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New Light On Religious Persecution In Russia NEW YORK (NC)—New evi dence of communist persecu tion of Christians in the Soviet Union is contained in a letter smuggled out of Russia and ad dressed to the Orthodox Patri archs of Jerusalem, Antioch and Constantinople. ► The letter, couched in sim ple language, gives a portrait of day-by-day harassment of practicing Christians by the to talitarian and officially atheis tic state. It tells of the closing of churches and monasteries; of aged monks imprisoned or turn ed into vagrants; of parents arrested in their homes for rearing their children as Chris tians; of public mockery of holy things; of trumped up charges against devout religious, and of collaboration by many Orthodox clergymen with their church’s oppressors. The 4,000-word document, U written, perhaps, sometime af ter Aug. 6, 1963—the latest date it mentioned—was addressed to the Orthodox Patriarchs by per sons designating themselves “parishoners and pilgrims of the Orthodox Churches through out Russia.” Smuggled out of the Soviet Un ion, the letter reached its inten ded destination and copies were sent to the New York offices of the World Council of Churches. This letter, an appeal for assistance from non-Russian patriarchs, documents its char- ' ges with names and places, but ^ these were omitted to protect the writers and the Christian communities they represent. “Since 1959,” the letter states, "the Antichrist in Rus sia has been persecuting the Orthodox Church dreadfully.” It says at first children were forbidden to serve as acolytes to bishops everywhere in Russia, in spite of protests by parents. In 1960, government officials in parts of the country banned the consecration of graves during Radovnitsa ( aperiod after Eas ter) and later lowered the pri ces of ikons and candles and other religious objects to cut off the church’s income. In 1961, the letter says, lo cal “authorities forbade Holy Communion and church atten dance by children from 3 to 18 years of age, giving as the rea son for this that the school is responsible for the education of children. The mockery has gone so far that the representative stands next to the door of the cathedral spying on the chil dren. If he finds any children in the church, he tells the church warden and this ser vant of Antichrist collars the children and knocks their heads against the wall.” The letter’s accounts of per secution of individual Chris tians and of the heroic resis tance offered by these believ ers read like sections from a novel by Dostoevsky. It tells of the widow S., once a partisan fighter, who sacre- ficed her health in the fight against Hitler and who, today, is very ill. S. herself is very devout, she attends the Ortho dox church, gives her children a religious upbringing and opens her home to Christian pilgrims. -*0 SOUTHERN X' VENETIAN ¥ BLIND CORF. REPAIRS - REFINISHING LAUNDRY iulson <v 'ifjth' El. 5-11075 Savannah Smith-Corona, R. C. Allen, Totalla Calculators - Adding Machines /C Cash Registers - Mimeograph - ' f j Duplicators - Photocopy Office Files - Desk and Supplies ALL MAKE & RELIABLE TYPEWRITER CO. 215 WHITAKER ST. SWANN Ml, GA. Ph. AD 3-7420 AD 3-7213 Atlantic Fence Company JOSEPH L. GRINER OWNE^ Chain - Link Fences, Resi dential-industrial. “Lowest Prices—Highest Quality”. No Down Payment — 36 Months to Pay. Fully Guar anteed. 56 PARKWOOD DRIVE SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 354-4483 MARRIAGES REINKER—MILLER COLUMBUS—Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Stephen Reinker were married November 23rd at The Church of the Holy Family. The Rev. Walter L. DeFrancesco officiated. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Thomas Miller and the groom is the son of Mrs. Robert Camp bell Wellman of Fairview Park, Ohio and Arthur George Rein ker of Sandusky, Ohio. SMITH—BROUGHTON COLUMBUS—Miss Connie Marie Broughton and William Vernon Smith were married November 23rd at St. Ann’s Catholic Chapel. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Louis Broughton and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith. BRYAN—ALIFFI SAVANNAH—Miss Kathry Ann Aliffi became the bride c Melvin M. Bryan in a ceremon celebrated by the Rev. Rober Teoli at the Church of the Na tivity of Our Lord at Thunder bolt, November 7th. The brid is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs James S. Aliffi and the groon is the son of Mrs. Mae Brya; and the late William Delma: Bryan. For Wedding Invitations It’s p/ y The Acme Press 1201 LINCOLN STREET PHONE 232 6397 DESBOUILLONS Savannah’s \ iy Leading ' / Bridal Store SINCE 1870 AD 2-1145 126 E. Broughton St. Savannah, Georgia tj For Protection For Your • HOME • CAR • FAMILY Joe Sullivan Insurance Agency Business: 354-8335 Southside Professional Building Residence: ELgin 4-4087 835 East 65th Street, Savannah, Georgia Representing The Travelers Insurance Companies » > cjrradialtd ^ tamin-D A — UruiefidL Over 40 Years of Dependable Courteous Service SAVANNAH. GEORGIA person - to - person Service * for a(( your lanhiny needs SAVANNAH BANK & Trust Co. Savannah, Georgia Member F. D. I. C. “For this,” the letter de clares, ”S. and her children have been cruelly persecuted. First, the investigator M. came to her house, took all the ikons from the walls, collected all her religious books, all the tran scribed prayers, took her last sheet from the bed and tied all the sacred things in it, intend ing to carry off everything, in cluding S. herself. “But when the investigator tried to take her to the pro secuting attorney’s office, her children began to scream and pull her back. Hearing their cries a neighbor interfered and prevented this barbaric act. After all this mockery, people came to the S. house in the mid dle of the night, banged on her door, ripped the hook off the corridor door and began to break down the door of the room. “The frightened children again began to scream and they vanished like evil spirits. After all these unsuccessful attempts to seize her, she was followed in the streets, but her children al ways accompanied her and the plan to seize her secretly in the street was foiled.” The letter says every effort is made to prevent the religious education of children. “Teachers and pupils alike,” it says, “try to woo our chil dren from the Church, to turn children against their parents.” It charges that when parents forbid children to join the Young Pioneers, or communist youth group, teachers themselves ap ply for membership for the youngsters, buy them pioneer ties and force them to wear them in class. “What can be worse for our children,” the writers ask, “than to be removed from the source of eternal life, the Church, the partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ?” The letter tells of the closing of a famous monastery and the expulsion of a 97-year-old monk who had been a resident there for more than 40 years. Christians have been forbidden to take in pilgrims, it states, and the government summons libelous witnesses to testify against monks and religious persons. “In order to exterminate the Orthodox faith and to speed up the closing of the churches,” the letter charges, “the gov ernment is secretly training its godless communists as priests. They appoint them as heads of churches and cathedrals and make them bishops and priests. Other priests, from weakness, have become the servants of Antichrist.” The letter names a number of the collaborating prelates. “Most of our clergy do not fulfill the traditions of the Apos tles but the orders of Anti christ,” the writers charge. “The Antichrist prohibits ser mons in the churches. The cler gy that do uphold the traditions of the Apostles are the object of persecution by Antichrist and by those priests who have sub mitted to Antichrist.” “The Orthodox Church is in great danger,” they warn. “The Antichrist may well convert the Orthodox Church into a here tical church. Antichrist will think nothing of changing the symbols of the faith . . . The monks alone, and the clergy in small numbers, stoutly defend the traditions of the Apostles and do not yield an inch to An tichrist. ”Bqt. these true pastors have a terrible life from per secution by Antichrist. We can not be silent. Our true pastors, the monks of , in spite of the terrible mockery of Anti- Christ, have not and will not abandon their monastery. They strengthen the weak faith of us, sinful and unworthy servants of the Lord, by their courage and patience. Like sunshine they warm us with their prayers. The writers conclude by ap pealing to the Orthodox patri archs to forbid local authori ties from taking money belong ing to the churches and monas teries for the construction of movie houses and theaters. Teaching Damaging To Jews PROVIDENCE, R. I. (NC)— A Jewish leader said here that the teaching most damaging to Jews is the Christian indict ment of the Jewish people for deicide. “Wherever there is evidence of bias anywhere—in print, in gesture, in habitual attitude— it should be commented upon and exposed for what it is,” said Dr. Joseph L. Lichten, direc tor of B’nai B’rith’s depart ment of intercultural affairs. He addressed a conference (Nov. 17) at Providence Col lege on Catholic-Jewish under standing. He said a paper entitled “The Attitudes of Catholics Toward non-Christians, Particularly Toward the Jews,” has been prepared for submission to the hierarchy on the ecumenical council. In the paper, he said, Catholics are urged to absolve Jews from guilt in the cruci fixion of Christ. “The responsibility for Christ’s death falls upon sinful mankind,” he quoted the paper as saying. “This point will have many significant consequences, among them changes in numbers of catechisms and textbooks and a new approach to teaching ma terials, sermons and discus sions,” Dr. Lichten said. 60 Visit Gracewood AUGUSTA—On Wednesday, November 13th, sixty women of the Savannah Diocesan Coun cil of Catholic Women visited Gracewood Hospital. The tour was sponsored by the Commit tee on Catholic Charities, Miss Cassie White, diocesan chair man. The visitors were greatly impressed by the cleanliness and order in the home and hos pital and by the excellent, lov ing care the children and pat ients received. The tour began at 10 a.m. through the hospital, followed by lunch at the home, and then an afternoon tour of the school was conducted. Monsignor John D. Toomey, spiritual director of the Savannah Diocesan Coun cil of Catholic Women, and the Rev. Stephen Connolly ac companied the women on the tour. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS Jewish Leader Defends Pius XII WASHINGTON (NC)—A na tionally known Jewish leader has defended Pope Pius XII against the accusation that am bition or expediency motivated him in his attitude to the nazi persecution of Jews. “No one who reads the rec ord of Pius XII’s actions on behalf of Jews can subscribe to this accusation,” says Dr. Jo seph L. Lichten, director of the B’Nai and B’Rith Anti-Defama tion League’s intercultural af fairs department. Dr. Lichten says the assis tance rendered by Pope Pius in helping Jews escape from the nazis, hiding them, and provid ing for their material and spi ritual needs was "of inesti mable value.” The Jewish leader’s analysis is contained in a heavily docu mented 40 page pamphlet—“A Question of Judgment: Pius XII and the Jews.” The pamphlet is being published Nov. 29 by the National Catholic Welfare Con ference Publications Office, 1312 Massachusetts Ave., N. W., Washington, D. C. 20005. Single copies will be available at 25 cents each, with bulk rates set at $2 for ten and $16 for 100 copies. The immediate occasion of the pamphlet is a controversial and widely publicized play, "The Deputy,” by German au thor Rolf Hochhuth. Produced in several European countries, the play is scheduled for a Broadway production next year. However, Dr. Lichten had al ready published in 1958 an arti cle in the Anti-Defamation Lea gue Bulletin, ‘‘Pope Pius XII and the Jews,” which outlined the aid given by the late Pope to the Jewish people all over nazi-occupied Europe. Dr. Lichten has since been engaged in extensive research on the subject. Dr. Lichten puts ‘‘the case against Pius XII ” in these words: “That as head of one of the most powerful moral forces on earth he committed an un speakable sin of omission by not issuing a formal statement con demning the nazis’ genocidal slaughter of the Jews, and that his silence was motivated by reasons considered in modern times as base: political exi gency, .economic interests, and pesonal ambition.” The casd’ for the late Pope, he says, Is * “ That in relation to the insane behavior of the nazis, from overlords to self- styled cogs like Eichmann, he did everything humanly possi ble to save lives and alleviate suffering among the Jews; that a formal statement would have provoked the nazis to brutal re taliation, and would substan tially have thwarted further Ca tholic action on behalf of Jews.” Dr. Lichten, who was born in Poland and is now an American citizen, during the war served with the embassy of the Polish government in exile in Washing ton. In recent years he has written and lectured widely on topics related to the improve ment of Christian-Jewish rela tions. Quoting Ernst von Weizsack- er, German ambassador to the Vatican during World War II, he says it was ‘ ‘precisely be cause they wanted to help the Jews” that such institutions as the International Red Cross and the Holy See ‘‘refrained from making any general and public appeals” against the nazi ex termination program. He says Pope Pius’ ” ‘ si lence’ . . .extended to persecu tions of Catholics as well.” In this connection he quotes a mes sage from the nazi Foreign Secretary Joachim von Ribben- trop to Von Weizsacker threat ening ‘‘retaliatory measures” if the Vatican were to oppose Germany ‘ ‘either politically or propagandistically.” He suggests that there was an object lesson for the Pope in Holland, where a protest by the Dutch Bishops against nazi sei zures of Jews provoked the nazis to round up and deport to concentration camps all Ca tholic priests and Religious of ‘ ‘Jewish blood.” ‘‘Pius and his Bishops and nuncios in nazi-occupied or do minated countries knew that, like a sane man faced with a gun carrier threatening to shoot, Hitler and his cohorts could not be considered civiliz ed human beings,” Dr. Lichten says. He notes that Pope Pius’ ca reer even before he became pope showed him to be ‘ ‘deeply antagonistic to the racism the National Socialists advocated.” He credits him having a hand in the writing of Pius XI’s famous anti-nazi encyclical Mit Bren- nender Sorge (‘‘With Burning Anxiety”). Lichten details the wartime aid to the Jews by Pope Pius and his representatives in such countries as Slovakia, Ruman ia, Hungary, Holland, France, and Germany. He quotes a let ter from Pius to Bishop (later Cardinal) von Preysing of Ber lin in which the Pope said: ‘ ‘We leave it to the local bi shops to weigh the circumstan ces in deciding whether or not to exercise restraint, admaiora mala vitanda (to avoid greater evil). This would be advisable if the danger of retaliatory and coercive measures would be imminent in cases of public statements by the bishops. Here lies one of the reasons We Our selves restrict Our public statements.” In Italy, Dr. Lichten says, the Vatican Office of Informa tion worked diligently to bring refugee Jews in Italy news of their relatives in other cou- tries. The St. Raphael Verein, an emigrant aid organization, was instructed by Pius to do all it could to aid refugees without regard to race or nationality, he says, and by 1945 it had given assistance to some 25,000 Jews. The Vatican also ‘‘initiated and lent its support to” many plans for manufacturing false docu ments for Jews, he states. * ‘Perhaps the most extraor dinary part” of this program, Lichten says, was the so-called Operation Baptism which, with Vatican knowledge, provided ‘‘thousands” of false baptismal certificates to Jews. With the arrival of the Ger mans in Italy in 1943,-he con tinues, emigration operations on behalf of Jews there came to an end and efforts to hide Jews began. ' ‘The Pope sent out the order that religious buildings were to give refuge to Jews, even at the price of great personal sac rifice on the part of their occu pants. . .Thousands of Jews— the figures run from 4,000 to 7,000—were hidden, fed, cloth ed and bedded in the 180 known places of refuge in Vatican Ci ty” as well as in other parts of Italy, including the Pope’s summer residence at Castel- gandolfo, Lichten writes. Noting that some of those— including Catholics—who eulo gized Pope Pius at the time of his death in 1958 have remained silent or even agreed with Hoch huth’s ‘ ‘slander,” Lithcen says. * ‘Why is this? Were men wrong then, or are they wrong now? Are some of the Catholics of Europe, who should be for ever grateful to Pope Pius for not putting them to the agoniz ing choice between country and church, perhaps relieved to see blame heaped on another head?” Although it remains ‘‘aques tion of judgment” whether a formal condemnation by Pope Pius could have stopped the nazi slaughter of Jews, nevertheless ‘‘no one who reads the record of Pius XII’s actions on behalf of Jews can subscribe to Hoch huth’s accusation” against the Pope’s motives, says Dr. Lich ten. Interracial Marriage WASHINGTON (NC)—The ad visory board of the Family Life Bureau of the National Catholic Conference has scored laws in 20 states prohibiting interra cial marriages as “immoral.” In a resolution adopted at its annual three-day meeting, the board also deplored “the atti tudes and cruel behavior of American society, which pe nalizes and ostracizes those persons who exercise their fun damental human right to a free choice of marital partner by en tering into interracial marria ges.” Another resolution from the 75-member board drew atten tion to the “pressing need” for foster care and adoptive homes for Negro, Puerto Rican and other ethnic group children "deprived of parental care.” rME^^ QtfianioiL MOTOR HOTEL • TV i. AIR CONDITIONING • FAMOUS MIAMI BUFFET • ICE A BEVERAGE STATIONS • COFFEE MAKER, EACH ROOM LUCKIE AT CONE ST. A Good Address In Atlanta The Southern Cross, November 28, 1963—PAGE 5 effectively raised on these is sues when our politicians come next year seeking our votes. Sincerely yours, James Singleton, Savannah Dear Editor, Fr. O’Dwyer’s letter regard ing aid to Catholic Schools is very timely, but perhaps a trifle naive. Surely he is aware that Catholic politicians are notori ous for flaunting their Catholi cism when running forelection, and are equally notorious for their failure to speak out for Catholic interests in any area of legislation. This is of course, due to their contempt for the Catholics who voted for them, since they are well aware of the lamb-like docility with which Catholics accept discri minatory legislation. On a na tional level we bring no pres sure to bear on Catholic poli ticians to represent our in terests in the field of education. We have shown a willingness to pay taxes for public education and pay also for our right to have our children educated as the tenets of our faith demand. On a local level when our City Council was so desparate for finances that they decided to add to our burden by forcing us to pay water taxes no Catho lic voice was raised in the Council on our behalf. Our peo ple and clergy were silent, with the exception of Msgr. McNa mara. His was the lone protest, and he received no support. So if Fr. O’Dwyer expects our Ca tholic politicians to speak for us when the legislature of Geor gia proposes to raise our taxes for public education, he is ask ing them to follow a pattern to tally unknown to them. Perhaps a voice like that of Msgr. Mc Namara or Fr. O’Dwyer will be God Can’t Be Expelled From School SAN FRANCISCO, (NC) — God cannot be banished from the public schools, Max Raf ferty, California School Super intendent, told several thousand teachers here at the University of San Francisco. Raffety said that he mis trusts and fears the present campaign to get rid of God in the schools. ‘ ‘At a time when national morals are at a record low,” he said, ' ‘I believe we need more spiritual and moral values in our schools, not less.” It is impossible to teach mu sic, literature, art and a num ber of other subjects without noting their religious content, Rafferty said. He said he de plored recent U. S. Supreme Court decisions which would eventually lead to the day when ‘ ‘the very mention of God will be forbidden in the school.’” . roaches mice silverfish c 1 ' Georgia State Savings Bank Savannah's Largest and Oldest . y Savings Bank BANK BY MAIL SERVICE Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Bull & York Streets Bishop Tharayfl of Kottayam, India, Writes: “KUTTUR MISSION in the midst of the Jacobites was started 21 years ago on March 1st, 1942 with the reunion of 50 families received into the Church by the late MAR ALEXANDER CHULUPi\- RAMRIL, Bishop of KOTTAYAM. A Mission House was built but still the people have only a chapel in M •“* the building, too small for the pres- 1/1 ent congregation. During the mon soons, water often enters into the chapel and the faithful cannot I | v / I come to Mass. I am appealing to If * |/' the generosity of our dear bene- iy factors to help us buy land on a The Holy Father’s Mission Aid level and to build a Church. for the Oriental Church The cost would be $5,000. May God bless our benefactors with His choicest gifts. This is my heart felt prayer . . . Will you help this dedicated Bishop in a land of such great poverty? Any amount is appreciated. THE BEAUTIFUL POINSETTIA So many Christmas legends concern flowers and children. Recall the story of the* little Mexican girl on her way to visit Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. With no gift to give, her sadness increased with every step. In dismay, she knelt and prayed, Lo! A beautiful crimson poinsettia bloomed before her eyes. “Flower of the Holy Night,” the Mexicans call it . . . We’ll send a card of PRESSED FLOWERS from the Holy Land and a CHRISTMAS GIFT CARD to those in whose name you wish to send a gift. Suggestions: □ A Mass said for them by one of our missionary priests. □ A membership in our Association. Single person: $1 a year; Family: $5 a year. They share in the graces of 15,000 Masses evei'y day. Perpetual Membership: Individual; $20; Family $100. □ A ST RING LESS GIFT for a most needed missionary work. □ A MEMORIAL GIFT for a chapel: Mass Kit ... .$100 Chalice . $40 Stations $25 Altar . 75 Ciborium . . . 40 Censer 20 Vestments .. . 50 Statue . . 30 Sanct’y Lamp 15 Confessional . 40 Tabernacle 25 Altar Linens . . 15 Monstrance . 40 Crucifix . . 25 Sanct’y Bell 5 Just send us your donation and gift list and we’ll attend to it right away. Your Christmas shopping worries will end. THE FLOWERS ARE FOR CONTEMPLATION Thus thought the mystics. Wheat and fruits were for the body but the spirit needed the flowers. Hence the old proverb—If you have two loaves, sell one and buy a lily . . . You can make vocations flower in the NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST by helping to educate a seminarian like NICOLA VILOTTA or a Sister- to-be like SISTER MARY LUDUVINA. The cost: $100 a year for six years for the seminarian. $150 a year for two years for the Novice. May be paid in installments. YOUR ADVENT WREATH Four Sundays and four candles before Christmas will heighten the anticipation of Christ’s coming. Christmas in Christ’s own land won’t be pleasant for the million refugees unless we come to their aid. $10 will procure a FOOD PACK AGE, something to last a month. $2 will buy a BEDOUIN FAMILY a warm Blanket. The refugees have had a long and dismal wait of 15 years—a constant reminder of Christ’s words to feed the hungry. Dear Monsignor Ryan: Enclosed please find for Name • • Street City Zone .... State I^Hear East (Dissionsj^tl | FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, President j Msgr. Joseph T. Ryan. Nofl See*y Send oil communications to: CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION j 480 Lexington Ave. at 46th St. New York 17, N. T.