From Our Olvn Correspondent
Among the Church authorities in Italy, and especially among the Directors of Catholic Action, there is great anxiety as to whether the hold of the Church on the souls of the young in Italy is losing something of its grip.
An example which gives rise to such anxiety is a paragraph such as the following, which, however, cannot be taken as representative of the attitude of the majority of Fascists.
Death of a Fascist
The paragraph is taken from the Popolo d'Italia, and describes the closing scene of the life of a young Fascist in Leghorn:
" The young Fascist, Joseph Celanti, feeling that he was near death, called to his side his mother and other relatives and expressed the desire to be clothed in his black shirt. To his relatives, the youth seemed to be transfigured, and after some affectionate words to his mother, he said :
" ' Let the Duce know how much have loved him, and tell him that my last thoughts have been for my Fatherland and for him.' "
The paragraph was headed " Last Act of Faith."