iSM-V* ¿iïfsm A DISCUSSION CLUB MANUAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLES GROUPS H » \Brfô*(7ZUDOLPH G. StiND/rs l^HS SERIES ONE I N THE LIGHT OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES AND THE TEACHING OF THE PAPAL ENCYCLICALS Modern Questions In the light of Christian Principles and the teaching of the Papal Encyclicals A Discussion Club Manual for Young People's Groups by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas, Ph.D. Agg., S.T.D. et M., Archdiocesan Director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Rector of the St. Paul Seminary, Consultor of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities. SERIES I TABLE OF CONTENTS I Religious Indifference and Unbelief .... 5 I I Materialism — 14 III Evolution 22 IV Religious Broadmindedness 31 V The Index of Forbidden Books 41 VI Secret and Forbidden Societies ...... 49 VII The Two "Ys"—Organization and Aim ... 59 VIII The Two "Ys"—An Appreciation 70 Nihil Obstat Right Rev. H. Moynihan, S.T.D., Censor Librorum die 13a Februarii, 1939 Imprimatur •k J O A N N E S GREGORIUS MURRAY, Archiepiscopus Paulipolitanus die 14a Februarii, 1939 Eighth Edition, 37,000 Published In U. S. A. September 3, 1957 by Our Sunday Visitor Press Huntington, Indiana D e a c f e f i W FOREWORD fho S H y H™.Em™ence, Joseph Cardinal Pizzardo, Prefect of rnJj: r edfc°n9regation of Seminaries and Universities. The Most Rev Carlo Confalonieri, D.D., Tit. Archbishop of Nicopolis ad Nestum,sec. Rome, May 22, 1957 Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities Right reverend and dear Monsignor, t l , W e fc^e learned with deep satisfaction that the apologetical tracts which you have written with such keen awareness of actual needs under, the titles of "Biblical Questions" and "Modern Questions" are being circulated more and more widely among English-speaking readers as well as among those peoples into whose tongues they have now been translated. We are acquainted with and esteem highly these writings of yours permeated as they are by r a r e theological and pastoral knowledge as well as by a wise and laboriously watchful apostolic zeal. We desire therefore, that they be read and studied as widely as possible by the clergy and by all those who intellectually and spiritually preceive the need of gathering and radiating the immutable Light which leads to true Life. •ii h o p e t o s e e 11$ ^ c t s mentioned above, authored by your illustrious and reverend person, appear soon also in the Italian lang- uage. As you know we are taking an interest in this matter in order that your wish might be transformed into reality as soon as possible. In the meantime, we invoke the choicest divine blessings upon these very useful and solid works of yours, destined to spread the word of salvation, in order that they may extend on an increasingly vast scale their influential rays, germinating and fructifying abun- dantly for the redemption of souls and for the strengthening of Catho- lic unity under the Supreme Pastor, in faith, in hope, and in charity. While I express to you once more my sentiments of most affec- tionate esteem and of appreciation f o r your extensive works of cor- poral and spiritual mercies which you carry on with such untiring perseverance, with all my heart I ask to remain. Most devotedly yours in Christ Jesus, J. Card. Pizzardo C. Confalonieri, sec. The Right Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas, Rector of the St. Paul Seminary Acknowledgement The chapters in this book are brief explana- tions of topics which have proved interesting to young people's open forums and discussion clubs. The chapters do not pretend to be exhaustive ex- planations of the subjects but serve rather as an introduction to the question. They contain basic principles which are indispensable for the proper evaluation of any modern problem. We wish hereby to express our gratitude to Benziger Brothers for permission to quote from their copyrighted publication, "The Four Great En- cyclicals of Leo XIII" edited by the Rev. John J. Wynne, S. J., and to the Paulist Press for permis- sion to quote from the "Four Great Encyclicals." Chapter I RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE AND UNBELIEF The religious indifference and practical atheism prevalent in the world today are due to several causes. In the first place, most modern philoso- phies minimize the native ability of the mind and contend that the intellect cannot transcend the do- main of sense. The mind comes to a halt when it reaches the confines of the senses. It cannot rise from created things to a Creator. From this view, that the mind cannot pass beyond the world of sense there gradually arose the belief that there is nothing beyond it—that God does not exist. The Protestant principle of the private inter- pretation of religious truths tended inevitably to produce the same result. The original Reformers forgot that man's judgment in interpreting relig- ious truths is influenced by his own conduct, tem- perament and passions. When man came face to face with such truths as the malice of sin, judg- ment, hell, eternity, and when he found a radical opposition between his creed and his deeds, he pro- ceeded to whittle down religious truths so that they would fit his own life and so that his conscience might be more at ease. But once the downward pro- cess began, what was to stop it? Men threw over- board one truth after another until today the major- ity of Protestant sects have utterly disintegrated and sunk into a state of refined paganism. The old Lutheran theology considered man as essentially corrupted in mind and will by the Fall. It looked upon man as totally depraved, as entirely 6 MODERN QUESTIONS worthless, as a mere worm crawling in the dust, as a subject fit to be condemned by a righteous and inexorable God to eternal torments. In reacting against these doctrines modern thought, unfortu- nately, went to the opposite extreme. It exalted man to the extent of setting him in the place of God. In the philosophical system known as Humanism religion means our duties toward and our worship of man. For the kingdom of God it substitutes the kingdom of man—for the service of God, the ser- vice of man. Humanism and all kindred philosophies clearly assert that there is no supreme personal being outside of the universe. This process of religious deterioration and decay has been occurring gradually, quietly, and im- perceptibly. In 1925, however, with the rise of Lenin in Russia, atheism adopted new methods and tactics. Atheism is now violently militant and strives by force to uproot men's belief in God. It rejects the compromising spirit of Western free thinkers: It is not enough to instill atheism into books and laws but God must be driven from the •universe, and, as Stalin is wont to say, utterly "liquidated." "We have done away with the kings of earth," the two Russian atheistic periodicals "Bezbojnik" and "Antireliguioznik" frequently tell us, "We shall now do away with the kings of heav- en." It finds its best recruits among the young because youth is uncritical, impulsive, dogmatic, im- patient of careful reasoning but bent upon quick ac- tion. Every method of propaganda is enlisted in this campaign against God. The schools, the mov- ies, the press, the radio, exhibits, conferences with lantern slides, science, even forced starvation are used as means of carrying on the anti-religious of- * RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE AND UNBELIEF 1 fensive of the godless. As formely Russia was dot- ted with theological seminaries so now it is dotted with atheistic seminaries which are training apos- tles of atheism for all walks of life, especially for the schools, the army, and the navy. And all the while the Union of the Militant Godless is carrying on a fierce campaign of defamation against the churches and the clergy, and staging sacrilegious parodies of ceremonies and worship. Despite their noisy and violent propaganda, atheistic groups have frequently been forced to ad- mit that their efforts are met with coolness and in- difference on the part of the people and that the movement on the whole is on the decline. And it can hardly be otherwise, for a movement which is so radically opposed to man's fundamental inclina- tions as atheism, cannot long endure. There are several questions to which the mind imperiously de- mands an answer and which atheism leaves without a solution. First of all, the mind of man is continually asking: "Whence did I and the world come from?" Atheists may tell us that all things came from a primitive jelly or gas or energy. But the mind continues to ask: From where did this primitive substance come in turn? They may tell us that the world is billions of years old. But the mind persists in inquiring: How did it begin? It is said that the astronomer, Athanasius Kirchner, possessed a beau- tiful globe. One day an unbeliever asked Kirchner where he got the globe. The astronomer answered: "Oh, it just came on my desk of itself." The unbe- liever laughed scornfully at him and said: "You know very well that such a thing is impossible." Kirchner then said: "If this small globe could not 10 MODERN QUESTIONS come here of itself, how could the earth and those immense globes in the sky come here of them- selves?" Some atheists argue as follows: "The son de- pends on the father, who depends on his father, and so on. The oak comes from an acorn, which in turn comes from an oak. In each case the series goes back for all eternity." This statement may best be ans- wered by an illustration: Take the links of a chain dangling in the air. The last link is connected to the one above it, which in turn is attached to the one above it, and so on. But not matter how many links are added, the chain will not hang by itself. Ulti- mately we must come to a firm support from which the chain is suspended—something which is not hanging but is independent, firm, first. The atheist insists: The world arose out of blind and blundering processes haphazardly shifting the molecules into various combinations over a very long period of time. Again we answer by an illustration. Take the automobile which stands in front of my door. How did the machine arise and how did it get here? If I told you that from various parts of the world the wind picked up the nuts, bolts, screws, steel, rubber, and glass, blew them together and made the car, you would sneer at my explanation as ridiculous. You would say that an intelligent be- ing outside of the car planned and supervised the making of the car. But what is an automobile, intri- cate though its construction may be, compared to this vast universe of ours? How much more does the latter demand an intelligent First Cause? Let us take another example: If I mixed hap- hazardly in a bowl the wheels and screws and var- ious parts *vat make up your wrist watch, I would * RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE AND UNBELIEF 1 never fashion an instrument which would produce motion—much less motion that is so accurately reg- ulated as to point out the hour and minute of the day. The watch demands an intelligent maker who understands the intricate construction of a watch. How much more, then, does this vast and intricate universe of ours demand an intelligent maker! How wonderful is the construction of the atom, molecule, ice crystal, snow flake, sea shell, petal of a flower, the fruit tree, the human body! How orderly the move- ment of the sun, moon, earth and stars! How regu- lar the succession of spring, summer, autumn and winter, of night and day! How much more intricate is all this than the watch! Another question which the mind persistently asks is this: Why am I here? To this query the athe- ist again has a ready answer: I am here to enjoy myself. And by happiness the materialist usually means bodily pleasure, self indulgence, a pandering to our primitive instincts. His path to superman- hood is through unrestrained self-expression and self-assertion. The vanity and emptiness of these substitutes for man's true purpose on earth were exposed with an incisive logic by St. Thomas long ago. The An- gelic Doctor lays down the following principles con- cerning man's purpose on earth: a) Man's happiness does not consist in exter- nal goods such as wealth, honor, fame, and power. These goods are of their very nature only means to an end and not an end in themselves. They are in- tended to procure for us something higher and bet- ter. They do not satisfy man's aspirations. Often the richer a man is, the more greedy and covetous he becomes. Riches cannot produce wisdom, peace and 10 MODERN QUESTIONS health. Frequently the rich are very uphappy, after having procured their wealth with great sacrifice; they cling to it with great anxiety and fear of losing it, and finally must be separated from it forever at death. The divorces, murders and suicides among the rich testify to the fact that earthly goods do not bring an abiding happiness. "Whatever my eyes desired," says Ecclesiastes, "I refused them not, and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleas- ure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared, and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labor. And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labors wherein I had labored in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that noth- ing was lasting under the sun" (1) b) Man's happiness does not consist in bodily goods such as health, strength, physical beauty, and sensual pleasure. The body is really the instrument of the soul and is of little value to us unless the mind is sound and the will virtuous and strong. Moreover, bodily pleasures are common to man and to the brute, and if man makes an end of them, he degrades himself to the level of a brute and leaves his nobler faculties unsatisfied. Bodily pleasures weaken a man, and leave him dissatisfied, disgusted, and dis- contented. The soul within a sensuous and lustful man whispers to him in the midst of his pleasures that he was made for something higher or better. c) Man's happiness does not consist in the knowledge and love of finite things. The field of knowledge has in recent years expanded immensely as is evidenced, for example, by the countless facul- ties and departments at our universities. No one I N Ecclesiastes II, 10-11 * RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE AND UNBELIEF 1 today would presume to claim that he is versed in all the secular branches of knowledge. In fact, who can assert that he is thoroughly acquainted with the special field of investigation of his choice? Who can claim that he is fully acquainted with the contents of only a few of the thousands of volumes in a uni- versity library? And even if the mind knew all finite things, it would still be dissatisfied and restless. The eye may be blinded by a bright light, the ear may be deafened by a strong noise, but the soul is not ex- hausted but rather strengthened by the intensity of knowledge. And what is true of knowledge is also true of love. The will may momentarily acquiesce in love and friendship, but it soon becomes restless be- cause of the knowledge that all earthly affections are ephemeral and uncertain. The will persistently strives after a love which does not change or fail. Man's happiness consists in the attainment of his last end or in the perfect knowledge and love of God in the Beatific Vision. "Thou hast made us, O Lord, for thyself," says St. Augustine (1> "and our heart is restless until it rests in thee." "Vanity of vanities," says the author of the Imitation, (2) "and all is vanity except to love Thee and serve Thee alone." "It is impossible," says St. Thomas, (8) "for any created good to constitute man's happiness. For happiness is the perfect good, which lulls the appe- tite altogether; else it would not be the last end, if something yet remained to be desired. Now the ob- ject of the will, that is, of man's appetite, is the universal good; just as the object of the intellect is the universal true. Hence it is evident that "Confessions" Bk. I. No. 1, P . L. XXXII, 661 (2) Bk. I, ch. f n. 3 (3) I a n ae., q. 2, a. 8 12 MODERN QUESTIONS naught can lull man's will, save the universal good. This is to be found, not in any creature, but in God alone, because every creature has goodness only by participation. Wherefore God alone can satisfy the will of man—God alone constitutes man's happi- ness." Man's constant looking forward toward the future, to a day when he will be happier than now— a day, alas, which will never come in this world— is merely a stirring in man of that desire after per- fect happiness which will be found in God alone. Discussion Aids 1. Show how each one of the following factors has contributed to create the practical atheism of our day. a) modern anti-intellectualist philosophies b) Protestant principle of private interpreta- tion c) Lutheran theology of the essential corrup- tion of man 2. What new methods has atheism adopted in re- cent years? 3. How would you prove that the world demands a a) First Cause b) An Intelligent Mind 4. Show how man cannot find true happiness in a) external goods b) bodily goods c) Knowledge and love of finite things 5. What alone can constitute man's perfect hap- piness? Why? * RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE AND UNBELIEF 1 Religious Practices 1. I shall always recite with great fervor and de- votion the words of the Creed "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth." 2. I shall frequently recall the words of the Psalm- ist: "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament the work of His hands." 3. In my search for happiness I shall be guided by the words of St. Augustine: "Thou hast made us for thyself and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee." Chapter II M A T E R I A L I S M Another question which the mind persistently asks is this: What am I? According to the atheist, man is merely a highly developed animal, a soulless brute, a cosmic accident, a miscarriage of the ape, a chemical mechanism. Life is merely matter as- suming a special complexity and organization. An idea is merely a chemical change in the brain. Man's actions are the necessary outcome of chemical pro- cesses in the brain and in the body. Man is neither responsible nor reprehensible for his actions. A little reflection, however, will show that these statements are arbitrary and devoid of all founda- tion. In the first place, consciousness and thought are not qualities of matter as such. Otherwise, we should have to predicate these qualities of the stone, or of the turnip or of the tree. Science clearly shows that there is no necessary connection between the chemical elements of the brain and thought. Thus the brain develops very rapidly during the years of infancy, reaches its high- est point of development at the end of adolescence, and then remains stationary for a few years. Yet during all these years intellectual progress is at first insignificant and afterwards extremely slow. When the brain sets out on its regressive evolution, when it is being fed by blood which becomes gradu- ally more impoverished, mental activity enters on a period of richest development. Again, a diminution of the volume and weight of the brain does not al- ways entail any appreciable trouble in psychic activ- MATERIALISM 15 ity. Accidents—such as those which happened dar- ing the world war—may lead to a removal of a con- siderable part of the brain and yet the intellectual functions remain substantially intact. The brain, then, is not a cause but only a condition of thought; just as the eye cannot see without light, so the soul in this life does not function without the brain. Man is conscious of various mental states—of thinking, reasoning, reflecting, willing, striving, etc. Now thought and volition do not hover in mid air, coming from nowhere, going nowhere, and in- hering in nothing. Where there is thought there must be some one who thinks. This substance, this thinking subject, which is the fountain and centre of all mental activity, we call the soul. The soul is simple, that is, not composed of quantitative parts. Let us illustrate this point by the following consideration: We perceive that we are the same person throughout all of our changing, varying, and often contradictory experiences. Our conscious- ness testifies that amid all our fleeting and successive experiences we remain and persist the same identi- cal persons. You are absolutely certain, for example, that for several years you attended a high school, and that you have remained the same from day to day. You are certain that you are the same person who for eight years followed the classes in the grade school. You can go even further back and affirm you are the same person who played in the yard about your house. Now this personal identity cannot be explained if there is not within us a soul—distinct from the changing body—which is the source and center of all our experiences. For our body is in a state of continual change, and the matter of the body is ac- 16 MODERN QUESTIONS cording to scientists, completely changed during each seven years. The brain itself changes from day to day so that it is not identical either with the brain of seven years ago or with the brain of yesterday. If then there is nothing but matter within us, and if thinking is merely a new juxta-position of some chemical elements in the grey matter of my brain, and if the matter of my body is being continually changed and replaced, how could I possibly perceive year after year to be identically the same person? I have only one soul. Experience and conscious- ness testify that my sensations are undivided. But how could they be undivided unless the soul itself is simple and undivided? The sense organs in which the sensation takes place imply composition and mul- tiplicity: Molecules are composed of atoms which in turn are composed of ions and electrons. One hun- dred and eight nerve fibres are said to converge in the sense of touch, and yet the sensations of touch are not composed of parts. Again, take the state- ment: John is a lawyer. This assertion implies the comparison of two ideas. But if these two ideas were located in two separate molecules of the brain, how— apart from the soul—could they ever be brought to- gether? They could not compare themselves one with another any more than the ideas in the minds of different people could compare themselves one with the other. The soul is spiritual, that is, it is intrinsically— in its nature—independent of the body. How do we establish this fact? a) The human soul has spiritual operations. Let us illustrate this by a concrete example. We seem to stand again and again at the threshold of another world war. Through our minds there run such ideas MATERIALISM 17 as honor, duty, justice, honesty, truth, right, moral- ity, virtue. At the same time there arises in our mind the idea of an American soldier—not of this or that particular soldier, but of that ideal soldier who transcends all particular qualities and determina- tions. Now these objects of our thoughts are wholly immaterial. They have neither height nor width nor depth, neither volume nor weight, neither shape nor color. They cannot be divided into halves or thirds. b) These abstract and universal ideas cannot be formed by the senses which can never pass be- yond the picture of concrete things with their defin- ite shape, color, extension, hardness, etc. These mental operations are above the reach of bodily organs, above the activities of the body. Now if the operations are immaterial so also is the agent which produces them. The activities of an agent reflect the perfections of that agent. There can never be more perfection in the effect than there is in the cause. Whatever is in the stream must be contained in the source. Since its highest activities are in no sense bodily functions, the soul itself—though at present united to the body—is by its nature capable of exist- ing and continuing its life apart from the body. c) The power of perfect psychological reflex- ion is another evidence of the spirituality of the soul. Suppose I am reasoning out in my mind a theorem in plane geometry. I start now to make an introspective study, to reflect. I can go so f a r as making the self thinking on and reasoning out the mathematical pro- position the object of observation of one and the same self. In other words, the reasoning self and the reflecting self are identical. Now an activity oi this kind can in no wise be predicated of matter. 18 MODERN QUESTIONS For matter is composed of parts, and while one part may communicate motion to another part, it is against the properties of matter for any part or atom to act upon itself. Those who make the chem- ical elements of the brain the source of thought can- not explain perfect psychological reflection. It can be explained only if the agent of thought is in itself independent of material bodily organs. d) The soul is spiritual because man is free. Matter cannot modify its state, it cannot put itself in motion, it cannot change its direction once it is set in motion. Matter moves only when it is moved by another; it receives its motion and the direction of its motion from without. The soul, however, moves and directs itself. It chooses one thing in preference to another. In spite of his prejudices, passions, tem- peraments, habits, etc., man at a given moment de- termines himself and is not determined. Notwith- standing the routine association of ideas, we react against them when there is question of our dignity, happiness, morality and eternal salvation. On this point the verdict of consciousness and of mankind is unanimous and final. The spirit can dominate the flesh, mortify it, and even sacrifice it, if a higher motive demands it. All this shows that there is in man an immaterial principle, superior to and inde- pendent of matter—a spiritual soul. A final question to which man's mind demands an answer is the following: What will become of me after death? On this point the answer of the atheists is less categorical. Some, consistently with their principles, maintain that man is born, grows and dies like any other animal. They contend that crema- tion should be substituted for burial and that the so- cial pressure supporting funeral ceremonies should MATERIALISM 16 be reduced. Others are wont to speak of an ideal immortality—an immortality constituted by the sou- venir among men of our good life and good works. ^ Such explanations can hardly bring any satis- faction to man. The fact is that man, whatever his age may be, desires to live—live in his body forever. When disease begins to encroach upon him, he fights against it with all the medical aid at his command and stops at no sacrifice in this struggle against death. And when death finally overcomes him, man finds death no more natural tnan he did when it first occurred on earth—thousands of years ago. Man is no more accustomed to it now than he was then, he continues to find in it the same occasion for grief and sorrow. According to sound philosophy and revelation the soul is immortal and will live forever. The body, it is true, must pass through the portals of death and the process of dissolution only to rise to an ever- lasting life on the last day. Since the soul is simple, it cannot be broken down into parts and undergo cor- ruption. Since it is spiritual, since in its nature and operations it is independent of the body, it does not perish with the body but continues in its life even apart from the bod>. Since the truth of the immortality of the soul is so profoundly anchored in reason, we should nat- urally expect to find traces of it among all peoples. And such in fact is the case. Men of all ages, places and races have held the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. The literature of the Egyptians and Assyrians, of the Greeks and the Romans, bears wit- ness to this truth. Homer and Virgil give us vivid descriptions of the world of spirits in their epics. The universality of this truth is all the more remark- 20 MODERN QUESTIONS able when one recalls that it goes counter to men's passions. There is in man a deepseated, persistent and in- satiable desire for happiness. Whatever we choose to do in this life, we do because we think it will make us happy. But nothing in this life brings us perfect happiness. We are always looking to the future when we hope to be more happy—completely happy. Now nature does nothing in vain. If God has impressed this aspiration on the human heart, He will also fulfill it. Man's desire for perfect happiness demands immortality for its fulfillment. The moral law likewise demands immortality. In this life the wicked frequently prosper while the good and virtuous suffer. Justice demands that there be a continued existence where virtue will be re- warded and sin punished. Discussion Aids 1. Is there any connection between the chemical elements of the brain and thought? Explain. 2. Show that our mental states demand a think- ing substance, a soul. 3. How would you prove that the soul is simple and one? 4. Prove the spirituality of the soul from a) its operations, b) perfect psychological reflection, c) freedom of the will. 5. Prove the immortality of the soul from a) its simplicity and spirituality, b) the universal consent of mankind. MATERIALISM 21 c) man's innate desire for perfect happiness, d) the demands of the mor^l law. Religious Practices 1. I shall not dishonor by sin the image of God in my soul or in the soul of my neighbor. 2. In my quest for earthly things I shall always remember that it profits a man nothing if he gain the whole world and yet loses his immortal soul. 3. I shall not sell for any earthly pleasure my soul which was redeemed by the blood of the God- Man. Chapter III E V O L U T I O N Evolution is the theory that the various highly organized and specialized types of plants and ani- mals have all originated from a very few simple or- ganisms, the differentiating characters being due to modifications which occurred at successive steps of the process. Evolution may be atheistic and mater- ialistic, or it may be theistic; the former is abso- lutely unacceptable to a believer; the latter may with certain explanations be held by Catholics and all Christians. We shall briefly explain both sys- tems. Materialistic Evolution Materialistic evolution subscribes to the follow- ing doctrines: 1) The Universe has no Creator or First Cause; there is no Supreme Being apart from and distinct from this universe; man has not a spiritual soul but is only a highly developed animal. These doctrines, which are contradicted by reason and common sense, are propagated especially by the Union of Militant Godless of Russia and by all Communists. We, have refuted them in the pre- ceding chapters. 2) Life arose out of dead matter without any preexisting germ or seed or without the need of any divine intervention. When we point out to the materialist that there is no case on record where life was produced out of EVOLUTION 23 dead chemical elements in the laboratory, his ans- wer usually is: "True, we have not produced life in the laboratory as yet, but wait and see. We shall do so some day in the future." To such a statement the Christian philosopher has a peremptory answer. It is a principle of sound reason and of common sense that there cannot be more perfection in the effect than in the totality of its causes. If dead matter ever produced life, it would be a miracle. 