"T HE struggle between good and evil remained in the world as a sad legacy of the original fall . Nor has the ancient tempter ever ceased to deceive mankind with false promises. It is on this account that one convulsion follow ing upon another has marked the passage of the centuries, do w n to the re volution of our own days . This modern revolution , it may be said, has actually broken out or threatens every-. where, and it exceeds in amplitude and violence anyth ing yet experienced in the preceding persecutions launched against the Ch urch . Entire peoples find themselves in danger of fall- ing back into a barbarism worse than that wh ich oppress ed th e greater part of the world at the coming of th e Redeemer ." . Impriml\ potest : \. N ihil obstat: Im prima tur : , \ ~Pius XI. March 19. 1937 \ \ \ , Samu el H orine, S.]. Praep . Provo Mi ssourian ac .: . F. ]. H olweck 9~nsor L ibroriJm .1< J oannes .r. Glennon Archiepisco pus S ti. Lu clovi ci Sti. Ludovici , di e 1 6 Juli i. 193 7 ANY FINANCIAL PROFIT lIIade by th e Central Office of th e Sodalitv "LCJili b e used for th e advaNcell1elit of th e Soda lity move mel1t and th e cause of Ca th olic Acti01I. Copyri gh t, 1937 T HE QUEEN'S WORK , Inc. A VOICE FROM THE PAST "We will grapple with the Lord God in due season. We shall vanquish Him in His heaven; and wherever He seeks refuge we shall subdue Him forever." These words were spoken by a man who has since appeared before the tribunal of God's mercy. There is something startling in the utterance, something that makes one gasp in horror at the audacity of a petty creature who attempts to pit his puny power against the might of the Lord of the universe. Today these words have a pathetic ring , for they were uttered to further a cause which later repudiated the man who spoke them, a man who rejected God and who was later rejected by Godless men who con~ demned him to death. Such was the lot of Zinoviev , who in two short sentences hurled his twentieth~century defiance at Almighty God. THE FIRST CHALLENGE Communism's defiance- of God's dominion over mankind is not the first that has been offered Him. Long ago, at the very dawn of the human race , the divine rights of heaven were called into question. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve violated God's command . It was the first - revolt of the human race against divine authority; it was the first attempt of frail humanity to "grapple with the Lord God" and to "vanquish Him in His heaven ." And like the chal~ lenge of the modern Zinovi'ev, who but expressed the teach~ ings and principles of Marx, Lenin and Stalin , the first revolt was a dismal failure. The results of that first uprising are well known today and they are as clearly discernible in the lives of men, women and children of the twentieth century as they were in the earliest days of the human race. The story of the first challenge and its application to present~day conditions may be viewed thus: a. The first challenge to divine authority was offered in the Garden of Eden. b. Adam and Eve sinned. They revolted against God. c. Results: Heaven was closed; Adam and Eve were banished from the garden; their intellects were darkened, 1 their wills were weakened; and there was in them strong inclination to evil. d. Communism of the twentieth century is also a revolt against God. e. Results: The effects of Adam and Eve's revolt are manifested in those who are promoting communism today. These people are blind to the truths of faith; they are weak in following the teachings of Christ; their efforts to over~ throw God are diabolical. f. God promised Adam and Eve a Redeemer to save the human race and at the same time hurled His challenge at Satan: "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." In these words war was declared between the powers of darkness and the Kingdom of Heaven, between Satan and the Immaculate Mother of Christ. From that moment on , two camps were established to oppose one another: the Kingdom of God and the King~ dom of Satan. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER The first encounter between the two forces is recorded in the pages of the Old Testament. Like its counterpart of modern times, the enemy reaches forth to strike at the Creator through the person of the creature. The book of Genesis presents the simple setting. a. Cain and Abel were brothers, the one a tiller of the soil. the other a shepherd. b. From the fruits of their labor both offered sacrifice to God. "Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock , and of their fat. And the Lord had respect to Abel and his offer~ ings . But to Cain and his'offerings He had no respect. And Cain was exceedingly angry , and his countenance fell. And the Lord said to him: Why art thou angry? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou do well , shalt thou not receive? But if ill, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door? But the lust thereof shall be under thee , and thou shalt have dominion over it. " - (Gen . IV, 4~7.} c. Unfortunately Cain did not harken to the voice of God , nor did he control his anger , but he went forth with his brother and slew him. Cain revolted against God. He attacked God through the person of Abel. 2 d. He was the forerunner of those who in years to come were to attack the Eternal Father through the person of His divine Son; he was the forerunner of those who down through the centuries have attacked God through the Mystical Body of Christ , His Church. MAN'S NEED OF GOD From the very moment of the first revolt of the human race against divine authority man needed God to right the wrong brought by the sin of Adam and Eve; for God it was who was offended , and God alone it was who could forgive the offense. Man had been destined for heaven , but sin robbed him of his inheritance. To regain what he had lost, man was in need of God , absolutely dependent on Him. He could not live on the face of the earth and say it made no difference to him what God's attitude toward him might be. Man felt the need of God. There was an eternal yearn- ing in his heart to bow in worship before one whom he looked upon as a deity, one who would satisfy the eternal cry of the creature for the Creator. When man turned away from the true God, we find him making for himself a false God. One representation of such a deity was the Golden Calf, before whom the Chosen People bowed in worship. It was an attempt on the part of man to turn away from the Eternal Father and set up in His place a false god that he hoped would satisfy that eternal craving implanted in the mind and heart and soul of the human race. Time and again man has sought to put God out of his life; but whenever and wherever he has done so , his very being has demanded that he worship some false deity . Man's religious nature demands that he do so. Today communism worships at the altar of irreligion. Today communism's religion of irreligion forcefully portrays the evil effects of Adam and Eve 's turning away fro m God: i. e ., the d arkening of man 's understanding , the weakening of his will, and the strong inclination to evil. GOD'S RECOGNITION OF MAN'S NEED God alone fully recognized the dreadful consequences following upon the revolt of Adam and Eve. That revolt was not one to be put down with the mere declaration of a 3 truce. Satan had played upon their folly to draw them into hostilities : using them as instruments wherewith to strike at God Himself. The simple challenge terminated in a three~cor~ nered warfare with God. man and Satan playing the leading roles. Were it a struggle between God and man alone the story would be different. God recognized the presence of a third party. and His knowledge of the adversary reveals a loving consideration for the weakness of man. This loving consideration is readily seen from a study of the following points. a. God knows and understands that Satan accepted the challenge hurled at him in the Garden of Eden. b. God knows the power and the deceitful tactics of the enemy arrayed against Him. c. God knows the diabolical hatred that animates Lucifer and his followers . d. God knows that life on earth is a warfare and that all the world can be and is divided into but two camps: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. e. In this eternal struggle God knows that man needs Him ~ He knows that this need is founded in the cry of the human heart for the Eternal Father. It is part of man's makeup. His very nature craves it as the little child craves the presence of its mother. It is but man 's acknowledg~ ment that he is dependent on the Eternal Father ; that he . a human creature. is dependent on God. the div ine Creator. f. God knows that man needs human sympathy. human support. human encouragement; th at he needs the so un d of the human voice. the touch of the human hand . the sympathy and understanding of the human heart as he struggles along in his battle against the Kingdom of Satan. If God were only closer to him (man), the problem would be solved. GOD'S SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM Centuries roll away. but God is ever mindful of man's revolt and his need of help in what is prov ing to be a hopeless struggle. Down through the centuries God sent His prophets to preach and communicate His will and de~ signs to the Chosen People. to strengthen them in the prac~ tice of the Old Law. to lead them back when they had strayed and gradually to prepare them for the arrival of the 4 Messias. whose coming to earth has had its marked in- fluence on the problems confronting the world today. a. "This day is born to you a Savior. who is Christ the Lord."-(Luc. ii, 11 .) "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." - (2 Pet. i, 17.) h. Man is no longer alone. God is at hand with all His help. Christ His Son is our leader and companion in arms. Let the conflict be what it may. man is not alone. The promised Redeemer is at hand to save the human race and to wage war against the powers of darkness. In the person of His divine Son the Eternal Father has descend ed into the arena to take part in that struggle which began in the Garden of Eden. The God-man has come to cross swords with the enemy of the human race. THE LEADER AND HIS PLAN Three important factors with reference to the Leader must be borne in mind. Their application to the conditions of the pr'esent day is as timely as it was to those of two thou- sand years ago. a. His Coming. The time was most opportune. Man had drifted away from the Eternal Father. He was wor- shiping at the altar of unknow n gods. Pride, lust. ha tred. envy. revenge. greed. were his masters. His intellect was darkened. his will was weakened. and he was giving rein to the strong inclination to evil that was plunging him into utter destruction. Man had cut himself off from the influence of God and. like Cain of old . was a wanderer on the face of the earth. h. The Divine Plan. The first step in the divine plan called for thirty years of seclusion on the part of the Leader. He Himself would live the manual of arms that He would teach in a later day. The second step in the divine plan called for three years of intensive activity on the part of the Leader. during which He would expound the principles of His cam- paign . lay bare the treachery and deceits of the enemy and crown His endeavors by establishing His Church . which was to carryon in His nam.e after He had returned to the Father. To His followers in this campaign He would say: "Have confidence; I have overcome the world ." 5 "I am with you all days. even to the consummation of the world." "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." "He that seeth me . seeth Him that sent me." c. The Price of Victory. Opposition faced Him at every turn. The leaders of the people arrayed themselves against Him. The high priests. the scribes . the Pharisees looked upon Him as their enemy. They thwarted His every effort in behalf of the people and in their anger plotted and planned His death. Like Cain. they became exceedingly angry and their countenances fell. And as God once said to Cain. so could He say to each of them . "Why art thou angry? Why is thy countenance fallen?" Although people and leaders alike were compelled to admit that Christ "went about doing good." that never be~ fore "did man speak like this man." that no just cause co~ld be found against Him personally nor against His teachings or His works. yet the verdict against Him was that "it is fitting that one man should die for the people." The price of victory was Calvary. Persecution for · three and thirty years terminated in death. And persecution was the legacy that Christ left to His followers. "If they have persecuted me. they will also persecute you." "The hour cometh. that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to God." STUDY CLUB QUESTIONS I A VOICE FROM THE PAST. Give the statement that may be re- garded as the theme of the present anti-God campaign of the communists. What is so pathetic about the statement of Zinoviev? Would the state- ment lead one to believe that the communistic campaign is not only anti- God but essentially Godless? THE FIRST CHALLENGE. Is communism's revolt against God. man's first defiance of divine authority? Discuss the circumstances of the first revolt. Will man's efforts today be more successful? Why? In what way are the results of the first revolt manifested today? Explain the meaning of the expression. "The Kingdom of God versus the Kingdom of Satan, " Who compose the membership of each camp? THE FIRST ENCOUNTER. In what way does man wage war against God? How is this method exemplified in the first encounter? Does hatred playa part in it? Is the same method in use today? What is meant by the Mystical Body of Christ? Does an understanding of the Mystical Body of Christ aid to a better understanding of the aims of Godless communism? 6 MAN'S NEED OF GOD. Why was man absolutely dependent on God after the first revolt? Does man of his very nature feel the need of God? Discuss the statement. "Today communism worships at the altar of irreligion." GOD'S RECOGNITION OF MAN'S NEED. Why does God mani- fest His loving consideration for the weakness of man? Do the circum- stances which prompted this loving consideration exist at the present time? What is meant by saying, "Life on earth is a warfare"? Is it warfare between man and God or is there a third part to be considered? GOD'S SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. In what manner does God come to the help of the human race? Why is the help rendered looked upon as a turning point of the world's history? THE LEADER AND HIS PLAN. State and explain three important factors that must be borne in mind concerning the Leader. What was His plan of campaign? Why is the Leader's plan of campaign as timely in the twentieth century as it was in the first? APPARENT FAILURE To all appearances Christ's plan had failed when He was put to death. The failure , however , was only apparent; for on the third ' day Christ arose from the dead. For forty days He appeared to the Apostles and the people , ptoving that He was a living Christ , conqueror of man's mortal foes ~death and the grave. During these days He made the final and necessary arrangements for His Church that was to perpetuate His presence and His teachings until the end of time. Peter was established as His vicar, an d upon him and the other Apostles rested the obligation of seeing to the carrying out of the command , "Going therefore , teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father , and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe. all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days , even to the consummation of the world."~(Matt. xxviii: 19-20.) A PROPHECY FULFILLED Christ had foretold that His Church would be persecuted a~ He Himself had been persecuted. It was a warning that only brave hearts could bear to hear. Solemnly He spoke His prophecy, and little by way of encouragement could be found in it by men who were anxious to launch forth on a new enterprise: "Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me , 7 they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also.".- (Jno. xv, 20.) A little time elapsed and the prophecy was fulfilled. The loyal followers of Christ, with Peter at their head, encoun~ tered their first opposition from the Jewish council. They were forbidden to preach the gospel. and orders were issued that they be imprisoned and scourged. Insidious attacks were made against the infant church, accusing the faithful of crimes which they had never committed. They were held up as disloyal to the emperor, were accused of being public enemies of the state, and, because they refused to offer incense to the pagan gods of Rome , they were looked upon as atheists. THE PROPHECY FURTHER FULFILLED For three centuries the powers of darkness waged a bitter warfare against the Mystical Body of Christ. A diabolical hatred motivated each persecution directed against the early Christians. Founded , as the persecutions were, on a bitter class hatred, it was inevitable that every form of human torture and human cruelty would characterize them. Nothing was left undone in man's mad effort to drive Christ out of the hearts and souls of those who professed faith in Him and love for Him. Even at this early period of the Church's existence the following important facts are strikingly ex~ emplified : a. The evil consequences of man's first revolt against God. Man's understanding was darkened, his will was weakened, and there was in him a strong inclination to evil. h. Man's firm conviction that religion, belief .in God and all that it implies, is as natural to him as the air he breathes. Torture and even death itself were not able to shatter this conviction. c. Man's assurance that the gates of hell would not and could not prevail against the Church of Christ. THE PERSECUTIONS The followers of the new Leader were called upon to prove by deed and action that they were members of the Church Militant and that they had learned the true meaning of the Master's words , "If any man will come after me , let him deny himself, and take up his cross , and follow me. " 8 -(Matt. xvi, 24.) Persecution following persecution was for them a bitter test. a. Persecution of Nero. Nero set the city of Rome on fire and then accused the Christians of the crime. The tor~ ture and the cruelty meted out beggar description. b. Persecution of Domitian. His hatred of virtue brought about this persecution as it has brought about so many other persecutions down to the present day. c. Persecution of Trajan. This persecution was waged against the Christians because of their refusal to participate in a public service of thanksgiving to the false gods . . The faithful were called upon to deny God and were forbidden to worship God. These a're the tactics of modern~day per~ secution of Christ. d. Persecution of Maximin. Maximin shows a modern tendency in his persecution . It is directed primarily against the clergy. The emperor hoped to shake the faith of the Church by depriving it of its lawful pastors. e. Persecution of Valerian. Valerian forbade the Christians to assemble at the catacombs and banished bishops and priests who refused to abide by his edict to sacrifice to false gods. All the clergy were ordered to be beheaded. THE CHANGING ADVERSARY The adversary of Christ and of Christ's Mystical Body never declares a truce. His o ccupation is warfare . and. fa i th~ ful to that pursuit , he battles ceaselessly against the Church of Christ. The strategy of the Evil One appears to change with the succeeding centuries , but its objective, is always the same-the destruction of the Church of Christ. " Your adversary , the devil, as a roaring lion , goeth about seeking whom he may devour " is St. Peter 's summary of the eternal battle between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. THE ENEMY AND HIS STRATEGY A bird ' s~eye view of the past four centuries reveals the enemy 's varied attacks against the Church of Christ. a. The Sixteenth Century. The century of revolt. A direct attack is made on the Mystical Body of Christ as men attempt to reform the Church. The unity of the Church 9 is broken and all authority suffers under the g eneral attack . Luther leads the attack by challenging hitherto universally accepted teachings of Christ and His Church. In reality Christ is again persecuted as He was persecuted by the Jews of old. It is an insidious piece of strategy, but none the less an attack upon Christ. h. The Seventeenth Century. The century of absolut~ ism and secularism. Not individual leaders of revolt , but the new religions are now the Church's chief cause of dis~ tress. While she fights off Gallicanism , Jansenism saps her inner strength. c. The Eighteenth Century. The century of infidelism . The rebellion of the sixteenth century is carried to its logical conclusions. Man had revolted against authority , had deni ed the Church her right to direct him , and had asser ted the infallibility of his own judgment in regulating his conduct. Dangerous freethought becomes inevitable. During this period Rousseau and Voltaire carryon the attack against the Church of Rom e. d. The Nineteenth Century. The century of liberal~ ism . This treacher ous foe , " by proclaiming man's absolute autonomy in the intellectual, moral, and social order, deni es. at leas t practically, God and supernatura l religion . If car~ ried out lo gically, it leads even to th eological denial of G od , by putting deified mankind in place of God ." Th e errors arising from liberalism in questions dealing with church and state, divine law, ecclesiastical law, and various articles of b elief were frequently condemned by supreme pontiffs from Pius IX to Benedict XV. e. The Twentieth Century. The century of com~ munistic atheism. The Kingdom of Satan has , in innumer~ able ways, attempted to conquer the Kingdom of Christ , but it remained for the twentieth century to witness the most diabolical of all Satanic devices-the denial of God's very existence, the denial of man's dependence upon a superior being , the denial that man as a creature is neces~ sarily dependent on his Creator. In a word , communistic atheism ignores what every other form of attack upon the Church of Christ has admitted-namely, that there is an eternal yearning in the heart and soul of man to bow down and worship a deity, whether that deity be a god of his own making or the one true God, who is the Creator and Father of the human race. 10 DANGER THREATENS The pagan persecutions of the first three centuries of the Christian era are almost forgotten. The persecutions occa~ sioned by the Protestant revolt , and . the assaults made on religion in the seventeenth , eighteenth, and nineteenth cen~ turies appear less formidable as the civilized world awakens to the fact that its belief in God is being directly threatened by a modern foe. Communism today considers the Church of Christ to be the only international force that is capable of blocking com~ munism's plan of dechristianizing and dereligionizing the world. With all the diabolical hatred that characterized earlier persecutions against the