Given from the Catholic Broadcasting Station 2SM Sydney Australia
Choose a topic from Vol 4:
That may be true of Protestant Churches, to one of which you belong. But it is not true of the Catholic Church. An Anglican clergyman, the Rev. J. V. L. Casserley, writing of Protestantism in his book: "Providence and History," says: "Protestantism is half-Christianity, faith without works. It was declared by the first Protestants to be the full faith. Let the world go where it would! The Church had bothered too much about the world. And the world went, and begot greater opportunities, more bitter hatreds, more grievous injustices, a more degrading poverty, a more vulgar prosperity, and a more destructive mode of warfare than had been seen before." On the other hand, the attitude of the Catholic Church has ever been faith and good works. She has ever insisted that we must not so concentrate on the interests of this world as to neglect our eternal destiny, whilst we must not be so absorbed by thoughts of that eternal destiny as to neglect our duties here and now on earth. Nor could anyone familiar with Catholic teachings on social questions accuse the Catholic Church of telling people that conditions in this world do not matter and that they should be content to wait for a crown in glory. To accuse the Catholic Church of that is as unjustified as Communism is unjustified in saying that the crown of glory does not matter and that people should be satisfied with things of earth.
The non-Catholic Churches, I am afraid, are not very interested in dogmas. One of their stock charges against the Catholic Church is that she imposes a dogmatic religion. The Catholic Church herself, of course, cheerfully admits her devotion to dogma. For that merely means a devotion to clear-cut and definite statements of what God has revealed and Christians must believe; and upon which they must build their lives. She does not offer the ghost of a belief without any substance, so that a man has only the foggiest notion of what Christianity means, and contents himself with a dim sentimental religiosity which is unworthy of the name of religion. As for the application of Christian principles to social reform, there is no Church which has devoted more time and care to that problem than the Catholic Church. Catholic writers of the highest intelligence have produced a wealth of literature on the subject; and Catholic activity in the practical order has exerted an immense influence.
No, for that is one measure towards preventing the emergence of a totalitarian State. It is not a contradiction to say that, whilst a government has not the right to suppress all liberties, it has the right to suppress some. If the public good demands it, the State has the right to prohibit the activities of particular individuals or groups. No democratic government can be expected to tolerate activities deliberately intended to undermine itself!
The same Declaration demands freedom of conscience and worship, freedom of movement and residence, and freedom to own property. When Communists are prepared to grant these it will be time enough for them to claim other freedoms. But, in any case, the Declaration of Human Rights demanded, not that absolute liberty which means license, but the maximum of freedom compatible with the rights and freedoms of others, the requirements of morality, and the welfare of a democratic society. Freedom to conspire against the welfare of a democratic society was, therefore, not advocated by the. Declaration of Human Rights.
That does not worry the Communists where they are in power. Where �they are not in power, they hope to make the Democracies worry about it. But it must be remembered that, since some law is necessary and every law curtails freedom, the demand can only be that unnecessary laws will be avoided. However, Communists ask, not merely freedom of thought and of the expression of opinion, but freedom to engage in subversive activities � a very different matter.
Yes; and the safeguarding of that ideal demands protective measures against Communism. For Communists do not want the greatest possible Variety within unity. They want a standardized and regimented uniformity. That is why they are such ardent advocates of compulsory secular education in State schools only as one step towards turning out citizens cast in the one mold only�and that a non-religious one. As for the greatest possible opportunity for creative activity, that certainly cannot be quoted in favor of permitting the destructive activities of Communists.
Having lost interest in religion, many people have centered their interest on the material things of this world. And their idea of the Churches giving them a lead is that the Churches should follow them and agree that whatever they want to do is right. Any Churches which do so will find that they have gained nothing by such a concession. Religionless people will be no more interested in such Churches because of that. And certainly the Catholic Church will not be guilty of such a betrayal of Christianity.
You have no real acquaintance with the Catholic religion, and the Catholic Church would be quite untrue to her mission if she adjusted herself to meet with your approval. Many thinking people are beginning to see this for themselves. Thus, writing not long ago in the "New English Weekly," Mr. Desmond Hawkins, who does not even profess to be a Christian said: "The greatest admiration is reserved by the world today for clergymen who frankly regard themselves as instruments solely for social work and humanistic activities. These men, in abandoning their specific theology, are surrendering all that I could value. I maintain that the vitality of a Church depends on its ability to cherish, defend, and expound its central dogma, its 'Revelation'." Jf If he continues to hold such ideas, Mr. Hawkins will probably end up as a Catholic. For the Christian revelation lies in the facts of Christmas, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost; in the birth of Christ, His death on the Cross for our eternal salvation, His resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit for the sanctification of souls. These are the things the world doesn't want, but which it ought to want. And the Catholic Church will always regard it as her main duty to keep these facts before the world, to win men to them, and to make them worship God in, with, and through Christ. When men seek first the kingdom of God and His justice as Christ prescribed, Matt., VI, 33, then only have they any real hope of setting other things right.
Christianity teaches that man's destiny is not wholly contained within this world. It declares that man belongs to two worlds, that which he inhabits during this short life, and an immeasurably mOre important eternal life beyond this one. Since they have to prepare for their destiny in the next world by making a right use of this world they are concerned with this world every bit as much as others. They may approach the problem from another angle and work on different principles, but they are as obliged to denounce social injustice and to try to remedy it as any others.
"THAT CATHOLIC CHURCH
A Radio Analysis"
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