The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1961-12-01
CCD Meeting...

tfA%
TENDED to bring home TO all
Ito priests, men and women
Religious, to the laity and
especially to those who be-
long to the Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine the
grave and stark reality, name
ly, that the people to be saw
ed, the children and youth to
be instructed, the non-Cath-
olics in need of assistance,
are a multitude, while the
pastors, the catechists, the
apostles are but few; and
furthermore, the difficulties
encountered in the practice
of a Christian life are much
greater nowadays and the
dangers to the Faith much
more grave"
-"FRoM THESE REALS.
TIC and startling statements
of a fact there arises the
logical and unavoidable con-
clusion, namely: we must in
crease the number of our
catechists, we must prepare
them better, we must give
more impetus to the initia-
tives and organizations dedi.
Gated to Christian training"
In his opening address
Cardinal Cicognani paid tri-
butte to the late Archbishop
Edwin V. O'Hara, Bishop Of
Kansas City : st. Joseph, Mo-,
who dedicated his life as a
priest and as a bishop to the
Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine" The Cardinal re-
called that Archbishop O'Hara
died in 1856 on "his way to
Rome where he was to have
taken part in a catechetical
congress"
Cardinal Cicognani in Span.
ish and French saluted the &c.
clesiastical and lay delegates
to the congress from non.
English speaking nations OF
the Americas.
In his closing address the
Cardinal responded to two
questions "Am | called tt
do something for the Contra.
ternity of Christian Doctrine?'
and What can / do?"
Cardinal Cicognani under
scored the serious condition:
of the times "the world j:
in peril, perhaps greater thar
any other in the long history
OF mankind"
THOUGH WE HAVE THE
comforting ass urances o
Christ Of an eventual tri
umph," he said, and have alsC
the serene and spiritual ex
ample of Pope John XIII
ii must be realized that "mer,
human means are not enough
we need the divine"
The divine means are in
dicated, he continued, in TIL,
teachings Of Christ, the writ
ings of the Apostles. the direC
tives of the popes: that is
that every baptized person i
bound to spread the kingdom
Of God on earth.
Cardinal Cicognani trace,
briefly the history of tn
Confraternity Of Christia.
Doctrine. He told how it be
gan as a parochial assoei;
tion in France in 1860. how
was revived by Pope st. Pin
X and finally incorporate
into the code Of canon law.
THE IMPORTANCE AN
the reason for the Confratel
nifty of Christian Doctrine
the parish :. In reality "
belong to one particular pa.
ish, and our duties and right
as Christians are fulfilled an
exercised within that parish,
the Cardinal said.
snow ii should be the for
most and common obligatio
of all TO insure that God
known. loved and served /
our own particular enviroI
ment: the home imposes tn
obligation on us for the mer
bers OF our family, and S
too, the parish. 1t Is a dui
In common to provide for II
household and It's membe.
all that is vital and essential
In reply TO the questio
"What can ! dor" Cardin
Cicognani reminded of POI
Johns wish that the CCD |
In every parish.
"Your parishes, IL Is tru
are composed mostly
simple people of ordinary e
ucation: mothers busy Wi
their household tasks, fat
ers and sons engaged in the
daily occupations and joI
that are hard and often none
onous," Cardinal Cicogna
said.
"YET ALL or THESE c;
contribute greatly TO the d
velopment Of the Confrate
nifty of Christian Doctrin
perhaps intellectually mo
~~~~~~~~~%
-