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Page Eight THE SKYSCRAPER May 20, 1964 Study of College Graduates Sparse Audience , f Sees Top-notch Questions *Mytn' of Catholic Education Shaw Production by Dianne Arturi The Laetare Players have done it again presented a topnotch pro duction of a noted play to a nearly empty theater. A small but enthu siastic audience undoubtedly en joyed Arms and the Man, George Bernard Shaw's classic satire on war and class distinctions. It's a pity that the drama department's consistently fine productions play to consistently sparse audiences, for Laetare productions seldom suffer from the ills common to most ama teur shows. Robert Stebbins' colorful set de signs carried through the theme of ersatz opulence and the excellent performances of the drama majors came through to add to the quality of the male actors. Jim Maguire's portrayal of Cap tain Bluntschli was especially out standing. His comic timing through Miss Mary Penkala's direction made his appearances the audience's fa vorites. Eugene Martelle's Major Petkoff was the perfect unpolished country gentleman who would rather shout for a servant than use the new elec tric bell. Aside from assorted clicks and other ad libs from the tape recorder that preceded each volley of gun fire the production was smooth. While the declamations of soci ologists and self-appointed Catho lic critics over the quality of the American Catholic's contribution to the intellectual life of society have been raging, a social science mono graph of the facts in question has been prepared by Reverend Andrew Greeley, a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Chicago. Re-evaluates Information In his book entitled Religion and Career: A Study of College Graduates, Father reports the findings of a recent large-scale study of the post-graduate career plans of the 1961 graduating classes of American universities and colleges. With the cooperation of the National Opinion Research Center of the University of Chi cago, Father Greeley drew a sample of 40,000 seniors from 185 Ameri can institutions of higher learning on the hypothesis that certain com monly held theories concerning Catholic education might require re-evaluation as a result of new in formation that might be gathered from these students. No survey of this type has been undertaken since Gerhard Lenski's Detroit study of 1958. Lenski's hy potheses, explaining the economic, familial and educational differences existing among the main American religious groups, soon became na- by Mary Lu tional assumptions and resulted in and anti-scientific. Realizing the need for an up-to-date investigation of the new Catholic intellectuals, Father Greeley launched his study of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish college seniors in a survey six times larger than that of Lenski. Serious consideration of the counter-hy potheses of Lenski was included in his study and at length; Father Greeley's analysis of the influence of religion and religious education upon occupations has successfully shown that the many common as sumptions about American Catho lics are open to grave doubt. Presents Eye-opening Account The results of the lengthy and complicated student questionnaire are explained in Religions and Ca reers' first 140 pages and are graphically illustrated in the statis tical charts making up the appen dices of the book. Surprisingly enough, the explanatory section is not boring, for it is a well-written and eye-opening account of the facts as they exist today. Father Greeley repeatedly declares that the book is not intended to be consoling to the agitated Catholic population; it is meant to present the facts and the facts only. Therefore, Father defines and explains each topic ex amined in the survey and the pur pose of his investigation in this Franzman area is made clear. The actual form of the test as presented to the stu dents is illustrated; the answers are classified as usually given, un der-given or over-given and the significance of the results is deter mined. At the end of each chapter the limits of the conclusions that may be drawn are firmly stated. Suggests Later Study Although several of his personal hypotheses are mentioned, Father Greeley generally cuts short his speculations, suggesting that a sec ondary analysis should be made at a later date. Throughout the book, Father Greeley strives to maintain a suitable scientific distance from his subject and guard his bias as a Catholic. Several of Father's findings have proven major surprises to American Catholics, even to college seniors themselves. For instance, Catholic students may be surprised to learn that they differ from their fellow graduates in frequency of church attendance and in their evaluation of religion as a source of life sat isfaction. Again, seniors tend to misjudge what their classmates think and see their fellows as more liberal than they are. Startling too, is the revelation that the loss of one's faith and a decline in re- the labeling of the Catholic educa tional system as anti-intellectual ligious practice is not too common, even among Catholics at non-Catho lic schools. Above all, the survey shows that there is not a great deal of differ ence in the distribution of any re ligious group in the graduate cate gories; there is definitely no indica tion that Catholics are anti-intel lectual or anti-scientific. In fact, there is evidence that shows that the present generation of young Catholics has achieved intellectual parity with national averages and may be the first representatives of a new intellectual tradition. Indeed, Catholics are going on to graduate school and careers in the critical field in about the same proportions as non-Catholics. Questions Myths Father Greeley's study was not intended to disprove critical hy potheses, but to question the myths about Catholics which have been accepted with certitude by many Americans. While he is the first to admit that he is still far from convinced that the American Catholic Church has made use of the best in the intellectual tradi tion, Father believes that a timely study is necessary in order to pro vide critics of the Catholic educa tional system with facts upon which effective criticism may be based and more positive hypotheses erected. Cardinal Suenens Describes Council As 'God Coming To Visit His People' by Maxine Tyma Describing the Second Vatican Council as a new Pentecost Leon- Joseph Cardinal Suenens called it the mystery of faith realized before our eyes. Addressing an audience of 5,000 in McCormick Place, May 3, the Archbishop of Malines-Brussels, Belgium said the Council is not to be a meeting of the bishops with the Pope but a collective meeting of the apostolic college with the Holy Spirit. A Council is really God's coming to visit His people. It is the Holy Spirit who floods with His light the whole Church so she will be better able to shine as a beacon in the shadows. All are in need of light. AH are in need of the truth which is Christ. The Council is the light of the Holy Spirit which is coming to penetrate the Church. It is a gift, free and undeserved. The Council is like