The Catholic times. [volume], January 29, 1954, Image 4

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—THE CATHOLIC TIMES
Friday. Jan. 29. 954
THE
CATHOLIC TIMES
Published Ever? Week by
The Catholic Times. Inc.
Columbus. Ohio
NOTICE Send All Change’ of Address tn
P. O. Box 636 Columbus. Ohio
Executive and Editorial Offices:
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This Paper Printed by Union Labor
New Parishes
The announcement today of the establishment
of four new parishes by the Most Reverend Bishop
is an important event in the Diocese of Columbus.
This move is indicative of the constantly growing
Catholic population in central Ohio, and of a need
which has been felt for a long time. That these
and other parishes have not been established be
fore this time has been due chiefly to the lack of
priests to do the work, to undertake the spiritual
direction and ministration necessary in such units
of the Church.
What is a narish? It is. after the family, one of
the fundamental organizational units rf the Church.
True, it depends upon the diocese of which it is
a part but it is. nevertheless, the smallest area
designated by proper ecclesiastical authority and
governed by precise law of lhe Church. Its princi
pal pur nose is that the work nf Christ m?v be the
more effectively advanced amongst the souls of the
parishioners who make up its membershin. It is
through this seoarate unit nf the Church that the
graces of God become more readilv available to the
people of the parish The greatest privilege of the
narish is that Christ comes to dwell in its midst
in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Once the
parish i« established in some kind of church no
matter how humble—provided, then the altar. 1he
Tabernacle, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass come.
And that Altar, becomes the focal noint of the
parish Holv Mass is the important fm ction dav
after day for the pastor and his people. Through
the Mass Our fiord’s presence in the Blessed .Sac
rament is possible. with the result that he dwells
in the Tabernacle, more readily available tn the
neople nf this new little area of the Church at
large. He is there so that they might visit Him.
adore Him thank Him. and heg His help.
Added to this is the fact that when a new par
ish is set un its nastor has lhe re«nonsibility of of
fering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass mans* times
during the year for hi* people And it makes no
difference what kind of church building he and
his flock may have, it is the Mass that matters.
The building may he a great and beautiful basilica
it may be a small frame structure. made as at
tractive a* the love and ability of nastor and pen
pie can make tor the Divine Guest Who will
dwell there Rut. great or small, ornate or plain,
the parish church is lhe nlace where Mass i of
fered for the people of that area When (her leave
it tn attend Ma*« elsewhere nn Sundays, they 20
where another pastor 1*
tv er
ing Mas for hi*
people while back "homi»” Ma*« IS being offei ea
for the
It is
people gone aw ay
a privilege to he a pa rl of a new narih.
For this is having a naFI in a new extension nf
Christ’s Church among men it is taking a real
part in a new missionarv w ork. and will hring its
corresponding great blessings unon those who have
a part in it. Whatever sacrifice*, of nraver, labor,
finances are made will hrinn more than ordinary
reward in this work just for the reason that it is a
further advancement of the Churrh, and under
taken to nrovide more effectiiejv for the salvation
of soul*. Member® of the new Columbus narishes
are. therefore in real truth In he envied No mat
ter how much thev mav mi«s their former heau’i
ful parish churches, for which thev have alreadv
made many sacrifices, they will now enter upon
this new and important work with e\en greater
love, realizing what it means for themselves and
the closer union nf souls with Christ in their new
parish
Si. Francis dr Sales
The Dioceae of Columbus has a double reason
for rejoicing this Friday, January 29, the feast of
St. Francis de Sales This great Saint, horn into
times much like our own, is the patron of the
Diocese of Columbus and also patron of the Catholic
Press.
The Diocese of Columbus has much to he fer
vently thanklul for in reviewing the year that has
passed since the last feastday of St. Francis. This
Church of Columbus under his patronage has ex
panded greatly during thi* time, both in soul and
body. For his past favors we arc joyfully thankful
and humbly we pray for his continued guidance
and support in the year to come.
We salute St. Francis also as the patron of the
Catholic Press. Three hundred years apo. this holy
man realized lhe great importance'of the written
word in spreading the doctrine of hr 1st and
combatting the errors of his day.
We pray that under his protection the Catholic
Press of today may continue to prosper and to
emulate the success of St. Francis and hisapo.stolate
Landlemas. Our Lady's Feast
The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, or Candlemas Day, is one of the old
est feasts oi the Mother of our Divine Savior. It
is also one of the important feasts of Our Lady
singled out by Pope Pius XII for special privileges
during this Marian year.
As long ago as the seventh century the feast
of the Purification of Mary ranked only after the
feast of her Assumption. It is observed to commem
orate Marys going to Jerusalem in accordance with
the Mosaic law forty days after the birth of Jesus
to offer the prescribed sacrifice. Mothers were to
offer a lamb, or, if their means did not allow, tun
doves or two young pigeons. Of course Mary took
the infant Jesus with her, and the Candlemas pro
cession recalls the journey of Mary and Joseph
ascending the temnle 10 present "the light to the
revelation of the Gentile*.*’ n« Malachy had proph
esied
However. Mary was not obliged to conform to
the law in this instance, since her motherhood was
beyond ordinary laws. And it is doubtless for this
reason that the liturgy of the Church emphasizes in
stead on this feast the Presentation of Jesus in
the Temnle. The candles blessed on this dav rep
resent Jesus as the "Ught of the World.” The
prayers for this blessing are most instructive and
indicative of fhe significance of the feast. The Go*
pel of the Mass recounts the story, ending with
the famous Canticle nf Simon, the Nunc Dnnitf?.*:
"Now Thou does dismiss Thy servant, O fjord, ac
cording tn Thy word in peace.”
For the Marian Year Pope Pius XII ha* desig
nated this Feast of Our Lady, along with the feasts
of her Immaculate Conception, her Presentation, her
Assumption and her Nativity, as days of special
privilege. On these days of this blessed year, any
one may gain a plenary indulgence each time he
visits a Marian church and prays for the inten
tion of the Holy Father, along with the usual con
ditions nf Confession and Holy Communion neces
sary for gaining such an indulgence. This means
that the faithful may gain as many plenary indul
gences as they make visits to a Marian church, ful
filling the conditions stated.
It was through Mary* that the "Light of the
World” came on earth. And it is fitting that the
feast observing her presentation of that "Light’’
in the temple should be the day on which the
Church blesses candles used in liturgical functions
throughout the year. For the lighted candle is
the symbol of Christ.
Just Among Ourselves
Pasting Comment Considered or Inconsiderate
To-day. Friday, January 29. is the Feast of St.
Francis de Sales, Patron of the Diocese of Colum
bus. Throughout the Diocese this festival will be
observed for a full octave, a space of eight days
from Friday to Friday, January 29, to February
5 inclusive.
o 0
A patron is one of the Saints in heaven who is
expected to do a special work of intercession for
a person, place, group, or institution on earth.
The name of a Saint conferred in Baptism, makes
that Saint the patron of the person baptized. The
name of a Saint given to a parish church makes
that Saint the patron of the parish. In Catholic
Europe, centuries ago,—and even to-day in many
areas,—each city, each town, each village, each
province, each country, had its patron saint.
It is a true Catholic instinct which takes the
Saints in heaven into our earthly affairs. For the
Communion of Saints means that the blessed in
heaven, the faithful on earth, and the suffering
souls in purgatory, are all members of the one true
Church, each deeply interested in all that concerns
every other. We honor God in honoring His Saints
we serve God in helping the suffering souls pay
their debt of temporal punishment. The Saints hon
or and serve God in interceding for us it is our
pious and confident belief that the suffering souls
also offer effective prayers on our behalf.
To have a special patron means that a person,
place, or institution turns to one particular Saint
to do him special honor and to ask of him special
favor. It does not mean that other Saints arc neglect
ed does mean that one Saint is made the means
of focussing attention and effort on religious pur
pose. It is merely human nature to find ideals con
creted in individual persons this fact explains the
existence of national and local heroes, and the un
failing observance of commemorative holidays. And
human nature is made sunernatural in the Catholic
practice of honoring patron Saints the practice
is not only a commemoration of an embodied ideal,
and of a human life now ended it is the living
invocation of Christian nobility and excellence
which exists and is active at this moment, al
though not longer visible on earth.
A patron serves three ends: inspiration, interces
sion, and imitation His life is a record of heroic
fidelity in the service ot Gori: it is something Io
stir the hearts and wills of all who have still to
undertake or to finish the work he did with
notable success: hence the patron is an inspiration
to hi®*’c1ients. Further, the patron is asked, and
with full confidence that he will not retuse, to
pray constantly to God lor his clients who are in
unceasing need of divine aid in living their earthly
lives as these should be lived hence the patron
is an intercessor. Finally, the natron is not merely
admired his clients strive, even in a humhle and
inadequate manner, to imitate his virtues in their
own lives the patron is set for imitation.
4
lhe patron of a diocese it meant to have the spe
cial attention of all Catholics who live in that
diocese. These persons are expected to know some
thing in detail of the holy life of their diocesan
patron, so that thev may find in him both inspir
ation and a model for imitation. Tn imitate the
saints is to follow in a well marked pathway
which leads to God and heaven: to imitate ones
patron, personal, parochial, or diocesan, is to see
that path more and more clearly, and Io walk
in it with greater and greater determination.
Thus the honoring of a patron Saint is nn
empty ceremony. It is good, practical common
sense, raised to the saving plane of the super
natural. It is good tactics in the business of making
one’s journey nf life,—difficult and sometimes hr
wildering as it is,—show true progress towards
the goal.
St Francis de Sales, natron of our diocese, was
horn in France almost 400 years ago. He lived tn
he fifty-five years of age. He was made Bishop of
Geneva in Switzerland when he was thirty-five. He
founded the Visitation Order of nuns. He ruled his
diocese with gentleness and loving zeal, and his
prayers and instructions were the means nf bring
ing thousands of heretics and lapsed Catholics to
the ardent practice of the faith. Some say he con
verted 60.000 some put the number at 72,000.
Now, it is notable in the life of (his Saint that
his conquests for Christ were made alter he had
conquered himself. For he was by nature a man
of strong and even furious temper. Yet so com
pletely did he overcome his tendency, and hold
it firmly in check, that he is known to all the
world as a model of gentleness, meekness, kind
ness. St Francis teaches his client- the essential
le-son that self-conquest through God’s assisting
grace is the first victory that they must win. Only
when people have put sin out of their own lives
can they expect to do lasting good for others. Only
when parents, for instance, have conquered pride
and selfishness in themselves. and have devoted
themselves to full and honest performance of sacred
duty, can they expect to rear good and devoted
children.
In this noisy age of the world, when everyone
seems to he clamoring for attention and courting
the silly thing called publicity, it is good to re
member that our great patron did his stupendous
work for Christ in the quiet, even the relative ob
scurity. of his native place and of his city among
the Alps. Indeed he used to say, "What is good
makes no noise what is noisy does no good.”
Thus, he who sought no acclaim is acclaimed
by the universal Church. He who made no effort
to be known, is known to all the world. The name
of Francis de Sales is as familiar to-day, four cen
turies after he lived, as the name of any civil
military hero who ever won the plaudits of man
kind. Even lhe world renders homage and honor
to the man who counted worldly acclaim as less
than nothing.
And in this pofht too the clients of St. Francis
find model for their imitation Following in the
way he led, they learn to disregard the allure
ments of this world they learn to find Our Lord
and to hear His cross with fidelity and constant joy.
St. Francis de Sales, Patron of our diocese,
pray (or u».
II 4SHI V6 TO V LETTER
WASHINGTON—The Ameri
can people are very much inter
ested in the threat subversive
activities pose to our national
security.
Senators and Representatives
are sensitive to the expressed
opinions of their constituents.
They are especially sensitive in
an election year, which 19.54 is.
Because they are only recently
returned from "back home.” it
it is reasonable to assume that
the legislators, when they hasten
to introduce bills early in the
session, are acting in the light of
what they were told in their
constituencies.
Several recently introduced
LOl IS F. HI DEM
Millions of pamphlets are
blanketing the United States,
presenting one phase or an
other of the communist line in
brief and pop
ular form. 11
is safe to say
there has not
been such a
large output
of subversive
publications
for the last 10
years. I recom
mend to those
"liberals” who
say there is
no Red throat within this coun
try a study of these booklets, in
cluding research as to the thou
sands of non-communist outlets
which thev roach and affect.
To promote admiration for
Rod China, and therefore recog
nition of that Soviet regime, the
Communist Party issues a wide
variety of titles, ranging from a
leaflet on "New China” to the
Red Dean of Canterbury's effu
sions on his trip to that coun
try. To destroy Congressional in
vestigations there arc no less
than ton different pamphlets
against "McCarthyism" alone.
These are climaxed by a special
contribution from the Red-ruled
United Electrical, Radio, and Ma
chine Workers Union, which does
that which the Party and its of
ficial publishing houses might
not want to do. This "UE” pro
duction presents a picture gal
lery*. with brief biographies, of
"the distinguished men and wom
en” who have followed the Com
munist lead in denouncing in
quiries into subversion. The list
is rather a formidable one and
gives some indication of why our
powerful nation has proved so
impotent against Soviet com
munism.
