April 27, 2012

What was in the news on April 27, 1962?

The early days of lay teachers in Catholic schools, and a question about using the birth control pill

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 April 27, 1962, issue of The Criterion:

  • Pope John appeals for peace, unity in two Easter messages
  • NCEA speaker: Asks that lay teachers be treated as partners
    • “DETROIT—A layman prominent in Catholic education paid tribute here to the acceptance of lay teachers in Catholic schools, but said more must be done to make them equal partners. William H. Conley called for a ‘positive effort’ by both religious and lay teachers to bring about mutual understanding of their interests. Conley spoke at the opening session of the 59th annual convention of the National Catholic Educational Association in Detroit’s Cobo Hall. About 10,000 educators were here for the convention.”
  • Polish Reds evoke wrath of cardinal
  • Warns against ‘negativism’
  • The great contradiction: Religion and the Communist Utopia
  • Council may use voting machines
  • Birth control pills? A theologians appraisal
  • Aid to pupils is legal, law professor states
  • Question Box: Birth control pill subject of query
    • “Q. Recently I heard that the Catholic Church was experimenting on a ‘birth control pill’ in Boston. Once this pill was proven safe and effective, the Church was going to permit its usage in some instances. Will this announcement be made at the Ecumenical Council by Pope John?
    • A. Testing pills is not the Church’s line of work. … Pills of this type might be used for various legitimate purposes. But if their immediate purpose is the prevention of conception, then it will hardly get the approval of any Catholic moralist—much less that of the Ecumenical Council.”
  • Soviets go all out to hide seamy sides of life
  • 6,000-voice choir again is feature
  • Eighth-grader to fill top role in Marian play
  • Teacher training campaign planned
  • Indian boy ‘looking’ for a Catholic home
  • Cardinal donates to prisoner fund
  • Cite illegitimacy rate in Puerto Rico
  • Asks Holy See aid for Cuban captives
  • Dominican Republic on long road back
  • N.Y. archdiocese adopts pension plan for lay employees

(Read all of these stories from our April 27, 1962, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †

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