The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-07


that, in him exposed to the eyes of all, he ma.
present the noblest and grandest spectacl
! that was ever offered to the admiration O
mankind.
The Church is outraged and prosecuted /,
the person of her children, everywhere b,
hidden prosecutions, and in many places b,
open prosecutions. Without mentioning thos
bloody persecutions, which send martyrs t.
heaven, in China, in Corea, and other barbar
GUS countries, you know what our brother
have to suffer in Germany, in Switzerland, il
Italy, and even in the New World, in Mexico
aud Brazil, We see bishops and priests impris
oned for having preferred to obey God rather
than men religious and nuns spoliated ant
| banshed for having devoted themselves to allie
viate the spiritual and corporal mseries ofthei
brethren; the faithful themselves driven by
| all kinds of vexations to schsm VI hich they
| abhor and which they resist with an irwin
chile courage, that excites our admiration
| whilst their suferin GO inspire US with lively
and tender compassion.
And as we are obliged to acknowledge that
the adorers of Satan often sho more zeal for
the glory of this cursed master, than we do
for the glory Of our Divine Master, see with
what perseverance all these precursors of the
Antichrist spare neither labor, nor pains, nor
fatigues, nor money, to reach their criminal
end see with what obstinacy they endeaver
by their infdei newspapers and lying pamph,
lets, by their impious and obscene books, to
spread everywhere the poison of error and
contagiop of vice.
If we lower our eyes on objects of an in
ferior order, we see nothing likewise bat sub
jects of afliction. Almost everywhere, human
societies are exposed to disorders, trout les
imminent revolutions and threats of anarchy
Men, throwing away all religion, have no
other rule of conduct than their PRIDE cupid
ity, and sensual appetites. Hence interminable
struggles between capital and labor, between
the rich who envelopes himself in his sci fish
ness, and the poor, who having no hope be-
You'd this life, contemplates in others with an
eye OF envy and feeling of hatred the well
being of which he is himself deprived.
Aud if we look nearer around us we see our
poor bleeding country, bending nnder the
weight of tho efforts which are made to pre-.
cipitate its DOWNFALL and consummate it's
utter ruin: and to the evils which come from
men we must join those which come to us
directly from God. You have not forgotten
hat frightful inundation which last year de-
7astated portion of our country, and reduced
% misery 30 many families whose distress we
law with our own eyes, whose lamentations
IRE still resembling in our ears and heart, and |
whose sufferings we cannot alleviate as we de-
ire.
But what fills to the very brink the measure
# our grief, dearly beloved Brethren, is that
ven amongst Catholics, too many appear in
70 %Io
the country, or even seem to strive by
ruly pagan conduct, to provoke the wrath of
ne Lord, and draw new misfortunes upon as,
8 if those by which we are overwhelmed were
OF sufficient.
How many men, whom we still consider as
nr children, since they have not abiured their
nth, neglect the most sacred duties of reli-
ion, on trage the Lord by habits of bIasphemy
Id the PROCLAMATION of the Lords day, and
oandon themselves to debauchery, drunken
ass, and other pu bic or secret disorders How
any women who still call tn mse YES Catholic.
lameiess1y display most extravagantluxury,
hich might have been understood, thou Oh not
stfed in the time of our ancient prosperity
1t which to-day is an open defiance against
@ justice OF God, and an insult to public
lsery 7 How many are they who, abandoning
emselves with frenzy to pleasures always ,
'ngerous, frequently criminal, and always
silly, complete by their ligbtness, frivolity =,
ID extravaganza the ruin of their families, to :.
n'ch they should have, on the contrary, en-
aVored to bring back comfort and we'll being
laborious, economical, moderate and truly
tristan lifei How can we hope that God y
IL look down upon us with an eye of mercy9 ~
on, at least, beloved Brethren, you who de. -
re with us these scandals, you who have u
'serVed the fear of God and the love of our
VIour, endeavor to atone to the Justice of '"
for yourselves and for others, in mnltiply- 30
your works of penance and modification, TO
devoting yourselves to the works of religion Oh
charity, by improving in piety, fervor and :.
i for prayer. If God has left you some COM IN
ency' sanctify your prayers by alms deeds an
he sacrifice of what may be superfluous We
relieve the misery of the poor who are s''
und you, and whose number is increas;no Pc
~ day. If you are yourselves poor, accent en-
trial from the hand of God with submits
\