Newspaper Page Text
Could
(By John A. O'Brien Ph. D.)
The editors of LOOK maga
zine submitted a number of
questions about relations between
Church and State that are seldom
discussed publicly and frankly in
the United States. These and
additional questions along with
the answers are here presented
with a view of removing the mis
conceptions which foster preju
dice and create divisions. It is
hoped that an Understanding of
the true position of Catholics on
this subject will increase neigh
borly understanding and good
will, and strengthen our national
unity.
Is there any reason why a
properly qualified Catholic
candidate could not be elected
president of the United States?
No. There is nothing in the
Catholic religion which would
keep a Catholic from upholding
faithfully and conscientiously
every provision of the U. S.
Constitution, guaranteeing and
A Catholic President Uphold Church - State Separation?
protecting the rights of all citi
zens. Indeed, the Catholic faith
would require him to do this.
Why have not other Catholics
besides Governor Alfred E.
Smith been nominated for this
office?
Partly because of widespread
misconceptions of Catholic
teaching concerning the separa
tion of Church and State in a
pluralistic society such as the
United States. In the interests
of common justice, civic unity
and national solidarity these
misconceptions should be clear
ed up.
What hssve leading Protestant
ministers said on this?
Reflecting the opinion of
most such leaders, Dean John
C. Bennett of Union Theological
Seminary said that to deny the
nomination to a morally quali
fied man because of his religion
“would be an affront to 39 mil
lion of our fellow citizens,” and
could “damage our institutions
more grievously than it would
be possible for a Catholic presi
dent to do-even if he chose to.”
What have Protestant churches
said?
Typical of the pronounce
ments of many is that of the
United Church of Christ, whose
Council for Christian Social Ac
tion declared “unequivocally”
that no citizen should be denied
election to the presidency be
cause of his race, religion or
ethnic origin. The Council held
that “to assume that no Roman
Catholic should be president of
the United States would be a
denial of the fundamental
American principles and would
infringe liberties guaranteed by
the Constitution.”
Why are so many people in
terested in knowing what Cath
olics really believe about sepa
ration of Church and State in
the U.S.A. and if they have any
real stake in it?
. It is, we think, largely be
cause of the incessant propa
ganda of a nation-wide organi
zation called Protestants and
Other Americans United for
Separation of Church and State,
depicting Catholics as conspir
ing to breach the wall of sepa
ration and set up a union of
Church and State. That organi
zation has scared many Protes
tants with the fear that their
religious liberties are endanger
ed and they will be subjected to
the alien domination of Rome
through the crafty machinations
of Catholics.
How did the Christian Cen
tury describe the present Prot
estant attitude toward Catho
lics?
As characterized by “paranoia
and persecution mania. Because
Roman Catholicism has made
problems for us somewhere, we
begin to see its threat every
where. We feel chronically pick
ed on, beaten down, abused . . .
The fine Italian hand (which is
usually here a fairly clumsy
Irish one) is seen in everything
. . . What bothers most at this
Reformation anniversary,
though, is the amount of Protes
tantism that thinks itself best
and most vigorously expressed
in terms of that suspicion and
resentment . . . There is a neu
rotic Protestant anxiety about
Rome which, far from safe
guarding Protestantism, gets in
the way of its postive self-
realization and fulfillment.”
How can fhe ghosts of sus
picion, fear and dread best be
banished from fhe minds of non-
Catholics?
By disclosing the real attitude
of American Catholics toward
separation of Church and State
and the actual stake they have
therein.
Do Catholics really want
union of Church and State in
America?
As a result of propaganda
misrepresenting Catholic
thought and aspiration on this
subject it is not sufficient, we
think, to answer this question
with a simple yes or no. It will
be necessary: 1. To ascertain
the official teaching of the
Catholic Church on the general
subject of the relationship of
Church and State. 2. To examine
the public pronouncements of
the leaders of the Church in
America and of the Pope him
self. 3. To scrutinize the actions
of American Catholics to see if
they are de facto seeking to
breach the so-called “wall of
separation,” erected by the Con
stitution.
1. Official Catholic
Teaching on Church
State Relations
What is the Catholic leaching
on this subject?
The church makes her own
the teaching of her divine
Founder: “Render therefore to
Caesar,” Said Christ, “the things
that are Caesar’s and to God the
things that are God’s” (Mt. 22;
21). Here is a clear indication
of the respective loyalties due
to these two institutions. The
State is concerned with the ma
terial and temporal welfare of
its citizens, while the Church is
concerned with their spiritual
and eternal welfare.
