What was in the news on Sept. 18, 1964?

Pope Paul says that the council will give special focus to the role of bishops

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 September 18, 1964, issue of The Criterion:

• Bishops’ function stressed by pope as council reopens
  • “VATICAN CITY—Pope Paul VI, in a 45-minute address at the solemn opening of the third session of the Second Vatican Council, declared that its ‘weightiest and most delicate task’ would be to clarify the nature and function of the episcopate as the successors of the Apostles. He recalled that at the First Vatican Council [1869-70], the Fathers defined and proclaimed ‘the truly unique and supreme powers conferred by Christ on Peter and handed on to his successors [the popes],’ but ‘external circumstance’ prevented it from defining the role and powers of the bishops.”
• Council agenda makes editor eager to return
• 3rd session gets off to a fast start
• Hungarian Reds, Rome sign pact
• Pope to observe council on TV
• Peru mission concentrates on getting men to church
• Sees new Mass in the vernacular as a challenge for composers
• Accordion plea ends on happy note
• ‘Under God’ under fire
• Many familiar hymns are banned by diocese
• Press in Israel voices misgivings about the council
• New college fund will aid teachers
• Birth control case goes to High Court
• Says coup d’etat in Saigon was not Catholic inspired
• Government, Church leaders hail victory
• English Mass made ‘must’ for Chicago
• Cyclist given papal audience
• Abp. Alter predicts fourth council session
• Catholic grade school slow-down applauded
• Rev. M.A. Mulcaire dies at Notre Dame
• Named Anglican contact at Vatican
• Bill Sahm rounds out 10 years in CYO post
• Tentative plans are announced for Youth Week

(Read all of these stories from our September 18, 1964, issue by logging on to our special archives.) †