Religion: Woman’s Hand

“The Bishop of Rome cannot in fact fail to deplore the fact that here in the Holy City of Catholicism, after 20 centuries of Christianity the sensitiveness and attention to delicate care due to young women and girls should be shown to have fallen lower than Pagan Rome. . . .”

These were the mournful words which Pope Pius XI wrote in an open letter to Cardinal Pompili, vicar of the Rome diocese, apropos of a “gymnastic” competition which was held in that city last week. The Pontiff proceeded to explain that he was not, in principle, opposed to athletics but that when competitions became too exhibitionistic, he felt compelled to frown. Governmental circles in Rome regarded the Pope’s letter as another manifestation of the Vatican’s opposition to what the Pope calls “Fascist monopolization of the education of youth.” At the end of his document the Pontiff gave a hint as to how his own theories contrasted with Fascist practices. It was a calm and holy hint:

“Everything must be avoided which contrasts with reserve and modesty which are the ornament and safeguard of virtue. Such instruction must contain no incentive to vanity or violence. If a woman’s hand must be raised, we hope and pray it may be raised only in prayer or in acts of charity.”