Evening star., 1946-02-21

YES BIRETTA-Francis Cardinal
of Pope Plus XII holding the birt
the Hall of Ben edictions at the
7eek received birettas. --AP WI
in the order of pure nature, but the
complete man as he is in the sight
of God, his Creator and Redeemer,
as he is in his concrete and histor-
ical reality, which could not be lost
sight of without compromising the
normal functioning of human inter-
course. The church knows it and
acts accordingly. If, in particular
ages or places, one or another
clinical group or social class has
more than others made its influence
on the church felt, this does not
mean that she becomes vassal to
any one, or is, so to speak. petrified
at some historical moment and de-
barred from any futher develop
ment.
Ever Intent on Man.
On the contrary, since she is ever
bent intently over man, watching his
every heart beat, she knows all his
rich qualities, is alive to his aspira-
tions with that clear-sighted intui-
ton and penetrating appreciation
which can come only from the super
natural illumination of Christ's
teaching and the supernatural
warmth of His divine charity.
Thus the church in her onward
course watches. without pause or
conflict, the divinely guided course
of times and circumstances. This
is the need and significance of her
vital law of continuous adaptation.
which some, incapable of grasping
such magnificent concept, have
interpreted or described as oppor-
tunism. No; the world-embracing
comprehension of the church has
nothing in common with the mar
rowness of a sect with the exclu-
siveness of an imperialism tied to
its own traditions.
She works with every care for
that end which Saint Thomas Aqui-
mas, disciple of Aristotle, assigns to
life in the community, that is to
hold men together with the bond
of friendship. 1t has been said that
with all the modern means of COM
munication. peoples and men are
now more isolated than they were
ever before. But it should not be
possible to say this of Catholics
members of the church of normal
development in space and time.
Deportation of Peoples.
The church is, in fact, the per-
feet society, the universal society
which embraces and holds all men
together in the unity of the mystical
body OF Christ: "All the nations
Thou hast made shall come and
adore before Thee, Lord. Psalms
$3.50.
All. peoples as well as individuals,
are invited to come to the church
But this word come" does not con-
note any idea of migration, expatri-
alton, or those deportations by which
governments or the dire force OF
circumstances snatch populations
from their lands and homes; it does
not mean the forsaking of healthy
traditions or venerable customs, mol
the permanent or at least protracted
separation by force of married
couples, fathers and sons. brothers
relatives and friends, nor the degre-
dation of men in the humiliating
status of a formless mass"
The dislocation of men in this
disastrous form has unfortunately
today become more frequent. but
even it, in forms both ancient and
new, can be traced in diverse ways
directly or indirectly, to contempor-
ary imperialistic tendencies. The
invitation of the church to come
to her does not call for such sad
dislocations, even though the merci-
full and powerful directing hand OF
God uses even these same calami-
ties in order to draw many of Their
victims to the church, their fathers
house; but in His heart He did not
want such calamities: He did not
need them; as Saint Augustine puts
it very well, when he writes:
Mon enim de locis suis migrandc
venient, sed in locis suis credendo.
"It is not by leaving their homes
but by believing within their homes
that they will come" (Epist. 199
Cap. IL, Number 47-Migne pl. T
80 Col. s23)
Property and Traditions.
Has not the church, venerable
brethren, through this intimate
spiritual attraction, contributed
does she not still contribute effec.
tively-toward laying solid foun.
dation for civil society? Man, a.
God wants him and the church &C.
cepts him, will never consider him.
self as firmly fixed in space ane
time if stripped of secure property
and traditions. Herein the strong
find the source of their ardent ant
fruitful vitality, and the weak. whe
are always the majority, are pro.
4 tected against pusillanimity arc
apathy, against slipping from theil
dignity as men. The long experience
lof church educators of peoples con.
firms it; accordingly she is careful
in every way to join the religion,
life to national customs and Is par,
ticularly solicitous of those whom
emigration or military service keep
far from their native land. Ship
wreck Of SO many souls justifles
alas, this maternal apprehension O
i the church. and imposes the con.
clusion that the security OF prop
|. erty and attachment to ancient ira
ditions, which are indispensable Il
). the healthy integrity of man. ar,