Church, communistic propa~ ganda is at present leaving nothing undone to uproot from the minds and hearts of the human race belief in the teach~ ings and doctrines of Christ. Communism is a real danger. In directing its attack against the Catholic Church, it is but renewing the eternal struggle that God , in the Garden of Eden, declared would exist between the Kingdom of Christ and powers of dark~ ness. As envy and hatred on the part of Cain prompted him to murder his brother, Abel, as envy and hatred on the part of the Jews prompted them to murder Christ, so today do envy and hatred prompt the communistic regime of Moscow to wage unto death its bitter persecution against the Mystical Body of Christ. In the present as in the past the darkened understanding of man attempts to strike at the omnipotent God by hurling its attack against the persons of those who profess faith , hope an d love in H im. . CENTURIES-OLD TACTICS It is to be noted that the fundamental tactics employed by the adversary in waging his more recent persecutions against the Church of Christ are essentially the same as those used in the second and third centuries. The strategy of the enemy called for: . a. Bitter class hatred in preference to Christ' s com~ mandment of brotherly love: "Love one another as I have loved you. " b. A direct attack is made on the bishops and priests of the Church. It is hoped that by removing the shepherds of the flock the fold of Christ will be dispersed. 11 c. The infliction of bodily suffering as a means of shat- I tering faith in the teachings of Christ. d. The confiscation of property and the privation of civil and political rights of those courageous enough to with- stand the first attack made against them . The use of these tactics is clearly seen in the persecutions of the Church as carried out in Mexico and Russia today. In his encyclical on Mexico the Holy Father says in part: "An effort has been made to strike the Church in a still more vital spot : viz .. in the existence of the clergy and the Catholic hierarchy. by trying to eliminate it gradually from the Republic ... Indeed the persecutors. as though sorry for having been too liberal and indulgent . have imposed further limitations. Some governors closed seminaries. con- fiscated canonries. and determined the sacred buildings and the territory to which the ministry of the approved priests would be restricted. (Italics ours.) "The clearest manifestation of the will to destroy the Catholic Church itself is. however . the explicit declaration published in some states that the civil authority. in granting the license for priestly ministry . recognizes no hierarchy; on the contrary. it positively excludes from the possibility of exercising the sacred ministry all of hierarchic rank : viz .. all bishops and even those who have held the office of Apostolic Delegate. (Italics ours.) "We wished briefly to rehearse the salient points in the grievous condition of the Church in Mexico . so that all lovers of order and peace among nations . on seeing that such an unheard-of persecution differs but little. especially in certain states. from the one raging within the unhappy borders of Russia, may. from this iniquitous similarity of purpose. conceive fresh ardor to stem the torrent that is subverting all social order. " (Italics ours. ) STUDY CLUB QUESTIONS II APPARENT FAILURE. Why do you say Christ's plan was only an apparent failure? What command did Christ lay upon Peter a nd the Apostles? Was that command given for the Apostles only? Is it being carried out today? By whom? Does it apply in some manner to all members of the Mystical Body of Christ? Explain your answer. A PROPHECY FULFILLED. What did Christ for etell concerning His Church. and how was His prophecy fulfilled during the time of the 12 apostles? Was it an encouraging pronouncement for men anxious to launch forth on a new enterprise? Are the same faith and courage re- quired today? THE PROPHECY FURTHER FULFILLED. State three important facts that are strikingly manifest in the persecutions of the early centuries . Would you say that Christ was the central figure in the early persecu- tions waged against the Church? THE PERSECUTIONS. Who were some of the leaders of the perse- cutions against the early Church? Show points of similarity between the early persecutions and those of the 20th century. THE CHANGING ADVERSARY. Who is the real leader of all persecutions, early or modern, against the Church? What is his ultimate objective? THE ENEMY AND HIS STRATEGY. Characterize the 16th century with reference to the Church of Christ. What of the 17th century? Explain conditions in the 18th century in the light of what has gone before. Show how the 19th century contributed to the present anti-God movement. Point out the particular malice of the 20th century per- secutions ~ the characteristic which distinguishes it from all preceding persecutions. DANGER THREATENS. Why are the early persecutions almost forgotten or deemed less formidable in comparison with the persecutions of Godless communism? What is communism seeking to do to your belief in the teachings of Christ? How does it attain this objective by directing its attack against the Catholic Church? Do envy and hatred playa part in the program? Has Satan's attitude changed toward those professing faith, hope and love in God? CENTURIES-O):,D TACTICS. What tactics employed by the a dver- sary of Christ are fundamentall y the same in all persecutions waged against the Church? Confirm your answer from the Holy Father's ency- clical on Mexico. (See page 12. ) DIABOLICAL HATRED Diabolical hatred is the motivation force behind com- munistic activities. Satan , clothed in communistic garb , is waging bitter war against the Kingdom of Christ. This is the only adequate explanation that can be advanced for a movement which advocates , in the words of one of its leaders, the following policy: " We hate Christianity and Christians ; even the best of them must be looked upon as our worst enemies. They preach the love of our neighbor and mercy, which is con- trary to O1,lr principles. Christian love is an obstacle to the development of the revolution . Down with the love of our neighbors! What we want is hatred. We must learn to hate, and it is only then that we shall conquer the world. " ,.......Lunacharsky. It is no wonder, then, that Pius XI refers to Satan as the 13 motivating force back of communism's attack on Almighty God. In his encyclical Caritate Christi Compulsi the Holy Father identifies the enemy in the following manner: "The spirit of evil"; "Satanic hatred of religion"; "the unchained powers of darkness"; "the Satanical banners of war against God"; "diabolical reasoning"; "the dark power"; "the sowers of tares." HATRED DIRECTED AGAINST THE CHURCH Let there be no doubt that this Satanic hatred is directed against the Church of Christ. It is the only organization strong enough to withstand the organized plans of com~ munism. Communists themselves realize this fact, which i5 attested by the following statement of Yaroslavsky: "The Catholic Church , with the Pope in its van , is now an im~ portant bulwark of all counter revolutionary organizations and forces." From the same source a similar thought ema~ nates : "The most powerful religiOUS organization in the world is the Roman Catholic Church , with the Pope of Rome at its head." Communistic literature, communistic propaganda in every form , offer clear indications that the Church of Rome is the object of Communism's bitter attack. Blasphemous por~ trayals in picture, poster and cartoon of the heavenly Father , of Christ, of the Holy Eucharist, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the saints, of the Popes, all bear mute testimony to the