Letter from the Publisher
Fr. John Fullerton
District Superior, USA
Dear Reader,
It is sadly ironic that this issue of The Angelus is dedicated to the theme of the World Between the Wars when, at the time I write this letter, Ukraine and Russia are in the midst of one. Will the rest of the world soon enter this conflict? Will Russia’s ambitions end at Ukraine or are other lands, such as Poland and Lithuania, in its sights as well? In a way the world is already embroiled in this conflagration. The United States and Western Europe have imposed stiff sanctions on the former Soviet Union and continue to arm Ukrainians defending their land.
The Priestly Society of Saint Josaphat, a fraternity of traditional Greek Catholic priests from Ukraine affiliated with the Society of Saint Pius X for over 20 years, recently made a request to the Society’s Superior General, Fr. Davide Pagliarani, to invite traditional Catholic faithful to pray for Ukraine. While people may differ in their opinions on the war’s origins and purpose, we should never forget the devastation being felt by the Ukrainian people. At the same time we cannot help but wonder what larger reverberations this conflict will have.
In this issue, we examine the cultural effects of World War I and how they contributed to the even greater conflict that was World War II. As several of the articles make clear, it is impossible to understand either breakout of mass hostilities in isolation from each other. Unsurprisingly, both cataclysms had considerable consequences for the Catholic Church which are still felt today.
No true and lasting peace is possible without Our Lord and King Jesus Christ. Even if many nations around the world turn away from Him, faithful Catholics cannot. Now is the time to pray for His Mercy and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, not only for the people of Ukraine, but the entire world.
Fr. John Fullerton
Publisher
Clarification
The Angelus always invites thoughtful feedback from its readership on the articles featured in its pages. Certain concerns raised about the January/February 2022 issue warrant a reply.
In art, literature, and movies, it is exceedingly difficult to illustrate the magnitude of Our Lord’s Redemptive Act. How can one adequately represent the depth of darkness from which this grace can draw souls? Would the heroism of Desmond Doss have been as dramatic, or as appreciated, without the graphic violence shown in Hacksaw Ridge? For those that have experienced actual combat, maybe such visual horrors are not needed. But for many, they cannot fathom the brutal experience of war. The use of such intense and graphic violence can be debated, but it certainly does aid the naïve audience in better understanding Doss’s incomprehensible feats. This may be why Mel Gibson’s The Passion had such a tremendous impact on viewers. For many, perhaps most, this was the first time they were presented with or seriously considered the reality of our Our Lord’s suffering for our sins. Much of what people show of themselves and see of others in the public sphere is sanitized; when the true horrors of sin are exposed, their reality cannot be witnessed without remorse and weeping.
At a minimum, for a thing to be considered “good,” its consumption should improve the consumer. The greater the benefit, the more the thing is “good.” Of course, what is consumed is unlikely to be perfect, nor, in the case of a film, suitable for all audiences. For all the good produced by The Passion, allowing a 5-year-old to watch it could be traumatic, and would be imprudent at best.
Films worth watching may be “worth it” not for their moral perfection, but for the depth of the message. There are many films that are neither for the whole family, nor perfectly in line with moral perfection, but can certainly contain valuable food for thought. Works of human artistry are never perfect; there always remains some flaw, some point or theme that could have been done better or perhaps completely avoided (these things can be debated). As Montesquieu wrote nearly three centuries ago, “Le mieux est le mortel ennemi du bien” (the best is the mortal enemy of the good). This does not mean the pursuit of the best, that is the perfect, should be abandoned; it is a warning against abandoning the good too hastily.
In future issues of The Angelus, greater care shall be taken to highlight articles and recommendations, whether books, music, or movies, that may not be appropriate for all audiences, particularly children and adolescents.
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