What was in the news on April 12, 1963?

The pope issues an encyclical on peace

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 12, 1963, issue of The Criterion:

• Pope John gives world a blueprint for peace
  • “VATICAN CITY—Peace is a problem of morals, not of power, His Holiness Pope John XXIII said in his newest encyclical, urging ‘all men of good will’ to strive for a peace based on love rather than on fear.’ Pacem in Terris is the first encyclical addressed not only to Catholics but also to all men of good will. The closely-reasoned 11,000-word papal letter calls for elimination of racism, encouragement of ethnic minorities and voluntary establishment of a world authority capable of dealing with problems of the universal common good on a worldwide scale. The encyclical also declared that justice, reason and humanity ‘urgently demand that the arms race should cease,’ that stockpiles of arms should be reduced, that nuclear weapons should be banned and that ‘agreement should eventually be reached about progressive disarmament and an effective method of control.’ … Dated April 11, Holy Thursday, but issued on April 10, Pope John’s eighth encyclical analyzes the nature of peace, the means of attaining it and practical suggestions for insuring it.”
• Allegation in Time hit by Cardinal
• Says freedom is vital in Church leadership
• Hits asphyxiation theory: Disputes the cause of Christ’s death
• Spencer parishioners, pastor hold paschal supper
• 12 years ago: Fordham center stirred winds of unity
• Adherence to doctrine called a spur to unity
• Editorial: Follow the Pope
• ‘Religion in action’ urged to fight bias
• Urge ‘ecumenical civics’
• Lay board to aid bishop
• Beatniks, riffraff early converts, Bible scholar says
• Excavators discover earliest inscription of name of Jerusalem
• Scholars study ancient letter alleging that Pilate tried to save Christ’s life
• A true story of pioneer days: Easter on the wagon train
• ‘Unfinished business’: Cardinal Bea likes U.S., planning return visit

(Read all of these stories from our April 12, 1963, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †