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PAGE 4 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1964 the Archdiocese of Atlanta GEORGIA .BULLETIN SCIVINO GEORGIA'S 71 NOUTHMW COUNTIES Official Organ of the Archidocese of Atlanta Published Every Week at the Decatur DeKalb News PUBLISHER- Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan MANAGING EDITOR Gerard E. Sherry CONSULTING EDITOR Rev. R. Donald Kieraan 2699 Peachtree N. E. P. O. Box 11667 Northside Station Atlanta 5, Ga. ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rev. Leonard F. X. Mayhew Member of the Catholic Press Association and Subscriber to N. C. W. C. News Service Telephone 231-1281 Second Class Permit at Altanta, Ga. U. S. A. $5.00 Canada $5.00 Foriegn $6.50 Church And State Recently the Council Fathers were involved in a discussion of Church and State. It was very gratifying to observe the reception accorded the Ameri can Bishops who spoke on the subject. And we recall that here at home many of our fellow citi zens have some fear of the Church, They don’t quite know how to define it, but this very haziness makes it all the more real. When they sense the Church as a danger to those essentials of our American political and constitutional heritage, this fear becomes particularly acute. To some, it is crystalized in the so-called battle for the ‘’sepa ration of Church and State.** We can respond to the fears of our neighbors with cries of bigotry, but it would be better if we had recourse to the prin ciples which are involved so that we can bring some assurance to the doubtful. If we discuss the Church-State problem in a bal anced historical perspective we can show the impossibility of any universally binding Catholic solution. Since both the Church and the State are involved in the historical process, the relation of the Church to the constantly changing state will differ from * one set of circumstances to ano ther. Unchanging principles come alive only in the midst of a var iety of facts, and thus they will command differing practical courses. Imperial Rome, in which the state was a god; the Christian Empire after Constantine, in which the state tried to use the church; the middle ages with its highly developed co operation, and the danger of absorbing the state into the church; the Reformation State with its union of throne and altar; the modern Lay State, which is disengaged from religion; the Post Modern State which once again seeks a pagan divinity. All of these are different types of states. The Church has relations with each of them. None of them can claim any canonization from the Catholic conscience. Spain is not the United States. Lawrence On Have clergymen involved! themselves and their churches excessively in the present pre sidential campaign? Yes, accord ing to^ Time (Oct. 9, 1964); this year, “as never before, religious journals, church groups and in dividual clergymen are deeply, openly involved in the election.** Does this unprecedented in volvement in the campaign vio late the American doctrine of church-state separation? y e s, according to- columnist David Lawrence (Atlanta Journal, Oct, 14, 1964). We were aware of some church magazines which parted with pol» icy and advocated the defeat of one of the presidential candid ates. We were not aware that “a substantial number’* of Cath olic publications had, as Mr. Lawrence stated, abandoned their past neutrality and had “come out in favor of the Democratic tic ket.” If the columnist’s state ment is correct, the reasons for this change of policy will make an interesting study, but one The relations between the Church and the Spanish state will be dif ferent from the relations bet ween the Church and the Ameri can state. We pointed out previously that within the ample span of the Church there is room for var iety in thought and action, as long as basic principles are maintained. The Church is not a monolith. This is particularly true in the field of Church-State relations. It is a fact that there is an opinion within the Church, based on the facts of Spain, Italy and France, which seeks the solution to the tensions of a Church-State relation by a union of Church and State. It is true that this opin ion has for a long time been a majority opinion. It is also true that this opinion also had strong Papal support. But it is equally true that the majority of Council Fathers now seem to maintain that there is a valid sense in which the Church can be separate from the State, Based on the facts of some of the modern states, rooted in the An glo-Saxon traditions of democ racy, this opinion has gained sup port over the years.Vi Jjj "1» taiteAfija In the realm of practical ac tion it is safe to assert that American Catholic, laity and clergy, act in the light of this opinion. Catholic citizens taking the oath of office, in the mili tary, in the Federal government, (even in the Presidency) see no conflict between their conscience and the American constitution. We hope that the Council Fath ers will come up with a practi cal solution to the problem which can have universal applica tion. But we on our own local level, neighbor to neighbor, have a job to do. We must intro duce a bit of calm history into the discussion of Church and State, Most important, in living our civic responsibilities, we must always witness to the sin cerity with which we accept theConstitution. Holy Politics would think he would help the study to get started by naming at least one of these publications. And we never thought the activi ties of the clergy and churches would every exceed that of 1928 and 1960; if this statement is also correct, we have anoth er intriguing study project and we*11 know at the start that the religion of one of the candidates was not the reason for their act ivities. Our major concern at this time, however, is Mr, Lawrence's charge that the clergy are violating the American doctrine of church-state separation in this campaign. If we have read him correctly, he is saying that clergymen, speaking as reli gious leaders, are not free to discuss any issue and the posi tion of the candidates on that is sue in any political campaign, and if they do so, they are vio lating the American doctrine of church-state separation. CATHOLIC FREE PRESS What They Fought For GEORGIA PINES ‘Gloomy Gusses’ BY REV. R. DONALD KIERNAN Somewhere I once read that It took more mus cles to frown that to smile. The conclusion being that It takes more work to be miserable than to be happy. Why is it then that the world seems to be filled with more “gloomy Gusses" than n ppy Hermans,?