What was in the news on April 22, 1966?

Marian College expanding, the end of the Index of Forbidden Books, Mass in sign language, and ‘God is dead’

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.

Here are some of the items found in the April 22, 1966, issue of The Criterion:
 

• Marian maps $7 million expansion plan
  • “Marian College this week unveiled a 10-year development plan for campus expansion and faculty improvement which will cost $7 million. The long-range priority list announced on Thursday will enable the liberal arts college to accommodate 1,500 full-time students by 1975. … Receiving top priority in the expansion program will be a new $1.375 million library, which was designed by Evans Woollen, Indianapolis architect. The modernistic, three-story structure will be constructed of precast concrete, limestone, brick and feature a liberal use of glass. It will provide for 200,000 volumes, special collections and exhibits, seminar rooms and a 205-seat auditorium.”
• Martindale Project gets $289,000 grant
• Target: Appalachia: Woods senior joins mission task force
• Christ the King opens fund drive
• Installation set for Bishop Leibold
• Annual Prayer Day for Vocations set
• Confirms end of the Index
  • “VATICAN CITY—In an interview in the Vatican City weekly newspaper, L’Osservatore della Domenica, Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, pro-prefect of the Doctrinal Congregation, confirmed that the Index of Prohibited Books is now a historical document and will not be published in the future. As a result of the Second Vatican Council, national episcopal conferences have an important place in the regulation of the reading matter of Catholics, the cardinal noted. It is possible that they will set up organizations in this field, similar to those that already exist in the field of movies and entertainment, to give advice and guidance, he said.”
• Ireland – 50 years after the ‘Rising’
• Oblate Fathers study revamping of rule
• Editorial: It’ll blow over
  • “We haven’t managed to get very excited about the ‘God is dead’ movement, controversy, or whatever you want to call it. Theologically, it is as old as the hills and not nearly so interesting. … Suppose, for example, the assertion had been stated thusly: ‘God is no longer relevant.’ That seems to be the real meaning of the argument in most serious theological circles. … Well, the Civil War finally blew over and so did its centennial. Hula hoops eventually disappeared. Granny dresses are on their way out, and we don’t believe Batman can last another season. We also are betting the ‘God is dead’ stir has about run its course as a popular topic, and soon will return to the esoteric philosophical and theological circles where it has belonged all the while.”
• Pope permits Mass in sign language
  • “VATICAN CITY—Permission has been given by Pope Paul VI for the celebration of Mass in sign language, the vernacular of the deaf. The permission extends to all parts of the Mass in which the ecumenical council has allowed the vernacular to be used instead of Latin. … Explaining the new concession, Notitiae [a publication of the commission charged with implementing the council’s liturgy constitution] said sign langue is the ‘unique way in which the deaf can participate in the liturgy in a truly active way.’ ”
• Karl Adam dies at 89; famed theologian
• Marx is subject of ND symposium
• Scecina to host annual CYO convention: Reservations for camp already top 800 total
• NCEA re-elects Bishop Primeau
• Sermons have a touch of red
• Benedictines set ‘vacation schools’
• Ordination slated for six Passionists
• New rector is named for Boston seminary
• Firemen to attend Communion Mass
• Officers elected for Talbot House
• Closed seminary in Haiti reopened
• Leprosy Award to Peace Corps

(Read all of these stories from our April 15, 1966, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †