THE Hierarchy has expressed Its disapproval of the fontuttion of a National Federation of Catholic Parents' and Electors' Associations.
Since there Is evidently no question of the Catholic orthodoxy of the devoted men and women who have laboured to found these local associations and to make them more effective by federating them nor of their rights as Catholic parents to defend the religious education of their children, we muss conclude that the Hierarchy believes that, as a matter of present policy, the Federation will do more harm than good in the coming educational struggle.
A united command is always better than e divided one, and since this is the view of the Bishops, on whom the ultimate responsibility for the fate of our Catholic schools obviously lies, it is doubtless in the best interests of all that the Federation, as at present constituted, should withdraw into the background.
Indeed, there is logic in the position, for the associations have in fact developed along parochial and diocesan lines, and as such they more naturally form part of the ecclesiastical structure.
MS PAPER HAD FROM THE BEGINNING HOPED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE OF A DIFFERENT CHARACTER — THAT IN FACT IT WOULD BE A CIVIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE FORMATION OF THE FEDERATION SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT THE ORIENTATION WOULD FINALLY PROVE TO BC CIVIC RATHER THAN ECCLESIASTICAL. IT HAS NOT PROVED SO.
Given our conviction about the pressing need for the CIVIC organisation of Catholics and other Christians to defend in the market place Christian values in our national life, we are naturally disappointed that this particular initiative now looks like being ebonite.
But the need still remains end the field is opsn. There is no reason oily Catholic citizens, either alone or in conjunction with others of like mind in these matters, should not get down to the problem of defending their rights as parents, electors, workers, artists, thus putting up a strong and effective front against the destfoyer. They are free to do so.
M. B.