Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1946-1948

1

lO,

State Departmentat Convention 1 Bishop Addresses_ ;s.D.School Board Kills Released· Deleg~tes Alle nd180 Time Program in City Schools Ma_ss 1n Cathedral The experimental program of released time for re- His Excellency the Mos· ligious education which has been conducted since September Reverend Bishop of San Di, in the San Diego city schools will be discontinued when ~he ego, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomai schools close in June, as the re~ult of the vote of the City J. McNamara chancellor 0 . Board of Education at its meetmg Tuesday afternoon. ' . t d d "' *• * the diocese and Max Soren The program_ was ~o e own . • when a resolution calling for de- • b sen, national commander of th« nial of the request for continuance Bishop Cele rates Catholic War Veterans, wen of the program, was approved by • among the prominent speaker: a 4-1 vote of the school board. , Mass at Vauclain heard by members of CWV posu Harvey L. Lewis, Jr., cast the sole In th b f the Rev Ed . . e a sence o . • of California who attended thE vote for contmuatwn of th e pro- d A J hnso editor of The · gram which was opposed by Board war · 0 n, . first state department convention P ·ct t O t E D 11 F d Southern Cross, who is attendmg resi en r on . arna , re 1 t· f th cath held in San Diego May 9-11. \E. Lindley Mrs. Mary L. Fay and th_e.,a.nnua conve_n i_on e • • ' ohc Press Association m St. Paul, His Excellency preached at the Mrs. Mildred L. Hale. . H' E 11 the Most s 1 p tT 1 M . th t 1 h' Mmn., is xce ency o emn on 1 1~a. a~s m honor :"1~· ~ewis .s:ated. a n 1s Reverend Bishop of San Diego of- of the Holy Spirit w~1ch he cele- op1mon msuff1cient time ~ad been fered Mass in the Vauclain tuber• brated Saturday mormng, May 10, devoted to the released time pro- uI . 1 . f th C unty , .. 05 · . . c ar pav1 ion o a o 11 - m St. Joseph's cathedral, to offi- gram to prove its worth, and ob- 'tal 1 t S da r · g · p1 as un y mo run . c1ally open the convention, regis- jected to charges to the effect that H' E 11 very much • . · . . is xce ency was trat10n for which has been held released time had mterferred wH1the edified and gratefully impressed by the evening before, while Mon- the regular school program. the work of Mrs. Charles Leander, signor McNamara and Command- noted that the school camp and whom he described as a "guardian er Sorensen spoke at the conven- JuniOT Patrol programs also inter- l" t th atients at Vauclain t~on banqu~t Saturday evening inl fere, adding that "I'~, 100 cent I :!eito t~e ;o~ng Christian Work~ t e S~n Diego hotel. for those programs. ers who evrsry Sunday morning Praise for the veterans and Pointing out that a majority prepare the altar for Mass ·and their work was expressed by the of the students in the ten schools help transport the patients to the Most Reverend Bishop who stated where the released time. pr~gram library where Mass is celebrated. that "We thank God for what you was in effect had enrolled m re- Representatives from different •are, and because you are strong ligious education classes, Mr. cells of the YCW move the pa- enough in the faith to assert it, Lewis asserted, "Parents of the tients, in carts or in their beds, and because you have come here children who attended the re- onto the elevator, which takes banded together to pay homage ligious classes were overwhelming- them to the floor on which they to the God of all nations .•. to Jy in favor of continuing the pro- hear Mass. Patients and the Young bring about the peace for which gram," and stated that "These Christian Workers offer prayers we have prayed these many parents should not be ignored." together during Mass at which months." The resolution, adoption of YCW. members sings. Noting that early In the war, which doomed the released time Before Mass His Excellency when the prospects of victory program, said that the trial given heard confessions of the patients, were not bright, the allied nations I the program had shflwn that the whom he addressed during Mass. prayed to God for victory, His program "interferes with the pro- Approximately 100 assisted at the Excellency pointed out that "Now gress of school work duTing the Divine Sacrifice, 35 receiving Holy that victory has been won there entire day .•. increases the work Communion. l !s no time for God; He is not 9nly of principals and teachers and re--------------~ ignored but despised." suits in certain confusion and loss

DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO THE CHANCERY 1528 Fourth Avenue San Diego, California May 17, 1947

