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87988 PERTH, WEDNESPAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1944.
NO. 3,114.
PRICE THREEPENCE.
SEVENTY-FIRST YZAR.
Catholic Tositiort on 5reedom of Worship
As Far as God's Law is Concerned, There is No Right to Accept Any Religion the same time, he has no real right to perform an action which is in fact sinful, however sincere he may be in judgFor a genuine right is ing it lawful. something objective, based on facts as they actually exist. Consequently, those who know that a person is mistaken ties of the Catholic Church are often in believing he has a right to do someaverse to meetings of Catholics with on a purely religious thing are not necessarily treating him non-Catholics is basis-inter-faith or interdenomina- unjustly if they refuse to acknowledge tional or intercredal .meetings, as they his claim. The mere fact that a man By FRANCIS J. CONNELL, C.SS.R., S.T.D. are called-is that such meetings are honestly believes I owe him a hundred liable to create at times the impres- dollars gives him no real right to obapthe lacks Church The teachings of the Catholic Church from .the Catholic sion that denominational distinctions tain that amount from me, when I God. of authorisation and the proval made be should on freedom of worship are unimportant, and that for all prac- know he is mistaken. known to all Christians. For freedom The very existence of'any other church tical purposes, all creeds are equally Hence, the mere fact that a person Christ of of worship is one of the "four free- is opposed to the command Indeed, it sometimes happens sincerely believes a certain religion to good. one His join all men should that esor doms," for whose preservation that statements to this effect are made be true gives him no genuine right to tablishment throughout the world we Church. at such gatherings by non-Catholic accept that religion in opposition to are supposed to be waging the present speakers-not, indeed, in a spirit of God's command that all must embrace The "Right' to Do As One Pleases. Now, since Catholics constitute war. From this it follows that, as far as hostility to Catholic principles, but be- the one true religion. Neither does of population a the of has close to one-sixth cause they are sincerely convinced that it necessarily oblige others to allow God's law is concerned, no one our country, and have contributed a real right to accept any religion save this is the best way to promote friend- him the unrestricted practice of his reconsiderably larger quota to the armed the Catholic religion, or to be a mem- ship and good will. When these things ligious beliefs. If a sincere believer in forces, their attitude toward religious ber of any church save the Catholic happen, the Catholic participants are faith -healing refuses to summon a doe freedom should be explained to the Church, or to practise any form of div- faced with the unpleasant dilemma of tor when he is suffering from a serious people of this nation, and should be ine worship save that commanded or either voicing a public protest, or of contagious disease, it is quite justifiable taken into consideration in the post- sanctioned by the Catholic Church. At seeming to approve by their silence. to force him to accept medical treatAny intelligent and first sight, this claim may seem arrogwar planning. ment, because-however firm may be Such, then, is the first Catholic prinhonest person to whom this attitude is ant. It certainly presents a striking ciple relevant to religious liberty- his faith-he has no right to injure explained clearly and thoroughly must contrast to the statement we hear so right himself and others with his mistaken that man has not an unqualified admit that it is the only consistent frequently to-day, that every one has a to practise any religion he may choose. notions. view in take can practise to Catholics right that stand perfect, inalienable The Catholic attitude toward nonIt was in accord with this principle of their unchangeable religious tenets. any form of religion he wishes. But a that Pope Pius IX, in his Syllabus of Catholic religious beliefs is known techCathothe that show will thought little To doctrine Catholic proposition: the as doctrinal intolcorance. fundamental nically is a condemned It 1864, that Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, lic position is perfectly reasonable. 'Every man is free to embrace and to modern ears this expression may have personal a in believes who person profess that religion which, guided by a disagreeable sound, but when underin the course of His earthly life estab- Any lished a religious society, which He God to whom all creatures are subject the light of reason, he judges true.' stood correctly it signifies nothing else He promised that must admit that He is entitled to comthan the logical attitude of mind that (Denzinger, "Enchridion," n. 1715.) called His Church. pracany intelligent person takes toward this Church would endure, substantial- mand all men to accept and to A common objection to the Catholic religion. of form particular tise one of end The ly as He founded it, until the principle just enunciated centres about views he knows to be erroneous. that actuhas God that hold Catholics Now, men all that commanded He statesman who is firmly convinced time; of conscience." right "the what is caled on imposed should join this Church as a necessary ally done this-that He has we are told, a certain policy is best adapted to the all men the obligation to accept and Every one has the right, needs of his country is intolerant tomeans of saving their souls. He also to do what his own conscience dictates religion the Catholicity, practise to asdivine a special other policies. The skilled surpromised that, by of as the proper thing to do; hence, a per- ward geon who is certain that his method of sistance, His Church would be pre- founded by the divine Redeemer recertain a believes honestly who son Catholics then, Logically served from error in its official teach- the world. perfect right to performing a delicate operation has hold that no one has a genuine right, ligion to be true has a it, whatever rethe best chance of success is intolerant ing of religious doctrine. to profess and to practise is concerned, law as God's far as their believe that toward other methods. Similarly, the Catholics Now, the Catho- ligion it may be. convinced as he is that the Catholic, Church is the Church which Christ es- profess any religion except a misinteron based is creature objection This no Certainly, religion. lic They believe that for Catholic religion is the only true relitablished. of conscience." "right pretation of the comthe disobey to right a genuine has Cathe centuries is intolerant toward other. creeds. more than nineteen It is true, one who makes a sincere and gion, No reasonable person can object to tholic Church has remained substan- mand of God. what discover to investigation cannot sufficient Catholics why This explains an attitude, for if the Catholic tially unchanged as Christ established part in is right, and is then convinced that he such religion is true, all others must be false. it, and that it has continued to pro- in conscience take an active For may adopt a certain mode of action, is services. religious non-Catholic teachings His interpret to and pose Principle of Personal Tolerance. only one Church allowed to act accordingly as far as his without admixture of error. They be- if God has authorisedworship, It is hard to see how some can reit is a sin subjective dispositions are concerned. lieve that the Catholic Church is the to give Him public intellectual intolerance as quite through gard that, rites of Even in the suppoisition only organisation authorised by God to participate in the religious Again, this no fault on his part, he has made a sensible in such matters as politics and to teach religious truth and to con- any other denomination. cannot agree mistake and considered some action to medicine, and yet condemn doctrinal Con- explairis (why Catholics duct public religious worship. that it makes little be good which actually is evil, he is not intolerance in the far more important sequently ,they hold that any creed with the assertionwhat Above all. of religious belief. God. of sphere sight in the sin particular form guilty of any or no difference which differs from that of the Catholic If the Such a person is said to be acting with it is deplorable to meet a Catholic who Church is erroneous, and that any reli- of religion a person professes. (Continued on Page 6.) erroneous conscience. At gious organisation which is separated Son of God has established one form an invincibly
* Why Catholics Cannot Agree That
Religious Forms Make No Difference Doctrinal "intolerance"
For Value and Service
of religion and has told all men
that
they must accept this religion in order to be saved, it certainly makes a great difference whether or not a perton accepts it. One of the reasons why the authori-
Perfectly Logical
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