3) The universe is the result of chance. It arose out of blind and blundering processes haphaz- ardly shifting atoms into various combinations over a veryJiong period of time. This tenet of modern materialism is no less re- pugnant to reason than the preceding one. Chance cannot explain the marvellous order of coordination and subordination prevailing in the universe—an order which prevailed in prehistoric times, as is evi- dent from the fossils. Again, chance cannot explain the perfect coordination of all organs within a species to a determined end. Behold, for example, one of our majestic Catholic Cathedrals, admire its massiveness, lines, symmetry and beauty. Imme- diately you will conclude that it must have had an architect and a plan. Or, examine our complicated and yet highly perfected railroad systems in the United States, and you will soon come to realize the immense intelligence required to plan, order and keep running such an elaborate contrivance. How much more does this vast and orderly universe of ours, with its complicated planetary system, demand a Supreme Intelligence? 4) Matter is eternal and consequently needs no cause or Creator. Everything finds an explanation in something that precedes it, and so on indefinitely. 24 MODERN QUESTIONS This is like saying that if we unite together an indefinite number of cars a train will run without an engine, or that if we hook together an indefinite number of links the chain will hang by itself, or that a brush, if its handle be long enough, will paint of itself. Scripture clearly states that the universe did not exist from all eternity but was created by God in time: "In the beginning God created heaven and earth" (1). Modern science is in accord with this infallibly defined truth of revelation: it tells us that the amount of unavailable energy, or entropy, is constantly on the increase in the universe. When all of the world's energy will have passed un. Christ's truth cannot tolerate any contradictory doctrines, pre- cepts, and forms of worship. Christ Himself showed Himself intolerant on several occasions: He con- demned the hypocritical religion of the Scribes and Pharisees and threatened divine punishment upon those who deliberately closed their eyes to the truth. When many found His doctrine 011 the Eucharist a "hard saying" and abandoned Him, He did not say that they might attach a metaphorical signficance to His words but insisted absolutely on the literal meaning of His discourse. 3) When God speaks we must accept all that He says. To accept a part of His message and to re- ject the rest would be to commit an insult against God; would be to deny that God is supreme Truth, Omniscience, and Holiness. God then did not leave us free to formulate our own creeds and religious systems. 4) Christ commanded His apostles to preach His entire Gospel to all men: "Going, therefore, teach ye ALL nations, teaching them to observe AT J , things whatsoever I have commanded you" (2). Hence the apostles were not left free to choose their creed but were obliged to teach each and every truth revealed to them by Christ—nothing less and noth- ing more. 5) Christ intended His religion to be the one universal religion of the world: "Go ye into the WHOLE world and preach the Gospel to EVERY creature" (3>. Christ did not intend that there should (!» I I Cor. VI, 14 121 Mtt. XXVIII, 19, 20 <8> Mk. XVI, 15 RELIGIOUS BROADMINDEDNESS 33 be several different large religious bodies in the world. The idea of several diverse "branches" con- stituting one church, of "fundamentalists" and non-fundamentalists," of "modernists," and "con- servatives," was entirely foreign to His mind. 6) Christ frequently emphasized the fact that His Church is one: "Holy Father, keep them in Thy name whom Thou hast given me, that they may be ONE as we also are" St. Paul echoes faithfully this doctrine of his Master: "(Be) careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One body and one Spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all" <*>. Hence the several hundred Protestant sects in the world today can hardly all claim to be the one true Church of Christ. The thirteen kinds of Baptists, the twelve kinds of Presbyterians, the seventeen kinds of Methodists and the twenty-two kinds of Lutherans cannot all be the one true Church of the Gospels. 7) Christ placed upon all His followers the obligation to accept His entire Gospel preached to them by His Apostles and their successors: "Going therefore, teach ye all nations, teaching them to ob- serve all things whatsoever I have commanded you" <3>. Whosoever will despise these messengers of Christ will dishonor Christ Himself: "He who heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me" <*>. The Apostles are to show in emphatic manner their disapproval of those who I John XVII, 11-20 <2> Eph. IV, 3-6 (8> Mtt. XXVin, 19, 20 141 Lk. X, 16 34 MODERN QUESTIONS spurn Christ's Gospel: "Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, going forth out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet" (1). In fact, to reject Christ's truths is to place oneself in the danger of eternal damnation: "Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature —He that believeth not, shall be condemned" (2). From these passages it is clear that we must not only accept Christ's Gospel but that we must accept each and every part of it. Hence any sect which denies the divinity of Christ, or the Trinity, or the Eucharist, or the primacy of Peter, or the existence of hell, cannot claim to be the one true Church of Christ. 8) Christ and the Apostles frequently warn us against the exponents of new, or different, or false religions: "Beware of false prophets," says our Lord (8), "who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." "Though we, or an angel from heaven," writes St. Paul (4), "preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema." The Apostle thanks God because when the Thessalonians "re- ceived of us the word of the hearing of God, they re- ceived it not as the word of men but (as it is indeed) the word of God" (5). St. John exhorts us to have no communications with those who do not profess the true religion: "If any man come to you, and brings not this doctrine, receive him not into the house nor say to him, God speed you" ( 6 ). (1) John XIV, 16-26 (2) Mtt. x x v n i , 18, 20; Mk. XVI, 15, 16 (8) John XXI, 16 « ) Mtt. XXVIII, 20 <6> I Cor. XV, 33 <«) I I Tim. n 16. 17 RELIGIOUS BROADMINDEDNESS 35 9) Christ established a definite religious or- ganization, the Church, which was to be the ex- ponent and custodian of His teachings. He founded this Church upon the twelve Apostles under the headship of Peter. In order that His divine and immutable truths might suffer no change or alter- ation in the course of their transmission down through the ages, and so give rise to conflicting and contradictory churches, Christ endowed His Church with the prerogative of infallibility. He promised that "the gates of hell" and the storms of erroneous teachings would not prevail against this Church which was built upon a rock (1). He bade Peter, the head of His Church, to feed (not to poison with erroneous doctrines) His lambs and His sheep (2). He promised that He Himself, the Source of all truth would be with His Church "all days, even to the consummation of the world" <8). 10) The principle of religious indifferentism is opposed to sound reason. To say that one religion is as good as another is to affirm that God regards with equal favor right and wrong, truth and false- hood, good and evil, virtue and vice, true worship and idolatry. Since Christ is God, He cannot pos- sibly be pleased with those religions which regard His as mere man. If two plus two are four, then hundreds of propositions, affirming that two and two makes less or more than four, are all false. When we buy a dozen eggs, we should not expect to receive more or less than twelve. If one religion is true, then all the religions contradicting it are neces- sarily false. f 1 ' Mtt. XVI, 18 <2> John XXI, 15-17 <«> Mtt. XXVIII. 20 36 MODERN QUESTIONS The statement that it does not matter much what one believes as long as he is a good fellow, is equally opposed to sound reason. Actions presuppose convictions, conduct is shaped by our intellectual beliefs. No definite course of action is possible as long as man is tossed to and fro on the sea of error and doubt. Man's mind was made for the truth, just as man's will was made for the good. But man's will tends only to those objects set before it by the mind. 11) The principle of religious broadminded- ness is contradicted by Christian history, a) Cor- nelius, the centurion, was a naturally good Gentile, "a religious man, and fearing God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and always praying to God" (1). And yet God sent St. Peter to convert Cornelius to Christianity, b) When certain Judai- zers contended that Christians must be circumcized and observe the Mosaic law in order to be saved, the Apostles quickly convened in council at Jerusalem, and solemnly declared that Christians are not bound by the precepts of Judaism (2). c) The Apostles suffered imprisonment, stripes, persecutions, and death rather than surrender one iota of the Christian teaching, d) The martyrs in the Roman amphi- theatre suffered the scourges, vats of boiling oil, the teeth of wild animals, rather than compromise with error, e) The Church preferred to lose the whole of England rather than relinquish her teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, f ) Christians in Russia, Germany, Spain and Mexico are today re- sisting tyrants unto death rather than surrender their Catholic faith, g) If Catholics in the United States are supporting at an enormous sacrifice and (i) Acts, X, 2 (¡» Acts XV RELIGIOUS BROADMINDEDNESS 39 cost their parochial schools, it is because they do not believe that one religion is as good as another. In conclusion, let us note that the Church is in- tolerant of false and contradictory doctrines—not of persons who adhere sincerely to their erroneous doc- trines and are in good faith. While Catholics cannot approve either outwardly or inwardly erroneous doc- trines, they always aim to practice that universal charity which Christ so beautifully exemplified in His own life. Practical Applications The truths which we established in this chapter have given rise to certain well-defined principles in moral theology and canon law: Catholics may not take part in Protestant and non-Catholic worship, sacred functions, ceremonies, singing, and praying. Such a participation would be a profession (at least external) of a false religion and a denial of the true religion. "What part," says St. Paul, "hath the faithful with the unbeliever" (1) ? Catholics may attend nonj-Catholic weddings and funerals, if friendship or necessity or courtesy demands it. But assistance at these religious services must be passive, not active. An active assistance means internal and voluntary adherence to the non- Catholic rites. Passive assistance means mere ex- ternal and bodily presence. To visit Protestant churches out of mere curi- osity is not a sin provided there is no scandal or danger of personal perversion. To enter a non- Catholic church is of itself an indifferent act; it may become evil because of the intention or by reason of the circumstances. I Cor. VI, IS 38 MODERN QUESTIONS Protestants may not serve as sponsors at a Catholic baptism or confirmation or as best man or maid of honor at a Catholic wedding. In like man- ner, Catholics cannot serve as sponsors at a Pro- testant baptism or serve as best man, maid of honor, ushers, or bridesmaids at a Protestant wedding. Participation in a religious rite is a sign of union and agreement in religious worship. It gives the impression that there is no essential difference be- tween Catholic and heretical worship. If before or after a mixed marriage before a Catholic priest, the two parties go through a second ceremony before the Protestant minister, the Cath- olic party not only commits serious sin but incurs excommunication. An excommunicated person is barred from the sacraments, the prayers of the Church, and Catholic burial, and can be absolved only by a priest who has obtained special faculties from the bishop. A Catholic may not be an organist in a Pro- testant church or a member of Protestant choirs. Such actions imply participation in the false wor- ship of non-Catholics. For the same reason Catholic members of a public high school glee club may not sing at exercises which form a part of a non-Catholic service. So, too, Catholics may not take part in re- ligious exercises at a Protestant church or in the "Y" chapel. It is not permissible to take part in bazaars and chicken dinners when it is known that the funds will be used to promote non-Catholic missions or to build synagogues and non-Catholic churches. It would be allowable only when circumstances would make it clear that the Catholic does not wish to promote a RELIGIOUS BROADMINDEDNESS 39 Protestant sect but only to show courtesy and kind- ness. It is permissible to pray privately with non- Catholics if there is no danger of misunderstand- ing or scandal. What about those Orthodox and schismatic churches where the ministers have the power of validly consecrating the Eucharist? What attitude should a Catholic assume towards these? It is not permitted for a Catholic to hear Mass in such a church, even if there is no Catholic church in the neighborhood. If a Catholic visited such a church privately, apart from the times of public worship, it would be permissible to genuflect before the Euch- arist and venerate the images of saints. If a Cath- olic assists at a wedding or funeral in such a church, he should render internal worship to the Eucharistic Christ at consecration. Discussion Aids 1. What is meant by religious broadmindedness? How is it fostered? 2. Show how religious broadmindedness is ccxn- tradicted by: The Incarnation God's omniscience and holiness Christ's teachings Christ's institution of a Church Unity and infallibility of the Church Preaching of the Apostles Sound reason Facta of history 40 MODERN QUESTIONS 3. Is the Church intolerant of doctrines or of per- sons? Explain. 4. Point out at least six practical applications of the doctrinal principle established in this chap- ter. Religious Practices if I shall recite with profound conviction the words of the act of f a i t h : "I believe all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because thou hast revealed them who canst neither deceive nor be deceived." 2. I shall never compromise the teachings of the Catholic Church because of human respect or because of earthly advantage. 3. I shall be intolerant of error but not of persons, Chapter V INDEX OF FORBIDDEN BOOKS The Index is a list of books which the Holy See has branded as being harmful in some way to faith or morals. Without the proper permission of their spiritual superiors, Catholics are forbidden to retain or read such literature. The list is called an Index because its purpose is to indicate literature which is objectionable from the view point of Catholic faith and morals. The Index and History The examination of the doctrinal contents of books is the duty of the Holy Office, a Congregation of which the Pope himself is the head and which is entrusted with the sacred task of preserving the purity of faith and morals. The Holy Office was established in 1542. However, in 1572 an additional body known as the Congregation of the Index of Forbidden Books was established by Pope Gregory XIII. The former was to deal with the most serious attacks upon faith and morals, the latter was to do the rest of the work. In 1917 Pope Benedict XV merged the Congregation of the Index with that of the Holy Office. The prohibition of objectionable books flows from the Church's Divine commission to teach the truth to all men. Christ told Peter that he was the rock on which He would build His Church ( 1 ) ; He promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church (2>; He promised to send the Mtt. XVI, 18 <»> M t t XVI, 18 42 MODERN QUESTIONS Holy Spirit upon the Apostles Who would enlighten them and enable them to grasp fully and teach cor- rectly the doctrines of the Master ( 1 ) ; He bade His Apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature and to bind their hearers to its acceptance under pain of eternal damnation (2>; He bade Peter to feed His lambs and sheep <8); and promised to be with His Church "even to the consummation of the world" <4)- Now all these statements of Our Lord imply not only that the Apostles and their successors enjoy the prerogative of immunity from error in propound- ing Christ's teaching, but also the correlative duty of proscribing any doctrine opposed to Christ's truth. Being a solicitous Mother the Church refuses to feed poisonous food to her children. She snatches dangerous weapons from their hands. Being the in- fallible exponent and guardian of truth, she cannot resign herself to a half-hearted scepticism, to a re- ligious and moral indifference. She cannot deny the existence of truth and the dignity of virtue. She cannot identify the good and evil, reality land a lie. St. Paul frequently warns us against contacts and associations which corrupt good morals: "Be not seduced: evil communications corrupt good manners" (5). "Shun profane and vain babblings, for they grow much toward ungodliness, and their speech spreadeth like a canker" (6>. If such are the results of unwholesome contacts, what greater evils will result from the quiet and deliberate cultivation of those other companions, namely unwholesome <*> Mtt. X, 14 <2> Mk. XVI, 16, 16 <8' Mtt. VH, 15 <*» Gal. I, 8 (B> I Thess. II, IS <•> II John, 10 ÍNDEX OP FORBIDDEN BOOKS 43 books. The inhabitants of Ephesus spontaneously burnt the books which supplied the ideas that had been moulding their life: "And many of them who had followed curious arts, brought together their books, and burnt them before all: and counting the price of them, they found the money to be fifty thousand pieces of silver" (1). The prohibition of objectionable books goes back to very ancient times. Thus the Jews forbade their boys and girls who were under twenty-one to read the book of Genesis and the Ganticle of Can- ticles and certain sections of Ezechiel, for fear that they might not grasp the real meaning of these books or that their imagination might be unduly affected. In the first years of her existence the Church was constantly engaged in determining what books were to be labelled as apocryphal and what books were to be considered as divinely inspired and as forming a part of the Bible. The so-called Mura- torian Fragment, a writing which dates back to about 196 A.D., after listing books which were divinely inspired or at least approved, calls attention to certain books with heretical tendencies. In 496 Pope Gelasius published a list of books condemned by the Church. When paper supplemented the parchment and the printing press the scribe, the need of designat- ing certain books as objectionable became all the greater. The popes were gradually constrained to decree that henceforth no work could be published without the permission of the local bishop or his vicar general. With the rise of Protestantism Pope Leo X and Clement VII were obliged to issue special (1) Acts. XIX, 19 46 MODERN QUESTIONS condemnations of Luther's works. Lists of forbidden books began to appear in various provinces and dio- ceses. Finally, Paul IV issued in 1557 and again in 1559 a list of prohibited books. Here we have the first beginnings of the Index. The methods of pro- scribing objectionable books and literature was f u r - ther perfected and developed by the Council of Trent and by the succeeding Popes, especially by the recent Popes, Leo XIII, Pius X, and Benedict XV, whose prescriptions were incorporated into the general legislation of the Church. The Index and General Laws Some are under the impression that only those books are forbidden which are found in the Index. This is a serious misconception. The contents of some writings is such that the work is forbidden as soon as it leaves the press—it is as much forbidden as if the author's name and the title of the book were forthwith formally inserted into the Index. The books which are forbidden by the general laws are enumerated in Canon 1399. We shall quote this canon as it is translated in S. Woywood's "New Canon Law" (1>: "By the very law are forbidden: 1. editions of the original text, or of ancient Catholic versions, of the Sacred Scriptures, also of the Oriental Church, published by non-Catholics; like- wise any translations in any language made or pub- lished by them; 2. books of any writers defending heresy or schism, or tending in any way to under- mine the foundations of religion; 3. books which purposely fight against religion and good morals: 4. books of any