Evening star., 1949-08-21


hurch- state conflict, ranging from
but swears allegiance to the Pope
of Rome.
1t has been outlawed. Vatican
sources say its bishops have been
interned or Jailed, and two tor
tured. for refusing to adhere
to- the (pro-Soviet) orthodox
church; many of it's priests have
been jailed or killed, and the rest
are in hiding. Uniat services are
now conducted only clandestinely.
Three of the five Roman Cath
olic Gatin rite) bishops have been
deposed, and the church's re-
ligious orders dissolved.
Hungary Started in 1945
All Catholic schools of both
rites have been closed, religious
instruction in state schools is for
hidden. the Catholic press has
been wiped out. and Catholic
properties have been confiscated.
Hungary:
The church-state war began
here in 1945 with the dissolution
of Catholic lay organizations.
which were powerful in this almost
solidly Catholic country. 1t
reached it's apex when Cardinal
Mindszenty was imprisoned for
life this year on a charge of trea-
son.
In the last four years $50
priests have been reported i'm
prisoned, and most never heard
from again. The fourishing Cath
olic daily press has, been abolished.
All foreign relief agencies with
drew their. help in May, 1948.
when the government ruled that
80 per cent of their goods must
be distributed by the government.
In June, 1948, the government
decreed that all Catholic schools
must come under the state. More
than half of the schools in Hun
gary were in Catholic hands.
Today there is breathing spell
in Hungary, after the shock Of
the cardinals Imprisonment. All
churches are open and the services
are given freely. There Is no
taxation Of the sacraments.
CzechosIovakia:
There is a strong anti-Vatican
history here, dating far behind
Communist influence. Slovakia Is
devoutly Roman Catholic, but
Bohemia and Moravia. while 80
per cent Roman Catholic. have a
free thinking. anti-Vatican his
tory. After the First World War.
a separatist, national Czech
church was established at Prague.
with a million members in Bohe-
mia and Moravia. In 1925, the
papal nuncio left Prague because
OF anti-vatican demonstrations.
There was another outburst
against the Vatican in 1888.
Poland Comes Last
In 1914. during the rebellion
against the Germans. laws were
passed by the insurgents abolish
ing Catholic schools and press. In
1945 the coalition government
under liberal Eduard Benes legal
ICED and partly enforced the re.
bellion DEGREES. After the Com
munist coup Of February. 1948.
the Communist government had
only to enforce. vigorously, the
laws already on the books. 1t
did, closing the first phase of the
church state clash by wiping out
Catholic schools, press. lay or
agnizations and charities.
The second phase was opened
this spring when the Communists
outlawed Catholic action, and set
up one of their own. for which
they demanded church reception.
Josep Beran, Archbishop OF
Prague, refused. Since then he
has been almost q prisoner In his
palace. Other bishops have re-
NAMED in their residences. The
Czech Communist government has
warned that any attempt to en-
force the Vaticap's excommunica-
ton of militant Communists
would be considered treason.
Churches, meanwhile, are open.
Poland:
Poland counts its wounds from
communism back to the treaty OF
Riga, after the First World War.
This ceded the dioceses Of Minsk.
Zitomir, Kamieniec and Mohilev
to Russia. In these areas there
were 3,500,000 Catholics. with 900
priests and 400 churches. Ten
years later there were but two
churches open and but two priests
at work.
Polish opinion is that this Is
the ultimate end Of the church
everywhere under Communist
control.
At present, Poland appears to
have been left to the last. It is
believed this is because. after the
almost complete extinction OF the
Jews under the Germans, Poland
is an almost solidly Roman Cath
olic country.
Divorce Made Easy
The slogan, to date, is mo Open
Conflict" Officially, there Is toll
erance. No law has been passed
abolishing Catholic schools. But
district projects have been given
full powers to proceed as they see
At. Thus, there are regions where
there Is still almost complete lib
erty for parochial education,
others where church schools have
been closed.
The Catholic press has been re-
duced to two weeklies. Discrimi-
nation against Catholic action
members, particularly in employ
ment. means few belong. Divorce.
anathema to the Roman Catholic
church, has been made easy for