Pastoral defends Church's rights
A PASTORAL letter signed by Cardinal Copello, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and the majority of Argentina's Hierarchy, issued on Tuesday, expresses intense sorrow at President Peron's references to two Archbishop and a Bishop as "enemies" of the Government.
The Hierarchy also express astonishment at the President's recent statements denouncing certain
priests.
They remark that members of the Hierarchy who have not signed the letter arc in agreement with it. t Some Bishops are abroad,)
Bishop Vicentin of Corrientes and Bishop Tato. Auxiliary to Cardinal Copello, delivered a letter to General Peron on Tuesday.
The pastoral letter is to he read in all the churches next Sunday and the following Sunday.
The conflict largely concerns the rights of Bishops. priests and Catholic Action in the discussion of social questions.
The Hierarchy warn that priests cannot join in party political struggles without compromising the Church.
But they insist that a priest cannot remain indifferent in the face of atheistic and materialistic Commonkm. divorce, education and other essential questions of doctrine: he must calmly and firmly defend eternal values.
Catholic Action must remain outside and above party politics. but, say the Hierarchy, if Bishops and priests — largely the children of workers— mingle with workers. it is by the workers' wish.
Priest arrested
Another priest, Fr, Rodolfo Carboni, was arrested on Sunday after a disturbance in the Buenos Aires Church of St. Rose of Lima.
Preaching during Mass, Fr, Carboni, it is reported, compared Gcntral Peron's treatment of the Church recently with Hitler's treatment of the Church in Germany.
He quoted words of Pope Pius XI on the persecution in Germany and said that they are applicable to the period which Argentina is passing through DOW.
His words were followed by arguments and blows during which three women were injured,
Fr. Eladio Borsiagaray, a seminary professor and spiritual adviser of the Catholic University Athena= in Cordoba which has been closed by the police—and Fr. Secundo Olmos, also of Cardoha, were sentenced last week to five days' detention on charges of having caused public disturbances.
Three other priests arrested about the same time were released.