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JUNE 21, 1952 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMENS ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA FIVE With tPther Editors SCARCELY FIT TO PRINT The New York “Times” is cer tainly worried about Catholics. It seemingly ascribes to us not only in the United States blit all over the world a degree of perfection which few of us claim. If a group of ruffians throw stones at a Protestant church in Spain, the “Times” correspondent there cables a long and costly story making an international event of it would hardly seem more important than the frequent throwing of stones at Long Island Railroad trains by hoodlum young sters or the destruction of prop erty in gang fights in various parts of the city. Or let there be some controver sy in Guatemala, Colombia, or some other country, and there again a “Times” writer is on the scene to make an issue out of an incident, and. of course, a long story of which some editor seems to have said, “this ought to put the Catholics on the spot.” The latest from Colombia was a master piece. There was a small brawl and the “Times” went, not to Cath olics for an account of it, but only to the Evangelicals who penned the expected, and probably hoped for ,anti-Catholic tirade. The Cath olics there were so wicked that a priest actually refused burial to a confessed Protestant. It was, of course, a verbal lynching party for several millions of Catholics. On Monday of this week, how ever, the “Times” outdid itself. Some time ago a Spanish prelate made some remarks about Protes tants, which sounded, harsh to American, Catholic and non-Catho- lic ears, but which were mild com pared to those being made by non- Catholic clergymen daily in this country about Catholics. A couple of Catholic publications in the United States censured the Span ish prelate. Then, to “the seem ing amazement of the “Times”, several newspapers in Spain at tacked the two American Catho lic papers. This—a controversy between Catholic publications 4,000 miles apart—got a two column heading on page one of the “Times” and two columns of space on an inside page. We wonder if in modern journalism any up-to- date daily ever before featured such a long-distanced dispute be tween Catholic papers. The “Times”, under its present management—which has lost sight of the journalistic heights scaled by the “Times” under Adolph Ochs—seems to want to give Cath olics a hard time. It not only rat tles skeletons and seeks to em barrass Catholics, but it almost seems dedicated to stirring up re ligious and racial hatred and to creating confusion and controversy among Americans in an hour when unity and good will are imperative for the nation’s future welfare. We can, of course, understand its policy on Spain, for its long vilification of Spaniards seems to evidence brought forth recently by two notable medical writers— Drs. Willius and Dry, of the famous Mayo Clinic. Their testi mony gives the lie to canards about a field which is generally regarded to have been deploringly ineffi cient in mediaeval times, the field of medicine. Many take great pride in the evidence of the modern day medi cal centers, as if they were char- ONiY .$398 IxlwJtag Handy W«39 firack«t mi MOTICTION rOR HOMS, CAR *'!« |hg Palm Sf Your Hand Ready for instant use on Its TianJyr Wall bracket, PRESTO is so smalt, so light, it's handled easily even by a child. Yet k packs mare fire-killing power than extin- guishers many times its site and weight! Effective against electrical, oil, gasoline end all types of fires. So inexpensive, you’ll want one for kitch en, car, garage, attic. Don’t delay. Don’t lake chances with your loved ones' safety, A. J. TRONCONE Distributor P. O. Box 9 ATLANTA I, GEORGIA Enclose Find $1,00 Deposit Send Presto, Balance C. O. D. have been unavailing, as the Amer-| ac t e ristically peculiar to our own ican government is at present using i day Many, too, harbor the the good offices of the Spanish ; thought that our modern schools government and thousands of I 0 f medicine are without precedent American tourists are buildring 1 and altogether due to our own in bridges of friendship with the j genuity. Neither conviction is Spanish people. The “Times” re- built on fact, action is one of extreme bitter ness. Again, many are asking, why does the “Times” feature the ex aggerated and one-sided stories from Colombia and elsewhere when their only purpose can be to bring cleavages and misunder standings in this country? Certain ly no individual editor of the “Times”, if confronted personally, would admit he considers such ar ticles as contributing to the unity, the brotherhood, or the liberalism all of them desire in their editorials. “All the News That’s Fit to Print” has tak en on another ^meaning. —(The Tablet). GOD LOVE YOU Most Reverend Fulton J. Sheen And these two writers prove it in showing that the first real med- j ical center . . . the first worth- ! while medical school was organized at Salerno in Italy as early as the 10th century. That institution reached the height of its influence and prestige in the 12th century —in the middle of the so-called Dark Ages. This school of medicine was notable for these facts; it was the first school to prescribe specific ”L ‘ “'“V' i pre-medical training; it establish- so often profess to, ^ a definjte med >j curriculum . it was the first to require formal classrooms c o u r c e s and definte clinical application to partients of the knowledge imparted in the classroom, and it demanded a type of training that is directly related to our present-day internship. Salerno grew steadily in breadth and statue towards the summit of its influence in the middle of the 13th century (still in the Dark mind you) until its civil ruler, Frederick II, issued what is known now as the Mediaeval law for the Regulation of the Practice of Medicine.” You can judge how mediaeval— or how modern the regulations were by some of the features. Here are some of the highlights; (1 >a physician must have a diploma from a university and a license from the government; (2) He must have studied three years in "prep aration before taking up the study of medicine; ~ (3) He must have studied three years in medical school; (4) He must practice one year with a licensed physician be fore he be allowed to take up practice on his own account; (5) If the medical student desired to take up surgery, he must have made special intensive studies in anatomy; (6) This 13th century law for the protection of the health of Frederick’s realm is especially in teresting because it also regulated the purity of drugs. In that re spect it anticipated our own Fed eral pure food and drug laws by seven centuries. In view of the above facts, It is very clear that those so-called Dark Ages weren’t so “dark” after all. An analysis of the rules and regulations set up for the prac tice of medicine and the function ing of the Salerno school of medi cine show us that there’s very little in our way of doing things that is really peculiar to us. Nor can anyone, as so often hap pens, say that the Church evi denced anything but a sympathetic cooperation with the medicine at that time. In Garrison’s “History of Medicine,’ ’an accepted text, we read . . . “the friendliest relations existed between the clergy and the physicians at Salerno.” Let’s face the facts, and know what we are talking about. It’s so much better! The Catholic Stand ard and Times). HPHE Holy Father’s Society for the Propagation of the Faith main* tains 614 areas in the missionary world, each of which averages as large as the State of New York. It aids every missionary society in the world to help maintain their 44.000 elementary schools, 174 leprosaria and 3,162 dispensaries. The sacrifices you make we send directly to Rome to be distributed by the Holy Father Himself to the missionaries . . . China is our greatest worry. There were 143 dioceses or prefectures apostolic in China a few years ago. After 4 years, 61 Bishops remain but they are not allowed to have any contact with their faithful and are under house arrest. This is equivalent to the destruction of all the Cathedrals, schools, orphan ages, convents, hospitals and monasteries in 50% of the dioceses of the United States with 43% of the Bishops under house arrest. Picture 36 Archbishops and Bishops of the United States in prison, 7 of them dying in prison and you have some idea of the persecution in China! The number of priests known to be in Chinese prisons is at least 300. DIVERSE REPRESENTATIVES During World War II, our ser vicemen found no place too remote for the Catholic missionary. When they went beyond the fringes of civilization toward the North Pole, they discovered the missioneries j , there before them; when they } rii reached isolated islands in the South Seas or little hamlets in the Orient, they were welcomed by them. They not only found the mission aries there, but they soon learned that they had the respect, the con fidence and the love of the natives. The role of the priests, the Sisters and the Brothers in these far-flung regions was strictly religious, but the servicemen soon realized that the understanding ministrations of the missionaries made not only their religion but the countries of their origin popular. This was particularly true of American missionaries; wherever priest, Sisters and Brothers from the United States labored, our ser vicemen found themselves in stantaneously popular. GI’s con- stantantly referred to them as among the best of American am bassadors. There are also many Protestants missionaries in this category. But many who have gone to Latin America and to Latin countries in Europe are definitely outside of it. Our Colombian correspondent, for instance, reports that ministers from the United States who boast that they are “bringing Christian ity” to a people who were Christ ian before there was any Protes tant Church indulge in studied in sults to the Catholic faith. “The Pope is a beast,” a Seventh Day Adventist said in a public lecture at Bucaramanga, others have called the confessional “a sewer of moral filth.” The moral character of the Blessed Virgin has been assailed in indecent language. Some ministers have consistently allied themselves with radicals be cause these radicals are anti-Cath olic. Is it to be wondered at that they run into trouble? Catholic missionaries only have trouble with enemies of all religion. Protestant missionaries who abide by the universal rules of good conduct have no difficulity. Those who do not are doing a great disservice not merely to the denominations sending them but to the country from which they are naturally regarded as representa tive.—(The Catholic News) Crowning with thorns has recently been revived by the young Communists in China who demanded also that Sister Superior of the Catholic hospital in Chaotung be crucified. The Devil is the invisible head of the Mystical Body of the anti-Christ and Stalin is its visible head . . . Years ago, Lonin said; “Remember, the shortest route to Paris passes through Peiping, China.” By this, he meant that Europe would be conquered after Asia was conquered. 33% of the population of the world is today under Communist control! What does this mean to you? Do you depend on politicians to stop Communism ... It takes a faith to meet a faith; a belief in Christ to overcome a bcli f in anti-Christ. This faith in Christ becomes concrete only in prayer and sacrifice ... If you had a World Mission Rosary and each day the yellow beads reminded you of China, Korea and Vietnam, you would pray for these people. At present your request and a $2 offering, we will send you one blessed by me . . . When the Irish Catholics were persecuted they brought the faith to America. Today, the persecuted Chinese Catholics are bringing the faith to Fomosa. Since 1945, the increase in the number of Catholics is 40%. 1,500 converts are under instruction, 250 of whom are university students. in Sacrifice! Deny yourself something. Give up something the name of Jesus and Mary. This is what others are doing! . . . GOD LOVE YOU to J. C. P. for $10, the price of a pair of moccasins he wanted to buy but instead sent the money to the Holy Father’s Missions because he knew they needs it more . . . GOD LOVE YOU to the pupils of a sixth grade in Pennsylvania who have been mak ing “two cent sacrifices” for each item dropped during class time and now sends the Holy Father’s Missions $7 with the hope that it will help some needy mission. . . . GOD LOVE YOU to Mrs, H. M. S. for the $5 she earned baking and selling home-made cup cakes and donuts . . . GOD LOVE YOU to C. N. who instead of buying herself a corsage sent the Holy Father’s Mission $5 . . . GOD LOVE YOU to M. J. C. for $7.50 he would have paid for a tie but instead sent it to the Holy Father’s Missions in exchange for a favor from the Lord. HOW DARK WERE THEY? Some people will ilever learn. They get an idea and it becomes so firmly fixed in their minds that, seemingly, nothing can ever efface it even though it be a stranger to the truth. “Intellectual stubborn ness” is a good name for it. An example is had in the way some people speak of the so-called Dark Ages. As they tend to see those times, they were, at best, nothing but an intellectual vacu um, a hiatus in the pathway of progress. And whenever such people take inventory of things they usually look back, with scorn, on medieval times as if progress had been deliberately halted in those days. As if nothing worth while had come down from them. Nothing is farther from the truth. And 5 to prove it let’s look 'at the BUDAPEST AND BARCELONA This week will see the glorious climax of the Eucharistic Congress at Barcelona. Some there are whose first thoughts will turn to ward the last Congress which was held in Budapest in 1938. The spectacular congress of that year brought to central Europe, pre lates, priests and lay folk from all over the world to celebrate in his toric context the mystery -of the Eucharist. During those days Spain was in the midst of a civil war and the Eucharist itself was being profaned before a thousand altars while priests and nuns were butchered in numbers not yet totally com puted. How strange are the workings of God that fifteen years should see such a reversal of history! Bu dapest is now the prison city of Cardinal Mindszenty and priests and people are butchered for their faith in streets which were lined so few years ago with crowds kneeling before the Sacrament. Spain in its ’ pwii ’ bdntrast, 1 Wel- eiimes pilgrMs ftbrn all oVer the You make an act of faith each time you allow Him to de cide where your sacrifice should be sent. Pin your sacrifice to this column, tear out and send to the Most Reverend Fulton J. Sheen, National Director of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, 109 E. 38th St., New York 16x, New York or your Diocesan Director. WASHINGTON By J. J. GILBERT LETTER New Problems in Field of Indecent Literature Seen as Arising From Supreme Court Decision WASHINGTON. — The Post Of-, possible in this election year. fice and Justice Departments can look forward to some new head aches. It is confidently expected here that the Supreme Court decision in “The Miracle” motion picture case will bring them a flood of new problems. The Supreme Court lield uncon stitutional a New York State law which permitted authorities to ban a motion picture on the ground that it is sacrilegious. And it went futrher. It knocked down the idea that a motion picture is purely a medium of entertainment and said it is entitled to the Constitutional guaranees of free speech and free press. It also declared that a State cannot vest in a censor “such un limited restraining control over motion pictures” as it said New York State sought to do. This comes at a time when there is a noticeable rise in public inter est in the mater of curbing the circulation of obscene literature. There are no fewer than four measures with this primary pur pose now before Congress, and some leaders are striving to get at least one of these enacted be fore the 82nd Congress expires. That they would succeed was not at all certain even before the Su preme Court’s decision, because the Legislators are anxious to get away from Washington as soon as world to the sea city of Barcelona where the very Bishop himself and the 1215 priests and religious had so lately died for their faith. In the face of it ail let us re joice that the splendor of the Con gress Is now able to be celebrated in Barcelona, and let us be sure that one day it will return to Bu dapest.— (The Pilot);. 1 ’ ; ; And, also before the Supreme Court decision, the Post office De partment had told Congress that, unless it were given the power to impound mail in cases where it is being used to defraud or to trans mit obscene matter, the Depart ment looked for a marked increase in troubles of this sort. One weak ness in the fight against mail of these types has been that the of fender can carry on while proceed ings are being taken against him. And in the case of the dissemina tor of obscene matter, even after the proceedings have gone against him, he has been able to change the name of his publication and continue offering the same offen sive material. The Post Office De partment has then had to start all over with a new case against the newly-named publication, only to have the same ending for all its pains. Because surveyors of obscene matter and ‘ get-rich-quick” art ists are venturesome and uninhi bited individuals, it is believed here that they will not wait to see how broadly the ruling is going to be interpreted, but will try “to get away with” as much as they can before any interpretive pattern “jells”. There is the old story about the promoter who retained a lawyer, not to tell him what he couldn’t do, but to tell how much he could get away with. That’s what the ob scene literature peddlers are ex pected to do, “get away” wtih everything they can until things quiet down. That’s why the Post Office De partment and the Justice Depart ment can look forward to rhor< work ; CN.'C. W. C. ; News'Setvifee) >*•