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THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1964 PAGE 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN DIFFICULTIES, HARASSMENT Church Experiencing ‘Refined Persecution’ Under Castroism (The author of this report, who is a staff member of the Catholic Star Herald, Camden diocesan paper, has just return ed from his second trip to Cuba in less than year. Last Septem ber he traveled to the island alone and was restricted in his movements to Havana or to guid ed tours. This time, in company with the 25 U. S. correspon dents invited by Fidel Castro to report on conditions in Cuba, Jones was able to move about freely.) BY ARTHUR JONES N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE HAVANA— Despite an ap parent “hands-off policy by Fidel Castro and an official government promise of “reli gious freedom," the Catholic Church in Cuba is experiencing difficulties ranging from har assment to “refined persecu tion*'—the degree of intensity varying from province to pro vince throughout the island. It is through Castro—who never speaks publicly of the Church—that arrangements are made for new priests to come to Cuba, the latest being a con tingent of six diocesan priests from Belgium. HOWEVER Jose Felipe Car- neado, an attorney, head of the Prensa Latina news agency, is the Cuban responsible to the government on Church-State matters. He is the man through whom Church needs are met: flour for Hosts, cloth for habits, transportation, travel arrange ments. Carneado also is the man who explained the govern ment attitude toward religion: “absolute respect toward the people In their beliefs. Ours is a socialistic revolution, in our relationship with the Church we apply the principles of Marx- Leninism.” My interview with Carneado the day before I left Cuba was the final piece in a jigsaw built up of Interviews, obser vations and discussions with many people in various parts of the once beautiful—but now somewhat shabby—Pearl of the Antilles, Those who told me of the problems faced by the Church will not be named, I was careful to photograph only those persons from whom I did not request information. CHURCH and government of ficials both agree that condi tions vary and that acts against the Church are often the result of petty officialdom at a local level. An exception to this was the comment of one priest who said the government-operated television station is planning a series of plays which will de pict religious beliefs generally in an absurd or bad light. There are two bastions of Catholic strength which can surmount most local anti- Church obstacles by going directly to the government and complaining; Archbishop En- rigue Perez Serantes of San tiago de Cuba at one end of the island, and Msgr. Cesar Zacchi, Vatican charge d* af faires in Havana., at the other. Between these two points, ac cording to the persons with whom I spoke, almost anything can happen. THE archbishop of Santiago derives his strength from his personal stature as man and prelate and the fact that he is credited with saving Castro’s life when he intervened with the Battista regime to prevent the mass shooting of survivors of the attack on Moncada for tress on July 26, 1953. Con trary to some popular reports Archbishop Perez Serantes did not know Fidel Castro; rather he was concerned with the fate of a band of young men who faced death without a trial. Msgr. Zacchi, who is treat ed as papal nuncio though in actuality he is only charge d'affaires, moves in diplomatic circles and the highest eche lon of the Cuban revolutionary government as he cares for the Church’s welfare. Catholics, lay and cleric, in trouble, us ually can get their problems solved quickly by calling or con tacting the nuncio—but his ene mies try to discredit him by calling him “the Red monsi gnor." HIS ENEMIES can be found in two areas, those communists who would prefer to see the Church eliminated from Cuban life, and those Catholics who would prefer to see the Church a “Church of Silence" rather than one presently coexisting with a communist regime. Yet his foes notwithstanding, Msgr. Zacchi has brought more than 43 priests to serve in Cuba since the mass expulsion by Castro in September, 1961, and within the past year one order of nuns has reopened its novi tiate and a second has open ed a novitiate. Some nuns and Brothers have returned to the island also, but I was told by a reliable source that the mon signor's main difficulty is per suading orders to send priests and Religious to Cuba. This would ring true when one rea lizes that mainly Belgian dio cesan priests—plus newly or dained Cubans who have stud ied abroad—are coming to Cuba to ease the dearth. Direct actions against the Church—or Catholics—appear to fall into two categories: ar rest or subtle “punishment." There are many reports of priests, seminarians and lay people being arrested out-of hand, or for minor infringe- ements. Only last month in Camaguey province three sem inarians were arrested because they spent the night in a church COMPLETE FORMAL WEAR RENTAL SERVICE Save time, trouble end money when you rent your entire Formal Wear wardrobe, Suita, Strollers - expertly fitted and perfectly tailored. Magnificent BrUUl Gowns, Bridesmaid Dresses, Cocktail Dresses and Formal Cowns. Also veils, wreaths, hoops and crinolines. 231 MITCHEL1 ST..S.W„ATLANTA 3, SA Established 1919 JA 2-9960 JA 1-0421 while awaiting a train. A PRIEST went to the prison and after several hours was able to secure their re— lease—but not before local of ficials had compiled a long list of details about family and re latives, their jobs and incomes. These lists are sometimes us ed to make it difficult for Catho lics to get or keep jobs, ob tain all their rations, or to travel. Practicing Catholics, for most churches have const ant communist “watchdogs," face similar hazards. The degree of involvement tends to increase the hazard. Altar boys are heckled—or oc casionally thumped, as happen ed during a recent farewell party for a priest. A PRIEST was arrested for holding the farewell party with out a permit, and while he was at the police station a small mob manhandled some of the boys attending the gathering in the church courtyard. Because the parishioners were jocularly singing “Why are we waiting to eat" when food was to be served at the party, the mob heckled the boys about whether or not they were hungry. The Incident was settled, but not forgotten. It served as one more reminder for Catholics to be careful. In Pinar del Rio a Chinese priest*manages three parishes. He can get to one of diem only on Sundays and in his absence during the week the parish ioners held a procession to mark a feast day—and were arrested for parading without a permit. While many just en dure the wrath of local com munists and anti-Catholics, others directly arouse their ire. “WE COULD do without one of our parishioners who goes through the town ringing a bell calling the children to come to catechism class," said one man, “because he only makes it tougher. We admire his mot ives but not his methods." There are some rules laid down for the religious faiths in Cuba— there is a synagogue in Havana and two Protestant seminaries in the south—which include: No schools, religion taught only in churches, and no outside demonstrations such as processions. Some parishes are allowed to hold religion class es, mainly for children, in pri vate homes. Other parishes are not. There is no hard-and- fast rule. I ASKED Carneado about the reports of harassment and ar rest during our interview in his office where a framed picture of Lenin watched the proceed ings. He at first classfied them as “ridiculous," but later, in explaining government policy, added: “It is possible that you might have some accuracy there. We have a young re volution, we cannot be sure .that all officials at all levels will strictly adhere to offici al policy. In cases where vio lation of policy has been brought to our attention the necessary action has been taken." 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THE DIRECTOR of Church- state affairs explained that his title was not an official govern ment position; he had helped to solve a couple of problems between the Church and the government and then found he was responsible for solving all of them. “Perhaps one day we will establish an organization for taking care of these things— though not a ministry—but at present I handle all of them." He continued then with his discussion about the practical steps the government had been taking. He said that by the end of last year more than 37 priests had returned to Cuba. Twenty-two more, from Spain, Canada and Belgium, plus re turning Cuban-born priests, are expected this year, he said. Four Spanish nuns had arrived in Havana the previous day and one nun had accompanied the six Belgian priests who came to Havana on April 28. COMMENTING on incidents he said that the government policy had been to maintain a level of normalcy, that any untoward actions against the Church now would serve no pur pose. “The Church has privileges —much to the annoyance of many Cuban people—but the Cuban government does not pub licize those areas where the Church and State are existing together. We do not propagan dize on the fact that more priests are coming in, and nuns, and that the nuns are now ope rating a nursery and old folks home." (Both of these state ments were later confirmed.) “The government has been trying to avoid tensions. The responsible people in the Church in Cuba have similarly been trying to avoid tensions. Both groups are working to eli minate areas of tension bet ween sectors of the Cuban people. "UP TO now," said Came- ado,” there has been trial and error. The government has made mistakes, the Church and religious organizations have made mistakes too. Remember that the Church here was not the Church of Poland, or Hun gary or the Soviet Union. Here the Church did not identify quite so directly with the people be cause the priests were Spanish, not Cuban. “They were a holdover from the days of colonializing Spain, and this was the last country to break with Spain—though it did not do it completely be cause the Spanish Church was still here. The priests in Po land were national priests who, in a communist country, act as Poles. But in Cuba 90% of the priests were Spanish who did not have the patriotic roots to identify themselves with the Cu ban nation.” CARNEADO said that this was “precisely why” 500 pri ests left or were recalled when more than 100 priests were ordered, then forced, to leave by the Cuban government. He said that among the re ligious organizations many had felt that religious organizations had a right to participate in the political life of the island be cause the Church in practice had involved itself in Cuban polit ics—especially in the election of senators— under preyious governments. “WE DO not want errors on our part, we do not want tensions between the Church and the Cuban revolutionary government, and we do not want religious organizations used for political purposes. We have even gone so far to allow some of the expelled priests to re turn Religion,” he conclud ed, “is practiced freely”. NEGRO APPLICANTS EUCHARISTIC COnCRCSS BOMBAY 1968 EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS SEALS—Three series of seals, with 10 seals to the series, have been issued tor the 38th International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Bombay, India, Nov. 28 to Dec. 6. Their purpose is to make the Con gress widely known and to raise funds to meet its expenses. These are examples of the first series of seals which deals with liturgical symbols. The other two series will deal with Catholic landmarks in India and popes and prelates con nected with the Eucharistic congress. CATHOLIC PUBLICATION Newsletter Puts Protestant View HUNTINGTON, Ind. (NC)—A bi-monthly newsletter, to carry material condensed from some 100 U.S, Protestant publications and designed to give Catholic priests ' a broad and continuiig view of what our brothers are saying,” will be launched here in September, Entitled “Voices of Our Brothers,” the new eight-page publication will be published by the Robert B, Hensley Family Foundation, lnc„ of Louisville, Ky„ and edited by Dale Fran cis, columnist for Our Sunday Visitor, national Catholic week ly published here. FRANCIS, who edits Our Sun day Visitor's "Operation Un derstanding” edition, which is circulated among 14,000 Pro testant and other Christian clergymen, said in his current (Aug.9) OSV column that “the ecumenical movement requires that we not only speak but that we listen as well,” His contact with Protestant clergymen through "Operation Understanding,” Francis said, has produced what he called the "valid complaint” that while Protestants are “keeping up with developments in the Catho lic Church, there is no similar effort on the part of our (Cath olic) clergy to keep up with de velopments within Protestan tism.” FRANCIS said the new publi cation, to be issued on the 1st and 15th of each month to priests, will carry ' significant items” from the Protestant press but will not attempt a commentary on the material. Items will be collected from publications covering every re ligious group in the nation, in cluding Greek Orthodox and Jewish, and secular publica tions that deal with religious matters. FRANCIS said the newsletter will "first of all give our clergy a chance to hear the voices of their brothers, it will let un derstanding travel in both di rections,” Robert B, Hensley is presi dent of the Louisville founda tion which carries his name, A convert to Catholicism, Hens ley "became a Catholic while retaining his great love and re spect for his Protestant herit age and friends,” according to Francis, A FORMER Protestant preach er himself, Francis has been prominent in the Catholic pub lishing field for a number of years as columnist, editor and author. "Voices of Our Brothers” will be printed and distributed by Our Sunday Visitor, Inc,, for $6,00 per annual subscription. PROPAGANDA MOVE Claim Sudan Uses Dean Rusk Report C OAST TO ( OAST. Sister M. Raymund McKay, presi dent of Marymount Manhat tan College. New' York City, since 1961. has been named president of Marymount Col lege in Palos Verdes Estates. Calif. A native of Northern Ireland. Sister Raymund came to the U. S. in 1934 to join the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. NAIROBI, Kenya (NC)~Su danese Catholic refugees here charge that the Sudan's gov ernment is using statements of U.S. officials for propaganda purposes. They report that a U.S. State Department document and tes timony by Secretary of State Dean Rusk have been published by the government-owned Khar toum paper, Sudan Daily, to back up the claim that there is no religious persecution in that African nation, which expelled all foreign missioners from its southern provinces in March. THE STATE Department’s Office of Public Services of the Bureau of Public Affairs re leased a statement in April say ing that the missioners' expul sion was "based on political, rather than religious, conside rations.” The Sudan Daily re printed the statement in full. It also published a story on testimony given by Rusk to a Knights To Act On Membership NEW ORLEANS, La. (NC)-- The Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus meets here Aug. 18 to 20, with resolutions from ten state councils propos ing changes in membership re quirements facing delegates. The session will be the 83rd annual gathering of the govern ing body of the fraternal benefit society of Catholic men. Some 400 delegates are expected. The resolutions on member ship stem from controversies over admission of Negro appli cants. All favor relaxing the present laws of the society, in force from the organization’s early days. AT PRESENT, an applicant can be refused membership if five negative votes are cast against him by members of a council when his name is sub mitted for a vote. Seven of the resolutions to be acted upon at the meeting hete, according to a K. of C. statement, would change the law to require negative votes by more than one-third of the coun cil members voting to reject an applicant; one would require more than one-quarter nega tive votes and two seek change in the law without offering spe cific recommendations. THE K. OF C. said the reso lutions were submitted by state councils of Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Michigan and Wiscon sin. Voting on the resolutions will take place Aug. 20. The supreme council meeting will open after a Solemn Pon tifical Mass in St. Louis cathe dral. Archbishop John P. Cody, apostolic administrator of New Orleans, will preside; Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexan dria, La., supreme K. of C. chaplain, will be celebrant; and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph B. Brunini of Natchez-Jackson, Miss., will preach. SUPREME Knight John W. McDevitt will give his report on the activities of the society. Peachtree Road Pharmacy PlCKf UP AND DELIVERY SERVICE! CALL CE 7-6466 4062 Peachtree Rd. Atlanta ECHOLS TRANSFER INC. Hauling & Moving Truck & Driver $3.75 Per Hour Tractor Trailor & Driver $4.50 Per Hour 370 Lee St., S-.W. PL 3-2153 Atlanta ESTES SURGICAL SUPPLY CO. Free Customer Parking 410 W. PEACHTREE, N.W. JA 1-1700 ATLANTA, GEORGIA ST. JOSEPH’S INFIRMARY SODA FOUNTAIN COFFEE SHOP AND RESTAURANT LOCATED NEXT TO GIFT SHOP ON MAIM FLOOR IN NEW BUILDING ATLANTA. GA. congressional committee. It re ported that the secretary of state said he knew of "no per secution or violence used against missionaries in the Su dan” other than asking them to leave the country. The ex pulsion, he was quoted as say ing, grew out of an internal political problem. CATHOLIC Sudanese regu- gees here cite the government takeover of Catholic schools In the southern provinces in 1957, the 1962 law making virtually all missionary efforts illegal and Incidents of violence against Catholics as proof of religious persecution in their country. They also cite as an instance of discrimination the fact that the Sudan’s passport regula tions exclude ministers of re ligion and journalists from get ting the emergency seven-day entry visas to the country which are granted to other travelers in case of necessity. • For any occasion: Weddings, organizational meetings, any social events • Formal or informal • Special menus custom* prepared to your requirements • Pip.ng hot foods— meat and fish • Sandwich platters • Hors d’oeuvres • Gourmet canapes • Beverages of all kinds • Bar service arranged • Chino • Flatware • Napery • Decorations • Wjiters and waitresses • Butlers • Personal alteration of catering consultant • Instant service. 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