UNDREDS of tourists attending the Wednesday papal audience at Castelgandolfo last week narrowly escaped serious injury when a wooden barrier in the audience hall snapped from its metal moorings under the pressure of the crowd.
The barrier crashed within
a foot of the men carrying Pope Paul on his high portable chair down the main aisle of the hall. If the fourfoot barrier had been higher, it would certainly have knocked down some of the bearers and possibly capsized the Pope's chair.
Afterwards the Pope's doctor assured him that nobody had been seriously hurt.
LAW OF UNIVERSE
In his audience address, the Pope said that "very many people of our time" had given up on God, influenced by the idea that God did not exist or that. if He did, was of no use to man. Before leaving the audience hall the Pope spoke in Italian to a group of deaf mutes, using their chaplain as an interpreter. He spoke to each one and shook hands.
Brentwood's educational merger
BRENTWOOD diocese has merged its Schools Commission and Education Council into a single Diocesan Commission for Education.
Its function will be to deal with all aspects of Catholic education throughout the diocese. including the planning and development work of the former Schools Commission, which will be dealt with by an Executive Committee for Schools.
Other committees will be set up. with power to deal with such matters as eateettetics. religious education and youth and community work.
ALL WELCOME
Anyone in thediocese, whether engaged professionally in education or not, will be welcome to contribute with ideas and help towards the work of the commission in the advancement of Catholic schools and education.
Membership is to be as widely represented as possible. The chairman is Bishop Casey of Brentwood.
Among the 42 other members will be personal nominees of the bishop, diocesan representatives on local education
Rabbi to lecture in St. Paul's
THIS year's St. Paul's Lee' ture on September 9 in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral will be by Rabbi Dr. S. Goldman. His subject will be "Jerusalem in Jewish Life and Tradition."