The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-14
CONVENTION OF CATHOLIC GERMAN
SOCIETIES..
FIFTY THOUSAND MEN REPRESENTED
Splendid Address of Bishop Mcauaid.
From the Cincinnati Telegraph, June 4,h

8 Last week the Catholic German Uniol
sheld its annual meeting at Rochester, New
York. 1t surpassed in numbers all forme
reunions of the Catholic Germans, ach,
knotc so acelL hoio to unite to protect thei
rights aud advance their interests. The
proceedings were enthusiastically Catholic
The addresses glowed with devotion to the
Church, to the Holy Father, to the HER
arcby and priesthood of the United States
q The blessing of the Pope upon the Conven-
y ton was asked by telegram, and received
= before adjournment. Next year the Union
meets in this city. Then we expect to see
the beginning of what we have so long
desired-a union of these sturdy Catholics
Catholic societies of this city. This, il
done, will be a great stride toward a
"Catholic ~ Union of all natioualitios
throughout the whole land. 1t would be
an imperishable honor to the Catholics of
this city, whoso faith, like that of the
the country, if obey ~oEld lay next year
the first stone in tie foundation of this
e6iice of Catholic unity. During the
meeting at Rochester, Bishop McQuaid
appeared on the rostrum at the invivation
of the societies. He was received with
ringing applause, and, in return, delivered
the following pointed address:
Mr.. President, reverend gentlemen, and
honored delegates of the German Catholic
Convention. 1t gave me great pleasure
when I read that the city of Rochester.
over which / preside, as Bishop, was to be
the gathering place of the venerable and
important Convention of the German Cath
Ollie Association of the United States. in
the year of our Lord, 1874. 1t has given
me ten times more pleasure since / have
witnessed that which greeted my eyes yes
terday and to day. You are welcome, ten
thousand times welcome to our city of
Rochester, and we, the Catholic people of
the city, feel honored, feel proud to have
you in our midst. do not think that our
gathering here is for idle show. 1 think
that you are men of mind, OF business and of
family, men honest in your own beliefs and
convictions, and I d" not think that you
mean TO come to this city for mere parade
ef something of passing moment. 1 hold
that your assembling here proves that in
your own minds aud in Your own hearts
You feel that there is n work for you to do
for Your own welfare, for the honor of
Ghnae whom you represent and for the
welfare aud honor of your Church, aud for
the future welfare of this noble country, in
which you have made you home. 1 read in
this mornings paper of words spoken 10
THE hall yesterday morning. l read words
there that made my heart sick, because it
being here. and some needed to make an
apology. L read the words there which
made my heart JOY fol and caused me to
feel proud to come before you, the repre-
sentative men of $1,000 other men, and of
the delegates of this city, who represent
the 30 600 Catholics of Rochester. ask
an apology from no man. We are here by
no mans favor. We are here by the favor
of God and our country. We are here as
citizens of this great country; because we
chose to make our homes here. God
brought US over to this country, God gives
us the light and the air that we enjoy, and
we owe our place in this glorious country
to God and not to man and I who am
American born and know no other country, |
nor can claim another as my home, feel
that i have no more right to boast of my
American citizenship than any Irishman or
German who came here of his own accord |
and labored to make the country what it
is. Aud what man who views this subject
with an unprecedented mind will fail to con-
slider this question in the same way. 1t is
wrong to say that any man has the right of
by the favor of any other man.
the country was the Indian, but he has
passed away. Herein claim that we owe
apology to no one, aud, therefore, when
you gather here as the representatives of
the $4,000 members of the societies to
which you belong, when you come at the
request of 10000 Catholics of this city, it
strikes me as somewhat singular that an
apology should seem to be called for well
coming you to this city. I read also in this
mornings paper just what expected to
lSNt' WIS Stht TO KNOW tb8U thS herman |
Catholic Union had come to Rochester, for
know that the German Catholic Union
'epresents the strong, earnest, sincere and
Independent German Catholic men and
churches of these United States, and when
your honored president spoke to you yes
erday, and reminded you of the objects
which had called you together, I felt proud
IF the presence of the German Catholic I
delegates.
Your time, gentlemen, know is pre-
'ious, but you will permit me to make
ome remarks which deem of Importance, I
md know you will hear them with some i
abstraction, as they come from bishop of {
our Church. wish to speak, also, as a 6
bishop. as man and as an American citi- t
en-. need not tell you, gentlemen, how '
have grown mp with the Church in this 8
ountry. l need not tell you how have d
cen its struggles in the city of New York, C
or how many contests the Church has '
ad to go through even in that city. And e
here has been a time when to be a Cath t
lie was to be something to be looked down O
pom and despised. From that day to d
his my heart has been in this work, and G
have not filtered in the nath that dntu q