The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-04-20

-, If the Pope is so anxious for peace,
why does he not forbid Catholics to
engage in the war?
The Pope has no right or author
itv to forbid Catholics to participate
in war which they believe to be
lust. The Holy Father would have a
rather difficult time trying TO satisfy
everybody. When he remains silent
he is accused of being untrue to his
high office: when he speaks he Is
accused of interfering in political af-
fairs. No man in the world so longs
for peace as does the Holy Father.
All his efforts. and we may say that
most of his prayers are for peace. He
desires peace, but as he has so fire.
uuently told the world, he wants a
lust and honorable peace. If the bel
lgerent nations had listened to the
Holy Father when he asked for a
Christmas armistice, it is more than
probable that peace would now reign
in the world. The Pope has done his
part During every century Of the eX-
istence of the Catholic Church the
Pope has stood forth as the strong
and interchangeable advocate of peace.
Those who are in a position to know
frankly admit that the only thing that
can possibly bring peace today is the
disinterested counsels Of the Vicar of
Christ.
The other day had an opportunity
of going through one of the State hos
pitfalls for the insane. The doctor who
showed US about pointed out set of
raVing maniacs who were hopeIessIy
demented and who would, after pass
ing through a number of stages, final
Iy die. 1t was impossible for them to
be cured. Does it not appear to you,
that the good of society would be pro-
NOTED if through the administration of
a drug these hopeless unfortunates
were quietly mustered out of life? Is
this Christian view?
No. The Church denies the right
of taking human life except for per-
sonal self-preservation, for the deter
ring from the more henious crimes,
and for the decision through war Of
the disputes of nations. 1t may appear
to some as though her teaching is
drawn too tight when she refuses to
acknowledge the right of medical sci
ence to hurry the death of those who
are doomed to die in a short time,
and whose further stay in existence
means suffering to themselves and
misery to others. But the question is
not a small one to view The ques.
ton really is that of the sanctity of
life. Allow that society has the right
to end peacefully the life of incur
able paronaics or incurable cancerous
patients who pass on from one stage
Of unbearable pain to another, and
at once there goes abroad a feeling
that life is something not very sacred.
The baFbarism of the savages of old,
the loose life-theories of the ancient
Romans and Greeks will be revived. 1t
will be only a short time till the
State will be standing at the cradle
and snuffing out the existence of off
spring that give promise of being
more of a care than a service to So
ciety. Then the step is easy for men
of position resorting to the duelling
field to settle disputes which can be
infinitely much better righted by the
calm decision of the court of justice.
The law will increase rapidly the
crimes for which legal death can be
visited upon the criminal. 1t is a
simple view for any student of his
tory to see how the allowing of the
peaceful slaughtering of maniacs would
indicate return to an old unhappy
state Of things which the Church has
succeeded after centuries in eradicat-
ing. 1t will be we'll to think of the
number of feeble-bodied men who
have proven Of great use to the world.
The final point is that the question
really is Gods and not the Church's
10 decide, and as far as the infallible
Church has ever taught when teach
ing the truths of revelation God wants
us to guard and not to sacrifice the
lives of the mentally and physically
lncurable. 1t is thus that surviving
men learn to respect the sacredness
of life and grow in brotherly charity.
Some time ago The Catholic Bulletin
stated that if striker were killed,
while destroying street car property.
he would be denied the right of Chris
tan burial. This looks as though the
Catholic Church favors the money in
terests. If an employer were killed
while interfering with such strikers
would he also be denied that Christian
right?
The editorial referred to spoke
of the scoundrels who wantonly
destroyed property in this city some
months ago. 1t did not apply to others
who might be killed in the discharge
of duty or in the exercise of their right
to safeguard their property. To ac-
cuse the Catholic Church of leaning
towards the money interests, is to
display both ignorance and prejudice
AS well were it to say that the law
of the nation favors a capitalist who
might shoot down the villainous
assailant who attempted his life. The
Catholic Church does not deny to
working men the right to strike, pro-
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