Funds Needed to Aid Cubans
Diocesan Press Service. December 10, 1962 [V-1]
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- An appeal to all churchmen to aid in the relief and resettlement of Cuban refugees was issued December 1 by the National Council of the Episcopal Church at the close of a three-day meeting in San Antonio.
In taking this action, the Council indicated that not less than $450,000 annually could well be used for Cuban refugee work in the United States. Contributions will be received and administered by the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.
Before taking this action, the Council heard reports on the Cuban refugee situation from three Cubans -- a physician, Dr. Noe Hernandez; an Episcopal priest, the Rev. Max Salvador; and a businessman,. Julian Del Amo. The latter two are among 154,000 registered refugees in Miami, Fla., while Dr. Hernandez is one of 48,000 refugees who has been resettled in other parts of the country.
The Council's action will enable the Church to enlarge its refugee program. Already, through cooperation with Church World Service, the Episcopal Church has been instrumental in resettling more than 2,500 refugees via airplane flights to the West Coast, the Mid-West, and the East. More than 8,000 others have been aided, primarily through the Diocese of South Florida.
In a one-page statement adopted by the Council, members recognized that, "This is not the task for the Diocese of South Florida alone as the situation is national. The whole Church, acting together, can help through a direct and immediate response to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief. "
OTHER COUNCIL ACTION
- Voted to support a proposed national religious census. Council directed its Division of Research and Field Study to "offer the Census Bureau whatever technical assistance and advice it may request in the planning and execution of the census." Tentatively scheduled for 1966, this would be the first census of its kind since 1936.
- Voted to suspend indefinitely the publication of Churchways as of Jan 1, 1963. This action was taken as the result of the decline in subscriptions.
- In a move that could mean the abolition of the term "missionary district," the Council directed the Joint Commission on Status and Nomenclature of Missionary Districts to present the 1964 General Convention with "such changes in the Constitution and Canons of the Church that would allow missionary districts equal representation in the General Convention and a more appropriate name parallel to that of other diocesan jurisdictions."
- Voted to send 28 Episcopal delegates to the National Council of Churches Study Conference on Church-State Problems to be held in Washington, D. C., in February, 1964. Action taken at the recommendation of the Rt. Rev. Frederick J. Warnecke, Bishop of Bethlehem (Pa.).
~ Approved an appropriation of $6,700 for operating expenses of an international, two-week Church end Group Life Laboratory for Bishops to be held July 30 - August 10, 1963, at the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Mass.
- Approved in principle the proposal that Capital City College be purchased for $490,000 and authorised the Bishop of the Philippines to use funds available Granted $2,500 to the Girls' Friendly Society to spark its budget.
- Supplemented pension premiums by $2, 000 for two Episcopal priests on the staff of the World Council of Churches.
- Granted $17, 000 to the Joint Council of the Philippine Independent Church and the Philippine Episcopal Church to complete their 1963 budget.
- Appropriated $6,400 for the printing and free distribution of parochial report forms.
- Directed the General Division of Research and Field Study to study the clerical needs, kinds of ministry needed, and physical and capital needs of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
- Approved $1, 600 to cover major medical and hospitalization insurance premiums for lay employees in domestic missionary districts.