The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-10

sheltering in Asione Cattolica and working against Fascism secretly. @ The Decision
 The decision taken by the Tas- cist Party to declare incompatibility between membership in the Party and Asione Catolioa brought mat ters to . head. Catholic clubs were closed by order of the police. The Pope addressed the Catholic Univer- sity students at the end of May. The clubs were closed on May 24, and on May Si the Pope protested. The controversy lasted right through the summer with varying phases, until on September 2 an agreement was reached between state and Holy See for . peaceful ending of the dispute,
 The Catholic clubs were placed under diocesan control and 1t was agreed they should manifest no political activity.
 During 1881, Plus xf issued c number of encyclieals including one on May iS on world economic and labor conditions published in com memoration of the 10th anniversary of the encyclical "Rerum Novarum". Other encyclieAls were on unem- ployment tNova ImpendeO and on Christian marriage.
 The papacy of Plus xI has been filled with troublesome problems in foreign fields and extensive inod- ernisation within the Vatican It. self.
 The church has faced attacks and at last temporary setbacks in Spain, Mexico and Russia.
 To offset these losses the Pope has intensified missionary work of the church. Tn China alone S0o,oo0 converts have been gained in the ten year period from 1928 to 1888. Many new followers have been see cured in Africa where in 1888 more than 100000 joined the ranks of Catholicism.
 1888 Holy Year
 The year of 1888 was decreed as Q Holy Year. Foreigners who visit cd Italy during the year numbered 2.62s,soe, many of whom came as
 The pontiF increased his work ing hours to grant more audiences and to direct personally the church's missionary campaign.
 He also headed e world church movement of the church to improve morals and peace. He was especial ly active in e decency campaign for motion pictures.
 During his papacy the Vatican has been modernixed. Many scien- tific advances of the 20th Century have been installed.
 Libraries have been reorganized and modern systems of filing and cross indexing adopted.
 The Vatican City now is modern from the standpoint of transpor- tation, sanitation and fire protec- ton. Telephone and radio systems have been put into use. Typewriters and other office equipment have made their appearance. Interiors of numerous buildings also have been restored.
 Private Life Tn his private life. Plus xI not only has been devoted to his family I and especially his mother, but cul- tivated many friendships. He beati- lied Don Bosco. founder of the Sa- lesian order, his friend. Another of his friends is Professor Contardo Ferrini, teacher of Roman law at the University of Pavia. A regular tranquility of mind was one of the physical characteristics of Plus XI. When he had finished his days work. he did not allow the anxieties of the day to pursue him through the hours of sleep. Plus xr always had been an early riser, contenting himself with about six hours sleep. He has fixed time table for his work, which he rarely changed or interrupted. Lombardy Cuisine
 Of spare dietary habit, he had preference for the cuisine of his native province Lombardy. He oc- casionaliy smoked a cigar of the type known in Italy as "toscana," a kind of cheroot.
 He gave a great number of audi ences, both public and private, and never spared himself in this re- spect, carrying on the audiences every year right through the hot Roman weather until the middle or end of August. It was his custom to take motor drive in one of his cars in the Vatican gardens nearly every afternoon.
 Plus xI always was interested In explorers and explorations and in scientific discoveries and often re- deceived explorers and travellers to private audience.