"ffififfoo
t OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH. Registered at the G.P.O., Perth, for transmission by post as a newspaper. NO. 2,260,
ESTABLISHED 1874. 'PHONE B6950 450 Hay Street, Perth, Box A35, G.P.O., Perth.
PERTH, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1946,
PRICE THREEPENCE
SEVENTY-THIRD YEAR
This was not a diplomatic or poll. emysi and Stanislawow were given conversion: Signor Giannini to Russia. The Communist Warsaw Proviwas baptised, confirmed, made his lust Confession and Holy Commu- sional Government installed by nion and was married after the elec- Soviet Russia, repudiated exactly a year ago Poland's Concordat -with tion, In :he pas; few weeks "a second the Holy See on pretexts which the Catholic party" has been set up, Holy Father himself described as the National Christian Party, which "outrageous, vain and groundless." objects to Signor de Gasperi's view This act deprived the Church of all that it is necessary in present cir- legal safeguards and opened she cumstances to include some Com- way to secularist measures, which munists in the Government. The were not long forthcoming. Although to -day the Church has Vatican newspaper, "Osservatore Romano," knowing Signor de Gas- limited freedom and some members peri and realising the danger of a of the Government even pay lip split in the Christian ranks, Iras service to it, its position is being given the new party an unenthusi- steadily undermined. The Communist newspapers pour out a conastic reception. Unquestionably and by far the tinual barrage of condemnation or ereatest pensonal force in Italy is criticisms of Bishops and clergy. lope Pius XII. The day before The Church's tasks are enormous. Italry's general election, His Holi- The restoration of shattered churAll Catholic schools are closet warned the people-and ches and schools is one of the least ness BELGIUM. France, too, which was having its of its worries. Much worse is the Catholic associations are suppressStrong Catholic Party, banned. Press is Catholic election the same day-that they acute shortage of priests and semAlthough in the February gen- ed. The against inary students. The road back to or would be voting for coal elections the Catholic Party Priest'- have been shot, imprisoned Christianity. The next day the peace is strewn With rocks. polled more votes than any other, or expelled. Three priests shot for Christian Democrats in both coon. NETHERLANDS. the combined opposition of Soviet. "treason" last March were tortured tries took the lead. Catholic Premier. fists, Liberals and Communists' pre. before their trial in an attempt to The lawlessness deliberately enIn the general election last May vented it from establishing a stable make them give false evidence. Many churches are now Governcouraged to hamper and heat the the Catholic Party-which is open regime and it went into opposition. The clergy are con- Russia is determined to make Spain Germans in Italy is being carried to other Ohristians-won 32 of the To-day the country has a Social- ment offices. pay for Franco's defeat of ComThe over into the post-war days in sente 100 seats in Parliament. ist Premier and a Left CoaMtioa stantly attacked. Italian missionmunism, aries have been expelled, parts of Italy, taking a violent form Prime Minister, Dr. Reel, and four Government. "Osseranti-Catholic- other Ministers-those of Justice, of anti-clericalism Belgium's Catholic Party opened The Vatican newspaper, its ranks this year to non-Catholics vatore Romano," commented last help-and because many of the Cie ism-which has resulted in the War, Education and Economic Aftholic are politically M.P,'s inexcivic elementary most May: The death or disappearance. of a con- fairs-are Catholics, and changed its name to the Chrisperienced-the Communists have siderable number of priests. Dutch Catholics are organised intian Social Party. It strongly ad. taken key positions and now exervocates the return of King Leopold, On the whole, however, it appear, dustrially and socially more thee cise a predominant influence. that Italy has learned the terrible °uglily than in any other European an attitude that accentuates its op. The Communists maintain a bitter lesson from the Fascist and war country, They have their own position to the Left. campaign against the Church. Catholic Action is very rigorBy eras and wishes to practise. the trade union, vocational societies the "land reform" ous. The Young Christian Workdecree the Holy Father's motto: "Peace is the and daily and weekly newspapers. Church is deprived of its property. work of justice." ers, with a magnificent war record. Before the war they had their own Its legal rights ceased with the radio stations. are 100,000 streng and the moveRUSSIA. abolition of the old Constitution. The Catholic working people are ment has branches among industrial Heroes, Christian and agricultural workers, college, magnificently loyal to their religious Catholic youth organisations have and university students. been dissolved, and the Catholic Don't call it Godless Russia, It authorities and to the Catholic Half of Belgium's families belong Press, suppressed by :he German'., has a title to be called a land of unions. to the League for Large Families, is still banned. martyrs and living Christian heroes, RUMANIA. which helps struggling parents to To -day Catholic schools are Millions in Russia know, love, Great Hopes Delayed. acquire a home and assists in the Thousands have threatened with secularisaion, pub- and serve God. Between the two World Wars education of their children. lic religious demonstrations suffer died for their faith, Catholic and Rumania was coming into close and Louvain University, badly damagare of thousands from restrictions. Many priests Orthodox. Tens closer friendship with the Church ed in the recent war as it was in are in prison. At least one Bishop in concentration camps and penal and the Holy See. the first World War, has no fewer -Mgr, Zadravecz, 0.F .M., former settlements because they refuse to This movement was helped