davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
Drawing Near TO Calvary

Only two weeks of Lent remain If we have been
faithful in making il a time OF prayer and penance
we almost regret to see ii slipping away, Tor we
have come to feel Of satisfaction in the self,
mastery we have practiced and have found spiritual
enrichment in the prayers and sermons the associa-
ton with holy things II we have been careless and
indifferent we should all the more regret to see tne
end of Lent coming for II means that we have waSted
wondrous opportunities for grace and development
in sanetity.
With Passion Sunday then. comes call to even
deeprr more sincere observance Of Lent; all must
now decide if they will proceed with The savior IN
eommemorating the final part Of the solemn events
by which He wrought the Redemption of mankind
The Gospel recalls how, in His public ministry, he
found that many Of the people whom he came 10
save were unwilling to accept Him the promised
Messias. unwilling to believe in His divinity, even
though He proved it by repeated miracles; and now
on one OCCASION misled by false teachers and thelI
own passions they took up stones to cast at Him.
Because the hour had not then arrived for the sac
rfice on the Cross He "hd Himself" from HIS
en- mics the Gospel adds; and If we are His true
followers we shall follow Him in this secuson, so
as to be with Him when he undergoes the persecu
ton and torments by which He atones for the sins
of men
So on Passion Sunday We find the cructfx ana
the statues in the churches veied, reminder oi
how Christ hid himself" The familiar prayer OF
praise Glory he to the Father and to The Son ana
In the HOLY Ghost" is silenced, recalling how men
heaped dishonor instead OF praise, upon the Son,
and thus dish0nored the Holy Trinity; and the
Mass begins with the psam-verse, Judge me, o
God and distinguish my cause from the nation mat
is not holy" because the time has come when the
true followers of Christ must take their stand with
Him and separate themselves from the evil assocla-
tons that seek to keep them from Him III speak
the truth why do you not believe Me-? Is the
accusing question He puts before the hostile and
the indifferent and He answers the question with
the terrible warning He who is of God hears the
words Of God The reason why you do not near
Ia because you are not Of God"
Are we "of God?" The coming of Passion Sunday,
bringing closer the end of the Lenten penances and
zraces means that only little time is left Tor us
10 give the right TO that question 1t demands
that We declare ourselves by hearing and obeyng'
"the words OF God" by remaining close to the Saw
Tor in the days Of trial that lie ahead-seVere ior
us but how much more severe for Hlm!-and by
intensilying our prayers, our penances and our
acts of sef.denia as He draws nearer to Calvary
and the shadow OF the Cross falls again across
Chrstendom For from the Cross, that instrument
of death we are to receive life.
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

Vital statisties in the 1855 World Aitmdndc,
which are for the year 1883 show that the Unit
ed States Is still riding The crest of birthwaVe
For the third consecutive year record was
established in the number of infants, with an
estimated 100000 live births registered in the
4 S. for birth rate of 247 per thousand,
The 1854 Official Catholic Directory lists l.
0948 872 infant Baptisms for the year 1853 Thus
by figures probably as accurate as II Is humanity
possible to obtain, little more than % per cent,
or we'll above onefourth of the infants born IN
that year were Catholic
A total of $4,000 deaths is reported Tor
1853 The Catholic Directory lists 288 300 deaths
for The same year, nearly 10 per cent OF the
total
The spread between percentage of births and
percentage of deaths would indicate that the Cath
nc proportion Of the u. s population is growing
at a considerable rate
The birth rate statistics for the 4. S present
an interesting story in themselves. Thus IN 1889
IN DAYS still depression-hauntcd, there were 2,l55,
los births for rate OF only 1863 per thousand
The experts were UNDERSTANDABLE excited about
the possibility Of the us populations dying out
Then came a gradual rise in TIE birth rate To
2l5 in l943 The and its aftermath brought
a setback TO 19 per thousand in l945 but IN 1916
the birth rate leaped to 233 per thousand, with
3 288672 infants born and In the following year,
l947 reached high Of 25 g. with 3699,940 births.
For the past three years for which statistics
are given the birth rate is almost stable 245 IN
1881. ca6 IN 1852 and 24.7 in 1853 Because Of
the general increase in population, however, IN
all these wears the number OF births has exceeded
that Of 1947 3.75o950 in 1881. 3824000 in 1852,
and 100000 in 1893
The death rate tells story Of increased medical
knowledge and skill adding TO the life span From
109 per thousand In 1885 the mortality rate has
gradually decreased to 96 in 1853 The rate has,
in fact been below 10 per thousand ever since
l948
There is great deal Of satisfaction to be taken
by Americans in The story of the birth rate a young
nation is healthy nation strong nation Not only
in terms Of national defense, but regards pros
perity and progress, youthful nation will prove
itself
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
LOUIS F. BUDEM
IOday's Crisis Confirms Plus XI

in charge of them, the Commun-
ist Party leaders in the farm
areas, and the farm workers
themselves.
The whole report bristles with
charges of inadequate produe-
ton" inadequate planning"
inadequate attention" and &C
cuseS the farm workers of lack !
of responsibility. II is an indict-
ment of whole system, although
KhruShchev does not intend it
as such,
Still Our Chief Weakness
When on top of this we place
the widespread extent of slave
labor, the use of the labor pass
port system, and al the same
time the growth of a huge bur-
eauracy on the backs of the peo-
pie, we can realize how fore
sighted Plus XI was in stating
that this system has proved
erroneous by experience" But
even at this hour, there are jour
nalists returning from Soviet
Russia who talk about cock
istence" with this slave empire.
Plus XI has three answers
for his question. THE explana-
ton lies" he tells us first of all,
sin the fact that too few have
been able to grasp the nature
of Communism. And that re
mains our chief weakness in
1855. Even now, the New Times
of Moscow. in its February 10
issue, stimulates the Reds
throughout the world TO new
propaganda ''for lasting peace.
This is designed to aid the "eo-
existence" myth, to lull us into
taking steps that will bring about
our ruin.
A knowledge of the nature
Of Communism" 'sould alert us
at once to the fact that "a last
ing peace" for the Communists
will never be attained until the
world Soviet dictatorship is
established by force and then
"withers away" into the Com
munlst society.
Disbolieai Prop asnda
The second reason given by
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

will express itself in The isola-
tionism of the abstentionist."
They then declared that il was
to be hoped that the San Fran
cisco Conference would provide
opportunity for free and open
discussion among nations, but
that 'the official information on
agreements reached by the Three
Great Powers-the United States,
Russia and Great Britain - on
certain fundamental provisions
in the Charter, gives rise to
doubt and fear. We fail to see
that the voting procedure in the
Security Council agreed upon at
Yalta is consistent with the SOW
ereign equality of peace-loving
nations recognized as basic in
the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals"
The American Bishops also
said: The solution of the Pol
lSh question agreed upon by the
representatives. Of the Three
Great Victorious Powers in the
Crimean Conference, was a dis
appointment to all who had built
their hopes on the Atlantic Char
ter. Poland which has suffered
more than any other nation in
the war; Poland, which has
fought and is fighting with our
armies on every European
Front, has been forced by her
allies to surrender a very large
part of her territory. In apparent
exchange, il was guaranteed at
Yalta that in the reconstructed
world there will be strong. in
dependent Poland, with a govern
ment chosen in a free election
by its own people. Pending the
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

ptoriS. While addressed directly
to Catholics, its observations
and its warnings are OF value
to all men and women who de
sire to prevent Soviet slavery.
Every word of this document,
written almost two decades ago,
lives for us in the events of to-
day Had the words been needed
by the political leaders and pub
licists OF the world, we would not
be in such dire straits in 1855.
Proved Erroneous
In the very center of the en-
cyclical, the Pope asks. How is
it possible that such system,
long since rejected scientifically,
and now proved erroneous by
experience, how ii it, We ask,
that such a system should spread
so rapidly in all parts of the
worid?' II will be observed that
Plus Xl knew in 1887 what NAL
enkov and khrushchev have re.
Gently confessed in effect, that
the Soviet system is rejected
scientifically and proved err
roneous by experience.
Whole System indicted
When Khrushchev's report Of
failure in the Soviet economy is
read in full in the cominform
organ of February Il, vivid
view is obtained of the Soviet
crisis of under.produetion. In
turn. the present Rcd dictator Sc
verely criticized the shortcomings
Of the State farms, the ministry
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

fessor Moreover the confessor can rarely use
with prudence even freely given consent, and
then never before civil court -
The words in the quotation those of the late
Father Adophe Tanluerey, 81, noted ascet-
cal, dogmatc, and moral theologan (Sguopsis
Theoloqiae Morals l. \. 506). IT would not in
itself violate the confessional seal to say that
certain person has or has not been to Confession,
the English priest refused to do, but here
there may be the danger of indirect violation.
L may be- doubted whether in modern times
there has been any Of the revelation of
accused mans Confession even with his permits
sion. Such revelation would not be necessary,
since the accused would ordinarily make known
his guilt or innocense outside Confession well
within, and the priest could then with the
prisoners permission reveal the same kind Of
knowledge as he learned in Confession
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
MONSICNOR HIGGINS
Collective Bargaining

the to the effect phrase, since
nowhere does the report attempt
to size up to what extent exist.
ing laws are effective. "
For the purposes of this col.
umn we are interested only in
the first of these two points. To
our way of thinking, il is a mat
ter for rejoicing that the Attor-
ney Generals committee did not
recommend that industry-wide
collective bargaining be prohibit
ed by law.
Completely UnreaIistic
To prohibit industry-wide coll
lectiye bargaining as matter of
principle would be very harm
full, in our opinion, to the cause
of peaceful industrial relations
in the United States. More than
that, it would make it practical
~ impossible to develop an In
duStry Council Plan in the Unit
ed States along the lines recon-
mended in Catholic social teach
ing.
With regard to the first point,
ii should be kept in mind that
multi-employer and industry
wide collective bargaining in
certain industries has proved 10
be the best, if not the only
method of stabilizing industrial
relations and establishing equi-
table conditions of wages and
employment. To prohibit it by
law would be completely unreal
istie, to say the least.
Lack OF Coordination
As for the second point, the
Importance of industry-wide col
lective bargaining as a natural
stepping stone towards the
establishment of an Industry
Council Plan in the United
States. On the one hand, as al.
ready noted, it would be prac-
tically impossible to develop an
Industry Council Plan in this
country if industry-Wide collec-
tive bargaining were to be pro-
hibited by law. On the other
hand, a properly organized In
dustry Council Plan would pro-
vide us with better method
than we now have of 'insuring
responsible private bargaining
by large aggregates of economic
power"
AT the present time collective
bargaining is too often carried
on without enough concern for
its long-range effects on the
economy as whole. In our opin-
ion, this is due not so much 10
the selfishness of employers and
unions, as to the absence of an
organized method of eo-ordinat-
ing the bargaining decisions
made in one industry with those
of other industries.
A soundly organized Industry
Council Plan might provide US
with this kind of mechanism. !"
Industry-Wide collective bargain
ing should be encouraged, then,
as \ practical step in the dlrec-
ton Of this desirable goal.
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
Inquiry Corner
Father HeGley'

atheist may find suicide logical,
but a Christian knows that this
life is a time OF trial and is not
supposed to be perfect. His cru
cifix reminds him of the example
given by Christ and the graces
made available by His death on
the Cross.
@. Why does the Church for.
bsd aStrologg2 Is tt not possible
that our temperdments are in
ttaenced bg the time of the birth
and the atomic radiation of Ger.
dln stars etc. i0hich came toqeth.
er at that timer
A. Although the person who
believes in -astrology may be af-
fected by the predictions Of the
person or pamphlet he consults
there is no reason whatever TO
believe that the stars have any
real influence on our character
or our actions. The Catholic
Church forbids all such con-
Sultations because it is supersti-
tious, attributing to creatures
powers they do not have II con-
signs to the astrologer the place
of guide which belongs to God
and our own free actions are sub
jected to fatalistic escapism. In
stead of seeking advice, drawing
upon Christian teaching and ex-
perience, praying, etc, the per-
son who tries to decide or to
know the future in this way fol-
lows the direction of a man or
book which he has no reason Dr
right to trust for his responsible
actions. Only God knows the fu-
ture and anyone who pretends to
predict it, especially regarding
the free actions of man, Is as
suming the place and power of
God to himself
@. Is it possible for q sister
or nun to 90 back to ordinary
life IN the Dorld? Could she get
married later?
A. Although the time of tenn
porary vows five years or more
as a rule) should allow the sis
ter or nun ample opportunity for
making final decision it is pos
Sible for her to be formally re-
leased from the community. All
Catholics know that there is
never any physical compulslon
or force keeping the sisters in
the convent, although that fable
continues to be accepted by many
outside the Church. She may not
leave, however, without receiv-
ing a formal release from her
superiors, for simply leaving in
violation of her vows would be
sinful. A dispensation from sol
emn religious vows of chastity
is reserved to the Holy See, but
when an indult of Secularization
is granted the person may
marry.
Send questions To Father Ed
ward r. Healey, Inquiry Corner,
The Catholic Times, Box 635,
Columbus 16l, Ohio
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

unions ought to be made subject
to anti,monopoly legislation and,
more specifically, whether or
not industry-wide collective bar
gaining ought to be prescribed
and prohibited as a monopolis
tic practice.
Current newspaper stories in
dicate, however, that this real or
alleged disagreement has finally
been compromised. According to
these advance stories which
seem to have been leaked" to
the daily press for the purpose
of sounding out public opinion
the Attorney Generals COM
mittee will straddle the fence
on the subject of unions.
The Wall Street Journal, one
of the first newspapers to break
the story, is apparently some
what unhappy about this COM
promise. THE committee, it
says, pulled its punches in
timidly worded chapter that
seemed to advocate some kind
of new law to curb labor activi-
ties that restrain trade and COM
petition.
Not Even Mentioned
In what respects did the COM
mittee allegedly pull its punch
es"? First of all, according TO
the advance story in the Wall
Street Journal, it failed to rec
ommend that industry-wide col
lective bargaining be prohibited
by law. AS a matter of fact, the
committee does not even men
tion industry-wide coll tiv e
bargaining, much less condemn
it.
Secondly, in the opinion of the
Wall Street Journal, even that
section of the committees re-
port which recommends new
legislation to curb alleged mo-
nopolistic practices on the part
of unions is too loosely worded.
The committee says that Ito the
extent that" alleged monopolis-
tic union practices are not curb
ed by the antitrust laws or the
Taft-Hartley Act, I'VE recon-
mend appropriate legislation to
prohibit these union efforts at
outright market control" Accord
ing to the Wall Street Journal,
The loophole is contained in
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

Plus XI for Communist advance
is its "diabolical propaganda"
which even enters schools and
universities and 'penetrates in
to all classes of the people" " This
is the poison of the Communist
line, directed from a common
center" which is Moscow. How
many people there are today who
are technically opposed to COM
munism in itself but who at the
same time give it the greatest
help by supporting recognition
of Red China and by cooperat-
ing with the Reds in seeking
to weaken our internal security
system.
Political Affairs of February,
1855, can proudly point to men in
the highest industrial, education
al, and scientific posts who fol-
low the Communist line in the
assault on our internal Secur-
ity. These men are victims of
this "diabolical propaganda"
A third powerful factor in the
diffusion of Communism, Plus
Xl forewarned, is ''the conspir-
acy of silence" in the secular
press. This is factor which will
have to be underscored and re-
ferred to on many occasions. 1t
is chief reason for the general
illiteracy concerning Commun-
ism which exists in the United
States. Nowhere is this more
strikingly seen than in the stud
led failure of the daily press to
sppraise Americans of what is the
current Communist line. When
certain persons are exposed as
Reds or allies of the conspiracy,
it is a common practice for the
daily press to suppress the pro-
Communist records of these in
dividuals. Too often the impress
sion is left that they are guile
less victims of "smears" or star
chamber proceedings"
The eneyclieal on Atheistic
Communism has too long been
unheeded. Let us make il wide
" known, as stimulant to a crit
ical study of Communism in or
der 10 combat it.
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

In all the richness Of priests life nothing
affords reader material for drama than The sit
uation Of confessor relative 10 the confession
Of condemned criminal This age-old plot theme
waS suggested recently when an English priest
refused to disclose whether he had heard the
last Confession Of Londoner hanged four years
ago for murder he may not have committed
There is no moral obligation more strict than
that of the seal OF Confession and no obligation
weighted more thoroughly side The peni-
tent can freely weld his right 10 secrecy since
secrecy was mace in his favor: but his consent
NAV not be presumed even il this can be done
With moral certainty. for the law Of secrecy can
never depend on the presumption Of the con
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

