A TELEPHONE NEWSPAPER FOR THE BLIND
In 1962, Father Ellis became President of the Blind Service Center of Metropolitan Detroit 9merged in 1965 with the Metropolitan Society for the Blind.) Under his direction a twenty-four hour 'Telephone Newspaper" was established. An average of two hundred callers a day dialed their newspaper - taped by volunteers - for shopping hints, meeting notices, non-denominational religious messages, and other items not available on radio.
A Counseling and Referral Service was also organized for the blind, and Mobility and Orientation instructions to overcome the restriction of movement afflicting the blind were prepared. For those suffering blindness as well as deafness, the Helen Keller Group, a recreational and social program, was set up. Father Ellis measured his success by the degree of participation of blind and deaf people in the normal life of the community.
Father Ellis was installed as pastor of St. Cecilia's Parish at the eleven o'clock Mass, on June 27, 1965. The Dean of the North Central Deanery, Monsignor Stanley Fedewa, pastor of St. Gerard's Parish, officially installed the newly appointed pastor. Pastor Emeritus Hebert attended the ceremony.
Black Power, Love and Controversy
"Considering the deepest Christian truth that we all live in the same Body of Christ, there is no advantage Black people can obtain which is not to the advantage of all people. There is no hurt they suffer which does not hurt us as well. Their enrichment is ours, too. Their freedom frees all of us."
Father Raymond N. Ellis
During the six years of his ministry at St. Cecilia's, Father Ellis touched countless people with his spirit of love. With his deep feeling for the reverence each man should feel for another, he brought militant blacks together. He met with Milton Henry, with the President of the Republic of New Africa, with people of Muslim faith, with Jewish people, Baptists, Protestants of all kinds, with many black people outside his own parish. "Reading Malcolm X's autobiography, " Father Edward T. Olszewski, present pastor of St. Cecilia's, who joined Father Ellis as assistant in 1967, pointed out in a heartfelt tribute, "Father Ellis learned to appreciate him and love him as a brother. He saw interesting parallels between Malcolm's life and that of St. Paul. In Malcolm X he foremost saw a convert to the universal cause of brotherhood of men...
Continued
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