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Collection: Blackwell, Morton: Files Folder Title: The League for Religious and Civil Rights – Meeting with President 05/13/1983 – Father Virgil Blum (3 of 4) Box: 34

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( I

I THE WHITE HOUSE J WASHINGTON ) 4/28/83

MEMORANDUM

TO: FAITH WHITTLESEY (COORDINATE WITH RICHARD WILLIAMSON) " FROM: FREDERICK J. RYAN, JR. ~ SUBJ: APPROVED PRESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY

MEETING: Brief greeting and photo with Father Virgil Blum -on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

DATE: May 13, 1983

TIME: 2:00 pm

DURATION: 10 minutes

LOCATION: oval. Office

REMARKS REQUIRED: Background to be covered in briefing paper

MEDIA COVERAGE: If any, coordinate with Press Office

FIRST LADY PARTICIPATION: No

NOTE: PROJECT OFFICER, SEE ATTACHED CHECKLIST

cc: A. Bakshian M. McManus R. Williamson R. Darman J. Rosebush R. DeProspero B. Shaddix K. Duberstein w. Sittmann D. Fischer L. Speakes c. Fuller WHCA Audio/Visual w. Henkel WHCA Operations E. Hickey A. Wrobleski G. Hodges Nell Yates CHECKLIST FOR PROJECT OFFICERS

General Responsiblities

Prepare and submit briefing paper to Richard Darman's Office by 3: 00 pm of the preceding day. (14 copies)

Submit a complete, confirmed list of staff and attendees, identified by title, as well as the actual starting and completion times, to the President's Diarist, Office of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling within five (5) days after the event. (7560)

Coordinate with David Fischer on Presidential involvement and itinerary. (x2168)

Coordinate with Mark Weinberg in the Press Office (x2100) if applicable. Indicate home towns of participants.

If remarks are required, coordinate with the Speechwriters Office (x6266) well in advance.

For Rose Garden event, clear and reserve a backup location in case of inclement weather.

If participant brings a gift, contact Mary Power (x7133) for handling.

If any foreign visitor or dignitary is to be involved, please coordinate with Charles Tyson of the NSC (x3440).

West Wing Meetings

Notify and clear all participants. (Full name, social security number, date of birth).

Arrange parking with West Wing ushers and inform gate of arrival time and number of vehicles.

If tent name cards are needed, send a list of names to Muffie Brandon's office (x7064) 48 hours in advance.

All room arrangements (chairs, notepads, pencils, etc.) should be made through Carl Jones (x2275) or Nell Yates (x2605).

Coordinate with the Advance Office for Rose Garden events (x7565). Residence Events

Coordinate with the Social Secretary's office (x7064) for all arrangements.

Coordinate with the Advance Office for Presidential Arrangements and logistical support. (x7565)

Send guest list to Social Secretary's office, preferably three weeks prior to the event. THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

April 21, 1983

MEMORANDUM TO MICHAEL K. DEAVER FAITH R. WHITTLESEY

FROM: RICHARDS. WILLIAMSON

RE: CATHOLIC LEAGUE FOR RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL RIGHTS

I am prompted to forward this both to you as a result of our recent luncheon meeting on blue collar workers coupled with materials I have received from Bill Gavin.

As you know, Bill, who was a former speech writer to President Nixon and currently a Special Assistant to House Republican Leader Bob Michel, gave invaluable help to us on the campaign as a speech writer. He was particularly good at drafting language to address the ethnic Catholic group.

Bill is very active in the Catholic community. His book, "A Street Corner Conservative", is probably the best written about the Conservative Catholic crossover vote.

He strongly urges us to have Father Virgil Blum meet with the President on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights on May 14, 1983. Apparently Father Blum will be in Washington at that time.

Enclosed are materials I have received from Bill of this event.

Based on my review of the material and my high regard for Bill, I strongly urge us to place it on the schedule. ✓ cc: James A. Baker APPROVED fO\l Edward Rollins Date. ("/J.3/ f J Time. i.1 o~ , £en~th.:J.~_l PJ ~ ~ata ~7 - Dear Rich:

Say something in Austrian ... weiner schnitzel ....•

On to more pressing things:

Re;The invitation to Father Virgil Blum to meet with the President

on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Catholic League

for Religious and Civil Rights. (MAY ( LJ. 1 {'{'?3) Reasop4 it would be good for the President to do so:

1. While the League has m~~y clergymen as members it has no official

connection with the "official" Church bureaucray. Thus, tee League represents

the kind of volunteer, grass-roots, private initiative the President

·· likes.

2. The League is primarily a civil rights group .This is an important

fact. Like the Anti~Defamation League of B'nai Brith, it stands up for the

rights of its co-religionist~But equally important it has stood up against

bigotry directed at non~Catholics as well. Meeting with Father Blum would

give the White House a chance to speak out against all bigotry and

give the President a chance to set the record straight.

3.The Leage is ~champion of tuition tax credits--and stresses the

benefits to minority children(they have do~g a study on this).

4. The league has done aVine job in setting the record straight on

news stories about the abortion con®versy.

5.Finally, the League is made up of "street-co~r Catholics"(like the

present writer as we say) ... the kind _President Reagan has counted on in 1 the past. Riclj, there are so rnnay good things 'bbout this, I can't see

a drawback. There has to be some imagination shown by the White House in

reaching th~ Catholics of this country.This could be a small beginning .. ~ .,, Office of the Republican Leader House· of R epresentatives Washington, D.C. 20515

WILLIAM F. GAVIN Special Assistant to Rep. Robert H. Michel The Republican L ea d er Vol. 10, No. 4

Coach Shula, Bish"ops Francis and inside ••• McNicholas to hpadline anniversary fete

Most Reverend Joseph Abel /rancis. Cathedral, will be Most Reverend Joseph S.V.D.,auxiliarybishopofNewprk,N.J., A. McNicholas, bishop of Springfield, Catholic League spokesmen appeared will be the principal celebrjlnt of the Ill. on national television four times during concelebrated Solemn Pontifical Bishop Francis is a member of the February. Chairman James Hitchcock to be held May 21 in honor of t'he Catholic Catholic League's Board of Directors discussed "Sister Mary Ignatius" on two League's 10th anniversary/ and president of the National Black occasions, and Director of Public Affairs Homilistat the Mass, wl}1ch will begin Catholic Clergy Caucus. Bishop McNi- Michael Schwartz twice defended the at 6:30 p.m. in '.s St. Patrick's cholas is chairman of the National Con- right of parents to be notified when a , ference of Catholic Bishops' Committee federally funded agency gives their minor / on Liaison with Priests, Religious and daughters prescription Laity. drugs. For details, see page 2. A reception and dinner will follow the ...... Mass, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Burial of the 16,433 "shipping con­ Waldorf-Astoria. Miami Dolphins Coach tainer" abortion victims has again been Don Shula will be keynote speaker. His delayed through the legal maneuvering Dolphins won the Super Bowl in 1972 of a Los Angeles . See the and 1973, and they almost added a third article on page 3. National Football League championship ...... last January when they lost a close Also on page 3 is an article announc­ Super Bowl game to the Washington ing a new Catholic League publication: Redskins. Constitutional Rights and R!'ligious Prej­ udice: Catholic Education as the Battle­ Motivator gro1md, a221-page book by Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's East Coas1/ Shula is widely regarded not only as a director of development. / top football strategist but also as an exceptional motivator of players. His ..... ~ teams are characterized by a closeness This month's Heritage column, on page andcameraderiemoreoftenseenamong 5, recounts the efforts of the Knig~ts of Plaudits from Reagan, \ • h L h • \ college players than among pros. Dur- Columbus, in the early 20th century, to A h b IS Op ing the recent playoff series, several tel- counter the widespread circulation of a re ag I \ phony oath in which Knights allegedly The Catholic League's upcoming Tenth ·, evision announcers commented that the 1 Anniversary celebration has occasioned \fellowship among Dolphin players is in swore to kill all Protestants, e~tc .. letters of congratulations from Presi- tart attributable to the team prayer ...... dent Ronald Reagan and from Archbi- eetings led by Shula. Although the federal courts ad ear­ shop Pio Laghi, the Apostolic Delegate Catholic League President Rev. Vir- lier said that students in Gui derland. to the . gil C. Blum, S.J., said he is extremely N.Y .. could not conduct pra er meet­ "This occasion," wrote President Rea- pleased that the League has as the fea- ings on public school prop rty, they gan, "presents a special opportunity for tured speaker a Catholic American whose were doing it anyway-until a substi­ metoexpressmycontinuinghighregard fiith suffuses his public as well as his tute teacher blew the whist! on them. for the work of your organization. The ptivate life. "Don Shula is an exemplar See the article on page 6. . Catholic League has played an instru- of how we all should respond to the call ...... mental part in preserving the values the 'to pene- The League will soon p blish an and ethics of the J udeo-Christian tradi- It ate society with a Christian spirit,'" he important new book on the in titutional tion of our nation. aid, adding, "l am sure that everyone anti-Catholicism of The Bos n Globe, "You have repeatedly demonstrated •ho attends our dinner will hear a very written by Pat Largess, vice resident thoughtful leadership and concern in fl.nspi ring and enlig~tening talk by Coach of the Massachusetts Chapter. . profile the effort to protect the sanctity of inno- Shula." of the author appears on page . cent human life. The League has also Reservations for the reception and ...... worked strenuously to strengthen the dinner can be made by writing to the In his regular column on p~ge 8. role of the family in our society, bring an League's East Coast office, Suite 3B, Father Blum asserts that presicf~tial end to religious discrimination in employ- 1901 Olden Avenue Extension, Trenton, candidate Walter Mondale has alre dy ment, and insure the rights of those with N.J. 08618. Individual admissions to the identified Catholic voters as politi I a strong spiritual commitment. gala celebration are $100; groups may pygmies. (Continued on pageJ· wish to reserve a table for 10 at $1,000., Four programs during February National television exposure for the League

The Catholic LPague l[ained national Schwartz supported the notice rule, tive and John May agreed tele\'ision exposure on four separate arguing that parents have a right to thm the production was offensive to occasions during the month of February. know what the government is doing to Catholics. Film clips of the play, featur­ On Feb. 1. Michael Schwartz, the their children. Wattleton opposed it, ing a scene in which a doll was crucified, League'::, din,ctor of public affairs, was claiming the regulation was legally tended to support their objections, the gue:st, tog-ether with Faye Wattleton, defective and would lead to undesirable although the commentator insisted that president of the> social consequences. the "real issue" was free speech rather Fc>deration of America, in a 15-minute than the acceptability of anti-Catholic disc:us:,;ion of the parental notification 'Sunday Morning' bigotry. rule propos('d by the Department of The ''Sister Mary Ignatius" issue Health and Human Sen-ices when a On Feb. 6. CBS-TV's magazine show caught the eye {If popular talk show host federal]~· subsidized ag-ency gi\'es pres­ "Sunday Morning." hosted by Charles Phil Donahue, who in\'ited Prof. Hitch­ cription birth l'ontrol drugs to girb 17 Kuralt. included a segment on the con­ cock to be his guest on an hour-long pro­ Yl'ars of agP and younger. The prog-ram. troversy in St. Louis over the play "Sis­ gram on the subject. Hitchcock was hosted by Phil Donahue, was aired ter Mary Ignatius Explains It All For joined in objecting to the play by Stanley national I~· that same e\'ening as part of You." Prof.James Hitchcock, chairman Anderman of the St. Louis office of the thl' AIW-T\' new s program "The Last of the League's Board of Directors, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. \\'ord." offered the Catholic League's perspec- who articulately denounced the presen­ tation asan injection of religious bigotry int.o thecommunity. Appearing in defense of the production were Fontaine Syer. NevJ rules discourage infanticide artistic: director of the theater company which presented the play in St. Louis and the individual who was chiefl\' The Catholic League has commended the President's earlier directi\'e, which responsible for selecting this play fo.r President Reag-an and the Department was issued after the Catholic League production in that city: and a member of Health and Human Ser\'ices (HHS) ad,·isecl the \Vhite House that Section of the faculty at a Chicago , for their rcc(' n t efforts to d iseou rage the 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 who said he ''saw nothing wrong with" practice (If infanticide against ha ndi­ prohibits discrimination against handi­ the play. capped infants. capped persons in federally assisted That program was taped on Feb. 16 HHS announced March 2 that it will facilities. and synd icatecl to more than 200 sta­ require all fc·clerall~· fundc·cl hospitals to The L('ague initiatiw and the White tions in the United State,; and Canada. It post and hep posted in a conspicuous House response to it were inspired b~· wa~ broadcast during late February plat·e in rk·liq•ry. pPdiatric and m:1ter­ th(' death of "Baby Doe" on April ] 5, and March, depending on loc:a! schedules. nity war.els. and nurseriE's (including 1~82. Born "·ith Down's syndrome in a On FPb. 28. Donahue im·ited Schwartz i ntensi q, earl' nurseries) a notice stating Bloomington. Ind., hospital. Raby Doe and Wattleton back fora rematch on his that "discri111inatory failure to fe('d and wa:- deniPd food. water and medical hour-long daily program. Joining them care fur handicapped infant~ in this tn•atnwnt at his parents' request and in a discussion of the !Jarental notiC'e faeilit~· is pn,hibited by federal law." with th(' lJlessings of three separate rule was Janet Benshoof of the ACLU's Catholil' L(•ag-ue c;eneral Counsel Patrick c-ourts. Reproductive Freedom Project. :.lonaghan hailed the measures as ··a In letter~ tu President Reagan and strong- L'xpru,iun of respect for the Acting- HHS Secretary Thomas R. Don­ League argument sanl'tity rif human life.'' nell~· ..Jr .. Monaghan said the new HHS regulations will be of great help in Sehwartz again argul.'d that g-o\'ern­ Toll-free hotline det('rring further deaths of handicapped ment secrec:.,· in the dispensing of con­ infants through the. denial of nourish­ tracepti\'e drugs to minor girls was a Tlw requin,d notices will ad,·ise that ment and health care. violation of the rights of families, and anyone ha\·ing knowledge that a handi­ Monaghan also welcomed the hotline that these programs had contributed to capped infant is being discriminatorily for reporting \'iolations. "The go\'ern­ the dramatic increase in premarital denied nutrition or mt'dical care should mcnt's promise of enforcement wil1 be pregnancy among teenagers, while the imnwdiateh· contact a toll-free 24-hour more effecti\'e in saving li\'es than our secrecy prevented any constructive HHS hotlir{c. or the state child protPc­ ongoing efforts to encourage compliance solution to the problem. Benshoof claimed ti\'e agency, to report the alleged with Seetion 504 through reportin1< th'.lt it would be illegal and "totalitar­ violation. forms.'' he said. ian" for the go\'ernment to re\'eal to par­ The notices will also state that "failure Last summer Monaghan and Prof. ents that it was giving hazardous drugs to fe>ed and care for infants may also Charles Rice of Notre Dame Uni\'ersitY to their children, while Wattleton con­ \'iolatc the criminal and civil laws of Law Sehool drafted a legal memora~­ tended that the onlv alternative to \'our state." dum which explained Section 50=fs legal gowrnment secrecy in ·this matter \,·ould · Last April :w. at the urging of the protection of handicapped infants, and be more teenage pregnancies. Members Catholic League. President Reagan they prepared a discrimination complaint of the ~tudio audience contributed valu­ dirPcted HHS to notify hospitals that form designed to aid citizens in report­ able comments on the health risks of their federal fundings will be halted if ing incidents of discrimination to HHS. contraceptive drugs, the methods of thE'y perm it handicapped persons to die Tens of thousands of the memoranda operation in birth control centers for by stanation or denial of routine medi­ and complaint forms were then distrib­ teenagers. and the concerns and rights cal carE:. uted bv the Catholic League to health of parents. Th(' recently announced regulations care fa~il ities, pro-life organizations and This program was broadcast in local are intcnckd to ensure compliance with interested citizens across the country. markets during March and early April. 2 CONSTITUTIONAL" RIGHTS Abortionists delay mass burial AND· RtLIGIOUS PREJUDICE: of 16,433 abortion victims

Burial for the 16,433 abortion victims (ACLU). Beforethestayexpireson March discovered more than ·a year ago in an 17, the abortion clinic is expected to file abandoned shipping container has again an appeal of Judge Chernow's decision, been delayed through the legal maneuv­ tnus further delaying the burial. ering of a Los Angeles abortion clinic. In opposing the abortion clinic's motion In a December 22 court order, Los for a stay, Patrick Monaghan, Catholic Angeles Superior Court Judge Eli League general counsel, and League Chernow had granted the Catholic attorney, Paul Freese of Los Angeles, League's request that the court autho­ stated that the clinic had repeatedly rize burial. At that time, Judge Cher­ sought to use the powers of the court to now also explicitly recognized the First disrupt the lawful and reasonable reli­ Amendment rights of religious-minded gious expressions planned in connection citizens to conduct a memorial service in with the expected burial of the human conjunction with the burial. bodies. Before the burial could take place, "The abortion clinic's contention," the however, a California Court of Appeals, Catholic League attorneys stated, "is on March 3, granted a two-week stay at that if the Supreme Court and other the request of the abortion clinic, the courts have denied the humanity of the Feminist Women's Health Center, and unborn child, this prohibits private citi­ the American Civil Liberties Union zens from recognizing the fact of their humanity. The Constitutional rights of free religious speech of American citi­ Book expf ores educational freedom zens protesting this Holocaust ought not be further denied by the Government by The Catholic League has published an ents, would improve educational quality a stay or other injunctive procedures." authoritative new book on educational through increased competition, and is "Human beings cannot underestimate freedom and private schools entitled supported by a majority of Americans the ghoulishness of the abortion cul­ Con.~tit11tio11al Rights and Religious notwithstanding the substantial opposi­ tists," said Monaghan. "Government PreJudi!'c: Catltulic Education as thr tion generated through appeals to anti­ sponsored mass funerals, promoted by Battlcyro,111d. by Father Peter Strav­ Catholicism. the law in the twentieth century, have in,:kas. the Leag-ue's East Coast director On the constitutional level. Father tended to run towards ' incine.ration' of de\'elopment. Stravinskas concludes that the First (Auschwitz) as requested by the ACLU; In a foreword to the 221-page hard­ Amendment's prohibition of an estab­ however, there is also the precedent for bound book. Terence Cardinal Cooke, lishment of was primarily what their advocates have termed 'under­ Archbishop of New York, says: "This designed to prevent the erection of a ground storage' (Babi Yar). Then as stud~· \\'ill be a help to enable fair­ government-sponsored national church. now. there will be public prayer regard­ minded persons to examine .the issues He contends that the first 125 years of less. In time, there will be full recogni­ in\'Ol\'ed . With many Americans, I look United States history and the success of tion of the reality of what was done, and forward to the day \\·hen all parents-of other Western democracies in providing by whom." ewry economic group-will be able to aid to private school parents while exercise fre l:' dom of choice in the educa­ maintaining separation of church and tion of their children." state demonstrate that such aid could be Call - don't write Father Stravinskas said he wrote the easily implemented in the United States. book as a means to trace and explore the The book also provides penetrating A telephone call can often be more constitutional possibilities for federal insights into the consistent relationship effective than a letter in responding to financial assi stance to parents who choose that exists between a justice's image of offensive or inaccurate radio news broad­ prirnte schools for their children. parochial schools and how he votes on casts. Although that topic has been discussed given educational cases before the Court. According to a League member from and debated for over a century. Father New York, a local radio station's recent Stra\'inskas's book is the first systematic Coons comments 7 a.m. news included a report on the new attempt to link the constitutional ques­ code of cc:1.non law which began by say­ tion with that of religious prejudice­ Professor John E. Coons of the Uni­ ing that women are still second-class particularly as regards the Supreme \'ersity of California at Berkelely and a citizens in the Church because they still Court's perception of the nature and member of the Catholic League's Board can't be ordained. purpose of Catholic schools. of Directors said of the book: It "opens a The League member phoned the sta­ At the public policy level, Father new phase in the dialogue over the roles tion immediately, complaining that the StraYinskas discovered that a id to pri­ of sectarian education in a society that remark was snide and offensive, and \'ate school parents h~~ ari:ple precend- calls itself free, but leaves poor and that it ignored the Church's teaching on middle-class families without choice the of the priesthood. The edi­ Cathol1c League Newsletter is published by the Catholic League for Religious and Civil among schools." And William D: Valente tor apologized and said the station would Rights, 1100 W . Wells St., Mil, Wis. 53233. of Villanova University has found it "at not use the tape again. James Hitchcock ...... Chairman once a scholarly and practical exposi­ "I'm convinced that with news broad­ Virg il C Blum. S J ...... •...... President tion of one of the great political issues of casts. especially on the radio, the best John Hansen ...... Treasurer our society." response is a prompt, polite, but firm Ann Brosnan ...... Secretary Orlan Love . . Director of Publications The Catholic League will soon offer telephone call," the member said. "A let­ Annual membership dues: $15 Co11Ntituti onal Righ/8 and R<:liyiou s ter might have gotten an apology, but it Contributions are tax deductible. Prejudice to League members at a sub­ would not have kept the offensive tape stantially discounted rate. off the 8 a.m. news." 3 AiADOCKET ~...:._~ Congress tries to contain evil of abortion By Patrick Monaghan· General Counsel The thrust of the Respect Human Life coin rec;ognized slavery to be. so \\'ith tributing it. Abortion. like slaYery and Act of 198a. recently introduced by abortion-the eYil must be contained. cancer. must be discouraged \\'hen it Convessman Henry ,J. Hyde, is to estab­ The Respect Humr,,n Life Act does cannot be stopped, and decisive]\' des­ lish a minimum federal policy in the recognize abortion and infanticide for troyed \\'hen possible. The Respect entire area of abc,rtion and infanticide. \\'hat they are--e\'il. It is one thing to Human Life Act is a ,;tep in the right The bill docs not go so far as to recog­ admit that abortion is with us, quite direction. nize constitutional protection for unborn another to make it the official 1wl icy of With the passage of the Respect Hum~n children under the ambit of the 14th our nation. with the support of our Ja,,\·s. Life Act perhaps Congress can free Amendment. but it ob\·iously does not the use of our money, and to promote and itse If to get down to the \'e,y heart of this preclude such recognition. The bill adopts encourage it \\'ith all the PO\\'ers d state country's real busines3-the forging ofa some of the findings from Senator John and socirty. consensus to respect life. A consensus East\ Committee hearing-s on human The Hyde Amendment has been passed that mothers and fathers should not kill life. Section 1 of the legislation states in e\'ery fiscal year since 1976. E\'ery or abuse their children. born or unborn. that: year this touches off an intense legisla­ A consensus that those "wanted" child­ "The Congress finds that, ti\'e battle \\·hich brings the go\'ernment ren who escaped the abortionist should (a) It is the policy of the Go\'ern­ to a halt. The Respect Human Life Act not now grow up to follow the example ment of the United States to protect would end this by making the Hyde set by their parents toward their incon­ innocent life. both before and after birth. A mend ment a permanent part of our venient and slain brothers and sisters. and that the Government of the United substantive la\\'. and by choice kill the "un\\'anted old"­ States affirms that all human beings are Those with true compassion for the even if it would impro\'e the fiscal endowed bv their creator with certain poor would no more support abortion soundness of Social Securit\'. inalienable' rights among which is the "for" the poor than they would support The Respect Human Life· Act of 1983 right to life. as embodied in our Declara­ heroin "for" the poor. Evil is e\'il. and as is an attempt to begin to respond tion of Independence." evil. it is not amenable to egalitarian appropriately to the blood-dimmed tide The Respect Human Life Act codifies and equal protection arguments for dis- engulfing us. most of the current restrictions on the federal financing of abortion. With an exception for the I ife of the mother if the child were carried to term, no agency of Paper questions bishop's veracity the Cnitt·d States would be authorized to perform or promote abortions. nor The Catholic League has admonished tive might express such a sentiment.'' could federal funds be u~ed tu pay for the Stockton (California) Record for The League later learned that if the abortions. publicly accusing the Bishop of Stock­ R('<'(m/ had exercisedjournalistic respons­ Last!:,·. the bill establi~lws a right of ton of deliberately making a false state­ ibility and common courtes:,·. it would direct ,:ppeal to thr Cnited State,; ment. have had no reason at all to impugn the Supreme Court if any :-tate legislation In its Sunday. Feb. 6 edition. the bishop's integrity. prohibiting or restricting abortion or Hff•11·1I published a lengthy lead editor­ According to Bishop Mahony. he infanticide. \\'hich is expres;;ly based on ial (•ntitled "Dishop :