fact that Christ is again being persecuted in His Mystical Body, the Catholic Church. Mr. Middleton Murray, in his brochure on the Necessity of Communism, states the situation well: "The coming struggle is between communism and Ca~ tholicism , for the reason that in this battle against communism no other religion really counts, because no other religion has the necessary unity of belief and action or the requisite obedience to legitimate authority. Only a disdplined army can stand up against a disciplined army." THE REASON FOR THE ATTACK Communists see in the Catholic Church a real obstacle to the advancement of their cause. They see that the Church , as a world~wide organization , possesses features that appear 14 somewhat similar to, yet are actually totally different from , those characteristic of communism. The points of similarity compel them to admire the Church, at least as an organiza~ tion, while the points of dissimilarity make of the Church an enemy worthy of consideration, yet an enemy to be over~ come at any cost. al. Communism has a defi~ nite program, the program of Lenin and Stalin reduced to action in the Third Inter~ national of Moscow. bI. A true enthusiasm, a real zeal for the propagation of their cause is character~ istic of the loyal followers of communism. The influence they have exerted on ap~ proximately one~sixth of the world's population bears testimony to the fact. cl. Communism is, or at least approximates being. a world~wide movement. Its spirit of motivation is neither national nor international in character; it is both superior and inferior to either of these qualifications. It is a move~ ment founded essentially on a class spirit. a spirit of class struggle and class hatred. dl. Communism as an organized movement is ca~ pable of wielding tremendous 15 a2. Catholicism has a defi~ nite program. It is the pro~ gram of the divine Founder. Christ. and is embodied in the Old and New Testa~ ments and in the teaching authority of the Church. b2. A true enthusiasm. an apostolic zeal for the spread of Christianity has always been an outstanding trait of the loyal followers of Christ. The message of the Gospel has been ' preached in every part of the globe and the in~ fluence of Christ's doctrine has been felt everywhere. c2. The Catholic Church is a w:orld~wide organization. Like communism. it is neither national nor international in character; it transcends and is superior to each of these qualifications. It is an organ~ ization that is supernational in its scope. founded on the principle of universal love. on the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Love of man. whether man is considered as an indi~ vidual. a group. a class. or a nation. and not hatred. is its dominant note. d2. The Catholic Church. founded by the divine Law~ giver Himself. enjoys su~ influence, because it demands and receives unfailing obedi~ ence to centralized authority. It is the obedience to Mos~ cow that makes the com~ munist party a well~disci~ plined army fighting for a definite and united cause. el. Communism, as part of its program of propa~ ganda , makes every effort to win the youth of a nation to its insidious principles. Correctly it looks upon the children of today as the leaders of tomorrow , and hence from earliest child~ hood it inoculates them with the principles of Lenin and Stalin and the Third Inter~ national. preme authority , with the right of demanding and re~ ceiving unfailing obedience from its loyal followers. This legitimate authority is vested in the Pope of Rome, Christ's Vicar on earth. Two thou~ sand years have proved that the Church, because of its centralized authority , is a foe worthy of any enemy. e2. The Catholic Church is preeminently known for its interest in youth . From the earliest days of childhood she guards the treasure en~ trusted to her care , for she looks upon the soul of a child as a soul belonging to Christ in a special way. Her legisla~ tion wisely demands that Christian education be given the child , the youth, the adolescent , as a necessary safeguard against the pagan~ ized influences of the day . A TWENTIETH-CENTURY CHALLENGE History is repeating itself, and the twentieth~century per~ secution is a challenge to every loyal Catholic to rally to the banner of Christ. In this treacherous warfare leaders are needed to follow in the footsteps of our Captain , Christ. Leaders are needed who are schooled in the strategy of Satan . Leaders are needed who are keenly aware that communism is not a phantom foe , but a deadly enemy already drawn up in battle array against the Church of Christ, the Catholic school and the Christian family. Leaders are needed who are imbued with courage and motivated by zeal for Christ's Kingdom as were the Apostles and the martyrs of centuries ago. "Leaders , trained leaders ," is the watchword of the hour , and rightfully does the Church turn to its parishes , its schools and colleges for leadership that will successfully meet the danger that threatens today. 16 CHRIST'S VICAR AND COMMUNISk/ The Church Militant is not without a leader in its struggle against communism. Our Holy Father Pius XI, Christ's vicar on earth, is leading the way. With the keen insight of .a great general fighting for a noble cause , he lays bare the destructive program of the enemy. Almost twenty years ago he fully realized that the experiment of Lenin in Russia , based as it was on the principles of Marx and the radical philosophy of the eighteenth century, was preparing for humanity a revolution worldwide in its scope and far-reach- ing in its effects on the institutions of civilized society. It was he who saw that the formation of the Third Inter- national in 1919 was not merely to strike at politico-eco- nomic abuses, but that it was to reach down into the heart and soul of humanity and snatch from it its treasured belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. On the horizon he saw a new persecution threatening the Church, and the only consolation to be found in it were the words of the Master spoken two thousand years before, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." We of America glanced at the same horizon back in 1919 , but our view was obscured , our vision was circumscribed, as we confined our gaze to the scene that was unfolding itself within the confines of Russia. Accounts of war , murder , confiscation of property and a general reign of terror second to none in the annals of history filtered through the pages of the American press, but we viewed them all as phantom happenings in a distant land. We looked upon the revolt in Russia as a mere experi- ment , something that could never happen in our midst. We were riding along on the waves of prosperity following the World War and we laughed in scorn at the wild antics of the Russian Bolshevik who was portrayed for us in ragged attire, with matted hair and armed with bombs as he set forth to overthrow existing governments of the civilized world. But we failed to realize in 1919 the far-reaching effects of an invitation sent forth by the newly established Soviet Government to radicals in foreign lands to assemble at Mos- cow for the purpose of establishing the Third International. The communist parties of the world must unite , and they must unite for a definite purpose, as is seen from the follow- ing paragraph of the official program of the Komintern: 17 "In the event of an attack of imperialistic governments on the U. S. S. R.. the international proletariat must answer with the most decisive mass counter~attacks and struggle for overthrowing their government and for a union with the U. S . S. R." The Third International was formed and the destructive materialistic principles of Lenin were gradually