The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-25
.Entholio and Protestant 'countrios,

& -t1il4
In reply to q Professionally paper, which
coutr,Sted the conditions " Cathviie--stnd
Protestant countries unfayorably to the
former, the New York Tablet, after giving
several reasons, continues:
1t is fact that vice is more aggressive
in Catholic countries than in Protestant
naticns; from the fact that Catholicity
wages a more fierce war against it than
Professionalism does. In IL thoroughly Catho-
lie country there is no half way, such as
Professionalism offers, between faith aud in
fidelity, virtue and vice. The Catholic is
compelled to hear Mass on Sunday, to go
to confession, to go to communion, or be
looked upon as Al black sheep. il he does
not, be is guilty of mortal sin. He cannot
keep a concubine; he cannot get Il divorce;
he cannot get absOlutiOn unless he gives
up stolen goods. Now if young man
brought up as u Catholic till the age of six
teen Begins then to feel the tug of passions,
which BaimeZ SO we'll describes in bis PRO
testautism ard Cathoicity compared;" if
temptations thicken, and the young man
falls, becomes reckless, desperate, refuses
to correct his morals, to give up ttIe occa-
sion Of sin, we are no longer astonis.ied to
see him turn in anger and hate against the
priests who reprove him, against the
Church that condemn him. He, sinking
into debauchery, associates himself with
| Red Republicans, Socialists, secret socie-
ties, and Garibaldini, who will favor in
stead of copdemning his wicke6ness! The
Catholic Church cannot and will, not com
promise. This young man becomes ner
enemy because she will not tolerate his
vices. Most Of the young men OF Italy, OF
| Spain, France and Austria, who are III OPP
position to the Church now, are so because
she will not let them break the sixth COM
mandment with impnnity. Tear away the
veil, cast aside the pretence of Impurities,
4 Gy,l 1,at hn
sition of so-callcd Catholics to the Church
in Europe is founded on the passion-L' st.
In Protestant countries, where there Is no
confessional and no mortal sin, aud piensy
| OF divorces, it is easy to be a Christian, to
have the name and not the realty. Aud
then every whim is sanctioned by Protest.
antisH; while Cntho,icity is a stern, un-
bending religion OF dogma, law, ethics aud
discipline. 'Narrow is the way" gays tke
Catholic Church. ''Broad is, tie road,'
says Professionalism; ard of course all th;
base passions will march on the broad road.
The fact is, the so-called iDtides il Cat!!o-
lie countries would be ProtestantS II there
were Protestant scots large enough Il. those
countries to make their profession respect
able. But it is doubtful whether The Pr's
testant sects can ever get much CT IL t"ooAo!d
III the so-called Catholic countries "f~ScUih-
Europe, FOR another reason. 1t is this. The
Latin races are more rapid In th''ir !'sic
than the Northern races. The Latia races
go swiftly to the ono extreme or the ''iher.
as every man of quick percept;ve powers
and quick impulses viii. An Intelligent
man who, once knowing Catholic truth,
deserts it, cannot be IL Protestant without
being hypocrite. If the Catholic Church
is not true, no other Church can be. If l
am net II Catholic, am too logical 20 stop
half way in snch an absurd religious sys-
ten as Professionalism offers. This ~ the
Intelligent Italians or Frenchman's aigu-
ment. He is right. Christ was God. He
founded church. 1t lived fer sixtaen,
hundred years. Then came an immoral
monk WHO denied tie truth of this Church;
started another which split into !: t.,oosaaa
factions, each claiming to be true. If the
first one be not true, the others cannot be.
for obey came almost sixteen hundred years
too late, and they contradict themselves
and each other. Therefore, Cnthnlici0y or
Infidelity The intelligent man OF qnick
perceptions must Ice one or the other.
Therefore in TIE Catholic nations of South
ern Europe those who are not Catholics arc
intidels. The slow coaches of the North
stick to their roast beef and their Protest.
antism, too phlegmatic to care tor logic,
provided they are comfortable.