The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-08-14
Claims of the Catholic Priesthood.

|
Mgr. Capel delivered q lecture on the
! first Sunday of July, in the Pro- Cathedral
Kensington, on "the powers of the Catholic
priesthood" report of which we find in
an English exchange. Many Protestants
were present at this lecture, among whom
Lord John Russell was an attentive lis
| tener. The lecturer announced his inten-
| ton to give four other lectures on the sub
ject he had chosen, to be delivered on the
remaining Sunday evenings of July. Mgr.
Capel said:
do not remember ever having had to
preach in circumstances which caused me
to feel greater difficulty than to night. But
let me not be misunderstood this difficulty
is by no means from the nature of the sub
.ject or the evidence, but from the character
of the audience to whom have to intro
duce it, and because of my own position as
a priest. l seem to stand on my own de-
feDce-an attitude distressing to an honor
able man. But am sure you will be fair
enough to sink the individual in the larger
question; but still, although am sure you
will rise above the low level of a mere per-
sonal question, / must begin with what is
painful. 1t distresses me to speak pre-
judice, and yet cannot but advert to it in
order to put you on your guard against it,
for it would be idle to dissimulate its ex-
istence. Here is an example of its power
which came within my own personal OBJ
servation few days ago. On Thursday
preached on the Primary. Afterwards I
received letter telling me I was an auda-
cious liar, on account of sermon the
writer had heard me preach ON the person
al infallibility of the Pops. Now it 80 hap
pens that never preached on that subject
in my life. 1t is in the hands of the Coun-
Gil, and there 1 leave it; forestall moth
ing; wait, like every other Catholic, the
illustrations from it, or made passing allu
sions to it, but for certainty my CORE
spondent never heard me preach on it, for
never did any such thing. This is surely
very gross case. My hearer did not even
touch the subject he did not even appre-
then, could he understand the arguments 7
But this is an instance of what prejudice
can do 2s stssaa-- l's2
Now if were to take to the platform, to
stump the country, to get my living by
going into the midland counties and ex-
work, and imagine me to be merely loading
the picture with colors in order to draw a
profit from the resulting sensation. But |
do none of these things. And on the OPP |
posite side there are many who go into |
good society, who wear good clothes, who |
Chlk VIGIL, anu are OlSuOuOTapl0 OuIy Oh
one point, and that one point religion.
Take, for instance, the newspapers; how
long 10 it since one among them raised a
report of a perversion pre- eminently false
No; we do not stand on our own defence,
for we need none; we draw up an act of
Our opponents did in former
times seek our blood now they have
changed the form but not the substance of
their policy they seek our characters, and
design to swamp us with lying. The proof
Of this is not far to seek.
What is the popular idea of a Catholic
priest 2 1t is of this kind: He is educated,
polished, refined. But at the same time he
Is a consummate liar. What he says he
never means, and what he means he never
oy any possibility says. He goes into
society he meets you at the dinner table
ne can talk on any subject. He is versatile
md supple; he adapts his social altitude
% the variation of surrounding circum
stances but beware, for in all his changes
lie keeps steadily in view one end. Have
you a fortuneq All! then he wants it.
lave you charming daughters Then his
conduct is explained they are to be nuns
lave you promising sons9 That at once
accounts for his attentions; tue subject he
o subsection to himself. Such is the fancy
PRIEST. And now l want to ask you one
nipple question. Are we not also human
'eingsf Have we. not heartsf Have, we I
10 feelings like the rest of menf What is
he use of drawing picture so unreal that
luman nature evidently never sat for the
'ortraitq 1t only betrays the clumsiness I
f the Inner.
But let us go farther Ask those from
Vhom you may have heard those idle tales,
SIX the man who is anxious to amass for {
une, ask the stump orator how he knows {
hese things. Did he see itf Did you? o |
20! heard it; why, don't you know itf {
everybody knows that Well, but did you
ee itf o dear no Il heard it long ago. q
Everybody says it, and what everybody 6
avs must be true, you know l. Put to one {
ide then what your nurses have told you /; i
ay, what even your grandmothers have t
old you, for not even ones grandmother is {
locus theotogicus. Forget for a moment t
he pretty little story books, and reflect on /
his we who serve the cause of the Catho- G
&c Church in this country have nothing of t
his world to gain or to expect. Talents t
lay be laid out and lives spent, but we re- G
Give naught; we look for no reward or Z
distinction such as waits for men who /
pend their energies in other spheres. In q
he Anglican church it is not SO; there are s
uiet deaneries, rich Hvings, bishoprics +
mich confer title and part in the legis- c
alton of the country; but to Catholic t
REST nothing is open. he has given up all. .
What then is left to him T. Only his solemn q
oDviction. What can be the motive +
Tone but religion is strong enough, and If
is religion, then these idle tales fall to
ne ground. Let the world abuse US it is c