CATHOLIC PRIMATE THREATENED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1949, Page 5

CATHOLIC PRIMATE THREATENED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

His Refusal to Submit ClmrcJi to Red Control

(Rec., 9.50). PRAGUE, June 19. Most Rev. Doctor Beran, the Catholic Archbishop of Prague, on Saturday night emerged from his state of semi-captivity, to issue a defiant statement against the Czech Communist Government in its war to gain the control of the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Beran told the congregation in a monastery at Prague: “I have come to you and I swear to you that I will never sign an agreement that violates the laws of the Church”. Hundreds of Catholics followed Archbishop Beran back to his palace. They shouted to him: "We will never let them take you!” From the balcony of the palace, the prelate smiled, and he answered: “I believe you, bu> you had better go home; Don’t let them try to represent this as provocation!”

Sides Against Archbishop Suspended Priest

ROME, June 7.

Father Josef Plojhar, the Czechoslovak Health Minister and a suspended priest, declared here to-night that there was no real quarrel between the Church and the State in Czechoslovakia, but only between Archbishop Beran of Prague and the Government. He said: “Archbishop Beran is wholly anti-Government. Such an attitude is not possible”. Father Plojhar was suspended from priest’s functions by the Roman Catholic bishops after continuing to hold office in the Communist majority Government. He is in Rome for the second World Health Assembly.

Grave View at Rome Of Coercive Action Against Church

(Rec. 9.55). LONDON, June 19. Vatican sources have stressed that the latest news from Prague does not lessen the extremely grave view which they take of the events in Prague. According to authoritative information reaching the Vatican, Archbishop Beran is able to come and go freely. The Czech police activities have been so far limited to maintain a watch on his palace. News agency correspondents report that Archbishop Beran’s staff in the Porter’s Lodge have been replaced by members of the new proGovernment Catholic Action Committee or Security Police.

Archbishop Beran’s mail is stopped, and his friends, including those in the diplomatic corps, have been turned away.

Reliable sources confirm that the State police have closed about twenty of the Catholic Cloisters in Slovakia, and that Doctor Antonin Mandi, the secretary of the Church’s Secular Catholic Action organisation is now in the Prague prison. Rt. Doctor Rudolf Doerner, Archbishop Beran’s Chancellor, is reported to be still held at the Security Police headquarters.

Riots in Warsaw

WARSAW, June 17.

Police broke up a street battle between Catholics and a group of Communist students after the traditional Corpus Christy processions in Warsaw last night. Several persons were injured. Students tried to disperse a Catholic procession headed by priests and nuns, by throwing stones and bottles and jeering to drown the hymns. Later a party of Catholics went to the students’ hostel and stoned the youths responsible until the police intervened.