Organisations France's Catholic

Since the Germans occupied Paris, the national headquarters of French Catholic organisations have been scattered all over unoccupied France. Limoges, Vichy. Clermont-Ferrand, Lyon. Lourdes, Marseilles and Saint-Etienne have sheltered one or several associations. Later there was a definite trend to concentrate the national secretariats in Lyres under the protection of Cardinal Gerlier, Archbishop of Lyon and Primate of Gaul. But there are still a number of national offices in other cities.
The Women's League of Catholic Action has its headquarters in Argentonsur-Creuse, the Catholic Boy Scouts' League in Vichy, the Catholic Girl Guides' League in Clermont-Ferrand, the Catholic Engineers' Union in SaintEtienne, the Catholic Federation of Universiiy Students in Clermont-Ferrand, the Ad Lucent (Students' Missionary League) in Bourgemon, the gucharistic Crusade in Toulouse, the Catholic Africa Committee in Nimes, the Bonne Presse, publishing the Catholic daily newspaper La Croix and numerous diocesan weeklies of the same name. in Limoges. the Christian Marriage Association in Limoges, the Catholic Social and Family Institute in Toulouse.
YOUTH ASSOCIATIONS The Catholic Youth Association and all its branch federations as well as the Catholic Girls Association and most of its branch federations have headquarters in Lyon. These include the Jocists (Young Christian Workers), the Catholic Rural Youth (J.A.C.), the Students' League (J.E.C.), the Catholic Independent Youth (.1.1.C.), the Catholic Maritime Youth (J.M.C.), the St. Francis Fellowship and most of their feminine counterparts. The Catholic Workers' (L.O.C.Y and the Catholic Rural League (L.A.C.), the Catholic Women's League for Civic and SociallAction, the Unioii des Oeuvres (a federation of Catholic institutions), the children's movements of Corners Vaillants and Ames Vaillantes
are all centred at Lyon. So is the Catholic Social Secretariat which used to organise the famous Sentaines Sociales. the outstanding annual event in the life of French Catholicism. Of course 'the " Social Weeks" cannot be held for the duration, and their secretary-general, Joseph Folliet, is a prisoner of war in Genhany. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith has also its national secretariat in Lyon.
Almost all these Catholic organisa• tions publish their magazines and bulktins, although the paper shortage, lack of money and censdrship restriction create considerable difficulties.