non-Catholic treating professedly of religion unless it is certain that nothing contained pp. 288-289 ÍNDEX OP FORBIDDEN BOOKS 45 therein is against the Catholic faith; 5. books on the holy Scriptures or on religious subjects which have been published without previous ecclesiastical permission (Canon 1385, 1391); books and leaflets which bring an account of new apparitions, revela- tions, visions, prophecies, miracles, or introduce lew devotions even though under the pretext that they are private; 6. books which attack or ridicule any of the Catholic dogmas, books which defend errors condemned by the Holy See, or which dis- parage Divine worship, or tend to undermine eccles- iastical discipline, or which purposely insult tho ecclesiastical hierarchy, or the clerical or religious states; 7. books which teach or approve of any kind of superstition, fortune-telling, sorcery, magic, communications with spirits and such like affairs; 8. books which declare duels, suicide, divorce as licit; books which treat of Masonic and other sects of the same kind, and contend that they are not pernicious, but rather useful to the Church and civil society; 9. books which professedly treat of impure and obscene subjects, narrate or teach them; 10. editions of liturgical books approved by the Holy See, but which have been unlawfully changed in some things so that they no longer agree with the editions authorized by the Holy See; 11. books which publish apocryphal indulgences, or those con- demned or recalled by the Holy See; 12. images of our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, angels, saints, and other servants of God, which are not in accord with the mind and the decrees of the Church." The canon law regulations apply to books, to daily papers, periodicals, and any other publications, un- less the contrary is clear from the canons (1). (i) Canon 1884 46 MODERN QUESTIONS Works, then, which are injurious to our spirit- ual welfare are forbidden from the outset by the nat- ural law, and Catholics are forbidden to read them even though they are not on the Index. Even when we obtain permission to read such a book, we must read it with great prudence and rely on God's grace to protect us against all contamination. "By the permission to read forbidden books no one is ex- empted from the prohibition of the natural law not to read books which are to the reader a proximate occasion of sin." (1) Purpose of Index But you may ask: If the general laws cover the field so well, what, then, is the purpose of the Index? The Index serves a double purpose: It em- phasizes the application of the natural law in a particular instance, and thereby enlightens the mind and strengthens the will of the unsuspecting reader. Secondly, a book finds its place on the Index in some manner like this: a doubt arises in regard to the religious orthodoxy of a book; some claim that it is sound; others, that it contains erroneous teachings. An appeal is made to the Holy Office, which exam- ines the book. If the book is found objectionable, it is placed on the Index. Books are placed on the Index only as necessity or occasion demands. The Church must not be considered as bent upon con- demning as many books as possible. In fact, the Holy Office takes up the examination of a book only after a complaint or an appeal has been made. The Index is not necessarily complete or systematic. Secondly, only those books are subject to censure which deal with faith, morals, Scripture, or Church History. The Church is not concerned with works <*> Canon 1406 ÍNDEX OP FORBIDDEN BOOKS 47 that deal with purely secular or scientific matters, unless the author deliberately goes out of his way to attack religion or the doctrines of the Church. If she condemns a book which otherwise contains much solid and useful material, it is because in her mind the harm caused by the errors in the book will outweigh the good of the rest of the book. In order to assure the doctrinal accuracy of books, Canon Law orders bishops to appoint official censors of books who will thoroughly examine each manuscript before it is consigned to the printers. Censors must be men of mature age, of tried learn- ing and prudence. If the manuscript is found doc- trinally sound, the censor renders a verdict of "nihil obstat" (there is no objection). The biship then grants the "Imprimatur" (let it be published) —the permission that the manuscript be published. The "Imprimatur" is printed either at the beginn- ing or the end of the book, magazine, or on pictures, together with the bishop's name, and the date and place of the permission. The law of the Church in regard to the read- ing of the Bible may seem particularly severe. The faithful may read versions in the vernacular only if the translation is made or edited by Catholics, is approved by the Holy See, or published under the supervision of the Bishop, and supplied with notes taken from the Fathers or from learned and ortho- dox exegetes. These precautions of the Church are fully justi- fied. Certain parts of both the Old and New Testa- ment are difficult and obscure. Certain parts are not adapted to all persons. Then we must remem- ber the characteristic tendency of Protestantism to substitute the Bible for the Church, the letter inter- 48 MODERN QUESTIONS preted by one's own judgment for the living magis- terium of the Church. On the other hand the Church has always recommended the reading and study of Sacred Scripture. In 1906 Pius X gave approbation to the society of St. Jerome which was to popularize the Gospels in Italy among the people. Discussion Aids 1. What is meant by the Index of Forbidden Books? 2. What Sacred Congregation examines the doctrin- al contents of books? 3. On what Scriptural and doctrinal grounds is based the prohibition of objectionable books? 4. Give a brief history of the Index. 5. What books are forbidden by the general laws of the Church? 6. What two additional purposes does the Index serve? 7. Is every forbidden book mentioned by the Index? 8. What is meant by a "censor of books"? The "ni- hil obstat"? The "Imprimatur"? 9. Why does the Church take special precautions in regard to the reading of the Bible? Religious Practices 1. I shall not use my God-given gift of mind to read literature dangerous to my faith and morals. 2. I shall gladly subject my fallible and imperfect judgment to the infallible teachings of the Church. 3. In all doubts about faith I shall seek the advice of a priest or consult works written by quali- fied Catholic writers. Chapter V I SECRET AND FORBIDDEN SOCIETIES Freemasonry and all other sects which adopt Masonic doctrines and principles are forbidden to Catholics under pain of excommunication. The attitude of the Church is expressed in the following canons of the Code of Canon Law ( 1 ) : (a) Those who enlist in Masonic sects or other associations of the same kind, which plot against the Church or lawful civil authority, by that very fact incur the excommunication simply reserved to the Apostolic See (Canon 2335). (b) Unless they have given signs of repentance before death, the following are deprived of ecclesiastical burial: notorious aposta- tes from the Christian faith, and persons who notor- iously belonged to a heretical or schismatical sect, or to the Masons, or to other sects of the same kind, and contend that they are not pernicious but rather useful to the Church and civil society. (Canon 1399). (d) The faithful should be discouraged from con- tracting marriage with those who belong to societies condemned by the Church (Canon 1065). The Code makes it clear that excommunication is incurred not only by Freemasons but also by members of the affiliated organizations. "There are several organized bodies," says Leo XIII (2), "which though differing in name, in ceremonial, in form and origin, are nevertheless so bound together by com- munity of purpose and by the similarity of their (i) Woywod's translation. <2> Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter on Freemasonry, "Humanum Genus," April 20, 1884, in Benziger's "The Great En- cyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII (N. Y., 1903), p.87. 52 MODERN QUESTIONS main opinions, as to make in fact one thing with the sect of the Freemasons, which is a kind of cen- tre whence they all go forth, and whither they will return." The following are some of the organiza- tions which belong to the Masonic federation: Knights Templars; Modern Society of Rosicrucians; The Sovereign College of Allied Masonic and Chris- tian Degrees for America; The Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; The Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm; The Independent International Order of Owls; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South America; Ancient Egypt- ians Order of Sciots; Acacia Fraternity, etc. The penalties and prohibitions of the Church apply to both male and female, senior and junior groups. The Order of the Eastern Star and the order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem are intended primarily for wives of Masons. Job's Daughters comprise the Daughters, granddaughters, sisters and nieces of Master Masons, while the Order of Rainbow consists of the daughters of Freemasons and of members of the Eastern Star. The Order of de Molay was founded for sons of Masons and their chums between the ages of 16 and 21. The four marks of forbidden and secret societ- ies are verified in a special manner in Freemasonry and consequently draw down upon the sect the Church's severe censure. We shall now enumerate these notes, show how they are exemplified in Free- masonry, and indicate how they are opposed to both reason and revelation. 1) Absolute Secrecy. Freemasonry demands of its members an oath of secrecy which is so absolute that it must be main- tained even in the face of legitimate religious and SECRET AND FORBIDDEN SOCIETIES «1 civil authorities. "Candidates," says Leo XIII (1> "are generally commanded to promise—nay, with a special oath to swear—that they will never, to any person, at any time or in any way, make known the members, the passes, or the subjects discussed." Freemasonry would lose its force and effectiveness if it operated in broad daylight. Men would per- ceive its tactics, detect its objectionable features and impede its action. Secrecy, on the other hand, frus- rates surveillance, prevents suspicion and forestalls attacks. Notwithstanding its equalitarian claims, Freemasonry has created a system of degrees, the primary purpose of which is to conceal the secrets of the organization. The light, which emanates from the anonymous international chief, descends in ever reduced fragments to the various subordinate groups, each one of which accepts unquestionably the infallible truths coming from on high and stands in readiness to carry out the bidding of the occult dictator. The Masonic oath of absolute secrecy is opposed to right reason and distorts the order between the soul and its Creator. Man's mind is as it were a spark of the divine intellectuality enshrined in the human temple. Like the divinely created soul of which it is a faculty, man's intellect can be subject in an absolute manner to God alone. To enslave man's mind to human agents is to do violence to the soul and to inflict an injury upon the Creator. 