The Church does not persecute because it cannot. Persecution in the world to-day for religious opinions is impossible.

Persecution in the world for religious opinions is not impossible to-day. It occurs. In Russia and Mexico physical violence has been employed again and again. In almost all Protestant countries Catholics are persecuted by moral antipathy. But Protestants are not persecuted in Catholic countries. Persecution merely because of religious opinions is against the very principles of the Catholic Church. You seem to think that she would persecute if she could. The real truth is that she has no desire to do so. In his Encyclical on Indifference in Religion, Pope Pius IX. set out the Catholic attitude in the following words: “Catholics must in no way whatever adopt the attitude of enemies towards those who are not united with us in the same bonds of faith and charity. Rather they must strive to help them by all the duties of Christian charity, assisting the poor, the sick, and those afflicted by any other calamities. Their first duty, of course, is to try to lead them out of the darkness of error, in which unhappily they are, and to draT – them to Catholic truth, and to that Catholic Church which holds out her arms to them ever inviting them to her embrace, that by faith, hope, and charity, and all other good works, they may attain eternal salvation.” Such is the official doctrine of the Church.

Radio Replies Volume 1 by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble MSC and Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty