April 5, 2013

What was in the news on April 5, 1963?

The pope begins work on his third major goal: appointing a commission to revise Canon Law Code

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 5, 1963, issue of The Criterion:

  • Pope appoints commission to revise Canon Law Code
    • “VATICAN CITY—His Holiness Pope John XXIII has set up a commission of 30 cardinals to revise the Code of Canon Law. Among the 30 are Cardinal Francis Spellman, Archbishop of New York, and Cardinal Paul Leger, Archbishop of Montreal. The commission will carry out the third of three major projects announced by the pope in the early months of his pontificate. On January 25, 1959, Pope John revealed his plans to hold a synod for the Rome diocese and an ecumenical council, and to update the canon law code. The Rome synod was held in January 1960, and the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, which opened last October, is still in progress. … The commission’s work will be the first major revision of canon law since the present code went into effect in 1918. Canon law is the body of laws and regulations formulated by the Church for the discipline of its members. Its principal sources are decrees issued by the popes, ecumenical councils and Vatican congregations, and decisions of Church tribunals. Canon law grew up slowly over the centuries.”
  • Indianapolis civil rights report: ‘good and bad’
  • A sermon for Passiontide
  • Blessing of palms to open Holy Week
  • The Archbishop’s annual Easter Letter
  • U.S. tour ends: Orthodox leader hails work of council
  • Care of souls called council study key; draft on revelation given a new name
  • Orders integration of Catholic schools
  • Time’s attack on Church in Chicago ill-advised
  • Orchestra plays in Boston church
  • Spiritual motivation behind Lenten drama
  • Hits lack of freedom in Catholic theology
  • ‘Unity in freedom’: Share spiritual riches is Cardinal Bea’s plea
  • Common lectionary of Scriptures is asked

(Read all of these stories from our April 5, 1963, issue by logging on to our special archives.)

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