The Catholic times. [volume], August 15, 1952, Image 4

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4
THE
CATHOLIC TIMES
Published Every Week by
The Catholic Times, Inc.
Columbus, Ohio
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This Paper Printed by Union Labor
Rent Controls
The unresolved battle over whether people
want governmental controls may reach some kind of
a solution within the next few weeks. Some 2.300
bated question, whether or not they want a contin
nance of rent controls.
Production Act Amendments of 1952 which ex
tended the authority for rent stabilization for three
I taking responsibility
i by passing the decision
Schooling for
^Social Contacts"
The governing body, us
bus have extended controls. In case the extender is
the area classified as a critical defense area by
Federal action This will be attempted in some com
munities should Council fail to act.
There is a tendency on the pari of some to con
demn all controls as as unwarranted interference
on the part of government. Interference is un
warranted i' the market process through supply
and demand operates equitably for all and works
no hardship on either buyer or seller. In abnormal
situations, such as arise out of war, demand may
so outstrip supply that if the market operates on
hindered prices will go so high that the consumer
and the common good will suffer a real injustice.
Controls cannot overcome every inequity hut they
will protect the great majority. This was the justi
fication for price controls of the past war.
There is no question but that there was a general
shortage of housing during and after the last war
which justified controls According to the 195(1 ten
sus ot Housing of the Department of Commerce
Columbus ha* a vacancy rate of two percent This i
below what is considered normal.
It is up to the local community to decide now
whether the housing situation is normal and on the
basis of that decision to continue or lift controls.
Private good and vested interests have no say in
arriving at this decision for it is one that affects the
good of the whole community.
This is the time of year when some parents de
ride where to send their children to school. For
some fathers and mothers it is just a mat
ter of fulfilling the law that children under
a certain age must be in school For others
it is a matter of routine, sending their child
to the proper public school or, in the case ol a
thnlics, to the parochial school of their own parish.
But there ai some parents who leel that th*ir
child is ripe lor something special. Hence they look
for a select" school Not all parents can enjoy such
a luxury, if it can be called that.
It is appropriate here to give some thought to
the duty in conscience which all Catholic parents
have. They know that their first obligation is to rear
their children in the fear and love of God, making
as sure as possible that their sons and daughters
hare every safeguard in their vocation to he saints.
Now there may be many reasons used by sonic par
ents for not selecting a Catholic school. Bir none
of them are valid in the face ot this solemn obliga
ion Most of them aic not valid in the lace of facts.
Take lor instance, the one that some parents ad
rance saving that they wish to 'iid then child
tn a school where he will make proper social on
tacts which will be invaluable later in professional
or business life. Now this is plain nonsense.
It would be interesting to know how many sue
cessful men have had to rely on social contacts made
in school dar^ to e-lablish themselves su essfullv
If one's training character and personality arc of
such instability that he needs contacts, then it would
not tie foolhardy to assume that his success would
be short lived When those people speak of "social
contacts" they moan simply the socially prominent
people with whom they aspire to he on friendly
terms.
If it is proper contacts that a Catholic parent
wishes to make for his child, then he should he
thin1 in«? of the Divine Mastet Himself How often
does fhr child come in contact with his Redeemer
in a s hool where there are "social contacts Xnd
if the child turns his hack upon his Church and his
God, could it not he expected that his character is
such that he would also turn his back upon some
fundamental principle of decenty” Can a traitor
tn (,od always bo loyal to others and to himself
Or is the area of social contacts made up of this
snrt of people’’ We believe not But we do believe
that good people ot social standing, people of re
snectahilitv arc not footed by those who would
send their children to a particular school just be
cause of social contacts for Catholic students, let
fhp contacts he with God first of all then with
Christian learning and culture When his educa
tion is completed in this fashion he will he welcome
in the best circles, and we do mean host
Mother’s Calling
Twn vrars have passed since an anxiouslv await
Ing world heard the Holy ather proclaim that the
Assumption of (,ui l’J s-cH Mmhci into Ilea’ en v a-
a dogma of our Holy Catholic aith Again, and
in no spirit of rancour it is pleasant to contemplate
just how wrong were those who predicted a devas
fating rend in the fabric of Christendom if this
action were taken by the Pope
Need we point to all the arguments that wore
aligned at that time, and which are still valid rf
course to prove that nothing could be farther from
the truth' No there is no such need The history of
the intervening time is proof enough.
Events of the na-t few weeks would be enough
to disprove any such fear that might -till be har
bored among men Tlw most heartening news nf
the past decades, the consecration hv our Holy
Father nf Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
n answer to Her request at Fatima presages more
’han anv happening nf recent times the return of
peace to the world.
And then there is the recent interchange and
acceptance of invitations to observe the meetings of
each others Church groups. Three priests will attend
when the Faith and Order Commission of the World
Council of Churches meets in Lund Switzerland to
assist the delegates in understanding the Church’s
doctrine two leading Protestant clergymen have
accepted invitations to attend the great “Katholik
entag” in Berlin.
It is pleasant to realize that the former meeting
in Lund Switzerland opens on Friday, August 15—
the feast of Our Lady’s Assumption,
The place of Mary in the economy of God’s plan
for the salvation of mankind is part and parcel of
historical record and Catholic theology. In the very
beginning of the Old Testament. Her place in the
final conquering of the powers of darkness was fore
told. It was Her Divine Son who was to redeem suf
fering mankind from their sins and His wishes for
His Blessed Mother’s continued cooperation in this
work of redemption become increasingly clear with
the passage of each year.
It has been through Mary that God's wishes for
us have been most lately revealed, at Lourdes, La
Sallette and at Fatima.
In celebrating this glorious feast today, our Dio
cese looks back on nine days of fervent prayer re
quested by our Bishop. Who can tell of what answers
there will lie in the near future from Mary, the Mother
of us all? Events prove that Her voice is being
heard with ever-growing intensity calling all Her
children home.
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Inconsiderate
The art of argument, or perhaps one should say
the art of discussion, is one that has few masters
in our day. If there are masters, they keep in hiding.
TV’s selected experts who keep us posted or reveal
the unimpressive relations of author and critic are
something less than inspiriting. And statesmen,—
or politicians,—who enter the lists of public discus
sion are as shifty as welterweights dancing about
in quest of an opening they exhibit rapid footwork
but land no telling blows.
When the specialist can get at a typewriter to do
a boxed in column for one ot the reviews, he is
wonderful indeed. But this is Hhg punching. The
opponent is merely an imaginary person, and his
arguments are not his own they are the specialist’s
way of interpreting them. The specialist is in the
advantageous position of a fighter who sets up his
inanimate opponent for a knock-down. The punch
ing bag takes many a wallop from the specialists.
Unilateral discussion is powerful stuff.
4
But unilateral discussion is not discussion. It is
exposition of a biased and unreliable kind. True dis
cussion coines when mind meets mind, and both
stay on the subject. And this sort of discussion is
an art. This is the art that is markedly absent in this
our glorious day.
Now, there are more names for discussion, and
more abortive attempts to produce discussion, in
our day than in any other day, perhaps, (’(infer
ences, clinics, forums, workshops, par.el discussions,
round tables, and common hull sessions are going
on all the tune. But all of these are certainly of a
very low and imperfect*order, if we are to judge by
the samples we are furnished by radio and TV, as
well as by actual meetings lor debate. Many a ques
tion is raised. Few are answered. Few are even held
squarely under the attention of the disputants for
five minutes together,
If there is any choice among disputants, the
booby prize should go to the lad who employs no
argument except a list of authors. He strives to
overpower an opponent by citing authorities. The
force of argument is not directed to he proving of
the point at issue it is turned against the qualifi
cations of the opponent. The booby prize is con
stantly asking, “Have you read .?” He wishes
tn indicate that the opponent is unworthy of his
steel because he has not read two dozen books on
very pha.sc of the point if any) that is under
ussion.
Now. the old business of "swearing by the word
of a master” has its place and value But the more
listing of authors or books has neither place nor
value in sane discussion Manifestly, it is an open
door to the charlatan. For what is to prevent a man
hent on impressing all hearers with his ponderous
learning from citing any names that come to mind,
whether they are names of authorities or not?
It is important here to pause and consider that
there are two distinct typos of argument argument
about established truths and argument about opin
ions. The Isatins used to say there is o arguing with
a fact: contra factum non datur ai*jnmentuin. Dis
cussion or argument as an art may be used in
establishing truths or facts, or in manifesting to
the unknowing the existence of such truths or
facts. But discussion is usually a matching of opin
ions. And the point here is that opinions are not
bolstered or proved to be of value hy the mere piling
up of names of men or of books. The value of opin
in is the weight of reason that lies behind it, not
the weight of tomes read by the disputant.
The tail disputant docs not merely ask his oppon
ent whether he has read Smithers or Jenkins. He
tells what Smithers or Jenkins have said and why
they said it. Or,- more charitably, so that the op
jmnent's lack of reading may not he insultingly
thrown in his face, the fair disputant puts
the opinion ot Smithers or Jenkins in his own
words, and then allows his opponent to do what he
can to confute it. But the current fashion is for the
disputant (hoohy prize man) to overwhelm, or seek
to overwhelm, the poor opponent by running through
a litany of proper names
All this is expressed in a ballade, done by some
neglected poet of the current century, not likely to
he known bevond it Let us quote:
RAI.LA DE OF A ROOR
Old Roresby is a Cultured laid
(The upper case initial kind),
His countenance is wan and sad
When he encounters common mind
To be informed, to bo refined,
Is all his purpose (it is said):
He often asks, with nose inclined,
"Ah, yes. I sec, but have you read
Let him be booked in Dunciad
As dolt, as oaf, as sodden hind.
Who nlays the intellectual cad
And foists his reading on mankind
With lofty mien and air designed
To make his hearers all fall dead.
And says, with fingers intertwined
"Ah, yes, I see. but have you read
What conversation can be had
When Roresby readily may find
Odd names of Paris or Bagdad
To cripple speech, to thwart, to bind?
Go pitch him on a fork well fined
Who poses so, and nods his head,
And says, with elephantine rmd,
"Ah, yes, I see. but have you read .?’
Prince what avails it to have dined.
Or warsomely with Wallace bled,
When Boresby may Sneak up behind,
"Ah, yes, 1 see, but have you read ..
jBELLM
(DODD
THE CATHOLIC.TIMES, FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1952
U-S.
Gone But IV ot
5
VPASHIKGTOK LETTER
All Eyes On Berlin
WASHINGTON Probably no
Catholic event in years has com
manded the attention of this and
other world capitals so thorough
ly as the Katholikentag to be
held in Berlin, beginning Tues
day, Aujjust
19.
Kat hoi
ikentag means Catholic
Day. In fact, it is a National
Catholic Week of stud}r and dis
cus on. This year it i planned
to extend over six days, August
19 to 25. The theme ior 1952 .s
God Lii,es. Eminent speakers,
clerica 1 and lay, are i
ss this theme
scheduled
from the
viewpoints of dogma, he Bible,
liturgy, heology. philosiophy and
literatun
Interest in this histoiric meet
ing was stirred hy the very first
announcepinent of the 1 952 Rath
ering. It was stated that it was
to be heId in both the East and
West sectors ol Berlin. Observers
asked if this could me an a soft
ening of the communist attitude
toward religion. They sat back
and waited.
Since then the situation has de
teriorated noticeably. As of this
time the meeting is still sched
uled to he held on both sides of
the dividing line in Berlin, but
many arc wondering how' that
will work out. There have been
very real signs that the com
munists have not improved their
LOUIS E. HI DEM
Some folks
seem to have
an infinite ca
pacity for self
dec eption. 1
have in mind
Randall Gould,
former editor
of The Shang
a Evening
Post.
As "an old
China hand,”
which he calls himself, Mr.
Gould formerly looked with
something like favor on the ad
vance of the Chinese Commun
ists. As editor of an outstand
mg English-language newspaper
in China, he was no small fac
tor in persuading the American
business colony in Shanghai to
root for the Chinese Reds.
American members of the
Shanghai Chamber of Com
mercc. up to the time that the
city was taken over by the Stal
mites, inspired news dispatches
to their homeland favorable to
Mao Tse lung. Plainly, they hop
ed to do business with him.
Despite all these friendly ges
hires. Chinese Reds confiscated
all the large foreign holdings in
Shanghai, and promptly im
prisoned Mr. Gould. Report has
it that he was mistreated. It is
certain that he could not get out
of China until his employer, C.
V. Starr, had paid a large ran
som. It is therefore surprising
to note that Mr. Gould, in The
Christian Science Monitor ot
June 21, is inclined to take an
optimistic view of what is oc
curring under Red rule in the
Orient He states that nowhere
has collectivization in the coun
tryside "actually taken place so
far as can be learned."
Vassals of Communist Regime
Only a few days after this
statement, The Daily Worker
attitude toward religion. In fact,
there are fears that Moscow may
have ordered an all-out war
against the Catholic Church in
East Germany to be started at
once perhaps along the lines of
what has been done in Czecho
slovakia.
Several months ago, now, the
East German communist regime
began to drop all show of friend
liness toward the Church. Bish
op Wilhelm Weskamm of Ber
lin was denied regular and per
manent access to that part of
his diocese which lies in com
munist-controlled territory. It has
been estimated that there are
nearly 400 000 Catholics in this
area. So far, the Red action
means that the Bishop no longer
has a permanent pass to visit his
spiritual charges in communist
territory,hut must apply for a
pass each time he wishes to cross
the dividing line. Of course, the
Reds may not refuse the Bishop
his pass during the Katholiken
tag, but they can, and he must
Fpply each time he wishes to
cross from one zone to another.
And, he is the host to the great
Catholic meeting.
"In view of the ever-widening
separation of Germany through
the peace pact," Walter Ulbricht,
deputy prime minister of the
Mao Teaches Red Tactics
ran a glowing account of "a
model collective farm” in Man
churia Rut the objective of Mao
Tse-tung—despite Mr. Gould and
The Daily Worker—is to make
vassals of the Chinese peasants
just as Stalin has done with the
Russians.
The best authority on that is
Mao Tse-tung himself. In 1950
he wrote: “The salvos of the Oc
tober revolution (in Russia)
brought us Marxism-Leninism.
The October revolution helped
the progressive elements of the
world, and of China as well, to
apply the proletarian world out
look ... in reviewing their own
problems. The conclusion they
reached was that they must ad
vance along the path taken by
the Russians."
That declaration was publish
ed in a pamphlet and issued in
English translation by the New
Century Publishers, the Red or
ganization here. It is referred
to favorably in an article on
"People’s Democracy" appearing
in the May issue of Political
Affairs. The article explains
how Mao-Tse tting is tn carry
out this imitation of Soviet Rus
sia. It will be done by stages,
the tactic used by Lenin and
Stalin in Russia. The cry of the
Bolsheviks was “Land to the
peasants!” Under that cry they
came into power. Through it
they could create that division
among the farm population
which would make possible the
final step to slavery under col
lectivisation.
The Communists explain to
themselves, in Political Affairs,
that the first stage in China is
“the agrarian, anti-feudal, and
a n i i mperialist revolution."
Those words are a cover-up for
the deception involved in the
division of land among the peas
ants and in the consequent fas­
Eas German (communist) re
gime, shouted at a Red conven
tion, “the Church can no longer
camouflage its attitude with a
masque of ‘neutrality’.’’
“The Church in the German
Democratic Republic (meaning
the communist regime in East
Germany) must decisively sep
arate itself from all America!
and English agencies. The Chris
tian morality of humanity can
not be reconciled with the pol
icy of enslavement pursued by
lhe Adenauer government (of
West Germany) and with the
domination of the American,
English and French occupiers in
West Germany and in Western
Berlin," he added.
And so, while the peace pact
presents the Reds with a very
flimsy excuse indeed for attack
ing the Catholic Church, the Reds
do not shrink from using it. At
the same time, the hobbling at
tacks upon the Church provide
the minions of Moscow with the
means of showing the Western
Powers that they are going to
do everything they can to fright
en the people of West Germany
out of their peace pact with the
Western Powers. That is why
the political capitals of the w’orld
are watching what happens in
Berlin next w’pek.
tening of Stalin's rule over Chi
na. since the Kremlin dictator
is the master “anti-imperialist.”
Meanwhile, the beginnings of
forced collective farms go on?
It will be speeded up as soon
as the Communists find it feas
ible to do so.
Fastening Stalin’s Grip
From his ^lack of knowledge
of this Communist technique,
Mr. Gould draws the conclusion
that Americans should not hold
a "perpetual fear and hatred of
the label ‘Communism’ in Chi
na." There will come a time,
he predicts, when the “people's
government “will be unable to
provide food and clothing. Then
it is that Americans should step
in—of course, without any con
cern about the label “Commun
ism." Presumably the former
editor of The Shanghai Evening
Post still wants us tn do busi
ness with Mao Tse-tung by loans
or other financial aid. We bol
stered up Red Poland in that
w’ay, the argument may go, so
why not Red China?
Such a view and program will
only help to fasten Stalin's grip
on the Chinese nation. Tf there
is famine, Moscow can do as it
did in Russia: starve out mil
lions of the general population
but always feed and train a
strong army. If the United States
aids the Communist regime by
funds or recognition, as with
Poland, the Communists will
take our money and use it
against us.
A much better solution is the
realistic one. Not merely the
end of all thoughts of recog
nizing Red China but action to
induce Great Britain to with
draw recognition. Unless that is
done. Japan will follow Britain's
lead—and that will be a tragedy
for Asia and America.
INQUIRY CORNER
GRETTA PALMER
Why Must We Fast
Before Communion?
Q. What is the reason for the
fast before Holy Communion?
A. The law of fasting from
midnight is a grave law of the
Church requiring abstinence
from food and drink. Exceptions
for the sick and for men in serv
ice indicate the fact that it is
not essential to the Sacrament.
In the early Church there was a
meal before the Mass. St. Paul
refers to this and points out: ..
at the meal, each one takes first
his own supper, and one is hun
gry, and another drinks over
much ... In this I do not com
mend you (I Cor. 11:22). With the
change to Sunday for the prin
cipal Mass (Acts 20:7) the depar
ture from evening Mass joined
to make fasting practical. It was
designed to prevent any unwor
thy approach to Holy Commun
ion, and to add a note of pen
ance to our preparation.
Q. Is the doctrine of the As
sumption of Mary into heaven a
new one?
A. When Pope Pius XII pro
claimed the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary as a truth
revealed by God and a matter of
faith he stated no new doctrine.
November 1, 1950, saw merely
the fkiaf definition of a truth
held fast in the belief and pray
er of Catholics since the Apos
tles. As Catholics know, Tradi
tion, the record of belief of the
early Church, contains necessary
explanations and facts taught
by the Apostles and not includ
ed in the New Testament. It
was taught by St John Damas
cene. St. Gregory of Tours, St.
Jerome and St. Augustine among
others, and the feast day was
celebrated in Palestine before
the year 500. One decade of the
rosary has been dedicated to
the Assumption for nine hun
dred years and it has been uni
versally accepted by Catholics.
St. John Damascene (676-770)
refers to it as “an ancient tra
dition" and the Council of Chai
cedon (451) refers to it.
Q. Why do we pray in the
Our Father “lead us not (in
ducas) into temptation’’ Does
God ever lead anyone into temp
tation?
A. St. James (1:13) states: “Let
no man say when he is tempt
ed that he is tempted by God.”
We pray that God may not per
mit us to be tempted beyond
our strength i.e. we ask His
grace to make us strong enough
to resist temptation. The ex
pression is used because the
Greek of the New Testament in
St. Matthew’s Gospel (6:9) and
in St. Luke’s (11:2) has the
meaning of “carrying into” and
the Vulgate follows it. It is a
matter for scholars to explain
the exact shades of meaning in
Psychiatry
Among the
very hot pota
toes of modern
theology is the
question:
‘‘Just how
much help
should a Cafh
o 1 i receive
from a psychi
atrist when he
finds his mind
in trouble?"
There are Tones in this de
bate who are apt to ask, “Could
the Doctors of the Church—en
gaged in studying and healing
souls for twenty centuries—have
overlooked so important an ele
ment as the ‘subconscious’, if
such a thing were actually in
existence?”
Hardly, they reply, and con
clude that the very premises of
much psychiatry are fictions,
legends and medical myths.
More practically, this group
points out that “psyche" and
“soul" are indistinguishable
words, at least in origin. Why,
they inquire, should the doctor
invade the realm of spirit over
which the priest presides?
The Other Side
But there are also Catholic
radicals who are on the other
side of the religion-psychiatry
issue. They contend that mental
illness is no more the priest’s
affair than physical illness is.
When they are reminded that
Sigmund Freud expressed a vio
lent hatred of all religion, they
answer that his attitude and his
personal prejudice bear no rela
tion to the methods of treatment
he laid down. They argue that a
psychiatrist's moral concepts
have no more to do with his fit
ness to treat a believing Catho
lic than the moral concepts of
a surgeon have to do with his
right to remove a Catholic ap
pendix.
Both Tories and radicals may
now rejoice. A book which will
provide each of them with im
mense and valuable data has
been lately issued. Its authors
are Father James Van Der Veldt
of the Psychology Department
and Dr. Robert P. Odenwald of
the Psychiatry Department of
Catholic University. They have
been brave enough to publish
a 422-page discussion of the
moot matter. Their four hun
dred-odd sticks of dynamite are
bound together in a volume call
ed “Psychiatry and Catholicism.
One enormous boost the au-
translation, but the Church fol
lows the literal wording of the
Scriptures.
Q. If Christ is the Mediator
how can the priest forgive sins?
A. One Mediator redeemed us.
The priest is an accredited agent
of the one Mediator. Confession
is the way of applying Christ’s
merits to the person who has
sinned after Baptism. Clearly
Christ gave the Apostles power
to forgive or to retain sins (St
John 20:19-23) explicitly saying
“as the Father has sent Me I al
so send you.”
Q. Is not prayer directly to
God better than one through
Mary? God loves us more than
Mary does
A. God is the best judge of
effective prayer and His Church
has always approved devotion to
Mary and the saints. God loves
Mary a great deal more than He
loves any one of us, so her pray
er for us is more pleasing than
our own. Actually there should
be no conflict, for if we follow
the Mass and other public pray
ers together with approved pri
vate prayers we pray constantly
to God directly. When we pray to
God through Mary we do not re
move God from our mind and in
tention. We have added her in
tercession to our prayer, and
shown due honor to Christ’s
mother. St. James tells us that
“the prayer of a just man avail
eth much" (5:16). Mary is the
most just and close to God, and
her love for us is most “prac
tical”. Consider her care for the
people at the wedding feast and
her power to obtain an unusual
favor from her Son (St. John
2:1).
Q. Do non-Catholics have
guardian angels to protect
them?
A. St. Thomas Aquinas says
that God denies to no one the
general helps toward salvation.
Christ indicated the existence
of guardian angels in His state
ment: “Their angels always see
the face of my Father in heav
en’’ (Matt. 18:10). There is no
reason why this should not ap
ply to every man. The devils
certainly are permitted to at
tack all men, and it is reason
able to believe that all are pro
tected by opposing angels.
Q. What is the Douay Bible?
A. It is the Catholic English
edition of the Sacred Scriptures.
It takes its name from the place
where the exiled English Cath
olics published this approved
translation. The New Testament
appeared in 1582 and the Old
in 1610.
Send questions to Father Ed
ward Hpaley, Inquiry Corner,
The Catholic Times, Box 636,
Columbus (16) Ohio.
And You
thors give the Tories comes in
discussion of the “neutral" psy
chiatrist—the man who, in the
ory, refuses to take sides in
whatever conflict may be agi
tating his patient’s mind. He is
the man who says, “It does not
matter what I myself believe. I
am a neutral umpire between
the repressed desires and moral
conscience of the patient.” This
“neutralism” is the much-favor
ed plea of non-believing psychi
atrists who assure the world
that they can treat a Catholic
without in any way doing dam
age to his faith.
The authors simply do not
believe that “neutralism is pos
sible or that, if it were possible
it would be acceptable to the be
lieving Catholic.
Neutrality Rare
So much for the psychitarist
who really is neutral. He must,
by his own principles, sit pas
sively by and watch his patient
decide on suicide or murder,
broad-mindedly eschewing any
criticism of the choice. But few
psychiatrists are as neutral
as
all that.
The atheist, then, the man
who has no reasoned belief in
the natural moral law, will, whe
ther he wishes.to or not, draw
his patient’s beliefs closer to his
own before the treatments have
been ended. Atheist psychia
trists are a threat to the Faith.
No Tory Hand-Book
But the book is not, by any
means, a Tory’s hand-book. The
authors condemn all morally
“neutral" psychiatrists they do
not condemn all psychiatrists,
even for Catholics. “Religion”
they say, “is no substitute for
psychiatry." They recommend
pithily, “Once a person has
a
serious mental breakdown
he
may—if he wishes—go to church
and light a candle, but right
after that it would be a sensible
thing for him to visit the office
of a psychiatrist.”
To them the crux of the mat
ter is the question: "What psy
chiatrist?” And it is a question
that concerns the theologian in
a way that the question, “What
surgeon?”, is not apt to do. It
is only in a few cases, mostly
obstetrical, that the moral atti
tude of a surgeon is of vital in
terest to a Catholic patient. But
no patient can spend a single
hour in the office of a psychia
trist ^without being in some way
affected by his fundamental
moral and religious beliefs.