The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-07-15
The Holy Father on
Movie Censorship

When il is realized that after the United States
and England that italy ranks highest IN the movie
INDUSTRY the words Of the Holy Father addressed
In the Representatives of the Italian motion picture
Industry take on more than passing significance.
In q lengthy talk which should be made available
in pamphlet form as motion picture hanooook'
Pope Plus XII praised the technical achievements
of the movies but warned that they must be con
trolled by public and Church authorities. His deep
knowledge of the subject was evident IN his com
plete discussion of the qualities OF the IDEAL HIM
The responsibility of the movie industry people
was pointed out by indicating the influence OF me
cinema on whole nations. This world OF the Gin
ema" said the Holy Father, cannot do other Than
create around itself field of unusually wide and
deem influence in the thinking, the habits, the LIE
of the countries where il develops its power - par
tlcuary among the poorest classes for whom the
cinema is often the sole recreation after work ana
among the youth, who see in the cinema quick
and attractive means of quenching the natural thirst
for knowledge and experience which the age prom
iseS them" These people receive "a definite force
building their development, their ideas, feelings,
snd-not rarey-their very way OF lhe
This directs attention to the necessity Of having
good films and the need for civil and ecclesiastical
authorities In guard against the misuse ot the
cinema How could an instrument in itself most
noble " asks His Holiness, but apt To upft
nr degrade men and so quick 10 produce good or
spread evil be left completely alone or made de
pendent on purely economic interests?
This points to some form Of censorship. "The
watchfulness and response OF public authorities,
fully justified by law TO defend the common civil
and moral heritage is made manifest in various
ways through the civil and ecclesiastical censure of
pictures and, If necessary through banning them;
through the listing of films by appropriate examln
ing boards which qualify them according TO merit
for the information of the public and as a norm to
he followed II is indeed true that the spirit of
our time, unreasonabiy ntoterant of the intervent-
ion Of public authority would prefer censorship
coming directly from the people,
1T would certainly be desirable if good
would agree 10 ban corrupt movies wherever they
are shown and to combat them with the legal and
moral weapons at their disposal Yet such action is
not b" itself enough Private initiative and real
can wane and do in fact wane rather quickly as
perence shows. But not the hostile and agrees
i've propaganda which frequently draws rich profits
from films and which often finds ready ally in
the interior OF man, that is in his blind instinct and
is allurementS or his brutal and base urges If,
therefore. The civic and moral heritage Of peoples
and families is to be effectively safeguarded, il
Is most certainly right for public authority 10
exercise due Intervention in order 10 hinder
check the most dangerous influences"
The flood of indecent movies in Ohio since the
lifting Of censorship Of them, and the failure of
the thealer owners association 10 keep their pub,
liczed promise TO properly censor films in Ohio,
only adds further proof to the words of Pope Plus
XII