carried to every part of the globe. STUDY CLUB QUESTIONS III DIABOLICAL HATRED. How has the policy of communism. with reference to Christianity. been briefly expressed? Why is hatred in such a policy said to be diabo lical? In what terms does the Holy Father identify the motivating spirit back of this attack upon God? HATRED AGAINST THE CHURCH. Does communism look upon the C a tholic Church as an obstacle to its progress? How would you prove your answer from communistic propaganda? Discuss the importance of the Church 's unity of belief and obedience to a uthority. Why are they considered with reference to communism? THE REASON FOR THE ATTACK. Discuss five points of seeming similarity between communism and Catholicism, Is a definite program of action essential for orga nized endeavor? Why must an organization's program of action win the enthusiasm of its members? Is this true of the program offered by Chris t? What do you mean by saying that the Catholic Church is a worldwide organization? What is one of its domi- nant characteristics? Why do es the Catholic Church enjoy supreme a uthority? Has the C atho lic Church always been interested in you th? Why is th e welfare of youth a special concern of the Church? How is this show n today? A 20th CENTURY CHALLENGE. Why must C atholics rally to the banner of Christ tod ay? ' What type of leader is needed to meet the present da ng er? Discuss the importance of C a tholic educa tion for tra ining in Catholic leadership. Show that zeal for Christ's kingdom is an impor- tan t requisite in twentieth century leadership. CHRIST'S VICAR AND COMMUNISM. Who is leading the Church Militant in its struggle against communism? Why was he deeply con- cerned with the experiment of Lenin in Russia? Was he indifferen t to political and economic abuses of the day? Did His Holiness view the approaching storm as a new p ersecution? Why is 1919 an important date in Russian history and in the history of the world? Compare the Holy Father's view and our view of conditions in Russia in 1919. What prompted us to look upon the Russian revolt as a mere experiment? REMOTE PREPARATION The world revolution was getting under way, Its un~ savory principles were proving a menace to world progress and world happiness. Every institution within society was feeling its effects as the years rolled by. The storm of 18 revolt was slowly gathering momentum. and thin)dng men were beginning to feel uneasy. The new movement was difficult to analyze. for its principles struck at the very r oots of religion . government. business and politics. It was mak- ing society insecure. The Holy Father saw the course it was taking. He recog- nized its destructive nature . though he knew that the Church would never fall victim to its united force. Two thousand years of persecution had proved the words of the Master to be true . "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Though his faith was firm in that divine prerogative shared by th e Church alone. he was still conscious that life on earth is a warfare and that the Kingdom of Satan never declares a truce in its battle with the Kingdom of Heaven. If society and the institutions of society were only as secure as the Church . there would be little cause for alarm. THE PLAN UNFOLDS But Christ had spoken His prophetic words with reference to the C hurch alone. The inst itutions o f society were vul- nerable; and unl~ss they were well fortified . they would fall easy prey to the atta cks d irecte d against them. Pius X I was not an idle spectator to events that lay before him. Quietly he was formulating a strategy that wo uld success- fully cop e with the dechristianizing and d er eligionizing prin- ciples of Marx. Lenin and Stalin. To the faithful of the Catholic . world he unfolds his plan . His strategy would call for a fortification of those institu- tions of society most likely to feel the first onslaught of the enemy. In strengthening them he knew he was but strength- ening the Church as the one organization capable of meet- ing the foe in open conflict. And today. looking back on the campaign of the past decade . we find His Holiness spoke words of warning and offered constructive advice on sub- jects that time has proved were the basis of a safe and sound strategy. His plan is simple. In his encyclicals and pronouncements. some of which are dted below . he deals with the major problems of the hour like a skilled general. (a) CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OF YOUTH December 31, 1929 "Today we see strange sights indeed. educators and philosophers who spend their lives in searching for a uni- 19 / versal moral code of education, as if there existed no deca~ logue, no gospel law, no law even of nature stamped by God on the heart of man, promulgated by right reason, and codified in positive revelation by God Himself in the Ten Commandments ... More than ever "nowadays an ex~ tended and careful vigilance is necessary, in as much as the dangers of moral and religious shipwreck are greater for inexperienced youth." (b) CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE December 31, 1930 "Yet not only do we, looking with paternal eye on the universal world from this Apostolic See as from a watch~ tower, but you also, Venerable Brethren, see, and seeing, deeply grieve with us that a great number of men, forgetful of that divine work of redemption, either entirely ignore or shamelessly deny the great sanctity of Christian wedlock, or, relying on the false principles of a new and utterly perverse morality, too often trample it under foot." (c) QUADRAGESIMO ANNO May 15, 1931 "One section of Socialism has undergone approximately the same change through which, as we have described , the capitalistic economic regime has passed; it has degenerated into communism. Communism teaches and pursues a two~ fold aim: merciless class warfare and complete abolition of private ownership; and this it does, not in secret and by hidden methods, but openly, frankly, and by every means, even the most violent. "To obtain these ends, communists shrink from nothing and fear nothing; and when they have attained power, it is unbeli evable, indeed it seems portentous, how cruel and in~ human they show themselves to be. Evidence for this is the ghastly destruction and ruin with which they have laid waste immense tracts of Eastern Europe and Asia, while their antagonism and open hostility to Holy Church and to God Himself are, alas! but too well known and proved by their deeds. "We do not think it necessary to warn upright and faith~ ful children of the Church against the impious and nefarious character of communism. But we cannot contemplate with~ out sorrow the heedlessness of those who seem to make light of these imminent dangers and with stolid indifference allow the propagation far and wide of those doctrines which se:ek by violence and bloodshed the destruction of all society. 