May 6, 2016

What was in the news on May 6, 1966?

Good riddance to the Index of Forbidden Books, and a decision about female altar servers

Criterion logo from the 1960sBy Brandon A. Evans

This week, we continue to examine what was going on in the Church and the world 50 years ago as seen through the pages of The Criterion.

Here are some of the items found in the May 6, 1966, issue of The Criterion:
 

  • Msgr. C.B. Sweeney new vicar general; 29 clergy shifts are announced
  • Child Center given Lilly grant
  • Hits rumors of revolt at seminary
  • Cardinal is legate to Polish observance
  • Fr. Hunger dies; Lanesville pastor from 1930-1962
  • Board members present: Air school issues at meeting
  • Catholic students aid ‘Partners for Alliance’
  • Ordains ‘permanent’ deacon
  • Will world government succeed UN?
  • Commission official: It is impossible to ‘fix a date’ for birth control ‘decision’
  • Funeral rites held for E.J. Bradley
  • Editorial: Good riddance
    • “One would be hard put to find in any given American city more than a handful of Catholics who could enumerate a generous sampling of the books and authors included on the Index of Forbidden Books. It is not surprising, then, that the slight flurry created by the official demise of the Index came largely from the secular media. Catholics must have considered it a dead issue long ago. As a matter of record, the last publication was in 1948. And, though, at that time and for many years previously it had been considered an anachronistic survivor of medieval days, the Index still served as a favorite target of some non-Christians in criticizing the ‘closed mind’ of the Church. To many, it symbolized Catholic opposition to free intellectual inquiry. The Index had no place in the modern Church. It withered away from disuse and disfavor. Catholics can only sigh with relief at having another bone of contention removed from the continuing dialogue with non-Catholics.”
  • Liturgy officials reconfirm ban on women Mass servers
    • “VATICAN CITY—The ancient restriction against women serving as ministers at Mass has been reconfirmed by the post-conciliar liturgy commission. Leaving the door open for possible exceptions where native traditions seem to dictate them, the Consilium for Implementing the Liturgy Constitution has informed bishops that women are still excluded from the ‘ministerial functions’ of worship. [Father Annibale Bugnini, secretary of the commission] … said a distinction was made in regard to the participation of women at Mass between those parts of the Mass which belong to the people and those which are properly ministerial. Women are excluded only from the latter. The liturgy recognizes the office of a layman in certain ministerial functions such as serving Mass, Father Bugnini explained, ‘but always as a substitute for a deacon who is the proper server or assistant to the priest at the altar.’ ”
  • 2 laymen named Xavier U. ‘veeps’
  • First Jamaican is consecrated
  • Downey Field dedication slated Sunday; Archbishop Schulte will officiate
  • Text of best essays in Serra competition
  • Priests in Italy get permission for clerical suits
  • Parishioners make hosts
  • Backs ‘aspirations’ of Luther, Calvin
  • Lodge pays a visit to Pope Paul
  • Nuns urged to exercise personal initiative
  • TV proves clergy headache
  • ND speaker stresses relevancy of Marxism
  • Academy, Latin School schedule joint concert
  • ‘Too patriarchal’: Pastor-assistant relationship hit
  • Pope Paul comments on nature of Church
  • Clergy seek to improve lines of communication
  • Six to receive major orders for archdiocese
  • Bp. Leo Pursley urges maturity for ‘emerging’ laymen

(Read all of these stories from our May 6, 1966, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †

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