The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-03-21
Father Mueller's Catechisms.
New York Catholic Review J

rather Mueller Is rapidly Creating IoT ulm-
self reputation enviable as 1T Is likely to
be enduring. The works to which his name 10
attached, are emiuently qnahhed to instruct
and interest the great mass OF his fellow-Catn-
olics on subjects that are every day discussed,
that constitute vital points of Catholic faith
and practice, yet about which the general
knowledge is apt to be hazy, loose aud mac
cnrate. AS an instance, may be mentioned
that important work pablshed last ear, The
Holy Sacrihc-Pf the Mass" which has not IT'S
fellow in the English language; and it speaks
well for Cat holic taste aud piety as for the
excellence of the work itself, TO know that IT
has already run through three editions. Father
MuelleI's latest fort has been TO improve on
the Catechsms of Christian Doctrine, already
in use in onr schools; and the result is the
series of Catechisms now before US: No. L.
" For Beginners :" No. ii. g. For Parocbial and
Sunday Schools; - No. Ill. For the Family
aud More Advanced Students in Schools and
Colleges" The ground work of all is the same
the Catholic doctrine is, of COURSE the same in
all the only and the chief change consists in
enlsrging on the subject matter, 80 as to meet
and satisfy the growing inquiries OF muturer
age and ripenipg intellect.
The advantages of this plan are evident on
the face of it. As the child grows into youth
and up to manhood, his faculties expand. He
reasons MORE he doubts more, he inquiries more.
What as q child he took on faith, he now by
the very force of growth begins, if not to call
in question, to satisfy himself upon, where be-
fore he was satisfied by what Others told him.
This, of course, was met by books of instruc-
ton, by sermons, by the advice of bis con-
fessor, by conversation with pious and intel
lectual friends. But what an aid is it to fiod
q child grow with him I He Gnds the points
that occur to him generally anticipated, the
objections of heretics and infdels that hustle
around him met and irresssibly confuted.
This, we take it, is in brief the aim and design
of the present series of catechisms.
We take the third of the series, that For
the Family aud more advanced Students" as a
base for our remarks There is an excellent
| ;a,, Ia
careful reading. The chief value of this book
is its enlargement on " hat has gone before, its
careful irqrring into the mass of objections
advanced every day against the faith, Its COM
| plete rtfutation, put in such manner to
| be within the cou preheusiOR of the average
intellect, of the h-resirs and pretensions OF
Protestantlsll, aud its chapters on ST. Peter
I and The 1nfalfTbiIffy of the Pope. Indeed, in
these chapters Father Mueller had, it were,
anticipated the ,vety-- controversy that MIR.
/ Gladstone has SO recently raised.
In these days when there is so much vaunt
| ing. especially in this country, of the wonder
ful advance of education, education is apt TO
assume a very low meaning. The air is thick
with the scrapings and psrings of kLo Wedge.
something hard to be attained, to be labored
for. 1t is the food of the mid, to be earned
like the food of the body, by the sweat of
mans broT. We are rapidly losing eight of
this fact, when every one whO can read and
| write assumes the position of teacher; when
every newspaper writer has become infslli-
| bile expounder of the Law and the Prophets.
| Not 1 mo ledge, but the refuse of knowledge is
in the air, rendering it impure and nnwhole-
some. Our children breathe in it at their
| birth; ourselves have been breathing it
| all our lives. While doing all we to clear
| the atmosphere permanently, We must at the
| same time make provision TOR our daily lives
We must btg at the beginning: the
| seeds of truth in the miads of children before
| the soil has become hardened, and moral cul-
tivation almost hopeless, labor. This is our
meaning in claiming religious education for
our children, not doing it out by the half hour
II week, but by bringing them mp in re j.
gious atmosphere. This malaria of irreli gious-
uess OF false and scauty knowledge in which
we live and move it is, that calls for just such
books as Father Mueller is giving us books in
which every Catholic may tind tue weapons for
the attack on the enemy, and the armor for the
defence of his Church and fairn.
The third lesson, "St. Peter the Head of
ChIist's Church." Is an adnira BILE instance of
! what we are saying. 1t Is a full and clear ex-
position OF the authority confer red ON the
| Chief of the Apostles of Christ, built on the
Scriptures and engthened by the authority
of the Fathers of the Church from the begin
ming, their opinions being very adroitly thrown
into the form of questions, as not to over
burden the memory of the pupil. The same
course of treatment prevails wherever peces-
sary as in the lesson folio wing, the "InfalI
bility of the Pope" Indeed, every chapter of
this excellent buck exhibits strong common
sense to grasp difficulties fully, and explain
them thoroughly and in the briefest form; a
true knowledge and comprehension of the sub
lect in hand" Il familiar explanation of the
Christian octrne"-that allows nothing ma
terlal to escape, aud no important point open
| to mlsconception demonstration of any
kind; profound learning that at every turn
brings the great Christian Doctors and Fathers
of the Church. as we'll as the Sacred Writings
TO bear with an accumulation of evidence, and
Hood of light that is of lasting service, not
only to those who are learning catechism, but
even to the great body of teachers in the
highest sonse. All this, it is needless to saw.
very much enlvens what used to be- notwith.
stand ing its Importance, rather dry work the
learning of catechsm. Those preparing for
confession and communion will scarcely need
better gnide than this book, while to each
number Is appended short but excellent form
OF morning and evening prayer, devotions at
mass, at confession and communion etc For
u family book, for those thrown in daily con-
tact with Protestants, for men and women who
wish to be thoroughly instruct ed in their faith
IT'S meaning and its practices, in what t. ey are
called upon to do and avoid in every condition
IN llfe, even in preparation for the married
state as for death, we know of no book thar
cnnIu he better accommodated than this cate
ch'sm of Father Mueller, aud none that i, so
hkeiy to satisfy the requirements of every one.
while our nou-CathOlc frjeuAs, who know so
much more about us and understand us more
thoroughly than We do ourselves wonlG not
Themselves nv raki