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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JANUARY 13, 1984
upgrading in the quality of the graphics being produced. I am
happy to see these publications reflecting a standard of quality
and aesthetics that I think may be what publications will look
like and reflect in the world tomorrow.
In a world of confused standards and no clear definition of what
is good in art, I wish I could be a part of the stimulating team
of artists and graphic designers that are creating mass communi
cations with "punch." Not everybody might notice the effort and
thought put into the graphic design in these publications--but I
do and encourage you to exceed any limits in producing the best
there is.
ON THE WORLD SCENE
R.Z. (Saco, ME)
--Richard Rice, Mail Processing Center
VATICAN, U.S. ESTABLISH TIES: POPE DEEPLY CONCERNED
OVER CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AMERICA
After a lull of 116 years, the Vatican and the United States, on January 10,
reestablished full diplomatic relations. The brief announcement to this
effect was read to reporters by the Vatican's chief spokesman, Romeo
Panciroli. "The Holy See and the United States, wishing to develop their
already existing mutual, friendly relations, have decided in common accord
to establish between them diplomatic relations," Panciroli said.
The establishment of diplomatic relations officially will be with the Holy
See, the governmental entity of the Roman Catholic Church which administers
the Vatican.
Congress cleared the way for establishment of diplomatic relations when it
voted early last year to lift an 1867 ban against spending public funds to
maintain a diplomatic mission in the Vatican.
President Reagan was
expected to nominate William A. Wilson as the nation's first ambassador to
the Holy See. Wilson, 69, a Californian with close ties to Mr. Reagan, has
been the President's personal representative to the Vatican since 1981.
The Vatican will in turn appoint an ambassador, known as a papal nuncio, to
Washington.
Up until now it has been represented in Washington by an
apostolic delegate.
It is a little known fact that the United States had informal ties with the
Vatican during much of its early history, and had formal diplomatic
relations from 1848 until 1867, when most of the papal states had been
absorbed by the new kingdom of Italy under the leadership of Guiseppi
Garibaldi.
Congress withdrew funds for representation to the shrunken
church entity after criticism by American Protestants of the Roman Catholic
Church's treatment of Protestant churches in Rome.
It wasn't until 1939 that informal relations resumed with the appointment
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of a personal representative to the Holy
See. President Harry Truman tried to upgrade ties in 1951 by nominating
Gen. Mark Clark to be the first U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. This set
off a congressional storm, however, forcing Mr. Truman to withdraw the
nomination.