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| COMMUNISM AND CATHOLICISM Since much of Catholic Action to date has been among high school and college students, it is still primarily a youth program here. As such it would be more a concern of other Departments of the N.C.VJ.C. Its main- interest to priests concerned with social action is that it produces zealous and trained leaders. Such laymen would indeed be a tremendous asset to the social action movement. Young Catholic Action leaders, when they go into industry, could be leaders of the A.C.T.U. or similar activities. At the same time, however, we must not neglect another type of leader. In the labor movement and in industry we often found men who could be called "animae naturaliter Christianae,w who accept the principles of justice and social charity and who are willing to spend themselves for their fellow men. These are the men with rough exteriors but courageous souls, often found in heavy industry, among seamen, and the like. The formality and confinement of Catholic Action meetings would be irksome to these men. They are primarily men of action, warriors for a good cause. These men too, with their simple faith and rough kindness, will be strong auxiliaries of the priest working on social action. The diversity of approaches constitutes a strong argument for the gradual, experimental approach to the problems of Catholic social action. It would be a mistake to freeze our activities prematurely into any type of mold. The first programs must-be educational, with intense training of the clergy as the prime necessity. Then diocesan social action can develop along lines dictated by local conditions and experience elsewhere. YJhile uniformity may come with experience, unity and co-operation should be present at the beginning. Every effort should be made to co-ordinate activities of those who may try different approaches. One priest may specialize in Catholic Action, while another may devote his time to A.C.T.U. One may work in the field and another at,a desk or a teacher's chair. It only hurts the common cause when.they remain aloof and self-sufficient. Specialization should not be isolation. Each may develop his -field intensively, but each can learn from another. The Department of Social Action, more than any other group, can serve as such a force for unity. It can learn sympathet- ically from all who do good, and impart this information to others. In this way we can have unity vd.thout rigidity, and specialization without ex- clusiveness. Conclusion. The program presented in this Chapter is extensive. It will not be done in one year or possibly ten years. But it does represent the composite wisdom of priests and bishops with experience in the field. No other phase of the inquiry was given similar attention in the way of extensive consultation and study. The most controversial points were studied at first hand and frequently, especially A.C.T.U, and Catholic Action. Help was solicited from several Archbishops and Bishops, from the Department of Social Action and the other Departments of the N.C.W.C., from priests and laymen active in the work, and from the written records of foreign experience. Extensive answers were given in the diocesan questionnaires and those sent to priests experienced in these activities. All these were digested and then compared with the Papal Encyclicals on these questions. The result was the series of recommendations presented in this chapter. Since so many things were urged, we might here summarize the first steps recommended: things which could be done in the year to come. |