Father Feeney Calls 'Liberal Theology Horrible Theology'

"Liberal theology is horrible theology," Father Leonard Feeney, S.J., stated in his first public lecture of the term at St. Benedict's Center last night.

Speaking before over a hundred people, most of whom were Harvard student and instructors, he said that "being a liberal theologian is like being an anarchistic American."

"I did not think this doctrine up--that there is no salvation outside the Church," he stated. "It is always what the Church has taught and will teach again. I think you boys and girls deserve to know the true doctrine of the Church." He pointed to the 29 'doctors of the Church," all of whom, he affirmed, has stated this doctrine. These doctors include St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Ronaventure.

He said that "the utterances by uncanonized and unaffidavited 'liberals' are for the purpose of public relations and good feeling in America."

Answering the accusation that the doctrine he is teaching is intolerant, he admitted that it was. He said, however,that "all true truth is intolerant." "Only God dares to utter intolerant doctrine," he added.

"I first thought that the dogmatic, belligerent method of teaching, this doctrine would not work on Americans," the Father said. "I thought I had to sugarcoat my message in the fashion of 'Going My Way.'" During the course of his talk he read three of his poems showing the increasing amount of bitterness used to put his message across. The last of his poems that he read was the last one he wrote before turning to lectures.

One of these poems was a criticism of a quotation of the late Alfred North Whitehead.

As in last Tuesday night's lecture by Fakhri Maluf, the proceedings at St. Benedict Center did not go unobserved. Monsignor Augustine Rickey, Vicar General of the archdiocese and parish priest, was seen watching from the steps of his church across the street.

Holfway thought the talk, "Roly God. We Praise Thy Name." chant of the Holy Name Society, should be heard from St. Paul's Church, necessitating the closing of St. Benedict's door.