The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-02
Journalistic Courtesy.


therein some expressions of .a
q character not very courteous to Catholics. -;
Take, for instance, the following: 49,,
Here around us, q social condition Is rapidly
characterized tho modisval ages. Fanatcisn
nnd form a' Strange old
ish ascetcism and desire for seclusion, 10 also P
rapidly redeveloPing; The great tross e.. Hr
eanisaton to that Of its mother while the lat o,
ter is revempng all the msehinssy and sPlsn
aHI Ga pouring s Fsnoe With
banners and branches. are seemingly ss d indit
the
| long ago followed Peter the Hermit on his q
heroic mission. -
"Fanaticism and superstition are here .
put in very suspicious juxtaposition with
the social condition of the medi9val
ages and with I" the strange old monkish
asceticism." We are inclined to believe, !;
however, that this is a mere slip of the penn ,
the writer having 10 intention of wounding
the feelings or convictions of anybody, but
inadvertently giving vent to the old-hme
prejudices in which SO many of our fellow
citizens have been reared.p Pilgrimages
are not expressly inventoried by him
among these superstitions, but the context
would leave them quite an equivocal stand
}, ing in that respect.
8 New let us, in the most friendly way, |
" ask that writer te reflect within himself 1t
he is certain that all pilgrimages are the
fruit of fanaticism and superstitions. Let
him stand apart, O moment, from the infu'
ences of education and look at the question
1t, in the light of logic and common sense.
GO care pilgrimage necessarily fanatical and
," superstitions Z" 1t will not do to say 'yes"
%. merely because there are fanatical pilgrim
ages, such as those to Mecca nor, again,
a simply because John Knox and John Cal
in vim say 80. Those gentlemen were good
rin Judges of fanaticsm, is is true, but not of
for pilgrimages, because they had Travelled the
ev 4ormer road and had not travelled tho lat
ter. For generations they have imposed
Mr.. their dicta, in this matter as we'll as in
JON many others, upon unquestionlng follow
len. era. Upon their bold assertion, impioui
cert doctrines have been held as faith by thou
ling sands of men possessed of better minds ane
nar- far better hearts than their own. But 1t II
, Z. time for such men to lay aside these tram
'ne mels. It is time for them to look ques
~ tions like these in the face, and no longe
supinely satisfy themselves with second
the hand opinions of which they have JUS
'uce cause to become doubtful.
yocd NJ wan ouobt To pronounce O pilgrimag
Tor fanatical unless he knows two things; first
'ufe what a pilgrimage is, and second, VIVA
Jul fanaticism is Because, man must know
~ the exact nature of two premises before b
can compare them and say in his conclusio
whether they agree or disagree. We
not intend to argue this matter now, for W
Il are not sure that anyone has thrown dow
the gauntlet, but we merely advise til
m to able writer in our contemporary to do jus
rev to his own intelligence and set hinse
ioks right Why q pilgrim should, for the tin
nday being, be less believer in the " teaching
ma Of and tenets of science" than at anoth'
Au- time. is the conundrum which We propos
'"o' to his speculation.
We are surprised also at the narrow vie
n NE" of the causes of this great agitation as r
;sSar, ported by our neighbor to exist in certa
Ianv quarters. 1t speaks of the "revival"
~ has something universal and almost lncom pr
and hensible. 1t says:
obile Modern politicians and scientist is are M
=. go | directing attention towards the extraordina
~ "A reli cious revival extending throughout I
8 anx rope. Never since the Crusades has a mo
rvices rapid, and in some sense, n more "eHueI
t here change GcGut[e1 III thn Hrnn,otiyS caus
which wbether spiritual, political or social bel
reach eagerly investigated and disputed over oy
many men of many minds who az aspire to
eadcrs P"o ,:..; .I.. potaotont;sm
ddress <1'sA a.;o, or1
tricks shaken Wy CAo go;
moving back towards Catholic ahnlti
after showing that the Church of Engla
cradle w ", ID .ho+ &C ITO off
Irwin, n"A'' - '"O - .,,-I, ,;.or ,,
on en- are once nno1o o'"'o WAN ~ 80.
pauy's rors," 1t asks soluIlon Vi '"e Wy
splen- follows:
o that Now, whence comes this inexplic9ole cna
ch has go unezpecteo IN i.s u"" IL + orda;net
some HoS and speciai providence, as claimed
Mr. IT. spiritual professors or has it, on the contr
mount been invoked as Poutioai eS * R1,rrhor
,sire of wnlen W TO- Eurnme and make all polit
and he roads lead to Romef
m TT .k-oooa brD ia the la