O. Does the Church approve
Of pSychidtrg2 What should a
Catholic do ioho fears that he is
losing his mind?
A. Phychiatry is defined as the
medical speciality dealing with
mental disorders, especially with
psychoses G.e. mental disease.
serious mental derangemenO,
but also with neuroses lie. ner-
vous disorder)." " AS such psychiat-
ry may have some dangers in
its application since it deals with
the mird and may influence a
person in way opposed to
Christian belief and practice,
but otherwise it is approved by
the Church along with any other
medical treatment. For problems
of conscience a Catholic should
ask advice of the priest in con-
fession, but for serious mental
disturbances a reliable physic-
ian should be consulted. If the
difficulty cannot be resolved by
physical treatment the physician
will recommend competent
psychiatrist.
O. Do the Poor Souls kno0
that zoe pray for them and haze
Masses offered?
A. It is matter of Catholic
Faith that we can help the souls
in Purgatory by prayers and
9th ar good works and especially
by the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass offered for them. (Coun-
Gil of Lyons. 1874 1t is com
monty thought tina, they can also
help us, since they are truly
part of the Communion of Saints
even in their time of purgation.
st. Robert Bellarmine, st. Al
phonsus and others held that it
is possible for us to gain their
intercession. If that be true it
would seem possible that they
can have some awareness of us,
and there seems nothing against
their being permitted to know
that we are praying for them. 1t
seems likely that God would let
them know-at least after their
entry into heaven ~ the souls
who have helped them in their
time of expiation.
o. IF man hurts no one bat
himself an taking his oWn life
iohu cannot he take that l0ag ont
10hen he is no longer anything
bat q burden to other people
and to himSelf2
A. A Christian man has no
excuse for regarding himself as
a burden. If he can do nothing
but offer his suffering and help
less condition to God in union
with Christ his life is valuable.
He can by such an oblation give
glory to God, profit souls for
whom he offers his physical and
mental pain. and enrich his own
soul. Further, a man does not
own his life, for it is given him
in trust by God and the Fifth
Commandment forbids tamper-
ing with this great gift of God.
When everything goes. wrong an
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
VASHINCTON LETTER

WASHINGTON ~ Publication
Of the record of the Yalta con-
ference, kept secret since 1945,
recalls that the Administrative
Board of the National Catholic
Welfare Conference said just
after the meeting in the Crimea
'that certain grave misgivings
must be resolved.
The ArchbishopS and Bishops
drew up their statement after the
Yalta meeting, before the death
of President Roosevelt, and as
delegates prepared to converge
on San Francisco for the organ
izing sessions Of the United Ma
tlons.
The prelates said "a sound
world organization is not utop-
ian Dream but they warned that
unless strong, courageous lead
ers. with full support of their
peoples, put their heads TO this
task. there will be no genuine
progress in international life"
Even then, when Russia, Great
Britain, and the United States
we're wartime allies, the Bishops
said every day made more evi-
dent "the fact that two strong
essentially incompatible ways of
life will divide the loyalties of
men and nations in the political
world of tomorrow" These, they
said, are genuine democracy
and MARKHAM totalitarianism"
This, OF course, is precisely
what has happened
The Bishops said isolationiSm
SIS no answer to the worlds
problems" but they warned that
establishment in our country
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

monopoly poll
cy and to rec
ommend ways
and means of
i'm p rowing it,
7 h ere have
b e e n rumors,
almost fro m
the very begin
ming, that this
committee was
S e i ously di-
vided on t h e
question as to
whether or not
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25

in this crisis.
II was on Mar.
10, 1897, the
Feast of st.
Joseph, / h at
Plus XI issued
the most pro-
found analysis
of Communism
that has yet
been written,
the Encyclical
Divini REDEEM
The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-03-25
LOUIS +. BUDENZ

AS we watch the current Red
maneuyers to wreck the security
Of the free world, we can afford
TO turn back t8 years for counsel