Evening star., 1943-01-16

write so much about the new order
today. by preference undertaking
the old Hungary with the historic
traditions of her life and ancient
institutions, should not forget that
what we expect in the first place
from the new Europe is satisfaction
and justice"
This publication has frequently
come out against Nazi policies. 1t re-
Gently denounced movements which
dream of establishing a just world
by means of brute force and disre-
gard of the eternal laws of nature. "
Cardinal Seredi, primate of Hun
gary, is leading the Roman Catholic
opposition to the Nazis
Russian Leader Backs War.
Another Russian church leader,
Archbishop Vedensky of the New
Orthodox Church, has expressed al
legiance to Premier Josef Stain and
wholehearted support of the Soviet
war effort.
In message to Premier Stain
the archbishop said:
THE churchs prayers for victory
are the believers spiritual tribute.
AS archbishop I pray for victory for
our weapons. Faith without deeds
is dead. Today I handed to the
National Bank miter belonging to
me worth half a million rubles as
my contribution to the defense fund.
The New Orthodox Church's clergy
follows my initiative, giving many
valuables. The Moscow Patriarchy
has given 10000 rubles for buying
airplanes. This is only the begin
ming of the churchs material
tribute"
The New Orthodox Church is not
connected with the traditional Rus
sian Orthodox Church, of which
acting Patriarch Sergius Of Moscow
is the head. 1t is the outgrowth Of
the Living Church, set up in 1922
under Communist protection, in op-
position to the Orthodox Church
which the Communists were fighting
at that time. Vdedensky was the
leader of a group of priests imbued
with the idea of reconciling Com
munism with Christianity and re-
forming the Orthodox Church. This
attempt failed, but the new church
has continued to exist as small
minority.
Patriarch Sergius of the Orthodox
Church, as we'll as various arch
bishops Of the church, have pledged
support of the war effort and are
raising funds for the war chest. The
Soviet government has taken un-
usual pains to publicize their mes
sages outside of Russia.
Religion in Mexico.
The issue of public education
always lively topic in Mexico-was
brought to the fore this week when
Minister Of Education Octavio Vejar
Vazquez appeared before the Cham
ber of Deputies to refute charges
that his ministry Is seeking to es-
tablish religious teaching in Mexi-
can schools in violation of the con-
stitution and to warn that sit is
unpatriotic to attempt to revive the
religious strife of the past"
Summoned to an accounting by
Left-wing critics, the Minister
prefaced a defense of his policies
by stating that "the principles of
the revolution have taken such deep
root in the consciousness of the
nation that no activities of the
church could possibly undo the con-
quests of the revolution"
The Minister quoted President
Avilo Comacho's message intro
ducing the new education law passed
on December %. 1941, which stated
that while public education must be
free of all religious doctrine and
must combat "fanaticism and preju-
dices," it must not be conceived as
anti-religious instruction.
In his one year in office Vazquez
has put a stop to all Communist and
anti-religious propaganda in the
schools and, has. meanwhile, been
under considerable fire from leftists
for alleged clerical tendencies.
He recently declared it was a
shame that Mexican youths had to
go to the seminary in New Mexico in
order to study for the priesthood,
and suggested that seminary be
established in Mexico itself.
Relations between church and
state in Mexico generally have be-
come increasingly friendly under the
Comacho regime, although anti
clerical laws are still on the statute
books and could be enforced at any
time. The church in Mexico today
has substantially the same rights
and privileges which are enjoyed by
the church in the United States.
Indicating the growth of religious
freedom in Mexico, membership in
Catholic Action has tripled in the
last three years, and the three lead
ing daily newspapers in Mexico City
are controlled by Catholics, who
champion the cause of religion in