LETTER TO COLONEL ANDREW J. GOODPASTER, JR. FROM DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R004200130006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2002
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2003/01/30 : CIA-RDP80601676R004200130006-8
Colonel Andrew J. Goodpaster, Jr.
The White House
Dear Colonel Goodpaster:
The attached paper is in answer to your memo-
randum of I December 1936 forwarding the President's
request for information on the Yugoslav government's
attitudes toward the religious beliefs of its citizens.
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U-Jspectfully,
Allen W. Dulles
Director
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Approved For Release 2003/01/30 : CIA-RDP80601676R004200130006-8
Approved For Release 2003/01/30 : CIA-RDP80601676R004200130006-8
Yugoslav Government's Attitude Toward teiigion
Yugo v a's Communist government has attempted
1iminate rapidly all religious influences among Communist
party members and, in the next generation or two" among
the entire populace. The regime is relying mainly an Comm.
;waist indoctrination of the youth to do this.
The government maintains an uneasy relationship with the
t church in Tugosleviae-the Serbian Orthodox upted
adic attempts to subdue it further as by the sentencing
years ago of one of its major bishops to a long
for "anti-state" activity, The major efforts of the
Communists, however, have been devoted to restricting the
influence of the Roman Catholic Church. These have been
greatest in Crosti*, "Iberia both the hierarchy and beliefs of
the communicants are strong, and the church itself closely
associated with separatist, "nstional" anti-Serb sentiments.
Slightly lesser efforts have been devoted to Slovenia The
regime has tried to undercut the church hierarchy through
sponsoring priests associations, with some success in
Slovenia but almost none in Croatia.
ight persecution of the clergy has diminished,
sporadic trials still take place. The government
o seminaries recontly,convicting the members of the
on such charges as plotting for an independent
a ia and glorifying the war-time Croatian fascist leader,
Ante Pavelic. Since 1951, Cardinal Stepinac has been out of
jail but confined to his native village of Nrasic, allowed to
celebrate mass but engage in no other church activities.
In general, religious services and instruction of the
young are etill carried on within the churches without out.
right interference, although secret police are often present
during masses to check on any political content in the
sermons. In general, the people are not penalised outright
for religious affiliations except where Communist orthodoxy
is a requirement for a position--such as Army officers. In
many eases, however, church affiliation is concealed to
avoid possible discrimination by local authorities. The
Communist psrty announced in 1954 that it had dropped many
tens of thousands of its own =embers because of religious
activities.
Approved For Release 2003/01/30 : CIA-RDP80601676R004200130006-8