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FEBRUARY 28, 1948
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
ELEVEN-A
Archbishop McNicholas Answers Manifesto
Issued by ‘Protestants and Other Americans’
WASHINGTON — (NO —
Archbishop John T. McNicholas,
O. P„ of Cincinnati has ans
wered the Manifesto of the new
ly-formed group known as
Protestants and Other Ameri
cans United For Separation of
Church and State, with an ap
peal to “all fair-minded per
sons’’ to investigate the activi
ties of the Catholic Church and
its Bishops in America and to
judge from first-hand evidence
whether the Church is attempt
ing to breach the religious liber
ty guarantees of the U. S. Con
stitution.
Archbishop McNicholas made
his statement, which was re
leased here, under the title:
“The Catholic Church in Ameri
can Democracy,” as chairman of
the Administrative Board of the
National Catholic Welfare Con
ference, the voluntary organiza
tion of all the Archbishops and
Bishops of the nation.
The following is the full text
of the statement made by Arch
bishop McNicholas:
The Manifesto recently issued
by the organization, “protestants
and Other Americans United for
the Separation of Church and
Stale,” is a strange document. The
informed reader wonders whether
its tendentious statements arc
merely an indication of its sign
ers’ utter inability to face facts
and to think straight, or an evi
dence of their simplicity in allow
ing themselves to be used as
fomentors of religious dissention
at a time when national unity is
of supreme importance. We nave
too high regard for the general
body of Protestants and Jews to
think that this Manifesto is a re
flection of their convictions.
Tlie document states that the
“single and only purpose” of the
new organization “is to assure the
maintenance of the American
principle of separation of church
and state upon which the Federal
Constitution guarantees religious
liberty to all the people and all
churches of this Republic.”
In attempting to square this de
claration of purpose with facts, it
is clear that Protestants and Other
Americans United has no real rea
son for existence. With the ex
ception of the few Communsts and
their fellow travelers in our coun
try, there is. so far as is known, no
individual or group effort to in
fringe the religious freedom guar
anteed in our Constitution. Every
informed person—Protestant, Jew,
and Catholic—must deny that the
American Bishops have ever com
mitted themselves “to a policy
plainly subversive of religious lib
erty as guaranteed by the Con
stitution,” and that the Catholic
Church has ever sought “a posi
tion of special privilege in relation
to tlie state,” or that the Bisnops
have attempted “to fracture the
constitutional principle at one
point after another where the ac
tion can be minimized as trivia) or
disguised as falling within ?ome
other category than that of its ulti
mate intent," and likewise, “to
breach the wall that sharply sepa
rates church and state In this
country.” These same informed
persons must regard the Manifesto
as an outrageous indictment,
charging the Catholic Bishops with
“aggressive activities of those who
would subvert the Constitution to
their sectarian interest.”
The signers of the Manifesto
speak of the Bishops of “a power
ful church, unaccustomed in its
own history and tradition to the
American ideal of separation of
church and state . . .” and com
mitting “itself in authoritative de
clarations and by positive acts to
a policy plainly subversive of reli
gious liberty as guaranteed by the
Constitution. This church holds
and maintains the theory of the
relation of church and state which
is incompatible with the American
ideal." This statement brands
Catholics as aliens in America,
who will not and cannot be assimi
lated. Those who know the history
of Catholics and of the Catholic
Church in America could never
pen such words. All sincere, in
quiring JewS, Protestants, and
God-fearing citizens affiliated to
no religious faith are cordially in
vited to make the most thorough
investigation of the Catholic
Church, of all her fundamental
teachings, and of the history of
Catholicism in America for 160
years.
The Catholic Church is com
mitted to no form of government.
She gets on with every govern
ment that upholds the basic free
doms. No group in America is
seeking union of church and state:
and least of all are Catholics. We
deny absolutely and without any
qualification the the Catholic
Bishops of the United States are
seeking a union of church and
state by any endeavors whatso
ever, either proximate or remote.
If tomorrow Catholics constituted
a majority in our country, they
would not seek a union of church
and state. They would, then as
now. uphold the Constitution and
all its Amendments, recognizing
the moral obligation imposed on
all Catholics to observe and to
defend the Constitution and its
Amendments.
The Manifesto states that legis
latures and courts, even the Su
preme Court of the United States,
have yielded weakly to pressure
from the Hierarchy of the Roman
Catholic Church, and have violat
ed (lie freedom given in our Fed
eral Constitution (o all citizens
and to all groups of citizens in our
country. It warns Congress and
state legislatures against yielding
to any pressure which seeks the
violation of our constitutional
liberties.
