The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-02-11

tuition but have INDUCED in a frank
and, on some occasions, aggressive
campaign OF eatechization, thus
taking away their Faith from the
Colombians and trying to replace it
by other religious beliefs.
This fact has placed the gov.
ernment of colombia in . double
difficulty: in fhe first place, il
is injurious TO the dignity OF Co
Iombia as q Sovereign nation, in.
dependent and cultured, TO be
considered as = country TO be
conquered in respect 10 religion.
In the second place, II Is an at
tempt TO destroy the Catholic
Faith of almost ell the people
of coIombis. !
4 am the first to acknowledge
that the Protestant faith is anti
communist, but their struggle
agains the Catholic religion of the
Colombians may serve as an oppor-
tunity for communist propaganda,
because a man deprived of his faith
is subject to all sorts of devia-
tionS. 1t is also necessary to bear
in mind with regard to Colombia
that among us Catholic convictions
are the most powerful and effec-
tive sign of national unity. We be-
ing a tropical country, our politi-
cal struggles are quite often ardent
and passionate. Nevertheless, we
can we'll say that religious Strug-
giles are unknown to us for the two
great political parties, of Colombia,
the Conservative and the Liberal
Party, both coincide in their Cath
Ollie convictions"
TO the question, How can you
account for the Protestant pr0pa-
ganda being a danger in a country
where the Catholic religion is so
extended" The minister answered:
'The answer is simple: the peo-
pie to whom this sort of propagan-
da is directed are not the most cul-
tured but plain people who profess
their Faith simply and without
complications. On the other hand,
the Catholic Church does not have
enough means to carry out its Spir-
itual and social labor in all the
fields and sections as it would like,
while the Protestant sectS count
upon abundant funds in order to
carry out an attractive campaign
in certain places by providing
clothes, food and even education
to children and persons whom they
pretend to catechize by doing away
with their ancestors Faith.
"JuSt think what it means to a
plain countryman faced with such
powerful propaganda, without sus-
pecting that behind it all is the
forfeiting of his religion. Some
sporadic conflicts can thus be ex-
planned, not completely alien to the
state of restlessneSs which the
country experienced recently, and
that was taken advantage of by
some pastors naturally not by
the representatives of the principal
religions - and these conflicts
have been miseonStrued and report
ed in this exaggerated form to the
United States. 1t is thus that origin
has been given to the unjust affir-
nation that there exists religious
persecution in Colombia.
When asked what the govern
ment has done in such cases, the
minister said:
"The government has ordered
that severe investigation be made
in order to punish the guilty.
"AS a proof of the efficiency
with which these Investigations
have been carried out" he con-
tinued, ''the fact is that these con-
flicts have long since entirely dis
appeared and today not even in
the abstract can it be said that the
ProteStants are being bothered in
the practice of their worship"