The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-02-20

Continued from Page y
on Catholic doctrine occupied
. prominent place Ut . nation
si PoAU convention.
DR.. Hall left no doubt in
the delegates minds that he
felt the Catholic Church was a
threat to the freedom which
he defined as "the right of
self-determination." He was
applauded three times when
he spoke out against such
matters as Catholic insistence
on Catholic education for
children, and the doctrine of
Purgatory.
But the overall convention
formal indicated a sharp
change from previous POAU
sessions. Leading Catholic
critics, such as Paul Blansh-
ard, were not present.
And at the closing session,
Missouri Methodist Bishop Eu-
gene Nj. Frank, in an unusual
action for POAU sessions, did
not mention the Catholic
Church by name, but made
the chief burden of his talk
the necessity for POAU mem
bers to further belief in God.
Also, the organization SEEM
ed to take for granted that
America would one day be
~predominantly Catholic.
Harold z. Fey Of Chicago.
editor Of the Christian Gen.
fury, an "undenominationsl"
weekly, said at the opening
session that he no longer con.
sfdered the United States .
Protestant country. While he
said that he did not yet con-
slider it to be Catholic, he i'm
Dictated he felt Catholicism
was becoming more infIu-
entail in labor unions and po-
litieal parties.
&c. Stanley Lowell, associate
POAU director, pointed out
in the session that in less than
200 years the Catholic Church
"has grown from the small
est denomination in the coun-
try to the largest"
"Such a sensational increase
in the dimensions Of the Ro-
man Catholic community" he
added, suggests that this
faith may, in the foreseeable
future, become predominant
in the United States and at
tain political and cultural con-
troll"
Catholic growth is aided,
he added wistfully, by the
curious theology" Catholics
have about artificial birth
limitation.
Mr.. Lowell charged that IL
Catholics beeame predomi-
nant in the United States h.
doubted that Protestant wor-
ship would be harmed, but
that it would be Carefully re-
sfricted." He said he feared
that Protestant demon i +.
fionaI schools" would be clos.
ed, along with Protestant hos
pitfalls and other institutions.
and that conversions to Prot.
sstantism would be barred. He
predicted the first step to be
taken by Catholics il they Of.
tanned . majority would be
slloeating tax funds for paro.
ehiaI schools. Stepped up
grants for other Catholic insfi.
tUtions would follow, and
there might even be tax-svp.
ported stipends for priests, he
said.
Glenn l.. Archer, POAU ex.
ecutive director, repeated his
previously announced desire
that candidates for the us.
presidency give assurances
that they favor religious free
dom for all.
THE United States must
not be . Protestant nation or
a Jewish nation, but always {
great, free democratic nation
in which ell creeds are equal
before the law" he declared.
Delegates heard sew e r a ]
mentions of the Catholic
press. The Indiana Catholic
and Record, America, the St,
Louis Review, and the Knights
of Columbus advertisements
in national magazines all were
quoted.
THE Indiana Catholic, news
paper Of the indianapolis
archdiocese, was quoted svs'
sesiins fhs Spanish hierarchy
was behind the times in its
1948 statement urging more
evrbs on Protestant proseiyfiz'