The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-05-05
CATHOLIC CHURCH NOT NEG LIGIBLE QUANTITY IN
 COUNTRY,

NOON Il N1s
 Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
 In the Wednesday edition of the Waterbury American appeared an article signed by F. Burdette Par sons, protesting against religious training in Public Schools. MT. Par sons is needlessly alarmed.
 Under the pretext of a burning love for the Constitution and with fault less rhetoric, he erects clever fab ric of half-truths, in an effort to expose the inner workings of the Church, and to show her to the world as 8 medieval tyrant, a huge grating business organization, or a dangerous threat to political sta bility. Obviously Parsons in the course of his daily contacts with real neurotics has developed a ser- ious complex himself.
 Utterly distorting facts and em- ploynig half-truths in abundance, the general treatment of the sub ject matter indicates that Parsons is in abysmal ignorance concerning the efficient and material causes of Church history, both ancient and modern, or he is deliberately toying with the gullibility of the intelli- gensia. His letter is so manifestly the work of an amateur that it de- serves little attention. However if the gentlemen responsible for these puerilities, is hard pressed for sen- sational details of Catholic Hierar- ch;cal policies, any eight grade pupil can provide him with a better in sight into the human element of the Church, than did the backstairs gossip which served as material for his present opus. Is that where the shoe pincheS MT. Parsons?
 There is widespread opinion in the United States that the Catholic Church is negligible quantity on this Continent, that she can lay little or no claim to share the greatness of the worlds leading re- public, that she is, by her Catholic nature, incapable of sanctioning or fostering native American institu- tions. Let me prove to you MT. Parsons beyond doubt that Amer ica owes something to Catholic American Citizens.
 No one will deny that Columbus, a learned and devout Catholic, dis covered America in 1492. You are not going to question that I hope? He also opened to colonization and christianization what was believed to be the Indies. John Cabot a Catholic explored the Atlantic shore DeSoto explored Florida, and dis covered the Mississippi in 1541 French Jesuits planted the Cross in Quebec in 1908, whence they traver- Sed the Great Lakes to the Far West, crossed the Mississippi and padded down to the Gulf of Mexico, leaving in their wake such embryonic cities as St. Louis, St. Paul, Terre Haute, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Pere Marquette the French Jesuit will ever be fondly cherished as the Father of Chi cago."
 Transending consideration of mere physical discovery and de- velopment, let me now give serious attention to the triumphS of the Church in America, namely to Am erican Civil and religious liberties, of which MT. Parsons fears the Church will encroach upon.
 The greatest bulwark of Civil freedom is the Magma Charta, that Catholic document so expressive of American genius. This memorable chart of American Constitutional liberty was framed by Archbishop Langton and the Catholic baronS of England. That Magma Charta was conceived by Catholic minds, framed by Catholic hands, and bestowed upon civilization by Catholic hearts, and it was the cornerstone to con- stitutional freedom. There MT. Parsons whether you like it or not originated Article I, Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and don't try to revamp history.
 The religious freedom of America dates back to the foundation of the Colony of Maryland by Lord Balti- more in 1884. Read the famous Federation Act" of 1649, wherein the General Assembly of Maryland decreed that mo person protesting to believe in Jesus Christ shall be anyways troubled or molested. for his or her religion, nor in the free exercise of any other religion