Top ranking Catholic Church dignitaries headed by the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Amleto Ciognani, today honored an American Jewish philanthropist, the late Henry Kaufmann of Pittsburgh, at ceremonies dedicating a hall in his memory at Pro Deo University here. A bust of Mr. Kaufmann was unveiled at the ceremonies.
Pope Paul VI, in an Apostolic Brief, warmly praised efforts toward “links of brotherhood” by men of study and action from different nations and different social and religious backgrounds, and has established an International Pro Deo Union to work for these aims.
Judge Joseph Proskauer, honorary president of the American Jewish Committee, dedicating the Kaufmann Hall, termed as “Anni Mirabili” the year in which the United Nations Charter promoting respect for fundamental human rights was adopted, and last year, when the Ecumenical Council approved in principle the declaration on Jews. The ideals and accomplishments of Pro Deo, he declared, were in these very same directions.
Emphasizing that he speaks as a fighter for human brotherhood, Judge Proskauer told the distinguished audience that Jews had welcomed the Ecumenical Council declaration rejecting charges of deicide as an act not of favor but of justice. He voiced the prayer that “the God of all of us will bring to all of us the realization that the preservation and implementation” of the declaration would be “the greatest possible step forward for the cause of human brotherhood.”
A pledge that the decree of canonical establishment of the International Pro Deo Union would be the basis for further future developments was voiced at the ceremonies by Father Felix Morlion, president and rector of Pro Deo University. The Papal Brief, he pointed out, called on Pro Deo to work towards” harmonization of the principles of the anthropological and social sciences and the principles of philosophy and theology” for helping solve spiritual and civic problems of our time.
NUMEROUS CARDINALS ATTEND CEREMONY DEDICATING KAUFMANN HALL
Stressing Pro Deo’s tradition for the active participation of the laity in religious civic action, Father Morlion singled out Judge Proskauer as one who–through his contributions to the Declaration of the United Nations on Human Rights and his defense of the first Catholic candidate for President of the United States, Al Smith, against bigotry and intolerance–“had practiced equality and justice and certainly can teach equality and justice.”
Josef Cardinal Beran was also among the principal speakers. Among the notables attending the dedication ceremony were also numerous other cardinals several of whom were guests later in the day at a dinner given by Judge Proskauer.
The International University for Social Studies “Pro Deo,” established in Rome 20 years ago, has a student body of 1,500, taking post-graduate courses in Euroean, Latin American and North American studies, international law and politics, public administration, management and sociology. It maintains an Institute of Applied Social Studies endowed by Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston for the training of priests. More than half its post-graduate students are drawn from 42 nations outside Italy.
Henry Kaufmann, a major figure in American retailing history, was born in Germany in 1860 and emigrated to the United States at the age of 16. Together with his brothers he founded the department store in Pittsburgh, bearing the Kaufmann name. He died in 1955, During his life time he donated millions of dollars to charitable causes.
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