all catechetical the permission in case, service of justice will be severely Requesting each would lessen education in a the credibility of the parish for both the school limited for all dioceses and rendered the Canonical Affairs Committee said, Church as an instrument of justice and out-of-school programs." "creates another mountain of impossible for some." "below the low stage it has reached The bishops marked the 50th paperwork" for diocesan tribunals and now." The committee's recommendation the NCCB secretariat, and causes anniversary of the National Catholic was made even though Pope Paul, in Rural Life Conference by calling for March. 1971. has issued a decree. "prompt legislative action ... to assist Causas Matrimoniales. which Doctrinal family farmers and inhibit further reordered and streamlined some facets principles expansion of giant farm corporations " of prodecural law for Church marriage Franciscan sems at seminar courts The statement called for efforts to throughout the world end rural povertv and said "wide "While Causas Matrimoniales does Three local seminarians studying for the Franciscan priesthood at Immaculate Bishops consider ownership of land is vital to the future provide some expediting measures on a Conception Seminary in Troy, N. Y. meet with a Serra High Franciscan a of America during few points." the Canonical Affairs two-day workshop at the Seminary. From left art* Robert Calabrese of Our I.ady Committee Bv a report said "it is clearly Help of Christians parish. East Liberty; John Bauer of St. Mary's, McKeesport; 175-41 vote, the bishops decided 'basic inadequate to solve the pressing teachings' the Rev. Benedict J. D'Alessandro. O.F.M., assistant headmaster of Serra High. to ask the Vatican to allow streamlined problem of our American tribunals, that the USCC committee on the McKeesport, who addressed the seminar; and Michael Bercik of St. I'aulinus, WASHINGTON (NO - The final namely, trying to give a just decision to draft of "Basic Spanish-speaking would release a Clairton. The workshop was held to explain the varied social and missionary- Teachings for Catholic worthy cases in a reasonable amount of document in February to work of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception province. Keligious Education"' will be sent to the responding P. E. time " resolutions from the June national says bank nation's bishops within the next few a meeting on pastoral care for Spanish- After Bishop Reh's report. Bishop weeks for vote bv mail, according to a won't Joseph Bernardin. general secretary of report submitted at the bishops' annual speaking (Primer E^ncuentro de cooperate Pastoral i. the National Conference of Catholic meeting here bv the committee Project Equality of Western Bishops (NCCBi.