The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-26
ParOchiaL Schools Here Join Ln NationOide
 Study Of Democracy, American Citizenship


 Approximately 5000 students in local Catholic schools and hun- dreds of local young men and women attending Catholic schools, colleges and universities out of the city will be affected by the new plans for intensive training in the principles of citizenship and de- mocracy, announced by the arch- bishops and bishops of the United States in a pastoral letter. The letter was prepared by members of the hierarchy as they held their annual meeting at the Catholic university of America at Wash- ington, D.. c.
 The program will enlist all the resources of the Catholic church in the United States in combat- ting "isrns' and fostering democ- racy. The message follows an ap- peal by Pope Plus XI for vigor- ous defense of democracy against alien forces seeking to undermine it in the world today.
 Taking part in the Catholic campaign will be 58,7O0 religious and lay teachers in parochial grammar schools, and 3O,OOO fac- ulty members, lay and religious, in high schools, academies and colleges. The program will affect more than 100000 Catholic youths.
 Most Rev. Edward Mooney, Archbishop of Detroit and Chair man of the Administrative Board of the National Catholic Welfare Council, stated that although this new plan is of Catholic origin and is to be instituted in Catholic schools, T hope it shall not be considered an exclusively Cath olic program. In one form or a1- other, our modern schools are teaching these subjects, which are to be expanded and syStematized here. In this instance, identical courses are in preparation for a great number of schools, and the minds of those who study them will be impressed with identical expression and interpretation of identical thoughts and facts.
 Such studies are needed all through America today to arm and armor the minds of youth and nullify the current influences which tend to undermine democ- racy in this country. If these deeper studies may be the guide of future years to the children and youth for whom they are in- tended, and through them reach and shape the attitude and &C., ton of some proportion of the total population, they will be per- forming a great service for the future of America and possibly for the world at large.
 Cardinal Dennis Dougherty, of Philadelphia, speaking of the new pfen, said: Democracy is on trial in the world today. Its princi- pies are belittled. They are at- tackled and endangered even in this country.
 "The Pope instructs the Univer- sity to devise a constructive pro- gram for social action. During the National Eucharistic Congress at New Orleans, he broadcast to the world the promise of better things in America, despite the outraging of the eternal majesty of God in certain other countries. The Church, in pursuance to his instructions, presents the cause of democracy to America
 Rt. Rev. Monsignor Joseph M. Corrigan, Rector of the Univer- sity, said: While these texts are primarily intended for the instruc- tion of the young, it is reasonable to assume that the impressions imparted in the class room will be projected far beyond those walls to the consciousness of those in homes and to an unpredictable number of individuals normally unaffected by any educational program in any group or system of schools.
 What is proposed here is edu- cation in the fundamentals of freedom. AS the pastoral letter puts it, His Holiness calls us to the defense of our democratic government, framed in consti- tuition that safeguards the inalien- able rights of man. Freedom can- not be guarded and preserved un- less citizens are equipped with the Knowledge to fend of and beat down whatever attacks may be made, regardless of their guise or the honeyed promises surrounding them, and whether they are made in the open or with insidious cun- ming"
 The pastoral letter follows:. To the Priests and Faithful of the United States:
 On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Year of The Catholic Uni- versity of America, His Holiness, Pope Plus XI, has addressed to us a Pontifical Letter of grave im- port to Church and nation.
 The Holy Father, alarmed by the revolutionary conditions pre- vailing in most countries, charges us in a special manner to prepare for what may be a turning point in the history of the world. We must face the fact that the dan- gers of which His Holiness speaks threaten our own democratic inA