Evening star., 1946-02-21

CARDINAL SPELLMAN RECE
is pictured leaving the throne
the pontiff during ceremony IL
the 80 cardinals created this
perhaps more insistept than its fore.
runner.
Cohesion and equilibrium-activ.
ity of the church within man.
Moreover the solidity of founda.
ton would be useless if the struc.
ture lacked cohesion and equilibri.
UNI. Now the church also contrib.
utes to the cohesion and equilib.
rum of all the diverse and compile,
parts of the social structure here
too, her activity is, before all else
internal. The props and buttresse.
built outside tottering edifice are
but precarious makeshift and can.
not do more than delay somewhat
its inevitable collapse.
If the destructive hand of time
which has not spared many more
recent monuments, has respected the
magnificent Gothic cathedrals of the
18th century, If they still stand erect
above the ruins that surround them
| it is because their buttresses pro-
vide only an accessory, if precious
contribution from outside to the in
terror strength of the jointed struc-
ture in pleasing style of architec-
ture as solid and finished as 1t is
daring and graceful. So it is with the
J church. She works on what is most
intrinsic to mans being, on man in
his personal dignity as a free crea-
ture, in his infinitely higher dignity
as son of God.
This man the church forms and
educates because he alone, complete
in harmonious combination of his
natural and supernatural life, in an
orderly development of his instincts
and inclinations, his rich qualities
and varied reactions, is at same
time the beginning and the end Of
life in human society, thus also the
principle of its equilibrium.
Cites Plus XII Encyclical.
That is why the Apostle Of the
Gentiles, speaking of Christians
proclaims they are no more children
tossed to and fro" by the uncertain
drift in the midst of human society
Our predecessor of happy memory
Plus XI, in his Encyclical Quad
rogesimo Ammo on social order, drew
a practical conclusion from this
thought when he announced a prin-
ciple of general application, viz
that what individual men can dc
by themselves and by their own
forces should not be taken from
them and assigned to the commu-
nifty. 1t is principle that also
holds good for smaller communities
and those of lower rank in relation
to those which are larger and in q
position of superiority. For-as the
wise pontiff said, developing his
thought-every social activity is OF
its nature subsidiary; it must serve
as support to members of the
social body and never destroy OF
absorb them. These are surely en-
lightened words, valid for social life
in all its grades and also for the
life of the church without prejudice
to its hierarchical structure.
Now, venerable brethren, ovel
and against this doctrine and prac.
tice of the church, place in theil
real significance the tendencies o.
imperialism. Here you will find ths
solidarity of human intercourse suf.
fers yet another immense setback
For, if such gigantic organisms have
no real moral background, the,
evolve of necessity in the direction
of an ever greater GENERALIZATION
and more stringent uniformity. A!
result their equilibrium, their yer.
cohesion, are maintained solely b,
force and by dominating materia
conditions and juridical expedience
events and institutions, and not b.
the power of the conscientious as
sent of men, of their intellectual
convictions and readiness to TAX
the initiative or assume responsi
bility. The so-called internal orde
is reduced almost to simple true
between the various groups with ,
continuous threat of upsetting thei
equilibrium at every shift, whethe
of the interests at stake or of tn
proportion between the RESPECTIVE
forces,
Being thus fragile and unstabl
in their internal composition, thes
organisms are all the more liable t
become a danger also to the who'll
family Of states.
Center of Social Order.
Undoubtedly there is the case o
an empire built upon a foundation
whose spiritual character has bee
! established and reinforced in tn
course of history; which moreove
draws it's support from the consci
ence the great majority Of tn
citizens. But is it not exposed t
another kind of danger, namely tina
Of giving an exaggerated inportanc
: or exclusive attention to what is II
own and of not being able to evalu
ate or even be aware of what is out
side it? And here again is the unit
and integrity of human intercours
th-ecter ed by the breach made at
vital point in its foundation; her
again is the sacred principle {
e eIequality and parity among men vic
4 lated.
/? Here. too, it is the church ths
d can cure and heal such a woun,
h And she does it by having access
f the innermost sanctuary Of Ii
it human being and placing him {
. re,,tor of the whoIa snnisl x,rda