American Reeder* Off Guard
Even these official communist
publications find their way into
many American organizations
and American homes. When the
average American sees the name
Wrong Medicine
Interest In Subversives
These are evident efforts in
some quarters to play down this
danger, hut judging fiom the
number of hills on the subject
already introduced in the sec
ond session of (he 8.3rd Congress,
the American people themsel
ves arc concerned. And. still
more measures of this nature
are expected to be put into the
legislative hopper.
bills seek to outlaw the commun
ist party in the United States.
Some of the bills would achieve
this end by making it a crime
to belong to that party. Some
measures would deprive one of
his citizenship for belonging io
the communist partv and others
would take citizenship away for
belonging io any organization
having for one of its purposes
the seizure or overthrow of the
U. S. Government by force or
violence.
One measure would combat
subversion by preventing Fed
eral agencies from making,
guaranteeing or insuring loans to
or for persons affiliated with
subversive organizations, or who
individually advocate the over
throw of our Government hy
force.
Still another approach to the
matter is made by a bill that
would stop payments of compen
sation or Government retire
ment benefits to any officer or
employee, nr former officer or
rmnin- m. nr th" Gnvr’,pm«n|
The Rising Flood Of Falsehood
of International Publishers as
the source for these pamphlets,
he does not generally know that
this is the official communist
concern authorized by Moscow
to publish the leading Marxist
Leninist works. When he notes
that the New Century Publishers
issues still other books and leaf
lets. he is not aware that this is
the title of (he official Commun
ist Party publisher for works of
apparently American origin. Ho
is off guard, and that is why
these Red fabrications get into
so many non-communist hands.
So vital is it that these Mos
cow-created pieces of propaganda
be exposed that I shall devote a
number of columns during the
next few months to refutation
of those receiving the widest cir
culation. But today 1 must warn
that they ohtam a readier accept
ance because they are abetted
hy hooks and magazine articles
issued under non-communist
auspices, which come from sour
ces favoring appeasement. Few
hooks stand out more strikingly
in that category than Foreign
Policy Without Fear, recently
written hy Vera Micheles Dean
of the Foreign Policv Associa
tion and to he found in many of
our libraries.
Mrs. Dean resorts to that pe
culiar roundabout style, popular
ized by Owen Taittimore. under
which vague ‘‘friends’’ of ours
in Europe are represented as
standing for certain things and
wanting the United States to
stand for certain things. But the
reader is gradually led to accept
recognition of Red China as in
evitable and to oppose Congres
sional inquiries or any other real
effort to subdue the Red con
spiracy here. In other words,
whatever her purposes, Mrs.
Dean would bring us all around
to support the chief items in the
current communist line.
As a basis for her thoughts,
she opposes the "demoniac”
theory of history, by which she
seeks to soften American atti
tudes toward communism. She
who has refused on the grounds
of self-incrimination to testify
before congressional committees.
One bill would deprive natur
al-born or naturalized citizens
of (heir nationality upon convic
tion of certain crimes relating to
national security.
Under still another meas
ure. a person would not be per
mitted to pursue education cour
ses or training in a loreign coun
try under lhe Servicemen’s Re
adjustment Act of 1944. if such
person engaged in any activities
contrary to the interests of the
United States.
These are not all of the meas
ures pertaining to national se
curity and subversive activities
that are presently before Con
gress, and they are constaantly
being added to. What will be
the fate of any, or all of them,
it is of course too early to pre
dict. Right now. they sene as a
pretty good indication of the
widespread concern of the Amer
ican nemi' over such matters.
rejects, in other words, the an
alysis of Pope Pius XI that this
is a "Satanic scourge’’, and she
thereby prepares the way to
champion negotiations with So
viet Russia—negotiations which
from the very nature of com
munism can end only in disas
ter.
It is not surprising, then, as
part of her thesis that she mutt
assail the Catholic Church in the
United States, declaring on page
35 that the "significant influence
ol the Roman Catholic Church”
in this country "challenged the
traditional separation of Church
and Stat®” With this prepara
tion. she leads naturally to argu
ments for the recognition of Red
China. And the chief argument
she presents, a ’’practical” hut
thoroughly immoral one. is that
failure tn recognize the Chinese
communists would mean that it
was not understood here that
they “control the territory of
mainland China.” The Red ter
ror under which they “main
tain’’ that control, the surrenders
by the United States which led
them to be in power, and the fu
ture danger to our security
bound up in recognition are not
to he seriously considered at all!
The crowning offense in this
book, presented to us as the work
of another "expert.” is its plea
that the United States abandon
all' effective measures against
the communist conspiracy in this
country. Mrs. Dean is in reality
against the uprooting of subver
sives. she is opposed to the tes
timonies of ex-communists
those very people who J. Edgar
says have given the greatest
blows to the Red conspiracy.
She would do away with Con
gressional inquiries, which have
been the chief agencies for
X-raying the conspiracy and its
threats. She is in effect preach
ing appeasement and surrender,
and with such counsels so well
received in many of our universi
ties, it is no wonder that weak
ness and uncertainty have so
often dominated American pol
icy in world affairs.
Inquiry Corner
Q. Is it possible for a good
person to commit a sin just be
fore he dies and go to hell, and
for a wicked person to repent at
the last minute and be saved?
Jf so, it that just?
A. St. Paul points out the
Christian principle. "For what a
man sows, that he will also
reap.” (Galatians 6:8) It is true
that a good man who dies with
unrepented mortal sin would
lose his soul. Since God wishes
all men to be saved and gives
abundant graces to all it is un
likely that a truly good man
would die unrepentant. The wick
ed man who repents certainly
can be saved as we know from
the instance of the Good Thief.
One problem in these considera
tions is the lack of knowledge
on our part of how good an ap
parently good man is and how
wicked a man may be who is
considered wicked. Only God
truly knows the many sins which
may precede the fall of an ap
parently good man such as that
of Judas, or the many acts of
kindness and virtue in the lives
of sinners like Magdalene.
Q. What is a sacrariwm?
A. The sacrarium is a sink or
basin set aside for water in
which the altar linens have been
purified. The water with which
the priest purifies his fingers
at the altar is also poured into
it. It is usually in the sacristy
of the church and has its outlet
deep in the ground.
Q. How could there be bless
ings before Christ died on the
Cross? What kind of sign could
be made?
A. In the Old Testament we
read of blessings. Noe blessed
his two sons (Genesis 9:26), Isaac
blessed Jacob (Genesis 27:27)
and Jacob blessed hi twelve sons
(Genesis 49:28). Some clue as to
the form might be found in the
account in the book of Numbers
(6:23) where it describes the
priests stretching their hands ov
er them and blessing them in
prayer.
Q. Is there anything in the
Scriptures indicating that we
should be kind to animals?
What about scientific experi
ments causing them suffering?
A. The answer to both ques
tions is given in the first chap
ter of Genesis. There God gives
to Adam dominion over all liv
ing creatures. (Genesis 1:28-30).
The Fifth Commandment forbids
any cruel or intemperate use of
any living being, for man does
not have absolute dominion over
the gifts God has given him. The
book of Proverbs speaks explicit
ly of proper care of animals
(12:10) and Exodus 20:8-11)
commands man.to give animals
proper rest and care. Christ of­
MON SIG NOR HIGGINS
Father Healey-----------------
ten spoke of the divine care even
for animals (Matthew 10.29), but
it is not Christian to place their
welfare above or equal to man’s.
In the interest of man’s welfare
it is certainly right to experi
ment with them, provided there
is no needless suffering.
M. How does a saint get de
clared one?
A. There are two steps, beatifi
cation and canonization. Gener
ally the process comes after pop
ular acclaim has called attention
to some holy person. The bishop
of the place inquires into his
reputation, makes sure that
there has been no public venera
tion, and checks his writings (if
any). The result of this investi
gation is sent to Rome to the
Congregation of Rites. If the in
vestigation there yields favorable
results a commission is appoint
ed to carry on the process, if the
Pope approves. The person is
then called "Venerable”. Thor
ough investigation and two prov
en miracles are required for be
atification. and again for cahoni
zation, followed by the formal
statement by the Pope declaring
the person a saint.
Q. Who was St. Cornelius?
A. There are several saints of
that name. The earliest is the
centurian baptized by St. Peter
at Caesarea. (Acts of the Apos
tles 10) According to an ancient
tradition he was Bishop of Cae
sarea. His feast is February 2.
Another St. Cornelius, in the
third century, was Pope and a
martyr for the Faith. Another
bishop, St. Cornelius, was an
Irish saint, Archbishop of Ar
magh, who died in Savoy on his
return from a pilgrimage to
Rome.
Q. Is it wrong to believe, in
dreams? Did not God speak to
people in the Old Testament and
to St. Joseph in dreams?
A. Visions, miracles and com
munications from God through
dreams are extraordinary things.
