Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-12
BY EARL II. VOSS
star stan Writer

Sicily early last month posed a
fascinating question, for the Sicil-
ians and the rest Of the world:
Why do some Catholics vote
for a communist political phi
losophy which is anti-religious?
The Communists, who had held
20 seats in the 90-seat Sicilian
legislature, gained seat in the
elections last June 7. Their fellow
travelling Left-Wing Socialists
also raised their number of seats
from 10 to IL.
Here in the island of Sicily
was the capsule Of a prob
lem which has plagued the
Catholic church in Europe since
World War II. How to recoup the.
OBJECTIONS from Catholicism?
The evidence of detection was
undeniable.
Italy, now a nation of 40 million
people. is represented by the
census takers as 996 per cent
Catholic. Yet six million Italians
have been voting Communist.
Frances As million people are
reputed to be CTS per cent
Catholic, yet 3.9 million voters
backed Communists in the last
election-even in the feverish
atmosphere of de Gaulle's ascend
ancy. AS recently as 1856. Sc
million voters had supported the
Communists.
Comparison Striking
In both cases, the proportion
of Red votes would be more
striking if the comparison were
made with the total of eligible
voters. rather than with the total
population.
The Roman Catholic Church,
of course, has long recognized
Communist political parties es a
deadly enemy. The legend OF
Stains inquiry-"How many di-
visions does the Pope have?"--
has focused the image OF the
Catholic Communist struggle
worldwide.
And two Popes have moved to
place the Catholics in the fore
front of the fight against COM
muniSm.
As, early as July /, 1949. the
Supreme Sacred Congregation of
the Holy Office in the Vatican, the
Pope's Legislature" proclaimed it
sinful to support communism.
Here is a paraphrase of the decree:
1T is prohibited by the church
to join or show favor to the
Communist Party and to publish,
propagate or read books, periodi-
Gals or newspapers that sustain
the doctrine or practice OF COM
muniSm.
"a Roman Catholic who know
ingly and freely transgreSSes the
above provisions may be deprived
Of the sacramentS.
"a Roman Catholic who pro-
fesses, defends, or. spreads the
materialist and anti-Christian
doctrines of communism incurs
ipso facto that degree of excom-
munication from which he can be
relieved only by the Holy See."
These were severe restrictions,
prompted by the upsurge Of Com
munist voting in France and Italy.
Some Are Exempted
Several days later a Vatican Of
fetal softened the impact, some
what:
First, he explained, persons
whose life or death depends on &C
ceptance or rejection of the Com
munist Party membership are not
affected. prisoners of the Reds.
for instance, are excepted. So are
citizens of Iron Curtain countrieso
Second, those who join the Com
munist Party for material advan-
tageS without believing its anti
Christian doctrine, and who are
able to leave the party but do not
do so will be denied the sacraments
but will not incur excommunica-
ton. Denial of the sacraments is
a severe penalty. 1t confrontS the
Catholic with the prospect of being
unable to receive absolution for
his sins, to be married or to re-
ceive last rites of his church.
Third, those who know and &C
cept the Christian teachings
of communism become eXcommu-
nicated. This decree Of 1949 may
have had some effect. But the
Communist vote did not diminish.
Pope Plus suffered his embarrass-
ment inrelative quiet, but used his
influence against the Communists
as elections arose.
When Pope John XIII came to
power there was special situation
developing in Sicily. Politics and
religion there were' mixed. The
Christian Democrats in Sicily, as
sociates of the plurality party in
Italy, found themselves split.
A faction led by one Silvio
Milazzo bolted the party on a nom
religious issue of Sicilian autonomy
he claimed there was too much
interference from Rome-and in a
sensational move made common
cause with the FascistS and the
Communists.
In the election campaign this
spring, the anti-CommuniSt Cath
Ole Silvio Milazzo again allowed