2) Blind obedience. The Masonic oath of blind obedience exacted of prospective members is des- cribed in the following words by Leo XIII: "To be enrolled, it is necessary that the candidates promise and undertake to be thenceforward strictly obedient . No group is deserving of the title HI-Y club unless it strives to attain the purpose of the HI-Y club: "It is clear that the purpose of the HI-Y Club, which is an amazingly progressive religious state- ment, with action requirement bristling out of each of its verbs,—'create,' 'maintain,' and 'extend'— <»> p.B <2> p. 16 <«> p. 77 THE TWO "Y'S"—-ORGANIZATION AND AIMS 65 must be constantly reviewed and used as a drastic check against easy-going types of program mak- ing. The purpose can be accomplished but it re- quires social action—not parties and dances—but action in terms of bettering the attitudes and con- duct of high school boys and girls in the social problem listed above" ( 1 ). The HI-Y pin is also given a strictly religious meaning: "The pin stands for sacrificial service, for Christ, and the other fellows" <2>. Worthy of all attention in this connection is the booklet entitled, "The HI-Y Movement, Objec- tives and Methods" published in New York in 1931 by the National Council of Young Men's Christian Association. In answer to the question—What does a HI-Y Club do at its regular meeting—we read (8>: "Often it has been found that a division of the time of the weekly meetings on some such plan as fol- lows brings best results: Social fellowship, includ- ing supper or luncheon—40 minutes. When no meal is served, the meeting usually starts at once with the following included in the program: Opening period of devotion, worship or song—10 minutes. Life problem discussion, or Bible History, including an occasional outside speaker—40 minutes," etc. A minimum requirement is a "regular meeting in which the boy members discuss their everyday life problems, seeking a solution based upon the appli- cation of Christian principles" (4). THE Y.W. C.A. The Young Women's Christian Association— (i) p. 8 <»> p. 76 <»> p. 12 i«1 p. 19 64 MODERN QUESTIONS though similar to the Y. M. C. A. in character and scope in its work for young women—is not officially connected with the Y. M. C. A. nor historically sprung from it. It arose in 1906 out of a union of several independent units. This body also adopted the resolution that the active membership, that is, the voting and office-holding membership, must be restricted to members of the Protestant Evangelical churches. Here, too, it has been repeatedly assert- ed in recent years that this membership test has been removed and that Catholics may now hold office in the Y. W. C. A. Is this claim correct? In the constitution of the Young Women's Christian Association of the United States of America we read : "Section 2. Any Young Women's Christian Association other than student may be a member of the National organization upon application to the National Board and upon filing with it a copy of its constitution, showing : "A. That its voting and office-holding member- ship is limited to women who are members of Pro- testant Evangelical churches, or B. That its constitution embodies the following: We, the Young Women's Christian Association o f a member of the Young Women's Christian Association of the United States of America, declare our purpose to be : "To build a fellowship of women and girls de- voted to the task of realizing in our common life those ideals of personal and social living to which we are committed by our faith as Christians. "In this endeavor we seek to understand Jesus, THE TWO "Y'S"—-ORGANIZATION AND AIMS 67 to share his love for all people, and to grow in the knowledged and love of God" ( 1 ). As we already pointed out, a Catholic who be- lieves that his Church is the divinely established teacher and exponent of truth, cannot at the same time agree to carry out a religious program propos- ed to him by a mere human agency, a Protestant organization. To do so would be to subscribe to the principle that one religion is as good as another. In a book entitled "A Study of the World's Y. W. C. A.," published by the Young Women's Christian Association in Geneva in 1932, we read: "The society grew out of the efforts of women in different countries to find the living Christ for themselves, to say to others: 'Come and s e e ' " . The "basis" of the world's Y. M. C. A. is described in Art. II of the Constitution as follows: "Faith in God the Father as Creator and in Jesus Christ His only Son as Lord and Savior, and in the Holy Ghost as Revealer of Truth and Source of power for life and service, according to the teach- ing of Holy Scripture" The aims of the organiza- tion is stated in Art. I l l : "The world's Y. W. C. A. seeks to organize, develop and unite national associ- ations which, accepting its basis or one in conformity with it, endeavor to extend the Kingdom of God l1) From "Guide to Membership Practice and Policies in the Y. W. C. A." distributed by the National Services Division, National Board, Y. W. C. A. 600 Lexington Ave. New York City. <2> Int. p. 8. (»1 ibid. p. 9 M 68 MODERN QUESTIONS according to its principles, and to bring young women to such knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as shall manifest itself in character and conduct" ( 1 ). "Our purpose," says a pamphlet entitled "Y. W. C. A. in Minneapolis," "is to associate young women in personal loyalty to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; to promote growth in Christian character and service through physical, social, mental and spiritual training, and to become a social force for the extension of the kingdom of God" <2>. Any woman or girl who believes in the purpose of the Y. W. C. A. may become a member (8). The application blank for membership in the Y. W. C. A. of St. Paul carried the purpose of the organization in the following words: "To build a fellowship of women and girls devoted to the task of realizing in our common life those ideals of per- sonal and social living to which we are committed by our faith as Christians. In this endeavor we seek to understand Jesus, to share his love for all people, and to grow in the knowledge and love of God." The person signing the blank pledges that "together with other members of the St. Paul Asso- ciation I desire to belong to this fellowship and to share in the responsibility for the realization of the purpose." The Association accepts all Christians and merely asks that they "meet on the great essen- tials of Christian faith." It "includes in the field of its activities young women without distinction of creed" and pledges itself "to assign a primary posi- tion to Bible study and prayer." <*> p. 65 <*> p. 8 <«> p. 7 THE TWO <«Y'S"—ORGANIZATION AND AIMS 67 It does not consider religious training as one of its many activities but as an activity which underlies and is intimately connected with every project which the society promotes. "Religion in the Young Women's Christian Association," says the Minneapolis pamphlet mentioned above, "is not a department of work; but is rather a product re- sulting from all types of work carried on" H ) . In a pamphlet entitled "Aims and Practice of the World's Y. W. C. A." and published in Geneva, Switzerland, we read: "However much our educa- tional work, our recreation, housing, etc., may and must be developed because they are good in them- selves and are part of the fuller life we would share with all other women, there should be an intelligent relation between each specific Association undertak- ing and the goal of the fullest life, which must in- clude also the experience we may each possess of Jesus Christ." GIRL RESERVES "Girl Reserves," says a pamphlet entitled "The Y. W. C. A. in Minneapolis," "is the name of the Y. W. C. A. movement among girls." In a very com- plete work published by the National Board of the Young Women's Christian Association and entitled "The Girl Reserve Movement" (a) we read: "The Girl Reserves are to the Young Women's Christian Association, of which they are a part, the fresh stream which feeds into the main current of the movement at its source or along its course—the very youth of its youth. They have its future in their keeping" (S). u> p. 14 m New York, 1921 1») Pref. p. 3 68 MODERN QUESTIONS This book considers religion as inseparable from the various activities carried on by the Girl Reser- ves: "Its program of religious education is not a part of its whole plan of activities, 'for religion touches all of life,' and therefore religious education becomes an underlying principle which cannot be separated from the whole fabric of a girl's living" W). Speaking specifically of the purpose of High School Girl Reserve Clubs the book says: "(Their) purpose should necessarily be in accord with the spirit of the purpose of the Young Women's Chris- tian Association which is promoting the club. Any purpose should be a growing one: the wording of it, as it is reconsidered and probably rewritten every year should show a steady growth toward the prin- ciples underlying all Association work, a Christian fellowship both individual and social which finds its highest expression in a personal loyalty to Jesus Christ and His principles for every day living" ! « ibid. p. 295 <2> ibid. p. 86. Discussion Aids 1. Describe the origin of the Y. M. C. A. What is its emblem? 2. What facts show that the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. are Protestant Organizations? 3. What is the relation of the Y. M. C. A. to the HI-Y? Of the Y. W. C. A. to the Girl Reserves? 4. Show that the HI-Y and Girl Reserves are re- ligious organizations. 