Word: dearden
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Curbing the Curia. One committee of English-speaking prelates that included Detroit's John Cardinal Dearden suggested that papal nuncios be bypassed in most communications between national episcopates and the Vatican. Another English-speaking group asked that the Roman Curia stop using the expression "the Holy Father says" and giving the impression that it speaks in the name of the Pope when, in fact, it is speaking for itself. Nor, it said, should the Curia issue decrees or make major press statements without informing the concerned bishops beforehand...
...first time in its three-year his tory, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops allowed reporters to at tend its business sessions. The newsmen were treated to nothing more exciting than, for example, a brief statement of principles by the presiding officer, Cardinal-designate John Dearden of Detroit. Yet even that brief exposure to once se cret proceedings underscored the hierarchy's attempt to establish a more open and democratic style. Some of the bishops visited the Houston Space Center, and on the eve of the conference, a dozen of them made an even more extraordinary gesture toward modernity...
...young coadjutor bishop in Pittsburgh, Archbishop John F. Dearden of Detroit earned the nickname "Iron John" for his firm administrative style. Last week Iron John Dearden, one of four new American cardinals chosen by the Pope, proved that he is a man of much more flexible steel. He approved a long list of recommendations, put forward by a lay-dominated synod, that makes Detroit a model of democratically guided reform in the post-Vatican II church...
...changes range from diocesan government to such unusual subjects as the responsibility of individual Catholics to form their own attitudes on the morality of war. Dearden replaced his centralized chancery office with 25 regional vicariates, which will take care of the needs of the archdiocese's 1,500,000 Catholics. The vicars will have the wide powers once reserved to chancery specialists, leaving the archbishop freer for broader pastoral duties...
Probably the most remarkable thing about the recommendations was how they came about. Two years ago, Dearden created a diocesan synod to discuss such changes. More than 80,000 adult participants, working in 7,200 groups at 335 parishes, made more than 65,000 proposals. It took a computer and nine commissions to sift them into their final form. Even now, said Dearden at a special Mass of thanksgiving last week, the changes were not to be considered "a goal achieved, but a beginning...