a spotlight, like a spirit of radar which breaks through the dark and shows the path to be taken. Suenens. who became an archbishop in 1961 and has been a cardinal for only two years, was one of the four Council moderators in the second ses sion. He recalled the early stages of the Council and re lated to his audience several stories about Pope John XXIII. From the outside he seemed a transition Pope with no special contribution, he said, but from the inside he was a man completely resigned to the Holy Spirit. He described the Pope as a mod est and humble man who was able to talk about himself with detach ment and humor. The Cardinal called Pope John a naturally su pernatural and supernaturally na tural man. Pope John had only one program, docility to the Holy Spirit. Vatican II opened with a prayer to the Holy Spirit which was used at all previous councils. The Pope would often say, The Holy Spirit and we have decided. Cardinal Suenens noted that this was the first time a Coun cil has been evoked without the pressure of heresy or contro versy. He stated that Every member of the Church must be aware of what it means to exist as a missionary body. Pope John said that the Council was an examination of conscience on the subject of faith. Suen ens maintained that, If the Council achieves what is ex pected of it in renewal, it must be supported by the laity. The command, Go, teach all na tions was given to all, not just to the hierarchy. The duty of the layman, he said, . . . flows from the fact of baptism. We must bring all Christian people to pass from a state of pas sivity to a state of activity. The Christian baptism is a call to the apostolate, he commented, but only a small number of Catho lics are involved in the organized apostolate. Every Catholic has a duty to be an apostle. Answering the Pope's call for renewal the Car dinal maintained man is created to know God and to make Him known, to love God and to make Him loved, and to serve God and make Him served. The Cardinal said that if American catechisms do not convey this message they should be changed. Directing part of his speech to the sisters in the audience. Cardinal Suenens echoed the call for renewal outlined in his book, The Nun in the World. He said every nun is a woman conscious of the evolution in her own life. The woman of to day is not the woman of a cen tury ago. He said the woman today must be equal to man in all normal things of life. The sisters must not wait for the Council to decide on change, they must go out in the world . . . not to give freedom in the worldly sense but to enable you to assume the fullness of all the spiritual wealth in you. Urging the sisters to fol low the Council spirit of renewal within their communities, he con cluded that Canon law is following the Holy Spirit, but very slowly. Also giving advice to priests, the Cardinal directed them to be lead ers of the lay people. Don't pray instead of lay people, but at the head of lay people, with them. He remarked that an important factor in the renewal movement was a new image of what a seminarian should be today in the Church. He urged practical as well as theo retical training for seminarians saying that the image of the semi narian of tomorrow must include intellectual and spiritual develop ment and apostolic training. He told the clergy, You are practical people. You know how to manage. Please make that application to seminaries. His final plea was to the au dience to Pray for the Council and take responsibility so that in a practical way it will be a success. This reaffirmed his opening statement, I am glad to be with you because you are people of faith, of freshness, of imagination and a good sense of humor, that is needed if the Council is to be success ful. After his address the Cardinal was questioned by a panel consist ing of the Right Reverend Monsig nor John J. Egan, director, the Archdiocesan Office of Urban Af fairs, Sister Mary Emil, I.H.M., president, Marygrove College, De troit; Richard P. Frisbie, Chicago advertising executive and Dr. How ard Schomer, president, Chicago Theological Seminary. Monsignor Egan asked the Car dinal how the parish, as it now ex ists, can function effectively be cause of its size and what the role of the layman in the government and organization of the parish should be. Suenens reiterated the duty to bring the gospel to all peo ple and said the parish must organ ize, because every soul must be contacted in some way or another. The first responsibility must be unity he said and every parishoner must be an apostle. Answering Mr. F r i s b i e's question on a statement from the Council about birth con trol, Suenens said that the an swer will be given in two stages. The first stage will be a general response and later some of the problems will be explored and the Council will respond in principle, not with the authority of a Council but with opinion. He said that he was positive the doctrinal teaching would not change but that new scientific discoveries would be discussed. Answering a later question on the new morality he stated the physical act of love is only one- fourth of what love means. Love is a communion of mind, heart, soul Sister Mary Ann Ida, B.V.M., and Cardinal Suenens. and body and one must connect the four levels at the same time. Love is the image of God. Love in God is the Holy Spirit, he concluded. Sister Mary Emil questioned the leadership role for religious women and the Council's legislation on the matter. Cardinal Suenens restated that the sister needs intellectual, theological and practical develop ment if she is to give all she can. He said, You are not giving all you could not because of a question of time but of a hierarchy of val ues. Dr. Schomer asked how one can be sure that the principles and matters discussed at the Council would become a way of life and not just an episode in history. The Cardinal replied that the Holy Spirit would take steps when the Council finished to assure its work. He said the most important insti tution to assure the continuity was the Post-Councilliar Com mission. The Council cannot take initia tive in your place, you must take it yourself. He said Be patient and impatient at the same time and don't be afraid to knock on the same door more than once. God is love and love is impatient to give itself. . Cardinal Suenens, whose books have been translated into 25 lan guages, is the author of The Nun in the World, Love and Control, The Gospel to Every Creature and Christian Life Day to Day.
title:
1964-05-20 (8)
publisher:
Women and Leadership Archives http://www.luc.edu/wla
creator:
Mundelein College
description:
Student newspaper for Mundelein College
subject:
Newspapers
subject:
Religious communities--Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
subject:
Students
subject:
Universities and colleges
subject:
Women's education
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Mundelein College Records
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Text
language:
English
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Chicago, Illinois
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Mundelein College