The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-04-01


Negotiations have been reported
under way between His Eminence
Santiago Luis Cardinal Copello
Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and
President Peron with view TO
bringing about a truce in the
Church.state conflict that erupted
last November Whether or not
such an agreement is being dis
cussed, one thing is certain: the
first condition for an understand
ing must be a full recognition by
the government of the Church's
right freely to carry on its teach
ing work.
In their letters 10 President
Peron, the Bishops minced no
words. in denouneing the dis.
griminatory measures adopted
against Catholic schools, and in
procIaiming their Unalterable OPP
position 10 any effort TO esfsb.
Iish a state monopoly in edUes-
fion.
"The restriction imposed during
these last three months" the Bish
ops declared. "attack fundamental
rights which are accorded by the
national constitution and which We
feel it is our duty to defend. The
first right attacked is that of the
family, since the constitution 1t
self declares that education
and instruction correspond to tht
| family, and to private and public
institutions which collaborate with
the family -.
"New conditions already impos
ed and others announced by officla
bodies mean, in effect, the closing
of many (Catholic) educational in
stitutions toward which the Ar
gentine family has traditionalls
shown justified preference"
The Bishops declared that
some 900 Catholic schools, with
a total enrolment of zoe, 900 stu.
dents, had been established by
the Church in Argentina under
the protection of the constitU.
fion.
However, they said, ''it is evi
dent that the present tendency Of
legislation is carrying us to
ward the monopolistic (publlc,
school which we can in no wise
accept, because it menaces the
freedom of education and the
rights of the Church and the fam
lily, and conduces toward system
of education which, in fact, denies
legitimate human rights.
The Bishops concluded their
note to Peron by urging him to
suspend all measures already en-
acted or now being contemplated
against the Church's educational
establishments. They called for the
resembling of decrees issued last
December which resulted in many
teachers in Catholic mission
schools being discharged or trans
] ferred to public schools.
Two other demands were for
the restoration of state subsidies
taken away from recognized
Catholic teaching institutions.
and the continued acereditation
of the teachers training college
maintained in 1uenos Aires by
the Superior Council of Catholic
Education.
In the Lenten pastoral, the Ar.
gentine hierarchy reaffirmed their
rigid opposition to the govern
ment's efforts to restrict the rights
of the Church.
The letter deplored the fact
that the government forbids re.
lisious professions, Cath | &c
meetings in public places, and
Catholic radio hrosdessts, while
st the same time granting dissi.
dent cults these rights. The pas
toraI also protested that public
office holders are being removed
from their positions for religious
reasons.
Meanwhile in the Vatican City.
Osseryatore Romano published the
full 4,000-word translation of the
Argentine hierarchy's joint pastor
al ordered read in all Argentine
churches on Passion Sunday.
II is said the pastoral calmly
but very firmly upholds the
rights OF the Church against the
Peron regimes measures and re-
minds that "the Church is OF
yesterday, OF. today and will be
of tomorrow"
The Vatican City newspaper
called the pastoral "a firm and
calm exhortation to the faithful
not to become prey to an insldlous
campaign which is growing ever
vaster and more general. "
How can you fall 10 make the
l. L..