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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.