The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-10-07

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hood of Jesus Christ"
He also assured his fellow
Americans outside the Catho-
Lie Church that America is
as safe now in its liberties as
1t ever was - and no more
staunch defenders of its
ideals will be found than
those in the ranks of the
Catholic Church"
Climax of the jubilee was
the Archbishop's Solemn
Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiv-
ing (Sept. 27) in the restored
115-year-old Cathedral of St.
Peter in Chains. 1t was filled
with more than 1900 people
including all five American
cardinals, Is archbishops, so
bishops, leaders OF religious
communities, lay, lie S,
papal knights and govern
ment officials.
Francis Cardinal Spellman,
Archbishop of New York, pre-
sided at the Mass. Al a ban.
quet afterwards he called the
event "most inspiring" and
said it was a privilege" to
congratulate the Archbishop
sin the name of my brother
bishops"
Preaching the sermon at
the jubilee Mass, His Emil
hence Richard Cardinal Cush.
ing, Archbishop of Boston,
1auded Archbishop Alter for
his leadership in the activi.
ties of the Church.
Auxiliary Bishop Paul F.
Leibold of Cincinnati pre-
scented the Archbishop, who
is chairman of the National
Welfare Conference admin.
strative board, with a spirit
ual bouquet from the priests,
Religious, laity and school
children of the archdiocese.
In acknowledging the tri-
butes paid him at the ban.
quet, Archbishop Alter cited
three blessings for which he
is especially grateful.
FoREt.Os- AMONG these
blessings" he said, lis the
extraordinary privileged of
having been born of Catholic
parents in a land with a Chris
tan tradition; secondly, of
living in this land of liberty
and equal opportunity; and
thirdly, of living in an age
which has witnessed a mar
velous development of the
Church such as has been I'M
known in previous history"
The Archbishop referred to
the "many changes in our re-
ligious as well as in our poll
tical, social and economic
life" that he had seen in the
so years of his priesthood.
"The Church has suffered
terrible losses in some areas,
while making immense gains
in Others" he said, adding
that the us. is lone of the
favored areas"
THE GREAT MASS of inn
migrants which flooded our
shores during the first decade
of this century has been as
simulated into the body of the
American people," he said.
"The Catholic element of our
population has grown in mum.
bers, in intellectual prestige
and influence.
"As a result, Catholic citi-
zens are no longer a negligi-
BILE factor in public life. In
deed, the shift of influence
has given rise to tensions,
suspicion, and unreasonable
fears on the part of some,
who see their earlier position
of dominance slowly but
steadily whitening away.
I'VE SHOUT . LIKE to al
lay their uneasiness by pro-
claiming emphatically that
there is nothing to fear but
fear itself. America is as safe
now in its liberties as it ever
was; and no more staunch de-
tenders of its ideals will be
found than those in the ranks
of the Catholic Church"
F, Speaking at the jubilee
banquet, Bishop Leibold en-
phasized that the celebrations
chief purpose was to focus at
tention on the priesthood and
its fullness in the episcopacy.
"All glory and honor is to
be directed, not to the man,
but to the priesthood of Jesus