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8 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA. THE CHURCH AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS By Mrs. T. G. Brittingham. The Catholic Church is not a civic organization, hence does not discuss political questions. The Church is the great spiritual school which leads her children by expert teaching, to seek peace and eternal salvation through the means of grace insti tuted by the Great Founder, when He pronounced the first Father of the Church a Rock, on which was to be built the greatest spiritual organization in the world’s history. On the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, a time when the Holy Spirit predominates in all teach ings, the Church in her Holy Gospel tells her chil dren: “Render therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar s and to God the things which are God’s.” In these words, our Holy Church tells us that the Church does not intend to meddle, as it were, in civic questions. Her great task of saving souls by teach ing and interpreting the scriptural writings, is what the Church was organized to do, and, if her hearers were to listen and observe her doctrines, there would be no quarrel among Christians as to how God’s Church feels about certain civic questions, which are important to the mortal life alone. Hence the Catholic Church has never officially de clared for or against votes for women, prohibition or anti-prohibition, or this bill or that bill proposed by Caesar, in Washington or elsewhere. The men, women and children of the Church are taught by men and women whose lives have been consecrated to saving souls, to obey God by living their mortal lives according to His commandments and those of His Church. There is no need for our Church to speak against divorce, if all Christians would obey the Church laws anent purity and loyalty. No need to speak of or advise prohibition of strong poisonous drinks, if the children of the Church hear her laws against gluttony and self-destruction. Likewise, the Church has not spoken officially about the question of Woman Suffrage. Catholic women are taught by their Church to lead lives according to the teachings of the Church, and if they obey these teachings the question of their claiming a voting voice in their country’s govern ment is left to them, as a thing which is Caesar’s. A woman who obeys the Church laws can be nought but a valuable asset to any civilized country, and the Church knows what this woman has been taught. Hence the absurdity of the belief that our Holy Church, the greatest leader towards good in the world, would refuse to permit her children to become loyal citizens to their government on account of their sex. Among those men who have been trained to teach Catholic doctrines are many who are men of great brains and ability. Some of these have been con sulted as to the teachings of our Church on this question. They have answered as men only who know of the great influence of words from men whose lives have placed them in high positions as moral and spiritual advisers. Not one of them has expressed the belief that women, as citizens, are in danger of putting their souls or the souls of others in jeopardy. His Eminence, James ^Cardinal Gibbons, America’s leader of the Church, said soon after the American women began their plea for citizenship: ‘‘The Church has taken no official attitude on the subject, but leaves the matter to the good judgment of her chil dren as to what they think best. The statement that the Church is opposed to the enfranchisement of women is incorrect.” This great teacher knew of the faith possessed by the children of the Church; hence he knew that voting could not harm Catholic women. As a citizen only he speaks in favor of the Church keeping out of it as a civic question. Rev. John A. Ryan, of the Catholic University of America, spoke as a citizen, and did not refuse to have his opinion published when he said: ‘‘I am in favor of woman suffrage because I believe that it would be beneficial to the community as a whole and to working women in particular.” ‘‘There is no argument against equal suffrage for women,” said Rev. J. Elliott Ross, Ph.D., C.S.P., of Austin, Texas. Rev. Joseph H. McMahon, Ph.D., of New York City, said: ‘‘Do not be guilty of the ab surdity and injustice of establishing sex as a barrier, when under actual conditions woman is impor tant a factor in every relation of modern life.” These are but a few opinions expressed by teachers and preachers of Catholic Church doctrines. Other great leaders have also expressed themselves in favor of woman citizenship, proving that the Church has never forbidden her women to obtain and use the ballot. Catholic women and Catholic men have worked as hard for this gift of liberty as have non-Catholics and Catholic women should continue their efforts for com munity betterment by registering and voting. They violate no precept of the Church in casting their bal lot for an improvement in civil government. When Caesar needed help God bade His followers to render unto Caesar, but He also said, ‘‘and unto God what is God’s.” So the Holy Church of God is not opposed to her women becoming citizens and voters. She is opposed to her women disobeying and violating the laws of God or of Caesar, thereby putting in jeopardy souls with whom God has entrusted them as wives, mothers, sisters and neighbors. In working for civic betterment Catholics should not overlook the great need of the co-operation of laymen in educating those who would place stumbling blocks in the paths of the Church by their ignorance of the truth. Catholic organizations should devote (Continued on Page 19)