Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-17
IN THE NEWS

the people. Catholic In its great
ma jOrity, beliefs which from cen
fury 60 century had passed from
fathers 90 sons. hut even violence
could not compel the Mexican PEG
pie 10 exchange religious cOnvic-
tionS for an atheism which could
not penetrate even by force Of op-
preston the Mexican spirit.
In the capital itself, acts of ter
rorism were committed, which
stifled resistance but which re-
sounded outside our borders with
alarming force. Numerous articles
and photographs were printed in
the newspapers of the world and
In European and American re
views. These exhibits stirred
waves Of indignation. What coun-
try Is this. asked the excited news
In which priests
are killed by firing squads
Different political regimes, how
ever, gradually lost the icOno-
elastic fury which had inspired
their systematic attacks on the
Catholic religion. Men of greater
ability and wisdom were not want
ing who realized that such perSe-
cution would merely embittcr the
Mexican people, and that the re-
suits might he disastrous. The
Mexican Catholics tolerated a
great deal with remarkable stoi-
cism. They suffered not only the
of religious minded
men but the tOrrential drenching
by means of fire hoses of groups
OF gentle women on their way 10
But such n state OF affairs, In
direct violation To the sentiments
of the Mexican Catholic people,
could not prolong itself.
The persecution of the Catholic
church had, indeed. an effect di-
rectly contrary to that intended by
those who directed IL. As Its imme-
date result. there came an awak-
ening of popular religious fervor,
and hardly had few churches
been opened when Mexican Cath
olics, of all social classes, crowded
to them and filled them To over
flowing.
The aristocratic ladies, along
with their more humble sisters,
united their prayers To God under
the nayes of the churches in the
truest sense of Christian democ-
racy. Even the formerly indiffer-
ent Catholics, the skeptics and the
returned tot h q
bosom of the church, as a protest
against the humiliations and OPP
pressions TO which the church was
being subjected.
As protest, too, against the
that dared to invade the
sacred depths of the human spirit
and forcibly TO impose upon them
new materialistic creeds.
The scene has in these later days
changed completely. For that rea-
son, His Excellency, the Arch
bishop Of Los Angeles, the Most
Reverend John j. Cantwell, was
able to say in very timely and
manner upon his ar
rival In Mexico City, II am de-
lighted To come to Mexico now
that the clerical garb may he worn
without offending the sensibility
of anyone" and so il is in fact.
Mexico haS realized that the path
of violence would surely lead To
both social and economic dissolu-
tion. Wherefore, the time of the
demagOgic intolerance and absurd
radicalism w. past.
The whole Mexican people IL
preparing 10 unite itself i'm the de-
Tense of the sacred interests Of the
nation. We are not, nor can we
he, people isolated nv our own
'eNceSses. We have duties toward
ourselves and 10 all the other ma
tons of the world. We are an in
tegral part Of that spiritual force
which is the foundation Of the
strength of the political independ-
ence Of the Americas. And, now
that the political conditions Of the
world are Of such portent, Mexico
cannot excuse herself from the
civilized conduct which constitutes
the foundation of the cultures Of
various nations.
The solemniticS IN honor Of our
Lady Of Guadalupe, In which the