Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Diminishes the Dignity of Catholic Action

It would be superfluous to develop an exhaustive argumentation against this doctrine. We will just say a few quick words about the matter.

As a preliminary thought, let us remember the contradiction in which some partisans of the mandate fall when espousing this strange doctrine. They wish to confer without discernment the mandate of the Church on elements regarding whom there often is every reason in the world to suppose that under a thin layer of Faith, they keep the heavy inheritance of a long past lived outside the Church. This is truly to carelessly waste the gift of God. It is to forget Our Lord's counsel, that pearls should not be thrown to the unworthy, "lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you." (4)

The learned Pope Leo XIII stated in this regard a principle that we should in no way forget: "It is clear that the more important, complex and difficult an office is the longer and more careful should be the preparation undergone by those who are called to fill it." (5)

Is Ineffective

It would be mistaken to pretend that the need for a quick development of Catholic Action authorizes such simplified procedures. Spiritual life imposes, as a condition for perseverance, the practice of duties that are sometimes heroic; and no one can know what degree of fortitude will be demonstrated by randomly recruited elements when they have to undergo the "test of fire" of interior life. Besides, what concrete results will we achieve by recruiting en masse when the same individuals who recommend this are opposed to Catholic Action expelling or imposing penalties on anyone?

One has the clear impression that this whole set of precepts is so devoid of any sense that it could not be any worse had it been designed with the calculated aim of sinking the Catholic movement.

Particularly in Brazil

As we shall see further on, if Catholic Action wants to be fruitful, it should be a movement of elites. Understandably, the fascination of great mass movements can give illusions to Catholic leaders in some countries. In Brazil, however, the quickest analysis of the facts shows that it is not the masses we need, but well-formed, combative and disciplined elites, who at the proper moment know how to give the entire Catholic laity a sure orientation, and one that is really according to the intentions of ecclesiastical authority. Several countries paid dearly for their ignorance of this principle and have only remembered to form elites under the fire of persecution. Let us not act like them: let us know how to prevent so that tomorrow we will not have to remedy.

What, then, should be the line of conduct to be followed by Catholic Action? We summarize it in the following principles:

Notes:

4) Matt. 7:6.

5) Leo XIII, Depuis le Jour, no. 5.

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