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JANUARY 25, 1047 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA THREE News Review of the Catholic World Myron Taylor Calls for American Aid to Italy 0 _ President's Representative to the Vatican Speaks at New York Luncheon Honor ing Italian Premier NEW YORK.—(NC)—Myron C. Taylor, the personal representa tive of President Truman to the Vatican, called on America and all nations to aid in rebuilding Italy, which he called the “old cultured, artistic and historically Christian background of all west ern civilization.’’ Mr. Taylor, who is also chairman of American Re lief for Italy, was the principal speaker at a luncheon given in honor of Premier Alcide de Gas- peri of Italy, then in the United States to secure'material help for his country. Earlier in the day the Italian Premier, who at one time was an employe in the Vatican library, had attended a Solemn Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, at which His Eminence Francis’ Cardinal Spellman. Archbishop of New York, presided: Cardinal Spellman, who with Mayor William O’Dwyer of New York, flanked Premier de Gas- peri at the luncheon, gave the in vocation, praying that “as God has been good to our land and people, may America be good to all other people.” Addressing the 1,800 guests in the Waldorf-Astoyia ballroom, Mr. Taylor declared: “Our effort in America has been to help the Italian people to help themselves. The Italian people and their gov ernment are not without resources of faith and aspiration to build their nation again if help can be given. In no part of (he world which the scourge of war has touched has the'determination to survive, to regain the status of respect in the world and to be come accepted with the principles of a democratic world been mdre active than in Italy. “We in America, regardless of all other nations but cooperating with all nations of like mind as ourselves, could easily cement the friendship of Itfrly. which has raised the banner Of independ ence and freedom against all un desirable influences' by acting now, Now is the time to support the forces of humanity and good in Italy where the people now seek a peaceful, democratic and healthful life, which our forces have helped to make free.” Premier de Gasperi. who spoke first in English and then in Ital ian. declared that America and Italy have common Christian ideals, and added that he was happy to note that in times of crisis in the past, American lead ers have invoked divine guid ance. At the Mass in St. Patrick’s Ca thedral the Italian. Premier os- cupied a seat of honor in the sanctuary opposite the arehiepis- eopal throne. With him were Al berto Tarchiani, Italian Ambassa dor to the United States, and Pietro Campilli, Italian Minister for Foreign Trade. in welcoming Mr. de Gasperi to the cathedral. Msgr. Joseph F Flannelly. cathedral ndministra- lor. declared: “We are familiar with your record of service to Italy. Christ’s principles have ever been your principles. “Some 1.900 years ago the Med iterranean became a Christian sea. The kind, peaceful and sooth ing hand of Italy has contributed much to maintain it so. For the preservation of our Christian civ ilization that sea must never be reddened by the brutal, death dealing clenched fist of atheistic communism. We appreciate your magnificent . contribution to this sacred cause.” In the afternoon the Premier and members of his entourage were guests for tea at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, and in the evening they were guests of Cardinal Spellman at a dinner in the Archbishop’s residence. Other guests at the dinner included Governor Thomas E. Dewy of New York. Mayor O’Dwyer, Sena tors Robert F. Wagner and Irving Ives of New York, and Bishops of the metropolitan area. “SILENT IS THE VISTULA”, a story of flic Warsaw uprising :n 1944, by Irena Orska. has been named as its current book selec tion by the Catholic' - Book Club in New York. VICAR OF CHRIST URGES DEFENSE OF FAITH Before nearly 300.000 people of Rome, His Holiness Pope Pius XII speaks from the balcony over the main door of St. Peter’s Basilica and warns the faithful that they must st&nd in the struggle against anti-clericalism and hears the crowd pledge their unshakable loyalty to the church and de votion to the Holy See. , (NC Photos) TO TAKE CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES IN THE UNITED STATES (Special to The Bulletin) WASHINGTON, D. C.—J. C. Capt. Director of the Bureau of the Census, of the Department of Commerce, has announced that active preparations are now be ing made for the 1946 Census of Religious Bodies. The Department of the Census plans to mail the schedules to the individual churches early in 1947, and the director states that it is felt that il is very important lor pastors and clerks of the churches to be informed in ad vance of the taking of the cen sus. The Director ol the Census is authorized by Congress to take a Census of the Religious Bodies in the United States every ten years, (he first census in this decennial series having been taken in 1906. The information is collected through the use of a simple schedule of questionnaire, which is mailed to the individual churches, filled out by I he pastor or clerk, and returned to the Cen sus Bureau for tabulation. This census provides the only official government figures with respect to the membership in the various religious denominations and or ganizations. Preparations are now being made for the 1946 census and the schedules Will be mailed to the churches early in 1947. This is a most important inquiry and tor its success it is vital that the Bureau of the Census have the utmost co operation from the pastors or clerks of the churches, as well as from all religious leaders and of ficials. The schedule for this cen sus includes a question on the number or members of each local church, with a supplementary- question on the number under 13 years of ’ age. The second ques tion on membership will facilitate comparison among denominations having different provisions for inclusion of young children as church members. There,; are also questions on church expenditures, Sunday, Schools, etc. If the statistics of religious or ganizations are to he of maximum value, it is essential that the re turns be accurate and compute and cover, as nearly as possible, every church or religious organi zation in the United Stales. The census can be completed prompt ly only if each pastor will par ticipate wholeheartedly in the work by filling out the schedule for his church and returning il promptly to the Bureau of the Census. It is a tremendous task to obtain returns from the more than two hundred and fifty thou sand churches scattered through out the United States, but it can he done and it is hoped that the church leaders will realize the im- 300,000 Romans Hail Holy Father as He ffarns Against Anti-Clerical Agitation VATICAN CITY—-(Radio, NC) —The people of Rome—300,000 of them — gave stirring testimony where they stand in the struggle for Christ and against Christ, for the Church and against the Church. On a cold but sunny morning they gathered in SU Peter’s Square to pledge to the Vicar of Christ their unshakable loyalty to the Church and their devotion to the Holy See, and to repudiate those who seek to defile the cen ter of Christendom by a vicious campaign of anti-clerical agita tion. Hundreds of thousands shouted “Viva il Papa”, interrupting again and again the address of llis Holi ness Pope Pius XII who told the multitude from the balcony over the main door of St. Peter’s: "It is with sorrow and with indignation that you see the sacred character of Rome—of this holy place which serves, by Divine dis position, as the See of the Vicar of Christ—besmirched in • ig nominy and besmeared with mud by impious unbelievers in God, by profaners of things Divine, by idolators of the senses.” Again they hailed the Pope when he continued, his words car ried by loudspeakers to the farth est ends of the Square: “But behold: Rome shows it self today before your eyes ni all its splendor, in all its un- diminshed and inviolable beauty. Perhaps never before has the mis sion of Home been greater, more beneficent and more indispensable than al the present hour.” Hundreds of thousands cnelt on the cobblestones of St. Peter’s Square to receive the Apostolic Blessing imparled on those who carry the banner of Christ in such an important sector of “the great spiritual battle of our times.” and •also on those “who strive against and vilify religion and its min sters, because the love of the Church is even greater than their guilt.” The Holy Father gave expres sion to the “indescribable emotion” filling him at the sight of hun dreds of thousands of fellow Ro mans, who “moved by the power ful, irresistible impulse of their devotion and filial affection,” had gathered to pledge their loyalty. He recalled a similar gathering on March 12, 1944. when Romans joined by untold numbers of refugees and homeless wanderers, begged through and with the Holy Father for (he protection of their beloved city. The Pope reminded his listeners how three months later, “on the portance of the census and will do everything in their power to help tlie Census Bureau secure prompt reports from all the churches shining day of June 6, 1944,’’ Ro mans came again to St. Peter’s to rejoice with the Holy Father in the first hours of Rome’s libera tion and to thank God for having spared their city. He spoke of that "memorable Passion Sunday of 1945,” when he exhorted Ro mans, gathered to invoke the pro tection of Heaven, not to forget their Christian duties of piety, of virtue and of brotherly love, and to guard the heritage left to them by their forefathers. In the war year of i944, it was the eity and the people of Rome w'ho faced grave dangers. In 1946.* it was the Church, her visible head and her ministers who were being attacked. And today’s dem onstration left no doubt in. the minds of all observers that Ro mans have not forgotten to whom they owe their salvation. They were deeply stirred when the Holy Father, told them that (lie fate of the sons and daugh ters of Rome is always the object of his thoughts and prayers, his care and solicitude, in days of ad versity and prosperity. “You have come,” Hie Holy Father said, “to proclaim before your fellow citizens of Rome, lo the nation and to the entire Chris tian world that you are closely hound to the See of Peter and to the Catholic traditions of your native city, bound in a holy unity that overcomes all hostility and all obstacles.” Again, tremendous cheers arose when the Pontiff appealed to Ro mans to prove them-elves worthy of the ‘innumerable ranks of your martyrs and your saints (that) are watching you,” and to ae guided by a consciousness of their grave responsibilities and duties arising from Rome’s “singular mission.” The Holy Father repeated the stirring summons of St. Peter, who “surrounded by the threats of a perverted imperial power,” called out: “Resist, ye strong in the Faith.” In the struggling between two opposing camps: “For Christ and again Christ, for the Church, and against the Church,” Romans must again heed this call of the first Peter, the Holy Father said, add ing: “Awaken, Romans! The hour has sounded for many of you to awaken from a sleep that has been too long, the hour to arise and act, and to suffer bravely, as becomes Romans.” Long before the appointed hour, St. Peter’s Square began tr fill. The crowds came by car and truck, by streetcar and bus, but most of them came afoot, carrying Papal flags and national banners of r eligious organizations and posters proclaiming their devo tion to the Holy So-* INSTITUTE INQUIRY INTO LIFE AND VIRTUES OF NEW JERSEY RELIGIOUS BAYONNE, N. J. — (NC) — A search for discourses, letters, diaries and other writings by or about Sister Miriam Teresa, a Sis ter of Charity who died at the age of 26 in May, 1927, has been started under the direction of Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh of Newark and Bishop Thomas IL McLaughlin of Paterson, in con nection with an Episcopal court investigation of her sanctity, which eventually may lead to tier canonization. The search for information is the latest move in a campaign in her behalf which has been grow ing throughout the United States and in Europe, where many re ports of favors and cures effected through the intersection of Sister Miriam Teresa have been receiv ed. Youngest of seven children of Alexander and Johanna Demjano- vich, she was born in Bayonne on March 26. 1901. and baptized Teresa., She wanted to be a Carme lite nun, but a lingering illness of her mother kept her at home as a nurse and housekeeper. After her mother’s death in 1918, she enter ed St. Elizabeth’s College at Con vent, N. J., and graduated with highest honors in 1923. She taught school after graduation until Feb ruary, 1925, when she entered the Sisters, of Charity. Sister Miriam Teresa’s life in re ligion was short, but was filled with much work and suffering. Af ter her death, her confessor dis closed that she had suffered Un- pain of the Crown of Thorns from the time she entered religious life until her death. The Holy See au thorized Bishop McLaughlin to in stitute an informative prove-. concerning her life and virtues in 1945. TROOPS AND CIVILIANS from many lands crowded into ltibiya Hall, the largest hall in the Japa nese capital, for the celebration of Christmas Midnight Mass, at which Archbishop Peter Tatsuo Doi of Tokyo presided. This cos mopolitan congregation, dramati cally pointing up the universality of the Church, included soldiers from the United States, Australia, Britain, New Zealand, the Philip pines, Canada, France and Pun- jabs ifom India. WACs. WAVES, Marines, soldiers and sailors knelt side by side with Japanese na tionals and Allied civilian person nel and their children. “PAPA NATALE.” the Santa Claus for Italian children, made his headquarters in Rome in the American Catholic Community Service. Thousands of young sters came to the American Christmas parties. There was an enormous Christmas tree and stacked up around it were thous ands of parcels filled with gifts from American Catholics: cakes, candy, peanuts, soap, toys, all very rare and expensive things in war- ravaged Italy. Each child enjoy ed a fine luncheon, entertainment, and received gifts. DIVORCE for any cause would not be allowed in Massachusetts under a bill filed with the legis lature by Representative Edmond J, Donlon of Boston, who in giv ing his reasons for filing (he bill said “Recent reports of mounting divorces indicate that this dread disease is rapidly spreading and will reach epidemic proportions here unless realistic measures are taken. The only way to stop this mass hysteria and prevent dis aster is to abolish divorce alto gether.” A CATHOLIC PRIEST is to be one of four war heroes honored in a Baptist memorial. The Civilian Production Administration has ap proved plans for the construction of a chapel to be built within the Baptist Temple in Philadelphia in commemoration of the four U. S. Army chaplains, Father John P. Washington, a priest of the Arch diocese of Newark, a Jewish chap lain and Iwo Protestant chaplains, who went lo their deaths afler giving their lifebelts that others might survive the sinking of the transport Dorchester in the North Atlantic in'February of 1943. CONVEYING TO THEM his Christmas and New Year’s wishes, His Holiness Pope Pius XII re ceived in private audience the Ministers from Venezuela and Costa Rica, -the charge d’Affaires ad interim from Argenina. and Franklin C. Gowen, of the staff of Myron Taylor. President Tru man's personal representative al tile Vatican