This does not mean that there
should be an iron curtain be
tween the two, much less rival
ry and hostility. “While Church
and State are independent pow
ers,” pointed out Pope Pius XII,
“They should not because of
this ignore one another and still
less fight one another. It is far
more in conformity to nature
and the divine will that they
cooperate in mutual under
standing since their activities
apply to the same subject”
(man).
Doesn't the Church claim
supremacy over the State and
the right to dictate in political
matters?
No, Pope Leo XIII expressly
repudiated such a monstrous
claim. “Each in its kind is su
preme,” he said, “each has fix
ed limits within which it is
contained, limits which are de
fined by the nature and special
object of the province of each
. . . Whatever is to be ranged
under the civil and political
order is rightly subject to the
civil authority. Jesus Christ has
Himself given command that
what is Caesar’s is to be ren
dered to Caesar.”
Hasn't some pope condemned
the American principle of sepa
ration of Church and State?
No pontiff has ever condemn
ed the present relation between
the Church and State in this
country, nor has any pope sug
gested that it be changed. In a
country such as ours, character
ized by widespread diversity of
religious beliefs, union of
Church and State is utterly un-
(Continued on Page 8)
Serving
Georgia's 88
Southern Counties
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH
Vol. 41, No. 1
MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, i960
10c Per Copy — $3 a Year
Judge Houlihan lead At 71
Prominent Catholic Leader
SAVANNAH—Judge James
Patrick Houlihan, prominent
Catholic layman and president
of the Georgia State Savings
Bank of Savannah is dead at 76.
Survivors include his son,
James P. Houlihan Jr., Savan
nah attorney; Miss Joan L.
Houlihan, a granddaughter, and
several nieces and nephews.
Judge Houlihan had been in
the Savannah banking business
for more than half a century and
was a former chairman of the
Chatham County Commission
ers. He had served on the Board
of Commissioners from 1925 un
til 1955 when he resigned.
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. T. James
McNamara, a friend for many
years eulogized Mr. Houlihan as
“A truly outstanding Catholic
layman—one who was com
pletely dedicated to his Faith
and one who was deeply inter
ested in the welfare, not only
of his fellow Catholics, but of
the entire community. His un
selfish community service over
many years bears ample witness
to that/”
“There was never a major
Church undertaking which in
volved the participation of the
laity, that did not find Judge
Houlihan in the forefront,” said
Monsignor McNamara. “When
ever these undertakings were
considered the name of Judge
James P. Houlihan immediately
came to mind, either as hon
orary chairman or as an active
chairman.”
A communicant of Sacred
Heart Church in Savannah,
Judge Houlihan was named a
Knight of St. Gregory by the
late Pope Pius XII. This honor
is one of the highest conferred
upon laymen by the Church.
He was a member of Savan
nah Council No. 631, Knights of
Columbus and had served presi
dential terms in both the Geor
gia Catholic Laymen’s Associa
tion and the Hibernian Society.
Judge Houlihan’s civic serv
ices included chairmanship of
the Chatham County Board of
Health and membership of the
Coastal Highway Commission,
State Ports Authority, Industrial
Committee, and the former
presidency of the Chatham Em
ployers Association.
A reguiem Mass was cele
brated at Sacred Heart Church
on Saturday, May 28. Celebrant
was the Rev. Terrence Kernan
O.S.B., Pastor. His Excellency,
Bishop Thomas J. McDonough
presided. Burial was in the
Catholic Cemetery in Savannah. ^
Pope Seen Ploying
"inspiring Role" In
Jew-Cofhoiic Ties
LAKE K I A M E S H A, N.Y..
(NC)—A Jewish leader said
here ihai His Holiness Pope
John XXIII was playing "an
inspired role" in fostering bel
ter relations beiween Catholics
and Jews.
Benjamin R. Epstein, national
director of the Anti-Defamation
League of B’- L-W-’-old the or
ganization’s district 3 conven
tion that members of both faiths
were realizing. more fully their
common ties.
“In this dialogue, on this road
to greater maturity, we are
mutually helped by the words
and deeds of John XXIII,” he
said. “In today’s relations be
tween Catholic and Jew, he is
playing an inspired role.”
Mr. Epstein was among a
group given a private audience
by the Pope last January. He
noted the Pontiff’s various ex
pressions of friendship, his ac
tion in revising two prayers that
had offended Jews and his
“deep interest in Isreal.”
"Despite basic differences and
the tragic past, Jews and Cath
olics—in behalf of the common
good—are finding new areas of
understanding," Mr. Epstein
said.