conthan 7,500 students. Forces' Bishop-is in an intern- deny God. siderably if not actually begun, by Catholic publications, suppressed ment camp, on us the coming into :he nation of the calling Holy. Father, The flourishing are Germans, by the Cardinal Mindszente, the Primate, all to pray for Russia after every population of Transylvanian terriagain. who continues courageously to de. Low Mass, had no notion of urging tory ceded to Rumania after the CZECHOSLOVAKIA. fend the Church, is the chief target us to pray for a lost canoe. l914-18 war. These people were More Persecutions Here. of the Communist assault. Efforts Don't imagine that a few Ortho- largely Catholics of the Byzantine In Czechoslovakia the Church is Salazar shared rooms with the pre- 'have even been made to turn 'he Non -Catholics of the same in playing up to the dic- Rite. facing violent oppression. sent Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon rest of the Hierarchy against him. dox leaders tators are representative of any- rite, meeting, working and living The first blow came soon after in student days. they thing like a majority of the Ortho. with them, discovered that ITALY. the eastern 'part of the country, were almost brothers in religion, dox clergy. containing the Byzantine-Saavonic and human rights have been attackCatholics Are Active, the were as The dictators in the Kremlin are and splendid patriots diocese of Munkacs, was ceded to ed. Under the pretence of political of Fascist rule trying to turn the whole world other Catholics of this rite living the chaos Out of Russia. action the Government has proceed. desperately ruin. against God. All in good time, in in other parts of the country. The Russians liquidated the dio- ed to the expulsion of missionaries and the unwanted, Non -Catholics saw the Holy See emerged a lead- God's time, They will discover that cese, handed over all its property in an effort to hide its hatred of all ous war there has er who has the respect, admiration in making so many martyrs they loved the Byzantine Rite and had to the Orthodox Church and impri. things religious, and particularly and even affection of the majority have sown the seeds of a great not the slightest intention of trying soned the Bishop, Mgr, Rhomza. all things Catholic." to turn them into Latin Catholics, of the Italian people-Signor Alcide Christian renaissance. meanwhile an attack was launch. any more than it intended asking GREECE. and de Gasperi, Prime Minister el on the Church in the strongly POLAND, the Latin Catholics in Rumania No Religious Strife, Foreign Secretary, a model Catholic ea !lac country of Slovakia. The to become Byzantine Catholics. Outsiders, who want a Commun- layman devoted wholly to his reliGallant But Crucified. selsiele are now secularised, the reThis new understanding Was a ist Greece, tell many tales of trou- gion and his country's welfare, ligious teachers dismissed and the Cardinal Hinsley in the early cause for the conclusion of prime ble, but even their inventive minds election last May, general In the Poland's classfrom the crucifix is abolished months of the war likened relations Indeed, a concordat. have not "discovered" religious his party, the Christian Democrats, Lord, Our of those room, sufferings to strife there. ware so cordial that it seemed to won 8,083,208 votes out of 22,952,. and thieves," arrested two were between Bishops Two "crucified of some Catholics than another Catholics in Greece, of both the 880, The Socialists won 4,744,749. For six years the Church in Po those huge national reconciliations hell prisoners for months. Latin and Eastern Rites, are tak- The Communists, who expected to Under the guise of political ac:and was most savagely pereecutto Catholic unity was on the way. ing their full share in the restora- take second place, were placed third tion the Communists and 'the Red eel by Germans and Russia's, whose Then came the war, and now Rution of this gallant, faithful nation, with 4,342,722. the Army killed hundreds of Catholics aim was the destruction of mania is in the grip of the Soviet just as they played their heroic Signor de Gasperi formed a CoaliCatholicism. and sent. between 60,000 and 80,000 country's The reconciliation is deArmy. part in resistance to the invader. tion Govrnment, including the Comto concentration camps or prison. Priests were murdered -2,000 layed, munists. HUNGARY. Last June the Communists won died in Dachau alone-or deported, The Christian Democrats' poll churches and schools closed, monGERMANY. The Reds Dominate, the general election in Bohemia does not represent the whole CaRule of Four, and Moravia, but were heavily de- Overwhelmingly Catholic, Hungary asteries and seminaries suppressed. Germany, governed by the Rule The Govern- is largely in the grip of Commun. tholic vote, Several other parties Dioceses were left without Bishops, feated in Slovakia. notably diviinclude many Catholics, some almost without any clergy. of Four, reflects in its four ment banned any attempt to form late. In this year's general election Uomo Qualunque (Common Man). The end of the war brought no sions the pattern of religious conaia Christian Party. the Sanallhoklers' (Catholic) Party Greatest Figure. ALBANIA. Poland's altered boundar- dons in Britain, France, the Unitrelief. gained 65 per cent, of the votes This party scored an unexpected ies reduced the Catholic population ed States and Soviet Russia, Communist -Dominated. In one zone you find British tolIts from 26,000,000 19,000,000. to The same pattern of events is to and formed the Government. The success with 1,209,918 votes. CommunisSdominated Communists polled only 15 per cent, leader, Signor Giannini, is a recent Through the Carson Line, the three erance ,goodwill in individuals, or. be seen in of the votes. But. with Russian convert to the Church. Ruthenian dioceses of Lwow, PrzAlbania. (Continued on Page 12
Persecution of the Church Throughout Europe
Widespread
The Battle for Christianity Has been Joined
Will Catholicism. Have to Re-Enter the Catacombs?
-
-