ROME NEW CONFERENCE - ARCHBISHOPS CODY AND HANNAN, BISHOP PERRY; JOURNALISTS ETC.




Initials RC/V/JF/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE VATICAN YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF THE UNITED STATES! FIRST ROMAN CATHOLIC NEGRO BISHOP - TO SERVE IN AMERICAN RACE-CONSCIOUS DEEP SOUTH.

BISHOP HAROLD ROBERT PERRY, BORN IN LOUISIANA, BECOMES AUXILIARY (ASSISTANT BISHOP) OF NEW ORLEANS.

48-YEAR-OLD BISHOP PERRY TOLD REPORTERS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN THE VATICAN CITY THAT HIS APPOINTMENT WOULD HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT AND S SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR MANY PEOPLE IN VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

NEW ORLEANS ARCHDIOCESE HAS BETWEEN 60,000 AND 70,000 NEGRO ROMAN CATHOLICS IN A NATIONAL TOTAL OF ABOUT 800,000.

ASKED WHY THE UNITED STATES HAD BEEN SO LONG IN GETTING A NEGRO ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP, ARCHBISHOP PHILIPS HANNAN, OF NEW ORLEANS, EXPLAINED THERE HAD BEEN RELATIVELY FEW NEGRO PRIESTS.

BISHOP PERRY, BECAME THE 26TH NEGRO PRIEST IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN HE WAS ORDAINED IN 1944.

NOW, THERE ARE 164 IN AMERICA.SIXTY-ONE, INCLUDING BISHOP PERRY, BELONG TO A RELIGIOUS ORDER CALLED THE DIVINE WORLD MISSIONARIES.