Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-08
Cardinal Sfritch Bans
Catholic Attendance
Al Protestant Council
BY the A.soeia,sd Press

1 < q
! CHICAGO, July g. Roman
Catholics In the Archdiocese of
Chicago. In o pastoral letter
from Samuel Cardinal Stritch,
have been forbidden to take part
in meetings or assemblies by
men outside the church" who
seek to establish Christian unity.
1.-THE Catholic Church does not
take part in these organizations
or In their assemblies or confer
ences," said the cardinal, who is
Archbishop of Chicago. There
are some' 1.8 million Roman
Catholics in the Chicago Arch
diocese.
The cardinals letter did not
mention by name the World
Council Of Churches Assembly in
suburban Evanston August 1881.
But DR.. William A. Wiser IT
Hooft Of Geneva. Switzerland,
the councils general secretary.
said in a statement he felt the
cardinals decision is regret
table,"
DR.. Wiser IT Hooft. who is
here arranging for the meeting,
said it had been hoped that
Roman Catholics might attend
the second assembly of Protes-
| tantS aS ohSor.verS
Recalls Vatican instruction.
DR.. Wiser TT Hooft expressed
surprise that the pastoral letter
did not refer to an official Vat
lean instruction of 1949, under
which, he said, Catholics have
been observers at previous
world council sessions.
He said the Vatican instruc-
ton cleft the door open for cer-
tain conversations between Ro-
man Catholics and nom Roman
Catholics and even for particle
patton Of individual Roman
Catholics In ecumenical gather
ings, If the necessary ecclesiasti-
cal authorization had been given.
ut was on this basis that q
small group Of Roman Catholic
observers with the permission
of their authorities concerned
attended the World Councils
Faith and Order Conference in
Lund, Sweden, in 1852.
Planned to Invite Catholics.
The World Council, DIR. Wiser
IT Hooft said, recently had ex-
pressed its readiness to invite
some Catholic observers to at
tend the assembly in Evanston If
they could obtain permission
from the authorities concerned.
"But according to information
published in the French Roman
Catholic press the Roman Cath
olic hierarchy in the United
States of America decided
against it," he said. From the
point Of view of the World Coun-
Gil this is regrettable."
The World Council of
Churches is made up of 161 or
thodox and Protestant denomi-
nations in 48 countries.
Cardinal Asks Prayers.
In his letter, Cardinal Stritch
said: I'VE wish it to be clearly
understood that the faithful of
the church are not permitted to
attend the assemblies or conven-
tfons of non-Catholic organiza-
tons or councils.
I'VE ask you, however, to pray
for our separated brothers and
to beg God to give them the gift
of Catholic faith. They need
great graces to overcome pref
udices. to break down the wall
Of misunderstanding which has
long existed between us.
There are things which we
can do in cooperation with our
fellow citizens. We are ready to
unite with them as citizens in
the doing of these things. Their
discussion of many of the social
problems which confront us in
our day will prove helpful to us.
We are always ready and anxious
on the civic and social levels to
work together with our fellow