COMMONWEAL AT 50:

...For held from Alfred E. Smith, was a fresh remarkable when one reads the appallthe journal was undoubtedly an ecu- reminder of their situation vis-d-vis a ing statement that, "due to limited menical pioneer whose universality of powerful sector of the body politic...

...I could name a half dozen instituAmerican Catholicism: the latter, a category to the requiretions that would have eagerly found the The Magazine, the Move- ments of which it has ever since renecessary space among their manuscript ment, the Meaning mained true...

...Ultimately he was more than more than once in the Van Allen book, truth should especially concern vindicated when as principal author of could not have asked for more...

...While Commonweal showed an awareness of that history, it ventured only occasion- EDMUND PENNANT ally into this theological thicket, but always with unvarying support for the QUESTIONS American system...

...their voices thin...

...maintained that Catholics would be the last people in the United States ever to They will return from the seething seek a union of Church and State...

...26 July 1974: 406 mentally with Daniel Callahan et al., lin and Social Justice, the paper with name-calling such as 'radical,' `liberal,' who thought Commonweal should con- which he was identified, to the exposure and 'Communist.' Once again, it seems tent itself with a more tenuous Catholic of Catholic racism during the 1940s at to me, a fair test of the validity of connection and move out into the wider Saint Louis University, in the Archdio- Commonweal's positions during the realm of secular concerns...

...Yet there would be few social justice and pacifism fostered by weeks later, written by John Cogley, in now, I suspect, who would question the the Catholic Worker Movement of which a defense was made of the Amerjournal's opposition of the 1930s to Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, were ican system of separation of Church participation in the Berlin Olympics as for many alienating factors that not and State, a service which brought the a rebuke to Nazi tyranny, to the anti- only held down subscriptions but were threat of a heresy trial from the editor Semitism of Father Charles E. Cough- frequently given as justification for of a Catholic diocesan weekly with Commonweal: 407 which Commonweal was frequently at later a Cardinal and second-in-com- than it has received...

...For many Catholics the prothe work is virtually free of factual the clergy's moral, literary and financial longed ordeal in that summer of 1924 errors, it carries a useful index, and support would be warmly welcomed, of the Democratic party's Madison seventeen pages of notes testify to the and not only the Catholic clergy but Square Garden convention in which author's thorough research and careful that of the clergy and laity of every the Presidential nomination was withscholarship...

...it is history, not fiction...

...As for the issues, the midst of these controversies that 1930s, Mr...

...Save for a the outset it was made clear by the though the proscriptions that had infew minor slips, e.g., those two founding fathers, the Calvert Associates hibited their forebears were now greatly formidable churchmen, John Ireland led by Michael Williams, that this was mitigated, they were by no means inopand Michael Curley, were archbishops, a laymen's venture in which, however, erative...

...Obviously, the main audience to must resolve them so that it may preBorn a week after Calvin Coolidge's sent a united editorial front, for it which Commonweal was directed, and election into a bumptiously prosperous from which it anticipated its chief sup- could not get very far simultaneously United States seemingly unshaken by in opposite directions...

...the magazine's history" (p...

...moral currency or to lower the tions totaling $1,200...

...What lent parweal's position has in the sequel in- as that of liturgical reform so singu- ticular pertinence on this side of the variably proven right, for like every larly advanced by Virgil Michel, Atlantic was the Cardinal's veiled alluhuman agency it too has made its mis- O.S.B., of Saint John's Abbey, of the sion to certain 'liberal' Catholics of the takes, e.g., support of American inter- necessity for disarmament and arbitra- United States who advocated a revention in Vietnam in the early stages, tion between nations as promoted by the ligiously neutral position by civil gova position which it later reversed, how- tiny but persistent Catholic Association ernments...

...It clearly rises In American Catholic Thought above the stereotype for doctoral dissertations, its original form at Temple JOHN TRACY ELLIS University, even if it may not, as one writer claimed, "read like a novel...

...ences within its own household, it served so well...

...At his request I supplied a copy of the 1948 statement of John What is our business here, T. McNicholas, O.P., Archbishop of on shores so whitely littered Cincinnati, in which the latter had with death's cancelled receipts...

...I shall the mistakes that inevitably accompany The editorial of August 7 was clear, never forget the discouragement with an enterprise of this kind, the implicaforthright and sensible, embodying which I read Browne's analysis of the tion of the journal's title has been views to which virtually every Ameri- McNicholas statement...

...charges of Communist sympathies groups would give to the question: On To read Commonweal's history is to hurled against so many...

...Catholics in the United States from the beginning of their organized religious life in 1790 when John Carroll took is 00000000000*000000 over as first Bishop of Baltimore...

...If in 1924 Catho- editorial company, e.g., in 1937 when ment of the early 1800's and the un- George Shuster's critical attitude toward lics constituted numerically a body that satisfactory attempts -at lay congresses the Franco regime in Spain compelled could be ignored, they still carried later in the same century, this was that honest man to take his departure, about them something of the air of a the American Catholic laity's most and again in 1968 when Edward "gens lucifuga, a people who shunned the light of day," as Newman described Skillin-the longest serving of ComMONSIGNOR JOHN TRACY ELLIS is Profes- monweal's leading personalities (1934) the English Catholics in "The Second sor of Church History in the University Spring...

...26 July 1974: 408...

...It was one of the few theological problems of those years Mother and child have left me about which I felt keenly...

...PERIODICALS, said the late Frank Luther Mott, historian of American magazines, "furnish an invalCOMMONWEAL AT 50 uable contemporaneous history of their times...

...For allowing for odds...

...In an effort to search the evening beach to probe for some kind of helpful for- for death's exquisite trinkets...

...ject...

...It has served can Catholic subscribed...

...stay at Rome...

...Noting that the substantially fulfilled...

...Van Allen has here proone way to test a journal's editorial there arose from that sector the un- vided further grist for their mill with wisdom, as well as the soundness and flattering expression, 'Commonweal skillful analysis of Commonweal's inperception of its contributors, is to Catholic,' which carried a dual imputa- tellectual trends during that decade...

...In 'the radically the implications contained in Lord for there were repeated disappointments changed atmosphere of 1974 the epiActon's remark to his Cambridge stu- which followed that of 1933 when ap- sode may seem to some quaint, if not dents when he said: peals for support sent to around 29,000 semi-comic, but it was of major signifiI exhort you never to debase the priests brought 200 replies with dona- cance at the time...

...life-giving sea with adornments After several months I had a letter, dated February 28, 1953, in which my to be admired in lamplight...

...If in both cese of Chicago, and elsewhere, and to years since 1924 might be reckoned by instances the strain was real, the sever- Commonweals vigorous repudiation in the answer that the American Cathoance was apparently accomplished with the 1950s of the tactics of Senator lics of 1974, along with their assoa decent regard for the amenities of Joseph R. McCarthy and his reckless ciates and friends of other religious mutual respect and forbearance...

...Briefly, it pertained to an address standard of rectitude, but to try Nor was it solely a matter of those given by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, others by the final maxim that public issues which Commonweal saw then Secretary of the Holy Office, in governs your own lives, and to fit to oppose...

...Father Murray's superiors had be taken for granted that the Thus there has been achieved what banned him from all further activity in Catholic Bishops are implicitly Dante had in mind when he counseled that area, a restriction that remained endeavoring that this should one in the opening lines of De Monarchia: in force until in 1963 Cardinal Spell- day come about after a perfect man rectified the theologian's exclusion fashion...

...office space, all but the most recent five view irked some conservative Catholics, To be a magazine is one thing, to be years of correspondence files of the a journal of opinion is something else...

...In able to improve the position of Father The Catholic Bishops perhaps are so doing Commonweal has played a John Courtney Murray, S.J., whose not making such endeavors ex- notable part in the unfolding of both scholarly writings and lectures on rela- plicitly, but as it is Catholic doc- the ideals nurtured by the Catholic tions of Church and State had made trine that there should be union...

...Mea- after George Shuster had gone was of space...

...which side of these once hotly debated review the principal issues that since These editorial positions were not issues would you, in the light of history, 1924 have engaged both Church and calculated to endear the journal to a cast your vote...

...Put in another way, the respon- outcry from the Catholic community...

...Needless to Bishops had an obligation to bring the 'commonweal,' often with uncomsay, it had no influence in changing the about a union of Church and State, mon courage and always with fidelity mind of the curial Cardinal, nor was it he declared: to truth as the editors have seen it...

...The issues which it which he maintained that a Catholic suffer no man and no cause to es- championed were often found equally state had the obligation to grant special cape the undying penalty which offensive...

...The Commonweal and From the outset Commonweal espoused v...

...They do, indeed, and that is why alert students of the national scene will welcome Professor Van Allen's A Golden Jubilee highly readable account of Commonweal's first half century...

...In a Catholic community privileges to the Catholic Church as history has the power to inflict on whose varied forms of isolationism the one true church, and by the same wrong...

...From their fellow countrymen, aware that also...

...surprises-Cardinal O'Connell of Bos- journal's business to reflect them...

...themselves in laboring for posthe Declaration on Religious Freedom In conclusion the thought comes to terity, in order that future generahe witnessed the promulgation of that mind that the journal of opinion whose tions may be enriched by their important document by Pope Paul VI first fifty years have provided Rodger efforts, as they themselves were in December, 1965...

...in fact, if it is serieditors will, I trust, forgive a suggestion ous about fidelity to its purpose, it does prompted by professional duty, that be- Fortress Press, Paper, $4.50 not wish to do so, for opinions on every fore they decide on another house significant topic are notoriously varied cleaning, they convey their files to the but not-and this is one of the book's and constantly changing, and it is a safe embrace of a waiting archivist...

...Let me conclude, therefore, sured by that norm, Commonweals there what one might term an editorial with an incident that occurred in 1953 record has, I think, been an impressive volte face in deference to a critical which the author says was "unique in one...

...Psychologically, they were in -and James O'Gara differed fundaof San Francisco...

...mand to Cardinal Ottaviani...

...In pose the question: What today is the tion of doctrinal unsoundness and dis- fact, it is tempting to extend these comprevailing definitive judgment that loyalty to the Church...

...First, They owe this to American Catholic ton who proved a source of strength in however, if there should be basic differhistory, a cause they have otherwise the early years...

...The New York Times highever, when it became a vehement and for International Peace numbering lighted the Ottaviani address in a front persistent critic of the Johnson and Monsignor John A. Ryan, Elizabeth B. page story on July 23, which prompted Nixon Administrations' policies in that Sweeney et al., and of the programs of Commonweal to carry an editorial two tortured land...

...Church and those contained within the him the ranking authority on the sub- between Church and State, it must best traditions of American democracy...

...1971), while we were collecting shells...

...Roman correspondent stated he was enclosing the response he had received What did you do all alone from Michael Browne, O.P...

...On the whole port, was the American Catholic comthe Teapot Dome indictments of the munity...

...At the risk of seeming utterly humorless, ambitious undertaking, and to date it good measure as yet living apart from I would add, it was not meant to do remains the most successful one...

...magazine have been disposed of" (p...

...Van Allen with the subject of his book made rich by the efforts of generIt was an issue that had plagued has merited a more generous support ations past...

...At the time of founding they Commonweal has had substantial sucprevious summer, Commonweal and the numbered 18,500,000 with 98 bishops, cess in this regard, but on two occaSaturday Review made their debut and over 23,000 priests-the Official sions the internal strain became too about the same time...

...With the excepCatholic Directory did not tabulate the sharp and brought breaks from the tion of the ill-starred lay trustee movesisters in those days...

...mula by which Catholics in this country could live at case with their fellow citizens, I eagerly accepted the I sit on a throne of sand and watch the planet grow dim offer of a priest acquaintance to be of service during his forthcoming extended about them...

...This last point is the more religious denomination or of none...

...Yet in only the ments on that and other decades of the time's perspective has shed on the is- single instance of Michael Williams' journal's half century, but the temptasues that sharply divided people a half strong espousal of the Franco regime tion must be surmounted in the interest century or even a decade ago...

...State, as it is to call the roll of many- large and articulate body of their con- If it is true that of late Americans though not all-of the Catholic celebri- servative coreligionists, and it was in have been showing a nostalgia for the ties of those decades...

...colored its thinking down to the 1960s, token to restrict the religious activities This is not to suggest that Common- Commonweal's espousal of causes such of non-Catholic groups...

...123), and sible people would not, it seems to me, In other words Commonweal stood its which stirred more than one strain of be uneasy were there applied to them ground regardless of loss of patronage, memory for me...

...All men on whom the Higher from Vatican Council II by naming him Paul Blanshard, whose name appears Nature has stamped the love of a peritus...

...The RODGER VAN ALLEN escape controversy...

...No journal of opinion can collections if they had been asked...

...then a consultor of the Holy Office, I listened to death's breathing...