SPAIN

Written by Pope's Theologian
MEANING DEBATED IN NEWSPAPERS Vatican Press Refers to " Papal Directives"
THE DEGREE OF AUTHORITY TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT ARTICLE IN THE " OSSERVATORE ROMANO," TELLING CATHOLICS THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THE SUPPORT OF THE NATIONALIST CAUSE IN SPAIN, IS BEING VIGOROUSLY DEBATED, ESPECIALLY ON THE CONTINENT.
Points in the dispute are: i The article was written by Fr. Cordovan, O.P., the official theologian of the Pope and " Master of the Sacred Palace." But it was not signed with his full name and office, only his initials.
ii In further articles, the " Osservatore Romano " speaks, in reference to the question, of " Papal directives " and " teachings of the Church " (insegnamenti della Chiesa e (1 i7-ettive papali).
Our Paris Correspondent reports serious divergencies among French Catholics and French newspapers over the right Catholic attitude to Spain.
The "Osservatore Romano" article, according to his information, was the consequence of a protest of a group of French Catholics who have become more and more disturbed by what seems to them the association of Catholic spirituality with ideologically Left politics. French Left-Wing Catholics who are either partisans of the former Barcelona Government or who believe that either side in the Spanish conflict is as bad as the other have been discussing the article in the Vatican semi-official Osservatore Romano, which reproves such attitudes.
According to the article, which was fully reported in the CATHOLIC HERALD two weeks ago:
" The methods of the two belligerents are so opposite from the Christian viewpoint that it is unworthy to confound them. .
" In the Red zone what action can the Hierarchy exercise, what can the priestly apostolate do . . . what religious instruction or practice of Catholic life can there be?
Christian Programme
" A Christian programme governs the Nationalist regime."
Sr. Alfred Mendizabal, the report of whose resolutions on Spain at a meeting of the French Committee for Religious Peace and Justice in Spain, was the occasion of the Osservatore article, has made a lengthy reply to the latter in the columns of La Croix.
He protests his entire loyalty to the Church, but maintains his view that both sides in Spain are as had as each other.
Elsewhere, discussion has centred on the degree of authority to be attached to the article in question.
" The article was signed " M. C." The initials are those of Fr. Mariano Cordovani, 0.P., who is the official theologian of the Pope.
His formal title is " Master of the Sacred Palace." Ever since the Dominican Order was founded this position has been held by a Dominican. He resides in the Vatican and is an ex-officio member of the Holy Office.
According to the Rome correspondent of the Belgian Catholic newspaper, Metropole, there are various " gradations in the interventions of the spiritual authority in matters of religious policy."
There is a long way between a condemnation by the Holy Office, he writes, and mere warnings in the Osservatore Romano.
The latter range from unsigned official notices emanating from the responsible organs of the Holy See, to articles signed by more or less authoritative contributors.
Concerning the article in question, the writer states:
Significant Signatures
" one cannot deny the importance of an article written by Fr. Cordovan!, whose relations with the directing spheres of the Holy Office are well known. But here again it is necessary to distinguish.
" The authority of this contributor Is graduated according as to whether he signs his full name with his titles (as happened in the case of La Vie Intellectuelle, a year ago), or simply signs his name without his titles (as happened last December when he wrote on M. Georges Bernanos' book, Diary of Mg Times). or. more simply still, as in the present case when he merely signs the initials, M.C.
"In this last ease the intention 8501115 to be to reduce the authority of the article as far as possible, and to give it a quasi-personal and private character. All the same, however, giren the personality and position of the author, the article merits greet attention!'
Possible Selfish Interests
The Rome correspondent of Met repute then goes on to quote from Fr. Cordovani's article on A Diary of My Times. According to the latter, although the Pope has deliberately taken the side of the defenders of the Christian order in Spain, the Pope has maintained certain reserves in view of " the ardour and the difficulties of a defence which render it difficult and not entirely justifiable, not to mention that there may be wrong Intentions and selfish interests to change the morality of the action."
On the other hand, the Osservatore Romano has published another (unsigned) article on the affair. Headed "An Example," the article states : " The declaration which La Croix prefixed to the announcement of the article of M.C. in the Osservatoro Romano, and the statement of Pr. Merklen (Editor of La Croix) which was prefixed to the complete translation of that article, constitute an example of loyal fidelity to the Papal directives which is worthy of a newspaper which bears a name and banner of truth and justice par excellence: the Cross.
Papal Directives "Our Parisian contemporary (La Croix/ was not spared the attacks of newspapers which it has strenuously fought in defence of unshakable and integral obedience to the teachings and the very desires of the Pope . . ."
The article goes on to say that the loyal behaviourof La Croix is the best reply to thorre who have not only committed faults of omission against the teachings of the Church and the Papal directives (as in the ease of La Croix), but are also actually guilty of a parade of indifference to, and open divergence and prejudicial distinctions from, what should be accepted from the Pope. The article then goes on to reprove those who praise this or that teaching of the Holy See and the Pope as suits their own purposes instead of receiving and praising all of them impartially.
'Like Us" " There is no need to distinguish the occasions, to choose one rather than another warning . . . that, for example, in defence of the Church and the clergy against the Reds, and not that against some opposed menace ...
Assuredly it is necessary to act impartially, as our newspaper does, towards all the attacks from whatever quarter menacing the Faith and Christian charity, .."