Evening star., 1941-12-24
u. :. Catholic Bishop!
Pledge Full Support
OF President in War
Letter Declares Hope
OF Victory to Benefit
Whole World

The united support oEe 6Uholic
bishops Of the United States for the
Government in this time of crisis
wax pledged to President Roosevelt
today in a letter from the Most Rev.
Edward Mooney, Archbishop of De-
troit and chairman of the Admins
trative Board of the National Cath
olic Welfare Conference.
"As Chief Executive OF our Nation, -
Archbishop Mooney wrote to the
President, you have called upon
the American people for full service
and sacrifice in a war of defense
against wanton aggression. Congress
in grave and inspiring unity has
spoken the will of great Nation
determined to be free"
I'VE, the Catholic bishops of the
United States. spiritual leaders of
more than 100000 Americans,
wish to assure you, Mr.. President
that we are keenly conscious of our
responsibilities in the hour of our
nations testing" the letter con-
tinued.
With patriotism that is guided
and sustained by the Christian vir-
tues of faith, hope and charity, we
will marshal the spiritual forces at
our command to render secure our
God given blessings of freedom.
To Work for Common Good.
I'VE will do our full part in the
national effort to transmute the i'm
pressive material and spiritual re-
sources Of our country into effective
strength not for vengeance but fol-
the common good, not for national
| aggrandizement but for common Sc
curity in world in which individua
human rights shall be safeguardec
and the will to live on the part oi
! all nations great or small shall be
reSpected-a world in which the
eternal principles of justice anc
| charity shall prevail.
The ultimate strength of peopl
is in the things Of the spirit Tn,
historic position Of the Catholi
| Church in the United States give
us a tradition of devoted attach
ment to the ideals and institutions o
government we are now called upor
to defend. Our predecessors. in tn
third plenary council Of Baltimore
solemnly declared:
I'VE believe that our country
heroes were the instruments of tn
God of nations in establishing thi
home of freedom: to both the Al
mighty and to His instruments IL
the work. we look with grateful rev
erence: and to maintain the in
heritance of freedom which the,
have left us. should it ever-whicl
God forbid-be imperiled. our Cath
olic citizens will be found to STAN
forward as one man, ready to pledg
anew their lives. their fortunes an
their sacred honor
At Presidents Disposal.
To-day. in the face of the per
they feared. we reaffirm thei
solemn words. We give you. M
Psesident, the pledge Of our whole
hearted cooperation in the difficu
days that lie ahead We will yea
ously fulfill our spiritual ministry
the sacred cause of our country
services
| I'VE place at your disposal in ths
service our institutions and the
consecrated personnel. We will lea
our priests and people in constan
prayer that God may bear you u
under the heavy burdens that weig
upon you. that He may guide yo
and all who share with you re
sponsibility for the Nations govern
ance and security, that He ma
strengthen us all to win a victor
that will be a blessing not for OF
Nation alone, but for the who
world.