October 25, 2013

What was in the news on Oct. 25, 1963?

A radical reform of the breviary, and discussion of a reform in Church architecture

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 Oct. 25, 1963, issue of The Criterion:

  • Radical reform of breviary is voted by council Fathers
    • “VATICAN CITY—A radical reform of the breviary was voted at the October 22 meeting of the ecumenical council. Amendments three to eight of a set of 13 amendments to the fourth chapter of the liturgy schema were passed. Among these were provisions for the modification of the hour of Matins with fewer psalms and longer lessons; suppression of Prime; recitation of a ‘little hour’ corresponding to the time of day, and completion of the revision of the psalter. Thus one of the great reforms of the official prayer of the Church was accomplished without a word being uttered, but only with the marking of a perforated ballot to be counted by the electronic tabulating machine.”
  • Amendments outlined on breviary changes
  • Spanning the ocean: Pen pals get together as Providence students
  • Archdiocese to note Catholic Youth Week
  • Translation system set for council
  • Child Center is given $25,000 by Lilly’s
  • Funeral Mass is offered for Father Albert Schad
  • $500,000 retreat house: ‘New’ Fatima is ready to make debut
  • Married deacons could set example, U.S. priest says
  • Adoration society opens new year
  • Report U.S. has 444 seminaries
  • Non-Catholic observers received by Pope Paul
  • Contraceptive pills rapped by doctor
  • Editor comments from Rome: Lack of organization is crippling our American bishops at council
  • Marian Development post goes to Hoosier
  • Terre Haute to air ‘Ask-a-Priest’ show
  • 137 U.S. priests in foreign missions
  • Asks change in marriage regulations
  • Religion is urged as college subject
  • Promote friendship with Latin America
  • Why go it alone? Old-fashioned approach to school problems hit
  • Honorary degree ban in U.S. is withdrawn
  • Liturgical renewal is linked to reform in church building
    • “CINCINNATI—Reform of church building is needed so that liturgical renewal can be made effective, a liturgical scholar said here. Father H.A. Reinhold of Pittsburgh said at a festival sponsored by the Cincinnati Archdiocesan Liturgical Arts Group: ‘The liturgy can never be restored to its full value and life … if it is to go on living in surroundings that do not help it but hinder it.’ ‘We must efface from our minds the eternal picture of a basilica and the Romanesque, Gothic or Renaissance fashion and their general pattern without paying attention to the liturgy.’”

(Read all of these stories from our Oct. 25, 1963, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †

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