Newspaper Page Text
Vol. XXVI. No. 11
THIRTY-TWO PAGES
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 24. 1945
* if it ISSUED MONTHLY—$2.00 A YEAH.
llefiti
t
At the General Meeting of the Hierarchy
More than one hundred members of the Hierarchy assembled at the Catholic University of America
Washington, D. C., for the Annual General Meeting of the Archbishops and Bishops of the United States
His bminmee Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, (upper left in photo) Archbishop of Philadelphia, presided
at the first days sessions. Archbishop John J. Glennon. (lower.center) of St. Louis, presided at subsequent
sessions Others Pictured are: Archbishop John T. McNicliolas, O. P„ of Cincinnati, (upper right) and
Archbishop Edwaid Mooney, (lower left) ol Detroit, who having completed five consecutive years as
members of the Administrative Board of the National Catholic Welfairc Conference, were not eligible for
election this year. Bishop Emmet Walsh
—(NC Photos)
. i- , ligil
of Charleston, (lower right) served as secretary at the meetings.
Highlights .of
Bishops’ Statement
“The war is over but (here is no
peace in the world.”
‘‘in the Atlantic Charter we
were given the broad outline . .
of a good peace.-Are we going to
give up this ideal of peace? If
under the pretext of a false real
ism, we do so, then we shall stand
face to face with the awful catas
trophe of atomic war.”
“We are in perhaps the-greatest
crisis of human history.”
“Our country lias the power, the
right and the responsibility to de
mand a genuine peace, based on
justice which will answer the cry
in the hearts of men across the
world.”
“Sometimes Russia uses our vo
cabulary and talks of democracy
and rights, but it attaches distort
ed meanings to the words.”
“Tlie fraiTJC'fTJKSgifitTon of (these)
differences is preliminary to any
sincere effort in realistic world
cooperation for peace.
“We are witnessing a return of
the tragedy of power politics and
the danger of balance of power
arrangements which . . have be
gotten war after war.”
“There are concessions which
we dare not make because they are
immoral and destructive of genu
ine peace.”
“Our country acted wisely in de
ciding to participate in this world
organization formed at the San
Francisco conference. It is better
than world chaos”’
“While peace is in the making
there are urgent issues which we" AT THE ANNUAL MEETING in
cannot longer evade.” New York of the Department of
“What is happening behind the School Superintendents of the
blackout of eastern and southeast- National Catholic Education As-
ern Europe is a stark contradic- sociation, Monsignor Leo M.
tion to the high ideals which in- Byrnes, of Mobile, was elected
spired our fighlins to save the | Diesj(ie|j | i.
world from totalitarian aggres
sion.”
“Religious persecution which is
both brutal and cunning rages in
many lands. No reason of policy
justifies opr silence.”
“The inhumanities which now
mark the mass transference of
populations, the systematized use
of slave labor and the cruel treat
ment. of prisoners of war should
have no place in our civilization.”
“Unless heroic measures are tak
en at once, millions will die from
starvation and exposure during
coming winter.”
"Private relief agencies (must)
be given a full opportunity to car
ry on their beneficent work among
all suffering people.
“Let us ask God in Jlis Blessed
Providence to help us to be the
vigorous champion of democratic
freedom and I ho generous friend
of the needy and oppressed
throughout the world."
"We see God-given, inviolable
human rights in every person, and
we know democracy as the free
collaboration under law of citi
zens in a free country.”
MARSHAL TITO has hurled a
threat, although denying to do so,
at the Hierarchy of Yugoslavia, be
cause of a recent Joint Pastoral
citing persecutions of the Church
and demanding that freedom of
worship be restored.
Prominent Speakers
Will Be Heard on
Catholic Broadcasts
WASHINGTON.— (NC) — A list
of distinguished speakers to be
heard on coming Catholic Hour
and Hour of Faith radio pro
grams has been announced by the
National Council of Catholic Men,
producer of the programs. Cur
rently. the Rev?Dr. Thomas J. Mc
Carthy, editor of Tlie Tidings, is
delivering the Catholic Hour se
ries. and the Rev. James G. Kel
ler, director of Maryknoll Mis
sions, is tlie Hour of Faith speak
er.
