McCall, John R.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 29 | Number 2 Article 105-1-1962Book Review of Fundamental Pastorial Counseling, byJohn R. CavanaghJohn R. McCallFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqPart of the Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, and the Medicine and Health SciencesCommonsRecommended CitationMcCall, John R. (1962) "Book Review of Fundamental Pastorial Counseling, by John R. Cavanagh," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 29 : No.2 , Article 10.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol29/iss2/10Sauvy, Alfred: FertilitJ, and Survival. Population \>roblems from Malthus to Mao Tse-·c.'ung. 230 pp. Criterion Books, 1962. �7.50. (Reviewed in America, 106: 603, Feb. 3, 1962.] Black, Marion E.: Immediate postpartum sterilization, Am. /. Obstet. & Gynec., 83: 59-61, Jan. 1, 1962. Sinykin, M. B. and Kaplan, H.: Leukemia in pregnancy, Am. /. Ob,tet. & Gynec., 83: 220-224, Jan. 15, 1962. Marti-Ibanez, F.: The legacy of St. Luke, MD, 5: 11.12, Dec., 1961. ----: Religion and medicine, MD, 5: 117-124, Dec., 1961. Rauramo, L. and Gronroos, M.: The ex­tent to which women requesting thera. peutic abortion actually had deliveries after a negative decision by the Social Advice Center, Ann. Chir. Gynaec. Fenn., 50: 246, 1961. Dawkins, S. and Taylor, R.: Noncon­summation of marriage; a survey of 70 cases, Lancet, 2: 1029, Nov. 4, 1961. Dickerson, J.: Religion and medicine -"The healing team," /.A.M.A., 178: adv. p. 132, Dec. 23, 1961. Wachtel, L. M.: Hail, great physician, /. Fla. Med. AHn., 46: 678, 1961. (The birth of Christ.) Palma, J.: Medicine js a life of service, /.A.M.A., 178: 975-976, Dec. 9, 1961. Evrard, A.: Electro-shock during preg­nancy, Belg. T. Geneesk, 17: 1136, Nov. 1, 1961. (Editorial): Operation bootstrap, New Eng. /. Med., 265: 447-448, Aug. 31, 1961. [Editorial comment on the proposal of Nobel Laureate Herman J. Muller to 92 improve the human eugenic stanc d by establishing sperm banks, using c: ,fully chosen donors.] Lock, F. R., Gatling, H. B. and Velis, H. B.: Difficulties in the diag sis of congenital abnormalities; exper.i 1ce in a study of the effect of rubella c preg· nancy, f.A.M.A., 178: 711-71· Nov. 18, 1961. ----: State of the questio: -Has science antiquated the art of 1 1Iing?1 America, 106: 367-369, Dec. \. \961. Bean, W. B.: A testament of du strictures on moral responsil:: clinical research, /. Lab. & Cl 39: 3-9, Jan., 1952. some .ies in M,d., Talbot, C. H.: A Medieval I' Vade Mecum, /. Hist. Med. Sci., 16: 213-233, July, 1961 sician's Alli,d Greenberg, D. S.: Birth control· 'akistan receiving direct Swedish ,istance, Science, 135: 359-360, Feb. 2 962. CONTRIBUTORS: F. B. is Franc Bodar, M.D .. S. Hospital, San Manuel, Ariz. T ing are theological students at lege, Los Gatos, Calif.: D .P.f· P. Meyer. S.J.), E.H.L. (Elme man, S.J.), A.C.D. (Andrew auer, S.J.). J.W.L. (John \,' S.J.), R.J. (Raymond Juste, S.' (Milton A. Gonsalves, S.J.), Kevin Waters, S.J.), J.A.M. Maruire, S.J.), L.P.F. (L. P, S.J. , and J.T.D. (J. Thor S.J .. Manuel follow­ma Col­(Daniel =-1. Luth· :. Dach· Lawlor. M.A.G. :.w. (J. oseph A. Fitterer. , Deasy. Readers interested in sub� 1tting abstracts, please send to: Eugene G. Laforet, D. 170 Middlesex Rd. Chestnut Hill 67, lVass. LINACRE QUARTERLY 6;eue�  'Pa4tMiat �"'9 John R. Cavanagh, M.D. Review by John R. McCall, S.J. Weston College Weston, Mass. Priests and seminarians today stand in urgent need of books on pastoral counseling whch have been written by psychiatrists possessed of the following quali­lkat;ons: adequate professional training, orthodox religious views, and. wide experience. The author of this book fulfills all these re­quirements to an eminent degree: he is an excellent psychiatrist, an exemplary Catholic, and his prac­tice of his profession has been ex­tensive. In addition he possesses the special distinction of having actually taught seminarians and counseled priests regarding psy­chic problems encountered in the sacred ministry. For these reasons one would have expected to reap a great deal from a book written on this subject by Dr. Cavanagh. This reviewer must candidly avow that the work failed to mea­sure up to his expectations. De­spite the fact that it provides many useful bits of information and 111uch sound clinical wisdom, the book is, in general. verbose and MAY, 1962repetitive, slackly organized and poorly edited. Even the title is misleading. A very small portion of the volume, certainly less than one-sixth of its pages, deals with pastoral counseling as such. The remainder contains material nor­mally to be found in any introduc­tory text of psychology and/or psychiatry, together with occasion­al practical applications suited to the needs of priests. Admittedly, in undertaking to write a book on pastoral counsel­ing, the