The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-04-10

mando Hart then promised
to have Christian morality
taught in the schools but said
that, because of tradition and
constitutional requireme n t S,
public schools will continue
to be strictly secular. At the
time he quoted fears that
Catholic schools would suffer
restrictions because of the
controversy aroused by the
request.
Now that the storm has
died down, many qualified OBJ
servers have noted that, in
view of the difficulties fac
ing the regime in other areas,
raising the question of relig-
ious instruction, while a valid
one for Catholics to bring up,
was untimely and did not take
adequate account of the state
of Cuban public opinion.
A group of priests, after re-
portedly discussing the ques-
ton with Church authorities,
issued a statement saying:
las Catholics we have 10
defend the right to tinsrodveel
religious instruction in the
schools and the Church has re.
minded everyone OF this =.
But no one is talking about
. union between Church and
state Above all there has
been no desire 10 create diff
evlties for the government or
start religious conflicts. II the
petition lfor religious edues-
fion) Is going TO create diff
cvifss at . time when the need
is for unity and work, we are
willing 70 avoid any obstse-
les"
Another major issue which
has involved the Church is the
manner in which those accus-
ed of crimes against Castro's
followers and others have
been tried and executed. Cath
olics have been united in con-
demning the atrocities COM
mitted by Batista henchmen
and, when criticism Of Cas-.
tro's treatment of war GRIMM
ais reached Cuba, a number of
Catholic writer's, including
some priests, stated that the
trials were fair and the death
penalties just.
However, Auxiliary Bishop
Alfredo Mueller Of Havana de-
eiared that he was against
capita punishment. The
Church. he said. tends always
TO forgive and only accepts .
death penalty in clearly ivsfi-
fled cases. He did not elsbor-
ate.
In Santiago - the hotbed
of the Castro rebellion-Arch-
bishop Enrique Perez Seran-
ties. who had once saved Cas-
tro's life when il was threat
ened by Batista eXecutioners,
urged the Cuban leader to
stop the executions. Clemency
is a greater virtue than jus
nce, he declared.
His plea went vnhssdsd.
Executions were halted during
Holy Week, but trials have
since bssn spesdsd up in sew.
ersl places and the total mum.
bsr Of executions 10 now near
ing 500.
Bishop Alberto Martin Villa
verde of Matanzas, however,
has given the swift trials and
harsh sentences of the mill
tary courts qualified approval.
He said that without them the
relatives of the 10000 or 49,
600 persons tortured or MUIR
dered during the Batista era
might have taken justice into
their own hands and started
a chain reaction Of killings
that would have brought death
to many innocent people.
On the other hand, Catho-
lies have strongly criticized
the circus-like atmosphere sur
rounding the trial in late Jan
uary of a Batista official, Sosa
Blanco, who was sentenced to
death.
Many Catholics. TOO. find II
hard 70 Justify ths rstrial Of
group Of - sirmen charged
with atrocities. They were
first brought TO trial and &C.
qvitted by Csstro's own mill
tsry tribunal. Than, on the or
der Of the revolutionary lead.
Or, they wore tried by another
court and sentenced 10 stiff