3. The sense of property is so deeply rooted in the peasants Of certain regions of Europe that it can be transmitted from generation to generation, as if with the mother's milk, by the simple teaching of the Catechism within the family. As a result, the Church could be silent about the right of property for decades without prejudice to the moral forma­tion of the faithful.

We do not deny that the sense of property is very lively in some regions of Europe. It is a notori­ous fact that for this very reason the Communists had to beat a retreat in their policy of confiscation and restore lands to small proprietors in Poland for example.

However, these strategic retreats, so frequent in the history of Communism, are no more than tem­porary policies to which the partisans of Communism resign themselves at times in order to gain a more complete victory later. As soon as circumstances be­come favorable, they return to the charge with re­doubled energy and astuteness.

Then will be the moment of greatest danger. Ex­posed to a most astute and refined propaganda, the peasants will have to suffer indefinitely the Marxist ideological offensive.

Who does not tremble at the thought of seeing the younger generation of any part of the earth ex­posed to this risk? To suppose that the mere routine and natural sense of personal property would nor­mally provide an adequate shield against such a great peril is to expect too much from a human factor. Really, without the direct and supernatural action of the Church preparing its children well in advance and aiding them in their struggle, the chance is very small that the faithful of any country or of any so­cial condition will endure the trial.

Besides, as we have pointed out before, it does not seem licit to us, in any case, that the Church should suspend for years on end the exercise of her mission which consists in teaching the Law of God in all its plenitude.