A classic technique of anti-Catholic Masons ... to extirpate them from the face Catholics turned this rebuke into a vic­ agitators has been to attribute to Cathol­ of the whole earth," and to "hang, burn, •tory for themselves, by re_printi!lg the ics conspiratorial designs on the lives waste, boil, ~lay, strangle, and bury oath from the Convressiona.l Record, and liberties ofnon-Catholics. One of the alive these infamous heretics, rip up the thus lending it an aura of authenticity. most infamous and most gruesome of stomachs and wombs of their women, The next step the Knights of Colum­ these alleged conspiracies was embo­ and crush their infants' heads against bus took in their own defense was to died in a bogus "Secret Jesuit Oath," the walls in order to annihilate their initiate legal proceed_ings for criminal which apparently originated in the 16th execrable race." libel against Charles Megonegal, aPhil­ century, when it was concocted by a Pol­ These sanguinary sentiments were adelphia printer, in 1914. Megonegal ish Jesuit who had defected from the broadcast throughout the land in lea­ pleaded guilty to the charge, and with Society and the Church. flets, newspapers and sermons during the consent of the plaintiffs, received a This same piece of defamation was 1912. A congressional committee inves­ suspended sentence. dusted off and refurbished for Ameri­ tigated the hoax early in 1913 when Later that same year Knights in Cali­ can audiences in 1912 by an anti-Catholic Eugene Bonniwell, a Knight of Colum­ fornia filed similar charges against the group called the Guardians of Liberty. bus and defeated candidate for Con­ editor of a socialist newspaper in Santa In the American version, however, the gress from Philadelphia, claimed that Cruz who had reprinted the oath. In a conspirators were said to be the Knights his opponent had libeled him by circu­ jury trial, the editor was found guilty of of Columbus. Fourth Degree Knights latingtheoath. The committee condemned Jibe!, and that conviction was upheld on . were accused of swearing to "make and the spurious oath, but exonerated the appeal. wage relentless war, secretly and openly, victorious candidate of responsibility During that same summer of 1914, against all heretics. Protestants and for its distribution. Ironically, the anti- the editors of a Mankato, Minnesota daily newspaper were successfully prosecuted for the same offense. The Bishop replies to paper (Continuedfrompage4) purpose of these prosecutions, of course, was not to punish the offenders (who coverage of his talk to the Rotarians: After hearing the bishop's side of the were just a random few of thousands of "Why was no news story reported on story, one can't help entertaining yet anti-Catholic propagandists who were the full contents of my talk to the Rotar­ another question: spreading this defamation) or to extract ians? If two Record reporters were pres­ Why would a newspaper ignore a financial damages. but to discredit in ent at the talk, why did they not identify bishop's speech on nuclear disarmament public these false charges against the themselves and ask me any clarifying and focus insteac .on his off-hand remark Knights. questions? Why did not the editorial about the press. with the result beiFtg a page editor - who was not present for lengthy lead editorial questioning the Masons Investigate the ta) k - give me a call to ask about my bishop's veracity published five days remarks, intentions and points? And later in the paper's Sunday edition? In pursuit of this same objective, the why did the Record feel that this very One answer might be the paper's per­ K. of C. leadership in California, noting minor issue deserved to be blown into a fectly understandable strong interest in that the bogus oath was harshly anti­ Sunday edition major editorial?" selling newspapers. Masonic, invited a committee of leading Masons in their state to investigate for themselves the rituals and ceremonies of the Knights. Their report gave the Knights of Columbus a clean bill of health and denounced the oath as "scur­ rilous, wicked. and libelous." A copy of the Masons' report was placed in the CongressiOflal Record by a California Congressman who was a prominent Mason. Although the Knights of Columbus had worked effectively in exposing the oath as fraudulent, the lie did not die easily. The bogus Knights of Columbus oath was a mainstay of the anti-Catholic propaganda of the Ku Klux Klan during the twenties, and it played a prominent role in the anti-Catholic agitation that surrounded the presidential elections of 1928 and 1960. More recently, it has been reprinted Winners of the Long Island Chapter's annual student essay contest are pictured with in a 1981 book by Indiana faith healer Chapter President William Lindner and Father Peter Stravinskas. To the left are the Win Worley and, regaining its original high ·school winners: Anthony Brunet of Chaminade .(runner-up), Ann Bardwil of attribution to the Jesuits, it forms the Maria Regina (runner-up), and Jeanne Kenney of Maria Regina (first place). To the dramatic climax to one of the comic right are the junior high winners: Christina Mackell of Manhasset St. Mary's (first book hate tracts put out by the most place). Eugene T. Reilly of St. Ignatius Loyola (runner-up), and Noreen Anne Reilly of venomous of present-day professional St. Ignatius )..oyola (runner-up). anti-Catholics, Alberto Rivera. 5

RL!l&JL1s.x;m ua x as_ , & £&.Ji Voluntary prayer fla res up at Guilderland school Episodes of voluntary prayer have school board, by permitting all manner other teachers had known about it, but again broken out at Guilderland (N.Y.) of other groups to meet on school prop­ no one said anything until the substitute Central High School, despite a recent erty, had created a public forum. By teacher turned us in." federal court ban on such activity. depriving the prayer group of access to Zinnanti said other students had On Feb. 17. responding to complaints that forum, they argued, the board had mocked and harassed those in the prayer from a substitute teacher, school offi­ singled'out its members for discrimina­ group. "They would swear at us and call cials ordered 45 Guilderland students to tory treatment based solely on the reli­ us names," he said. "But that didn't stop engaging in the ''illegal" prayer gious content of their proposed speech. bother us. In the Bible it says we will be meetings that they had been conducting Nevertheless, on Dec. 14, 1981, the persecuted." daily for several weeks in a school Supreme Court left intact lower court Catholic League President Rev. Vir­ corridor. rulings which said religion would be gil C. Blum, S.J., said the Guilderland Catholic League attorneys had earlier impermissibly advanced if the Guilder­ situation is emblematic of the entire represented six Guilderland students land students were allowed to conduct secularist determination to privatize (since graduated) who had sued the prayer meetings on school property. religion and to drive it completely out of school board in an effort to gain legal Apparently, however, many Guilder­ government schools. "According to the recognition of their right to hold volun­ land students were not greatly daunted secularists," he said, "voluntary prayer tary prayer meetings on school property by the Court's denial of their right to is permitted in public schools. But when during off-school hours. pray. According to Louis Zinnanti, a they say 'voluntary prayer.' they mean The League took the case all the way senior at Guilderland, the students began entirely inconspicuous silent prayer by to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that gathering in a school hallway before an individual. You can pray, all right, as the school board's prohibition of the classes just prior to last Christmas. long as no one knows you're doing it. But voluntary prayer meetings violated the "We would stand in a circle, hold you're in trouble with the law if you bear students' freedom of speech. freedom of hands and pray aloud," he said. "We had public witness to your belief in God. assembly and religious freedom. been doing it right out in the open and You'd think we were living in atheistic League attorneys contended that the Russia."

Four new directors named to League Board The Catholic League has named two prominent business leaders, a family rights ad\·ocate and a Catholic League activist to its board of directors. Elected to the League board at its annual meeting Feb. 12 in Chicago were Joseph Hilly, vice president for labor relations at Trans-World Airlines:James P. McLaughlin, former president of United Parcel Service: Mrs. Ricardo Montalban, a pro-life and family rights advocate. and Dr. Anthony Czajkowski. president of the Catholic League's Wash­ ington Chapter. t Hilly, an attorney who graduated from , is a long-time League President Rev. Virgil C. Blum, S.J., and Chairman James Hitchcock listen as Catholic League member and suppor­ Michael Schwartz, the League's director of public affairs, makes a point at the recent ter. He has served on th"e advisory boards Board of Directors meeting in Chicago. of the League's Brooklyn and Manhat­ tan Chapters. Congratulations (C'o11ti111~<'dfrnrn °page I) McLaughlin. who rose from driver to president of UPS, serves on a presiden­ "Once again, congratulations on reach­ "The Holy Father addressed the fol­ tial committee charged with cultural ing- this significant milestone in the his­ lowing remarks to the College of Cardi­ exchanges between the United States torr of your organization. You have my nals at the conclusion of their Second and the Soviet Union. best wishes for continued success in the Plenary Meeting on Nov. 26, 1982: Mrs. Montalban gains visibility for future." "Let us together praise the Lord who her pro-life and pro-family activities Archbishop Laghi wrote: "The service has given us the energy and the con­ through her association with two like­ which the Catholic League has given stancy to give a new witness of our total minded relatives: her husband. actor during the past decade well deserves adhesion to the Church, of our living Ricardo Montalban. and her sister. particular recognition. Being unable to commitment, so that she may be able actress Loretta Young. participate in the anniversary celebra­ happily to continue in the world in the Dr. Czajkowski. who was nominated tion you are planning, I wish to take this search of a continually better utilization for the board position by a vote of his opportunity to share some comments of of the means at her disposal. the mission fellow chapter presidents, is a retired John Paul II which I find -to be entrusted to her by Christ the Lord for history professor and division chief for appropriate for the occasion. the service of man."' the Central Intelligence Agency. 6 Largess ·documents Globe's bias

Old axioms often survive precfsely dence to his words: "I'm very much because they're true. In the case of Pat involved in the city of Boston and dedi­ Largess, vice president of the League's cated to its betterment." Massachusetts Chapter, there's one that Pat finds it unfortunate that members proves especially appropriate: If you of the ruling elite in Boston do not want something done, get a busy person approve of religious freedom rights for to do it. Catholics. "The people of this city are Largess has recently completed an 80- predominantly Catholic," he said, "but page book on the institutional anti-Cath­ they sure take a lot of grief for it. It's a olicism of The Boston Globe. Entitled very strange and ironic situation, but Keeping Catholics in their Place: The the fact is it's difficult to survive as a BoNfon Globe's Cultural Imperialism, it Catholic in Massachusetts." will soon be published by the Catholic League. Robert P. Largess More than three years of Pat's spare Anti-Catholicism noted Vice-President, Massachusetts Chapter time went into researching and writing the book, and it clearly shows. Accord­ One prominent example of anti-Cath­ ing to Catholic League President Rev. olic sentiment has been the refusal of Virgil C. Blum, S.J., the book by Lar­ several municipalities to extend bus Screws tighten gess is the most sustained and thorough transportation to students attending effort to counter anti-Catholic defama­ Catholic schools, even though Massa­ in Lithuania tion in the 10-year history of the League. chusetts law requires equal service to private school students. Pat senses a The Catholic League has strongly pro­ Veteran teacher strong anti-Catholic sentiment growing tested the recent intensification of reli­ in Massachusetts, especially in this last gious persecution in Lithuania. Pat and his wife Jeannine have three year among certain local governments, Although Lithuania has been under children, ages 14, 11, and 1. After including Boston's. Soviet domination since 1940, mor.e than attending a Jesuit high school and Bos­ Nonetheless, Pat remains adamant 80 percent of its 3.5 million citizens ton College, he earned a master's degree that a powerful offense is our best practice their Catholic faith with a fer­ in cultural anthropology from Brandeis defense. Thus he devotes many long vor similar to that of the neighboring Unh·ersity and has done field work in · hours to Catholic League activity. As Poles. In recent months, however, Soviet the West Indies. A teacher in the Boston vice president of the Massachusetts officials have made it increasingly diffi­ public school system since 1968, Pat's Chapter, he travels the state, promoting cult for them to do so. specialty is English. but he has also League membership before parent Besides increasing their routine harass­ taught remedial math, science. and social groups, councils, Holy Name ment of Lithuanian Catholics, Soviet studies to disadvantaged students on the societies, and other organizations. In intelligence agents have been implicated junior-high level. addition. he edits the chapter newsletter in the deaths of three Catholic priests Pat belies the stereotyped view of the and serves as the "media contact man." since October of 1980. And, on January "anti-choice reactionary" in his concern "The League has demanded most of 26, 1983, for the first time in 10 years, a for the inner city poor: he has been a tax my elbow grease the past year," Pat Catholic priest faces imprisonment in reform advocate for Boston's urban and admits. "This is the outfit I'm really Lithuania for religious activity. minority communities for many y.ears. throwing my efforts into." For which, of According to Tass, the Soviet news And as an activist in his neighborhood course. the League is pleased and grate­ agency, Father Alfonsas Svarinskas has civic association,. Pat's deeds lend ere- ful. used the Church to cloak his "illegal anti-constitutional and anti-state act­ ivities." ·Reserve now for European tour In a letter to Anatole Dobrynin, the Catholic League advised the Soviet Now is the time for Catholic League many and Italy. ambassador to the United States that members to make their reservations for _ The tour will conclude with seven the Soviet oppression ·of Catholics in the Catholic Heritage Tour to Europe, to glorious days in the Eternal City of Lithuania is one of the most tragic signs be conducted in connection with the , where we are anticipating a pri­ of injustice in the world today. · League's Tenth Anniversary Celebration. vate audience with our Holy Father, The League told Dobrynin that no Tourists will leave New York on May Pope John Paul II. government can claim legitimacy when 22 for a 20-day pilgrimage led by League You are cordially invited to join with it denies its people the most fundamen­ President Rev. Virgil C. Blum. S.J., and other members and friends-0fthe Catholic tal of all human rights-religious free­ Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's . League in celebrating our Tenth Anni­ dom. To do so, the League said, "strikes East Coast director of development. versary. Arrangements for the tour have at the heart of human freedom, and is an High Iights of the tour (see the accom­ been made by Faith Tours, a leading intolerable suppression of the fundament­ panying brochure) inc\udethe Shrine of national religious tour·operator whose al rights of man." Our Lady of Lourdes. the Bavarian vil­ president, Thomas Mulroy, is a member Tofacilitate expressions of support for lage of Oberammergau noted for the of the Catholic League. Information on Father S1,arinskas, we have included in Passion Play performances, and a host how to make your reservation is included th?'.s mailing a postcard addressed to of other scenic places in Ireland, Ger- in the brochure. Ambassador Dobrynin. 7 The President's Desk by Virgil C. Blum, S.J. Mondale thinks Catholics are political,pygmies

many Catholic votes because he knows great deal to millions of Catholic voters. that Catholics (unlike public school Walter Mondale knows full well that teachers) do not base their votes on a he can oppose Catholic interests on mat­ In a recent article. I asserted that candidate's position on the vital issues­ ters such as tuition tax credits and still parents are nothing less they base their votes on appearances get a large share of Catholic votes as than political pygmies. and labels, such as religion, ethnicity long as he bears the Democratic label, to Because of their total lack of clout in and political party. which Catholics have been traditionally Congress, I observed, President Reagan Appearances are very important to loyal. could not persuade a single senator or Catholic voters. When Hugh Carey was Governor Mario Cuomo of New York congressman to co-sponsor his tuition elected governor of New York in 1974, organized his political campaign with tax credit bill in the 96th Congress. for cxampe, the Almanac of American the same elementary knowledge of Cath­ "American Catholic school parents are Politics attributed his victory to the fact olic political behavior. The failure of chumps, patsies, dopes, born-every­ that he voted like a Jewish liberal but Catholics to base their vote on candi­ minute suckers," I wrote. "They are pol­ looked like an Irish cop. dates' positions on vital issues enabled itical pygmies. And everyone in Wash­ The Almanac's point was that Jews him publicly to support elective abor­ ington knows it. From President Reagan voted for Carey because they liked his tions and oppose tuition tax credits dur­ down to the lowliest page." position on vital issues, while Catholics, ing his recent campaign, and yet enjoy My assessment of the political status ignoring his position on the issues, voted great support from Catholic voters of Catholic school parents has now been for Carey because, as he argued, "I am because, as he reasoned, "I am one of confirmed by the front-running Demo­ one of you." · you." cratic candidate for the office of the Mondale, of course, will not impress Walter Mondale and Mario Cuomo president: Walter F. Mondale. many Catholics as being "one of them"; know, in short, that Catholics are politi­ In a recent letter to the president of but his appearance as the Democratic cal pygmies. the Long Island Chapter of the Catholic Party's standard bearer will mean a League for Religious and Civil Rights, Mondale wrote: "In response to your inquiry as to my dews on tuition tax League cbjects to 'wrongful life' suits credits. I have always been opposed to this type of legislation." At a March 8 hearing conducted by a life regardless of condition." There you have it. Two years before Wisconsin legislative committee. Catholic Following Monaghan's presentation, the presidential election of 1984, Walter League General Counsel Patrick Mon­ another attorney testified that, indeed, Mondale has unceremoniously written aghan testified that there are obvious there is sometimes legal justification for off the concerns of Catholic and other moral and philosophical reasons why wrongful life suits. In an attempt at private school parents as being of no the legislature should not grant legal humor. the attorney then offered him­ relevance whatsoever to his ambition to status to so-called "wrongful life" law­ self as an example, to which Monaghan win the presidency. suits. replied: "If that is the case, have you The committee hearing reflected the considered your obligation to mitigate Opposed to freedom growing trend among lawyers to believe the damages?" that a parent or child has legal grounds Mondale's opposition to tuition ta.x to sue for damages on the basis that a Kolbe curriculum credits is not rooted in a commitment to child's life .or birth is wrongful. A typi­ reduce federal expenditures for educa­ cal "wrongful birth" suit, filed by par­ St. Maximilian Kolbe, an interfaith, tion. Quite the contrary. It is rooted in ents against a doctor, claims that, had interdisciplinary curriculum project, has opposition to freedom of choice in the parents been properly advised by been developed and recently published education-a political position he must the doctor, they would have known that by the St. Louis Center for Holocaust take in order to assure the support of the the child was genetically defective and Studies and the St. Louis Catholic School well organized and politically potent 1.8 that, thus, they would have had the child Office. mill ion-mem her National Education -aborted. The curriculum is designed to increase As!',ociation. · The central problem with such a legal understanding of the life and martyr­ But, in doing so, isn't Mondale run­ theory, Monaghan told the committee dom of the recently canonized St. ning the risk of alienating Catholic voters, members, "is the moral vacuousness of Maximilian, the Polish priest who per­ most of whom strongly approve of-tui­ saying that a person would be better off ished at Auschwitz when he volunteered tion tax credit legislation? Surely, Mon­ dead, better off never having been born, to take the place of a condemned prisoner. dale is not willing to sacrifice a large or the thought that an unplanned preg­ The unit includes background mate­ segment of more than 30 million Catholic nancy is a 'harm' of the kind that war­ rial on St. Maximilian and the Holo­ votes for the votes of a couple of million rants tort compensation." caust, a teacher's guide, and units spe­ public school teachers, is he? He further observed that "wrongful cially prepared for students at the The answer, of course, is plain and life" legal -theories are "a part of the elementary and secondary level~. simple: Mondale can get the votes of abortion-infanticide utilitarianism that To order the unit, send $5 to the St. both the public school teachers and the emphasizes a pleasant, temporal 'qual­ Louis Center for Holocaust Studies, Catholics. He knows that his opposition ity of life' and denigrates individual 10957 Schuetz Road, St. Louis, Missouri to tuition tax credits will not cost him responsibility and respect for all human 63141. 8 1111 CATHOLIC LEAGUE \,.,/ NEWSLETTER Vol. 8, No. 9 September, 1981 inside ... Blasco wins bias suit The Catholic League has been instru­ commonly thought," said Destro, "but mental in vindicating an Italian-American rarely is it as blatant and devastating to Catholic's complaint that he suffered reli­ an individual as it was in this case. In a case involving the U.S. Army, the gious and ethnic discrimination while per­ Because Floyd Blasco was willing to stand Catholic League has come to the defense fonning his duties as a case worker for up in defense of his religious beliefs and of a woman's right not to have an abor­ the Polk County (Iowa) Commission of ethnic heritage, he has set an example for tion. See the story on page 2. Veteran Affairs. all other victims of similar prejudice. We In· a July 24 decision, hearing officer hope that his triumph over religious and * * * Odell G. McGhee of the Iowa Civil Rights ethnic discrimination will help to increase Also on page 2 is an article describing Commission found that the case worker, the public's awareness of the problem the League's legal assistance to five Cuban Floyd Blasco, had been harassed, sub­ and, in the long run, help to Jessen the refugees who have been imprisoned for jected to negative comments and denied a frequency of its occurrence." two years without bail, charges or trial. promotion to the position of executive Blasco accepted the case worker's job director because of his religious prefer­ in 1975 with the understanding that he * * * ence and ethnic background. would succeed Donald Swim as executive Radio station KMJC in San Diego has director upon Swim 's retirement. Once cancelled the anti-Catholic broadcasts of Actual damages Swim discovered that Blasco is an Italian• Rosalind Musselman, and the League has American Catholic, however, he began to asked 20 other stations to do likewise. harass him. Blasco testified that Swim See the story on page 3. McGhee ordered the defendants, the would enter his work area during lunch veteran affairs commission and the Polk each day, ask questions about the Catho­ * * * County Board of Supervisors, to pay lic Church's teachings, and then offer crit­ Also on page 3 is a profile of Donna Blasco actual damages plus interest ical and derisive comments. Steichen, a pro-life pioneer who serves as amounting to $13,266. The money repre­ vice president of the League's Minnesota sents the salary increase that Blasco would Chapter. have received, had he been named execu­ Concrete evidence * * * tive director in 1977. In this month's "Docket" column on Robert Destro, general counsel for the Court records disc!ose that Blasco was page 4, Associate General Counsel Eva Catholic League, which represented given a "Nigger Application" by a co­ Soeka discusses the tangle of state and Blasco, hailed the decision as a precedent worker, who stated that she did so at federal laws governing employment dis­ in the League's efforts to counter Swim's behest. Blasco was told to fill out crimination based on religion. employment discrimination based upon the application "for your friends," appar­ religious beliefs and ethnicity. ently because Swim resented the fact that * * * "Religious and ethnic discrimination Blasco treated all his clients - including On page 5, this month's "Heritage" occurs much more frequently than is blacks - with dignity. column recalls the bloody riots that Later, Swim gave Blasco a form called occurred in 19th century Philadelphia a "Mafia Application" and told Blasco when Bishop Kenrick asked the school that he had to fill it out if he wanted to board to excuse Catholic students from work at the veteran affairs commission. Protestant religious exercises. On another occasion, Swim gave Blasco an article entitled "Ler-sons from Luigi * * * Fratto," the subject of which was organ­ As the stories on page 6 relate, the ized crime and the Mafia. Swim advised Washington Chapter has opened an office, Blasco to read the article if he wanted to the St. Louis Chapter is helping to edu­ get ahead. cate teachers on the Human Life Amend­ When Swim announced his retirement ment and the Long Island Chapter will in 1977, Blasco indicated that he wanted honor Father Bruce Ritter for his min­ to apply for the position. Swim replied, istry to troubled youth. "You aren't going to make it." As if to ensure that his prediction would come * * * true, Swim then recommended the only From "The President's Desk" this other applicant for the job. Blasco was month, Father Blum discusses the not interviewed, even though his qualifi­ illogical opposition of black leaders and cations were better than those of the Jewish leaders to tuition tax credits. other applicant 1

-----·-· ______.....:______Seminarian to Army ge·neral says abort or get out In a case that turns the common per­ told President Reagan that Gen. Beeton's receive benefits ceptions of "abortion" and "women's abort-or-get-out proposal is grounded in rights" on their heads, the Catholic pa~ntly sexist assumptions and "dis­ The Kenosha County (Wisconsin) League has come to the defense of a closes a gross lack of respect for the Department of Health and Social Services woman's right not to have an abortion. moral conscience of the American figh~ has been ordered to resume payments to According to the Army Times, Lt. ing woman and a highly distorted view of a 14-year-old foster child whose state sup­ Gen. Julius W. Becton, Jr., of the U.S. the rights of women in general." Gen. port benefits were cut off when he Army Training and Doctrine Command, Becton 's proposal indicates that he enrolled in a Catholic high school has proposed that soldiers who become respects neither the dignity of the seminary. pregnant during their first enlistment unborn, the dignity of the women under The state had contended that the boy should be forced to have an abortion or his command, nor the moral foundations was no longer entitled to the benefits face discharge. of laws, said Destro. because he no longer resided with his "We sincerely hope that you will take the first opportunity to investigate this foster parents. In representing the boy's Reprimand urged religious freedom rights, however, Eva M. matter very carefully," Destro said. "We Soeka, the League's associate general will be doing so, and we trust that your counsel, contended that public welfare In a letter to President Ronald Reagan, intervention will prevent the Army from benefits cannot be conditioned upon the the Catholic League called Gen. Beeton's adding an unnecessary moral dilemma to relinquishment of a First Amendment prop~sal "morally repugnant" and said those already faced daily by those whose right. that it merits, "at the very least, a strong patriotism protects the freedoms Gen. In her remarks at an J.pril 30 hearing reprimand." Becto~ would deny the women In his on the case, Ms. Soeka explained that League General Counsel Robert Destro command." non-payment of benefits to the child would, in effect, place a penalty on the exercise of his religious freedom rights. "Unless payments are resumed," she said, "the child will eventually have to Cuban refugees languish in prison choose between the seminary without League's Board of Directors, Magalay state support or leaving the seminary in The Catholic League is providing pre­ liminary legal assistance to five Cuban Llaguno and Archbishop Edward order to receive state support Clearly, McCarthy. League General Counsel such a choice would burden his right to refugees who have been held in federal penitentiaries without bail, charge or trial Robert Destro, in an effort to obtain exercise his religious beliefs." accurate information on the case, has had In ordering the benefits reinstated, the for nearly two years. The Cubans were among the thousands legal questionnaires translated into hearing examiner noted that Wisconsin Spanish and sent to the prisoners. has long recognized, for purposes of of refugees who arrived in the United States by flotilla when Castro temporarily "From all appearances," said Destro, . determinil)g dependency and benefit elig­ "this case constitutes one of the grossest ibility, that a child is still a resident of the permitted dissidents to emigrate. Although they had family members and violations of civil rights that I have ever foster home, even while temporarily seen." He said the League will pursue the absent to attend a boarding school. . sponsors waiting in the United States, they were arrested by agents of the Immi­ matter in cooperation with the Atlanta Because the court was administrative Legal Aid Society until the Cubans are rather than judicial, the examiner could gration and Naturalization Service and imprisoned, first at the federal peniten­ released or until he is given a legally valid not rule on the free exercise contentions. reason why they cannot be released. Ms. Soeka entered her religious free• · tiary in Talladega, Alabama, and cur­ rently in the basement of the federal pen­ ''The most ironic aspect of this case," dom arguments on the record to ensure itentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. said Destro, "is that the Cubans thought that they could be raised on appeal, in The League learned of the prisoners' they were coming to the United States to the event of an adverse ruling. "For the plight through two members of the escape such treatment." sake of the child and his foster parents," she said, "I am pleased that an appeal will not be necessary.•~ League to offer Kneeling Santa

Under a special arrangement with the cherished heirloom, an enduring symbol manufacturer, the Catholic League will of the true meaning of Christmas, repre­ soon be offering its members a unique senting both the solemn and the fun sides opportunity to obtain the perfect gift for of the season. ·all who love Christmas - a hand-cast, Thanks to the generosity of the manu­ hand-painted reproduction of the original facturer, who is a long-time supporter of Kneeling Santa figurine by the world­ the Catholic League, the profits from the renowned sculptor Rudolph Vargas. sales of the Kneeling Santa to League The figurine depicts St. Nicholas members will be used to support the kneeling in reverent prayer before the League's activities for the preservation of Christ Child, thus freeing Santa from his our Judaeo-Christian heritage. Details on modem commercialized image and restor­ how to order the Kneeling Santa will be ing the proper relationship between the enclosed in the October and November secular and sacred sides of Christmas. For mailings of the Catholic League News­ many families it has already become a letter. 2 Stati!)n drops ~usselman program

Radio station KMJC in San Diego has Catholicism. e,,' informed evangelist Rosalind Musselman Meanwhile, the Catholic League has :' t; that it will no longer broadcast her sent letters of protest to each of the more r "Fishers of Men" program because of her than 20 stations nationwide that cur­ continued advertisement of anti-Catholic rently carry the Musselman program. booklets. Deacon James Steinberg, a reporter for A public trust the San Diego diocesan newspaper South­ ern Cross, first brought the matter to public attention with an article in his The League reminded the station man­ paper's June 4 issue. The Catholic League agers that, as broadcast licensees, they then protested the Musselman broadcasts have a public . trust to present program­ in a letter to KMJC President Lee Bartell. ming that is in the public interest. Far from serving the public interest, Mussel­ man's program "is hate propaganda that Beshore program remains will produce suspicion, friction and animosity within the community," the According to Steinberg, however, League said. KMJC continues to broadcast the anti­ The League advised each station man­ Catholic programs of another evangelist, ager that KMJC had already dropped DONNA STEICHEN Dr. F. Kenton Beshore, despite mounting Mus~elman 's program because of its anti­ Vice President, Minnesota Chapter public disapproval. Steinberg said that the Catholic nature. "Any radio station con­ San Diego County Ecu.tnenical Confer­ cerned with the integrity of religious ence recently went on record as con­ broadcasting and serving the public inter­ Serving her third term as vice president demning all public manifestations of anti- est will do the same," the League said. of the League's Minnesota Chapter is veteran pro-life activist and writer Donna Steichen of St. Cloud. Donna joined the fledgling pro-life movement in the late 1960s, years before Dictionary deletes anti-Catholic entry most Americans even realized that legal­ In a response to a Catholic League ill of their Catholic neighbors." In the ized abortion was a threat to unborn chil­ dren. With the establishment of Minne­ request, the publisher of the International interest of accuracy and respect for Cath­ sota Citizens Concerned for Life, she Bible Dictionary has agreed to delete an olic sensibilities, said Love, the entry anti-Catholic entry from future editions. should be deleted from all future editions became the first chairman of the St. Under the heading "serpents," the dic­ of the dictionary. Cloud Chapter, and she has since served tionary listed the following entry: several terms on MCCL's state board of directors. "Hezekiah destroyed a true and most Publisher replies sacred relic; Rome, on the contrary, fab­ A graduate of St. Cloud State Univer­ ricates false relics and adores them." In a prompt reply to Love's letter, sity with a degree in English, Donna has Having been informed of the entry by Malachuk said, "I have instructed the built a considerable reputation as a jour­ Father Ralph Federico of Bemus Point, editorial department to remove the para­ nalist. She writes a regular column for her N. Y., the League's director of publica­ graph from the next print run scheduled diocesan newspaper, the St. Cloud tions, Orlan Love, brought this matter to very shortly." Noting that Logos Inter­ ' Visitor, and she is a frequent contributor the attention of Daniel Malachuk, presi­ national "has always desired to serve as a to the National Catholic Register. Most of dent of Logos lnternationl, the book's bridge of fellowship between Christians," her articles reflect her interests in the pro­ publisher. Malachuk explained that the "dictionary live movement, education and natural Love advised Malachuk that "Catholic was compiled in the early 1900's in family planning. readers will no doubt take offense at this England when there was hostility In 1979 Donna helped organize Citi­ gratuitous insult to their faith" and that bet.ween the Anglicans and Rome" and zens' Rights in Education, an ad hoc "non-Catholic readers will be not only that Logos International "merely re­ parent interest committee, which has misinformed but also encouraged to think printed the early edition." successfully worked for changes in local public school sex education policies, which in the past had permitted class­ room instruction by Planned Parenthood clinic staff members, without parental Goldwater won't rent to 'drunken Irish' notice or consent Chapter President James Ahler says she In an interview published in the ator for publicly resorting to an ethnic has been "invaluable" in her role as chair­ August 3 issue of the Wall Street Journal, slur that is "unfair, inaccurate, and detri­ man of the Chapter's Liaison Committee, U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater ex­ mental to the civil rights of Irish­ which establishes and maintains contacts pressed his opposition to the public Americans." with other individuals and organizations. accommodations provision of the 1964 "What makes this stereotyping even Ahler also notes that "it is largely be­ Civil Rights Act by declaring, "You try to more galling," the League continued, "is cause of her activities that the chapter has tell me I have to rent my house to a that ... you profess your repudiation of a strong membership outside of the Twin drunken Irishman ... I'm going to tell racial prejudice: If it is wrong to be preju­ Cities." you to go to hell." diced against blacks or Indians, it is Donna and her husband LeRoy are the In a letter to the Arizona Republican, equally wrong to be prejudiced against parents of four children and the grand­ the Catholic League upbraided the Sen- Irish P':!Ople." parents of three. 3

t ltf.4&.C:.UA I □ -~lb . WWW £& A IA DOCK:T • . . League seeks input - ___ • Rehg1ous freedom in the workplace to O'Connor hearings by Eva M. Soeka, Catholic League General Counsel Robert Destro has sought an opportunity Associate General Counsel the first of its guidelines on discrimina­ tion based on religion, and it imposed "an to testify at the upcoming Senate As illustrated by this month's lead obligation on the part of the employer to conlirmation hearings of Judge Sandra story on the Floyd Blasco case, the exer­ accommodate to the reasonable religious Day O'Connor, the Reagan Administra­ cise of religious freedom rights in the needs of employees.., However, it was not tion's nominee to succeed U.S. Supreme workplace is a hotly debated issue. until 1972 that Congress, by affirmative Court Justice Potter Stewart. At the very heart of the debate is the legislation, added the following to the In a letter to Senator Strom Thur­ issue of accommodation. Does a private 1964 Act: mond, chairman of the Senate Committee employer have a duty to accommodate on the Judiciary, Destro said he would The term "reli11ion" includes all like to express the League's views on the religious practices of an employee? aspects of reli11ious observance and For example, if an employer closes his practice, as well as belief, unless an several issues which concern the League's business on Christmas or Good Friday, is employer · demonstrates that he is civil rights and First Amendment acti­ he thereby obligated to give time off with unable to reasonably accommodate to vities, but would neither support nor pay to Jewish employees for Rosh an employee's or prospective em­ oppose the nomination itself. Hashanah or Yorn Kippur? Judicial and ployee's religious observance or prac• "Since Judge O'Connor's views on tice without undue hardship on the many of the religious and civil rights legislative attempts to answer this ques­ conduct of the employer's business. tion, on both the federal and state levels, issues we litigate are unknown," said have resulted in a tangle of confusing and Finally, in 1977, the U.S. Supreme Destro, "we would appreciate the often inconsistent case and statutory law. Court in T. W.A. v. Hardison made it clear opportunity to inform the Committee of Although the Federal Civil Rights Act that the 1972 Congressional action did our perspective on these issues, and we of 1964 made it an unlawful employment make ''reasonable accommodation" a trust that the information we would pro­ practice for an employer to discriminate part of the 1964 Act. vide will be helpful." in any way against an employee on the Although that decision apparently basis of religion, it addressed the problem settled the issue on the federal level, ques­ of religious belief rather than religious tions such as the definition of undue practice. Nothing was said about accom­ hardship to an employer have continued Status Call gains modation. to plague the courts. Moreover, many • In 1966 the Equal Employment states had passed, independent of any wide follo 1ng Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued federal statute, state fair employment acts which paralleled the 1964 Act. The third issue of Status Cal~ the Unlike Congress, however, the state legis­ League's quarterly legal newsletter, has Destro to address latures did not subsequently add accom­ now been published and mailed to more modati?n requirements. than 2,500 people, most of whom are law conference attorneys. State law varies In less than a year, the mailing list for Cathol-ic League General Counsel Status Call has doubled, reflecting what Robert Destro has accepted an invitation League General Counsel Robert Destro to speak on "State Involvement in Educa­ Thus, the Wisconsin Supreme Court calls "a very warm reception" for the tion and :Religion" at the Second Inter­ was recently able to rule that the Wiscon­ publication which summ'lrizes recent national Conference on Law and Individ­ sin Fair Employment Act imposes no court decisions, law review articles and ual Freedoms to be held October 15-18 in duty upon a private employer to accom­ books dealing with religious and civil Quebec City, Canada modate the religious practices of an rights issues. Destro and Eva M. Soeka, the League's employee. That case, American Motors Eva M. Soeka, the League's associate associate general counsel, will attend the Corporation v. Department of Industry, general counsel, reports that compli­ third annual Supreme Court Review and Labor and Human Relations, involved an mentary copies of the third issue have Constitutional Law Symposium to be engineer who was fired after requesting, been sent to more than 31 diocesan held September 18-19 in Washington, and -being denied, days off to attend a attorneys. "In that way," she said, "we D.C. religious convention required of members will not only help to build a solid civil of his faith. Under federal law, which was rights Image for the League, but we may not considered in the Wisconsin case, the also stimulate referrals of possible civil same employer would have been required rights cases for the League." to accommodate, so long as ,the accom­ modation did not result In "undue hard­ ship" to the employer's business. Although the legal issues are clear, the Catholic League Newsletter is published by answers are not. Federal law on its face the Catholic League for Religi ous and Civil Rights, 1100 W. Wells St., Mil •• Wis. 53233. recognizes and protects the right to reli­ James Hitchcock ; • • • • • • • Chairman gious practice as well as religious belief in Virgil C. Blum, S.J. • • • • • • President the workplace, but many states do not. In John Hansen • • • • • • • • • Treasurer the future, however, it is hoped that Ann Brosnan , • • • • • • • • Secretary judges and legislators responding to the Michael Schwartz • Dir. of Public Affairs Orlan Love • • D irector of Publications accommodation issue will recognize that Kathy M. Hoar • • Dir. of Internal Affairs protection of religious belief without a REMEMBER THE LEAGUE Annual membership dues: $10 corresponding· protection of religious Contributions are tax deductible. IN YOUR WILL. pra.ctice is little, if any, protection at all. 4

M • •- ,;::,,. •• I • : _.:; " .•.-i-'-1~~• ,:~ /;'•_-.• t-..,.! lo • •• •• .~ • I•"' •~ '; ..,_;z::v,s.a aa maw "HERITAGE The burning of -Philadelphia

When Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick For the next year and a half, accusa­ riot. The nativist mob poured into the became Bishop of Philadelphia in 1842, tions flew and tensions mounted in the Irish section, breaking into homes, de­ the Catholic population of the city was city until, on May 6, 1844, the nativists s'troying property and terrorizing the resi­ overwhelmingly composed of poor immi­ · held a public meeting in the middle of the dents. More shooting took place, leaving grants, mostly from Ireland, who were Irish section. The fanatical Lewis Levin, nine people dead Two Irishmen were faced with the difficult choice of either later elected to Congress on the Native arrested and later tried for rioting. sending their children to public schools American ticket, delivered a fiery speech The violence reached its peak on the where Protestant religious indoctrination that provoked a fight between his third day. Most of the Catholics had fled was mandatory, or not sending them to audience and the Catholic residents of the from the city overnight in fear for their school at all. neighborhood. In the midst of this fracas lives, and the nativist mob roamed aim­ someone - each side blamed the other - lessly but angrily through the desert.ed Exemption sought fired a shot and a bloody battle broke streets of Kensington. They set fire to St. out. By the end of the day four nativists Michael's Church and to the school, con­ As one of his first official acts, Bishop lay dead. vent and rectory attached to it and then Kenrick submitted a petition to the began burning down blocks of houses in school board, requesting that Catholic the neighborhood. children be exempted from participation Inflammatory journalism in Protestant hymns, prayers and religious services and that they be permitted to , The next morning's edition of The Church burned read from the Catholic Douay version of Native American proclaimed: "Another the B;ble rather than U'le King James ver­ St. Bartholomew's Day is begun on the Toward nightfall, the mob moved sion. In the heavily charged atmosphere streets of Philadelphia. The bloody hand southward to St. Augustine's Church, of the Know Nothing era. this modest of the Pope has stretched itself forth to where they were met by Mayor John request provoked a storm of protest. our destruction." A nativist meeting was Scott and a contingent of police. Scott to assemble that afternoon at Inde­ tried to calm the crowd, but his efforts at pendence Square. Participants were pacification served only to arouse them AP A established warned, "Let every man come prepared further. He was pelted with bricks and to defend himself." rocks, and then St Augustine's was A week after Kenrick's petition was That meeting quickly turned into a burned to the ground. Lost In that fire presented, 94 Protestant ministers met to were a library of more than 3,000 establish the American Protestant Asso­ volumes and 16 original paintings ciation, aimed at protecting America imported from Europe. from the subversive influences of popery. Troops were called out that night, the Nativists twisted Kenrick's request and city was placed under martial law, and falsely accused the Catholics of trying to the violence gradually subsided. A grand ban the Bible from public schools. The jury commissioned to inquire into the Native American Party intensified its cause of the disturbance blamed the riot­ bitter propaganda campaign against the ing on "the efforts of a portion of the Catholics, and attractei:I hundreds of new community to exclude the Bible from our recruits. Public Schools." Congress urged to help end hunger strike

The Catholic League has asked more its monthly newsletter in which Don patriots," McEvoy said. Noting that the than 60 members of Congress to seek a McEvoy, vice president of the National British have to obey their own laws, he congressional declaratfon in favor of a Conference of Christians and Jews, said, "It is unconscionable to apply humanitarian resolution to the hunger argued that the protesting prisoners are special rules for imprisonment and then strike in Northern Ireland's Long Kesh entitled to special, rather than criminal, callously declare that this situation is no prison. status. · different from that of any common In a letter to the congressmen, the criminal." League noted that the recent deaths of Special rules Referring to Britain's partial approval Joe McDonnell and Martin Hurson on of a recent compromise put forward by hunger strike in Long Kesh, and the the Catholic bishops of Northern Ireland, ensuing civil unrest, "underscore the· "Bobby Sands was not arrested, con­ the League advised the congtessmen that . urgency of finding a humanitarian solu­ victed and imprisoned under the proce­ such a move may signal the British gov­ tion to the prison protest." dures of British criminal law," said ernment's willingness to depart from its At issue, the League said, is the ques­ McEvoy. "A common criminal would intransigent posture on the issue. tion of the status of those prisoners who have had a lawyer, a jury, a chance to Accordingly, the League concluded, have been convicted under the special defend himself against the charges prompt and decisive action by the Con­ emergency procedures which suspend brought against him." gress "may significantly promote progress many important elements of the due Sands was instead "sent to Maze toward peace" and, "even more impor­ process of law. prison under a special set of rules which tantly, it could help to prevent any more The League enclosed an article from · applied only to him and his I.R.A. com- needless deaths." 5 CHAPT RNEWS Washington Chapter opens office A central office for the Catholic more area. League's Washington Chapter opened "I was extremely pleased with the August 1 in the Washington Building at enthusiasm displayed at the July 15 15th St. and New York Ave. on the meeting," said Dr. Czajkowski, "and I northwest side of the District of Colum­ believe that we can build on it to struc­ bia. ture an active and effective chapter in Establishment of the new office coin­ the nation's capitol" cides with the Chapter's plans to expand The speakers' bureau will attempt to its speakers' bureau, to increase its reach more Catholic parishes and organi­ recruitment of minorities and youth, to zations whose members are not aware of conduct a general membership meeting the League and its work. Chapter later this year, and to name regional vice speakers have already appeared at 24 presidents for the greater Washington parishes in the Archdiocese. area The general meeting, to be held some­ Father Bruce Ritter, O.S. F. Chapter President Anthony Czajkow­ time in November, will feature a prom­ ski announced the appointment of the inent speaker who has not yet been new vice presidents at a July 15 meeting named According to Dr. Czajkowski, the Chapter to honor of the Chapter Executive Committee. meeting will be an attempt to bring They are John M. Leonard for the Dis­ together not only all League members in trict of Columbia, E. F. Egan for Mary­ the area but also all who are interested in Father Ritter land, Richard Cooley for Northern Vir­ protecting the religious freedom rights of ginia and Daniel J. Bartolini for the Balti- Catholics and others. In recognition of his ministry to troubled youth, Father Bruce Ritter, O.S.F., has been named to St. Louis sends teachers to pro-life meeting receive the Long Island Chapter's second annual award for meritorious service to The League's St. Louis Chapter has of the League's Board of Directors, and the Catholic community, He will accept raised more than $400 which will be used Jesuit Father Robert Henle, professor of the award at an October 10 dinner to be . to enable five Catholic high school law and philosophy at St. Louis Univer­ held at Chaminade High School in teachers to attend a national conference sity and the author of several supple­ Mineola, N. Y. on the Human Life Amendment. The ments to the Catholic League Newsletter. Father Ritter founded his widely conference, sponsored by the National Dunsford also reports that the League acclaimed Covenant House as a shelter for Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, has received a donation of more than homeless and exploited young people. It will be held September 11 and 12 at St. $100 from a legal defense fund for the grew rapidly, soon becoming a haven for Louis University's Center for Health Care former mayor of St. Louis, John Poetker, young urban transients. Today it is a pro­ Ethics. who was sued several years ago when he fessional agency .with 40 full-time Chapter Secretary Pat Hanley directed refused to allow municipal funds to be employees and 150 volunteers, operating the project, and Chapter President Jack used to support abortions at the City eight group homes, and two temporary Dunsford did most of the actual solicita­ Hospital. The Supreme Court later vindi­ runaway houses. It has assisted more than tion of funds. cated Poelker, who is a member of the St. 10,000 young people, most of whom Among the speakers at the conference Louis Chapter's Advisory Board. have run away from home and become will be attorney Dennis Horan, a member the exploited victims of . the so-called ".victimless crimes" of prostitution, por­ nography and drug traffic. Mangano criticizes biased reporting

Other activities Anthony Mangano, president of the Underlying the identification tactic, League's Westchester Chapter, has criti­ said Mangano, "is the false and defam­ The Long Island Chapter will hold its ·cized a local newspaper for singling out atory presumption that Catholic public annual membership meeting December 3, Catholic public officials in an abortion­ servants are so enslaved by Church doc­ with the main attraction to be a sym­ related news article by identifying them trine that they cannot come to an inde­ posium on the media, featuring a p_anel - and only them - according to their pendent judgment on matters of public discussion by several practicing New York religious affiliation. policy having a moral dimension." The journalists. In a letter to the Gannet Westchester tactic also implies that Catholics are the Chapter President William Lindner also Newspapers, Mangano asserted that sole abortion opponents in the United reports that George Gallup, whose name reporter Michael Sansolo "displayed an States, said Mangano. is synonymous with public opinion annoying and harmful bias" in his gratui­ Mangano also advised the newspapel'., polling, has agreed to address a meeting tous identification as "Catholic males" of that the National News Council has of the chapter next February 25. The nine Putnam ·(N.Y.) city officials who repeatedly upheld complaints against the topic of Gallup's talk will be, "Good supported state legislation requiring that tactic of identifying Catholics - and only News for Catholics Is Good News for All parents be notified before their minor Catholics - in abortion-related news. of Us." child has an abortion. 6 Le.ague and Princeton When she calls, members renew co-sponsor workshop ·During the past four months, Mrs. don't agree to renew right away, it's good Anne Stravinskas of Toms River, N.J., has to follow up with a mailing; that way, The Catholic League and the Princeton parlayed precise organization, a pleasant they can't forget you called. And it helps Theological Seminary will co-sponsor a telephone voice and a firm belief in the to -be persistent. I called one number for two-day workshop on religion and pol­ Catholic League into a membership five weeks before I received an answer. itics December 10-11 on the Princeton renewai' program that Is a model of suc­ The man had been on vacation, and he University campus. cess and efficiency. was happy to renew." Among the speakers will be Father Peter Since early this summer, she has per­ Stravinskas, the League's Eastern regional suaded hundreds of New Jersey League director, discussing the Historical back­ members to renew their memberships, ground of the First Amendment; eminent many of which had been expired for church-state attorney William B. Ball, months or even years. In the process, she discussing parental rights in education; has personally brought in more than and Rev. Richard Gilbert of Princeton, $13,000 in dues to support the League's discussing morality in the media. activities. Her technique is simple: Each month, League headquarters in sends her a computer printout of members who Chapter leaders have expired or soon will She then looks up their phone numbers and gives them a compare notes call, asking them to renew their commit­ ment to the League. Her success ratio is The Catholic League's third annual above 70 percent, which is a tribute to conference of chapter leaders was con­ her enthusiasm for the League. ducted over the weekend of July 25 to 27 "I love people, and I love to sell," she at Seton Hall University, South Orange, says, "but I only sell people products that N.J. Nineteen participants representing I believe in. I think many people can tell 12 local chapters of the Cathlic League that I mean it in my heart when I say that came from points as widely scattered as the Catholic League is crucial to the Mrs. Anne Stravinskas Boston, Miami and Los Angeles to review future of Catholicism in America. When the successes and problems of their chap• people seem reluctant to renew, I tell ters and to develop plans for the coming them that it's okay if they don't want to, year. but that they really should, if not for CBN shows Miracle In addition to League President Father themselves, then for 'their children and Virgil C. Blum, S.J., who chaired the · grandchildren." The Christian Broadcasting Network, meeting, the Catholic League's· staff was Mrs. Stravinskas offers a few other tips which reaches 12 million homes in the represented by Father Peter Stravinskas, to League members who may serve on United States, televised the League's film, Eastern regional director; Michael chapter renewal committees: "If people Miracle in the Inner City, during prime Schwartz, director of public affairs; and time on August 23. Kathleen Hoar, director of internal "The CBN cable broadcast is an inval­ affairs. uable aid to the League's efforts to focus Among the major topics that were dis­ OUR MEMBERS SAY: public attention on the great apostolate cussed were the participation of chapters of the in providing qual­ in the League's membership renewal ity education and religious and moral efforts and the involvement of high A California woman writes: "I'm still values to disadvantaged black and His­ school students in Catholic League activ- interested in receiving the Catholic panic children," said League President ities through local chapters. · League papers even though, at 79 years Rev. Virgil C. B-lum, S.J. "We at the old, I am often overwhelmed at some of League are grateful for CBN's assistance." the negative reaction the population at Fairgoers receive large shows toward our faith. . . . The newsletter is interesting and well-written. Nebraska announces League literature I look forward to its receipt and pass it on to others." advisory committee Catholic League enthusiasts dis­ A League member from Kentucky tributed more than 3,600 pieces of pro­ writes: "I'm sure that you have many The Catholic League's Nebraska Chap­ motional literature at the Ocean County members who, like me, are public school ter has established a state advisory com­ Fair in Lakewood, N,J., between July 21 teachers, and I'm equally sure that most mittee, according to Chapter President and 23. of them know nothing about the National John T. Carpenter, an Omaha attorney. The League rented a display booth, Education Association's pro-abortion Members of the advisory committee which was manned at various times by position or about the Pro-life Caucus and are John B. Foley, Walter R. Jahn, C. Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's the [shoddy] treatment it has gotten at Robert Jeffrey, John McGinn, Sister Eastern regional director; Brother Law­ the past two NEA conventions.•.. Genevieve Schillo, C.S.J., Lloyd E. rence Syriac, S.M., of Chaminade High Besides notifying NEA members of the Skinner, Ronald R. Volkmer and Teresa School in . Mineola, New: York; four of pro-abortion p~sition and the Pro-life Bloomingdale, all of Omaha; James Brother Syriac's students, Ken Collins, Caucus, you might also inspire parents to Bruckner, James R. Cunningham, Rev. Joe Cronin, Frank Fanerzani and Chris protest to NEA and its local and state James D. Dawson, Joseph Hanigan, John McCarton; and several senior citizens who affiliates - all of which are very con­ F. O'Neill and Guy Sanders, all of are League membe_rs. scious of their need for public support.". Lincoln; and Thomas Olson of Fremont. 7 The President's Desk · by Virgil C. Blum, S.J. A coalition against religious freedom

to represent more than 70 million people. Perhaps even more shocking is the fact The coalition is dedicated to fighting that the two most powerful and pres­ enactment of the Packwood-Moynihan tigious black organizations have joined a tuition tax credit bill. coalition that aims to kill a bill that Many of its constituent organizations, would greatly aid black children by pro­ such as the National Education Associa­ viding tax refunds for low-income private­ Chief Justice Warren Burger once tion and the American Federation of school families. declared that the denial of education Teachers, have a vested interest in the benefits to children in Catholic elemen­ demise of private schools, and others, Parents seek quality tary schools "penalizes children ... such as the American Civil Liberties because of their parents' choice of reli­ Union and Americans United for Separa­ Inner city public schools are in gious exercise" in sending them to tion of Church and State, have a history shambles; they have been aptly called church-related schools. of anti-Catholic prejudice. Opposition blackboard jungles. For quality educa­ Strangely, though, the penalty van­ from these groups should come as no sur­ tion, thousands of black parents in every ishes once the student reaches college age. prise. major city make great financial sacrifices The federal government and more than to send their children to inner city Catho­ half the states give substantial tuition Jewish organizations lic schools. In a study of 55 inner·city grants to students who choose church­ private elementary schools in eight cities, related colleges, and the federal govern­ the Catholic League for Religious and ment also provides interest-free loans to Joining the coalition are such Jewish Civil Rights found that 50 percent of hundreds of thousands of such students. organizations as the American Jewish these families make less than $10,000 a Congress, the National Council of Jewish year. Women, and the Union of American For their heroic efforts to give their Age not a factor Hebrew Congregations and such black children a quality education, their own organizations as the National Association leaders conspire to penalize black parents Are the penalties on religious exercise for the Advancement of Colored People by depriving them of tuition tax credit based on the students' age? That hardly and the National Urban League. refunds. These black children want com­ seems likely, especially when one con­ It is shocking that Jews, who have passion and understanding from the siders that the Catholic Church operates _organized more than 340 national organi­ NAACP and National Urban League, not most private elementary and high schools, zations to defend their own rights, should opposition that keeps them shackled to while at the college level, there are twice join hands with groups professedly hostile discredited government schools. as many Protestant as Catholic schools. to the religious freedom rights of Cath­ Religion, it seems, makes the crucial dif­ olics in an effort to kill a tuition tax ference. credit bill that aims to lessen the penalty To ensure that the penalty on religious on the choice of Catholic schools. (It exercise remains in force for Catholics, a shou Id be noted that Rabbi Morris new and powerful organization has now Sherer, president of Agudath of Israel of been formed. Called the National Coali­ America and the Union of Orthodox "A Catholic may be saved in spite of tion for Public Schools, it is comprised of Jewish Congregations of America, sup. his church. He will never be saved because 41 major national organizations claiming ports the Packwood-Moynihan bill.) of it. Romanism is a pagan counterfeit of the Christian religion, ancient paganism and idolatry, claiming to be the church which Christ founded ... The Roman League criticizes Forbes editor Church is not another Christian denomin­ ation. It is a satanic counterfeit, an eccle­ The Catholic League has criticized the why abortion foes in the United States siastic tyranny over the souls of men. editor of Forbes magazine for indulging should be influenced by the beliefs and ac­ ... It is the old harlot of the book of the in a subtle appeal to religious bigotry tions of Italians. "What affinity is there be­ Revelation - the Mother of Harlots.' " with his July 6 commentary entitled "Do tween the two groups?" the League asked. - from an article entitled "Romanism As the Romans·Do." The answer implied by Forbes, said and the Charismatic Movement, by Bob According to M. S. Forbes, editor of the League, "is that American anti-abor­ Jones, published in the July-August issue the prestigious business publication: tionists, like Italians in general, are 'over­ of Faith for the Family. "When· Italians in Rome and all the rest whelmingly Catholic.' " Editorializing on the attempted assas­ of historic, official, overwhelmingly Cath­ In making such an implication,. the sination of Pope John Paul II, Jones olic Italy voted by better than 2 to 1 League said, Mr. Forbes had engaged in wrote in that same issue: "Unlike the not to repeal their liberal abortion laws, the . pro-abortion tactic of identifying pope, decent men decry violence and surely there was a message for those here abortion as a Catholic issue. abhor assassination; howeYer, the justice so intent on abolishing abortions, includ­ "If you think abortion is such a boon of God is apparent in this case. 'They that ing even pregnancies resulting from to mankind," the League told Forbes, take the sword shall perish with the or incest. Here's an instance when, in the "then you should promote it on its own sword'; and a pope who encourages and United States, we should do as the merits, if such there are, rather than blesses terrorism by Roman Catholic Romans do." appealing to religious prejudice in your assassins and murderers should expect to In a letter to Fo)'.bes, the League asked attempt to discredit its foes." fall victim to terrorism and violence." .8 Supplement to the Catholic League Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 4 CATHOLIC LEAGUE Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights ••• for Religious and Civil Rights 1100 West Wells Street • Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233

Religion: An American Freedom by President Ronald Reagan

The following remarks on religious freedom are excerpted from a transcript of President Ronald Reagan's speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, deli­ vered March 8, 1983, in Orlando, Florida. The League reprints them not to lend partisan political support to a public official who may soon become a candidate for reelection but because the League heartily approves of public statements by any influential leader who speaks out forcefully on behalf of the religious freedom issues in which the League is deeply involved and to which the League is deeply committed: the right of parents to be notified when a government-funded agency gives their minor children contraceptive drugs, the right of religious-minded students not to have their freedom of speech abridged, the right to life, and the right of all citizens not be subjected to racial, ethnic or religious hatred.

This Administration is moti\'ated by a ing to go in giving to government their lished clinics nationwide to offer help to political philosophy that sees the great­ prerogatives as parents? these girls and hopefully alleviate this ness of America in you, her people, and Let me state the case as briefly and situation. in your families, churches, neighbor­ simply as I can. An organization of citi­ Again let me say, I do not fault their hoods, communities-the institutions zens sincerely motivated and deeply intent. However. in their well-intentioned that foster and nourish values like con­ concerned about the increase in illegit­ effort, these clinics provide advice and cern for others and respect for the rule imate births and abortions involving birth control drugs and devices to of law under God. girls well below the age of consentestab- underage girls without the knowledge Now I don't have to tell you that this of their parents. puts us in opposition to, or at least out of For some years now, the Federal step with, a prevailing attitude of many Government has helped with funds to who have turned to a modern-day secu­ subsidize these.clinics. In providing for larism, discarding the tried and time­ this. the Congress decreed that every tested \'alues upon which our very civili­ effort would be made to maximize par­ zation is based. ental participation. Nevertheless, the No matter how ""ell-intentioned, their drugs and devices are prescribed with­ value system is radically different from out getting parental consent or giving that of most Americans. notification. Girls termed "sexually And, while they proclaim they are active"-that has replaced the word freeing us from superstitions of the past, "promiscuous"-are given this help in they ha\'e taken upon themselves the job order to prevent illegitimate birth or of superintending us by government abortion. rule and regulation. Sometimes their We have ordered clinics receiving voices are louder than ours, but they are Federal funds to notify the parents such not yet a majority. help has been given. One of the nation's An example of that vocal superiority leading newspapers has created the term is evident in a contro,·crsy now going on "squeal rule" in editorializing against in Washington. Since I'm involved, I've us. and we are being critized for violat­ been waiting to hea-r from the parents of ing the privacy of young people. A judge young America. How far are they will- Presidefl! Ronald Reagan has granted an injunction against en- foreement of our rule. I haYe watched tion of prohibitingdiscrimination against a\\'akening in America, a renewal o(the T\' ;i..:.1el shu\\'s ally unb· one example of does. Unless and until it can be proven debating and dealing with the pra~·er man:, at tl·mpt,-; to \\·,ner down tradi­ that the unl.Jorn child is not a living and abortion is~·.ue1,-that'::, cnormuus tional \"a1ul•s and ('\Tn ai:Jrogate the orig­ entity, then its right to life, liberty and progress right there. inal tC'rms of .-\ merican democra(·~·­ the pursuit of happiness must be I repeat: America is in the mid:;t of a spiritual awakening and a moral renew­ Fn·edom prnS]'l'r~ when religion is protected. ,·ibrant and thl' rule of law undt>r God You ma\' remember that when abor­ al. With your biblical keynote. I say today let "justice roll on like a rh·er, acknowll•dged. t ion on de~and began many, indeed, I'm sure many of you, warned that the prac­ righteousness like a nenr-failing tice \\'OU Id lead to a decline in respect for stream." human life. that the philosophical pre­ Founding Fathers' intentions mises used to justify abortion on demand A positive view \\'Ou!d ultimately be used to justify other \\"llL'n our Ft,tmding- Fathers pa;;.,ed attacks on the saeredness of human life, the Firs; :\nwncl1rn:11t, thl'y ;;c,ught l0 infanticide or mercy killing. Tragicali~· ~ow, obviously. much of this new pol­ prc,tL•(·t ,·lrnn·iw, frum )!OH•rnment inter­ enough, those ,rnrnings prol'ed all too itical and sucial consc-n:-us I have talked frretll'C', Ti·1(":: m·,·e:· 111(',Lnt to construct true: Only last year a court permitted about is uased on a positi,·e \'iew of a w,t!I 11f b(,stilit.,· l,c·t,1·L•(•n go\"c,rnnwnt the death by starvation of a handicapped American history, one that takes pride :ind the t·on(·l'pt (If rt>lip:ious belit>f itst>lf. infant. in our country's accomplishments and Tht· t·,·i11l-nn· of th j,; pernwatc•s our I han,direc.:ted the Health and Human rel'oni. But we must 1w,·er forget that no hi:· and (,ur g11,·t•rnnwnt: Tlw ll[•cla• Sen·iees Department to make dear to go,·ernmtnt schemes arc going to per­ rati1111 11! 11:d,•1·,L•nr.l(•Jl('e ml•ntiun,; tlw e,·en· health rnre facilit\' in the Unitecl fec: man: \\"C' know that ]j\·ing in this States that the Rl:'hab(litation Act of ~t:p!·cm1· f:,·ing 11(1 lb,; than four tinw,;: world mean,; dealing- ,,·ith ,,·hat phil­ "Inc;,,,;\\"(' Tru:--t·· i,; c·ngra,·(•cl ,111 our 1973 proteets all hand il'apped persons osopher:-; 11·oulcl call thi;; phenomenology ('(linage•: t!w Supr<:me Cc,urt oiwns it~ against disl'rimination based on han­ ofl'vil or. a$ theologian:- \\'Ould put it, the prot·(•,·di11g-s ,·.-ith a relip:iou,; in\'oeatiun: dieaps. including infants. doctrine of sin. and thl' rrn·rn l ,l'r,; of l'ongn,,;s ,,pen their And \\'e ha,·e taken the further steµ of Tlwre is sin and l:'vil in the world. and ,;L•,;,-;ion,; ,1·it h a pra>·(•r. requiring that eaeh and every recipient wt• are enjoined b~· Seripture and the I _ju,;t happ(•n to licli(•\·l' thL• ,;l'hool of Fedt>ral funds \\'ho pro,·ides health Lord to oppo,;e it with all our l'hilclr('n ofthv t·nit(•d ~tat(•,; areP11tit!l'Cl care sen-iees to infants must post and might. Our nation. too, ha;; a legacy of keep posted in a conspicuous place a to tlw ,;anw 1,ri,·ill'gvs a,; Suprenw C1 1urt C\'il with which it mu~t deal. The glory .J u~til't:S and Cnri;!Tl's.,mt'n. La,;t _1·par. I notice stating that "discriminatory fail­ of this land ha~ been its capacity for ,;cnt thl' Cungrc•,;,-; a con~titutional ure to feed and care for handicapped t ran:::cending the moral e,·ils ofour past. ,un,•11tl11wnt to rt•,;t,ffl' pra.,·er to pu!ilil' infants in this facility is prohibited by For example. the long .strug~le of :' citizens for l:'qual rights. once a that am1•11drnl'nt and calling on the free number so that nurses and others source of disunity and ei\'il \\'ar, is now a Cungn•,-;,; to act ~Jl(•L·d i ly tu pa~s it. may report \'iolatiuns in timetosave the point of pride for all Americans. We Lt·t our l'hil,lr,•n pra~·- Perhap~ ,:onw infant's life. mu;;t !lC'\'Cr go back. of ,·ou r1·ad n•centh· ahu\!l the LublJtH:k In addition, recent legislation intro­ There is no room for . anti­ ~l'\1011! l'ast• '...-lwn· :i'_iudg-e al'\ ually ruled duced in the Congress by Representa­ Semitism or other forms of ethnic and that it was unt·"nstitutional for a ,;c:hnul tive Henn· I-hde not onh· inereases res­ racial hatred in thiscountn·. I know ,·ou di,-;tril't to gi\"t· t·q11al trl'atmtnt to reli­ trictions on p~blicly fina.ncC'd abortions; ha\'e been horrified. as h:~,·e I. b,• ·the l!i11u,; and non-n·lig-iou!-- ~tudent groups, it also addresses this whole problem of resurg-ence of some hate group:.- preach­ e\"l·n '...-iJl'll t!~t· g-rnup nwetinj!S \\'ere infanticide. ing bigotr~· and prejudiee. Use the I urged Congress to begin hearings mighty \"Oice of your pulpits and the lll'!d d11ri11i..:-0 ill(' studrnts' O\\'n tinw. Tht• Fir:

The Catholic League has asked the ciate with others to gain• a religious per­ their religious freedom. Judge Getty had Maryland Court of Special Appeals to spective on education." dismissed that claim, noting that the reverse a lower court decision barring stu­ In a decision handed down last April, Walsh students had not been excluded dents at Bishop Walsh High School in however, Judge James Getty of the because of their religious beliefs. Cumberland from participating in a pub­ Circuit Court for Allegany County ruled lic · school program known as the "All that the Walsh students were not actually Religious discrimination Countv Band." subjected to such a choice. Once the Th~ program had been open to Walsh choice is made to attend a nonpublic "Judge Getty's reasoning is decep­ students in 1978 and 1979, and several of school, the judge said, the student auto­ tively simple," said Destro. "Few school them had successfully auditioned for matically waives the right to participate boards would be bold enough to hang a seats in the band. In 1980, however, in in the publicly funded education pro­ 'no Catholics need apply' sign on the response to complaints from public grams established under the Maryland schoolhouse door. But had the judge school teachers and parents that Walsh constitution. examined the facts more closely,he would students were depriring public school stu­ But in the papers filed Sept. 29 with have found that the impact of the board's dents of seats in the band, the Allegany the Court of Special Appeals, Destro and decision falls only on those students who County Board of Education restricted Reinhart point out that, in general, have chosen religiously based education. competition for srats in the band to pub­ waiver of a constitutional right occurs This, too, is religious discrimination. The lic school stud en ts. only when an individual intentionally denial of access to public schools because relinquishes or abandons a /mown right or students have opted for a religious per­ privilege. spective on education exacts a penalty Unpalatable cq_oice According to Destro, the court record on their exercise of a constitutional demonstrates that the Walsh students had right" . With legai assistance from League Gen­ no idea that they were waiving any rights Another argument reiterated in the eral Counsel Robert Destro and Cumber­ when they chose Bishop Walsh. students' appeal is that the school board land attorney Robert Reinhart, several exceeded its authority, as defined by \\·alsh students then sued the school Maryland statutes, when it excluded the board, alleging that the board 's policy Rights not waived Wal sh students from the All-County forced them to choose between their fed­ Ban~ · eral constitutional right to at.tend non­ "On the contrary," he said , "the stu­ The pertinent section of the Maryland public schools and their state constitu­ dt'n ts have consistently sought to avail Education Code states that "All individ­ tional right to equal access to public themsel\·es of the educational oppor­ uals who are 5 years old or older and school programs. tunities prorided. When they attempted under 21 shall be admitted free of charge ''Qu ite simply," said Destro and to enroll, they were refused. When told to the public schools of this state." Reinhart in th eir brief, "[ the students) they were ineligible, they complained to According to Destro, there are no stat­ are ineligible because they ha\'e made a the school board, to the public through utory exceptions to the requirement that con st itu tio.nally protected choice to asso- demonstrations. and finally to the courts. public educational opportunities be a\'ail­ There wai; no \\'airer of rights in this able to all within the prescribed age case.. .. The rt>cord shows instead a limits. school board intent upon taking rights Tax credits all'ay from students \rho had no idea they One-sided duty (co n tinued from page 11 would lose them." In their appeal, Destro and Reinhart. Yet, said Destro, court testimony by who c-xerc-i se religious freedom in also reiterated the studrnts' claim that Dr. Wayne Hill , suprrintendent of choosi ng th!:'ir ch ildren's schools. the ·board's exclusionary policy \"iolates Allegany County schools, clearly indi­ Frank Russo. rice president of the cates that he percei\'es the board's dutv as L ong ! , land Ch apter. concluded thE' applying only to public sc hool studcints. \\'Orkshop with a finel y wrough t presen La · According to a transcript of his testi­ tion on the financial implications of tui­ mony, Dr. Hill said that after the Walsh tion tax credits. Opponents of tax credits. students had participated in the program he noted. have repeatedly made the for two years, "objections we,re raised by erroneous claim that their enactment will the band directors and people in our own result in an annual drain on the federal school community, pointing out the fact t r ra s ur\' of more than $5 billion. th at if private school students \\·ere Ac tual!~:. he explain ed, enactment of tui­ admitted to the All-County Band, this tion tax crE· dit.s will enable many families would thus prevent the participation by to shift their children from public to pri­ that number of public school students, rate schools. thus reducing the cost of pri­ and we had far more public school stu­ rnte education. •'If only 6 percent of pub­ detns for the band than we could accom­ lic school students shift," said Russo, "the modate. Our first responsibility, in my cost saring to the taxpayer would equal opinion, is to the public school students." the tax rewnues lost through tax credits." Destro said Dr. Hill's testimony Also contributing to the success of the ignores his duty to treat "all children" tax credit sl' minar was Msgr. John Da\·is equally, as mandated by law. Moreo\'er, and his parishioners at St. Mi chael 's, who said Destro, it implies that he perceives proridl' d the mt' eting place and refresh­ his duty as being to assure educational ments wh ich, according to Father Stra­ opportunities for some students by deny­ rinskas, \\'('re "fit for kings." ing it to others. 2 BRITISH AND SOVIET AMBASSADORS RECEIVE PLEAS League urges respect for religious freedom

The Catholic League has called upon British intelligence. "We now hear confes­ L~ague said. "It will reassure their the Soviet and British governments to sion in the jail chapel just before Mass - families and the general public, and it will guarantee religious freedom in their re­ out in the open body of the church sur­ protect the British government against spective countries. rounded by dozens of prisoners," he said, the public odium which such a suspicion Specifically, the League has asked the adding that priests had suspected for a is bound to engender." British government to guarantee the con­ long time that hidden listening devices The Catholic League's appeal to the fidentialitv of sacramental confessions were being used in the prison camp. Soviet government was prompted by made by inmates at Long Kesh prison in In its letter to Ambassador Henderson, recent reports that Soviet militia arrested Northern Ireland, and it has asked the the League said such suspicions are a beat and kicked Father Richard~ Soviet government to stop physically mis­ cause of anguish to the prisoners, to their Cherniauskas, a Catholic priest, as he con­ treating Catholic priests in Lithuania. chaplains, to the general public and to ducted a spiritual retreat for 50 young The former request, channelled those for whom the absolute confidential­ people near Moletai, in Soviet-occupied through British Ambassador to the ity of the confessional is an indispensable Lithuania. United States Sir Nicholas Henderson, aspect of religious freedom. In a letter to Ambassador Anatoly F. came in the wake of widespread suspicion Dobrynin, the League expressed its dis­ among prison chaplains, inmates and their Guarantee sought approval of the incident and reminded families that confessions and other con­ the ambassador that "no state can or fidential conversations have been elec­ Accordingly, the League asked Hen­ should interpose itself between man and tronic:ally monitored by prison officials. derson to seek from his government a God." Those suspicions int-ensified recently public declaration guaranteeing that the The League also wrote to Senator when a reporter for the London Sunday confidentiality of such conversations had Roger W. Jepsen, who has earned a repu­ Times claimed he had seen transcripts of not in fact been violated and will not be tation as a champion of human rights for the deathbed talks between the Pope's violated. In the event that violations have those behind the Iron Curtain. "Please personal secretary, Father John McGee, already occurred, the British government use your personal influence and the and the dying hunger striker Bobby should acknowledge the specific instances influence of your office to focus public Sands. and offer assurances that they won't be attention on this deplorable situation," According to one of the Long Kesh repeated, the League said. the League urged. "Please help to martial chaplains, Fat.her Denis Faul, priests ha\'e "Such a declaration will free those world opinion against Soviet suppression now taken steps to ensure that the secrets immediately concerned from a cruel and of religious freedom and other funda­ of the confessional are not recorded by unnecessary psychological stress," the mental human rights." Yo,uth education program

Father Peter Stravinskas, the On October 1, Father Stravinskas dis­ vinskas, "the seminarians have been League's East Coast regional director of cussed the League's high school program among the most receptive." derel op men t, reports a growing enthu­ at a gathering of all the Catholic second­ Father Stravinskas has also laid the siasm among Catholic educators for the ary school administrators in the Arch­ groundwork for Catholic League discus­ League's high school studies program. of Baltimore. "This program is sion groups at such prominent Catholic Oe\'eloped just over a year ago by long overdue" was the general response of colleges as Georgetown and Catholic Father Stra\'inskas, the program includes th~ 75 administrators in attendance, Uni\'ersity in Washington, D.C., and St. curriculum materials for units on the according to Father Stra\·inskas. He said John's University in New York. hum an life issue, anti-Catholicism in that the five packets of curriculum America, parental freedom of choice in materials that he had with him were pur­ Importance cited education and secular humanism. chased on the spot, and that he expects additional requests to reach his office by The League's youth education pro­ mail. gram is of crucial importance not only to Pilot program The League's high school curriculum the future of the Catholic League but to should gain new momentum next April, future generations of American Catholics ThP pilot program was launched last since Father Stravinskas has accepted an as well, according to League President fall at Mt. St. Mary's Academy in North invitation to discuss the program during a Rev. Virgil C. Blum, S.J. Plainfield, N.J., at Northeast Catholic workshop at the annual convention of the "American Catholics have always High School in Philadelphia and at Red National Catholic Educational Associa­ been, for the most part, oblivious to their BanK Cathafo: min Sc.tao\ \n Red 'Bank, tion. rights and ob\igations in our interest Besides his efforts to introduce the group democracy," he said. "For that N.J. reason, we have had little success in During this past summer, Father Stra­ League to high school students,' Father asserting our just claims and interests in \'inskas and his secretary, Pat Adamo, Stravinskas has also presented lengthy dis­ the formulation of American public ha\'e proce~sed an additional 50 requests cussions on the League at three sem­ policy. Because we want to improve that for the curriculum materials. "After the inaries: Mt. St. Mary's in Emmetsburg, record through our youth educational first of the year, we will do a follow up to Md., Immaculate Conception at Hunting­ programs, we are greatly encouraged by drlermine how many of those 50 schools ton, Long Island, and St. Charles in Phil­ the enthusiastic response we've received are al'lu ally using the materials and with adelphia ''Of all the groups I've spoken what suc:(·i•ss," said Father Stravinskas. to about the League, said Father Stra- from Catholic educators." 3

I. LAA... .0.Cl!.½'4'f ,l ,,.f-?,)£F.4 . $P_...2 2§. __ ##.? , ~ -" .t.:t*, + . , (IP _o:,n .. a; , 4:c;

r~ew books feature League expertise

"It is a duty of conscience, for anyone Members of the League's staff and author of this month's Newsletter supple­ inspired by a Christian concept, to pro­ Board of Directors have contributed ment The book can be ordered from the mote justice effectively by safeguarding greatly to a pair of recently published University of Notre Dame Press, Notre faith and freedom as well as the other books. Dame, Indiana 46556 at $8 per copy. Or­ spiritual goods of a people." League President Rev. Virgil C. Blum, ders of five or more books can be obtained - Pope John Paul II, in an address S.J., is the author of an article included in at $6 per copy through the Center for Con­ delivered January 12, 1981 Private Schools and the Public Good. And stitutional Studies, Notre Dame, Indiana among the contributo,rs to New Perspec­ 46556. "Christians . .. are called by God to be tives on Human Abortion are League New Perspectives on Human Abortion involved in the world in order to trans­ General Counsel Robert Destro and is a collection of articles written largely form it according to the Gospel . ... Di rectors John T. Noonan, Jr., and by attorneys, physicians and university Those du ties include positively contrib­ Dennis J. Horan, who is one of the book's professors. uting to the establishment of just laws three editors. Besides being one of the book's three and structures that foster human values." editors, Prof. Horan is the co-author, with Father Blum's article is entitled "Why Thomas J. Marzen, of two articles: .- Pope Joh.n Paul II, Nairobi, Kenya, Inner-City Families Send Their Children 1980 "Abortion and Midwifery: A Footnote in to Private Schools: An Empirical Study." Legal History" and "The Supreme Court The article reports the major findings of on Abortion Funding: The Second '1'\me "It is therefore difficult, euen from a 1 ·the League s study of \nner c\ty private Around." 'purely human' point of view, to accept a education. , Prof. Noonan's contribution is entitled position that gives only atheism the right Associate Professor Edward M. Gaff. "The Experience of Pain by the Unborn," of citizenship in public and social life, and Destro's article is entitled "Religion: while believers are, as though by prin­ ney of the University of Notre Dame Law School is the editor of the book, which Establishment, Free Exercise and ciple, barely tolerated or are treated as Abortion." second-class citizens or are even - and includes selections by such renowned educational experts as John E. Coons, At $9 per copy, plus $1 for handling, this has already happened- entirely the book can be obtained through Amer­ deprived of the rights of citizenship." Stephen D. Sugarman, Thomas Vitullo­ .Martin, Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan, Father icans United for Life, 230 N. Michigan, - Pope John Paul II in his first encyc­ Chicago, Illinois 60601. · lical, Redemptor Hominis. Andrew Greeley and Denis P. Doyle, the 4 q-fERITAGE The President's man at the Vatican

Formal diplomatic relations between tive at the Vatican would help to prevent sent.er among the hierarchy was Boston's the United States and the were Italy from entering the war on Hitler's c~rdinal O'Connell, who feared the broken off on a mutually sour note in side. If this could be accomplished, it appointment would offer a pretext for a 1868, shortly before the Papal States would be a significant, if indirect, con­ renewed outbreak of anti-Catholic _\ter,e absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy, tribution to the Allied cause. Finally, for feeling. But in 1939, a convergence of foreign and the sake of public opinion, nothing could 's apprehensions were domestic political considerations made be more natural than for the world's most well founded. Almost every major Protes­ the resumption of diplomatic contact powerful neutral nation and the world's tant denomination protested the appoint­ with the Vatican attractive to President most respected moral authority to join in ment, with the Baptists, :\1ethodists and Franklin Roosel'elt a "partnership for peace." Lutherans most vehement in their objec­ World War II had just broken out in The final element in Roosevelt's politi­ tions. Hesitant at first, the Federal Europe. and Roosevelt's highest priority cal equation was the expected anti­ Council of Churches soon called for the in fon•ign policy was to aid the Allies Catholic backlash to the appointment of withdrawal of Taylor's appointment. against. Hiller. Isolationist opinion was an American diplomatic representati\'e to While Protestant opinion was far from strong at home. howel'er, and this forced the Vatican. If the thing was to be dont, unanimous, an indication of t.he broad Rouse\'elt into a posture of neutrality. To it would have to be done delicately. consensus on this issue is that the liberal make matters worse. this isolationist feel­ Christian Century found itself in a rare ing was strongest among Catholics, who Taylor is appointed editorial alliance with fu ndamenlalists were indispensable to Roosevelt's elec­ who charged that the President had made toral coalition and to the success of his On Christmas Eve, 1939, the President a pact with "the devil in Rome, Pope ~ domestic programs. sent personal greetings to Dr. George A. Pius." The centerpiece of the Protestant Opening diplomatic contact with the Buttrick of the Federal Council of objection was, naturally, the claim that Vatican would, at a single blow. cement Churches, Rabbi Cyrus Adler of Jewish the appointment l'iolated "separation of Catholit \'O(ers to the Roosevelt coalition Theological Seminary, and Pope Pius XII, chu rrh and state." by symbolically rewarding them for their urging cooperation for peace among reli­ past support and also help overcome gious leaders. The letter to the Pope, Catholics respond Catholic resi stance to the Administra­ however, included the additional news tion ·s foreign policy. In addition, Roose­ that Myron D. Taylor had been named as Catholic leaders responded to these velt hoped that a diplomatic representa- the President's "personal represen ta ti\'e" complaints in equally combatire terms. to the Holy See. Archbishop Francis Spellman of New Tavlor was a Protestant who had York said that all "men of good will" PubHc radio recentlv retired as chairman of the United must approYe collaboration between the States Steel Corporation. When Cardinal President and the Pope in the cause of Pacelli, now Pius XII, l'isited the United peace. He noted that there were no objec­ fires cheap shot States in 1936, he had been a house guest tions to the appointment of ambassadors of Taylor, and more recently, Taylor had to England or Japan. even though the The· c~.tholic League has asked ~erved as head of an American refugee king and emperor were heads of their :';ational Public R::dio to stop insulting relief organization based in Rome, so he respective national churches. the Catholic Churth in its syndicated was known and trusted in the Vatican. President Roosevelt tried to mollify broadcale­ personal Yilla in Florence. These techni­ genuine American respect for their Chris­ \'ant to the subject, which was gambling calities did not pre\'ent either Catholics or tianity!" and professional sports. The League Protestants from seeing the appointment called the comment "nothing more than a as a significant enhancement of Catholic Mixed results gratuitous defamation of the beliefs and prestige. rnluc'S of a large segment of the listening Catholics were nearly unanimous in In spite of the furor, Taylor remained audience." praising the appointment. They thought at his post until the war was over. The The League advised Mankiewicz that it would improve the prospects for peace, appointment did not achieve RooseYelt's "people of all faiths dislike having their create better U.S. relations with short-term goal of keeping Italy out of religion insulted; they like it el'en less American nations, and finally recognize the war, or his long-term goal of getting a when tht> insult is gratuitous; and they the proper importance of the Vatican in Vatican endorsement of the Allied cause. like it least of all when their own tax dol­ international diplomacy. Undoubtedly, But it did help enlist Catholic support for lar, are u,ed to subsidize dissemination of an other moti\'ation for this Catholic the Administration's foreign policy and the insult." enthusiasm was the feeling that the served as a vital diplomatic listening post '.'\oting that the harmful effects of the appointment would place an official seal during the war. c:ommtn t cannot now be undone the of approval on the dual loyalty of Catho­ Later presidents ha\'e named diplo­ Leagu e called for a public apology and lics to the papacy and the Republic, matic representatives to the Vatican, and a,~ur,rnct·, that such defamation will not which had created so much suspicion the protests have steadily diminished in ,1~hit; occur. against Catholics in the past. The lone dis- intensity and scope. 5 Chapter leaders meet with bishops CHAPTER EWS Carpenter addresses educators Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's East Coast regional director of develop­ Jack Carpenter, president of the Cath­ threaten ·to put many private schools out ment, has met with several bishops olic League's Nebraska Chapter, was a of business. - recently to elicit their support for League featured speaker at the Archdiocese of According to Carpenter, the problem chapters. In most instances, he was Omaha's 1981 Fall Education Conference can best be solved through a program of accompanied by local chapter officers. held October 12 at Gross High School federal tuition tax credits, which would Father Stravinskas and Dr. Anthony Parents, teachers and administrators in ease the financial burden borne by most Czajkowski, president of the Washington attendance heard Carpenter discuss "Tui­ parents who try to provide their children Chapter, met with the Most Rev. Eugene tion Tax Credits: An Issue for Hysteria, with a religiously oriented education. A. Marino, of Washing­ or Parent Rights in Education?" Unfortunately, he noted, enactment of ton, who agreed to serve on the chapter's Carpenter discussed the historical such a program has long been frustrated advisory committee and to bring the background of public and private schools by a not always well intentional appeal to League to the attention of the deans. in America, and he explained that the the constitutional guarantee of separation President John Pateracki of the Con­ dual system of education has always been of church and state - an argument which necticut Chapter, Father Stravinskas, and beneficial to society, He noted, however, Carpenter emphatically declared is other chapter officers, met with the Most that the dual system is now endangered "irrelevant to the issue of tuition tax Rev. Walter Curtis, bishop of Bridgeport, becao.1se adverse economic conditions credits." who expressed his strong support of the Parents' rights League. Bishop John lt1cGann of Rock­ ville Centre told Father Stravinskas and What is relevant, he said, are the rights President William Lindner of the Long St. Lou is Chapter of parents to religious freedom and equal Island Chapter that he is extremely protection. "Private school parents pay pleased with the chapter's and activ­ is on television their share of education taxes," he said, ities.· He suggested that the chapter organ­ "but as soon as they elect to send their ize a conference on the League for .The League's St. Louis Chapter was children to a church-related school, in diocesan clergy, and he said he would featured on a segment of the October 25 accordance with the dictates of their con­ gladly include League literature in "Confluence" television program broad­ science, they are severely penalized; they diocesan mailings to the clergy. cast over KMOX-TV. The program pre­ are forced to pay twice for their child's Father Stravinskas also met with sents ecumenical religious issues in a education. That is wrong, and we've got Auxiliary Bishop John O'Connor of the magazine-style fonnat. to work to change the system." . Bishop O'Connor is Representing the chapter was former The Nebraska Cltapter also set up a writing an article about the League which president Jack Horgan, who explained the booth at the education conference, from will be included in the chaplains'. monthly goals and activities of the League and its which chapter members distributed periodica1. network of chapters. League literature on the education issue. Mfnnesota Chapter criticizes broadcasts

James Ahler, president of the League's reJ.igious bigotry, not of humor.... We home is wrong from the point of view of Minnesota Chapter, has offered construc­ certainly hope that the promotion of the good of society and the family when tive criticism to a local radio station and a such attitudes is contrary to the policy of it contradicts or hinders these primary local television station on how to be less WA YL and that some effort will be made goals of the mission of the mother." Fur­ offensive to their Catholic listeners. to· place restraints on unchallenged ther, the Pope said that "(women) should On the September 25 Bob Allard expressions of bigotry such as this on be able to fulfill their tasks in accordance show, broadcast over WA YL radio in future WAYL programming." with their own nature without being dis­ Egan, Minnesota, Bruce Laube of the criminated against and without being University of Minnesota described a caller excluded from jobs for which they are Misleading report who expressed problems with his sexual­ capable.... " ity as "a recovered Catholic." The term Noting that KSTP's characterization of went unchallenged except by a followup Ahler also took exception to a news the Pope's message did not square with caller who expressed amazement at the report broadcast over KSTP-TV in St. his actual words, Ahler said the station's use of such a deprecating term. Her query • Paul, which characterized Pope John lapse in fairness and balance was even resulted only in a justification of the term Paul's latest as saying that "a more disappointing because it comes as a humorous reference. woman's place is in the home.'' Calling from a station whose past coverage has In a letter to WA YL Program Director that characterization "false and mislead­ been praiseworthy. Greg Kulka, Ahler said: "To those of us ing," Ahler quoted pertinent passages of Ahler told Turner that· he was partic­ who share the Catholic faith, such expres­ the encyclical in a letter to News Director ularly galled by the treatment he received sions are not humorous. Dealing with Stan Turner. when he called the station to complain Catholicism as though it were a dread What the ~ope said, quoted Ahler, is about its unfair coverage. "Apparently disease from which one 'recovers' or as this: "Having to abandon these tasks ( of distortion of the Pope's message was con­ though Catholicism requires perverse caring for children and educating them) in sidered by the staff on duty to be not sexual repression is an expression of order to take up paid work outside the only justified but humorous." he said. 6 Army replies to League complaint Religious Roundtable off ends Catholics A Pentagon spokesman has responded Col. Wheeler also assured the League to the Catholic League's complaint about that Gen. Becton "is aware of the signifi­ a U.S. Army general who advocated an cance his rank and position lend to his .The Catholic League has criticized "abort-or-get-out'· policy for soldiers who personal opinion, and the need to con­ Religious Roundtable, an organization become pregnant during their first enlist­ sider the full impact of his statements ostensibly committed to asserting Judaeo­ ment. prior to making them public in the Christian values in public life, for charac­ According to the June 29 issue of future." · terizing the Catholic Church as a corrupt Army Times, Lt. Gen. Julius Becton and tyrannical institution. stated: "If I were king, I would discharge, The August issue of the organization's honorably discharge, a woman when she Concern remains newsletter, The Roundtable Report, ,,, ilRecomes pregnant, if she's a first-termer. included a front-page sketch of religious , .. She would either abort or be dis­ history which referred to "a millenium of charged, let's put it that way, since abor­ Replying to Wheeler's letter, Destro spiritual darkness during which the estab­ tion is now a legal, proper step." said he is aware that the Army neither lished 'Church' wielded tyrannical power In letters to President Reagan, the sec­ requires nor officially encourages anyone over the State, and genuine followers of retary of the Army and several congress­ to have an abortion. Nevertheless, the Christ were persecuted and tortured.••. " men and senators, League General League remains concerned, said Destro, The sketch went on to say that "the yoke Counsel Robert Destro called for an because "informal command attitudes are of tyranny was broken and history turned investigation of the matter. The general's often translated, in practice, into a corner.... " and that "salvation was no comments, Destro said, disclose "a gross informal Army policy. longer dispensed by a corrupt lack of respect for the moral conscience If Gen. Beeton's views are transmitted 'Church.' ..." of the American soldier, a highly dis­ to those in his command, said Destro, the torted view of women's rights in general, Army could well suffer serious legal and Distressing sentiments and a lack of respect for the human dig­ ethical problems in the future. ''We trust nity of the unborn." that this will not occur, and urge that In a letter to H. Edward Rowe, execu­ In reply to Destro's complaint, Col. your office keep close watch with us for tive director of Religious Roundtable and Jack C. Wheeler of the Army's Office of evidence that his personal views on these editor of its newsletter, the League Chief of Staff for Personnel subjects are not translated into the expressed its distress over the sentiments assured the League that the personal unofficial policy of his command," conveyed in the historical sketch. views of General Becton on pregnancy, Destro concluded. "The general sense of these state­ discharge and abortion "do not reflect The League has also been notified by ments," said League Director of Public Army policy. " According to Col. Congressman Clement Zablocki that the Affairs Michael Schwartz, "is that the Wheeler, the Army does not, in any Department of the .1.rmy is investigating Catholic Church is the enemy of both e\'ent, "require or officially encourage the matter and that a full report will be political liberty and Christian faith. More­ anyone to have an abortion." prepared. over, the use of quotation marks around the word 'Church' suggests that the author does not regard the Catholic F "~ .... •.,..,. Church as a genuine Christian body, but Don't forget Santa as a counterfeit church." League m:imbers will notice that, for the second straight month, their News­ Contentious viewpoint letter mailing includes a brochure which explains how they can help the Catholic "It seems entirely inappropriate for League by giving their loved ones a Kneel­ such views to be put forward by an organ. ing Santa figurine. ization whose avowed purposes are civic As the brochure explains, profits from rather than missionary," he said. "Such a the sales of the Kneeling Santa to League narrow and contentious viewpoint lends members will be used to support the credence to the claims of the opponents League's efforts to preserve our Judaeo­ of your movement who accuse you of Christian heritage. promoting a particular religious ortho­ \ So when you give your children or doxy under the guise of civic reform." '. grandchildren the Kneeling Santa, you Schwartz acknowledged that many will not only be helping them to under- Catholics sympathize with the Religious . stand the proper relationship between the Roundtable's political objectives. "But," secular and sacred aspects of Christmas; he said, "if your publication gives the you will also be helping to assure that, impression that a condition of a good through the League's efforts, Christ's Christian or a good American is to despise 1.. Gospel values will continue to be a potent the Catholic Church as tyrannical and force in our society. corrupt, you will not only have to forego _On September 17, the Iowa Civil Rights The Kneeling Santa order forms will the support of those Catholic citizens, Commission upheld an earlier ruling that not be included in the December News­ but also that of non-Catholic Americans the Polk County Commission on Veterans letter mailings, since orders placed in who understand and cherish the principle Affairs had discriminated ·against Floyd December cannot be processed in time to of religious freedom." Blasco, pictured above, because he is an guarantee delivery before Christmas. Italian-American Catholic. The Catholic Members are encouraged to place their League represented Blasco in his success­ orders as soon as possible to beat the Contributions to the Catholic League ful suit. Christmas rush. are' tax deductible. 7 - I' jr--: ),\. The President's Desk ,- ~ \ , ., by Virgil C. Blum, S.J. , 1 Democracy and pluralism unde,r attack

their case against slavery, as did Abraham policy making to individuals who are non­ Lincoln, on the Word of God; the pro­ believers ·or who will not bring their hibitionists based their case against the Judaeo-Christian values into the political drinking of alcoholic beverages on the arena. Word of God; the labor unionists, as did The adoption of this doctrine of Senator Barry Goldwater recently Msgr. John Ryan, based their case for col­ "religion has no place in politics" by blasted the New Right, saying "I don't lective bargaining on the Word of God; religious-minded politicians sometimes think what they're talking about is 'con­ the advocates of racial equality, notably makes them responsible for public policy servatism.' ... The religious issue of these the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., based they personally find morally abhorrent. groups (abortion, school prayer) has little their case against racial discrimination on Not long ago in Maryland, for or nothing to do with conservative or lib­ the Word of God; and today advocates of example, the Prince George's County eral politics. One of the great strengths of the right to life of unborn children base Council voted on legislation to ban fund­ our political system always has been our their case on the Word of God. ing of abortions at tax-supported hos­ tendency to keep religious issues in the Yet today more and more religious­ pitals. The legislation was defeated on a 5 background." minded politicians are becoming con­ to 5 vote when a pro-life Council member This new doctrine that religion has no vinc~d that if they carry their own abstained from voting, saying, "Because place in politics is now being espoused by religious and moral values into their pub­ of my personal religious beliefs, my conservatives and liberals alike. Yet this lic roles and weigh these beliefs in public immediate reaction was to favor its adop­ belief implicitly denies the fundamental policy decisions, this is tantamount to tion. But I believe also that my election premise of our pluralistic society and the forcing their religion upon others. to public office did not grant me the First Amendment right of citizens to try This posture is in complete conflict license to impose my religious and moral to influence governmental policies with the pluralistic nature of our society. beliefs on others who disagree." accor$:ling to their own religious and It assumes that the only people and the By abstaining from voting, this moral values. only politicians who have a right to par­ Council member rejected the principles of One would expect those who do not ticipate in the making of public policy are our representative democracy and of our believe in a transcendent God to decry those who set aside their religious and pluralistic society (which has the right to the consideration of religious and moral moral values. Anyone adhering to Judaeo­ expect that constituent groups will have values in public policy making. What is Christian values, and trying to live by an impact on public policy making); she truly shocking here is that even religious­ them, is turned into a silent and non­ abrogated her First Amendment rights to minded men and women are rejecting the voting second-class citizen. bring her religious and moral values into whole American experience from colonial This doctrine is a rejection of the public policy formation; she rejected hE:r times and claiming that religious and principles of our democracy - govern­ duty as a Christian to bring Gospel-values moral be.liefs must be jettisoned when ment of the people, by the people and for into the political arena; and, perhaps public policy is made. the people - because it would exclude unwittingly, she became morally culpable The Founding Fathers based their case from active invoiYement in the demo­ for the abortions performed in the tax.­ against the tyranny of King George on cratic processes religious-minded citizens supported hospitals of Prince George's the \\." ord of God; the abolitionists based and politicians. It would restrict public County. Reprint policy The Catholic League encourages indi­ ('Jew· book exonerates Pius Xl :I ,. id u a Is and organizations to reprint The Catholic League has expressed its occupying the Vatican and to safeguard material from the Catholic League News­ gra,titude to the for pub­ the Pope's efforts to save the Jews. letter. This may be done without obtain­ licizing a new book which refutes the Allegations that Piux XII was indiffer­ ing permission, so long as appropriate popular myth that Pope Pius XII was ent to the plight of the Jews stem directly credit is given to the League. The only insensitive to .the plight of European Jews from the deliberate deceptions by the exceptions to this policy are articles during World War II. German ambassador to the Vatican, which the League reprints with the per­ Entitled The Papacy in the Modern Baron Ernst von Weizsacker, and his mission of other publications or organiza­ World, the book was written by Father deputy, Albert von Kessel, according to tions. For example, anyone wishing to Derek Holmes, a Church historian. the AP account of Father Holmes's book. reprint this month's "Docket" column According to a recent AP dispatch, In reality, Vatican atithorities, acting on would have to obtain the permission of Father Holmes's new book asserts that the Pope's orders, were sheltering at least the Christian Legal Society. the Pope's "apparent indifference to the half the Jews in Rome, Father Holmes fate of Jews during the Nazi reign ofter­ said. Catholic League Newsletter is published by ror in Rome was a smokescreen' to hide the Catholic League for Religious and Civil In a letter to the Associated Press, the Rights, 1100 W. Wells St,, Mil., Wis, 53233. the fact that he was sheltering 400,000 Catholic League thanked the wire service James Hitchcock .. , . Chairman Jews from German deportation." for calling attention to the book and its Virgil C. Blum, S.J...... President The AP dispatch goes on to say that, message and for helping to rehabilitate John Hansen ...... Treasurer according to the book, two German dip­ the image of a great but largely unappre­ Ann Brosnan ...... Secretary lomats in Rome deliberately lied to their cia te d religious leader who willingly Orlan Love . . Director of Publications Annual membership dues: $10 Nazi superiors in Berlin about the Pope's endangered the Vatican in order to pro­ Contributions are tax deductible. sympathy for Jewish suffering, their pur­ tect thousands of Jewish people from the pose being to stop the Germans from onslaught of Nazism. 8 Supplement to the Catholic League Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 10 Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights CATHO.LIC LEAGUE 1100 West Wells Street: Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233 for Religious and Civil Rights

Sectarian bigotry is born again by Greg Erlandson

It most closely resembles a "Classics Illustrated" Schwartz himself traced this recent outbreak to the comic book, those cartoon retellings of great novels. widely publicized Chick comic books. Chick Publica­ Called ''The Big BetraY.al," it is the latest product of tions, already an established name in Christian book­ Chick Publications. But this comic book aims not to stores, recently published "Alberto" and "Double edify, but incite. Cross," tales of an alleged ex-Jesuit, Alberto Rivera. On the cover is a picture of John Wilkes Booth Rivera claimed that, as a Spanish priest, he had been shooting President Abraham Lincoln while St. Peter's ordered to attack Protestants and desecrate their dome looms in the background. Its message: Rome churches as part of a world-wide Vatican plot. In "still controls governments of the world" through her "The Big Betrayal," the Catholic Church is held Jesuits and her intrigues. The United States is still her responsible for the death of Lincoln and even the Civil target, and she is "still participating in the assassina­ War. tion of the world leaders" ,,,ho do not go along with her. Primary target ''Right now [sectarian anti-Catholicism] is more For Chick, a primary issue is the Vatican widespread and virulent than it has been at any time "machine," capable of any conspiracy or inter­ during thE. past 50 years, and it shows no sign of hav­ national treachery. Priests are usually drunkards and ing crested," claims Michael Schwartz. Schwartz is the lechers, and Jesuits are capable of any perfidy. director of public affairs for the Catholic League for At the recent Christian Booksellers Association Religious and Civil Rights, the only Catholic organiza­ convention held in Southern California, Chick Publi­ tion which nationally monitors secular and sectarian cations distributed a flyer explaining why so many anti-Catholicism today. bookstores had removed their copies of "Alberto" Centered primarily in the South and Southwest, and "Double Cross" (both successful sellers, from all but with a national audience - thanks to syndicated reports). "When we printed the two true stories ... radio shows and widely distributed books and tracts the forces of Rome partially succeeded in keeping - fundamentalism's new anti-Catholicism is yet them from the public. The machine gave instructions another recurrence of America's longest lasting and to its faithful followers to put pressure on the book­ most subtle prejudice. stores. It was not by chance, but a well planned attack." Oldest prejudice Some stores still sell the controversial works. Msgr. Edward O'Donnell, editor of the St. Louis Review, \Vhile intellectual anti-Catholicism has never dis­ told of one store in St. Louis that now sells them appeared in this country, in the last five years reli­ only on request- like pornography. But many gious anti-Catholicism - thought dead since John F. Kennedy's election to the presidency- has re-emerged, spread by a variety of authors, singers .. . Catholic emigrants were pouring into the and . United States. But they must be directed where "I think that there is something of a revival of anti­ to settle . ... Rome wanted them to come to Catholicism," noted Kenneth Kantzer, editor of Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, etc., while the land was Christianity Today, a leading magazine for Protestant still cheap. With their exploding families, wealth evangelicals. But he hastened to add that "I don't and unity, they could rule everything. think it i~ a dominant mood of any section of Protes­ - "The Big Betrayal" tantism." 1 responsible shops stopped sales once the claims of Chick comics, claiming not to know the material well Rivera were investigated. enough to condemn or endorse it. Performing an invaluable ecumenical service, Chris­ His mail, Green said, ran four to one in favor of the tianity Today's Gary Metz exposed Rivera's fraudu­ Catholic Chronicles. But a ·recent "Protestant Chron­ lent claims in an article published earlier this year. icle," an exarninatio12 of evangelism, aroused twice as many negative letters - a sign that evangelism can be at lea.st as defensive as Catholics when told they may · - · The Roman Church is not a cult. It's an be in error. empire/ . .. Neuer has something so black and The one person seemingly not in error is Green, wiched gotten away with appearing so holy and who says "I don't believe just because somebody's mysteriously beautiful . .. for so long/ Catholic he is going to hell," but the Church "must - Keith Green, Catholic Chronicles III change officially, doctrinally, before I become tolerant of it as a whole." While Chick's products can do great harm to the young and ignorant, even more harmful may be the Deep roots slick, sincere and seemingly well researched tracts of Keith Green. For those Catholics who grew up before Vatican II, Green is a highly popular Christian singer. Raised none of these charges will seem particularly new, but as a Christian Scientist, then "reborn," he performs for Catholics raised in the past 20 years, anti­ around the country and has developed a large follow­ Catholicism often seems inexplicable. ing. Living near Lindale, Texas, a center of funda­ Yet the roots of anti-Catholicism are in America's mentalist activity, Green, his wife and their Christian soil, and go back to the first settlers. Sectarian community publish the Last Days Newsletter with a antipathy was a pronounced ingredient of the first series entitled "The Catholic Chronicles." colonies. But anti-Romanism increased with the "\\"hat is wrong with the Catholic Church," said arrival of Catholic immigrants, starting with the Irish. Green in an interview with the Register, "is its In the 19th century, Michael Schwartz notes, it

1 emphasis on man's responsibility rather than Jesus' \ vas felt that "Poles, Italians, the Irish were unable to finished work on the cross." live in a democratic society. They were poor, crim­ Using a combination of Church documents, Catho­ inal, and Catholic. Now the same things are being said lic catechisrr.s and anti-Catholic texts like Loraine about the ~1exicans." Boettner's Roman Catholicism, Green "analyzes" Rabbi !\fare Tannenbaum of the American Jewish Catholic doctrine, showing its non-biblical roots. Committee feels there are "two dominant tendenc;es of bigotry in U.S. history." First there is class pol­ Broad criticisms itics. In times of great anxiety, people "look for scapegoats - simple answers as to why they are Punctuating his text with scriptural references, hurting.'' Green might criticize transubstantiation one month, Second is status politics, when established groups penance the next. But what is al\\·ays most virulently are threatened by others coming up the ladder. Both attacked is the Catholic reliance on Church tradition. elements may be at work today. The rites of the Church, Green tries to prove, are But what Tannenbaum finds unique about either arbitrarily imposed by Church councils or are America's religious demographics is that since World pagan in origin. What they are not is Christian and \Var JI - but particularly in the '?Os - 40 to 50 mil­ scripturally authentic. lion evangelical Christians have been entering the Green strPsses that "it has nothing to do with Cath­ mainstream of American society. People who may olics themsel\'es," admitting, "I don't know many of have never before had much contact with Catholics or them." He is fearful, however, of what he calls a Jews are now rubbing shoulders with them in the city •·renaissance" in the Catholic Church. As evidence of and on the job. The resulting prejudice may be a cul­ that, he cites the example of John ~1ichael Talbot, a tural backlash. coi:\'Prted Catholic who has led many young people Schwartz sees an indirect cause being the "rise of to Catholicism through his music. the importance of the born-again Christian" as evi­ Grr:.>en, believing "God told me to do it," seems to denced by the success of people like Jimmy Carter feel the Catholic Chronicles are more a matter of and Jerry Falwell. With the aid of the "Electronic obedience to Divine \\'ill than a task of pleasure. Church," said Schwartz, this has "rekindled the \\'hile he will not say there are sure to be more Chron­ mentality that looks upon America as a uniquely ic Jes. he does suggest future topics could include Protestant Zion." This in turn has been accompanied Church history and charismatics. by the return of extremists like the Ku Klux Klan. Though he expressed no sympathy for the "crazy Another factor is the rise of millennialism. The h:::tf' sensationalism" of some anti-Catholicism, he apocalyptic tradition - growing stronger as \Ve draw remains coyly reticent about publications like the closer to the year 2000 - makes much literal hay of 2 the symbolism of the Book of Revelation. The Cath­ olic Church as the Anti-christ and the Whore of Many of my friends at our fellowship go to Babylon are themes increasingly heard. Tim LaHaye, Mass, and it's funny, after reading your article, a key figure in the Moral Majority and a nationally all of us seem to_ have been touched in the same known and author, for example, in his book way. [They stopped going to Mass.] We didn't Revelation Illustrated and Explained has material as react because 'Keith Green said so,' but out of . ~'virulently anti-Catholic as anything written," judged enlightenment from the Lord. Schwartz. More can be expected. - A Catholic Girl's Letter to Keith Green While Keith Green can write that "we really, really love Catholics! It is our only motive for publishing this series of articles," in actuality a climate of bigotry and fear is reasserting itself. Well-intentioned For Len Beckman, a youth minister at St. Callistus critics of Catholic doctrine end up in league with in Garden Grove, Calif., the secular message of the demagogues if care is not taken. media is compounded by the anti-Catholic preaching Rabbi Tannenbaum recalls the recent statement of the fundamentalist. The pressure not to believe can made in Dallas, Texas, by the Rev. Bailey Smith, head be overu:helming. For now, Beckman tries to research of the Southern Baptist Convention, that God does and answer each objection a Catholic young person not listen to the prayers of the Jews. He feels it is might have to his Church when being tempted to join more than a coincidence that not long afterward a a fundamentalist sect. fundamentalist preacher in Texas refused to share a speaker's platform with Phyllis Schlafly because of What can be done? her Catholicism. Another case is the Rev . Dan C. Fore, head of the What can be done about a prejudice that seems :t\1oral Majority's New York chapter, who recently unwilling to ever completely disappear? explained that God gave Jews a special talent for We must first realize that - obviously - not all making money. He denied he was anti-Semitic, saying Protestants are anti-Catholic. In fact, many observers of those who persecuted the Jev;s: "Those weren't believe that the bridges between Catholics and evan­ Christians, they were Roman Catholics." gelicals are stronger than ever. And in San Diego, Calif., Rosalind J\1usselman of Tom Minnery, a writer for Christianity Today, told " Fishers of l\1en Final Call Ministry," in one of her the Register that Chick attracts only "people without commentaries on radio station KMJC, expressed the much education." Rather than a growth in hatred, he \\·ish that Pope John Paul \\;ould not recover from his saw a "growth of the evangelical in Catholicism as bullet wounds, the assassination attempt having been more people read the Bible." a way for the Vatican to curry world sympathy. Bishop Peter Gillquist, a former Campus Crusader As this prejudice spreads, particularly in regions who is now head of the fledgling Evangelical Ortho­ like the Southwest where anti-Catholicism is com­ dox Church - a challenging combination of bined with an anti-;\1exican racism, the social damage Orthodox belief and evangelism - believes that "by is incalculable. But the effect cultural figures like and large there is a better feeling among the main­ Green have upon Catholic youth is being closely stream evangelical Protestants tov,:ard Catholics than watched. even when I was growing up." Green, says Schwartz. is particularly troublesome Gillquist and Christianity Today editor Kantzer to young Catholics. The Catholic League has been both say that more outspoken references to Scripture " besieged, mainly by priests reporting young people by Catholics would help establish common ground. who have read the pamphlets and are leaving the "Make plain your basic biblical and evangelical com­ Church." mitment," said Kantzer. "This tends to disarm [critics] . " Danger to youth While Christianity Today's ecumenical record is exemplary, the Catholic League's Michael Schwartz In Orange County, a conservative, affluent area believes the "great bulk of Protestants who could do south of Los Angeles, anti-Catholic centers like Cal­ something do not." While he says the public record of vary Chapel attract kids with their fellowship and people like Moral Majority's ,Jerry Falwell is "very fcr,;ent evangelization, according to William Hard­ good," he criticizes Falwell's refusal to· disassociate wick, director of the diocese's youth ministers. For himself from anti-Catholics like LaHaye and Fore. Hardwick the problem stems from the fact that 75 Noting that many members of l\1oral Majority are percent of Orange Couty, according to a 1975 Gallup conservative Catholics, Schwartz feels the "organiza­ Poll, was unchurched. The fundamentalist Churches tion may be headed for trouble." see it as an open field, says Hardwick, and there is But for Schwartz, who has spent almost 15 years comparatively little evangelization on the part of examining the issue, "Anti-Catholicism is not a mainstream Churches, Catholic or otherwise. Protestant problem or a secular problem; it is really a 3 Catholic problem." Catholics should fight anti­ There may after all be a silver lining to this new Catholicism as other minority groups have fought sectarian opposition to· the Catholic Church, if it can bigotry. force Catholics to define tf!eir beliefs and their insti­ He also argues for a new apologetics, while conced­ tutions more clearly. The fundamentalist refusal to ing - given the fragmentation of the Church today - re-examine differen~s for the sake of ecumenism that Catholics themselves may not be able to agree may be in Catholics' best interests. on_ the content of such works. For the Catholic Church, a new look at an old Perhaps the biggest problem is that the Church is problem may expose the need for sounder catechetics not sure of its own identity and is vulnerable to and more aggressive evangelization. attack. One young evangelical even tried to explain to "Culturally," concludes Schwartz, "Catholicism 1.he Register that "there are three Catholic Churches will either be gutted - or Catholics will regroup and now - the conservatives, the experimenters and the stand up for their rights. That is the challenge that charismatics." lies before us."

-[~[ie ra:cceptable' pre]udice b\' Greg Erlandson

The pro-life moc,ement is primarily a Catholic mouement, yet Catholic women have as many abortions as any other group of women. Perhaps the explanation for this lies in part in the role of confession in Catholicism . ... Thus, many Catholics haue unsanctioned sex, use birth control, and hai·e abortions, knowing they can later "worh it off on their hnees" .... - Deird re English, E .Yecutiue Editor of I\lother Jones Magazine

Ami-Catholicism has ah,·ays been a socially accept­ Amendm f:' nt. Hyde's Catholicism became an issue, as able p r1'judice. Long after racism and anti-Semitism did the Catholic backgrounds of jurors in Massachu­ \\'ere condemned by rel igious and political leaders, setts' famous infanticide prosecution of Dr. Kenneth prejuciice against Catholics continues. For \lichael Edelin. Catholics like theologian Rosemary Ruether Sclw:2.nz. his ffrst t,vo years at the Catholic League and Andrew Greeley are oft.en celebrated primarily ,wrf:' rr:m2..rily , pent monitoring secuLu- prejudice. because their dissident views coincide with prevailing I!, a prc·ss release distributed by the Catholic anti-Catholic bias. Lc,,i:u,:, . Sclrn·;u- tz noted that "Catholics are ... at a One danger of such intolerance is that it can result d i<;c;\·:.ntage in the academic community because of in "scientific studies" which seek to confirm class latenc religious prejudice. The Ladd-Lipset survey bias. Dr. Zena Blau, a University of Houston sociol­ shmved that Catholics are grossly underrepresented ogist, recently concluded that children with Catholic on the faculties of the more prestigious universities, mothers are less intelligent than others. Asserting that and Louis Harris discovered that more than one-third children whose mot.hers are non-religious had the of the non-Catholic public believes that Catholics are highest I.Q. scores of her sample, Blau concluded that 'narrow-minded, under the influence of Church "the impact of the high-control religious institutions dogma.' " is adverse to a child's intellectual development." This intellectual prejudice, always present in the Using 1,000 Chicago schoolchildren as her evi­ United States, has been heightened by the prominent dence, Blau has attempted to justify academically the role the Catholic Church has played in the anti­ prejudi~e of her peers. It is most telling that, unlike ahor~io n movement. \\'hat social analysts are calling the furor which greeted the racial theories of Har­ th e '·n l' \\' elite" - the young, well-educated, secular vard's Arthur Jensen, the academic response to Blau's mi ddle: class, like the readers of Mother Jones - is study has been remarkably restrained. quite cclpable of the worst prejudices against Catho­ lics in its defense of women and "reproductive rights. ' ~ Reprinted with permission from The National Catholic Reg­ \ I~~r. Edward O'Donnel, editor of the St. Louis i,t.Pr, an independent national Catholic WPC'hly published at R c l'icu•, recall c• d that in the court test of the Hyde I 90 I A. uenuC' of the Stars, Los A ngrles, California 9006 7.

..J Vol. 9, No. 5 May, 1982

lllSl. .d e ... Kentucky textbook law upheld

The League's Massachusetts Chapter is The Catholic League has been instru­ only to refute the KEA 's spurious allega­ urging the Uni\'ersity of l\fassachusetts at mental in the successful defense of a Ken­ tions but also to assert the parents' reli­ Boston to make amends for the publica• tucky 'law authorizing the loan of state­ gious freedom rights. tion of a scurrilously anti-Catholic article purchased textbooks to private school Serving as co-counsel for the parents, in Wavelength, the student. literary maga­ students. And in helping to defend the Amshoff and Eva Soeka, the League's zine. See the article on page 2. law, the League has also helped to dis­ former associate general counsel, argued credit charges that private schools are that if the law were struck down, Catho­ * * * racially discriminatory. lic school children would be deprived of The Catholic League has commended Judge Henry Meigs of the Franklin Cir­ public benefits to which they are entitled, members of the Iowa •1egislature for cuit Court upheld the Kentucky Nonpub­ and that the sole reason for this discrim­ speaking out against bigoted remarks lic Textbook Assistance Program in a ination would be their parents' exercise made recent)\· bv Bob Jones. Jr. E\·er the summary judgment entered March 30 in of religious freedom in choosing their e qua I opp~ rt~nity bigot, Jones ful­ favor of the state and a group of Catholic children's schools. school parents. The parents are rep­ minated against Catholics, Jews and resented by the Catholic League and No evidence of segregation blacknvhile speaking in Des Moines. See Louisville attorney Ted Amshoff. the story on page 3. The law had been challenged in 1980 To refute the KEA 's allegation that * * * by a group of parents and the Kentucky Kentucky private schools are racially seg­ In this month's Docket column on Education Association (KEA), the Ken­ regated, Amshoff and Soeka submitted page 4. General Counsel Patrick Mona­ tuch-y affiliate of the national public affidavits from several Louisville Catholic ghan obser\'es that children playing school teachers' union. schools which demonstrated that the ·· "Simon Says" ha\'f:' enough ~ense not to schools do not have racially discrimina­ jump off a cliff when Simon says, "jump First Amendment arguments tory admissions policies and that they are off a cliff." unfortunately. he notes, many in fact well integrated. The KEA sub­ adults don!t ha\'e the sense to batk when The KEA challenge incorporated the mitted no evidence to the contrary. the Supreme Court says it's okay to kill traditional First Amendment arguments In deciding the case, Judge Meigs said, babies. that the program impermissibly advances "The schools attended by the children of * * * · religion and fosters excessive entangle­ the intervening defendants in this action Admirably filling the space usually ment between church and state. The KEA are racially non-discriminatory, and the reserved for our Heritage column is a al so contended, however, that many regulations promulgated by the Depart­ guest editorial by Bob Ewegen of the recipients of the textbook aid attend ment of Libraries assure that no students Denver Pott. In his perceptive analysis of racially segregated private schools, and in racially discriminatory institutions religious bigotry on page 5, Ewegen says thaf it is unlawful to provide financial aid receive such textbook loans." He also said the only antidote for hatred is personal to racially segregated institutions. that the Kentucky law "does not violate witness. On behalf of Catholic school parents, the Establishment Clause of the First * * * the . League intervened in the case not (continued on page 7) At its annual meeting; the League's Board of Directors re-elected the current slate of officers and added four new members. The League is proud to announce the addition of Archbishop Robert F. Sanche1.., syndicated columnist Joseph Sobran, law professor John E. Coons, and Cuban-American leader Frank Salas to its Board of Directors. See the article on page 7. * * * In his regular column on page 8, League President Rev. Virgil C. Blum , S.J., says that the public school teachers' unions are again gearing up to defeat tui­ tion tax credits in an effort to protect their \'ested interest in their monopoly on A ~entucky court recently found no evidence that the state's private schools are racially education tax funds. segregated. The above photo was taken at a Catholic school in Louisville.

1 University publication defames the Church The Catholic League's Massachusetts the Foundation of the Church's Power"; as legitimate contributions to public dis­ Chapter is seeking reparation for an out­ "Church and State, a Dangerous coi.rse. For the University to disclaim all rageously anti-Catholic article published Alliance"; "Birth C.Ontrol, More Starving responsibility for Wavelength's "decep­ in the February-March issue of Wave­ Babies"; "Sex, Sexism and Sexuality, a tive, malicious and bigoted attack" on the length, the student literary magazine of History of Repression"; "The Pope, Why Catholic Church, he said, would be the University of Massachusetts at Follow the Leader?"; "The Church's simply hypocritical. Boston. Teachings, Incomplete Mythology"; As a matter of simple justice, he said, In a letter to University President "Confession, Alle\'iation of Fabricated the University must epsure that the next David C. Knapp, with carbon copies to Guilt"; and "Catholic Education, a Guide issue of Wavelength is de\'oted to a retrac­ the leading public officials in the state, to Brainwashing." tion and apology for the scurrilous Chapter President Francis X. Ahearn said The anonymous author accuses the article, as well as articles illustrative of the "article is nothing less than a piece of Church of being greedy, hypocritical, dis­ the positive contributions of religion in religious hate literature, and, as such, it criminatory, barbarous, cruel, supersti­ general and Catholicism in particular. has no place in an official publication of a tious, exploitative, repressive, manipula­ If the student editors of Wavelength unh·ersity maintained and operated by tive and hostile to the well,being of are unwilling to make such a just gesture the taxpayers of the Conmonwealth of society. of reparation, he said, they should be Massachusetts." Ahearn, in his letter to President replaced because their refusal would, in Knapp, objected to the article not only itself, be sufficient demonstration that Deliberate deceit because it is deceptive, demeaning, false they have violated a trust given them by and defamatory, but also because it vio­ the University and that they have mis­ The title of the articre, "A Dissenting l ates the religious freedom rights of handled funds collected in a mandatory Jesuit's View of the Oltholic Church," Catholics, abuses the freedoms of speech fashion from students. and its byline "by Father Penn" are cal­ and press, and compromises the integrity Ahearn also urged the establishment of culated to convince the reader that it was of the University. a finn policy barring any university pub­ written by a Conner Jesuit priest. At the lication from promoting religious bigotry very end of the article, however, is an in the future. Freedom of religion asserted easily overlooked or misunderstood dis­ claimer that "Father Penn is a fictitious Ambivalent reply being." Ahearn reminded Knapp that Catho­ The tone and content of the article are lics, like other citizens, have a right to the apparent in the subheadings that are free exercise of their religion without In his reply to Ahearn, Knapp interspersed throughout: "Guilt and Fear, molestation or abuse from public author­ expressed his own personal sense of out­ ities. "Yet," he observed, "the Catholic rage that the article had appeared. But, •students of the Universitv have seen their citing numerous legal precedents, he [mandatory) student activity fees used to expressed doubt that the University is pay for an attack on their Faith, while legally capable of obtaining a formal apol­ the Catholic citizens of Massachusetts ~ .. , ·.-- ogy or of taking measures to prevent a .. ~ '-' have seen such an attack published under similar incident in the future . the auspices of an institutiqn supported Ahearn, who reports that leading state through their ta.xes." officials are deeply concerned about the Moreover, he said, views expressed in matter, said he is formulating a reply that an official University publication are will provide Knapp with extensive in­ ineyitably and rightly perceived as reflect­ formation on his rights and responsi­ ing positions which the University and bilities as chief administrator of a state the C.Ommonwealth implicitly recognize university. Chapter launches educational program

The Connecticut Chapter of the Cath­ The second such forum, co-sponsored olic League has launched a new educa­ with a New England group called tional program based on regional forums Humanae Vitae Renewal, focused on on issues confronting Catholics today. family rights. It was conducted on April The first. such forum was conducted at 17 at Somers, Conn., where the speakers St. Joseph's Church in Occum, Conn., on were 1larshall Fightlin, Father Randall · March 28. Speakers included Robert Blackall, Rhode Island State Representa­ Rev. John Flynn, vice-president of the th•e William McKenna and attorney Leslie Largess, vice-president of the League's Payne, also a vice-president of the League's Massachusetts Chapter, is pic­ Massachusetts Chapter; Sister Patricia tured giving a slide presentation on the League's Massachusetts Chapter. Brewer of the Connecticut Catholic Con­ Connecticut Chapter President John League at a recent meeting in Lowell. The ference; Mary Dihner of Connecticut meeting was arranged by Rudolph Pateracki said the chapter plans to con­ Right to Life; and Marshall Fightlin of tinue conducting. forums like this, and Ouellette and Chapter President Francis the Norwich Diocesan Family Life Office. expressed the hope that they would not X. Ahearn, who says that chapter repre­ Topics included the self-image of only help make Catholics in the state sentatives are seeking opportunities to American Catholics, freedom of choice in aware of the critical issues of the day, but discuss the League and show their slide education, secular humanism and the also increase recognition of and member­ presentation. right to life. ship in the Catholic League.

