CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Compulsory Progress

In its drive to break the Roman Catholic Church, the Czech Communist government last week recruited 118 pliable Catholics, including two monsignors and a sprinkling of priests, to form an “anticapitalist” Catholic Action Organization. At the same time, Dr. Antonin Mandl, secretary of the Vatican-recognized Catholic Action, was arrested and sent to join the 100-odd priests in Czech prisons. Education Minister Vaclav Kopecky announced that henceforth all Catholic seminaries will be provided with political instructors. They will teach compulsory courses in “social progress,” which seminarians must pass to continue their studies.

The Czech government says it is merely trying to stop church interference in politics. Archbishop Beran last week ordered Catholics to stay out of the new Catholic Action. Archbishop Beran said: “If some of you should be invited to join it, be aware that it is a schismatic movement.”