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Increasing Catholic Strength In Southern Vietnam Drawing Fire From Pseudo-Buddhists By Father Joseph independence have aroused Pham-Chau-Dien strong opposition on the part (N.C.W.C. News Service) of certain elements who are QUINHON, Vietnam, — The seeking to offset the Church’s sharp gains achieved by Catho- growth and strengthen Bud- licism since this country won its dhism for their political ends. PHONE 3-1695 119 BROUGHTON ST., EAST Glendale hop ^t)idtinctLve ms ineeij SAVANNAH, GA. D. L Henderson Co. DISTRIBUTOR Cigarette — Cigar — Tobacco Soda Fountain Supplies 225 EAST BAY STREET SAVANNAH, GA. Termite Control in the New Chancery Building TERMINIX CO., Inc AD. 3-6677 SMITH BROTHERS VEGETABLES AND GROCERIES - CHOICE MEATS PHONE 4-2294 — HABERSHAM AND 41ST STREET SAVANNAH, GEORGIA McKENHA SUPPLY COMPAHY s THE PROMPT SHIPPERS Established 1081 WHOLESALE PLUMBING, HEATING WATERWORKS SUPPLIES PHONE 2-7141 P. O. BOX 3428 SAVANNAH, GEORGIA ian Statuary ALTARS PEDESTALS Imported from Italy Cut from Beautiful White Co rrara Marble World Famous! RAILS —- FONTS — STATIONS SHRINES — STATUES — GROUPS Oglethorpe Marble & Granite Co. Manufacturers of Memorials in Savannah Since 1907 M. J. LITTLE. Mgr. EAST BROAD AT WALDBURG — SAVANNAH, GA. Following a period of stagna tion that lasted several-decades, Catholicism has flourished in Vietnam since 1955 to the extent that there now are more than 190,000 catechumens throughout _ tlie country waiting to be re ceived into tne Cnurch. The Catlioiic population is now about I,60o,0o0 m a total esti mated al about 12,500,000. Reasons lor this unprecedent ed progress are tworold. Tne first lies in the example of He roic resistance oiiered by Viet namese La inches to commu nism. ileiore Vietnam was split m two in 1904, a majority of Vietnamese catholics lived m tne normern part of the coun try wmcn is now ruled by tne communists, bince men, despite Red ellorts to stop Idem, more tnan 7OO,O00 of tile 1,200,000 Camolies wno lived in the north have lied here to tne Republic or Vietnam. Tlie second source of gain for the Church is directly United to the departure of the Trench winch, under the inliuence of Catholic V letnamese .President IN go Dmh Diem, has led to the disappearance among the na tives of an ancient prejudice closely linking Catholicism to colonialism. The initial Trench occupation of indo-Clnna was begun 100 years ago on the pre text of protecting the Catholic missionaries and faithful, who were then undergoing bloody persecution. In the face of the Church’s flourishing prospects, certain groups have launched a cam paign of political activities un der the cloak of Buddhism, the nation’s oldest religion. Main purpose of their activities is to obtain the backing of the mass es in parliamentary and elec toral consultations scheduled to be held next year. Easily recognizable in this campaign is the hand of com munism which, outlawed, hides behind a religion which disci pline has become lax to the point where any man can be come a Buddhist monk merely by changing his robes. A number of communist lead ers have thus become pseudo monks, to freely pursue their ac tivities without police interfer ence. An example of their ef forts to subvert the people was found in the town of Binhdinh, where police forces seized a doc ument ordering Red leaders to support Buddhism for, it said: “The triumph of Buddhism is the triumph of communism.” Favored among the propagan da weapons used by these ele ments, communist or others, is the claim that Catholicism will only bring hardships and per secution to the people in retalia tion for the Catholic priests and laymen who themselves fell the victims of persecution at the hands of natives in past Vietna mese history. Other tactics used by these groups include the formation of a National Buddhist Commun ity, which has its headquarters in Saigon. Also in the same city they have established a semi nary for the formation of fu ture Buddhist monks. Pseudo - Buddhist elements have gone so far as to create a liturgy with ceremonies close ly resembling, or directly cop ied from, Catholic practices, par ticularly where baptism, mar riage, funeral rites, processions and the veneration of sacred im ages are concerned. Anti-Church activities also in clude the publication of several periodicals, and the establish ment in all main cities and vil lages of primary and secondary scnools where religious classes in Buddhism are included in the academic curricula. The struggle against Catholi cism is often overt. In the Apos tolic Vicariate of ■ yumnon, which has a high percentage of conversions, pseudo - Buddhist elements go directly to the houses of catechumens who are about to enter the Church and seek to persuade them not to embrace the Faith. They have Ilkwise organized associations of “militants,” again similar to the Catholic Legions of Mary, to further carry their propaganda among the people. But despiti its Activities, the pseudo-Buddhist movement has not achieved the success it hop ed for. An attempt made by its leaders to obtain permission to erect the movement as a Bud dhist political party has failed. One reason for the organiza tion's lack of followers lies in the absence of support from genuine Buddhist monks, who are opposed to the National Buddhist Community’s leaders. The latter are not monks them selves, but for the most part lay men. Another reason finds its source in internal dissensions existing within the religion it self. Buddhism in Vietnam has traditionally belonged to the the school of doctrine known as Mayahana, literally “The Great er Vehicle.” The introduction of the second school of doctrine known as Hinayana, “The Les ser Vehicle,” the Vietnam a few years ago has led to bitter con flicts between the two sects, which definitely curbed the in fluence of Buddhism through out tlie country. Meanwhile, Caodaism — a synthetic religion drawing on Christian, Buddhist and Confu- ciamst beliefs which was found ed in Vietnam in the 1920’s — has practically ceased growing since 1955. But there are nearly two million Caodaists, and they continue strong in the practice of their religion. Since 1955, and especially with the arrival of the Ameri cans, Protestantism has made some progress, mostly in and around the capital at Saigon. But relations between Catholics and Protestants are on a far better footing than those be tween Catholics arid Buddhists. Services For Mrs. Bryant ATLANTA, Ga. — Funeral services for Mrs. H, A. (Cathe rine) Bryant were held August Uth at tne Sacred Heart Church, Rev. M. Faschan officiating. Survivors are her husband, Mr. H, A. Bryant, Decatur; Mrs. Marion Watson, Miss Margaret Bayliss, Mr. and Mrs. G. V. Bay- iiss, Alexandria, Va.; Mr. and Mrs. G. V. Bayliss, Arlington, Va.; Mr. J. R. Bayliss, and nieces and nephews. &d HJij/u’3 3 rotn KEN-BLOCK COMPANY QUALITY CONCRETE BLOCK Lightweight’ Or Regular Phone 3-9260 P. 0. BOX 1981 LOUISVILLE ROAD SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Theology for The Layman (Continued from Page Four) Father and Son are co-eternal. Father, Son and Holy Spirit likewise are co-eternal. We must be on guard against think ing that first the Father had a Son, then Father and Son united to produce the Holy Spirit — and who knows what person may next emerge within the infinite fecundity of God? There is no question of succession, for there is no succession in eter nity. The Father did not have to wait till He was old enough or mature enough to beget a Son or lonely enough to want one. He eternally is, in the plenitude of life and power. Merely by being, He knows Himself with that infinite intensity of know ledge which necessarily produces the Idea, The Son. Nor must Father and Son wait while their love grows to the point where it can utter itself in a Third Person. Merely by being, they love with the pleni tude of loving-power, merely by loving thus intensely they utter their love: the Holy Spirit is as inevitable as Father and Son. We have used the words “necessarily” and “inevitably.” They are worth a closer look. It is possible that the Son may seem less real to us because He is an Idea in the mind of His Father, He is, we may feel, only a thought after all, whereas we ourselves are not simply thoughts in God’s mind, we really exist. But we exist only because God wills us to exist; if He willed us not to exist, we should cease to be. But He cannot will the Second Person out of existence, any more than He willed Him into existence. We must not imagine the Father feeling that it would be nice to have a son and think ing one into existence, and as liable to think Him out of exis tence again if the humor took Him. It is an exigency of the divine nature that the Father should thus know Himself; simply by being Himself the Fa ther knows Himself, generates the Idea of Himself; there is no element whatever of contingen cy in the existence of the Second Person; there is origin but no dependence. God is as necces- sarily Son as He is Father. The same line of thought shows us the Holy Spirit, too, as necessarily existing. There is no difference among the Three in eternity or neccessity; and there is no inequality. The Fa ther possesses the divine nature unreceived; Son and Holy Spirit possesses it as received; but they possess it in its totality. They have received everything from the Father, everything. To quote from the Preface for the Trinity: “Whatever we believe, on Thy revelation, of Thy glory, we hold the same of the Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without any difference to separate them. So that in the affirmation of the true and eternal Godhead, we adore distinction in the Persons, oneness in the Essence, equality in majesty.” THE! BULLETIN, September 6, 1958—PAGE 5 UNIVERSITY HONORS BISHOP Most Rev. William T. Mulloy, D.D., Bishop of Covington, Ky., received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Universi ty of Kentucky at commence ment exercises in Memorial Coliseum. ^j£)e*Soto (ideality d^ho l >f)pe HOTEL DeSOTO FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT - - - - PHONE 7679 LUGGAGE BY Skyway — Lady Baltimore — Samsonite American Tourisler — Wheary — Crown Atlantic Products Grasshoppers and Valpaks Leather Goods, Ladies' Handbags, Pipes, Lighters, Smokers' Articles, Costume Jewelry, Gilts Umbrellas JOE PRICE, Inc. THE LUGGAGE AND LEATHER GOODS SHOP 14 Broughton St„ West Savannah, Georgia MEN’S QUALITY SHOP JOE LESSER 24 East Broughton Street Savannah, Georgia HARMON INCORPORATED BUILDING MATERIALS 337 WEST BROAD ST. SAVANNAH, GA. L. H. UeLOACH & CO. Cash Prices On Credit WEEKLY PAYMENTS TO SUIT YOUR PURSE 104 BROUGHTON ST„ WEST SAVANNAH. GEORGIA Best Wishes ATLANTIC MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF SAVANNAH DIXIE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF GEORGIA, INCORPORATED CONTRACTORS ENGINEERS SAVANNAH, GEORGIA