The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-12-17
n. Catholic Union ; Circle Of New York.

The Catholic Union; Circle Of New York.
On Nov. 30, being sree-day from busi-
ness, the Catholic Union, Circle OF new
York. celebrated its Hrst solemn Mass:
The Cathedral was filled with members OF
the Union, and yet We suppose there were
but part of the enrolled memoers pre-:
must, of necessity, be sub-divided. into To-
cal circles, each gathered around the
Church to which its members belong. In
order. also, to bring it up to the marx OF
tho Union formed on the Continent OF Eu-
rope, its organizations will be farther per-
fected, at least as to its most active MEM
bers, by committing to local secretaries the
rolls of members in each locality.
The Catholic Union, in New York, like
the Catholic Militant Union in New Or
leans, started with the cordial appreciation |
of the venerable Archbishop Psrche; 10 rs
propose, there must be time, and much
labor. But the object proposed is ade-
Quate.
The enemies of truth and Of justice have
shown what force there is In closely knit
numbers 1t is as trie as IL il :trite, that
ain union there is strength ~ and that
"when bad men eonspire, good men should
combine" 1t is at the call of the Holy
Father, the beloved Plus TX, that these
| Unions are commencing, all over Christen-
dom. As they progress, and become more
/ and more efficient, they will receive from
tho anne h:eh sonrce that inspired their
beginnings, farther direction as to their Co
operation with each other. It is not with
them, as with a variety Of Societies formed
outside Of the Catholic Church, and or Dor
Sacramento. For in every Catholic Union,
begun with the blessings of the Church,
and looking only to interests that belong
to her, there is an element of the Mystical
Body Of Christ, which is one, whether the
numbers composing it be few, or countless
} in their aggregation. Thus, while the
members of the smallest country congrega-
ton, met together, under authority, to pro-
, mote the interests of the Church, are one,
, yet when o thousand, or ten thousand, or
3 hundred thousand, such Unions are JOIN
l cd together 10 any one work for Jesus Christ,
: they are oil still ono.
, On the day of this solemn High Mass,
r morning paper, in notice OF it, lntended,
t no doubt, to be friendly, stated that the
Q Catholic Union of New York, in order to
= guard against the imputation that had been
3 brought against the Catholic Unions N
Q Belgium, Holland, Germany, ETC., had dis
!. tinctly disavowcd any intention of promot'
b. ing an armed intervention on behalf OF the
Holy Father. The writer, was mistaken
There are neither avowals nor disavowals
o in any of the acts, or resolutions, or Int
J, New York Catholic Union. A. to the Ca
II tholic Unions in the countries OK Europ'
70 mate Power shall frat draw the sword tt
h set the Vicar of Christ free from his chains
"a ia not imputed to them by their enemies
but boldly avowed by themselves, with tn
i full adhesion of Catholic Prelates and no
Is blemen of the highest rank. Any dtsavo,o
al of such a purpose on the part OF the "a
, thoic Union of New York would hav
( been an act of dis-union from their Euro
, pean brothers, as it would Imply assGp
y proral of such purposes.
10 On the other hand, looking to this coun
D. try alone, it would not be consistent wit
u q proper self-respect for gentlemen of suc
" character as those who inaugurated tn
10 New York circle of the Catholic Union, t
'g disaro,o any intention of violating or {
no grading the laws of this land. There al
r among" them enough of men perfectl
H. aware of the full meaning and intent {
Ut our traditional "neutrality laws" an
ne there is not one among them that coul
sc consider it an act proper for Catholic to d.
as much less as meritorious, to violate all
ID Just law of their country. Therefore,
ey forming "Union" to aid first of all tt
be Vicar Of Christ, and, next, to promote O.
40 tholic interests generally, the gentlemen
or the Catholic Union will no more put in tt
nd qualification that they do not intend to
lri la,v- breakers, than they would, if about
"a take up q collection, add the remark tn
mt they intended to pick no ones pocket
he Freeman Journal.