The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-18
aernlng Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY JUNE 10 le'o'
CENTENNIAL ADDRESS
TO THE
CATHOLICS OF THE UNITED STATES.
REV. F. x. wENINGER, D. D.,
MISSIONARY OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
Delivered at the Meeting Of the Delegates Of the
Roman Catholic Central Society, at Phila-
delphia, on Whit-Monday, 1876.
New York Catholic Review.l
nrssroNARY oR THE socIETY or JesUs.

nhis on whit Monday, June S. AS the
delegates are Germans, the speaker used
their language; but, ss the address ls
Centennial one, concerning the Catholcs OF
lated into English, and we have great
pleasure in laying it before our readers:
G.nfle,nen of tho Catholic Central Assooidtion-
1t In now tWenty-one years since the Catholic
Central Association assent bled on Pentecost for
. General Conference. My vocation as mis-
&opary has hitherto always occupied me else-
where The celebration of the Centennial of
the Independence Of the United States of
oided me to yield to the gratifying invitation
of your Executive Committee, to be with you
on the present occasion.
The Independence of the United States has a
great and important significance for the Church
in general, but especially for Us Catholics, who
have sought and found here new home.
Besides it's general interest, the great histo-
rical event which the United States now cele
brates has an important one to myself
It has been my lot to pass one-halt of my life
in Europe, mostly in universities, lycenms and
colleges occupied in instruction. In later
years, however, turned my attention to the
missions. The arrogance of bureaucracy, which
dominates across the Atlantic, is wei! known;
and felt myself frequently bound hand and
foot in my movements, by its constraint l
longed for land where, free as an eagle l
could soar wherever my soul desired, in order
to promote the kingdom of God. This land l
found. 1t was America!
felt in Europe, to illustrate my thought,
like one embarked on 8 shallow yet rapid
stream even in danger of being driven back
by the power of q contrary current. 1 longed
to 6nd deeper, more favorable channel.
desired to hear the signal CRY: - No bottomP
This depth found, here in America!
On this 1 have now sailed for
twenty-eght years-almost a third OF the
period of American Independence. Hence it
seemed to me that. among foreigners. was en-:
titled to be present here during the Centennial
celebration, and to celebrate in your midst this
important epoch. l thought that my words
would have wider effect ON snGh an occasion
and trust it will be 30 if you listen with at
tention and sympathy to what have to say to
you, or rather to all the Catholics Of the
country.
to the following questions:
First. In what special relation does the
Church stand to Americaf
Second. In what epeciGl relation de we Ca
tholics in America stand TO the Church
Third. What is the special position and task
of the Catholic Central Association in regard to
thisf
1t is not without purpose that emphasize
the word In what special relation does the
Catholic Church stand to America; for in
general relations America and all other coun-
tries stand alike.
Christ sent His Apostles over the whole world
to preach His Gospel to the farthest boundaries
of the earth. Through them and their succes-
the word of salvation to be made
known to all people. No sooner was the ex-
treme northern portion of America discovered
and inhabited than the Mother Church turned
her eyes upon it. The proofs of this are the
churches and the Episcopal See of Greenland,
whose foundations date far back towards the
earliest centuries of Christianity. And no sooner
had theory of "LAND!" resounded from the mast
head of the ship of Columbus. than that great
hero. the first European who placed foot upon
the American shores of the New World, raised
the Cross with his own hand and the Church
by her missionaries, spread the kingdom of
Christ on the soil of the newly discovered con-
tipent.
For considerable time. all the Europeans
who stepped upon American ground, were
children of the Catholic Church. The name
itself which the vast extent of country bears,
is that of Catholic. This is not the case with
the other portions of the world, and Ia it would
seem to lie an augury that America is that part
of the world in which n grand and most i'm
portant future is destined for the Catholic
Church, and this at an epoch when Time is in-
cl1ning to its end. 1t is from America that the
sun daily goes down towards the night of Time.
This alluslon may to some perhaps sound at
first only like poetic fancy; but when we are
acquainted with the typical symbolic
character of the harmonious scheme of saliva
tion, and have studied the remarks of the holy
Fathers on the snbject, then this Allusion pre-
sents to our mind not only poetic PICTURE but
an earnest, deep and mighty truth.
The human race, from its very cradle in Asia
has always advanced with q growing distinct
ness and with increasing Influence on the fate
of nations, towards the West. 1t is still more
noticeable that culture too, civilization and
education, have taken the same course.
1t was not the Chinese, the Persisns, nor the
Japanese who left to posterity acquisitions in
but the Greeks and Romans, who arrived at the
culminating point of purely human civilization.
There is another fact still more remarkable,
and yet better calculated to efucidate my asser-
tion. When the Apostles separated to go over
the whole earth, the two principal among them
went to the West. {.
St. James, too, went westward, accompanied
by Lazarus, Martha and Magdalene, whom the
Gospel mentions so often as being honorea with
the especial friendship of our Lord.
st. Peter founded in the West the Apostolic
See. There the Vicar of Christ, the Head OF
the Church, was to have his throne.
According to the tradition and revelations o
Saints the dying gaze of the crucifed Saviour
was turned towards the West. Towards thi:
hemisphere His arms were longlngly stretched
out, and as he assembled to heaven, he stood
turned towards the West, as the Footprint
show which are yet to be seen upon Noun
Olivet
1t was in the West that the Church first tool
permanent root, blossomed and brought fortl
fruit, until the cross beamed in triumph from
the throne of the Roman Empire. After this
the history of Christianity becomes the histor!
cf Europe as we'll, And, finally, the countr!
which lies most westerly, Ireland, ia the lanC