ustxtxb_obs_1985_02_22_50_00023-00000_000.pdf

.4.1:74:17:4 s* :* :% ‘a I. .10. 11,A.. 40..1 6;,4……14 4:1; -. 4 .40. 4:. .4:11; . …. . .. 4.01,..11.:10164 4..11b .a a. 4 . .:64.;”i i in;` ‘&7* PT: or! ‘a ”.14: !ilk % . A %. . .41 .4I . 4’. :00*. 4.. 4. 410:, . oi 1174 11; !ie. 6.4 17*: . 94`. *,,; . . .0. ;*: :. !**. . ‘I “I : *. .4, A 0.1r . = . ,APA . Rights nomic conditions of our world facts and sources that have been shoved aside in recent political debates. Archbishop Rembert Weakland is chairman of the bishops’ committee. When Weakland was five years old, his father died, leaving six children to the care of Wealdand’s mother. It was during the Great Depression, and Weakland’s mother was able to get government relief. Weakland remembers how the parish priest would leave “illegal income supplements” of fruit and canned goods on the porch. And, thanks to the encouragement of the priest, Weakland developed his own intellectual abilities and undertook serious study of the piano. From 1966 until 1977, Weakland served as head of the Benedictine order, headquartered in Rome. For those ten years, he traveled extensively through Africa, South America, India, and other parts of the Asian continent. He witnessed the front-line struggle between communism and capitalism, and he noted the communists were winning. “When the communists go into these countries, they talk about brotherhood f and community and liberation. When Americans arrive, they talk about the perils of communism.” The “ugly American” can learn from these lessons; the rhetoric of competition, survival, and profit is harsh and unappealing. When Weakland was assigned to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, he was taken to the usual mansion, but he never unpacked. After the first winter, he sold the mansion and moved to a parish in the city, where he says morning mass and touches the victims of the streets, preparing their spirits for a new day. On a recent Saturday morning, the Observer talked with Weakland, who was wearing a Stetson that had been presented the evening before by a group of Catholic Aggies. Tradition Observer: Rather than dwell on the conclusions of your letter because I think Texas Observer readers will not find your conclusions startling I would like to acquaint our readers with your approach to social policy. And I THE TEXAS OBSERVER 23