Newspaper Page Text
AUGUST 25, 1945
ink BUITTjT7N_jOF^IT^^.TVniOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
Problems Presented by Use of Atomic Energy
Reviewed by Pope Pius Two Years Ago
CRADLE OF CATHOLICISM IN JAPAN
(B.v N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE)
HOME. - Two and one-half
years ago. in February, 1943, His
Holinfess Pope Pius XII gave grave
consideration to the use of atomic
energy and the smashing of the
atom in a discourse pron.ounced at
the inauguration- of the seventh
year of the Pontifical Academy of
Sciences.
Concerning himself _with the
mechanism now popularly known
as the ‘atom smasher", the lloly
Father took occasion to counsel
in most solemn terms that a means
be sought whereby the energy gen
erated by such a force might bo
controlled. Otherwise, the ,3 ontiff
warned the assembled scientists,
catastrophe for ho entire planet
might be the result.
“Experimental investigation ' of
the last decades,” the Holy Father
said, “boasts discoveries and in
ventions of capital importance,
even if one considers only the ar
tificial transformations of the
atomic nucleus, the smashing of
the atom, the marvels unveiled by
the electronic microscope. Scien
tific progress has led to the dis
covery of nqw laws in Hie pheno
mena of nature and has thrown
new light on questions of essence
and value in physical laws.
"There is perhaps no question
which today so occupies Hie atten
tion of the most eminent investi
gators of the natural world—phyri-
cisls, chemists, astronomers, biolo
gists. physiologists, and also mod
ern exponents of natural philoso
phy—as does the question of the
laws governing the order and act
ing of matter and the phenomena
operating in our world and in the
universe.”
These investigations and re
searches, the Holy Father said, had
taken on unexpected form follow
ing the results of artificial radio
activity. Specifically he mad-
mention of the disintegration
which the atom of uranium under
goes when bombarded by neutrons.
Circulation, he said, had demon
strated. that in one cubic meter
of oxide powder of uranium, i i
less than one-hundredth of a sec
ond there develops enough atomic
energy to elevate a weight of a
billion tons to a height of 16 miles.
This, the Holy Father then said,
was a, sum of energy equal to that
produced over a period of many
years by all the great power plants
of the world.
Cradle of Catholicity in Japan Shattered
When Nagasaki Was Hit by Atomic Bomb
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
When the second of the atomic
bombs was dropped upon the Jap
anese home islands it struck a
city which was the cradle of
Christianity in Japan and which
has been the center of the Cath
olic Church in the modern em
pire—Nagasaki.
Nagasaki, erected as a Diocese
in 1891. today is estimated to
have a Catholic population of
some 60.000. In all the Japanese
Empire, including Korea, For
mosa and islands of the South
Pacific. Ihe Catholic population is
estimated to be in excess of 280 -
000.
The 60.000 faithful in the Dio-
ces of Nagasaki are the fruit of
the seed sowed more than 300
vears ago by the Twenty-six Mar
tyrs of Nagasaki. The Holy Mount
of Martyrs at Nagasaki is the
principal place of Catholic pil
grimage in tiie empire. As late as
1933 two groups of pilgrims—one
of 2,000 and tiie other - of 4.000
men. women and children—climb
ed the slopes of the Holy Mount.
There seated on the ground they
were addressed b.v their parish
priests. all Japanese, and by
their Bishop. Ihe Most Hev. Jan-
ttarius Hayasaka, a native son of
tiie Nagasaki since retired.
YEARS OF PERSECUTION
The martyrdom of the Twenty-
six. on February 5, 1597, was Hie
beginning of years of persecution.
Thousands and thousands were
martyred, and afterwards, for
those who lived, there was exile.
The pagan historian, Takcgoslii,
estimated that 260.000 Christians
died for their-Faith in the “Bloody
Persecution.”
Japan was opened to the world
in 1863. When Hie missionaries
came they discovered 30,000
Christians, at Urakami anti else
where, practicing the Christian
religion of their ancestors. The
chiefs of (lie villages administered
baptism. Acts of perfect contri
tion. according to the teaching of
St. Francis Xavier, substituted for
Confession.
But tiie happy discovery of the
missionaries was soon followed by
tiie same discovery by Hie pagan
Officials and persecution followed,
sanctioned this time by the, Em
peror despite the protests of for
eign diplomats. Prince Iwakura,
traveling abroad in 1873. encoun
tered such stern opposition be
cause of this persecution that he
sent back orders for the immedi
ate release of all exiled Chris
tians. The Constitution of 1889
granted liberty of religious wor
ship.
In (lie years just previous to
Pearl Harbor, 194(), mission au
thorities of the Church were able
to state that while Hie Faitli was
making less headway in Japan
than in many other parts of the
mission world, notable advances
had been realized. The richest
harvest in conversions was made
in tiie large cities such as Tokyo
an Osaka.
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
Early in 1941 the Japanese Gov
ernment gave official recognition
to the Catholic Church. In April
of that year tiie Sacred Congrega
tion for the Propagation of the
Faith made known that all eccle
siastical jurisdictions in Japan
had been entrusted to the native
clergy. Fourteen native priests
were appointed to administer ju
risdictions where foreign-born
prelates had been serving.
'The extent-of the growth of the
Catholic Church in Japan was
shown by figures released in April
1942. At that time 2,497 priests,
Brothers and Sisters — more than
halt ol them natives—were labor
ing within tiie empire, including
Korea. Formosa and the Marianne
and Caroline Islands. In Japan
proper there were 416 priests,
117 of whom were natives: 214
Brothers. 106 of whom were na
tives, and 1.253 Sisters. 739 of
whom were natives. In addition to
diocesan- clergy, priests and Reli
gious. these included members of
the Paris Foreign Missions, the
Society of Jesus, the Society of
the Divine Word, Maryknoll, the
Dominicans. Benedictines, Fran
ciscans and Salesians.
In September 1944 the Japan
ese Government ordered the dis
solution of "all existing federated
rhipcli organizations” to pave the
way for creation of a Government-
controlled. Government-financed
“War-Time Patriotic Religious j
Society" designed to “increase I
the fighting strength of the peo- 1
pie through religious fervor." I
DAMAGE TO CHURCHES I
Due to censorship, the extent of ,
the physical damage suffered by
the Church during the prolonged 1
bombing of Japan cannot be do- !
terniined. In May of this year |
word was received at Vatican City ,
that His Excellency the Most
Rev. Paolo Marella, Apostolic
Delegate to Japan, had recently
visited the ruined districts of
Tokyo and the vast new ceme
teries, where victims of air raids
arc being buried. The report on
Archbishop Marclla’s visit stated
that entire sections of the city had
been razed, with churches, tem
ples. monuments and hospitals
destroyed. Archbishop Marella
formerly was Auditor of (he Apos
tolic Delegation in Washington.
No word has been received of
the fate ol the Catholic Univer
sity of Tokyo, the erection of
which was made possible through
contributions of C a l li o 1 i c s
throughout the world.
The ecclesiastical jurisdiction
in Japan proper include the Arch
diocese of Tokyo, the Diocese of
Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Osaka, Senka,
Sendai and Yokohama, the Vica
riates Apostolic of Hiroshima and
Sapporo, and the Prefectures
Apostolic of Formosa. Kagoshima,
Karafuto, Kyoto. Miyazaki. Na
goya, Niigata. Shikoku and Urawa.
Hiroshima. See city of the vicar
iate of that name, was the first of
the Japanese cities to suffer the
visitation of the atomic bomb.
of
When Catholic missionaries were permitted to return to Japan in the
middle of the Nineteenth Century, they found 30,000 Christians in
Urakami and elsewhere, despite that no priests had been there since
the bloody religious persecution that began nearly 300 years before.
Picture above is the Catholic Church at Urakami. in the Diocese of
Nagasaki. It is said to be the largest religious temple in all Japan,
accommodating 5,000 and 6.000 native Christians, who use no kneel
ing benches. Below: The Marianist Brothers high school at Nagasaki.
• (NC Photo)
Hopes for Permanent Peace Depend
on Rebirth of Spirit of Christ
Ills HOLINESS Pope Pius XII
recently received in audience Maj.
'-on. Philip B. Fleming, Adminis
trator of the U. S. Federal Works
Aaenev.
(Radio, N. C. W. C. Npws Service)
VATICAN CITY.—Only in the
rebirth of Christ and the Chris
tian spirit in human hearts is
there to be found tiie power to end
all war. Osservatore Romano dc- 1
Clares in a front-page article en- ’
titled “Beyond tlie War.”
Men quickly forget the horrors
of war and the enormity of its de-
si rue!ion. tiie article cautions, so '
that lasting peace, and not a mere •'
armistice, must be built on Christ !
Hie Redeemer, Who came to the
world when peace reigned uni- ;
versa I l.v and Who lives and reigns
in men in an atmosphere of
peace.
Asking if the very enormity of
the destruction occasioned by war, '
destruction surpassing all expee- i
lations, will not usher in a new j
era ol peace, the writer answers j
that this alone is not enough; for
as His Holiness Pope Pius XII
pointed out at Easter in 1941, ‘
every new weapon of war lias its i
inevitable reaction in its use.
sometimes in a more terrible |
manner on Hie part of the adver- j
sary.
THE GERM OF WAR
Referring then to the opinion
Hint Hie atomic bomb may destroy
the germ of war. Hie article state:
that this destruction of the germ
of war lies only in the power of
Hie human heart.
Alter fourteen year of war. tlie
Osservatore article says, wi h tIn
coming of the first breath of
quiet, there arises to God from
human hearts a throb of gratitude
| which calls together human souls
to the universal examination of
conscience and invites all — both
victor and vanquished -to medi
tate on the ruins of two conli-
ricnhs. both material ruin and
moral.
The vanquished can meditate'
the article continues, on those
who-had recourse to arms and en
trusted their cause exclusively
therein, and nqw lie mutilated
under the collapse of every dream
of domination, their hones and
Plans of conquest overthrown,
even tlu’ir psychology upset. They
who exalted force and scorned
justice and right now invoke the
same justice and right.
The victors, Hie writer declares,
who were obliged to repel force
with force, now contemplate how
they are beset with complex mor
al. political, economic and social
problems which have arisen
among (lie diverse tendencies,
open contrasts, contrary int.cr-
I-1 e tat ions ol words and deeds, and
from different and contradictory
concents of justice, liberty and
the self-decision and rights of
people.
FOUNDATIONS OF PEACE
Growing out of this conflict,
tiie article declares. thee is pres
ent now a true war of ideas, the
ories and judgments of right and
wrong! The article continues that
if the victors compare the points
ol departure and principles for
which the war was entered wiih
the points of arrival, they will see
that even the victors have reason
tor doubts about victory. Human
ity itsell feels deeply wounded.
Hie writer avers, for such is (lie
effect of war with all its hatred
a ml rancor, so that peace, even
before it is proclaimed, is men
aced by the wounds of war and
and is in danger of being a mere
cessation of hostilities, or. worse
still- only a transformation of
hostilities, as happened 25 years
Archbishop Spellman
Visits White House
(Bv Religion; News Service)
•WASHINGTON. D. C. — Arch
bishop Francis J. Spellman
New York met President Truman
for Hie first time in a White House
conference here.
The Archbishop disclosed to re
porters lli'ii lie had talked with
Pi evident Truman about an im
pending 11 in to the Pacific war
theater which Hit Archbishop will
make as military vicar for Cath
olics of the United Stales armed
forces.
He told questioners ttint he
came to the While House "as a
private citizen"-and that lie most
emphatically did not bring a
message from the Vatican:
Secretary of Slate James F.
Byrnes participated in tiie presi
dents talk wit It Archbishop Spell
man and then returned to tiie
Department of Byrnes re
fused to comment on Hie eonver-
sal ion.