*^,. ^ I would imagine that the answer to that ques tion would provide food for thought for many a Psychologist. The other day I was talking to a government official from Washington. This man directs the lives and activities of nearly a thou sand men. The subject of our conversation cent ered around the unhappiness of so many people today. He commented that many of his friends are weekly going to a Psychaitrist. "Myself", he said," I've never felt the need of a Psychi atrist because I go to confession without fail every week." FT REALLY does seem strange that since more exer cise is needed to be miser able than to be happy so many people today are miserably un happy. Of corse, there are family problems, financial los ses and physical infirmities which tend to fell even the strongest. Yet, too, we all know people, I am sure, who turn poverty into blessings, physical infirmities into joys and family pro blems into solutions. Like the man who com plained that he had no shoes until he met the man who had no feet, even the worst situation has its solution. 1 THOUGHT about this problem of unhappiness last week and Sunday morning after reading the Gospel for All Saints Day, I thought that here is the perfect blueprint for happiness. "Blessed are the poor in spirit. . .Blessed are the meek. . . Blessed are the peacemakers. . . Blessed are the clean of heart. ." ' - all practi cal solutions given for present day problems over 1,900 years ago! I'm sure that we all have observations about the miserable. (There are so many of them that they can't go unnoticed!). But I think that there is no one quite so miserable as a miserable person himself. General Eisenhower made an observation about this some years ago when he said, "Take your work seriously, but not yourself." , IT IS A tendency of human nature to be sel fish. We think the only one with a idea, is our selves; the only plan which will work, is ours. Add this potion with a small amount of jeal ousy and just a sprinkle of conceit and brother, we are really on cloud #9\ firmly convinced that the planets revolve around our own little world. Franciscan Father Tone observes that people are likened to stained glass windows. From the outside they resemble a series of broken pieces of glass welded together with metal. Take the trouble of going inside (with a little sunshine) and the pattern reveals itself into a well plan ned, artistically constructed, beautiful picture. A-Veteraniariancommented once to me that in all of his years of practice he has never treated a cat but what the owner did not pay his or her bill. "This is not true of all dog lovers" he said. Could it be that no matter how miserable a person is "mans best friend" will never leave him? Hobbies have a tendency to make a person think of something besides himself. A good card player, fisherman or - golfer usually possesses a sense of humor which tends not only to make the practicipant happy but it radiates itself to those around. SERIOUSNESS is often a decided asset and certainly seriousness does not exlcude one from having the ability of possessing a sense of hu mor. But in our seriousness we should never forget how to smile. After all, as the old Sage put it, "more flies are caught with a spoon of sugar than a barrel of vinegar." EUROPE’S VIEW Your World And Mine BY GARY MacEOIN West Europe’s concept of the United States has changed vastly in recent years. While still far different from our picture of ourselves, it is more accurate and up-to-date than the old-time cari cature of a dollar - toting, ci gar-champing Uncle Sam. Europeans understand clear ly that the United States enjoys world nuclear supremacy, and that their survival rests on this fact. It does not disturb them, nu». even the British and French who want their own token force. Unlike many on other con tinents, they are quite sure that American inten tions are honorable and peaceful. They believe the average American to be more upright and well- intentioned than the average European, less like ly to abuse his power for his private benefit. THEIR CONFIDENCE in American judgment is less absolute. They are by no means satis fied that the American political system ensures the expression in foreign affairs of the intentions of the average peaceful American. They are not even sure that his average peaceful Ameri can has the maturity to judge what must be done and what avoided in order to implement his in tentions. This does not mean that Europeans favor a weak American foreign policy. On the contrary, they applauded the firm Kennedy confrontation of Krushchev over Cuba, though they were the po tential front line. What they fear is a wild po licy. If you ask for an example, they offer the recent widely supported suggestions that Ameri can nuclear power be used to achieve limited military objectives in Asia. The risk of world annihilation is here far less. But what Europeans see and American proponents ignore are the political byproducts, even assum ing a military success without escalation. The CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 EXTREMISTS OUT National Unity Is Prime Aim BY GERARD E. SHERRY The people have spoken. Lyndon Baines John son has received an overwhelming mandate from the people and becomes the thirty-sixth President of these United States in his own right. The memories of that November day in Dallas cannot be erased, but we have gone on and survived. Senator Barry Goldwater and his philosophies have been soundly repudiated by the vast majority of the voters and political oblivion is his possible fate. Alsa, this will not be so for the majority of the political extremists who used him for their ends. They will look for another set of coattails upon which to cling while they spread hate and prejudice throughout the land. IT IS a very serious time in the history of our nation. Tuesday's national elections were the culmination of one of the most disgustingly vic ious political campaigns in our history. It is not so much a question of the language as the tactics used. The deceit and the lies about the various candidates were unbecoming of an alleg edly mature democracy. Most of it could not be put down to ignorance. It was a carefully plannned campaign of smear and intimidation and operated by political extremists whose selfish interests come before the country's. The task now is to pick up the pieces and with the aid of men of good will in both major political parties, to set about establishing a basic unity, while encouraging a healthy diversity of opinion. It is not going to be an easy task for the hate mongers will try to prolong the campaign bit terness; They will try to create disorder; They will try to further their false patriotism and phony flag waving. Concerned citizens, there fore, will heed the urgings of responsible lea ders in both the Republican and Democratic parties. The wounds of the election campaign must be bound and the healing salve of rea son must be applied with all speed. IT IS especially important at this time for church orientated groups to encourage a return to national sanity; to a furthering of the spirit of brotherhood; and an end to mistrust and bias, hate and prejudice, in the political arena. This is an urgent task far more patriotic in accom plishment than the millions of words and the thou sands of flags that have been waved during the election battle. I also think that both major parties should form a. Joint committee to investigate some of --the purveyors of haje d ^j?rejy^q, l] wh t o. 1 ^fd, uu .-nidthem selves to respectable political organizations in order to gain maximum distribution for their libelous and scandalous literature. WE HAVE also to revamp the national fair practices committee which has been the watch dog on election campaigns. There certainly has been little protest this year although there has been very little fair practice. The biggest loser in this campaign has been the presidency. So much disgusting material (most of it half- truths and outright lies) has been distributed on President Johnson that it has done immeasur able harm to the image of the greatest office in the land. One of the most deplorable tactics used was to tie the Communist Party with the success of Lyndon Johnson’s campaign. Because the Daily Worker backed President Johnson (the les ser of the two evils they claim) some of his opponents implied that a vote for Johnson was a vote for the Communist party. It is the same tactic that has been used many times before. It has been used against Pope John and many bishops, priests, and laymen busy in Catholic action. Because the Church is for something which is also supported by the Communists, then they say there is something wrong with the Church’s position. How many times have we seen this argument used even in Catholic periodicals of the extreme Right. THE NUMBER of sins that arc committed under the guise of Americanism and anti communism should give us much food for thought in the quest for national unity. The most vocal of the anti-Communits have often been found to be also the most vocal racists, and the most vocal anti-Semites; the most vocal and allegedly true standard bearers of Americanism are often those who run around the hills of the South and California learning to use guns to repel the "invaders;” they are the so-called "patriots" who set American against American on the grounds that to achieve world peace one has to have world war. They are the trigger-happy Americans to whom "love of neighbor" is a foreign phrase. I don’t lump Senator Goldwater in this category. I think he has too much integrity for that type of thing; but I do believe that the Senator has been blind to their influence in his midst and has unconsciously permitted them to blacken the image of the genu ine American Conservative. One of the basic requirements for national unity is the reemergence of the true Conser vative in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Healthy political diversity finds room for both conservatism and liberalism. We need the checks and balances in and out of congress. It behooves all politicians of good will therefore to re-establish respectable Conservatism devoid of the extremist outpourings which were the hallmark of the recent unlamented campaign. National unity will not be attained by hiding from oneself the fact that political extremists have attempted a Political takeover of our Govern ment. That they failed is gratifying, but the Party must be rebuilt so as to reflect the genu ine Conservative expression. The government, too, must refrain from punitive reprisals. Pre sident Johnson will make his mark in history if he reflects true bi-partisanship in all areas where it has been traditional. REAPINGS AT RANDOM