Evening star., 1952-11-26
The Catholic Bishops'

God will bless you for your editorial
oetense c"The Catholic Bishops" No
vember 20) of the idea that the State,
and all other fields of living, with it's
widespread corruption, could certainly
stand some religion. instead of being
completely divorced from it! 1t is
amazing to observe how little this idea
mas been challenged publicly in a Chris
tian country. Genuine religion is a
simple blueprint for decent. orderly liv-
ing ana 1t is appalling to see people
VINO are supposed to be devoting their
hves TO God. with so little comprehen-
sion OF this fact, that they are lighting
vigorously to prevent any assistance
being given to religious schools. which
are the only source of religious instruc-
ton available to many children. These
schools are giving one of the greatest,
services possible to their country and
the world. in bringing the exceedingly
practical benefits of religion to human
ity, including those who are fighting
against them. They are one of the most
effective bulwarks against Communism.
Most parents who send their children
to religious schools are not rich in
money. But they are rich in common
sense, which comes through the grace
of God. which causes them to appre-
ciate the terrible necessity for moral
guidance, the lack of which is the great
est cause of misery in this world and
in the next.
In simple fairness. the least assist
ance that struggling religious schools
should be given is transportation, text
books. lunches, etc. In fact, they have
every right to be supported entirely.
If our country were really smart this
would be done.
1t is gratifying to note that The Star,
after due consideration, has decided
that religion Is probably a good thing.
However. the subject of religious in
struction in public schools. to which
the conclusion of your editorial was
devoted, nowhere entered into the state
ment of the Catholic Bishops. De-
f1ated, the statement appears to be a
cautious justification of auxiliary serv-
ices" The latter phrase was not de-
fined in the statement, but is usually
taken to mean taX-Supported aid to
paroch1al schools. which is very diff
ferent thing from religious instruction
IN public schools. since it strikes close
to the constitutional prohibition against
flaws respecting an establishment of
religion. +"
will agree with you that ". the
latest statement by the Bishops, in
some OF its aspects, will be unaccept-
able to some people. :" The follow
ing excerpt should be sufficient proof:
Without religious education, moral edu-
cation is impossible" In another place,
the statement says that the present
system deprives the child of its fright
under our Federal Constitution to aux
lllary services. :" With regard to
religion, the Constitution says simply
Congress shall make no law respect
Ing an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
=" How this sentence establishes a
right (sic) to auxiliary services is not
yet clear to me.
Your concevn over "irreligious social
decay" may be misdirected. The mod
ern country most often cited as an
example Of social decay is France, which
IS clerical monopoly, and another
Is Italy, from whence we obtain our
supply Of hoodlums. This is not to
blame such social decay as may exist
there on the church, but merely to sug-
gest that a pervading clericalism is a
remedy Of doubtful efficacy.
Robert Linton.