The Catholic times. [volume], October 19, 1956, Image 4

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4—THE CATHOLIC TIMES Friday, Oct. 19,1956
The Washington Letter
WASHINGTON The Com
munist party in the United
States has made a change in
its tactics.
Attorney General Herbert
Brownell, Jr., has issued a
warning that the American
Reds are now seeking to gain
influence in organizations of a
atate and local character. He
said the communists no long
er find it advantageous to pro
mote “broad front organiza
tions” and are concentrating on
the infiltration of legitimate
organizations, "including frater
nal. charitable, and civic associ
ations.
He also warned the Ameri
can people that "the commun
ists now propose a new change
in the party line, seeking to
divert public attention by now
claiming allegiance to the Unit
ed States and purporting to sev
er their ties with the Soviet
Union.”
Last week we stressed that
family problems should be talk
ed out, and that the time and
circumstances of the “parley”
are of utmost importance.
Here's another thought.
A middle-aged couple was
in the midst of a furious discus
sion. The sound and the pitch
of their voices began to rise.
The nuel would have shamed a
foghorn. As her voice went
higher, his voice wmt still high
higher and so. on and on.
But as her voice reached the
pitch of a factory whistle, he
suddenly remembered an old
rule. His face relaxed. He took
a deep breath A faint smile
played on his lips and calmly
he lowered his voice just above
a whisper. She was transfixed.
She froze in her position, and
in a trance finally muttered:
"Blast you! I was just going to
do that!” And the argu
ment started all over again.
By-Pass tha Memory
The tone of voice is certainly
Important. If the "talk” be
comes emotionally charged,
cease it quickly. Otherwise it
becomes a lost battle. If it is
not the right time or situation
to solve a problem, leave the
scene of friction. But do not
break off communications. Ex
plain why you arc leaving. Men
tion that this is simply not the
time to talk this over. That is
generally obvious enough.
When discussing a problem
with another, let him or her
"save face.” Do not demand a
written apology. Do not be a
conqueror. If after an argument
your husband brings you a box
of candy, do not look over your
nose victoriously and say. “So,
you admit you were wrong!”
I
I
I
I
Pope Pius XI in his encyclical
"On Reconstructing The Social
Order,” points out that because
work is both individual and so
cial in character, there are
several factors to be consider
ed in determining a just wage.
First, the worker must he paid
a wage sufficient to support
himself and hts family in de
cent comfort. Secondly, the fi
nancial condition of the busi
ness must be considered.
last, but not least, "the
amount of the pay must be
adjusted to the public econom
ic good.” That is to say, wages
and salaries should be at such
levels as to effect continuous
employment and a decent
standard of living for the great
est possible number.
In discussing the second of
these three factors or determi
nants of a just wage, the Sov
ereign Pontiff examines the sit
uation of a business or an in
dustry unable to meet its re
sponsibilities, either because of
inefficiency or lack of initia
tive, or because of economic
conditions beyond its immedi
ate control.
United Strength and
Counsel
He has no sympathy whatso
ever for the employer who is
faced with the former problem.
Inefficiency or lack of initia
tive, he says very bluntly, is
do
excuse for failing to pay a
just wage. The latter problem
he treats very sympathetically.
The employer whose inability
to pay a just wage is due to
economic conditions beyond his
immediate control is not obli
gated in strict justice to make
restitution to his workers. Ob­
U.S. Reds and the Vote
Making Marriage Click
"They will fool no one by
this tactic,” the attorney gen
eral predicted.
e e
More than 64 500.000 votes
may be cast in November’s
presidential election. This be
came a possibility when the U.
S. Census bureau announced in
recent days that there will be
about 102.750.000 civilians of
voting age in this country at
election time. In 1952 there
were 98.100.000 persons of vot
ing age. and 61.552.000 cast bal
lots. If the same proportion ob
tains this year, it is figured that
upwards of 64 500,000 would ac
tually vote.
The figure of 102.750.000 ci
vilians obviously exclude*
2.100 000 persons of voting age
now with the armed services.
It includes civilians 21 years of
age and older in all the states,
plus persons 18 to 20 years of
So, You’re Wrong!
Bv Msgr. Irving A. DeBlanc
And if your wife cooks you a
meal with all your specialties,
don rub her nose in the dirt
by refusing to eat it.
It is helpful after such argu
ments to act as if nothing had
happened. Try to completely
by-pass the memory.
Consult Third Party
Once settled, forget it. Don’t
carry a grudge. Don’t rehash
old mistakes. So many hate to
ever admit that they were actu
ally wrong. They know they
were wrong, they realize it. but
they will never admit it. To ad
mit it is like a death sentence.
Then there is the type who con
stantly pulls the skeleton out of
the closet. “I can forgive,” they
say. “but I can never forget.”
This is inhuman, unchristian,
fatal. It is the offended pagan
who says: “They should have
known better.” The offended
Christian says: "Father, forgive
them for they know' not what
they do.” someone who has
seriously offended you but is
sincerely sorry is often more
trustworthy than one who has
never fallen.
If you cannot talk it out with
out emotional overtones, find
a third party for counsel. By no
means should it necessarily be
a priest. It should, however, he
somebody who will listen, who
is trustworthy, who is wise, who
has good judgment. It should
preferably be somebody who
has enjoyed a happy marriage,
who may already have had
some of your problems. It can
he a man, it can be a lady. It is,
of course, most advantageous to
go to someone who has been
trained Going to this third par
ty is as normal as going to a
dentist or to a home economics
First Things First
viously, however, he is bound
to do everything possible tn
correct the situation so that
eventually he will be able to
meet his obligations. Obviously,
too he cannot be expected to
do this alone, for the supposi
tion is that the situation is be
yond his immediate personal
control.
Therefore, the Holy Father
concludes, “Let.. both work
ers and employers strive with
united strength and counsel to
overcome the difficulties and
obstacles and let a wise pro
vision on the part of public au
thonly aid them in so solidary
a work Six years later Pius
XI relumed to this problem
and proposed this same solu
tion in his encyclical on Athe
istic Communism.
The principles in this tele
scoped discussion of wage jus
tice are of more than academic
interest in the Vmted States at
the present time. Indeed they
are directly applicable to the
textile industry which, for the
most part, is in a seriously de
pressed condition and either
unable or unwilling to pay an
adequate wage to the majority
of its workers. Part of the trou
ble is due to inefficiency or
lack of initiative, part to eco
nomic conditions more or less
beyond the immediate control
of the industry for exam
ple, tariff disabilities.
Pawn* In Manipulation Gama
The Textile Workers Union
considers the condition of the
industry a “crisis for America
This is the title of a special re
port released by the union on
Sept. 24. which contends that
textile wages are 25% below
age in Kentucky and Georgia,
where the minimum voting age
is 18 years.
A number of points con
tribute to the discrepancy be
tween the number old enough
to vote and those who actually
vote. First, persons who are
residents of the District of Co
lumbia. persons confined to pe
nal institutions and persons
who are inmates of mental in
stitutions are not permitted to
vote. In addition, many other
persons cannot vote because
they fail to satisfy state re
quirements as to citizenship,
residence, registration and pay
ment of poll taxes. Moreover,
there are some 2.500.000 of vot
ing age in the United States
who are aliens.
It is estimated that of the
7.500.000 persons who have
come of age since the elections
four years ago, 4.200.000 are
women and 3.300.000 are men.
teacher, and maybe it is more
important.
Repair the Damage
When wrong, be big enough
to apologize. It is not easy, but
it is effective. Apologies help
you not to repeat an injury
they disarm and melt an of
fended one. Try to repair hurt
feelings by affection, praise,
gifts, entertainment. Do some
thing positive. It isn’t the value
of a gift that warms us, it*
the affection it represents.
One who really loves and
who is momentarily separated
from another because of in
jury, gets a wee taste of the
anguish of hell. He is so glad to
be rescued from this torture
that he spontaneously wishes
to shower new attention on his
beloved. It is one of the ad
vantages of grave disagree
ments between lovers it is
so much fun, it is so wonder
ful to make up.
God's Depository
Married couples often forget
the graces guaranteed to them
in the sacrament of matrimony.
They have the right and can
humbly demand the necessary
helps ffom God's depository for
a successful marriage. As in
most sacraments, the graces
they receive are in proportion
to their own dispositions. In
Holy Communion it is not only
vital that they receive Our
Lord, it is also vital that they
give themselves wholly to Him.
Their daily scheduled pri
vate or family prayer will keep
then values Christian. They
will then never expect the pri
mary purpose of marriage to
he mere pleasure and compan
ionship. The emphasis will be
God’s will, heaven, children.
Bv Msgr. George G. Higgins
the national factory average,
with the differential growing
wider year by year. Some em
ployers, perhaps the majority
in the industry, have opposed
the organization of textile work
ers into unions. As a result, on
ly 25% of lhe workers are or
ganized one-third the ratio in
other manufacturing industries.
