What was in the news on Sept. 8, 1961? A warning against both ultra-conservatives and an overemphasis on the number of children

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 September 8, 1961, issue of The Criterion:

• Biblical scholarship revival is hailed by parley speaker
• For interracial work: Indianapolis woman wins national award
• From Peru and India: Foreign nuns to study at Oldenburg convent
• Stay clear of extremists, bishop warns collegians
  • “BERKELEY, Calif.—Bishop Paul J. Hallinan of Charleston, S.C., delivered a blistering attack on the right-wing John Birch Society here, and urged Catholic college students to stay clear of its extremism. ‘We are against Communism,’ Bishop Hallinan said, ‘but we are for the social order that the John Birch Society would not even understand, much less accept.’ … In his attack on ultra-conservative Americans, he said, ‘These small minds and faint hearts today are betraying the grandeur of the Christian apostolate.’ ”
• Bishop’s stand restores bus service
• Small but persistent: Layman defends Church in Red Poland
• Report new drive launched by Russ against religion
• 154 girls ‘inaugurate’ new Camp Christina
• Cardinal promotes Catholic visits to public schools
• Football Jamboree plans in final stage
• Protestant clergy to attend retreat
• See family as the key to literature problem
• Urge caution in using psychological testing
• Church use of schools held legal
• Decries over-emphasis on number of children
  • “ST. LOUIS—Catholic parents have been oversold on their procreation responsibilities and undertrained in the responsibilities of upbringing their children, the Rev. William J. Gibbons, S.J., said here. Father Gibbons, visiting professor of sociology at Fordham University, criticized textbooks still in use in some Catholic schools which emphasize procreation alone as the primary end of marriage. ‘The education and welfare of the children are equally important as the primary end of marriage,’ Father Gibbons said. … There is no ideal number of children for all families, Father Gibbons observed. … ‘You have to take into account the physical and mental health of the parents, their economic condition, and the society in which they live.’ ”
• 20 laymen are assigned to missions
• Back after 54 years: Missioner was blessed by a saint
• Urges more frequent use of improvised prayer
• Cardinal warns movie producers

(Read all of these stories from our September 8, 1961, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †