Priests for Russia

Though the Vatican will not hallow Hitler's war on Stalin as a crusade against Communist unbelievers, the Roman Catholic Church is not letting any grass grow between the advancing German troops and the first wave of Catholic missionaries sent out to win the occupied districts of Russia for Catholicism. Since 1927 the Holy See has been training workers at the Russiacum College in Rome to "preach, strengthen and defend the Catholic faith among the Russian people." Last week the Vatican reported that the first batch of missionaries had already reached Hungary and Rumania en route to their new posts in the conquered areas of Russia. Other priests soon will follow.

Catholics do such long-range planning, even when facing regimes as anti-religious as Russia's. Catholics in many a country, especially Jesuits, have readied themselves for this opportunity. Outstanding group: 50 Russian youths now studying for the priesthood in Shanghai under an English Jesuit, Father Henry Wilcock.

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