Page 4, 2nd April 1965

2nd April 1965

Page 4

Page 4, 2nd April 1965 — CgONNIBV
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People: Paul
Locations: Chicago

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CgONNIBV

Keywords: Pope, Religion / Belief

• The Pope's Commission • The Church and Rotary DOPE PAUL'S address to his commission on birth control will put many minds at rest. First of all, it disposes of the charge. made against this paper and others, that any publicity about it is an act of disobedience. The Pope ordered the release of his address and agreed to be photographed with the commission. This should end any pretence of Secrecy which may still remain about its membership as distinct from its discussions.
Second. the Pope has made it very clear that he wants an early statement of the experts' views. He spoke of the "urgency of charity towards those to whom we owe an answer". We trust that this will convince those who feel that there is no question to answer or who have already decided on an answer for themselves that the issue is not as clear-cut as they suppose.
This whole problem is a very delicate one and it is not made any easier by the fact that the whole world is looking on. But it will not be solved by an ostrich attitude or by the puerile threats, which one sometimes hears from both laity and clergy, that they must leave the Church if or unless the Pope takes a particular course.
SIXTY years after its foundation, the Rotary movement has been fully recognised by the Catholic Church. The Pope last week received a group of members attending the Italian Con. eress, thus openly removing I ny
lingering suspicion about the movement which might remain in Catholic circles.
In the statutes of the association, founded in Chicago in 1905, one article recommends that the members respect each other's respective religious convictions. This appeared to Catholics to represent a mentality open to anti-clerical infiltration.
The Consistorial Congregation in 1929 forbade ecclesiastics to become members of Rotary and the Holy Office later suspected the movement of becoming Masonic. In 1951, it confirmed the earlier ban on priests joining and warned the faithful that they should itake care, in attending Rotary meetings. not to yield or compromise on doctrine.
Pope Paul's gesture shows that this thinking is now outdated. He explained that the Church's reservations were based on the fear that wrong ideologies might creep in to influence the members. Now, he added. it was seen that Rotary respected the opinions of its members and did not prevent authoritative voices from bringing them the Christian philosophy and message.
This changed attitude to Rotary is to he welcomed not only because the movement does great social good hut also because it is in line with the changing needs of today.




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