author was venturing into a new and largely uncharted area. No one could fairly expect of him, therefore, a definitive exploration of the subject. One might have anticipated, however, a fuller ex­planation of the technics available to the priest in counseling. Like­wise it is disappointing to find sa little mention of referral. though it is a most important function of the priest engaged in pastoral work. The author promises that he will soon issue another book under the title Clinical Problems in Pas-93 toral Counseling. It might be said that the inclusion, in this present volume, of case material and of more practical discussions of clini­cal problems in the pastoral field would have served to give the reader clearer ideas on the limits, purposes. and technics of pastoral counseling. In Chapters 4 and 5, the topic of Client-Centered Therapy is presented in an extremely unfavor­able light; while its chief spokes­man, Carl Rogers, is subjected to far more criticism than he deserves. Such a negative treatment may well convince the average priest. unschooled in counseling theory and practice, that Client-Centered Therapy must be rejected out-of­hand, and thus preclude him from learning helpful elements of this approach. More balanced is the verdict of Fr. Charles Curran and others on this subject. In Chapter 6, on the Counseling Stituation, the treatment accorded Fr. Albert F. Grau. S.J., exhibits a similar bias. Here Fr. Grau's efforts to render morally tenable Rogers' idea of permissiveness and acceptance in counseling, even when the client openly says that he plans to perform an immoral act are held up to ridicule. This calls for the following observa­tions: Dr. Cavanagh is emphatic in maintaining that priests untrained in medicine should. not meddle in cases where the deep unconscious is involved and somatic symptoms appear. The point is well taken. But it is conversely true that doc­tors unschooled in theology should 94 shy away from the task of so •ing thorny moral problems. Th au­thor quotes reputable oral theologians of the probabi >rist and equiprobabalist schoo to implement his attacks on Fr. Grau's evaluation of permi ive­ness. Is Dr. Cavanagh awar that his citations can be matched v ci­tations from equally rep able moral theologians of the prob ,ilist school - the school to whi< Fr. Grau belongs and on whosr ,rin­ciples his arguments are f sed? As a matter of plain fact, Fr Jrau has advanced one plausibl and acceptable solution of an ex eme­ly intricate moral proble - a solution which Fr. Willian Bier, S.J., the very competent eci ,r of the Newsletter of the Ar rican Catholic Psychological A ocia­tion, regarc;led as suitable fc pub­lication in that journal No C;itholic is obliged to ace, t Fr. Grau's solution, of coun but since his opinion is based 01 reasonings held in honor moral y the 'atho-Church, it would seem that lies who differ with him are 1ever­theless obliged to treat his lution with courteous respect. After voicing these critic ,ms. it is a pleasure to record t;,at the final third of the book i,; quite satisfying. It contains go.·,d ma­terial on the Schools of Psy, hology and the Psychology of Personal Responsibility, together with a really excellent discussion of norms for the selection of candi­dates for the religious life. To sum up, then: since the book provides much that is good. priests will clearly derive profit from LINACRE QUARTERLY coming into contact with the think­ing of this first-class psychiatrist; doctors will appreciate reading the last two chapters especially. It is unfortunate that the work was not tightened,  re organized. and couched in more acceptable schol­arly language before publication. Had this been done, the book would be a more valuable contri­bution to a field urgently requiring the wisdom and experience which the author undoubtedly possesses. MAY, 1962' Fundamental Pastoral CounselingPublished by Bruce P ub lishing Company (Milwaukee, Wi sconsin) XIV 326 pages $6.00 DOCTOR God gave tl,ee /,ands, to work for Hini, To aid 1/,e suffering, to mend a limb. You s/,are His power in all you do, The suffering seek for aid from you. How deep 1/,eir trust, How {,rm their faith! Yes, Doctor, will my pain abate? Your kindly presence in a room Dispels despair and conquers gloom. You share the power of God's own priest -When counsel trusting patients seek. You lend a willing ear to eac/,, You sl,are tl,e burdem of tl,e weak. Day and night al their call, Giving lo each your very all. How deep His Love of "You,, mu.st be To Lend His Healing Hands to Thee! A Friend 95 

Book Review of \u3cem\u3eFundamental Pastorial Counseling\u3c/em\u3e, by John R. Cavanagh

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Book Review of \u3cem\u3eFundamental Pastorial Counseling\u3c/em\u3e, by John R. Cavanagh

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