Evening star., 1949-09-02
Archbishop Cushing
Upheld by Vatican,
. But Dispute Continues
By the Associofsd Press

BY the Assoeiofsd Press
= BOSTON, Sept. 2. - A five
months dispute between the Bos-
ton Hierarchy and a Roman Cath
olic group over whether there is
salvation outside the Catholic
Church still appeared unsettled
today despite Vatican ruling up
holding Archbishop Richard j.
Gushing.
The decision was announced by
Archbishop Gushing in "The
Pilot" official publication of the
Boston Catholic Archdiocese. The
announcement said the ruling was
made by the Supreme Sacred
Congregation of the Holy Office,
over which the Pope presides.
The controversial group, led by
the Rev. Leonard j. Feeney, S. j.,
= has persisted in the contention
Catholics could not be saved.
The church holds otherwise.
Feeney Followers Warned.
The Sacred CONGREGATION ruling
ended with a solemn warning to
Father Feeney's adherents to
abandon their position immedi-
ately "at the peril of their souls. u
Father Feeney indicated he
would stand pat pending an ex
cathedra announcement from the
Pope himself.
2 The group has held to it's posi-
tion in face of a stern interdict
against their organization - st.
Benedict's Center - and the "sil-
encing" of Father Feeney.
: Referring to the groups stand.
the letter from the Sacred Con-
: gregation declared:
"* it is clear that the doc
trine presented (by the group
49, as genuine Catholic teaching
is far from being such, and can do
nothing but grave harm to those
who are in the church and to
those outside it,"
= Priest Strongly Criticized.
The communication from the
Vatican also named Father
Feeney and strongly criticized
him for his part in the contro-
@sversy.
'It is beyond understanding"
the letter read. "how a member
of religious society, namely
Father Feeney, can present him
self as defender of the faith
and at the same time not hesitate
to attack the catechetical teach
ing proposed by legitimate au-
thorities, and not even fear to
bring upon himself the weighty
sanctions of canon law leveled
against his grave violations OF
duty as a religious, as priest,
and as an ordinary member of
the church"
The censure apparently referred
to Father Feeney's vigorous pub
lie attacks on archdiocesan leaders
including Archbishop Gushing and
the most Rev. John J. Wright,
auxiliary bishop.
Center Will Appeal.
Father Feeney indicated he was
not satisfied with the archbishop's
announcement of the Vatican de-
cisionS.
'"St. Benedict's Center" Father
Feeney said, still knows that it
has had no answer on its doc
trinal crusade and its appeal for
an excathedra pronouncement
from the Holy Father"
: He told newsmen he might go
personally to Rome to present his
case to Pope Plus XII, adding,
"but I don't have the travel money
that some of the Boston Hierarchy
have" ~ -
The 52-year-old Jesuit priest,
noted as an author, poet and lee
turer. said he had not seen the
letter mentioned by the arch
bishop. He said the letter in "the
Pilot" was partially quotes and
partially composed"
According to Archbishop Cush-
ing's announcement. the Sacred
Congregation met in plenary ses-
sion July 27 to consider the
controversy which has been rag
ing since last April.
insufficient Study Blamed.
The letter read, in part:
This Sacred Congregation IS
convinced that the unfortunate
dispute is due to an insufficient
study and understanding of the
well-known dictum Extra Eccle-
siam Nulla Salus' (no salvation
outside the church,, and that the
dispute has been rendered more
acrimonious because of the seri-
GUS disturbance of discipline oc-
casioned by the refusal of some
members of the aforementioned
group to revere and obey duly
constituted authority" go
It called the center's teachings
inconsistent" with the pronounce
ments of Pope Plus XII. Then
center is operated as a Catholic
study group near Harvard Uni
versity yard in Cambridge.
"It is beyond understanding how
st. Benedict's center can consis-
tently claim to be a Catholic
echooI and desire to be called
such, while actually refusing to
conform to the prescriptions Of
canon law. and while functioning
LOST.
RTTIFOLD, brown, with initials j. W. g.,
L. n arch,,rnh,s nr another dnWntnHn store: