The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-12-27

cold" sacrament of Confirmation
Parents are told with subtle
threats that it would be better te
have their children indoctrinateG
in the organization" classes and
allowed to go through the cere'
monies, than to participate in q
religious confirmation ceremony.
AS part of their widespread and
exhaustive campaign to win the
Iyouth of East Germany, the Reds
have even placed well trained
and loyal party members in kin
dergartens. Thus the children's
minds are being formed in &C,
cord with communist doctrine
| from the very beginning OF
formal education. The hours dur
ing which religious instruction
can be given have been SO dras.
tically curtailed and surrounded
with restrictions that it is vir-
utally impossible for masses OF
|, youngsters to receive any formal
religious training at all.
The religious situation in Hun
gary is if anything worse than it
was last year, despite some OBJ.
vious propaganda moves to make
it appear otherwise on the part
of the government which was
feisted ON the Hungarian people
by the Soviet Union when it
smashed the peoples revolution
in November, 1856.
Early this December, Arch
bishop JOSEF Groesz of Kalocsa,
acting head of the Hungarian
Hierarchy, was decorated by Hun
garian President Istvan Dobi.
On the other hand, Msgr. Egon
Turcsanyi, former secretary of
His Eminence JOSEF Cardinal
Mindszenty, Primate of Hungary,
has been reported in a state OF
complete mental and physical col
lapse in a Red prison. Msgr. Turo-
sanyi was arrested after the So
Wet intervention in Hungary last
year and most recent reports
stated that he was being tried for
"looting government offices" dur
ing the revolt. The reports stated
that Is young Hungarian priests
were also being tried with Msgr.
Turcsanyi. The charge: distribut-
ing the text of a papal message
and other "inciting' leaflets dur
ing the rebellion.
In September. Bishops Der.
tslsn BsdsIik, o.P., OF Vesz-
prem and Jozsef Petery Of vscE
were deposed from their Sees
and bsnished to small villages.
II Is believed that four Hungar-
ian Bishops are kept from fhe
completes exercise Of their func.
tions. One Of them, Of course, Is
Cardinal Mindszeznty. still In
the refuge Of the US. legation
in Budapest. Red government
officials have said that IT the
CardinsI.Primate were to leave
the legation he would be arr
rested and immediately brought
to trial.
Complaints from many parents
about the lack of sufficient reli-
gious instruction for children has
brought dubious action from the
government. Earlier,
had been allowed that, on the
request of parents, children
might be given limited religious
in the schools, pro-
vided that the classes be held
after the regular school hours.
The latest move called for the
Introduction of "ethics and NOR
ais classes" into schools where
religious instruction Is not pos
sible. It could hardly be surpris-
ing if the "ethics and morals
under the communist re-
CINE are not strictly atheistic and
Marxist.
Fortunately the IS mem-
bers Of the former peace
priests movement have all,
with two notable exceptions,
submitted to thei< Bishops.
Fathers Richard Horvsth and
MikIos B~eresztocxy both con-
tinue as members Of The Hum
sarisn parliament despite . Va
tican degrees last summer
which forbade the participation
of Hungarian priests in politics.
The political situation in Po-
and and the agreements between
he State and the Church there
rave created the best situation
'or Catholics in any of the COM
nunist countries.
Although the government still
mpedes the formation Of some
Kinds Of Church societies and re-
uses recognition to some semin-
lries operated by religious or
iers, the people are free to wor-
,hip, no bishops are in prison and
religion may be taught in the
schools.
Despite protests from Catholic
Of parliament. the gov
eminent continues its censorship
If the Catholic press as well as
he press in general.
"PAx", organization Of The
n . W. discrsditsd progressive
csshoIics", h still In operation
and In effect control, caritss,
the Polish charities organize. !