The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-03-07
LENTEN PASTORAL.
OF Right Rev. Richard Gilmour,
Bishop of the Roman Catholic Do
cese of CLEVELAND.

Bishop of the Roman Catholic Do
cese of Cleveland.
We print below the Lenten address Of Bishop
Gilmour to the Roman Catholics of the Diocese of
Cleveland. The views of the Bishop on the school,
marriage, and other questions, viii be read with
particular interest:
RICHARD, by the grace of God and the appointment
of the Apostolic See, Bishop of Cleveland to the
Clergy, Religious and Laty of the diocese, health
and benedictiOn.
CHILDREN OF THE LAITY: With much anxiety
and grave apprehension did we, in obedience to the
viii of Rome, assume the chief pastorship of the
diocese OF Cleveland. The responsibilities of the
episcopacy on the one hand, and our conscious in
ability on the other were causes sufficient. But the
kindly welcome everywhere extended to US, your
earnest faith, and the wonderful progress religion
has made, have tended much to give Us hope and
rouse our courage. Twenty-Five years ago, when
our most worthy and hardworzing predecessor was
appointed first Bishop of Cleveland, there were but
few churches and fewer priests, whilst the Catholics
were but thiny scattered over the northern part of
the State. Now churches are everywhere; every
town and wayside station has its cross. Schools,
hospitals asylumes religious institutions tell their
own tale, and mark the sacrifices and living zeal of
bishop and priest, and the unbOunded Eberality of
the faithful. For all of which we thank God and
those who have created them.
Though much has been done, much remains to
be done; enemies are everywhere. Resistance to
law is the order of the day; revolution is triumphant
and under the guise of progress infidety and dis
obedience is the religion of the hour. Liberty,
which now means license, disorder, robbery, is in
every ones mouth, whilst God and truth are for
gotten. The Holy Father is prisoner; the Church
prosecuted and robbed, and her authority defed.
Society is fast accepting the old Pagan doctrine
that the the individual is for the State not theSate
for the individual. Under the specous plea of zeal
for education, unless make bold stand for our
rights, we shall soon see the child taken from the
parent and compulsory education inaugurated.
Few believe and fewer still care for religion The
Church cries aloud her warning note, but nobody
listens; whilst the devil goes on sowing the seeds
of ruin. We must be up and doing, and shoulder
to shoulder meet the enemy. Never was there q
time when Catholics needed unity more. or when
they had more dangerous enemy to meet; danger
GUS, because he comes as an angel of light
If we will hold our own amid this universal war
that is going on, we must be more united. There
must be less petty jealOusies amongst us, national
tiles must be made subordinate to religion, and
we must learn that we are Catholics first, and cit
Gems next. Cathoicity does not bring us in conflict
with the State, yet it teaches that God is above
man, and the Church above the State. To the
Church IS the representative of God, we owe
spiritual alliance, yet in all that does not conflict
with the law of God, we owe an unqualified obedi-
ence to the State.
The question of the day is no longer Catholicity
and Professionalism, but Catholicity and ratonalism
infdelty, which, under the cry of education,
ries on the war. Educate the man and you make
him good, say modern reformers. True, but the
word edncate has two meanings. In man there are
two powers to direct-the mind and the heart. For
getting that If you educate the head and forget the
heart you have but half performed your task, and
that without religion man cannot be moral The
modern would-be educators give indeed men intel
lectual power, but leave them Without the moral
training necessary to use it. Smartness to them is
everything; goodness, nothing. When you have
developed the intellectual powers, you have put In
to the hands of man dangerous weapon, much
like locomotive on railroad. The machinery is
powerful the boiler is strong, and the steam at the
proper gauge, and men exclaim what power! This
is what the education of the intellect glYes-poWer;
power for evil, power for good. Like the locomo-
tive that genius has created, education gives power
but cannot give skill to guide, any more than genius
that may create, can, without experience guide the
power il has created. Who would trust himself
aboard railroad car without g skilled hand to
human mind the most a powerful and intTieste OF Of
all machines, men insist that skill is not needed,
and that this machine can be run without guide.