It is wrong for a Catholic to
place too much importance on a
dream and to guide his life by
dreams. Generally such commun
ications by God as are recorded
in the Bible were clearly from
God, Certainly the circumstances
were extraordinary in the case
of Jacob (Genesis 31 TO), Daniel
(Daniel 2:9) and SL Joseph
(Matthew 120. 2.13). Ordinarily
they have a natural cause and
no importance should be given
them besides their possible psy
chological implicat’ons. When
any extraordinary communica
tion comes from God He makes
clear its supernatural character.
Send questions to Father Ed
ward F. Healey. The Inquiry
Corner. The Catholic Times, Box
636. Columbus (16) Ohio.
Democratic Socialism
.After the end of World War
II it was widely predicted that
Democratic Socialism would
cnerge as the ..ominant polit
i a 1 influence
in Western Eu
rope. Since
then a lot of
water has pass
ed ever the
dam and the
prophets have
been con-:
founded.
In Germany
for
lhe
example.
Christian
Democratic party is now firmly
entrenched in power and Konrad
Adenauer is universally recogniz
ed as one of the most important
political figures in the Western
world. Time magazine, in select
ing Chancellor Adenauer as the
Man of the Year for 1953. hon
ored a movement as well as a
man. since Adenauer is the class
ic symbol of the Christian De
macracy that is gradually dis
placing Socialism as the dom
inant influence in the political
life of contemporary Europe.
The recent victory’ of Aden
auer in Germany and the par
allel. if less spectacular, growth
of Christian Democratic parties
in France and Italy were good’for
Europe. They were also good for
Socialism. For under the grim
discipline of adversity and defeat
Socialism in Western Europe is
beginning to change for the bet
ter.
Socialists Abdandoning Marx
The New York Times reports
—and the Wall Street Journal
has recently published corro
borating evidence—that the So
cial Democratic Party in West
ern Germany is now in the pro
cess of revising its philosophy
and is gradually veering away
from Marxist ideology.
“German Socialism,” the
Wall Street Journal tells us in
a special dispatch from Bonn,
"is closing the political bible it
has followed for generations:
Karl Marx’ ‘Das Kapital.’ The
erstwhile collectivists of this
European nation are now brows
ing instead through the hand
books of modern Western cap
italism.”
The philosophy of the class
struggle is also being reconsid
ered and gradually abandoned.
According to the New York
Times, the Social Democrats no
longer conceive of a single
"working class.” Professor Carlo
Schmid, one of the Party's lead
ing theoreticians, recently stat
ed in a radio broadcast that the
SPD "wants to represent the
interests nf all those who stand
alone defenselessly exposed to
the soulless mechanism of econ
omy and society, whether they
be workers, white collar work
ers, farmers or members of the
middle class or civil servants.”
The Social Democratic Party,
the Trines reported, no longer
advocates the doctrinaire Social
ist solution of nationalizing all
the means of production and dis
tribution. According to Profes
sor Schmid, the Party wants to
make it possible for everyone
to acquire enough property “to
enable him to say ‘no’ even to
someone on whom he is econom
ically dependent.”
No Longer Anti-Religious
These are steps in the right
direction. But more important
in the long run than any of these
revisions in the philosophy of
the SPD is the hope that the
Party’s attitude towards religion
has also begun to change for the
better. Professor Schmid is
quoted by the Times as having
declared in his recent broadcast
that the SPD’s traditional atti
tude of "patronizing indiffer
ence” towards religion has
changed to one of "respect.” It
is too early to tell whether or
not this is true, but, in any case,
it is reassuring to have it pub
licly proclaimed as official SPD
policy by an authorized and
highly respected spokesman for
the Party.
The mere fact that Professor
Schmid was willing to make
such a declaration in a public
speech is a significant and high
ly encouraging phenomenon that
could not have taken place 20
or 30 years ago. One would like
to think that the Professor was
speaking the truth. But even if
he had his tongue in his cheek
and was only making a political
play for the Catholic and Protest
ant vote of West Germany, his
statement would still be very
gratifying as evidence of the
fact that the Socialists’ old an
tagonism towards religion is los
ing favor with the rank and file
of the German population and is
now regarded as a political
handicap.
America'* Retpontibilifie*
It remains to be seen what
the reaction of West Germany’s
Catholics and Protestants will
be to this new development.
Presumably it will be one of
watchful and prayerful waiting.
Meanwhile. Americans of all
faiths would be well advised, it
seems to us. to do everything
they can by prayer, example and
timely counsel to encourage the
Socialists of Western Europe to
support the position outlined hy
Professor Schmid.