The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-09
q .rn,tg Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY. MARCH o. 1873.
Dedication Of Ireland to the Sacred Heart.

Dedication Of ireland to the Sacred Heart
Every one will bear witness to the ap
propriateness of tho dedication of suiierini
Ireland to the Sacred Heart, which tn
Irish Bishops have just ordered to be mad'
on next Passion Sunday. At time wnef
the whole suffering Church is about Il
place itself under the same protection, Ire
land rightly finds her place In furtherint
this devotion, and in sharing Its Dement'S:
The Bishops of Ireland in ordering THU
dedication, have issued o magnificent pas
toral address which, In power and beauty
ranks with the most remarkable declara
tions of the same character which they
have ever issued. 1t declares tho faith Of
Ireland during the presenttrial Of the uni
versal Church. Need it be said, that 1t 10
glorious declaration of the undying devo-
ton of Ireland to the Vicar of Christ, and a
distinct description, so that none OF their
flock may be deceived, of the spiritual
evils which surround them.
"Three things" say the Prelates "three
things are essential for the good estate OF
the Church here below. First, the preser-
walton of the Christian faith, which is the
principle of her life; Second, the mainte-
nance of the authority of the hierarchy,
which is her vital organization F.; third, her
free action on the souls of men by the
Word of God and the Sacraments, which
action is the condition Of her growth. To
Church herself. Now, it needs but a glance
ut the state of the world to be convinced
that against each and all of them assaults
are now daily made, which, for their dura-
ton, their continuity, their extent, and
their variety, are not surpassed in all the
blood stained annals of persecution.
What assaults are daily made against the
Church, what forces are employed against
her, they then point ont. Amongst these
are secret societies, which work, even in Ire.
land, against Christianity through the Ma
sonic order, (which is abetted by those who
ought to discourage TIA quiet remind.
er to thePrince of Wales, who shortly is to
land. Moreover, there are the Materialists
and their agents in the Press, against both
of whom the Bishops utter solemn warn
ings.
No doubt, not now for the first time in
the worlds history, has tho fool said in his
heart, there is no God nor now for the
first time has the materiaiist found in his
unbelief o reason why he should rush on
sensual pleasures. But never before has
infidolity been found so thoroughly organ
lied, 80 aggressive, 30 powerful to destroy.
II neglects no channel by which anti
Christian influences can be made to reach |
mems souls. 1t is master of the Press. In
the newspapers which lie even upon the
tables of Catholics, in the periodicals edit
ed by intidels, which have free circulation,
in the works of fiction wherein they seek
sheir pleasure, in the landlords which
popularize the discoveries of science, and
n tho learned treatises which are the boast
Of universities its baleful forces are con-
'tantly ut work; now subtly impregnating
mons minds with dislike of creeds, now
faith at q blow, and now again
tapping it, by undermining the natural
truths upon which the Christian demon
'tration rests. 1t assumes to be the dicta-
or of the physical sciences; and its apos-
les, though they superciliously disdaiu
wen the bare knowledge of what Revela- =
ion teachea concerning the origin and Il.
proclaim to the youth, who obeying the !;
naterlalist tendencies of the age, throng !,
n eager crowds to their schools, that faith .
annot be reconciled with science. 1t aims =
t political power and, when it secures it, =
pposes an iron barrier to all legislation, 4
owever just, which might seem to favor
he religious interests of the people, while =
!, forces upon millions of believers social a
lstitutions based on principles condemned
Y tho Christion faith.
They eloqueDtly rcpel the bascless accu- -
'ton which is offered in justification of i.
10 persecution that it is protest against :,
and Ultramontanism,' remind I.
g thcir children that the earlier pcrsccu- y
RS of the Christian Church, such as De- .
us, were described by Cyprian as "haters a
the Priests of God.'' In q magnificent al
urinary of the situation in Italy, Germa- i
7, Spain and Switzerland, they take sub u
antially tue same ground as the Holy Fa- Ct {,
er, in his AllocutOn. After Offering their -
mpathy to the prelates and religious or -
'rs persecnted in these countries, they &c
ntiuue: sR
"a third phase of persecution remains, IN
hich, while it invariably accompanies the ".
zen assaults upon the Christian faith and nj
e vio!ent usurpation of ecclesiastical au- 81
GRITTY, of which we have hitherto spoken, aN
esents itself also in countries where oa
her nt the former methods might be held Gh
be impossible or inexpedient. The lead w
6 principle of this species of persecution ve
to weaken as much as possible the in pi
fence of the Catholic Church upon men, Gu
d by restricting her especially in her &C Pc
IN upon the family and in tho school, Jt
hich are the two chief elements of socie-
. To this principle we may trace as to
J source the entire system OF modern leg tr
alton on marriage and education" iu
Having pointed out the character of he
Ddern legislation against Christian mar ri
lge and the position of the Catholic de-
lurch ON the Education question, they he
ntinue: az
'On til" otho" hand, scith an uniformity W