20 \ "Even more severely must be condemned the foolhardi~ ness of those who neglect to remove or modify such con~ ditions as exasperate the minds of the people and so prepare the way for . the overthrow and ruin of the social order ." (d) CARITATE CHRISTI COMPULSI May 3, 1932 " Profiting by so much economic distress and so much moral disorder . the enemies of all social order . be they called communists . or any other name . boldly set about breaking through every restraint. This is the most dreadful evil of our times . for they destroy every bond of law . human and div ine; they engage openly and in secret in a relentless struggle against religion and against God Himself; they carry out the diabolical program of wresting from the hearts of all . even of children . all religious sentiment; for well they know that when once belief in God has been taken from the heart of mankind they will be entirely free to work out their will." (e) ADDRESS AT WORLD CATHOLIC PRESS EXPO- SITION May 12, 1936 "The first. greatest . and most general peril is certainly communism . in all its forms and degrees . It menaces every~ thing . takes possession of everything . filters in everywhere . openly or insidiously . be it individual liberty . the sanctity. of the family . order and security of society . and . above all . of religion . even to the open denial of God and more espe~ cially of the Catholic religion and the Catholic Church . as is confirmed by what has been already done or attempted in several countries: e. g .. Russia. Mexico. Spain . Uruguay. Brazil. A truly universal peril developed by the a id of propaganda . for which nothing is spared. " (f) ADDRESS TO SPANISH REFUGEES September 14, 1936 " Another truth is this . that with this r enewed rev elation and open confession of that inv e terate hate for r eligion and the Catholic Church . through these melancholy happenings in Spain . a further lesson is being offered to Europe and the world . a lesson precious and highly salutary for all who do not care to close their eyes and grope in the dark. It is then at last certain and clear as day. from the v ery con~ fession of these forces of subv ersion which are threatening everything and everybody. that the one real obstacle in their way is Christian teaching and the consistent practice 21 of Ch",tian livmg, a, th",e a,e taught and en;OY} bY the Catholic religion and the Catholic Church. . . .. I (g) DIVINI REDEMPTORIS March 19, 1937 "In the face of such a threat, the Catholic Church could not and does not remain silent. This Apostolic See, above all, has not refrained from raising its voice, for it knows that its proper and social mission is to defend truth, justice and all those eternal values which communism ignores or attacks. Ever since the days when groups of 'intellectuals' were formed in an arrogant attempt to free civilization from the bonds of morality and religion , our predecessors overtly and explicitly drew the attention of the world to the con~ sequences of the dechristianization of human society . . . "In fact, the most persistent enemies of the Church , who from Moscow are directing the struggle against Christian civilization, themselves bear witness , by their unceasing · attacks in word and act, that even to this hour the Papacy has continued faithfully to protect the sanctuary of the Christian religion, and that it has called public attention to the perils of communism more frequen-tly and more effec~ tively than any other public authority on ear th ... We h a ve exposed the errors and th e violent , deceptive tactics of bolshevistic and atheistic communism ... "In the encyclical on Christian education we explained the fundamental doctrine concerning man as it may be gathered from reason and faith. Man has a spiritual and immortal soul. He is a person , marvelously endowed by his Creator with gifts of body and mind .. . God alone is his last end, in this life and the next ... "Just as matrimony and the right to its natural use are of divine origin, so likewise are the constitution and funda~ mental prerogatives of the family fixed and determined by the Creator. In the Encyclical on Christian Marriage and in our other Encyclical on Education, cited above, we have treated these topics at considerable length ... "In this same encyclical of ours (i. e., On the Reconstruc~ tion of the Social Order) we have shown that the means of saving the world of today from the lamentable ruin into which a moral liberalism has plunged us, are neither the class~struggle nor terror, nor yet the autocratic abuse of state power, but rather the infusion of social justice and the sentiment of Christian love into the socio~economic order ..... 22 · \ FARSIGHTED VISION The p~an lays bare the strategy of communism. Pagan ideas and pagan ideals were making themselves felt in the field of education, in the family , and in industry~the three major institutions within society. A social order founded on the teachings of Christ was to give way to a new social order founded on the principles of Marx , Lenin and Stalin . It was a clever move , calculated to strike indirectly at the Church and at religion. In quick succession the Holy Father outlined a program of offense and presented it to the world in his now famous encyclicals of 1929, 1930 and 1931. In 1932 he again analyzed existing conditions and , turning to the faithful and to the whole world, he exhorted "all to unite and to resist with all their might the evils that are crushing humanity and the still greater evils that are threatening ." In the encyclical of that year, Caritate Christi Compulsi, the Holy Father spoke in words that now appear to have been uttered with prophetic vision. But with our outlook on world conditions again obscured, it took time to impress us with the reality of the things that were written. It is always difficult to look into the unknown future and to visualize it as the existing present; it is always more impressive to look backward and to reconstruct the historic past in terms of the existing present. And thus today it is easier to see that Pius XI spoke with insight, with knowledge, with uncanny appreciation of the dangers that threaten Christianity and civilization itself when we scan the years from 1937 to 1932 rather than when we view them from 1932 to 1937. In 1932 His Holiness wrote the following words, "Now it is a lamentable fact that millions of men, under the impres- sion that they are struggling for existence, grasp a t such theories to the utter subversjon of truth , and cry out against God and religion. Nor are these assaults directed only against the Catholic religion , but against all who still recog- nize God as Creator of heaven and earth and as absolute Lord of all things ... "Thus this new form of atheism, whilst unchaining man's most violent instincts , with cynical impudence proclaims that there will be neither peace nor welfare on earth until the las t remnant of religion has been torn up and until its last repre- sentative has been crushed out of existence." 23 Looking back over the past five years we find th1LO,d, verified today when we behold : Russia-A new Russia. a godless nation . made 0 by the murder of some 2 .000.000 people. Spain-A new Spain in the throes of civil war . which recalls to mind the words of Lenin spoken in 1921. that Spain would be the next country to turn communistic and that then Europe would burn at both ends. Mexico-A new Mexico. only a few hours from our very door . carrying on a relentless struggle against God and religion. AN AWAKENING And so today we are gradually coming to our senses. We are commencing to realize what thinking men realized twenty years ago-that the world is uneasy and that civilization and its major institutions are by no means safe and secure. It is no wonder. then. that we pause and. pondering world con~ ditions . we ask ourselves: a. What is it all about? b. Does it personally affect me? c. Can the situation be duplicated here? d. Why are we confronted with so powerful a move~ ment? e. Is there anything that I can do about it? Indeed . in the words of the Holy Father. we are now seeing "what was never before seen in history. the satanic ba nners of war against God and religion brazenly unfurled to the winds in the midst of every people a nd in a ll parts of the earth." The new persecution is looming up before us like a dreadful phantqm. like a bad drea m. as w e become more conscious of the almost innumerable forms under w hich it manifests itself. And hence it is that we may feel sma ll . helpless and hopeless in its presence. A SALUTARY WARNING It is not surprising . then . that on March 19. 