The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-28
CathoIic Thought And Opinion
HZ 9EV. JosEPII E. DoNNELLY


 pean states. Three were made with German states, Bavaria. Prussia aIat Baden, and ln July 1888, tat the request ot the German government a fourth was made with the third reich, An questions Of importance such as, Catholic education, the Catholic press, Catholic charities youth organizations, etc., were agreed on ct least In basic princi- I pies. /
 But the word of the fuefrer, as hal been amply proved since, Is not in. tended seriously and in the very month of the signing of the con- cordat the Vatican journal, L'OsSer- vatore Romano, found it necessary to protest against its violation. FAITHFUL LEADERS
 or THE FAITHFUL
 It 6 sometimes said, and perhaps more often thought, that the church in Germany has been refniss in Its opposition to the attacks made upon it by the Naxis end that 1t was only at Q long and despairing last that there arose individuals with cour- ago sufficient to take a stand in opposition. But this is far from the truth,
 The hierachy of Germany has long been suspicious of the true na- ture of national Socialism. So true is this that even before the Nazis came to power the church opposed their doctrines Go the extent of denying the sacramens to those who joined the party With the signing of the coiicordat, however, their fears were somewhat allayed by the solemn promises made by the high- est authority of the new state. OFFICIAL REPORT
 But with the concordat no sooner signed than violated and the Nazl disguise abandoned, the bishops of Germany, one after another and then In unison, raised their voices in protest to the government and in warning to the people.
 "Hut they were faced with a deli- cate and difficult situation. On the one hand they could not remain silent and let the faithful be de. cetved, and on the other they did not wish to ruin any chance there might have been of preserving at any rate the greater part of the coiacorcat as a working proposition. At any rate as soon as the third reich got into its swing with its gestapo and press censorship and the like, there was little chance that their protests would ever reach the world outside Germany. That is in part the reason why harsh Judgments are passed on the hier- archy. and that is the reason why we should here include . few of their words, to prove to the world that from the beginning they were not hoodwinked and that they did not fail in their pastoral offlce."
 The above paragraph is taken from a volume entitled '"The Perse- cution of the Catholic Church in the Third Reich." The book, pre- pared in Germany by an author who for obvious reasons remains anony- nous, is compilation of ofIlc!al facts so well documented and estab. hshed, that they add Ip to story Of persecution planned with 6 malic- ious deceit uneQualed in history.
 Following the above paragraph the author lists the evidence of of- ficial protests, excerpt from the pas- toral letters of the bishops of Ger many, letters issued almost month by month and year after year since 1883 denouncing. protesting ard cenSoE4ng in defense of the rights of God and man.
 A STORY OF FAITH
 AND COURAGE
 When the national Socialist re- gime has been cleared away and the whole story of the German church during these years of world revolu- ton Is told, mankind will hear a story of noble courage and stead- fast faith. Indeed the leaders of the church in Germany have not failed their people. There has been no compromise with evil. To a man they have shown c fortitude that we honor and salute.