2 League elects new di rectors · ·· Biaggi keynotes

The Catholic Leagu-e Board of Direc­ schools solely on the property valuations League forum tors. at their annual meeting l\larch 20 in within individual school districts. Congressman Mario Biaggi was the Chicago, re-elected James Hitchcock as Salas, chief engineer for the Fuller fea'tured speaker at an April 19 forum on chairman of the board, Re\'. Virgil C. Constru<;_tion Conpany in Miami, is a "Religion and Politics" sponsored by the Blum, S.J., as president. Emile Comar as graduate of ~he University of Havana and Catholic League. The event began at 5:30 vi-ce president, John Hansen as treasurer, was active in the cause of religious free­ in the auditorium of the Church of Our Ann Brosnan as secretary and Walter S. dom rights in Cuba before coming to the Savior in New York City. Stumpf as assistant secretary. United States in 1959. He is a member of Biaggi's remarks were followed by The b'oard also elected four new mem­ Agrupacion Catolica Universitaria, the responses from a distinguished panel bers: Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez- of association of Cuban Catholic scholars including publisher James McFadden, Sant.a Fe. syndicated columnist Joseph based in Miami, and he is committed to former New York State Regent Genevieve Sobran. law professor John E. Coons and fostering Cuban-Catholic values and cul­ Klein, and Yorkville community activist Cuban-American leader Frank Salas. tu re. He is also a member of the Msgr. Harry Byrne. Archbish op Sanchez, ordinary of Executive Committee of the Catholic Forum organizer James Crowley said Santa Fe since 1974. is a member of the League's Miami Chapter. that the event is the first step in the C.S. Catholic Conference's Communica­ The agenda for the board meeting formation of a Chapter of the tions Committee and chairman of its Ad included consideration of proposals for Catholic League. Hoc Committee- for the Spanish Speaking. commemorating the Catholic League's After being ordained in 1959, he served 10th anniversary, which will occur May eight years as a professor and assistant 22, 1983. Stravinskas named principal at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque. National convention to rights panel Sobran, who does a syndicated radio Father P~ter Stravinskas, the League's commentary as well as his regular news­ Among the proposals was a plan to East Coast director of development, has paper column, is widely considered to be hold a national Catholic League conven­ been appointed to the New Jersey Com­ one of the most percepti\·e and articulate tion, at which leading American Catholic mission on Civil Rights. social critics of our time. A graduate of spokespersons would speak on such issues Father Stravinskas and eight other Eastnn l\1ichigan Unh·ersitY, he is a as the right to life, parental freedom in commissioners - representing such organ­ ~enior editor of National Rel'iew, and an education, religious freedom and anti­ izations as the New Jersey Education editor of and regular contributor to Catholicism - the major issues in which Association, the Anti-Defamation LeaguP Human Life Review. the League is involved. According to the of B'nai B'rith and the New Jerse,· Coons. a law professor at the Univer­ proposal, the convention would be the Council of Churches, are currently sity of California at Berkeley. is one of centerpiece for national and local mem­ engaged in drafting a curriculum on the nation's foremost experts on and bership drives, fund-raising efforts and prejudice for use in New Jersey St'h ools. adrncates of parental rights in education. publicity campaigns. Father Stravinskas said one of his fore­ He is the author of California's Education Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's most concerns is to ensure that the cur­ B,· Choice rnucher initiaih•e. as well as East Coast director of development, was riculum does not overlook wh.at Har;ard ~~wral books on educational freedom. appointed chairman of a committee to historian Arthur M. Schlt>singer Sr. called His best-l;nown book is Private ll'ealth fo rmulate further plans for the League's "the deepest bias in th~ history of the and Public Education, which prodded the 10th anr. iversary. Also named to the com­ American people" - anti-Catholicism. rational <> for Srrrano t'. Priest. the case mittee were Secretary Ann Brosnan and that (>Stablished that it is unconstitutional board members Sobran and Dr. Ada (con t inued for a state to base tax support of public Ryan. Kentucky from page 1) Amendment to the Constitution of thP

N . A¥~ ~ 'AW.i.C:: United States." Since " no question of material fact exists," he said, the state arid the Catholic school parents "are entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law." -- ... According to Amshoff, the decis\on could not have been more timely. Coming as it did on the last day in which the state legislature was in session, it helped per­ suade legislators to double the budget authorization for the program to $600,000 for the next biennium. League General Counsel Patrick Mon­ aghan commended Amshoff and Soeka for their work in the case. "The decision is very important," he said, "not only because it further establishes the right of private school parents to receive public benefits for the education of their chil­ Pictu red at the March 20 meeting of the Catholic League's Board of Directors are three dren, but also because it discredits the of the Board's new members: (from left) law professor John E. Coons, syndicated widespread defamatory allegations of columnist Joseph Sobran and Cuban-American leader Frank Salas. The fourth new public school teachers' unions that pri­ member, Archbi.shop Robert F. Sanchez of Santa Fe, was unable to attend the meeting. Yate schools are racist and elitist."

7 The President's Desk by Virgil C. Blum, S.J. The NEA's campaig n curriculum

and teacher financial sacrifices and heavy in 1980, about 42 percent of students in church subsidies, they choose inner city predominantly black schools came from quality Catholic schools. In justice, these low income families, according to the black and Hispanic parents have a right to February issue of The Chicago Reporter. A recent issue of Newsweek (3,29-82) refundable tuition tax credits. While minority families in Chicago pay carried this notice: "The Political Action The Catholic League's study of 54 from 5600 to $860 in annual tuition, the Committee of the 1.8 million-member inner city private elementary schools in Archdiocese of Chicago in 1981 sub­ National Education Association will pour eight cities revealed that 15 percent of sidized inner city Catholic schools to the $2 million and 200 trained campaign black and Hispanic parents with children tune of $2.8 million, workers into 150 targeted House and in these schools have an annual income of Albert Shanker is right. If inner city Senate races this fall. The NEA will less than $5,000, and that 50 percent minority families were given a refundable support or oppose candidates according have an income of less than $10,000. tuition tax credit, many thousands of to their stands on issues such as dismant­ These families make fantastic sacrifices. parents would shift their children to ling the Department of Education and tui­ Why? They want quality education private schools, even at continuing sacri­ tion tax credits." Albert Shanker, leader (including religious and moral values), fices, to get a quality education for their of the American Federation of Teachers, made possible by caring teachers and children. also views the campaign°' for tuition ta.x principals whose salaries are less than half It is, therefore, in the ,·ested interest credits as a "threat" to the public that paid to public school teachers. of public school teachers' unions to kill schools, so he too is leading his troops in The Catholic League study included tuition tax credits for private school a political campaign against the Reagan 16 randomly selected inner city Catholic parents. But if they succeed, many addi­ Administration's tuition tax credit bill. schools in Chicago. Chicago Catholic tional tens of thousands of low-income schools are better integrated than Chicago black and Hispanic children will, to use public schools. In 1979, about 55.5 William Raspberry's phrase, "grow up to Vested interests percent of black students in Chicago be essentially useless in the technological Catholic schools were non-Catholics. And soc_iety in which they will exist." All legislation has vested interests sup­ porting or opposing its enactment. Albert Shanker predicts that if tuition tax ·· credits are provided by Congress, the pro­ gram "may lure thousands and thousands Librarian says sex education books of parents to shift their children from public to private schools" in part because "disenchantr,1ent with the public schools 'should not stress religious concepts' has grown." So, indeed, public school teachers' unions have a wsted interest in The Catholic League is investigating not good pedagogic sense." killing the Administration's tuition tax the criteria by which the l'vlilwaukee In a letter to City Librarian Henry credit bill. Public Library determines the suitability Bates, the League acknowledged that a Another group with a vested interest of the materials it stocks. library is not obliged to accept and shelve in tuition tax credits consists of black and The League's inquiry was prompted by any book donated by a well-intentioned Hispanic parents. Most of these parents the· library's rejection of two children's · person. The League said, however, that it live in the inner city where public books donated by a Milwaukeean. The is troubled and amazed by Botham's dec­ schools, with a few notable exceptions, books are _Something Beautiful from God laration that children's books "should not are nothing more than blackboard by _Susan Schaeffer Macaulay and Before stress religious concepts." jungles. You Were Born by Joan Lowery Nixon. In explaining to the donor why the Library policy sought Rasp~erry comments books were rejected, the library's coor­ dinator of children's services, Jane League Director of Public Affairs Black columnist William Raspberry Botham, cited as a criterion used in judg­ Michael Schwartz told Bates that he recently wrote, "Education is the one ing the books that "the material ... would assume for the time being that best hope black Americans have for a should not stress religious concepts." Botham's statement was unauthorized decent future ... [but] we are turning and that it does not reflect the policy of out yet another generation of ill-educated Further explanation the Milwaukee County Federated Library children, children who will grow up to be System. "Surely," he said, "the public essentially useless in a technological Expanding upon that criterion, library system of a major American city society in which they will exist." Several Botham quoted with approval from a does not have a policy of censoring books years ago the Department of Health. Edu­ book entitled Library Work with Children on the grounds that they allegedly 'stress cation and Welfare reported that 42 by Dorothy Broderick: "Many people are religious concepts.' " percent of 17-year old blacks were func­ concerned that most of the newer sex Schwartz requested the library's tionally illiterate. education books do not stress religious official policy regarding children's books The ob\'ious answer-an answer concepts.... For young children ... the which allegedly "stress religious con­ which Raspberry rejects - is family choice birth process we are trying to explain is cepts," as well as a complete summary of in education. When parents have a choice an ·abstraction. To complicate that expla­ the criteria used in evaluating library of schools. made possible by great family nation with a further abstraction ... is materials. 8 Vol. 9, No. 11 November, 1982 inside ••• Does the Constitution perm,it In the wake of Pope John Paul II's meeting with Y asser Arafat, the secular burial, prayers for dead? and Jewish press in America have leveled several vicious, irrational charges against both Pope and Church. See the article on The Catholic League has begun legal of the Feminist Women's Health Center page 2. steps to ensure that religious-minded (an abortion clinic) and the American citizens are not denied the opportunity Civil Liberties Union. They claimed that to express their respect for the 17,000 the abortion clinic would suffer"irrepar­ On the legal front, League attorneys aborted babies whose bodies were discov­ able harm" if religious-minded citizens have won a major* pro-life and free ered Feb. 6 in a metal shipping container were allowed to offer public prayer at a speech victory in California, and they that had been abandoned by the owner ceremony for the aborted babies. They will submit a brief to the U.S. Supreme of a Los Angeles pathology lab. also argued that cooperation by the Court in defense of Minnesota's tuition Attorney Paul Freese, president of district attorney with religious-minded tax credit program. Those articles are the League's Southern California Chap­ individuals or groups would violate the on page 3. ter, contends that a court order blocking constitutional principle of separation of the performance of religious rites or church and state, and would amount to This month's Docket column, on page memorial services for the infants im­ treating fetuses as persons, which, accord­ 4, asserts that public* schools in the Uni­ pinges upon the First Amendment rights ing to them, has not been permitted by ted States violate both of the First of religious-minded citizens to express appellate courts. Amendment religion clauses: they deny in public their sincere feelings of respect Calling those "coercive and misdir­ religious freedom to adherents of God­ for the human remains of the dead ecting arguments," Freese said the centered , and they establish babies. injunction threatens to prevent or impede the religion of Secular Humanism. Freese's request for oermission to enter religious-minded citizens "from lawfully the case was granted by Judge Eli performing rites or rituals, prayers or Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton's forma- Chernow at an Oct. 14 hearing. Further other services as their consciences may tive influence on *American Catholic hearings in the case were scheduled for inspire according to their convictions." education is described in this month's later in the month. Freese said the abortion clinic has no Heritage column on page 5. According to Freese, religious freedom legal interest. in the fetuses and should rights were implicated lastJunewhen a have no legal standing in controlling or superior court judge issued a preliminary influencing the district attorney's dispo­ Also on page 5 is the first poem ever to injunction barring the Los Angeles sition of them. It seems clear, he said, be published in the* Catholic League district attorney from cooperating with that the abortion clinic is attempting to Ne1~•sletter. a lament for the lives lost individials or groups seeking release of use the court as a means of preventing through abortion, by Paul L. Freese, the bodies for religious rites or memorial religious-minded people from giving president of the League's Southern Cali­ services. attention tow hat they regard as creatures fornia Chapter. The injunction was issued at the request Continued on page 5...

The League's Long Island Chapter has presented its third* annual Catholic League Award to pro-life leader Ellen McCormack. See the article on page 6.

The New York Times has published an article which describes* the Catholic Mass as "ritual cannibalism." As the article on page 7 relates, the remark prompted the League's Northern New Jersey Chapter to ask advertisers if they would reconsider their plans for future adver­ tising in the paper's New Jersey edition.

In his regular column on page 8, League President *Rev. Virgil C. Blum, S.J ., explains that sex education courses are one of the major reasons that many parents have begun challenging the Pictured above is one of the 17,000 aborted babies whose bodies were discovered in an teaching of Secularist values in our pub- abandoned shipping conta1'.ner. (Photo courtesy of the Ceni,er for the Documentation of lic schools. · the America.n Holocaust.) ' Pope and Church smeared in press attacks

When the Vatican announced a mid­ Palestinian civilians at a refugee camp scornful repudiation of its extremist September meeting- bet\,·een Pope John in Lebanon. The editorial claimed that, rhetoric by the editor of a New England Paul II and Yasser Arafat. leader of the by meeting with Arafat, the Pope had Lle,.·ish magazine. Palestinian Liberation Organization. a "sent a signal to all the Christians that Attacks on the Pope in numerous senior official of the Israeli government for a cause is to be applauded," articles and cartoons in the secular press responded with a blistering attack on and concluded that "the Phalangists, as were almost as unrestrained. One Ohio the moral integrity of the Pope and of de\'Out Christians, followed the guide­ newspaper printed a letter which con­ the Church. Since then. these charges lines set by the Prince of their church cluded. "Until now, I could never find a ha\·e been repeated and amplified in the and as good disciples engaged in the rational basis for the infamous Polish American press. massacre of their opponents." jokes. Now I understand." Dozens of Cartoons. editorials and columns ap­ In a telegram to the editor, the Catholic papers printed a column by Harry James peared in newspapers all across the League expressed its "shock and out­ Cargas. a Catholic college professor from country objecting to the meeting: public rage" at this reckless accusation and St. Louis. who depicted the Church as statements were issued denouncing the demanded a retraction. The League "guilty of silence while 6 million Jews Pope: and Catholic churches were pick­ contended that this editorial "can serve were being slaughtered by baptized eted by opponents of this papal peace no conceivable purpose except to en kin­ Christians," and of having a "tradition initiati\'e. dle religious hatred among the readers of anti-Semitism.'' !\1any of the protesters. unfortunately, of Tl/(' J!'ll'ish Pr('.,s for the Pope and for did not eon fine themsel\'es to criticizing their Catholic fellow citizens." this particular meeting, but engaged in No retraction was forthcoming, but 'Sad Irony' an all-out attack on the Church. dredging The Jell'ish Press did acknowledge the up the discredited and defamatory League's protest in its next issue and. in To counter this disinformation and charges of Vatican collaboration with reply. issued another, rather half-hearted defamation, the Catholic League distri­ the .K azis. accusing Catholicism of an denunciation of the Pope, concluding buted a column to over 100 daily news­ inherent anti-Semitism. and inventing that "It was not our intent to inflame papers on papal efforts to aid Jews completely new anti-Catholic smears. racial (sic) hatred. Far from it....We during World War II. and submitted Perhaps the most irresponsible of these trust that in time ... Jew and Christian numerous letters to the editor, including attacks was a front-page editorial in Th" will treat each other with respect." The one from Virginia Offer of the Long Jn,. i.sh I'rl'.s.,. a Brooklyn-based weekly League. too. hopes that mutual respect Island chapter which appeared in The \\'ith a reported c-irculation of 240.000. will be forthcoming. t•.:cll' Yo,·k Time., and one from James In its Sept. 24 issue. TJ,e Ji'll'ish Pre.,.~ Reaction from the national Jewish Jandrisitz of the Philadelphia Chapter blared that "The Pope Shares The Blame press rnried widely, from applause for which appeared in The Phifad<'fphia For The Palestinian Massacre.'' refer­ the defamatory editorial by the editor of h1<111 irer. The League also provided ring- to the atrocious murder of innocent a Jewish newspaper in the M id\\'est to a information to Nick Thimmesch. who wrote a syndicated column on the subject. Father Virgil C. Blum expressed his sadness that the Hoh· Father has been subjected to such ha~sh attacks simply rv;oynihan's commitment on because he is seeking a just peace in the i\1 iddle East. Noting that the Pope had tax credits questioned admonished Arafat against "recourse to arms and violence in am· form and abo\·e all to terrorism and reprisals." The presidents of three Catholic League In addition to their concern O\'er and that he had defended the right of the chapters in New York State have ex­ l\tovnihan's vote on those amendments. State of Israel to "securit\'," Father pressed thPir disappointment with what the· Catholic League actiYists, in their Blum said. "It is a sad ironv'that a man they perceiYe as an "apparent loss of letter to the senator, stated that they of peace has been blamed for acts of commitment" b\' Senator Daniel P. were disappointed that the senator had \'iolence. The fact that these unjust Moynihan on th~ issue of tuition tax been relatively silent in responding to accusations against the Pope were given credits. the "specious and often defamatory such wide publicity in the secular press Their di~appointment was prompted arguments" raised against tax credits shows that anti-Catholic prejudice is by ;1fo~;nihan's vote in the Senate Finance during the current year. They noted still deeply rooted in our society and Committee in favor of Senator Bill that this silence stood in marked con­ that many Americans are predisposed Bradley's controversial amendments to trast with the articulate and often cour­ to believe the worst about the Catholic President Reagan's tuition tax credit ageous leadership on the issue which Church." bill which would have deeply im·olved :Moynihan had provided in previous years. the Internal ReYenue Service in moni­ The letter to Moynihan was signed by toring private schools to eliminate all chapter presidents William Lindner of Relations still good segregati\'e practices. Many supporters Long Island, Dr. Thomas Reilly of of tax credits.particularly the represen­ Brooklyn-. and Anthony Mangano tati\·es of Christian sc- hools. had made it of Westchester. "The general state of Catholic-Jewish clear that their support for tax credits Senator Moynihan's office responded relations is 'remarkably good.' according was conditional on keeping the IRS quickly to the concerns raised in the let­ to Eugene Fisher. director of the Secret­ from becoming-excessively entangled in ter. saying that the senator is as commit­ ariat for Catholic-Jewish Relations of tlw educational affairs of private schools. ted as ever to parental rights in educa­ the United States Conference of Catholic Fort hi~ rc>a~on. the amc>ndments. which tion and that, in his \·iew, the Bradley Bi:-hops." said Father Blum. "Let us pas;;('d li~· a onr-rntc> margin. were looked amendments \\'Ould ha\'e strengthened hope and pray that the recent attacks on upon by sc,me tax credit supporter~ as rather than weakened the bill's chance Pope John Paul will not cause them to "killer amt•ndmcnts." of passage. deteriorate." Pro-life victory in California

A California court has denied a request for•an injunction which would have restricted the manner in which pro-life activists could conduct sidewalk counsel­ ing outside abortion clinics. The injunction had been sought by Fresno abortionist Michael Weiner, who sued Catholics United for Life, a pro-life group based in Coarsegold, California, following their efforts to counsel his prospective clients in June of this year. The CUL members were represented in court by Patrick Monaghan, general counsel of the Catholic League, and local attorney Michael Margosian. Catholic League General Counsel Patrick Monaghan (right) and Fresno attorney In his complaint, Weiner alleged that Mil'hael Margosian are pictured outside the California Superior Court in Fresno. CUL members had physically prevented his clients from entering his clinic. The pro-lifers' actions had so distressed his League wi ll apprise Supreme Court clients, Weiner alleged, that some of them went home without keeping their of private school study findings appointments. The injunction sought by Weiner would have limited the total The Catholic League will submit a private schools. According to League number of CUL counselors to eight and legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in General Counsel Patrick Monaghan, the would have restricted their activities to defense of a Minnesota law which allows brief will apprise the Court of numerous a narrow sidewalk which borders Wein­ public and private school parents to take study findings which provide sociologi­ er's abortion clinic on one side. a deduction on their state income tax for cal justification for public policy initia­ At a Sept. 23 hearing before the educational costs such as tuition, text­ tives designed to ease the financial Superior Court of California, County of books and transportation. burden on parents who send their child­ Fresno, the attorneys for CUL argued The 27-year-old program has been ren to private schools-initiatives such that Weiner's allegations were without challenged by the Minnesota Civil Lib­ as the Minnesota tuilion tax deduction foundation and that the constitutional erties Union, which contends that the program. right to free speech protected the act­ program unconstitutionally benefits rel­ ivities of the CUL mem hers. igion because 71 percent of the parents taking the deduction send their children Spurious arguments to church-affiliated schools. No injunction A federal appeals court rejected the Monaghan noted that aid to private MCLU's challenge last April, noting school parents has often been obstructed After hearing the evidence, Superior that the program is open to all parents, by spurious arguments which are thor­ Court Judge Hollis Best refused to issue not just those who send their children to oughly refuted by the findings of the the injunction, saying: "The issuance of private schools. Any benefit to religion Catholic League study. For example, he a preliminary injunction is a matter which might accrue because of the pro­ said, the charge that parents are moti­ which should be used with caution, gram is "remote and incidental," th,e vated by sectarian concerns in choosing especially where free speech is involved." court said. private schools is often cited as evidence Monaghan hailed the decision as a that any aid to private school families victory for free speech and for life. He would violate the First Amendment. Conflicting decisions noted that CUL members have gathered However, he noted, in the League sam­ at many abortion clinics over the years, ple of 4,000 families, almost a third of engaging in such direct pro-life activities The Supreme Court agreed to hear the students are Protestant, even though as prayer, personal counseling and offers the case in order to reconcile that appel­ the schools themselves are overwhelm­ to help pregnant women. late court decision with a different one ingly Catholic. "Through their exercise of the right to which in 1980 struck down a similar tax - Another sociological misconception to free speech," said Monaghan, "CUL deduction program in Rhode Island. be addressed in the League brief is that members have saved the lives of many The League will submit what is known parents whose children attend inner unborn babies, and the court's decision in legal parlance as a "Brandeis brief," city private schools constitute the edu­ will enable them and the growing ranks which addresses sociological rather than cational and economic elite of the inner of other sidewalk counselors to save the strictly legal issues. (The first such brief city. lives of many more." was submitted by Louis Brandeis, who On the contrary, said Monaghan, the was later to become a Supreme Court League study found that 30 percent of justice.) the parents surveyed had not completed The League is in a unique position to high school and that half the families submit such a brief because of its surveyed had ·annual incomes of less recently completed education research than $10,000. "Even so," he noted, "those Harvard Professor Arthur M. Schles­ project which compiled, in the words of families pay a median tuition of $400, inger, Sr.: "I regard prejudice against UCLA Prof. Donald Erickson, "an un­ and many have more than one child in (the Catholic) Church as the deepest bias precedented body of data," on inner cit~; private schools." in the history of the American people." 616D0~:~:;,k M,magha!he religion of the public schools --- General Counsel

