Task Force for Catholicism

"I am told that during this year only six Argentine priests were ordained," said New York's Bishop Fulton John Sheen. "In Boston we had more than ten times this number in the same period. Without workers there is no harvest. And Christian workers are the product of a Christian atmosphere. Our job here is to arouse the latent goodness of these people to create this necessary atmosphere."

As U.S. director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and one of Roman Catholicism's best preachers, Bishop Sheen was in Argentina last week lending his help to the biggest Catholic proselytizing crusade ever undertaken in Latin America. Its purpose: to counter the spread of anti-Catholicism that is sapping the church of its traditional strength. In all, Fulton Sheen made twelve TV appearances, said Mass in humble parish churches as well as in Buenos Aires' cathedral, delivered lectures at the University of Buenos Aires' law school and at the Holy Cross Institute.

Missions & Missives. The crusade began three weeks ago, when Papal Nuncio Monsignor Humberto Mozzoni dispatched 2,000 missionaries "to open the dialogue between the church and Argentina on the everlasting efficacy of the Gospel for the advancement of the Argentine people."

Heartily endorsed by Rome and meticulously planned in Buenos Aires for almost two years, the crusade set up 1,200 mission centers in schools, warehouses, private homes, even in tents. Arrangements were made for round-the-clock prayers, meetings, processions and celebrations, for visits to hospitals, asylums, orphanages, slums and schools. Missionary priests from other Latin lands, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Iron Curtain countries traveled to Argentina to help.

Still Suspect. Roman Catholicism has no greater stake anywhere than in Latin America. Its population of 180 million Roman Catholics represents one-third of the church's flock. Yet increasing numbers pay only lip service to their faith, either go to church merely for the pageantry or fail to attend altogether. The Jesuits, who were forced from the continent in-the 18th century,* are still few, and the Catholic clergy, once linked to anti-independence regimes, is still suspect. While Europe increases its priesthood, Latin America now has only about 8% of the world's Catholic clergy. Argentina, with a population of more than 20 million, has but 4,708 priests, compared with some 50,000 in France for a population of 45' million. Argentina's clergy by necessity concentrates on offsetting vigorous Protestant drives and combats the ever-present Communist efforts to undermine all religion in the schools and labor organizations.

When it ended last week, the crusade was a clear success. Some 3,000,000 Argentines had flocked to the Buenos Aires cathedral, the number of Communion-receivers increased threefold, and baptisms and marriages numbered in the thousands. "The problem now is to keep up the good work," said Bishop Manuel Menendez. "This is our job."

*Accused of mixing in politics and of acquiring great wealth, the Society of Jesus was banned from Portuguese domains in 1759, from Spain and her possessions in 1767. In 1773 the Society was dissolved completely by Pope Clement XIV. Some of its members were given shelter in Russia by Catherine the Great until Pope Pius VII reinstated them anew in 1814.

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