The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1952-11-21
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment considsrsa or Ineonsider.ts

the practice of prayer to God Yet they resent the
practice as much though it we're claim of in
venton on the part of other people And their re-
sentiment is articulae and powerful Ii was strong
enough to block the opening prayer at the San Fran
cisco Conference long ago and il strong enough
TO prevent the U.N. from having any preliminary
dealings with heaven.
Therefore, there must have been an angry
gnashng OF Soviet dentures, as al an impudent re-
Surgence of what had been so thoroughly put down
when Warren r. Austen, welcoming the delegates
to the new UN. Headquarters invoked Gods name
and blessing upon the work of the United Nations
Said Mr. Austen, "As VIC take our places in the
General Assembly and at the Council Meetings let
us begin all our work in the Name of God for the
solution of all our problems is spiritual one"
Our people in general have thought all along
that the new in Headquarters Building which is
by way Jf being Temple of Peace should have
some sort of chapel or prayer hall. After all it is
reasonable to expect that those who are dedicated
TO the establishing Of peace should have some in
terest IN appealing to the only Source whence
peace can come. Time, which dweils in that mys-
uca and sometimes mythical realm known as News
Eyauation and which spares no pains to explain to
poor stupid OATS Times manifest Eyaluaton of the
American People, how they to interpret all that is
said and done in the world says that religious
groups have INSISTED such place being pro-
vided.
Well, such place is provided after fash
ION Fear OF Russian rowns prevents its being called
church or chapel oratory. 1t is called a
Meditation Room" The word meditation has long
been familiar in Catholic ears as indicating the
most intense and devout method of prayer But the
word IS rather new in secular use. II has into
favor during the modern era which veers away from
terms which frankly and old-fashionedly relig-
ious and chooses expressions that are vague enough
to be called scientific and enlightened. Thus the
word supernatural had to give way to rdnScendentdl
mans duty of knowing, loving and serving God was
referred to mlstlly spiritual Ddlues prayer was
sometimes heard, but where il seemed to indicate
open alteration of God and direct petition for His
blessing it hurriedy clapped on the mask of medita
ton As we say, meditation is good, solid, oldtme
Catholic word; but in the of modern non-Ca-
thoics II is new enough and Obscure enough in
its implications to serve the needs of an up-tothe-
minute and supremely practical age
The Meditation Room as Time kindly informs us
IN the November 10 issue is on the main floor of
the new Assembly Building II is V-shaped has
"offwhte" curtains dixie grandmas probably Just
before she took them down to wash them), and is
furnished with five rows of russell chairs arranged
on dark green rug The U.N. flag is draped on
wall AT the end Of the room there is pedestal
an upright section of mahogany tree believed to be
about $50 years old; that is Older than most modern
religons,-an on the pedestal is bowl of flowers
Shape of bowl and variety of flowers are not men
toned in Times otherwise detailed report.
Such l. the Meditation Room II must say the
highly educated people who show visitors around be
absolutely neutral" in all appointments, lest Ca
thoic or Mohammedan or Jew or a Shintoist
take offence But this is mere bibble -babbe; the
reason for its absolute neutrality lin decor" is Rus
sian And the isn't strictly neutral yet in the
for tharp 5s mt nf in
Indeed, sensitive Russians must toss good deal
in their sleep these nights because of the fact that
the Meditation Room is Vshaped This feature OF the
apartment devoted to TranScendental Trance is
openly suggestive of Churchill, and therefore OF
England and therefore of Engand's ally and there
'ore OF Wall street that Shrine of American Relig
ion No number of Congo logs, complete with bowls
of flowers can dispe this sectarian spectre We may
anticipate Vashinsky Veto.
The Meditation Room is designed to go back to
nature itself like almost all religions What is ma
ture self?" And what has nature ITSELF that IL did
not receive from its Creator? Why are people so
shy and embarrassed when there is apparent like
lhood that someone will be impolite enough to
ton the ntolerabe name of Almighty God? Why
fool around with this religious business at ALL if the
whole meaning of religion is TO be limited TO an
emotional field and all practice of religion is TO
be considered partisan shindy offensive TO all who
do not participate? The Meditation Room is piece
of Stiffness II amounts to a weak and shamefaced
gesture towards God like the SurrepttouS finger
ing of hat brm as a nominal Catholic passes his
parish church when in company of unbeevers.
The uN finds itself IN the position of the Amer.
ican educator who knows that state schools
should give their pupils moral and religious guild
ance, and helpless to devise some inoffensve
plan by which il may be done People are always
concerned about offending other people by their
religious profession Nobody seems much concerned
about offending his neghbor by loud abusive
talk by crowdng him off the road by smoking or
drinking IN his presence; but everyone
cerned TO ulcer pitch about offending his neighbor
through religious profession practice II is about
time that VIC asked ourselves What about offend
ing God by neglect of religion"
II you are in New York, and are interested in
mahogany logs and offwhe eurtains-those items
sweetly suggestive of mature itself you might
drop in al the U.N Headquarters and rest in rus
set chair on the green rug of the Meditation Room
It's great for tired feet The guards that nobody
goes there to mediate. And wonder.