In Hn111do11 r. Huard uf J,,'d1u·ali1111 . arbitrary and deliberate involvement of might become vain and empty repetitions. .Judge lr\'ing- Kaufman of the Second the state in excising and ('ensoring all Bl.rt. the religious zeal of Secularists, Cirrnit Court of Appeals stated. "To God-centered religious expression in eoupled with the official state support of mar1\' Americans, the state's noblest public 'schools? Is it not clear that their taboo against any recognition of funciion i;; the education of our nation's continued state legal recognition and Gud in public places, indicates that our ,·outh.'' The l'Ollrt \\'ent on to note that enforcement of the Secularist dogma state education system ,·iolates the First thi,; responsibility is entrusted largely concerning the prohibition of any ex­ Amendment to the Constitution. "to the public sl'hools" \\'ith the desire pression of religious sentiment in the that children oe made into responsible public schools amounts to the placing of Secularist establishment citiZL'ns by "learning the> enduring values the state's imprimatur on a particular Nat only does the "closed-circuit" state of \\'(•,;km ei,·i lization we all share-an religious creed-the Secularist creed? education system abridge the rights of appn·eiation of critical reasoning, a 'Enclaves of Totalitarianism' citizens to freely express their religious cc,mmitnH'nt to dc,mul'ratic institutions beliefs. \'alues and knowledge: it also and a dedieation to the principles of The Supreme Court. in Tinker,·. Dis violates the Establishment Clause b\' fairnc,:,;,;." .Uoill('., lndl'JWl1 right of public: [)isl rid. said that "state-operated schools accepted religion. high "c:houl students to me>et voluntarily ma\' not be encla\'es of totalitarianism" If a student body consists of Catholics. for prayer in an unuse>d classroom during and that "students may not be regarded Jews. Protestants. Moslems, Mormons off-,-chool hour". ,Judge Kaufman appar­ as closed-circuit recipients of only that and Secularists. the exclusive recognition ent I~· eoneluded that religious liberty is \\'hich the state chooses to communicate." fi\·e da.,·s a week of one faith \l'ould not an "enduring value." Yet, in point of fact. the tax-supported certain ]y not constitute a fair division of go\'ernment schools ha\'e bet:ome pre­ public access. Yet that is precisely what State Imprimatur cisely that. Secularism is achieving! For in den~·ing- those :-tudents their There was a time \\'hen religious· The Secu Jar re 1igion has achieved th is right to free religious expression. the minded citizens might \\'orry that prayers by denying its own religious nature court stated. "Our nation's elementary in public places \\'ere a danger in our while working diligently to establish a and ,;c,condary ;:chools play a unique role relationship \\'ith God in that the prayers public disavowal of God. in tran,;mitting- basic and fundamental ,·alue,; tt1 our youth. To an impressionable student. e,·(•n the mere appearance of s(•ctilar irmil\'l'ment in rc·lig-iousacti,·ities Rehearing in abortion fee case mig-ht indicatl' that the srate has placed California',; Fourth District Court of that human life is sacred and no person it,; imprimatur on a particular reli1:dous Appeal has ordered a rehearing of the has the right to decide whether another cn•erl." Er::i11r,1r c:a:'-e, in \\'hich the Catholic should live or die." But what about the, state imprimatur LC:'ague is representing 57 students who Shamsky said the case should haw that i,; 11011· bc•il1J..'.' placed on irreligion or object. on reli!,!ious and consl'ientious been decided in accordance with the nun-rl'lig-iun'! not thP i11111rp,;,:ionable I,; j..'.'rou nds. to the L1h i\'cr,;it~· of California's U.S. Supreme Court's 1977 Ah11od decis­ :er that the eauses they did not support. He also uniH•rsit\' did not \'iolate ~he First cited a federal law whi('h prohibits an Noteworthy Quotes Am('ndm~•nt rights of student;,; \1·ho entity receh·ing public health funds from "llv ll'ho n1akes the race thP ultimate oppose abortion by using fees collected ck•nying admission to anyone for his norm (If all \'alues, penerb and falsifies from them to pro\'ide abortions as part "reluctance to in any way participate in tlw unlvr of things crt>ated and com­ of the student health sen·ic:e program. the performance of abortions.'' if to do so ma,ul~d l1\' <;od ... As (;od's sun shines on PrC:'siding-,JusticeGerald Bro\\'n. writ­ is ('Ontrary to his religious or moral all hunian. l>t'inJ.[s, so doe,- His law know inJ.[ for a unanimous appellate panel. beliefs. no pri1·i!eJ.[es or exceptions ... Human said the• university had not ·•unrea,;onably i>('ings as persons possess (~ud-gi\·en i ntc•rfered with the students' practice of 'Clear Winner' riJ.[ht,; ll'hit:h must l,p prc•;:en·ed from all religion." since the students were not att;,vk:- aim~•d at denying. :'Uppressing­ forced ''to use the student health sen·ic:e League General Counsel Patrick Mon­ or rli,;n•garding tlw111 ... "-From .Uit program,;. recei\'e pregnam·~·eounseling, aghan commended Shamskv and Robert ,,,., 111,1 /1('1'/' sfll'f/(, the rn:r;- enc,\'\:lical in ha\'e abortions. perform abortions. or Destro. Monaghan's predece~sor as gener­ ll'hit:J1 !'()pt• Piu;; XI (.'(JlldC'mned the endorse abortions." al t:ounsel. for their excellent work in a tlH•ury and praetic:c, of Nazism. l'ase that, "on its face, should be a clear Court insensitive \1·111ner." If "tlw popl' and .l(•l'I'~· Fal\\'C:'II could Unfortunately, said 11onaghan, the J!l'l prvj..'.'riant, oppn,;ition to the right to Burton Shamsk~·. local attorney for courts thus far ha,·e seemed unwilling ha,·t· an abortion ,,·ould _quickly di,;­ thestudenb. said thedeeision pxemplified or unable to grapple with the serious appvar."- Edd Doerr. former staff ttw "insensiti\:ity of the uni\'L•rsity and constitutional issues at stake in the case. \ITitc•r for :\nwril'ans l 1 nitc>d for Sep­ thC' court'' to th(' ll'ay his clients fct>I "]\ 0\1· that there will be a rehearing." he arat i11n of Church and State. in a letter about abortion. "\\'e'rc· not talking-al>out ,;aid. "perhaps the claims of the stutlents puldi~hc·d < kt. 1~. ni82. Ii~· thl' lr11.shi11r1- foot hall hen•." lw said. "b,ll about :-ome­ will at l,'.1st get the consideration they tun 'f'i'11u .-.:. thingcc•ntral to tht•,Judeo-Chri,;tian ethic ck,;en·e. '"HERITAGE Mother Seton: pioneer in Catholic eaucat1on

When Elizabeth Ann Seton organized were not founded as alternatives to the before any English-speaking settlers had the Sisters of Charity shortly after her public schools, since there were no public even arrived in North America. conversion to Catholicism, one of the schools at the time. In Baltimore, for In the English colonies along the community's first apostolates was that instance, the first "common school" Atlantic seaboard, Catholic schools of education. Early in 1810, at St.Joseph's offering tuition-free instruction to child­ -existed wherever the practice of Catholi­ Parish in Emmitsburg, Md., Mother ren of all faiths was established at St. cism was tolerated-that is, sporadically Seton opened a free , Patrick's Parish in 1815. The same in Maryland, for a brief period in New open to both boys and girls, and staffed situation obtained everywhere in the York(1685 to 1690), and in Pennsylvania. by her Sisters. On its first day, St. country, where the operation of schools By 1788, there was a parish school at Joseph's School had 20 students, who was almost exclusively a concern of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, were gi\'en not only free instruction but churches, both Catholic and Protestant. staffed by lay teachers. In 1799. a free also free textbooks and a free meal. In those days. before a·nti-Cathol icism school conducted by a commun·ity of The Sisters of Charity entered many became a dominant political passion. women religious was founded at George­ other apostolates, including the establish­ the Catholic schools were often voted town. And in 1801, at St. Peter's Parish ment of the first Catholic orphanage in financial subsidies by local governments in New York City, a free parochial the country and staffing of the first in recognition of the public service they school was opened. Catholic hospital. but education remained were rendering by providing education But it was Mother Seton, at Emmits­ their primary enterprise. for the young. burg, who combined these elements: a By 1840, the Sisters were operating 35 Mother Seton is rightly credited as parish-based. tuition-free school for boys educational institutions in nine states. being a pioneer in Catholic education, and girls staffed by nuns. And this was Their educational mission was marked but it is important to note that her school to be the basic model for Catholic schools by standards of educational quality that at Emmitsburg was far from the first well into the 20th century. were far ahead of most other schools of Catholic school in America. Indeed, The parochial school has been in­ that era. Catholic schools flourished in Florida separable from the growth of the Catholic Those early Catholic schools. of course, and New Mexico in the 16th century, community in America. and in no other nation has Catholicism been so intimately connected with the educational mission. 17,000 aborted babies (continued from page 1) Through her leadership and her form­ of God ha\'ing eternal destinies. said Catholic League General Counsel ative influence on Catholic education in If the injunction is allowed to stand, he Patrick Monaghan, "but that does not America, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton said, it would threaten to create prior give them the right to insist that everyone earned a place as one of the makers of re$traints on the exercise of constitutional else share their view. American Catholicism. rights by religious-minded citizens­ "Noone is asking them to acknowledge the rights to freedom of speech, freedom the humanity o~ those babies, or that of assembly and freedom of religion. they were divinely created. Yet in their C hapter hosts "It is ob\'ious that the abortion pro\'iders insistence that the babies are but blobs regard the dead babies as garbage," of'tissue' whose humanity must be denied media forum at every opportunity, they appear to be committed to wringing from each of us an agreement that human life has no The League's Washington Chapter is Love's Loss intrinsic worth." sponsoring a panel discussion, "Media CoverageofCatholicSubjectsand Issues," By Paul L. Freese at its semiannual general meeting at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the auditorium Let the little ones come to me at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. (Thousands of infants who will not be) 4920 Strathmore Ave .. Kensington, Md. Let them assemble at my feet . Panelists include Russell Shaw. direct­ (Thousands of hearts that will not beat) or of the U.S. Catholic Conference's I will teach them to. lo\'e one another Office of PublicAffairs;JamesJ. Whelan. (T housands interred without caring executiveeditorofthe Wwihi11gto11 Time.-;; mother) Marjorie Hyer. religion editor of the And look for the path to the eternal day Waxhi11gto11 Po.~t; Kelly Burke. a tele­ (Thousands who might have led the way) vision journalist at Washington's NBC They will spread my word of cheer affiliate; Rich Adams. representing thE (Thousands whose ears will ne\'er hear) local CBS affiliate; and Jim Clarke o: That this \'ale of tears is a path to joy· the local ABC affiliate. (Thousands unknown as girl or boy) Moderating the discussion will bi That it is only sin that we should grieve chapter activist William Gavin, who i: ·(Thousands of lungs that will not.breathe) special assistant to the minoritv leade: That true love was born in Galilee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ellen McCormack, the pro-life candi­ and for showing that large numbers of date for the 1976 Democratic presiden­ Americans would vote on the basis of tial nomination and one of the founders their commitment to human life. of the New York State Right to Life In her address, Mrs. McCormack stated Party, was the recipient of the Lon_g thltt the political struggle for the right Island Chapter's third annual Catholic to life was a "Catholic problem." In a League' Award. A capacity crowd of meticulous analysis of the political dimen­ more than 400 attended the dinner and sion of the pro-life effort, she noted that the award presentation at Chaminade Catholics constitute a substantial por­ High School in Mineola on Saturday tion of the electorate in 13 large indus­ evening, Oct. 2. trial states; but of the 26 U.S. Senators Michael Schwartz, the League's dir­ from those 13 st.ates, only two had voted ector of public affairs, was on hand to pro-life in the last Congress. present the award to Mrs. McCormack. Mrs. McCormack called upon Catholics In introducing her, Schwartz said, "When to vote on the basis of their moral convic­ the history of the pro-life movement is tions, rather than on the basis of party written, it will be possible to say of only a affiliation or ethnic identity. Until Cath­ Michael Sch u•a rlz pi·esented the Catholic small number of individuals that this olics stop giving their votes to candi­ League Au•ard to pro-life leader Ellen person really made a difference. One of dates who take positions opposed to Mc-Cormack at a recent rneetfog of the these individuals, unquestionably, is Ellen Catholic principles and values, she said, Long Island Chapter. McCormack." He praised her for giving they will remain impotent in shaping a political expression to the pro-life cause just political order.

Mangano argues for tax credits Public opinion polls demonstrate

Gannett Westchester Neu•spapers de­ lack of consensus on abortion voted a third ofthe"Viewpoints" page in its Sunday, Oct. 3 edition, to an article During the recent debate on Senator of pregnancy, rather than during the on tuition tax credits by Anthony D. Jesse Helms's proposed anti-abortion entire term, as is the actual case. Mangano, president of the League's legislation, the presi, and other abortion But whenever poll questions on abortion Westchester Chapter. proponents frequently alluded to the are stated objectively, taking into consid­ Tuition tax credits would serve the alleged overwhelming popular support eration the reason for the abortion and public interest, Mangano wrote, because for the unlimited abortion liberty created the stage of the pregnancy, support for they would expand parental freedom of by the Supreme Court in 1973. That the current legal status for abortion is choice in education, foster competition alleged support was often cited as a far from overwhelming. among school systems, resulting in primary reason for the defeat of the improved educational quality; and inject Helms bill. Majority in the middle much-needed measures of justice and But as reporter Dexter Duggan ex­ equity into the government's current plained in a 1981 Catholic League Typical of the objective abortion polls policr of education finance. supplement, "Abortion and the Opinion (few though they are) was a 1980 Gallup Polls," such alleged popular support for Opinion Inde:r which asked respondents if they think "abortions should be legal Refutes objections the current legal status ofabortion-it is legal for any reason throughout the full under any circumstances, legal under nine months of pregnancy-has been only certain circumstances, or illegal in Mangano marshalled an impressive confirmed only by less-than-reputable all circumstances." array of facts to refute the most common public opinion polls. (Copies of that A majority of' the respondents (53 objections to tuition tax credits-that percent) approved of abortion "only under they would encourage racial segregation, supplement are available from the League at 2M each or 10 for a $1.) certain circumstances," 18 percent aid only wealthy families, and violate thought abortion should be "illegal under the constitutional principle of separation all circumstances," and 25 percent shared of church and state. Slanted questions the Supreme Court's belief that abortion He concluded his article with four should be legal "under any circum­ points which he said form a legal and One type of question successful in stances." Most other reputable polls have logical basis for the demands of private eliciting large majorities apparently in shown a similar split. school parents" 1) Government mandates favor of permissive abortion asks respond­ ents if abortion should be a matter the education of all children as being in Catholic League Newsletter is published by the best interest of a democratic society. decided by "a woman and her doctor"­ the Catholic League for Religious and Civil 2) Government imposes on all taxpayers as if most abortions were performed Rights, 1100W.WellsSt., Mil•• Wis. 53233. the obligation to pay for this universal after searching consultation with a deeply James Hitchcock • • • • • • • • Chairman education. 3) Government guarantees concerned family physician, rather than Virgil C. Blum, S.J. • • • • • • President all parents the right to choose the kind of by high-volume clinics whose raison John Hansen • • • • • • • • , Treasurer d'etre is financial profit. Ann Brosnan • • • • • • • • • Secretary education they want for their children. Orlan Love • • Director of Publications 4) Government then imposes a financial Many other similarly successful polls Annual membership dues: $10 penalty on parents who choose other phrase the question as if abortion were Contributions are tax deductible. than public educ~tion for their children,'.' legal only during the first three months Mass called 'ritual cannibalism~ in Times

· The Catholic League has protested ad hominem attack on school prayer to the article's main theme. The N ew York Times's recent publication proponents, however, was her assessment "The remark is totally gratuitous, of an opinion article which called the of the Eucharist. having absolutely nothing to do with the Mass an act of "ritual cannibalism." "Religion, clearly, is an essential elem­ sehool prayer controversy," he said. The offensive article appeared Sept. ent of tiuman nature," she wrote. "It goes "Obviously, Catholic schools will not 19 on the opinion page of the paper's back a lol}g time ... possibly to our fore­ even be affected by the proposed leg­ ·N-ew Jersey edition. prompting the runners, who 500,000 years ago cracked islation, and a bigoted four-I ine appraisal League's North Jersey Chapter to ask human bones, as some tribes do today, to of Catholic practices of worship sheds no advertisers in that section to "reconsider ingest manna from their dead owners. light on the subject." your subsidy of anti-Catholicism through (What, after all, is the Catholic Mass but Noting that the newspaper's banner your advertising dollar." a kind of ritual cannibalism in which states that the Times contains "all' the The article was primarily a polemic worshippers ingest the body and blood news that's fit to print," Father Strav­ against school prayer in which author of their god?)" inskas said the words, "and then some," Betty McCollister of Haddonfield, N .J ., Father Peter Stravinskas, the League's ought to be added. maligned proponents of school prayer as East Coast director of development, in a In a letter to the advertisers in the "cheapjack politicians and ignorant letter published Oct. 10 by the Times, Times New Jersey edition, the League's fundamentalists" with anti-Semitic tend­ called the statement "a blatant example North Jersey Chapter explained that it encies. Even more deplorable than her ofanti-Catholic bigotry" totally irrevelent represents the area's 1.7 million Catholics by countering defamation of the Church and defending religious freedom rights. Special events to mark Apprising the advertisers of the offensive - passage in the McCollister column, the chapter asked advertisers for their League's tenth anniversary cooperation in ridding society of religious bigotry. In conjunction with the Catholic helping Catholics become aware of their Specifically. the chapter asked advert­ League's 10th anniversary next May 23, heritage. Accordingly, Fathers Blum isers if they approved of McCollister's members will soon be receiving in­ and Stravinskas are asking League defamation of the Mass and. if not. vitations to participate in several act­ members to join them as they visit the whether they would reconsider their ivities and events. sites in which the faith took root in plans to advertise in the Time.-: New Masses and testimonial dinners in Los Europe and eventually became the source Jersey edition. The chapter said the Angeles.New York City and Washington, of our faith here in America. advertisers' responses would sen·e as D.C., will highlight the commemoration "An anniversary," said Father Blum, the basis for a report to League members. activities. Information on attending those "is a time to celebrctte the past so that we events will be released as soon as all can move into the future with confidence arrangements have been completed. and conviction. We think our heritage Later this month, through a special tour of Europe will deepen our apprec­ mailing, each member will be invited to iation of the past, thus making us more TV Station suspends participate in the Tenth Anniversary confident to face what in God's Providence Christmas Sweepstakes. The grand prize, will be yet a more glorious future." to be a warded at a Dec. 15 drawing, is a For further details on the pilgrimage, anti-Catholic ads beautiful, four-piece porcelain nativity be sure to check your December N ews­ scene. "The Firsf Christmas,'' created letter mailing. The Catholic League has persuaded by the arti~ts at America's oldest existing New York City's WNEW-TV to halt art porcelain studio, Cybis, of Trenton, advertisements for an anti-Catholic book N.J. (See accompanying photo.) . entitled Who Is the Beast? Since the grand prize (valued at $800) Author Herbert W. Armstrong's inter­ has been donated by Cy bis, entries need pretation of the biblical book of Revelation not be accompanied by a contribution to concludes "that the 'harlot woman.' · the League. But, of course, all proceeds Babylon the Great. is the Roman Catholic from the sweepstakes will be used to Church," to which he imputes lying. defend the Church and religious freedom deception, wickedness. evil and sin. rights. Be sure to watch for the special In response to complaints from Father mailing later this month. Peter Stravinskas, the League's East Coast director of development. station management agreed to put the offensive ads "on hold" while WNEW's legal Pilgrimage to Europe department studied the matter further. Upon completion of the legal analysis, In your December Ne1ci-;letter mailing the station announced it would perman­ you will find a brochure inviting you to ently discontinue the ads. accompany League President Rev. Vir­ In a letter to Muriel Reese of the gil C. Blum, S.J ., and Father Peter station's legal department. Father Strav­ Stravinskas, the League's East Coast inskas expressed the League's gratitude director of development, on a 20-day for ensuring that "the Armstrong broad­ pilgrimage to Europe. casts no longer serve as purveyors of Besides defending the rights of Cath­ This porcelain natfrity .~cene is the grand anti-Catholic literature." Your assistance olics in secular society, the League also prizr in the League·.~ Tenth Anm·1·ersary has "made this victory for tolerance, endeavors to· foster Catholic pride by Chri.~tma.~ Su•eepstakes. pluralism and fair play possible." The President's Desk by Virgil C. Bl um, S.J. Public schools push ~ecularism ity and prohibits as well the establish­ data to persuade students that the new ment of a secular religion." sexual mo·rality has been widely accepted It is the teaching of Secularism in among teenagers. Noting that the authors public schools, more so than other"isms," of the book regard sex among teenagers to which parents are vigorously object­ as an important means of facilitating ing today. And it is these protests, says communications, Ravitch writes: "An A federal judge in Alabama recently Lee Boothby, general counsel for Amer­ anonymous 15-year-old boy is quoted as blocked two laws that permitted teachers icans United for Separation of Church saying that sex is a way to get to know a to lead "willing" public school students and State, that will soon spark "wholly girl better, and a 16-year-old girl is in prayer. But he also said that courts new litigation". quoted as saying, 'Maybe you should ball must face the fact that public schools first, then ball again. Because I find that Its principles ... teach Secularism. I've got a whole new basis for having sex with somebody, you know, after balling District Judge W. Brevard Hand said That is not surprising. Although more that he was duty-bound by U.S. Supreme gets us talking together.' ... The practice than 80 percent of public school parents of 'swinging'... is described benignly as Court precedents to block the Alabama want traditional religious values rein­ laws. However, taking note of the reli­ 'a means of satisfying sexual needs for forced by public education, the schools, diversity."' gious freedom rights of all public school for all practical purposes, are teaching students. he said that c~rts are going to Secularism. Secularism teaches that ... And its consequences have to consider religions other than there is no God, that man can create for Christianity when they prohibit religious himself a paradise on earth, that there With America's youth being system­ activities in schools under the First are no values beyond secular or this­ atically taught such Secularist sexual Amendment. worldly values, and that man's highest ethics in our public schools, it is no Tearing away the scales of judicial achievements are found in sex, money wonder that herpes is epidemic, that a blindness, Judge Hand said in Jaffree 1,. and power. million teenage girls become pregnant Ja mes: "It is common knowledge that Parents are particularly angered by each year in the U.S., that out of wedlock miscellaneous doctrines such as evolu­ the religious orientation of sex educa­ births have tripled in the past 20 years, tion, socialism, , secularism, tion courses. Although most parents and that abortion has become the nation's humanism, and other concepts are ad­ approve of sex education, they protest most common surgical procedure. vanced in the public schools." its being taught with Secularist rather Nor is it any wonder parents are now And referring to the Supreme Court's than Christian values. challenging with new vigor and deter­ declaration that "Secularism" is a reli­ A brief look at a sex education text­ mination the teaching of such Secularist gion under the First Amendment, Judge book currently being used in public values in our public schools. And, because Hand continued: "It is time to recognize schools reveals why sex education, as of those mounting parental challenges, that the constitutional definition of reli­ now taught, arouses a storm of opposi­ the courts may finally be compelled to gion encompasses more than Christian- tion and leads to attacks on the teaching decide whether the rejection of Chris­ of Secularism in our public schools. tian values and the teaching of Secula­ The book, writes Diane Ravitch (Amer­ rism in public schools violate the First Supplement compares ican Educator, Fall 1982), relies on poll Amendment. Holocaust and abortion Members of the Catholic League staff regard this month's supplement article Brochure documents abortion holocaust as perhaps the most important of the more than 100 supplements published The photo on the front page of the abortion or are ambivalent toward it. by the League since 1973; Ne1n~letfer and two of the photos in this The American Holocaust Brochure is In " and Abortion," Rev. month's supplement were provided by designed as a tool to help pro-life people James T. Burtchaell, C.S.C., explores the Center for Documentation of the persuade them that action must betaken seven characteristics common to both American Holocaust, which has recently to stop abortion now. Because of the bro­ the Nazi Holocaust and the current published a brochure detailing the hor­ chure's powerful appeal t.o the conscience, epidemic of abortions in the United rors of the "Weisberg incident" in which pro-life people say it enables them to call States. Once exposed to his meticulous, the bodies of more than 16,000 aborted confidently upon public officials, medi­ insightful and scholarly analysis, few babies were found in a shipping con­ cal personnel and members of the mass readers will be able to escape the · tainer in Southern California (see the media. urging them to use their influ­ horrifying similarities between abortion article on page 1). ence to end the prenatal killing of child­ and the Holocaust. Unfolded, the brochure is a 19 by 25 ren in America. The article, twice the length of a inch sheet with seven color and six The brochure is available from the riormal supplement, was excerpted from black-and-white photos of victims of the Center for the Documentation of the a longer essay on the same topic, published American Holocaust. The photos pro­ American Holocaust, P.O. Box 99C, Palm· this year in Rachel l-Veeping and Other vide graphic documentation of the human­ Springs, CA 92263, at the following E.~.~ays 011 Ahol'fion. The 383-page hard­ ity of the victims and the inhumanity of rates: 1 copy for $1 or 10 copies for $5 bound edition of Father Burtchaell's the so-called abortion liberty which has post-paid via first-class mail: and, in book is available at $20 from Andrews taken their lives. bulk orders, 100 copies for $25 or 1,000 and McMeel, Inc., 4400 Johnson Drive, Many public opinion leaders and deci­ copies for $220, plus shipping. Fair\\'ay, Kansas 66205. sion m!lkers either approve of legalized