Two Retreats
For Women
At Macon
MACON — There will be
two retreats for women at |||
Ml. de Sales Academy dur
ing the month of July.
The first retreat will be if
held from July 26 to July 2S
with the second running f§
from July 23 to July 31. Each
11 retreat opens at 9 a. m. on 1|
|i the date specified.
For reservations or infor- §|
maiion contact:
Sisters of Mercy, Mt. de §:
11 Sales Academy, Macon, Ga. 11
lli IS
Archbishop
O'Hara Guest
At Parliament
LONDON (NC)—A U.S. born
prelate was the first representa
tive of the Holy See to visit
Britain’s House of Parliament
on more than 400 years.
Archbishop Gerald P. O'Hara,
Apostolic Delegate to Great
Britain, was guest of honor at
a dinner in the House of Com
mons.
A native of Scranton, Pa., and
former Bishop of Savannah,
Ga., the Delegate attended the
dinner given by alumni of St.
Joseph’s Academy, London
school run by the Christian
Brothers. The dinner was held
through the good offices of Rob
ert Mellish, Catholic Member of
Parliament.
Last representative of the
Holy See to visit the Parliament
buildings is believed to have
been Cardinal Pole, exiled by
King Henry VIII for refusing
to asquiesce in his first divorce.
Archbishop O'Hara said in
his speech fo the ex-alumni that
he is a rarity among arch
bishops since he is now in a
position to say: "During my
speech in the House of Com
mons the other night . . ."
SEMINARY BURSE — Dr. Carl Rankin Jordan, Savannah
physician, presents check to Bishop McDonongh for establish
ment of two scholarships for Priesthood. Scholarships were es
tablished by Dr. Jordan in memory of his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth
Rankin Jordan.
CLEVELAND, (NC) — Vot
ing for or. against a presiden
tial candidate on religious
grounds is “an act of irrespon
sible citizenship,” the 172nd
general assembly of the United
Presbyterian Church said in a
resolution.
The original resolution de
clared that supporting or op
posing a candidate because of
his religion is “an act of re
ligious bigotry.”
This was amended to read
“irresponsible citizenship” after
H B
several delegates objected to
the idea that persons are “big
ots” if they oppose a candidate
because of his religious affili
ation.
In another resolution, the del
egates directed that a special
committee be set up to inter
pret the meaining of the doctrine
of separation of Church and
State in the light of the re
formed tradition.”
The meeting was attended by
992 delegates, representing
some 3.2 million Presbyterians.
Gomulka's Claim Of Religious
Freedom In Poland Denied By
Vatican City's L'Osservatore
(Radio, N.C.W.C. News Service)
VATICAN CITY — Vatican
City's daily newspaper has de
nied a claim made by Poland's
communist chieftain in a U. S.
magazine that the Church is
free in his country.
L’Osservatore Romano re
ferred to the author, Polish
Communist party first secretary
Wladyslaw Gomulka, only as “a
high exponent of the Polish
Communist party.”
“Mr. Gomulka’s article, ap
pearing in the quarterly review,
Foreign Affairs, said:
“Complete religious tolerance
exists in Poland; it is guaran
teed by the state, is universal
ly recognized and is not ques
tioned by any honest foreign
observers. In many respects
freedom of religious practice,
freedom of all rights and relig
ious holidays, is wider here
than in most capitalist states.”
L'Osservatore replied that
such statements cannot go un
challenged since they are quite
contrary to the truth about the
Church's position in Poland. It
denied that any concessions
made by the Polish state to the
Church in recent years could be
described as "tolerance."
The newspaper recalled that
the Church’s present situation
in Poland is due entirely to the
fact that in 1956 the Polish com
munists were forced to grant it
not the freedom to which it is
entitled, but a few of the rights
which had been violently de
nied it after 1950.
L’Osservatore cited religious
instruction in schools as an ex
ample:
"Hardly four years have pass
ed since 1956, (yet) fhe commu
nist power thai weighs on Po
land shows clearly its wish fo
take back fhe slight 'conces
sions' made under force of nec
essity. Religious instruction, au
thorized by decree toward the
end of IS56, is seriously tram
meled once more by admini
strative harassmenfs, by indi
vidual and collective pressure,
by the excuses and indecision
of the school authorities.
“Judicially, the possibility
still exists, but in practice it is
ever more restricted and theo
retical.”
Mr. Gomulka said in his arti
cle.