The report also accuses the
industry of having neglected
marketing and promotion, with
the result that sales have lag
ged (ar behind the higher pro
ductivity made possible by
technological advances. More
over, according to the Union,
many textile mills have been
used as pawns in an elaborate
game of financial manipulation
passed from owner to owner
and liquidated to meet some
fiscal problem unrelated to the
industry. The result is that
many textile communities
particularly in New' England—
have been turned into ghost
towns, many thousands of work
ers have been stranded by com
pany failures, and it is becom
ing increasingly difficult to at
tract young workers into the
industry.
reasonable Solution
With due allowance for a cer
tain amount of exaggeration on
the part of the union, it is nev
ertheless obvious that the tex
tile industry as a whole is in a
state of crisis. William Pol
lock, the union’s president,
warns in the above mentioned
report that an "explosion” is in
evitable if the downward trend
continues. "W'e do not want an
explosion.” he declares. “We
speak for conservatism, in the
best «en*e of the word.
PRAYER. CR.VSADE IS
BRGUH FOR REUM ION
OF ALL SEPARATED
BRETHREN WITH THE
Holy See
It was a craftily deceptive question which
the Pharisees framed in an effort to trap Christ
as related in Sunday's Gospel: “Is it lawful to
give tribute to Caesar?” If he answered in the af
firmative, it would affront His listeners, who
professed that the Roman rule was a usurpa
tion and that their sole allegiance was to God
if He answered “No.” it would give them an
opportunity to denounce Him as an inciter of
rebellion. Besides, the Pharisees thought, what
ever answer Christ gave would confuse His fol
lowers as to the loyalties due to God and to the
civil government, and thus might turn them
against Him.
But by calling for one of the coins which the
Pharisees themselves used in their business
transactions—a com which bore the image and
inscription of Caesar—Christ compelled them to
admit that they were, in fact, accepting Caesar
civil authority, since no coin could be legal un
less the government issuing it had legal stand
ing and He then made the significant pronounce
ment, to be applied as a changeless principle:
"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,
and to God the things that are God's.”
The hypocricy of the Pharisees, the dis
torted reasoning that seeks to establish some
sort of contradiction or conflict between relig­
Father Healey’s
Q. Is not the Index of Forbid
den Rooks a reflection on the
intelligence of Catholics?
Should we not judge for our
selves?
A. Nobody can read all the
good books written. We all de
pend upon sound criticism and
recommendations in sources
that we trust for the books that
we choose to spend time upon.
If a book is truly and danger
ously subversive responsible
men in government rightly put
it on a kind of index if a book
is carelessly done scientists
put it on an INFORMAL kind
of blacklist, using the same
fallible judgment. In moral
matters the Church i* commis
sioned to speak for God and
to protect people from evil. If
God speaks with authority
through parents and through
government at all (and “all
men are endowed by their CRE
ATOR with certain inalienable
rights”) He certainly speaks
more definitely through the
Church which He established to
guide men (Luke 10:16, Matt
hew 38:16-20) in spiritual and
moral matter*. It is better to
lose an eye or a hand than to
lose one’s soul (Matthew 5:29
30) and it i better to have th*
Toward One Fold
•■ij
Missionaries Depend on You
To the Missionary October is an extremely
important month because it enshrines two of
his most important tools: the Rosary and Mis
sion Sunday.
There is no missionary alive who has met
with any success whatever who did not also
dedicate his work to Our Lady, his labors to
her Rosary, so that one was interspersed with
the other. A missioner is vividly aware that the
graces his people receive come through Mary'*
hands. Time and again he witnesses her pow
erful intercession preserving him from harm or
bringing people close to her Son.
"Had the Mother of God forsaken me I would
have lost my mind in a month,” is the way mis
sionaries have stated it time and time again.
When a missioner refers to Mission Sunday
as his tool in prying souls from their various
Sincere Loyalty
slight restriction we have in
the Index than to risk or to
lose our souls.
Q. Is it true that the prayers
after Lota Mass are offered
for the conversion of Russia?
A. Yes. Pope lx?o XII began
the custom of reciting these
prayers for a special intention.
The intention at that time was
for the settlement of the Vat
ican Question i.e. the injustices
inflicted upop the Church in
its headquarters by the Italian
government. After that was
more or less satisfactorily set
tled in 1929 the Holy Father
(Pope Pius XI) changed the in
tention. Since that time the
whole Catholic world has been
praying constantly after every
Txjw Mass for the conversion of
Russia.
Qi What is allowed to a per
son who is bound to fast? Is
a person excused from the Eu
charistic Fast (i.e. can he take
liquids) if he works hard
through the night?
