The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-18
what PaDer7'

=
reader whose eye this article may catch,
what paper he takess Does he subscribe
to Catholic journalf What does he con-
ceive to be his duty in the premisesf
Let US reflect o moment on this point.
1t is well known that our Holy Father, the
Pope, has expressed himself very favorably
towards Catholic journalism, and earnestly
recommended the support of Catholic pa
pers. And indeed it is easy to see that this
Judgment is based on sound considerations.
The present is manifestly an age Of read
ing. Everybody reads-men and women,
old and young. Whatever may be the
cause'of this popularity of our day, it is
a fact. The cheapness of literature has
doubtless good deal to do with it, and
certainly the cheapest forms of publication
attain the largest circulation. 1t follows,
then, that the Catholic Church, which
makes itself all things to all men, and
pie and every age, must naturally profit by
this tendency of the time.
The easiest way now to approach a very
large class of the population is through
print and by publications of light and in
teresting character. Books are more labor
ed than newspapers and more expensive,
therefore newspaper literature is by far
more general and influential. Tales and
romances are also found to be an entertain
ing method of conveying important truths,
therefore the Church sees the Importance
of having its own newspapers and its own
literature of fiction.
1t is natural, then, and right, that the
Church encourage its own newspapers and
its own tales, for people will read, and it is
important that they should find something
with Which to satisfy this. appetite profit
ably, instead of being thrown by necessity
upon corrupt and polluted sources of enter
tainment.
Under this inspiration of the Church and
its august head newspapers started.
OF course this is generally on an humble
scale at first, for both means and expert
ence are wanting. There is no one to risk
large sums of money on the establishment
of a journal on scale equal to that of the
most prosperous secular papers, because it
is uncertain how the enterprise will be re-
ceived by the public. 1t is something new,
and must grow up by degrees to healthy
development. But are these efforts to be
treated with neglect or contempt by intel
ligent Catholics because they are humble
1t would seem to us, on the contrary, that
they ought to be encouraged, sustained and
fostered until they can attain naturally to
the expansion which the wants Of the occs-
sion may require.
1t may be said that one does not get so
much for his money us by taking a secular
paper. This may be quite true as regards
quantity of matter and brilliancy of style,
but no matter how poorly edited the Ca
tholic paper may be, there are always
found an amount of information and an ex-
position of truth that would be inaccessible
otherwise, and that amply repay one for
the amount expended on the subscription.
We do not see how any Catholic can be
content to have bis family circle unsupplied
with paper devoted to the interests of
his faith. He knows the Importance of
providing innocent food for the reading
appetite of his children; he knows the
necessity of patronage for the building up
of the paper on a proper footing, and he
knows that he will reap more than the
usual profit on the amount of his money
invested, no matter how meagre the merits
of the journal itself. We can assure our
subscribers that as regards the MORNING
STAR, any material increase of patronage
which it may experience will be constant
ly responded to by an immediate and cor
| responding improvement in its editions.
We then suggest to our friends the pro-
priety of extending helping hand in the
establishment of Catholic journalism on a
proper footing in New Orleans. Let them
| give us an earnest cooperation instead of
mere good Wishes 1t would not he much
trouble for every one to procure subscribers
among his friends, but ut any rate let each
one conscientiuusly ask himself the ques
ton, do take a Catholic paperf
LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF A New
CATHOLIC CHURCH, NEW YoRK.-The cor
ner- stone of the new Catholic Missionary
church, at the corner of Thompson and
Canal streets, was laid by Archbishop Nc
| Cioskey, on the 5th inst, with the usual
imposing ceremonies of the Catholic
Church. Seventeen Father Matthew and
religious societies, numbering over 1900
mem bers, assembled in Union Square at
l o'clock and marched in procession to the
site of the new church, with flags and
music In trent of four of the societies the
flags of Ireland, Germany and the United
States were carried abreast Copprepated