“Misunderstandings of one
kind or another have occurred
and will no doubt occur in the
future between the State and
the Church. Indeed, they are
unavoidable in every country
which wishes to observe the
principle of a strict separation
of Church and State, and
where for long centuries the
Church had a strong influence
on the spiritual life and cus
toms of the people.”
The Vatican City newspaper
commented:
"The article published in
Foreign Affairs wishes to make
the American reader believe
that what is practiced in Poland
is separation of Church and
State more or less as in the
Uniied States in a spirit of com
plete tolerance."
L’Osservatore noted that the
right of Catholics to form asso
ciations does not exist in Pol
and. It said there are signs in
dicating that the right of the
Church to govern itself “is once
more being undermined” under
the pretext that it is indulging
in “exhorbitant” policies.
"Meanwhile, attempts are be
ing made with slanderous law
suits — a meihod used already
by the Hitlerite Germany of
nazism — to discredit the clergy
Poland Begins
Fourth Year
Of Novena
BERLIN (NC)—Poland has
begun the fourth year cf its
“Great Novena” in preparation
for the 1,000th anniversary of
its conversion to Christianity.
This novena year is dedicated
to Catholic marriage.
The Polish Bishops have
urged Poles living outside the
country to take part in the
Great Novena by prayer and
study. In a letter to rectors of
Polish missions throughout the
world, His Eminence Stefan
Cardinal Wyszynski, Archbishop
of Warsaw and Primate of Po
land, said that such worldwide
participation “will be a visible
sign of unity in faith and love.”
The Great Novena grew out
of the pilgrimage of one million
Poles to the shrine of Our Lady
of Czestochowa on August 26,
1956, shortly after a govern
ment completely subservient to
Moscow was replaced by a gov
ernment more independent al
though communistic.
The pilgrims placed the na
tion under the protection of Our
Lady as Queen of Poland, and
vowed to prepare for the 1,000th
(Continued on Page 8)
in the eyes of the faithful," fhe
newspaper said.
It concluded:
“This is the reality. And
since it is due to external im
positions against which the
Poles are powerless, their only
hope of saving their religious
heritage is loyalty to the
Church, to its teachings and to
its traditions.”
3
ions
onths At Ca
SAVANNAH — The list of
staff members of Camp Villa
Marie for the 1960 season was
released last week by the Rev.
William V. Coleman, camp di
rector.
Heading the girls’ section will
. be Sister Mary Fidelis, R.S.M.,
former instructor and directress
of the widely known Glee Club
of St. Vincent’s Academy, Sav
annah. Assisting Sister Fidelis
will be Sisters Amata, Nernar-
aa, Dennis Marie, Jogues, Mar
cia and Valentina, all of the Re
ligious Sisters of, Mercy.
The boys’ section of the camp
will be under the direction of
the Rev. John Fitzpatrick,
who will be aided by Wil
liam Sisson, Richard Morri-
sette, Alex Sherlock, William
Simmons, Henry Bertogmoli
and Robert Wilkerson, students
from various major seminaries
throughout the country.
The junior staff is composed
of high school seniors and re
cent graduates. They are Tippy
Anderson and Mary O’Connor
of Augusta; Clara McDonough,
Julie Miller, Carolyn Emmerick,
Rosemary Emmerick, Ann Har
per,. Susan Hutton and Ann
Leonard, all of Savannah.
Members of the boys’ junior
staff are Matt McCoy of Alba
ny; Pat Mahon, “Bro” Mulherin
For Summer
mp Villa Marie
arid Karl Staunch of Augusta;
Gerald Daly and Freddy Muller
of Savannah; and George Col
vin of Thomasville.
Mrs. Peter Vasta of Savannah
will head the kitchen staff. Mrs.
Rita Daly is registrar and Cap
tain Joseph Puder is camp
maintenance supervisor.
Camp Villa Marie accepts
boys and girls from 7 to 16
years of age during the last
week of July and the first two
weeks of August. At present the
camp, operated under the au
spices of the Diocese of Savan
nah, still has openings for
campers for one, two or three
weeks.
Father Fitzpatrick described
the activities of the camp as
follows:
“The activities offered by
Camp Villa Marie are similar
to those offered by all Catholic
camps. The basic program of
the 1959 season will be employ
ed again this year. There have
been, however, some additions
which we think all 1960 camp
ers will enjoy.
“We have a very large swim
ming pool and instructions will
be, available to those interested
in perfecting their ability in
this very popular sport. The en
tire swimming program is under
(Continued on Page 8)
SUMMERTIME MEANS VACATION from school, but nol
from Religion. Praising God is integral part of camp activity.