The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-18
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH F. DoNNELLY

ward Franco some new and tenn
'porarily infallible criterion will be
swiftly established, and everyone
not accepting it will be ipso facto
mathematical as reactionary, med
ieval and fascist.
It will be recalled that the "iber-
ais" of a generation and decade
ago were the most ardent disciples
Of the irreligious philosophers whose
dogmaS transformed into action by
Hitler and MuSsolini gave us nadsm
and fascism and inflicted on the
human family an era unsurpassed
in tragedy"
AMARILLO, TEXAS
America this week calls atten-
ton to the plans already made
by the American Legion Post
in Amarillo, Texas, for the proper
observance Of the day when the
nations of the world lay down their
arms, and the Post in Amarillo has
invited Legion members in other
parts of the country to consider the
program and work for its adoption
in their communities.
The Post states that that day of
peace should not only be day of
joy but also one Of solemnity, day
on which the people of America
should go to their knees to thank
God for the victory which will then
be theirs. To that end the Post
makes these four suggestions:
/. The immediate illumination of
all the churches that the people can
repair there at once for q thanks
giving service of at least thirty
minutes.
2. The planning of church serv-
ices by all religious bodies; and the
planning of civic celebration with
prominent citizens speaking on the
occasion.
3. A request for the voluntary
closing of places dispensing liquor
for three days-"to the end that
our boys who will still be overseas
may not be insulted by having their
people at home celebrate this occas-
ion by an over-indulgence of intoM-
eating liquor"
4. A reminder that we who have
stayed at home should feel a deep
sense of gratitude and responsibility
to the men and women whose la
bors and sacrifices have brought us
victory.
VICTORY THROUGH
GODS GRACE
On November II, 1918 all America
went temporarily mad. But our JOY
will not be tempered in any degree
if it finds expression in decent, pro-
per and thoughtful obServanceS and
though the whistles may sound and
the horns may blow, the day should
not be descreated by drunken orgies.
Americas editor offers this COM
ment:
THE Legion Post at Amarillo de-
serves nothing but the highest COM
mendation for this far-sighted and
thoroughly patriotic program. There
is no hint of any attempt to suppress
the joyousness and high spirits that
must arise from the fact Of victory
We are only asked to remember
that victory has been won through
the blood of our fellow-Americans
and has been granted to us through
Gods grace.
LOSING OR GIVING
In his essay on Health and Holl-
ness Francis Thompson is sarcastic
about the fear of penance and NOR
LITIGATION of the people of his gen.
Grafton. His judgement, and it APP
pears to be a sound judgement OF
our own times, was that we fear
penance not principally because we
are too -indulgent but because
we are too devitalized by the pace
of the life we lead.
However military training has
built a generation of Americans
many of whom have learned to take
sufferings, privations and mortif1ca-
lions in stride and without COM
plant. Trained to hardship and
physical discomfort men, who in
the past have SHE'D away from all
that was difficult, have risen to
heroic stature.
How heroic? Roehampton, the
great Convent of the Sacred Heart
in England, has been transformed
into a war hospital. There a nurse
was sympathizing with soldier who
has lost one of his legs in the in
vasion of Italy when he curteously
but firmly rejected her sympathy.
II did not lose it." he protested,
Il gave it."