Hiring a Hall

You HEAR STRANGE THINGS ABOUT CATHOLICS. . . . You hear it said that Catholics believe all non-Catholics are headed for Hell . . . that they believe non-Catholic marriages are invalid . . . that they adore statues . . . are forbidden to read the Bible . . . use medals, candles and holy water as sure-fire protection against the loss of a job, lightning or being run down by an automobile.

With these words a new national advertising campaign begins this week. Its sponsors : the Knights of Columbus.* The idea originated 3 1/2 years ago in Missouri when a small group of K. of C. businessmen decided to try promoting the Roman Catholic Church with modern sales techniques. They put 20 ads in Missouri papers. Result: hundreds of non-Catholics applied to priests for instruction, 730 people enrolled for instruction by mail.

The present series of six ads, each offering a free pamphlet, will run in the American Weekly and the rural-circulation Pathfinder. Other ad titles: WHY CATHOLICS "KEEP RUNNING TO CHURCH" ; WHY MILLIONS CALL HIM "HOLY FATHER."

Commenting on the campaign, the aggressively Protestant Christian Century editorialized this week: "The Knights of Columbus are to be applauded for having 'hired a hall' in the advertising columns and there submitting the claims of their church to the test of the open forum. If Protestantism is wise, it will hasten to subject its faith to the same scrutiny."

* A fraternal benefit society for Roman Catholic men (who are forbidden to join the Masons). Present membership: approximately 800,000.

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