The Bishops Speak

Continuing the longstanding opposition of the Roman Catholic Church to segregation, 210 of the U.S.'s 220 Catholic bishops met in Washington, D.C. last week, issued a tough statement on why and how segregation offends against morality and Christianity.

"Responsible and sober-minded Americans of all religious faiths, in all areas of our land," said the bishops, must "seize the mantle of leadership from the agitator and the racist . . . Legal segregation, or any form of compulsory segregation, in itself and by its very nature imposes a stigma of inferiority upon the segregated people. Even if the now obsolete Court doctrine of 'separate but equal' had been carried out to the fullest extent, so that all public and semipublic facilities were in fact equal, there is nonetheless the judgment that an entire race ... is not fit to associate on equal terms with members of another race. We cannot reconcile such a judgment with the Christian view of man's nature and rights."

The bishops conceded that the racial problem in the U.S. is rooted in "decades, even centuries, of custom" and that changes in such attitudes are not made overnight. They deplored "a gradualism that is merely a cloak for inaction," as well as "rash impetuosity." But "it is vital that we act now and act decisively. All must act quietly, courageously and prayerfully before it is too late. For the welfare of our nation we call upon all to root out from their hearts bitterness and hatred. The tasks we face are indeed difficult. But hearts inspired by Christian love will surmount these difficulties."

Meeting in Cincinnati, the Council of Bishops of the Methodist Church reaffirmed its support of the Supreme Court decision of 1954 against racial segregation in public schools. "We heartily commend," said the bishops, "those lay people, pastors and bishops who have demonstrated Christian courage in critical areas."

The Methodist bishops also pointed out that the emergency under which the about-to-expire Selective Service Act was made law in 1940 "has long since ceased to exist," and recommended "a careful re-study before taking any measures to enact a universal draft law, which seems to be unnecessary as well as ineffective."

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