1937. His Holiness . should again remind the world of impending dangers and that mankind should not turn a deaf ear to his warnings of the past decade a nd more. In the encyclical Divini Redemptoris Pius XI w rites : 24 "De~ite ou' f«quent and patemal waming the peen only grows gr\eater from day to day because of the pressure exerted by clever agitators. Therefore we believe it to be our duty to raise our voice once more. in a still more solemn missive. in l accord with the tradition of this Apostolic See. the Teacher of Truth. and in accord with the desire of the whole Catholic world. which makes the appearance of such a document but natural. We trust that the echo of our voice will reach every mind free from prejudice and every heart §incerely desirous of the good of mankind. We wish this the more because our words are now receiving sorry confirma- . tion from the spectacle of the bitter fruits of subversive ideas. which we foresaw and foretold. and which are in fact multi- plying fearfully in the countries already stricken. or threaten- ing every other country of the world." STUDY CLUB QUESTIONS IV REMOTE PREPARATION. What made it difficult to analyze the new world revolution? What made the Holy Father feel that the Church would not succumb to the united forces of this revolution? Did the divine prerogative. "And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." apply to the institutions of society (the family. the state. and industry) or only to the Church? THE PLAN UNFOLDS. What do you understand by the "institu- tions of sOciety"? Why the Holy Father's alarm for the institutions of society when he has Christ's promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church? What is the strategy of the Holy Father in the present conflict? Why does His Holiness consider the Christian edu- cation of youth so important? Explain the Holy Father's alarm con- cerning the institution of marriage. What twofold aim does communism pursue? What methods are used to attain these ends? Have they been successful? What does the Holy Father say about taking lightly the doctrines of communism? Why is it impossible for the Church to remain silent in the face of so great a danger? Did she remain silent in the past? What important topics does Pius XI say he has treated during recent years? FARSIGHTED VISION. Whose principles were to be the founda- tion of a new social order? How do pagan ideas and pagan ideals in the field of education . the family and industry strike indirectly at the Church and at religion? What important encyclicals did the Holy Father issue in' 1929. 1930. 1931? What is so striking about the encyclical of 1932. Caritate Christi Compu/si, when viewed in reference to communistic developments during the past five years? Why is it easier to see the wisdom of the Holy Father's statement in 1937 than in 1932? Give examples, AN AWAKENING. What attitude of mind is the world coming to regarding the new revolution? What does the Holy Father say about present conditions? 25 I A SALUTARY WARNING. What encyclical was issue.~arch 19. 19377 What prompted His Holiness to write another encyc1i al? What bitter fruits of subversive ideas are referred to in the phrase. " which we foresaw a nd foretold"? What connection is there between t is salutary warning of Pius XI and the ideas expressed above under /the captions "The Plan Unfolds" and " FarSighted Vision"? Give reasons showing that the Holy Father has qualified himself to speak on the dangers arising from communism. NOT ALONE In the struggle we are not alone; for the battle is but a renewal of ancient hostilities between the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdom of Satan. In Jhe twentieth century as in the first. Christ is still our Leader and Captain as He fore~ told He would be when He said. "I am with you all days. even to the consummation of the world." He prophesied that persecution would pursue the Church; but he also promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. And so today loyal followers of Christ have every reason to believe that they are not alone as atheistic communism launches its bitter attack against the Church. Christ. and God Himself. THEORY PLUS ACTION Communism as at present understood by the world is the philosophy of Marx and Engels popularized and reduced to action by Lenin and Stalin. When Lenin remarked. ' "Our theory is not dogma but a manual of action. " he spoke no idle words. Theory plus action makes communism the drea dful foe it rea lly is. Its Marxian theories are an open challenge to the supremacy of God. Were th ey to have remained merely in the realm of theory. there would be no feeling of uneasiness and insecurity arising from them. But when they are r~duced to action. they enter the rea lm of rea li ties and are readily discernible in the in direct attack they make up on G od . dir ectly attacking society. the institutions of society . the teachings a nd the prin~ ciples of Christ. Action commands attention . and when action is stimulated by empty promises of better conditions for the individual and the world at large. it is easy for disgruntled humanity to overlook the philosophy which motivates that action. And what follo w s? Clear and solid reasoning is cast to the winds with the result that subtle. camouflaged and appealing pro~ grams of activity divert attention from the treacherous. false 26 \ \ and fundamental principles which threaten the life, liberty and purs\;'it of personal happiness of everyone who accepts them. ERRORS AND SOPHISMS In March 1937 Pius XI declared, "It [atheistic commu~ nism] is a system full of errors and sophisms. It is in opposi~ tion both to reason and to divine revelation. It subverts the social order, because it means the destruction of its founda- . tions ; because it ignores the true origin and purpose of the state ; because it denies the rights, dignity and liberty of human personality." In the doc trine of modern communism, he says , "there is no room for the idea of God; there is no difference between matter and spirit, between soul and body; there is neither surviva l of the soul after death nor any hope of a future life." And continuing with his exposition of its errors and sophis ms His Holiness w rites: " Communism, moreover , strips man of h is liberty, robs human personality of all its dignity, and removes all the moral restraints that check the eruptions of blind impulse. There is no recognition of any right of the individual in his relations . to the collectivity ; no natural right is accorded to human personality, which is a mere cog~ wheel in the communist system ... "Refusing to human life any sacred or spiritual character, such a doctrine logically makes of marriage and the family a purely artificial and civil institution , the outcome of a specific economic system. There exists no matrimonial bond of a juridico~moral nature that is not subject to the whim of the individual or of the collectivity. Naturally, therefore , the no~ tion of an indissoluble marriage tie is scouted. "Communism is particularly characterized by the rejection of any link that binds woman to the family and the home, and her emancipation is proclaimed as a basic principle. She is withdrawn from the family and the care of her children. to be thrust instead into public life and collective production under the same conditions as man. The care of home and children then devolves upon the collectivity. Finally, the right of education is denied to parents, for it is conceived as the exclusive prerogative of the community, in whose name and by whose mandate alone parents may exercise this right." Thus in 1937 does the Holy Father recapitulate what He 27 had w