-

An Open Letter to

Members of the San Diego Board of Education 825 Union Street San Di-ego I, California Board Members:

Your ill-advised decision of rejecting the Release Time petition, r e- quested by the majority of parents, is another victory for the atheistic Kremlin and its brutal communistic doctrine which rates the child as a mere creature of the state. Obviously shallow-thinking and unbelief are larg,ely responsible for your action which puts San Dieg·o in a backward trend and gives the City the name of anti-religious. That enlightened leaders in Los Angeles and most of the large com- 'munities thrnughout the United States hav•e been quick to grasp the ad- vantages of Release Time for religious instruction, made no impression on you. Moreover, the arguments fabricated to defend your four-to-on-e vote are puerile-sheer nonsense-offensive to intelligent people. You were not satisfied with the results of seven months of religious instruction. What did you expect after a century of neglect? Your weak subterfuge that the children be penalized, by assembly after school hours, shows again how you missed tne mark. When pupils apply themselves during school hours, they need r,ecreation after school and before starting their home work. Evidently you belong to the coterie that would compass the recognition of Almig·hty God and His laws by narrow boundaries of convenience. Thus you g·o on record as willing to break down the spiritual props on which our democracy was founded. Your decision, whi.ch totally ignores the advice of experts in moral trai.ning, both Catholic and Prot• estant, flagrantly violates the principles of our American way of life. But even more 1·egrettable is the shabby deal to th,e children who have been shuffled out of their God-given rights-the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of iii.oral law-essential for a well-balanced education. Surely, you have witnessed the collapse of conscience, the crumbling of character, manifested especially in juvenile delinquency. You cannot help but be aware that a keen sphitual hunger stirs in the world. In your highly 1·esponsible position, what have you offered to satisfy that hunger? . Again your arbitrary act r-eflects culpable ignorance of the meaning of education, which is not only increase of power and quality of life but the preparation of man for what he ought to be and what he ought to do here, in order t~ reach his eternal destiny. Could you have witnessed in both World Wars countless servicemen, products of godless schools, unacquainted with even one prayer, cursing and swearing in their death agony, you might have been jolted into admit- ting that religious instruction has a definite place in education. Your policy insists on a petty range of material knowledge and leaves youthful souls starving for the truth. You, therefore, with one exception, convict yourselv,es of incompe- tency and total disregard for the present and future welfare of the chil- dren. Because San Di,ego deserves an intelligent School Board and because public officials are expected to represent the will of the majority, it will serve the best interests of this community for you to resign. R,espectfully submitted, + Bishop of

Disappointment with the United of time to all children in the grade, Nations was expressed by His · both those who are released and Excellency who called the UN those who remain." "just another' organization of l Asserting that the request for high-powered bunglers with thelr[ the program to be continued "falls main objective of 'how not to do far short of having the support of it.'" The armed forces of the na- ell the people or even of all the tion won a magnificent victory," churches or church people," the he stated, adding that "the unfor- resolution maintained that train- tunate •thing is that those who ing in religion "is the special and represent us in high places have particular sphere of the Church," failed to follow up your victory." continue and increase their efforts Telling the convention delegates in spiritual and moral training in of the Christopher movement, the their respective spheres." San Diego ordinary urged the The resolution J?ledged earnest veterans to be Christophers them- cooperation With aJ worthy plans selves, taking Christ into their of- for religious instr u.ctiGJJ. outside of fices, and the market places, and school time, a1~i also p edged that by their example and their con- the Board a ,d the sctiools would versations to represent Christ continue .to emphasize character everywhere. training~ and the teaching of spir- During the Mass His ExceIIency itual a.nd moral principles. was assisted by the Very Rev. ----- Francis Dillon, archpriest, the Rev. Approximately 75 interested on- Henry Szwaja, CR, deacon, and lookers were present at the board the Rev. Edward A. Johnson, sub- meeting. Prior to the vote on the deacon. The Rev. Patrick Kenny resolution, William J. Lyons, board 'and the Rev. Francis McGann, j secretary and assistant to the su- 0SB, were deacons of honor to the perinte nd ent, had reported that Most Reverend Bishop and the 404 letters favoring continuation Rev. B. Francis Ross was master of th e program and 186 letters ob- of ceremonies. jecti_ng to it had been received by the board.

-