What was in the news on June 9, 1961? A lay-led retreat and the most inspiring experience in entertainment history

By 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, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Here are some of the items found in the June 9, 1961, issue of The Criterion:

• Marian opens night classes in September
• Bishops ask restitution by Germans
• Compromise is suggested in school aid
• Church’s future is cloudy in Dominican Republic
• Castroites offer lures to religious
• Archbishop to ordain 20 Jesuits on June 11
• Nine laymen conduct men’s retreat in Missouri
  • “WARRENTON, Mo.—A retreat without a priest seems as paradoxical as a parish without a pastor. And yet a retreat under the jurisdiction of the Passionist Fathers was given by laymen at Our Lady’s Retreat House here. The talks were made by a group of nine laymen, who also led discussions following each discourse. A priest was on hand, but the retreatants did the work normally relegated to the retreat master. The new approach, planned by Father Conleth Overman, C.P., is designed to make the layman a most active participant, instead of permitting him to sit back and wait for the priest to break through listeners’ inertia—or quietly daring him to. Father Conleth called it an ‘apostolic retreat.’ ”
• Father Schellenberger completes 15-year ‘term’ as prison chaplain
• Protestants, Orthodox offer ideas for Council
• Peace Corps project set for colleges
• Educator gives criteria for selecting a college
• African cardinal at ND cites missionary need
• Ad for a special Technicolor viewing of a film called Seven Wonders of the World:
  • “When the pope blessed the pilgrims … through the wonder of Cinerama … you, too, are in the picture. … The most inspiring experience in entertainment history! Now … through the miracle of CINERAMA … you will thrill to the glories of the never-before-filmed sacred ritual inside St. Peter’s … climaxed by the personal benediction of Pope Pius himself. … Share this unique experience that will exalt your profoundest emotions and live forever in your memory … live every one of the seven hundred thrills of … ‘SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD’ as seen through the greatest wonder CINERAMA.”
• Religious freedom seen as prime topic of Council
• Plan new lighting system for St. Peter’s Basilica
• Lutheran mother given custody of 3 Catholic sons
• Teachers stress parents’ rights

(Read all of these stories from our June 9, 1961, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †