Show r Catl Catholic olic Priest Says Stalin Gave Him Assurance Of n of Church in Russia t I CHICAGO May 12 UP The UP-The The Rev Stanislaus re returning returning returning re- re turning Springfield t td Mass from froma a mission to Moscow said Friday Friday Fri Fri- day that Premier Josef Stalin had assured him he did not intend to adopt a policy polley of persecution against the Catholic church Father kl made ade his first report on his Russian trip since his return to this country Thursday while stopping at a lakefront lakefront lake lake- front hotel In his version of oC a n qu question sUon and answer session with Stalin the priest quoted the Russian premier as saying he believed cooperation with the pope against persecution of of- Catholics was possible Two vo 1 He said he met twice with Stalin and found him very cry democratic and very open The account of at Stalin's stand on the Catholic church was given by bythe bythe bythe the priest in a prepared statement signed by by the Russian premier May 5 The statement quoted Stalin as assaying assaying assaying saying he regarded himself as an advocate of the freedom of ot con con- science Father whose trip had aroused criticism at home said h he made the trip at the personal personal per per- invitation of Stalin to study the Polish question with the permission permission per per- mission of the state department He went he said not as a representative representative rep rep- of the Catholic church nor as an ambassador of the United United Unit Unit- ed Cd States state department but as asa asa asa a private citizen Addresses ic Army I I am not a communist and I Isaid Isaid Isaid said so in Moscow in my public address to the Polish army he said Father said that Inan in inan inan an interview with Stalin he asked these questions and re received the following answers Q Do you think it admissible for the soviet government to pursue pursue pur put sue a policy of persecution and coercion with regard to the Catholic Catholic Catholic Cath Cath- olic church 1 A. A As an advocate of the freedom freedom freedom free free- dom of f conscience and that of worship I consider such a policy polley to be inadmissible and pre precluded Q Do you think that the cooperation cooperation cooperation co co- co- co operation of the Holy Father Pope Pius XII in the matter of struggle against coercion and persecution of the Catholic church is POSsible possible possible pos pos- sible sible 1 A. A I Oil think it is possible Signed b by Stalin The questions and answers were signed by stal Stalin n he said Stalin told that he y y q r t i 1 y t Ir r I i yr 4 S x y Y Rev Stanislaus Made Russian trip as private private private vate citizen had no objection to publishing the questions and answers and left that to the priests priest's discretion In his formal sta statement ement issued to reporters Father added I 1 am an American and I lay stress on this one point namely I 1 went alone to Moscow and I came back alone l' l belong to no clique no faction nor party In my 30 years of priesthood this was my first vacation vacation- a mission to Moscow to help my church and Poland Let us scrutinize some of at the statements made by my fellow priests Here is No 1 The Rev James M M. Lawler assistant general general gen gen- gen gen- eral oral secretary of the National C Catholic Welfare conference related related re re- re- re The world viewing militant ath atheism of t the e soviet government for years must be cautious cautious' in estimating estimating estimating es es- es- es such statements as Father Fath Fath- er cr Ne Newsweek May 15 Answers Priest t Surely Father Lawler you are doing the talking but mine is an official historic document I should answer you thus No 1 l' on my program was to bring you an official official of of- pronouncement on the subject subject subject sub sub- in question Talk criticism will bring us nowhere unless we act I have acted Can you or any other Catholic ask or expect more of or me Are Arc you now convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced that my mission to Moscow was a success Here is No 2 The Right Rev Michael J J. J Ready National Catholic Welfare conference secretary I quote Indicating Indicating Indicating In In the thc hierarchy's views Monsignor Ready blasted the trip tripas as a political burlesque I 1 must say that it is unbecoming to use such vulgar words My priestly and private life will not be undermined undermined undermined under under- mined or orr destroyed by such in in- in Nevertheless monsignor I assure you that it was not a burlesque but a high class opera I am sure that the American public will understand my position and give credit where credit Is due I r have wonderful news on Poland Poland Poland Po Po- Po- Po land but this will come at a later date |