Religion: Entitled to Pronounce

Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church forbids priests to take sides in political conflicts or civil wars. But Catholic theologians make a broad distinction between material, partisan politics and politics in which moral issues are involved. A priest may attack sterilization laws from the pulpit but not denounce a political party as such. On this controversial subject, much misunderstood by non-Catholics, Pope Pius XI last week made a pronouncement. He gave his august backing to an eminent European prelate who had written: "The hierarchic authority is perfectly entitled to pronounce on any...

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