Now what is this guide7 Religion ssys the Cath
ohc Church, religion, says experience, and religion,
begin to say the wiser men of the age. The Greeks
and Romans were highly educated, but they were
not moral: what of morality they had, came from
their religion. Pap9p though they were, they made
religion part of their education, and the better to
impress the laws OF their gods upon the citizen, /
they united priest and emperor in the Caesars.
At present we have nothing to hope from the (
State. Yet, must not therefore cease to insist
upon our rights, and if needs be, at the polls de-
mand them. Were Catholics alive and united on
the school question: were they to demand from ev-
cry man who asks their vote pledge that he would
vote for just share of the school fund.- legsla-
tors Woud learn to respect the Catholic vote, and
give us our Just rights. Catholics too timid, |
they seem to go upon the principle that if they are
tolerated they are doing well. This is mistake;
if we let our rights go by default, we should not |
our demands and present a bolder front to our /
enemies. 1t is unjust to so organize the public |
schools that we can not in conscience send our |
children to them, and then tax for their support
As well create State Church. and tax us for its /
support. The honesty of the American mind win /
no doubt in time see this, and give us our just de-
mands. But in the meantime what are we to do? /
Fold our arms and sit idle? Let our children grow
up in ignorance, and so be beaten in the race of /
life? Send them to the public schools where not /
only their faith will be endangered but their virtues
exposed? No. hundred timesno. We must build /
Catholic Schools everywhere, and at whatever cost
support and lift them up till they are equal to the
best. 1t is our solemn injunction and most posi-
tive command, that every church in the diocese /
have its school. Where congregation cannot at /
once build both church and school, let them build
the school house and wait for the church. There is
little danger Of the old losing their faith but there
is every danger that the young viii.
On the school question, there can be- and must be
division. Either we are Catholics we are not?
If we are Catholics, we must leave after a Cath
oic youth And experience has clearly proved this /
cannot be done unless the children are early taught
and daily taught that they are Catholics. We must
not sleep while our enemies working. Nor
must we forget that the public schools are organ
zed and managed, for and in, the interests of Prot
estanism.
We solemnly charge and most positively require
every Catholic in the diocese to support and send
his children to a Catholic School. When qood Cath
olic Schools exist, and where it may be honestly
said child VIII get fair, common school educa-
ton: if parents, either through contempt for the
priest or disregard for the laws of the Church, or
for triing and insufficient reasons, refuse to send
their children TO a Catholic School, then, in such
cases but in such only, we authorize confess
sors to refuse the sacraments 10 such parents, as
thus despise the laws of the Church, and disobey
the command of both priest and bishOp |
Parents sin, who in their pride send their child
ren to the public schools, because they think 1t is
more genteel to associate with Protestants than
with Catholics. No gentility will compensate for
their children. Catholics thus acting nave but lit
tie faith, and if against every warning, they win
thus preserve in thus wantonly and unWarrantably |
exposing their children to danger, they win render
themselves unworthy of the sacraments and they
need not wonder if they be denied them We can
not serve God and the devil In this age of inhdel-
every hand turned against us, must stand by our
faith mindful of what Christ has said: ''Whosoever
shall deny me before men, viii also deny him be-
fore my Father who is in heaven"
Let every church have well organized Sunday
school, and If possible library for the use of the
young. Thank God, Catholic books are not now
so scarce or DEAR but at moderate cost healthy
reading may be supplied for home and school. II
pastors will draw the attention of their hocks to
this, sure our ever-generous people will sup
ply the means the more SC, they and their children
peceiye the benefits.
we were much pleased on our visitation of the
diocese, TO the kindly feeling that almost every
where existed between the priest and the people,
and the zeal that animated ALL in the cause of God.
But we were panied to note in some places that
aymen failed to know their duty, and the rights of
The priests. There IS a false notion among some |
Of our people; they assume powers which they I
have not and undertake to do what they were never
appointed for.
Bishop is the only trustee in the diocese and in his
name ali property is held. Under no circumstances
viii we allow laymen 10 hold church property, or {
n any way control It. Titles 70 church property, =.
whether in the form of deeds land contracts shall
De made directly to the Bishop "hs heirs and as
,ignsn without qualification or condition. Nearly
m 4he troubles we hare noted in the diocese have