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a ETET Oz Et IELEZEEEN
XoAolás August 229
- page four ¬
French Christians and intelicctual leaders in the social
front: the progressistse
It is a well known fact that in France the popular masses, at
large, havell os t christianity. An atheistic school system, a strong
marxist propaganda have undermined the faith, especially in industrial
populations. France has become "mission land". In order to react,
young Christian workers have united, 25 years ago, in an enthusiastic |
non=political movement, the JOC. As,with time going on, important
groups of previously young Christian workers had fully entered adult
life, they created a parallel movement for men, the ACOF. The same
ideals, but on the platform of organized economic, social and political
action, are represented by the Christian Workers' Union, the CFIC,
which has recently shown increasing influence and strength.
It is absolutely undeniable that these movements have done a
great deal in opposing atheistic communism. +hey have shown workers that
the true ideals of justice and charity are represented in the Christian
doctrine and that the teaching of the Church, if it was applied, would
bring forth the best solution to the social problem.
On the field of practical realizations however, many Christian
who constantly deal with the working class or with labor problems are
increasingly faced with the gravest dilemma. They come to look at
communists as the é&unenk element which is the loudest and most decided
in claiming the "rights" of labor, in taking action against any form
of "capitalism" and in preaching absolute equality. Christians living
in industrial surroundings cannot help but being somewhat impressed
by a propaganda that penetrates everywhere, that makes industrial
problems and class fight gain tremendous proportions. Surely and slowly,
the factory and the neighborhood where they live and work becomes in
their eyes the sample of all, even world-wide problems. They come to
feel that there are but two classes, the rich and the poor, and that
their local claims, strikes and fights are a vital pert of the total
justice. They forget that, in France for example, the industrial class
is but a minority; that disorder they create is likely to be most
harmful to the majority, that certainely is neither capitalistic nor
rich: the farmers, the trades, the middle-classes.
It is in the light of this wrong scale of values - built up
by communistic propaganda - that the grave dilemma of Christian social
movements can be understood.
A Catholic labor leader for example, after many months of
action and of struggle among his co-workers in a textile factory,
concluded desperately that he could only see one of three solutions to
chose: either full cooperation with the Communist Party, as the strongest
force of labor "progress"; or refusal of such collaboration and
establishment of a unanimous Christian front for effective and immediate
support of all the working classe's claims; or finally acceptance of
the statu quo, meaning the capitalistic order and consequent further
dechristianization of the masses. Being neither communist, nor wanting
to become a "treator® to his cause, he felt that his only option could
go for the second solution to which he would have to devote all his
efforts. His confession however was a dramatic one: "it is often 6
difficult, concretely and on the spot, to see where to find the truth ~~"
and the duty" ... ("Masses Ouvricres". review of tha ACORP. #71. Jan.5?).