A. A person who is fasting
may take only one full meal.
That does not exclude two oth
er meals, providing they do not
include meat and do not (to
gether) equal another full
meal. That mean* that break­
idolatries, he means that he counts heavily on
prayers for conversions and for missionaries by
the faithful.
He means that the sacrifices of the faithful
make possible the works of charity of the Church
in the missions so that all can see what is meant
by the “Charity of Christ.” Every missioner,
home and foreign, feels the same way, for ev
eryone of them receives some of the aid mus
tered by the faithful on Mission Sunday.
By the standard* of our materialistic society
a missionary could be considered very lonely,
none of those around him can quite understand
what or why he is.
His Rosary and our Mission Sunday effort ar*
two visible, strong ties that express our com
radeship in Christ.
ious loyalty and civic loyalty, crops up repeat
edly. The bigot tries to brand Catholics as dis
loyal to their country because they are loyal,
in matters spiritual, to the Church and its spir
itual head, the Pope the dictators try to make
the state supreme in all matters, and blasphem
ously demand that all religious groups forswear
their allegiance to God there are those who
speak of “toleration” of religion, as if it were
a concession which civil rulers may grant, or
deny, or limit, according to their pleasure. But
it is God, the Creator. Who is supreme over all
things it is He Who has conferred on civil
governments and on the Church their respective
authorities, not conflicting, but co-operating to
advance the welfare of men and society.
The state has no dominion over the state,
but must permit her to freely exercise her law
ful functions the Church, far from interfering tn
the domain of the state, instructs her children
that they not only should, but must, fulfill all
their obligations as citizens. The things that are
Caesar's must be rendered to Caesar, and all
the things that are God’s must be rendered to
Him: here is a basis for the tranquility of which
David speaks in Sunday's liturgy: "Behold, how
good and how pleasant it is for brothers to
dwell in unity!”
fast and lunch (the light meal,
whether it is at noon or night)
must not equal the full meal,
but the breakfast may be heav
ier and the lunch very light
tor vice versa). Among the per
sons excused (by permission or
consultation with the priest)
are the sick, those who engage
in strenuous labor on night
duty, those who attend a late
Mass (after 9 00 a m.), those
who must make a long journey
(a mile and a quarter on foot)
to Mass and school children
who have difficulty getting
breakfast after Holy Commun
ion. Such persons may take any
liquids (excluding liquor) up to
an hour before Communion.
The sick may also take medi
cine and for them there is no
time limit.
Q. Is it true that St. Giles is
the patron saint of epileptics?
if so, why?
A. St. Giles (or Egidius) is
listed as patron of cripples,
against cancer, sterility in wom
en and madness. His feast day
is September 1st and he is sup
osed to have been born in Ath
ens and to have given up high
rank and money to come to
southern France as a hermit.
The lives of the saints do not
mention his patronage of epi
leptics. St. Guy (or Vitus) is
listed as patron of those who
suffer from sleeping sickness,
epilepsy or St. Vitus dance. His
feast day is June 15th. His con
nection with epilepsy may come
from the incident in his life
in which he cured the son of
the Emperor Diocletian who
was epileptic or possessed of
an evil spirit—or both. Because
he would not sacrifice to th*
AMoNG
11ST
OURSELVES
Co vaered
lnconstd«Tat
The other day we heard a man saying grace at a publie
dinner. He began properly with the Sign of the Cross. But th*
words he uttered as he made the sacred sign had this sound:
"Namev the Fathern the Son nuv the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
It is amazing how easily one may fall into the habit of slur
ring and eliding words and syllables, particularly when repeat
ing what is familiar, even sacredly familiar. Notice, in yourself
as well as in your neighbors, how frequently the phrase “In th*
Name” becomes the single word'“Name.” Notice also how often
the final word “Amen’’ is swallowed or plainly omitted.
Manifestly in audible speech, two faults are to be avoided.
The first is the one just indicated it is slovenliness of speech.
The other is a painful and mechanical exactness of enunciation
which can only annoy those who hear it and distract them from
the meaning nf what is said. The ideal enunciation avoids both
extremes. And this ideal is not impossible to attain.
Yet the ideal is not attained without effort. Perhaps it cannot
be truly attained without directed study and practice. At all
events, those seem best at it who have been schooled for speak
ing parts on the stage. Old time actors who talk to us over radio
or TV are usually much better speakers than their companion
performers who have not had stage experience.