5. May a Catholic vote and hold office in the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.? THE TWO "Y'S"—ORGANIZATION AND AIM 69 Religious Practices 1. I shall always consider the Church and the Church alone as the divinely authorized teacher of all Christian Doctrine. 2. In order to become a better Christian, I shall try to become better acquainted with the Church's teachings. 3. In order to become a stronger and more vir- tuous Christian, I shall receive the sacra- ments more frequently. Chapter V I I I THE TWO Y'S - AN APPRECIATION We have quoted numerous passages from the Y publications in order to make it clear that our criticisms are founded on fact. We have noticed, first of all, that active membership in the two Y's requires either membership in the Evangelical church or an agreement to carry out the so-called "purpose." The purpose implies an acceptance of the "Christian faith," a promise to extend the "Kingdom of God," and a resolution to form one's character according to the teachings of Christ. But who will determine the contents of the Christian faith? Who will determine the meaning of the "Kingdom of God" which for the Catholic is indissolubly connected with the Church? Who will determine the meaning of Christ's teaching? Every- thing about the two Y's is suggestive of Protestant- ism, and surely it is not Catholic teaching that the Y's will propose to the Catholic young man and woman. Furthermore, does the Catholic need to join the Y in order to become a more active member of his own Church? Is not the Catholic Church "the pillar and ground of truth"—a Church which not only points out the way but through the Sacraments supplies the necessary graces for the performance of that which it commands? Of what assistance can a mere human organization be to a Catholic? Furthermore, a Catholic who becomes a full- fledged member of the Y has already in principle accepted the doctrine that one religion is as good as another. And since modern non-Catholic religions THE TWO "Y'S"—AN APPRECIATION 71 have abandoned the essentials of divine revelation, a Catholic who moves in this evangelical atmosphere of religious indifferentism will soon lapse into natu- ralism and religious indifference. It is our firm opinion that no Catholic may serve as an officer in the Y. If the officers promote all the activities of the Association, therefore, also its re- ligious work, the Catholic would be promoting the spread of heresy and would himself become suspect- ed of heresy (1). May a Catholic be in charge at least of the social and athletic activities? We do not think so. Social and athletic activities easily lead Catholics to participate in the Y's religious work. Secondly, the presence of a prominent Catholic on the local board of directors, the presence of popular and outstanding Catholic young men on the board of the HI-Y, will influence their coreligionists—es- pecially unwary Catholics—who will be blinded to the real situation and moved to join an organization which is not without danger to their faith. It is also our opinion that no Catholic may pay regular dues to the Y, for by his contributions he is supporting all the activities which the Y conducts. But what sincere Catholic would in conscience lend his support to the Y's anti-Catholic propaganda in Latin America and in the Catholic countries of Europe? Many Catholics claim that by their membership they are seeking merely the athletic and recreational facilities offered by the Y. Catholics should remem- ber, however, that for no temporal or bodily advant- age whatsoever should they compromise their high dignity as members of the mystical Body of Christ. As we pointed out before, a Catholic as a non- (1) Canon 2316 72 MODERN QUESTIONS evangelical may not be a voting or office holding member of the Y. As a Catholic he may not become such a member by subscribing to the "purpose." Hence he could at best become an inferior member of the Y. But what Catholic, who belongs to an or- ganization almost two thousand years old, and whose ancestors gladly died for the faith, would trample under foot his dignity, and for the sake of bodily benefits become a secondary member of a Protestant organization? Finally, within recent months the Y has fre- quently been accused of harboring Communistic cells and of promoting forums and lectures favorable to Russian Communists and Spanish Loyalists, and so has merited the just criticism of all lovers of Ameri- can liberties. What should be the Catholic's attitude toward the Hi-Y? One may be genuinely sympathetic with its desire to withdraw the boy from evil influences and place him in a clean, healthy, moral environ- ment. But the Christianization of the boy which the HI-Y proposes as its main objective raises certain serious difficulties which make it impossible for a Catholic to indorse the HI-Y movement. 1) In the first place, the HI-Y boys "believe in living according to the teaching of Jesus." But whence is this teaching derived? From the Catholic Church? Not very likely. From one of the Protest- ants sects? If so, from which one of the 700 mutual- ly contradicting groups? If only those elements of religious doctrine are chosen on which all sects agree, a nondogmatic and colorless Christianity is the inevitable result. 2) If it be urged that Christian principles of conduct may be gathered from a mere reading of THE TWO "Y'S"—AN APPRECIATION 73 the Bible, we are again face to face with Protestant Bible Christianity which strives to replace the Cath- olic Church with a book. Besides, which Bible will the boys read? 3) The HI-Y insists on the formation of Christian character. But character presupposes vir- tuous habits. And virtuous habits are formed by a repetition of acts. Actions presuppose intellectual convictions—moral conduct presupposes religious beliefs. But here again the question arises: Who is to supply these religious doctrines for the HI-Y boys? In addition, it makes a world of difference for conduct if one accepts such doctrines as the Divinity of Christ, existence of hell, resurrection of the body, etc. 4) The HI-Y insists on evaluating life prob- lems in the light of Christian principles. But what will be the HI-Y's attitude on such problems as the following: marriage, divorce, birth control, right to private property, mercy-killings, atheistic Commun- ism, Fascism, etc.? Have not certain groups of the Y. M. C. A. in recent times taken a stand on some of these problems which has left misgivings in the minds of many? 5) The HI-Y has definitely affiliated itself with Protestant churches. At a regional HI-Y Con- ference, held in St. Paul, November 25 and 26,1938, under the auspices of the North Central area of the Y. M. C. A., the meetings were held at the Olivet Congregational Church and Methodist ministers were the principal speakers. The HI-Y clubs of the Central High School of St. Paul hold their regular meetings at Protestant churches where they are addressed by Protestant clergymen. 74 MODERN QUESTIONS Much the same criticisms apply to the Y. W. C. A. and its Junior branch, the Girl Reserves. From the principles enunciated by the leaders of the Y. W. C. A. the following conclusions seem logically to follow: (1) The Y. W. C. A. is clearly a religious organization or a religious sect. It has its own religious doctrines and practices, its own worship chapel service and ceremonials. "The opening club ceremonial and the installation and recogni- tion services offer great opportunity for the expres- sion of the element of worship." (1) (2) The organization retains only certain es- sentials of Christian faith on which "all members can meet." What these basic doctrines are, is clear from what we have said above. That they do not include but rather exclude the great Catholic dog- mas on the Church, the primacy of St. Peter, the Sacraments, purgatory, etc. needs no proof. In order to find a common denominator acceptable to all sects, the Y. W. C. A. is forced to adopt a non- dogmatic and colorless Christianity. (3) The Y. W. C. A. advocates a thinly veiled Bible Christianity. As we well know, Protestantism makes the Bible, as interpreted by one's own judg- ment, the sole and supreme rule of faith and moral- ity. Bible Christianity is a formal denial of the Catholic Church, of her divine authority and mission to teach all men. It strives to abrogate the Catholic Church which Christ instituted, and in its place it seeks to substitute a book. (4) The religion advocated by the Y. W. C. A. is a spiritual experience in which man directly ex- l l ) "The Girl Reserves" (New York, 1921) p. 297. THE TWO "Y'S"—AN APPRECIATION 77 periences God without the help or need of a Church, priesthood, or sacraments. It is a religious experi- ence of the William James type and is apparently destined to pass through the same vicissitudes until it reaches the equilibrium of a gross naturalism and complete agnosticism. A Catholic girl who becomes a member of the Y. W. C. A. or the Girl Reserves with a full under- standing of their ultimate aims and purposes, com- mits the same kind of sin as if she joined a Pro- testant sect. She aids in the spread of heresy and herself becomes suspect of heresy (can. 2316). By her membership and dues she abets an organization which aims at discarding what is basic in Catholic- ism. May she at least take part in the athletic, social, and recreational activities of the Girl Reserves? We do not think so, for even these are fostered with the ultimate aim of developing a religious consciousness which disregards the fundamental doctrines of Catholicism. Discussion Aids 1. Show how the two "Ys" foster religious in- differentism. 2. Does a Catholic need to join the Y in order to become a better member of his own Church? Explain. 3. May a Catholic hold office in the Y? Pay dues! 4. Should a Catholic seek the recreational facili< ties of the Y's? 5. Show how both the HI-Y and the Girl Re- serves foster the so-called Bible Christianity. 76 MODERN QUESTIONS 6. Can the HI-Y and Girl Reserves really form Christian character and evaluate contemporary events in the light of Biblical teaching? Ex- plain. Religious Practices 1. I shall frequently devote some time to a de- vout reading of the Scriptures. When I am in doubt as to the meaning of a passage, I shall turn to the Church for an explanation. 2. I shall try to evaluate current events in the light of Christ's teachings as infallibly pro- posed to me by the Church. 3. I shall be grateful to God for belonging to a Church which has preserved for me the wnoic and entire Gospel of Christ.