7 Social justice

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A CENTRE for the study of " international social justice was officially opened at Louvain University the other day. The man behind it is Fr. W. A. Kaschmitter, to whom I talked last weekend. I first met him in Tokyo some years ago. At that time he was working for justice for the Japanese. Now he is working on an international scale. Fr. Kaschmitter, who is an American Ma ryknoll Missionary, is a go-getter. When he was first trying to create interest in the centre—which at that time was still no more than an idea in his head—he travelled 1.000 miles of the United Slates every week for more than 60 weeks on end. He went to Catholic businessmen, educators, newspaper editors. trying to create in them the same enthusiasm that he had for his project.
The result is the new centre which has been taken tinder the wing of Louvain's famous University. Many Universities and colleges have already taken out "institutional . membership". The preparatory commission which was set tip before it was inaugurated included specialists in moral theology, natural law. economics, sociology, and international law.
Worldsvide
THE centre has grown out of Fr. THE centre has grown out of Fr. Kaschrnitter's activities and interests when he was in Japan. At the time when I met him there he was trying, without success. to persuade the United States Government to open up the undeveloped parts of California to some of Japan's "surplus" population. He believed that if some millions of Japanese people from the rural areas were allowed to settle in parts of California which had not been cultivated they would make a living where Americans could not. Before long they would have the soil in good heart and the result would be the enrichment of California as a State. a better life for the Japanese concerned, reduced pressure of population upon over-crowded Japan. and more food for the world's hungry peoples. Fr. Kaschmitter had had many successes in General McArthur's time but this time he drew a blank.
What really worried him was that when he began to think in world terms. disregarding the narrow frontiers of our time, he found that few other Catholics did the same. Moreover, whilst a lot of thought had been given to the application of the Church's social teaching on a national scale, hardly anyone had applied those teachings to international problems. It is this that the centre in Louvain will attempt—to do research and evolve. as it were, a science of Catholic international sociology. From the Louvain centre Fr. Kaschmitter hopes there may grow up in time a worldwide organisation for international social justice. One immediate aim is to produce a quarterly journal to which internationally-known experts will contribute.
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BERNARD CHIDZERO is a BERNARD CHIDZERO is a student of whom the Pius XII College, Basutoland. has every right to be proud. From the college journal I learned that this African student. who came to them from Salisbury. Southern Rhodesia, graduated in 1953 with a distinction in psychology. He was sent to Canada and obtained a master's degree with distinction at Ottawa University in 1954. In the following year he was admitted to McGill University, Montreal, to read for a Ph.D. in international law and politics. He has now got his doctorate with a thesis on "The impact of Western civilisation and British colonial policy in British Africa with special reference to the viability of British partnership in Tanganyika." McGill University was so impressed with his paper that it obtained a grant from the Canada Council to enable him to re-edit his thesis for publication.
MO toregele
IF there is a priest with a widely IF there is a priest with a widely scattered or hilly parish who is tired of pedalling around on a bicycle all day I have news which may be of interest to him. A reader is prepared to exchange his motor cycle for a pushbike.
It is a 1956 B.S.A., 250 c.c., which has done about 20,000 miles. It is probably worth about 00 on the market. even though it needs some LIO spent on it.
Not unreasonably. the reader says that the bicycle he will accept in exchange must be a "good. reliable one". I shall be happy to re-address enquiries to him. Envelopes should be marked "Motor Cycle".