On Sunday evenings, from De
cember 2 to 23, the Very Rev. Rob
ert I. Gannon, S. J.. president of
Fordham University, will deliver a
series on the general theme, “Do
We Need Christ?” for tlie Catholic
Hour, which is broadcast by the
National Broadcasting Company,
lie will be followed on the Sun
days from December 30 to'Januar.v
27 by the Rev. Robert Slavin, (j.
P., of the Catholic University of
America. Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen,
also of Catholic University, will be
heard on Sunday evenings from
February 3 to April 21.
Following Father Keller’s se
ries on the Hour of Faith, broad
cast by the American Broadcast
ing Company, a scries on “Distin
guished Servants” will be given
on Sunday mornings during De
cember by the Rev. John M. Mc
Carthy. of the Chicago Archdio
cesan Mission Band.
U. S. Bishops Challenge America to
Champion Freedom in a World
Floundering Between Peace, War
SISTER A I, VERNA, ol the St.
Mary's Hospital, conducted in
West Palm Beach, by the Sisters
of St. Francis, is president-elect of
the Florida State Hospital Asso
ciation. She was elected at a re
cent association meeting, and is
the first Sister ever to be elected
to head the State organization in
Florida.
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
WASItl NGTON.—The profound
reaction to tlie statement on the
international situation, entitled
"Between War and Peace,” issued
by the Bishops of the United
States on Sunday, stamps'this doc
ument as one of I ho most force
ful challenges ever given to a
thoughtful people.
“The war is over lmt there is no
peace in the world.” the statement
frankly declares. It was made in
I lie name of all the Archbishops
and Bishops at their Annual Gen
eral Meeting at the Catholic Uni
versity of America, here, and was
signed by the ten members of the
Administrative Board of the Na
tional Catholic Welfare Confer
ence. Warning that "we are in
perhaps (lie greatest crisis of hu
man history,” the document is re
garded as an instrument which in
its calm and courageous statement
of world problems also points the
way to their solution.
In general, the Bishops warned
against a false realism, advised
that the recognition of differences
in ideology is preliminary to any
sincere effort at international co
operation. condemned any con-
spiracy to violate 1 lie rights of na
tions. groups or individuals any
where in the world, asked if wc
were keeping the pledges made to
the people of Poland at the Yalta
conference, condemned the silence
over the shocking news leaking
out of southeastern Europe, de
plored I lie tragic indifference lo
tlie plight of the Italian people,
asserted that “we cannot be un
concerned about the future of Ger
many. Austria and Hungary,”
pointed to our “grave responsibil
ity.”
DEMOCRACY CAN SOLVE
PROBLEMS
On the other hand, the Bishops
expressed entire confidence that
democracy can solve (lie problems
of peace just as it solved the prob
lems of war. They counseled, how
ever, that “we must be true to our
selves.” and defend our free in
stitutions that the agents of total
itarianism amongst us are trying
lo sabotage.
Recalling that the broad outline
lor peace set forth in the Atlantic
Charter gave us the ideal for
which we fought, and led smaller
nations to make us “the trustee of
l heir freedom.” the Bishops said
the pattern for peace slowly
emerging from (lie conferences of
the Big Three “is disappointing in
the extreme."
Noting then that “we are in per
haps the greatest crisis of human
history,” the Bishops added: “Our
country lias the power, the right
and tlie responsibility to demand a
genuine peace, based on justice,
which will answer the cry in the
hearts of men across the world.”
Acknowledging that “during the
war perhaps, it may have been
necessary for strategic reasons to
postpone final decisions on many
questions mooted at the confer
ences of the three great powers,
the statement of the Bishops de
clared that "now wc must fade the
facts.” It pointed out lhal “there
are profound differences of
thought and policy between Rus
sia and I lie western democracies,”
and advised that “the frank recog
nition oi these differences is pre
liminary to any sincere effort in
realistic world cooperation for
peace.”
LIMIT TO CONCESSIONS
“A first step towards effective
negotiation for peace is lo have a
plan,” the Bishops said, adding
that "so far we have compromised
and sought to make mere piece
meal settlements.” The statement
said “wc must indeed aim at col
laborating with all of our allies in
the making or a good peace,” hut
pointed out immediately that
“there are, however, concessions
which we dare not make because
lliey are immoral and destructive
of genuine peace.”
The statement asked if wc were
working to fulfill the pledge made
to Poland at the Yalta Conference,
but also “what apology can be of
onisls of democracy.to protest the
absorption by force and artifice of
the Baltic countries into the Union
of Soviet Republics?” The state
ment condemned "what is happen
ing behind the blackout of eastern
and southeastern Europe” as “a
stark contradiction to the high
ideals which inspired our fighting
to save the world from totalitarian
aggression.”
In declaring lhal “we cannot be
unconcerned about the future of
Germany. Austria and Hungary,”
the Bishops said “whatever period
of probation must be imposed on
I he vanquished nations, we must
help them to take their rightful
place in the family of nations.” To
treat these nations in a spirit of
vengeance "is neither right nor
politic," they added.
AMERICA’S RELIEF TASKS
The Bishops said our country,
because of our greater resources,
must do the major part in the re
lief work to prevent the death by
starvation of millions in war-torn
lands. “It is imperative that Con
gress make adequate appropria
tions for this work from the public
treasury.” the statement said, add
ing that "it is equally imperative
that private relief agencies be giv
en a full opportunity lo carry on
their beneficent work among the
suffering peoples.”
Calling is “a grave responsibil
ity" that faces us, the Bishops said
“we know that democracy is as ca
pable of solving the admittedly
difficult problems of peace as it
has shown itself in war.”
‘We must be true to ourselves,”
the Bishops warned. "We must
hold fast lo our own free institu
tions. We must resolutely oppose
the few amongst us who are try
ing to sabotage them. We may well
pity those who in their half-veiled
sympathy for totalitarianism are
playing with the thought that per
haps in this great emergency its
day is at hand. On bended knee let
us ask God in His Blessed Provi
dence to help us to be the vigorous
champion of democratic freedom
and the generous friend of the
needy and oppressed throughout
the world.”
Bulletins
HIS EMINENCE the Most Rev.
Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, Arch
bishop of Philadelphia, pontificat
ed at a Solemn Mass of Requiem
for Mrs. Louise Drexcl Morrell at
St. Michael’s Memorial CJiapel in
Philadelphia, which Mrs. Morrell
had erected in memory of her
husband and parents. A life-long
member of the Third Order of St.
Francis, Mrs. Morrell was a sister
of Mother Mary Kalhenlne Drexcl,
foundress of the Sisters of the
Blessed Sacrament for Indians
and Colored people. Members of
the Hierarchy, Sisters. Brothers,
laity and representatives of the
various institutions of which Mrs.
Morrell was founder and bene
factress, thronged the church.
THE “CHRIST - LIKE” EF
FORTS of his “beloved children
in the United Stales' to bring “re
lief i n ever-increasing measure to
the innocent victims of war” were
warmly praised in a cablegram
signed by Ilis Holiness Pope Pius
XII, received in Washington by
llis Excellency Archbishop Amlcto
Giovanni Cicoguanl, Apostolic
Delegate to the United States.
REV. RAYMOND A. McGOWAN
has been named Director of the
Department of Social Action of
(lie National Catholic Welfare
Conference to succeed the Lite
Monsignor John A. Ryan. Fa
ther McGowan, the first and only
Assistant Dlrecto v of the N.C.W.C.
Department of Social Action, r.n.v
becomes the second Director in its
history, lie was one of a commit
tee of eight named by Presided
Franklin I). RoO‘-volt in 11)13 to
advise the Chief Executive on
changes in tlie organic law of
fered for the failure of the protug- Puerto Rico.
Published by the
Catholic Lay
men's Association
of Georgia
“To Bring About
a Friendlier
Feeling Among
Neighbors Irre
spective oi Creed”