[To the Editor Of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In his article on
." Christianity and Communism " Father D'Arcy complains that " many are saying that in- repudiating Communism the Catholic Church is taking up a Fascist attitude." The Reverend Father is ill-informed ; many are saying, and with some justice, a great deal more-
than that. There is grave evidence, to be found not in “ the propaganda • of the Third International " but in the recent actions and pronouncements of the Church itself, of a sympathy, if not a 'co-operation with Fascism, which goes far deeper than a mere common hostility to a common foe. Papal condonation of Mussolini's Abyssinian adventure was quite clear and unequivocal ; and it is noteworthy that this was no act of resistance to Communism, but a wanton piece of brigandage, condemned by the leaders of religious thought all over the world, and justified only by Mussolini's mystical conception of Italy's' rights, which include, apparently, the violation of treaties and the use of poison gas. But the sanctity of these rights is, it seems, recognised by the Vatican ; • and this gives rise to an interesting situation, since these rights can only be accepted, as rights, by one who has pre- viously accepted the doctrine of the Gbd-State, the State which can do no wrong .as long as it is benefiting itself, and whose interest is.the ultimate criterion .of.moral and spiritual Right and Wrong. And this, says Dean Inge, is pure Satanism.
Moreover, supposing Italy's rights led Mussolini into an attack on Britain or any British possession, would the • Vatican give its blessing to such a crusade against "immoral
democracy ? , And if so, what would be the position of English Catholics ? They would seem to be faced with the dilemma of- being called heretics for resisting the enemies of their country, or traitors for acquiescing in the decision of their Spiritual Head..
Again, it was lately stated in The Times that the Catholic Churches in Germany were anxious to come to terms with the secular authorities--,the secular authorities being, in this ease, a Party which recently sponsored a . foul and blasphemous-. parody of the Sermon on the Mount, to. bring it into greater conformity with National-Socialist. " ideals." It is well . known that the more •extreme Nazis class Christians with . the " Pacifists, Socialists, and Jews " who are the enemies . of Germany and the authors of her former misfortunes. They have opposed and hindered the work of the Church schools, have tried, in short, not to " suffer little children- to come
unto Christ," which is;-according to. Father D'Arey, the one principal demand " which the Roman Church make.: of the secular power. One may well ask to what terms a sincerely Christian Church can possibly come with those who pervert and ridicule its teaching, and refuse its one principal demand—Hitless there-be already some sympathy of ,otitlolIr and purpose with Faacism, of the sort which Father D'Arcy denies. It may be that the Church genuinely sees in Corn- munism so great a menace that any sacrifices of principle are worth while in order to gain allies in the fight against it ; but to the layman it looks very like cutting off one's face to spite one's nose.
But it may also be that the Catholic Church is turning--a blind eye to the excesses of Fascism.because it sees in- them the -application,.by the secular.. power, of the identical rods of iron with which it- has for centuries,ruled its own flock. Captain Powetl's illuminating quotations last- week show that the Fascist muzzling of the Press has its counterpart among the traditional methods of the Roman Church : Tyndale was officially murdered four centuries before Matteotti. But Captain Powell is so eloquent and well-informed on this point that I can safely leave it to him ; I cannot, however, refrain from remarking on what seems to me a sad and suggestive thing, that while Christian priests laboured for generations to keep their parishioners illiterate, the Soviet Government is not afraid to teach its people to read.
Altogether the time seems ripe for a pronouncement from the' Vatican on the Church's attitude to Fascism, after due consideration of such matters as the God-State, the sanctity of treaties, anti-Semitism, and the teaching of war and hatred in kindergartens. Of course, His lloliness is, geo- graphically, in an awkward position ; " when in Rome do as Mussolini does " seems to be a safe axiom in these days, though it is worth remembering that nineteen hundred years ago there were Christians in Rome who were not so concerned for safety. I should welcome; too, from Father D'Arey a definition of that " natural justice " of which he writes, how far it prevails in this modern world of unemployment and poverty in the midst of plenty, and what the Church to which he belongs is doing to establish it more firmly.
In conclusion, may I use your columns to thank 1)r. Needham for his acute and satisfying article last week ? -
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