The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-09
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH E. DoNNELLY

-s--s whatever the panders of indecency pass out will never raise the stand ard of American llterature. Only 0 code of decent reading backed with honest courage will effectively change the tone of American liter. atlre which even today is sapping the moral strength which the na. tion needs so desperately to face her share of the task Of putting to- gether the pieces of our shattered world.
 HOLLYWOOD's BERNADETTE
 Fears that Hollywood would fun. ble the spirit of Franz Werfel's song of Bernadette as it brought the book to the screen we're somewhat allayed by the announcement of the fortunate choice of the actress who Is to take the part of Bernadette. She is Jennifer Jones, who Is phyl. lis lsley of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and according to the editor of America: "She Is an exemplary Catholic. She was perfect of the Sodality at Monte CaSsino in Tulsa and she is Q fine, loveable and beautiful character. She never missed Q retreat while she was In school and would abso- lutely not attend the movies during Lent"
 So, though 1t remains to be seen how the young actress will carry the part, a good beginning has been made; she will understand the part. To bring the soul of this great epic to the screen will tax the ingenuity of even Hollywood's famed direc- tors. But to do the job well will bring to Ainerica's great movie pub- lie Q sorely needed spiritual uplift and a respite from the tales of in- human crueltles which are It's war time fare.
 FRANZ WERFEL's LETTER
 Reports of Mir. Werfel's conver. sion to the Catholic church were carried in the Catholic press shortly after the publication Of an earlier Catholic novel, Embezzled Heaven. But in the foreword of his epic of Bernadette, MT. Werfel explicitly states that he is not Catholic but 6 Jew. The conflicting statements led, as error does, to c further ere TOT, namely, that MT. Werfel had entered the Church and then re verted to Judaism.
 The January issue of The queens Work lays to rest both errors. Arch- bishop RumHnel of New orleans who has had some correspondence with MT. Werfel writes to the editor and quotes with MT. Werfel's approval an explicit statement of his religious convictions and his attitude toward the Catholic church.
 TELLS OF HIS FAITH
 Thanking the Archbishop for the opportunity to "clarify my position ! in this question of vital importance 1 to me-" MT. Werfel states: T am, as stated in the forward of The Song of Bernadette, a Jew by origin and have never been baptized. On the other hand I wish to profess before you and the world that, as is evi- dent from the major part of my work, have been decisively itaflu. enced and nodded by the spiritual forces of Christianity and the Cath olic church.
 "r see in the Catholic Church the purest power and emanation sent by God to this earth to fight the evil of snaterialism and atheism, and to bring revelation to the poor soul of mankind. That is why, though standing extra nauros' I have made 1t my purpose to support with my modest and humble abilities the struggle which the Catholic Church fights against those evils and for the divine truth ..
 Permit me to close with the promise that I shall not cease to write books like the Song of Ber- nadette which will strive to praise the glory of the supernatural"