The underlying falsity of the
Manifesto is the assertion that
Roman Catholics of the United
States are seeking special ad
vantages and privileges for their
church in our body politic. In sup
port of this charge, the Manifesto
dogmatically assumes its own in
terpretation of the First Amend
ment of our Federal Constitution
to be infallible. It gives no weight
to the history of the framing and
ratification of this Amendment;
nor does it take into consideration
the interpretation of the Amend
ment by some of the founding
fathers and by our Supreme
Court. The Manifesto makes the
astounding statement that re
course, under the provisions of
our Constitution, for an interpre
tation of this Amendment, is an
attack on the Amendment itself. It
thus stigmatizes others as sinister
and subversive who exercise the
freedom which the signers of the
Manifesto claim for themselves in
their declared intention to seek a
reversal of certain decisions of the
Supreme Court. The signers of
the Manifesto assume that their
attempt to have the Supreme
Court reverse its decisions is a
patriotic virtue, but thaL it is
criminal for others to seek an in
terpretation of an amendment of
the Constitution. According to the
interpretation of the signers of the
Manifesto, it is now a "fracture
of a constitutional principle” to
ask the Supreme Court for an in
terpretation of our fundamental
law. Is it. not a strange and ut
terly un-American mentality on
the part of the signers of the
Manifesto to make the charge of
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criminal weakness against the
majority of the Supreme Court in
handing down a decision that runs
counter to their wishes?
The Manifesto also stigmatizes
as unwarranted pressure the ac
tion of the Catholic Hierarchy in
presenting its views on proposed
Federal legislation. At the same
time, the signers of tlie Manifesto
propose to do that very thing, by
influencing legislatures, the
judiciary, and executives.
Despite the dogmatic assertions
of the signers of the Manifesto,
there is no authoritative interpre
tation of the First Amendment, de
claring unconstitutional Federal
aid for children attending other
than tax-supported schools. Our
history shows many precedents of
government aid to private schools.
The American way is to permit all
citizens, living under our Constitu
tion, to express their convictions
and to promote by legal means the
adoption of these convictions on
proposed legislation. The law en
acted demands respect and obedi
ence. The American way is also to
accept official action.
The indictment of the Manifesto
is in large measure against the
,activities of the Cateholic Church
in the field of education. There
can be no reasonable discussion
about the position of Catholics in
education until wc clearly define
the American system of education.
Is it exclusively the public school
system? It is not. Is tlie American
system of education to be mono
polistic, Fascist, Nazi, Soviet, or
totalitarian? It is not. The Ameri
can system of education postulates
freedom of education. Destroy
freedom of education in America
and you will soon destroy all the
other basic freedoms. The parents
of America have basic and im
prescriptible rights regarding the
education of their children, which
are guaranteed by the unanimous
decision of our Supreme Court.
That decision gives us the charter
for the American system of edu
cation and guarantees its freedom.
It rules out a monopoly of educa
tion for (he public school system
of America. Parents — Jewish,
Protestant, Catholics, as well as
those who are creedless—should
know their rights and insist that
they be respected.
The First Amendment is being
distorted today, especially by those
who advocate secularism in edu
cation and in every department of
our government. Tlie Catholic
Bishops and our Catholic people
know that the First Amendment,
imposes on them a moral obliga
tion, as it does on all American
Citizens. That Amendment is the
protection of our national unity,
our civic peace, and equality be
fore the law of all our citizens,
regardless of their religion. Catho
lics join with all Americans in de
siring to sec the First Amendment
preserved in its integrity, but they
cannot stand by silently and allow
secularists, and even such a group
as has issued the Manifesto, to in
terpret and to distort that Amend
ment.
To say that the Hierarchy of the
United States is not wholly de
voted to the maintenance of our
Constitution in all its provisions,
and that it is seeking for its own
church advantages and privileges,
is, in plain language, an untruth]
Much is made in the Manifesto
of the personal mission of the
President of the United States to
the Vatican. Catholics have never
considered this mission a religious
affair. When it was established by
the late President Roosevelt, the
motives and reasons were dictated
purely by its advantages to our
country. We know personally that
President Roosevelt stated that
there was no place on the face of
the earth where a just peace
could be worked out so calmly as
at the Vatican. This presidential
mission is not a channel for church
affairs. During the war and the
post-war crisis, enlightened na
tional self-interest has been tlie
reason for the continuance of this
mission. The Vatican is a tiny
state recognized as the stronghold
ol (he world for the defense of
human rights and for the exposi
tion of moral principles. President
Roosevelt and President Truman
have sent a personal representa-
live with the rank of Ambassador
to the Pope, who is at the same
time the ruler of a sovereign state.
We send an ambassador to Eng
land. where the king is the head of
the Established Church. The am
bassador’s mission is not to the
Church of England, but to' the
British Government. Forty govern
ments throughout the world have
found it to their advantage and to
that of peace among nations to
have representatives at the state
of the Vatican. Many of these
countries retaining permanent
representatives are not disposed tc
extend any special privileges or
advantages to the Catholic
OFFICERS RE-ELECTED BY
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
CENTER IN SAVANNAH
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Charles F.
Powers has been re-elected presi
dent and treasurer of the Catholic
Community Center, and Dan J.
Sheehan has been re-elected vice-
president. James F. Glass was
elected secretary to succeed C. A.
McCarthy, who disked to be re
lieved of that post. A resolution
expressing appreciation to Mr. Mc
Carthy for his long and valued
services was adopted at the meet
ing.
Capt. Robert Dixon
Dies in Charleston
CHARLESTON, S. C. — Daniel
Robert Dixon, retired captain of
the Charleston Fire Department,
died on* February 23, as a result
of burns suffered in a fire at the
Municipal yacht basin two months
ago. Funeral services were held at
St. Joseph's Church.
Captain Dixon was the son of
Isaac George Dixon and Mrs. Jose
phine Wcinhoist Dixon, of Char
leston. He retired from the fire
department in 1045 and since then
had been employed as navigator of
the Atlantic Coast Life Insurance
Church. II the presidential mission Company yacht, Wanderer, which
has become a religious issue in was one of the vessels destroyed
this country, it has not been made by the fire at the basin,
so by Catholics, but by such or- He is survived by hie wife, Mrs.
ganizations as Protestants and Catherine Connolly Dixon; two
Other Americans United. These daughters, Mi's. Joseph A. Lan-
organizations have used all the nan. Philadelphia, and Mrs. John
pressure at their command to b. Henderson, Bermuda; three
force its discontinuance. - brothers, George Dixon. .Samuel
The Manifesto reveals that its | Dixon, Fred Dixon, all of Charles-
signers have an utter disregard ; ton, and five grandchildren,
for facts, in impugning the patriot
ism and unconditioned acceptance
of the Constitution by Catholic
Bishops. No American citizens are
more jealous of the religious free
dom guaranteed by our Constitu
tion than are tlie American
Bishops. Under their inspiration
our men and women in the Armed
Forces have bled and died for
the Constitution and the American
way of life. To maintain our Con
stitution our Bishops and people
will always be one with all true
Americans.
When there is question of inter
preting the Constitution, we shall
not ask the counsel of Protestants
and Other. Americans United for
the Separation of Church and
State. Our course will be to study
and to consult experts in the ex
ercise of our constitutional rights.
We shall present our convictions
to the courts, of our country and
we shall stand loyally by the de
cisions rendered, without accusing
the courts of criminal weakness if
a decision be rendered against us.
The political atmosphere of our
Itepublic is congenial to Catho
lics. If a conflict arises, it will
not be due to the Catholic Church.
As for the history ol established
churches in other countries, we
fear no comparison between the
Catholic and Protestant records
In complete accord with the
Catholic doctrine, we hold firmly
that our own constitutional pro
visions are the best for our coun
try. Even had we the authority to
do so, we would not change one
iota of them.
It is a departure from our cus
tom to answer accusations made
against us. It is distasteful for
its to do so now. We speak out,
lest tal.se statements of the Mani
festo be taken as true by some of
our well-meaning fellow citizens
who have not access to reliable
sources' of information on the is
sues raised. We are confident that
the framers and signers of this
Manifesto do not speak for the
great body of Protestants, nor for i
informed .lews and God-fearing |
WILLIAM J. McGUIRE
DIES IN CHARLESTON
CIIARLESTIN, S. C. — William
Joseph McGuire, of Sullivan’s Is
land, died on January 29, funeral
services being held at Stella Maris
Church, MouTtrieville, witii Father
J. Laurence McLaughlin officiat
ing.
Mr. McGuire was born on Sulli
van’s Island, September 29, 1886,
a son of John McGuire and Mrs.
Ann Murphy McGuire, both of
Ireland. He was formerly captain
of the Army quartermaster boat
stationed at Fort Moultrie.
He is survived by his wife, the
former Miss Catherine Mansfield;
three daughters, Mrs. Harry D.
Kirby, of Harlem, Ga., Miss Merce
des McGuire and Miss Monica
McGuire, both of Sullivan’s Is
land: a sister, Mrs. Margaret Stella
Pozaro; two grandchildren and
several nieces and nephews.
JAMES It. MADDOCK
DIES IN SAVANNAH
SAVANNAH, Ga.—Funeral ser
vices for James R. Maddock, who
died February 21, were held from
the Sacred Heart Church.
Mr. Maddock was chief account
ant for Ihe Savannah Baseball and
Amusement Company, and was
one of the original employes of
the old Citizens Bank before be
coming connected with the U. S.
Internal Revenue Department
twenty-five years ago.
Father George Watkins
Dies in Greensboro, N. C.
RALEIGH, N. C.—Funeral ser
vices for Father George Watkins,
former pastor of St. Marcella’s
Church, Sanford, who died on
February 9, in Greensboro, were
held from the Cathedral of the
Sacred Heart here with Bishop
Vincent S. Walcrs of Raleigh of
fering the Pontifical Mass of Re-
Americans having no religious af- ! quiem.
filiation. . A native of Pauling, N. Y„ Fatli-
We regret to say that the Mani-,er Watkins was ordained to the
foslo is not only anti-Catholic but priesthood at Belmont Abbey in
arti-American. The C a t h o 1 i c ; June, 19J3, by the late Abbot'Leo
Church is not a protesting body; lJaid. O. S. B.
it is not tearing down. It is a | His pastoral assignments in-
const ructive force m the wot Id ,.]uded the Sacred Heart Church,
J? n £ PT"!- y ;J! Dunn; Immaculate Conception
Catholics to be the best American
Church, Hendersonville; Blessed
in time of peace and in time of . M al J Goldsboro, St. T a trick s,
war. Catholics wish to have Prot- ^ a Y®tteviUe and St. Marcellas,
estants and Jews as their neigh- ' ® a „°. •
hors and friends, and allies against I ls survived by a sister. Sister
the common enemy — atheists, j Vincent! of the Daughters of Char-
secularists, and materialists. All ity. Baltimore, and a brother, Alex-
fair-minded persons arc asked to under Watkins, Bayport, N. Y.
investigate the Catholic Church I
and to read every document and STUDENT COUNCIL OF
every statement issued by its SACRED HEART SCHOOL,
Bishops, in order that they may ATLANTA, SPONSORS DANCE
know Catholics as lliey are. not as j
they are pictured by the Manifes-1 ATLANTA, Ga.—The Student
,, . . . , Council of the Sacred Heart High
• * ls l u ' flamers and ; School sponsored a dance at the
signers of the Manifesto did not , nocalnr Woman’s rinh nn Mm.
attempt to appraise the major 1,., iV L , ° n ',,1
evils of the world and of our * ry 24 ’ w “ h Mr and Mrs C F.
country, rather than resort to an | c om iois Mi. and Mis. A. C. Wil-
untrue and most unjust attack ; cox:in . Mr. and Mrs. E. A. llooli-
on the Catholic Bishops and their I da -V and Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Fur-
Church. All God-fearing persons ! bish acting as chaperons,
of our country could constructive-1 Officers of the council are Miss
ly and profitably work, in their] Kathryn Volker, president; Miss
respective spheres, against the Geraldine Wilcoxon, first vice
worst evils which the world lias ' president; Miss Jeannette Angier,
ever faced. | second vice-president; Miss Mary
QjV God can judge the motives I Eilen Kennedy, third vico-prcsi-
?, “'e framers and the signers of | dent; Miss Margaret Wilson, see
the Manifesto, but whatever be retary-treasurer.
their intent, they have issued a .
document, not as crude as those Tiiit' vamtv v tnfatpi? r „j| n
issued by Know-Nothing-ism or J J 1 ^ r J d ,
APA-ism or Ku-Kluxism. but cer- ? r °^? t m on U,C eveM “* , of “■«*
tainiy one bound to arouse intoler- j *’ ® alry a ,, spe ‘ ! a , 1 broadcast,
ance, suspicion, hatred, and con- j behalf ol the Bishops I* und
flict between religious groups. It is j * or Victims of War. The script,
a document bound to foster reli- * entitled “Dear Mr. American.” has
gious antagonism and to damage
the civic friendship among men of
different religious faiths, which is
an important part of the American
ideal and life.
been characterized as one of the
most powerful ever to be present
ed on the program which is broad
cast over the Mutual network on
Thursdays at 10 p. m„ EST.