Religion: No Common Denominator

Can a good Roman Catholic take part in community interfaith ventures? Yes, says the canon law of the church—if his bishop or archbishop approves.

Unequivocal disapproval came last week from one of the top archbishops in the U.S. hierarchy. To the clergy of Cincinnati, from whom authoritarian Archbishop John Timothy McNicholas, 67, demands implicit obedience, came an archdiocesan letter which minced no words:

“Christ, truly God, gave us this . . . religion in the Catholic Church, which is the only custodian of His teachings. . . . Catholics will gladly meet with citizens of all faiths . . . under the auspices of civil authority. . . . We are anxious to promote good will; we wholeheartedly condemn bigotry in every form. . . . [But] Catholics should not participate in any public presentation with members of other faiths under the auspices of religion. The Catholic Church cannot give the impression that one religion is as good as another or that she must strive with those of other faiths for a common denominator in religion.”