Ilie Archbishop was slated to
leave New York for Guam. Saipan
Okinawa and the Philippines.
TWO SISTERS OF CHARITY.
one of whom lias been awarded
China s highest military decora
tion the Older of the Blue Sky
end the Wiiite Sun, for her years
°! ■ se t lf - s «vnficiiig labor among
China’s wounded and sick sol
diers, arrived in New' York early
Hi is month on the SwedishV. ex
change liner Grip-holm, which
brought 1.509 passengers from
India and Greece.
The two mins were Sister Thel
ma Maria of Elizabeth. N. J.. who
"a.-- Miss Mary E. Gilmarlin be-
i 9re she entered religious life, and
: Sistei Jane Maria, of East Orange.
N. J.. the former Miss Jane Mary
I- arrcll. The decoration conferred
en Sister Thelma is equivalent to
the Congressional Medal of Hon-
or* t he same decoration was
awarded to General Claire Clien-
rault.
the SECULAR PRESS having
reported a statement made over
th:- Mo cow radio that the Holy
See had undertaken a "campaign"
ior its admission lo Hie peace con-
Icrence, it is stated in Vatican
circles that nothing is know'll there
I to substantiate any such propa
ganda. II any Catholic publica-
t-on is undertaking such a “cam
paign . it was slated in Vatican
circles, it is doing so on its own
initiative.
Likewise, foundationless, Vat
ican circles said, is a report Uiat
His Ilolincs; Pope Pius XII,
through Hie Most Rev. Francis J.
Spellman, Archbishop of New
I York, prc.cnted to the Potsdam
cciifrrence proposals and recom
mendations for tlfix religious- res
toration of Europe.
It is here that Hi!- writer says
Hie mere enormity ol 1 destruction
! occasioned by.war will not bring
phonic to peace, but only tiie re-
birih qf Christ and Hie Christian
pii it in'human hearts.
The announcement of Hie end-
ij-.g of the wair was received in
Vatican circles with joy and the
prayerful hope that it will be fol
lowed by a true and lasting peace.
U was likewise a source of pro
found satisfaction that the tre
mendous world facilities of pro
duction and transportation, liitii-
e-lo devoted to a dealh-dealin.q
war. can now be directed to the
life-giving pursuits of peace.
IN TIIE VERY CELLS where
St. Tin mas More, last Catholic
Lord Chancellor of England, and
SI. John fisher. Bishop of
Rochester, were imprisoned in the
Tower of London while awaiting
execution, members of the Catholic
Women's League and the Union of
, Catholic Mothei knelt recently
|lo offer prayers for tne interccs-
j sion of the English Martyrs and
to give thanks for the preservation,
of London in the German air
raids. Permission to enter these
cells is rarely granted. The pil
grims met on Tower Hill, where
St. Thomas More was beheaded,
and walked in procession to the
j tower where a British Armyjehap-
| lain led the prayers.
i THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE
j DAME lias had an active part in
| tlie atomic energy program under
i Urn University jf Chicago, but the
I extent of the contribution made
by scientists connected with Notre
| Dame University cannot be tc-
; vealed at present, owing to war-
, lime restrictions. There is. liovv-
: ever, an unusual story, it is under*
I tood. pertaining lo Hie develop-
| ment of atomic energy to be told
j at Notre Dame, but not until aftei
REFLECTING THE GRIEF and
shock evoked among Catholics
everywhere b.v the Empire State
Building disaster, a message from
Ilis Holiness Pope Pius XII ex
pressed Iiis condolences to the
families of the bereaved and lo
Hie director of War Relief Ser-
viccs-N. C. W. C\, which mourns
tiie loss of eleven staff members.
flic wai
REV. WILLIAM T. CUMMINGS.,
Army chaplain credited with orig
inating the phrase. "There are no
atheists in foxholes." has been of
ficially declared dead. Hie War
Department has notified (lie
Maryknoll Fathers, Father Cum
mings. w ho served on Bataan dur
ing the worst of the Japanese as
saults, was reported missing last
March.