Evening star., 1949-11-13
Czech Reds Rule Out
Priests Reservations
In 0aths Of Loyalty
By the Associated Press

jected the offer of Czechoslovakia'
bishops for priests to swear allegi-
ance to the Communist govern
ment on the condition they would
violate no divine or church laws
or human rights.
The bishops special dispensa-
tion to the priests so they could
take the oath with reservations
was offered October IS so the
clergy could stay out of jail. 1t
represents a retreat from the stand
that priests could take no oath
of loyalty to the government.
Clergy Made Civil Servants.
To this Nosek said mo" His
declaration was in a speech be-
fore a nationwide conference Of
officials Of the regional national
committees. These committees
are charged with local administra-
ton of the new church control
laws which went into effect No
vember /. The laws make the
clergy of all denominations civil
servants and establish a govern
ment ministry to control church
appointments. finances, admins
tration and pay church salaries.
Nosek boasted that the govern
ment is winning its fight with the
church. Even the West Is rec
p, ognizing this" he said.
The papal decree Of ex-com-
I. munication Of active Communists
had been a failure in Czechoslova-
kia, and any Catholic churchman
who tries to execute it will be ar
rested, he declared.
He further announced that the
priests could not accept their
new government-increased salaries
with reservations. The bishops
in their October Is dispensation
said the priests could take the
salaries provided they informed
their church superiors.
Expects Priests to Obey Law.
Now that the priests are paid
by the government, Nosek indi-
Gated, it expects them to obey
the law to the letter no matter
what their bishops tell them.
eve shall not tolerate any
Illegal activities in the churches"
he declared.
'The government does not ac-
knowledge any addition to the
formula of the oath. There is
only one valid form of the oath
and that has been decided by
law"
I The bishops had told priests to-
take the oath with this reserva-
ton, orally or in writing: UNLESS
1t is in contradiction to the laws
of God and the church and the
rights of man."
3.s. Nosek said. mot one clergyman" |
has returned his government sal
5ary since November /. 49, ~
Regarding the. excommunica-
tion Of militant Communists, the
minister said, 1T has proved In |
affective IN Czechoslovakia with |
small exceptions because In the
Twentieth Century the medieval
methods Of ban and excommuni-
cation can no longer exist. Only |
here and there q priest dares to |
sxtend the authority Of the vati-
can above the authority Of the
state. In recent weeks we have
had one such example In which q
priest refused to marry a couple
because they were Communists.
OF course he was arrested"
- 153 Laymen Pardoned.
His statement conceded with
the announcement that Commu-
mist President Klement Gottwald
had pardoned and halted prose-
cution Of 153 more Catholic lay
men charged with violating the
church laws. The announcement
said all had repented their oppo-
sition and asked for clemency.
It was the third 4arge-scale |
amnesty in two weeks. On October |
40 Gottwald freed or halted pro-
ceedings against 1877 priests. OnI
November 2 the government
granted amnesty to an unspeci-
fed number Of priests and laymen
who had been punished for minor
violations,
The government charged that
the laymen and priests were "se-
duced into their acts" by the
bishops. At one time church
sources estimated that 300 priests
were under arrest.
Church leaders have charged
that the government was trying
to get control of the church to
turn 1t into a Marxist institution.
Nosek also told the conference
some details OF a new marriage
and family code which the gov
ernment is preparing to enact into
law. He said the code would make |
divorce more difficult. After Jam
uary /, he added, only marriages
which include. a civil ceremony
will be considered valid. Couples
marrying in church must first goI
through a civil ceremony.
District Heights PTA to Meet
X The District Heights Elementary
School Parent-Teacher Associa-
ton will meet at 8 pm, tomorrow
IN the Scho01 auditorium