August 9, 2013

What was in the news on August 9, 1963?

Kennedy administration will back some private education aid, and calling the Church to a greater civil rights role

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 August 9, 1963, issue of The Criterion:

  • Administration will back ‘some’ private education aid
    • “WASHINGTON—Sen. Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut, calling for widespread debate on the subject of financing education, told the Senate the Kennedy administration is actually in favor of some forms of federal aid to church-related schools. The ‘most serious misunderstanding’ about the religious controversy in education ‘concerns the position of the administration,’ said the former secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare [Aug. 6]. ‘As long as this misunderstanding persists, the task of Congress in dealing with this issue is made that much more difficult.’ ‘It is widely believed,’ Sen. Ribicoff continued, ‘that the administration opposes, on constitutional grounds, all aid to church-related schools. This is simply not true. The administration has recognized that using public funds for private education does raise questions of both constitutionality and public policy, but it has never opposed all forms of such aid either on constitutional grounds or on their merits. In fact, it has expressed precisely the opposite view.’ ”
  • For cardinal’s cathedral: Peter Claver Knights donate $25,000 purse
  • Growing commitment: Greater Catholic role in civil rights seen
    • “CHICAGO—Matthew Ahmann, executive director of the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice, predicted at an emergency session of the conference here that the ‘tempo’ and the ‘involvement’ of Catholics in the civil rights battle would mount. So far, he said, Catholic commitment and action in the racial crisis have been limited. ‘While the record of religious leadership is good here and there,’ he commented, ‘it is obvious that the Catholic Church has not yet really committed her resources to abolishing that segregation still found within the communion, or to the drive for justice in civil life.’ ”
  • Says WCC membership unlikely for Catholics
  • Testing ban welcomed by CAIP head
  • Montessori approach draws lively response
  • For English-speaking: One Christian Bible has definite possibility
  • 2 Marian College grads will teach in Japan
  • Indifference and atheism
  • Liturgical group asks entire Mass in English
  • Two Gary hospitals adopt agreements to eliminate bias
  • Cars seen major delinquency cause
  • Vatican letter stresses YCW role as ‘Christians’
  • Oldenburg schedules investiture, profession
  • U.S. makes grant for clergy project
  • Demonstration Mass in English planned
  • ‘Frisco to host Biblical parley
  • North Vernon Deanery slates Day of Recollection
  • Many Buddhits involved: Charges Vietnam extremists are selling U.S. ‘bill of goods’
  • Cardinal Spellman named for Legion decoration

(Read all of these stories from our August 9, 1963, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †

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