Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-20

the faithful and praised those who
have resisted decisively no
body knows save Catholics of afflicted
MeXlco--bishopS. priests. monks, lay
men. women and even chidren--have
conducted themselves in such brutal
circumstances. They should he re-
Sarded as angels. /
Fate Worse Than Death.
''ro preserve the honor of God and
the dignity of their own conscionces,
to regulate their lives conformably
to their faith, they have suffered
every sort of injury. exile, imprison-
ment and indignities worse than
death. Many even have given their
lives"
Answering the Mexican govern.
ments statement that his charges
have been inaccurate and eXagger-
ated, the Pope said:
although we used documents and
testimony above all suspicion, our
narration was more moderate and
milder than reality demanded, so as
not to be accused of exaggeration."
Declaring most recent reports
showed prosecutions were growing
worse, he added:
"All bishops have been removed
from their sees. Additional pious
priests have been sequestrated or inn
prisoned. Harmless citizens praying
at the Shrine Of the Holy Virgin have
been massacred The Holy Eucharist
has been profaned. The image of
Christ, Lord and Redeemer of the
world, has been removed even from
private schools"
Concerning conditions in Italy. the
Pope said:
'Italy-that land SO dear to us for
reasons Of nature and faith--has been
obliged to endure tempests. We say
tempests deliberately. First it was a
tempest of indignation and horror at
the insane attempt on the life of the
man who governs the country with
such energy that the country iself
seems endangered when his person Is
endangered.
Joy Follows Tempest.
Almost visible intervention of Di-
vine Providence made it possible that
this first tempest should pass amid a
veritable whirlwind Of joy and thanks
giving for his escape and his com
plete and almost portentous preserva.
ton. AS we were among the first TO
receive the news, our thanksgiving
was certainly one of the first raised
to the Lord of life and death.
But while Pope, bishops, priests
and all the faithful united in thanks.
there were committed acts of violence
and devastation against persons. prop
erty and institutions which did not
even stop at the sanctity of temples
nor the venerable dignity of bishops
nor the sacred character of priests.
I'VE say these things the Pope's
aliocutlon continued, so that our dear
sons, especially the younger ones. NAV
know that we are not ignorant of
what they have suffered, and suffer
ed precisely because they were known
as Catholics; that we have suffered
with them; that we have prayed for
their perseverance and also for the
conversion of those who have made
them suffer.
Points to Damage.
Now this black tempest may be
said to have passed. But it is like a
tempest that has passed over a ripe
grain field. The more promising and
beautiful the harvest, SO much the
more serious and deplorable the dam
age and ruin. Flourishing organiza-
tions, the fruit of conscientious and
intelligent work. of years of mex |
pressble sacrifices, which enjoyed the
confidence of innumerable families
and entire communities, and repaid |
it with precious material and moral |
benefits, were suddenly destroyed or
seriously damaged and compromised. |
1--WE rejoice in the wise measures
taken by the government and the just
satisfaction granted many priests,
families and communities, which is
necessary If all confidence in justice,
law and the effective good will Of the
public authorities is not to be lost. |
But this confidence is not yet com
plete and certain, especially for those
religious interests which are justly
recognized as the supreme interests
Of the people"
The Pope expressed the hope that
all citizens soon would be able to
co operate for the general well-being.
His scorching criticism of the inabil- |
ity of Dictator Mussolinis govern |
nent TO make it's agents obey its or |
ders and to repress laWlessness Is in |
terpreted in certain circles as an eff
fort to aid Mussolni
Comes as Surprise.
1t is hoped the Pope's high au- |
thority will impress upon the pro- |
vincial police and Fascist Aeutenants
the need to enforce the law equally |
against all lawbreakers, including |
Fascist gunner, in the higher IN
terests of the nation.
The allocution, with it's grave !
charges of outrages committed by |
Fascists or self-styled Fasc1sts |
against priests, law abiding Catho- |
lies and Catholic institutions, comes |
as "a surprise. even to well Informed |
italians. Suppression of news in Italy |
Is so complete that few knew the ex-
tent of the terrorism which ravaged |
Italy after the Bologna attempt on !
Mussolinis life.
Almost nothing of this has been |
unfinished in the papers and foreign |
correspondents have been unable to |
collect yerifiable data. But the Pope's |
high authority now confirms that |
there has been tempest or laWlesS~
ness much greater than anybody sup
posed.