The ordinary citizen cannot hope to speak with the amazing
clarity of Helen Hayes, or with the somewhat unctuous accuracy
of Milton Cross. But he can learn to speak with a little care. Ha
can overcome the bad hahit of omitting introductory words or
syllables. He can say his say right to the end without too much
swallowing and eliding.
Television has been the means of making civic and political
personalities as familiar to sight and hearing as the man next
door. But it has destroyed the old notion that Big Brass is big in
every way,—mentally, culturally, and in point of correct expres
sion. Television makes big-wigs as familiar as the next door
neighbor, and this is pleasing but it also shows them to be
about as inarticulate as the next door neighbor, and that is a
vast disappointment.
To hear a mighty Secretary of State referring to his title as
"Sekety” is a shock. Makes one wonder whether his policies
might not be as shaky as his pronunciation. To hear a President
of these United States talking of “our allies” with stress on the
first syllable, inclines one to speculate on the possible inaccuracy
of his thoughts to accompany the inaccuracy of his verbal em
phasis.
There are, to be sure, other inaccuracies than those of
speech. For instance, a member of the Cabinet told us a U’eek
or so ago that he had visited every one of the forty-eight State*,
and intended to visit many more. Hearing that the voter may
well grow dubious about committing important national measures
to the management of this indefatigable traveler.
But speech inaccuracies are so common among our political
Brass as to be almost universal. Hardly a one of them but talks
of Re-search and AL-lies, and AD-dress as constantly as foot
ball coach talks of OF-fence and DE-fence. And now’ and then
one of them comes out with the absurdity of ha-RASS. TV has
not only removed the veil that hung between the voter and th*
Candidate in much, it has torn away the mask.
Nicholas Murray Butler, an almost imperishable educator,
said the first mark of an educated man is his ability to speak
his native language correctly, fluently, and gracefully. If we ac
cept this test, we shall be forced to conclude that many, if not
most of our notables are not educated men.
No one respects, or expects, prissiness of speech. The grace
ful speaker must manifest that ease which wag "in Casey’s
manner as he stepped into his place.” And no one expects,
or respects, mere volubility of utterance such as that with which
John Daly purposely employs when he is trying to bemuse
panel. Perhaps we may adapt to present use the old saying that
a man is perfectly dressed w hen nobody notices or comments on
his attire we may say that a man speaks well and correctly
when his auditor* enjoy his talk without being directly awar*
of its excellence.
e e e
And now. while we are on this subject, let us have a new
hack at an old knot,—that business of “bles-sed” and “blest.*
The word blessed is sometimes an adjective and sometimes a
verb. When it is an adjective, it is regularly pronounced in two
syllables. When it is a verb, it is pronounced as one syllable. Thus
we correctly say, "blessed art thou among women for hero
the word blessed is a predicate adjective. But we say, "Blest be
God,” because here the word blessed is a verb.
Blessed as an adjective is like holy or happy. We say that
God is bles sed as we say that God is holy. But when we pray
that all men and angels may give praise to God, we cry, “Blest
be God.” We cannot pray that God may be blessed, for God
IS blessed. We pray that God may be blest, and say so even
when we spell the word blessed.
We sing. "Blest be the tie that binds,” but *0 Bles-sed
Morn that in the east awakens.” And now someone cries, “But
there are occasions when the adjective has the singl* syllabi*
pronunciation.” True. A fly in the ointment.
gods he was accused of work
ing the miracle by sorcery and
condemned to death. Both of
these saints are listed among
the famous and popular Four
teen Holy’ Helpers.
Q. When I was twelve years
old I took the pledge (from al
coholic beverages) with a num
ber of others in lhe Catholic
school at the urging of the
priest—for life. Later I must
have forgotten about it and I
know I’ve taken an occasional
glass of beer or wine. Could
such a pledge be binding tn
conscience for life when taken
at that age?
A. The necessary knowledge
for taking on such an obliga
tion might have been lacking,
but the general principle in
such cases is that "the knowl
edge required must be at least
as great as would be sufficient
to commit a grievous sin.* As
taken at that age and for *ueh
a length of time it is doubtful
if the pledge was intended to
bind under pain of sin. Thera
is a basic difference between a
resolution and a genuine prom
ise to God (which takes on the
nature of a private vow) and in
case of doubt we may presume
that a resolution only wa* in
tended. If such a pledge were
made solemnly in such a way
as to be a private vow’ it would
have to be fulfilled unless (for
a minor) the father exercise*
his power to annul it un
worthy or imprudent or the
bishop (through th* pastor)
dispenses from it.
Send questions to Father
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