Article on the Catholic Workers in today's Irish Times

Monday May 05, 2003 13:58

by Hilda Robinson

I am interested in the Catholic Worker organisation that have been quite prominant in the Irish anti-war movement. I read the article in today's (Monday May 5th) Irish Times. I still have a number of questions, disagreements etc.

During the Spanish Civil War the Catholic Workers said that not using violence was the way forward. I strongly disagree with this. I dont like war, I think wars and violence are horrific. However if the capitalists use violence against a democratically elected socialist government then I think that workers must defend their revolution. During the Spanish Civil War I would question any organisation that did not give the Spanish workers support in their armed military struggle against the forces of Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini.

If Bush was to launch a war against Venezeula would the Catholic Workers support the armed struggle of the Bolivarian Circles that would be likely to result from a US invasion?

I also have questions about their links to the catholic church and other tenets of Catholic faith. For example do the Catholic Workers accept Catholic teaching on Abortion and Divorce? Is there any truth to the Catholic Workers working with Youth Defence on the Abortion question? Where do the Catholic Workers stand on infalibility of the Pope?, Women Priests?, Transubstantiation?