On St. James' Day f First o f a Jive-part series by Michael Patrick O ’Connor and Michael Hollerich.) THE The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxities of the men ol this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these too are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. OBSERVER.Serving the Notre Dame and Saint M ary‘s College Community On July 25, 1968, Paul VI publishedHumanae Vitae, his long VOL. Ill, NO. 6 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 1968 iwaited encyclical letter on marriage and birth control; it was to represent all of the deliberations of his predecessor of beloved memory, John, and a papal commission on the question, and the answer to Vatican IPs most urgent question. It fully represented none of these things. If one thing is clear about the encyclical, it is that the Holy Father bears the burden of what it has to say more than any other modern pope has had to bear that awful burden. All available evidence indicates clearly that Paul rose above John’s feelings on the matter; in la rge part, ameliorated the significance of the findings o f his commisssion and presented to his venerable brothers and beloved sons and answer completely inconsistent with - the world view of Vatican II. But the question is not Paul’s honesty; of that there can be no doubl, bul it is, finally, a moot point. Paul took as seriously as anyone could the Council’s demanding elucidation of the Church’s pastoral function quoted above from the Council document. The problem which the encyclical has raised is precisely the truth of that echo., First if it is strong enough, and second if it has remained undistorted by other interests and other concerns which appear, but only, appear to be of greater significance. The substance of I he encyclical is contained in this passage from the Pope’s address to the U.N. General Assembly October 4, 1965 the life of man is sacred; no one may dare offend it. Respect for life, even OBSERVER Wire Editor Sam Boyle, Associate Editor Betty Doerr, and Senior Editor with regard to the great Mike Farnum check the first of United Press International’s flow of news to the problem of the OBSERVER. birth-rate, must find here in your assembly its highest affirmation and its most reasoned defence. You must strive to multiply bread so that it suffices for the tables of mankind, Presidents Grill Fr. Riehle rather than to favor an artificial control of birth, which would In a meeting which lasted iversity Student Life Council areas, should be set by the hall be irrational, in order to diminish the number of guests at the more than three hours Sunday consultation will now be pos­ councils. You consulted the banquet of life.” n ig h t, the Hall Presidents’ The modern debate on contraception dates back to 1930, the date sible. rectors as you imposed the Council closely questioned Dean of Pius XI’s reply to the Lanbeth Conference of that year which Rossie also questioned Riehle prefects, but not the hall of Students Rev. James L. urged that the Anglican Church expand its teaching on birth control. closely on sections of a contract councils. The way to right this Riehle and Philip J. Faccenda, In the encyclical letter Casti Connubi Pius states that “any use with the Dean of Students office slight would be to allow halls to Special Assistant to Fr. whatever of marriage, in the exercise of which the act by human signed by all prefects. make reports instead of Hesburgh, on the prefect system effort is deprived of its natural power of procreating life, violates the Interrupting Riehle’s reading of prefects.” McCauley added “If and the new hall judicial code. law of God and of nature, and those who do such a thing are stained the contract, Rossie asked for you channel imformation The Council, whose constitution assurance that a prefect making through hall councils you will by grave and mortal fault.” has yet to be submitted to the The scene for the present encyclical however was set by three statements against university get the job done and make a lot Student Senate, could not make of people much happier.” developments in reaction toCasti Connubi rather than that letter rules would not be fired. Riehle a statement on either issue but itself. (It probably should be explained at this point that no papal refused to make any statement Faccenda mainly defended decided informally to invite Fr. document thus far issued on the subject o f birth control falls of assurance, comparing the provisions in the hall judicial Riehle back for further definitely under the rubric of papal infallibility.) The first of these status of prefects to that of code, but told the Council that questioning next Sunday night. three developments was the endorsement by Pius XII of the rhythm corperation executives critical of prefects had been instructed Speaking to the Council,- method by all Catholic couples with serious motives for avoiding operations. While taking a never to enter student rooms Riehle vehemently defended the procreation. The second was the growth of a new conception of generally moderate position, the uninvited unless sure a violation prefect system, saying “My idea marriage that grew out o f greater recognition of the changed status Dean of Students pointed out of university rules was taking is that any priest should of women and realization that physical love had independent that prefects are employees of place. Concerning provisions in function as a priest and not as a significance in marriage from procreation. The last factor in setting the university. the judicial code for 11-member disciplinarian. I certainly was the scene was the acknowledgment by the present Pope that the Concerning provisions for hall judicial boards, Faccenda not ordained to be a policeman. pronouncements of earlier popes are not binding for all time. Thus enforcement of university stressed the necessity of 1 was ordained to be a priest. Paul himself insisted upon the Church’s right to self reappraisal on regulations, Rossie and Farley uniformity, saying “You’re basic The prefects have the combined every level. President Mike McCauley' were problem is that you’re toying job of counseling and enforcing With this last statement in mind, the Vatican Council prepared critical of prefects reporting with legality. The hall judicial rules in the halls. Thus the rector what must stand as a serious prologmenon to any consideration of violations straight to the Dean of board is no civil court but it has and one more priest in the halls the validity ofHumanae Vitae. The Council adopted the formation Students. Riehle assured the the right ot impose considerable will be freed to perform their of insisting on responsible parenthood and the dual ends o f marriage, Council “In every case I possibly penalties . The trial records of priestly functions.” if with fairly pointed references to the integrity of existing doctrine. can, I will send the matter back last year were uneven. Some sort Under close questioning from Thus the Council chose to shift the burden of the final decision to to the hall judicial board.” of organization of the boards is the Council and SBP Richard the Holy Father. Paul himself was awaiting the report o f a However, Rossie contended needed campus wide. This is not Rossie, Riehle maintained that commission on the problem set up by his predecessor John. Paul “Due to feelings in the halls the regimentation but organization “There were no provisions for expanded the group to include 52 members, distributed among guidelines for prefects, the grey so you can get a fair trial.” consultation of students on the theologians, demographers, physicians, and representatives of the prefects . No one invited me married laity; he also set up a coordinate episcopal group. In June of to a meeting o f the Hall Pres­ 1966 the proceedings and reports were presented to the Pope and it SLC Elections Postponed idents’ Council.” Rossie, con­ was publicly acknowledged that the general commission advocated a Elections for the Student Life that the newly formed senate centrating his attacks on the change in policy by a large majority and the group of bishops by a Council have been posponed would consider the ratification imposition of prefects as small majority. Paul in effect rejected the work of the commission as until after the election and of the Student Life Council and opposed to the system itself, unsatisfactory and insisted that further work would have to be done meeting of the Student Senate. set new dates for the election of countered with the assertion Elections for the SLC were the six student representatives on the topic. Less than a full year later the two reports o f the “Procedures could have been originally scheduled for Oct. 1 on the new board. commission were published; they provide substance for criticizing created whereby students might and senate elections for Oct. 8. Rossie also said that the new the Pope at that time in refusing the commission’s work. The have been consulted.” To this The new Senate will now be elections would have to be set minority report holds to the simple assertion that it is not likely thatsuggestion, the Dean of Students elected Thursday, Oct. 3. for before Oct. 14 since the SCL the Church could have so erred through the centuries and that to goreplied “It might have been a is set to meet that day for the back on its previous stand would call the integrity of the church ingood thing to do.” Riehle con­ Student Body President first time.