The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-10
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH F. DoNNELLY
THE BLOODSTREAM OF AMERICA


 Sadly must we confess that in the past as nation we have departed far from the deep religious convi:- tions that moved our forefathers. Indeed today there are powerful evil forces abroad in our country who would sabotage everything noble that America is fighting and dying for. It ise1ate--far later than most of us think. The fate that has fallen to great portions of the world might easily fall to our lot.
 We must awake. We must return to God. We must get out our Cate- chism, our Bibles and our Talmuds be we Catholic, Protestant or Jew, We must make ourselves and our country worthy of Gods favor be- cause only through God and re- ligion can our world be saved. Re- ligion is not only the background of our nations history. It is the root of the noble things that we fight for; 1t is the bloodstream of the real America.
 THE ROTA
 Volumlnous testimony accom- panies the submission of disputed marriage case to the Sacred Roman Rota, the highest matrimonial court of the Church. Because of the danger to these documents of tor pedoes and their violation In cen- sorship, the Vatican has empowered the Apostolic Delegate here in America as well as in other parts of the world, to set up during the next three years court which will operate in lieu of the Roman Rota and make final decisions on compli- cated marriage cases,
 Few marriage cases, however, 90 before the Roman Rota and very few of these are declared null, or invalid from the beginning. During the past year 87 cases were subrhit- ted from all parts of the world and of these only % were declared null In the decision, contrary to the opinion of some mislnformed, money has no influence. On the contrary according to the records 1t is more often they who can make no pay ment for the court expenses whose marriages are declared null, rather than they who are able to pay the fees of the court. The figures oi the past year have not been made public, but in l940 of 3i cases brought by those unable to pay, Il were declared null, and of 45 cases brought by those able to pay, lC were declared null.
 LIEUT.. COMMANDER
 JOHN J. SHEA
 The letter written to his five. year-old son hy Lieut.. Commander John J. Shea, Assistant Aviation Officer of the U.S.S. Wasp whef that aircraft carrier was lost in gal. lant action in the battle of the Solo, mon Islands, will have permanen place in American literature, In tht words Of Horace Cahill, Lieutenan' Governor of Massachusetts, Tt pre- sents the Ideals upon which thi' nation is founded and for which tht United States Navy is fighting"
 Although the omission was appar ently in good faith, 1t is unfortunate that both the Associated Press ant the United Press services did no carry the full text of the letter, bu left out one small paragraph. Onl! the International News Service car ried the statement which wa proved SO well by the career Of thi hero who lived a remarkable com plete Catholic life and who died a. any American would be proud tt die. Commander Shea lnstru: :tet his little son; Be q good Catholic and you cannot help being e gooe American"
 BOSTON COLLEGE ALUMNI
 Commander Shea was an alumnu' of Boston College, member oI the class of 1918. He played varsity football for two years and they tel as football history at Boston Col. lege Shea at center repelling foui mighty thrusts of West Point, great oliphant,
 A classmatc Of Commander shea is LIeut.-Col, Clear Of Bataan fame It was Col. Clear who reported tht now famous answer of the Marine sergeant whom he found on hi knees and whom he asked, Are yot praying sergeant7" "rhere are nc atheists" the Sergeant answered lin the fox holes of Bataan." Sub. sequently Col. Clear was ordered hs the War Department to leave Ba. taan by submarines because of tho value of his knowledge of the Jap. anese and the Japanese methods oi