Evening star., 1948-11-21

Cardinal Dougherty. Car
economic system progressively
evolve.
Such a constructive program Of
social order seems to us to be the
answer to the questionings of high
minded leaders of industry and to
the explicit proposals Of sound and
responsible leaders of organized
labor. We bespeak for it in these
critical times dispassionate consid-
Grafton and calm, open discussion
in an atmosphere of good will, and
in a disposition to seek solutions by
agreement rather than by force,
whether political or economic.
RELIGION AND CITIZENSHIP.
The inroads of Secularism in civil
life are q challenge to the Christian
citizen-and indeed to every citizen
with definite religious convictions.
The essential connection between
religion and good citizenship is deep
in our American tradition. Those
who took the lead in establishing
our independence and framing our
Constitution were firm and explicit
| in the conviction that religion and
morality are the strong supports
of national well-being, tnat national
morality can not long prevail in tie
absence of religious principle, and
that impartial encouragement Of
religious influence on its citizens is
a proper and practical function OF
good government.
This American tradition clearly
envisioned the school as the meeting
place of these helpful interacting
influences. The third article of the
Northwest Ordinance passed by
Congress in 1887, re-enacteG in 1890
and included in the constitutions
Of many States enjoins: Religion,
morality and knowledge oeing nee
essary to good citizenship and the
happiness of mankind, schools and
the means of education shall for
ever be encouraged" This is Our
authentic American tradition on the
philosophy of educa ton for citizen
ship.
In the field of law our history re-
veals the same fundamental con-
nection between religion ard citizen
ship. 1t is through law that Gov
ernment exercises control over its
citizens for the common good and
establishes a balance between their
rights and duties. The American
concept of government and law
started with the recognition that
mans inalienable riehts--wh.ch 1t
is the function of government. to
protect-derive from God, his Crea-
tor 1t thus bases human law,
which deals with mans rights and
their correlative duties In society
on foundations that ere definitely
religious, on principles that emerge
from the definite view of man as
A creature of God.
Human Law and Natural Law.
/ This view of man anchors human
! law to the natural law, which is
the moral law of God made clear
to us through the judgments of hu-
man reason and the dictates oi
conscience The natural law. as ar
outstanding modern legal CONNER
tator has written, SIS binding over
all the globe, in all countries and at
all times; no human laws are of any
validity if contrary to this" Thus
/ human law is essentially an ordi-
nance of reason. not merely a die
! tate of will on the part Of the State
In our authentic American tradition
this is the accepted philosophy OF
law.
! On this basically religious tradi.
ton concerning the preparation OF
/ the citizen through education anC
| the direction of the citizen through
law. secularism has in the past cen.
tury exercised a corrosive influence
1t has banned religion from tax.
supported education and is now bent
on destroying all cooperation be.
tween government and organized
religion in the training of our future
citizens. 1t has undermined the
religious foundations of law in the
minds of many men in the legal pro.
fession and has predisposed them tt
accept the legalistic tyranny of the
omnipotent state. 1t has cleverly
exploited. to the detriment IF re-
ligion and good citizenship, the deli
cate problem of cooperation be.
tween Church and State in a country
Of divided religious allegiance.
That concrete problem, delicate as
it is, can, without sacrifice of prin-
ciple, be solved in a practical way
when good will and spirit Of
fairness prevail. Authoritative Cath.
olic teaching on the relations be.
tween Church and State, as set forth
in Papal Encyclicals and in the
treatises of recognized writers or
ecclesiastical law, not only state:
clearly what these relations shoule
normally be under ideal conditions
but also indicates to what exten
the Catholic Church can adapt her.
self to the particular conditions tina
may obtain in different countries
The First Amendment.
Examining, in the full perspective
of that teaching. the position which
those who founded our nation ane
framed its basic law took on the
problem of Church-Sta relations
in our own country. we find that
the First Amendment to our Con-
stitution solved that problem in g
way that was typically American ir