The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-01
YORK OF LAYMEN IN THE CHURCH.

I" To work, then ito work. These
words were used by our Holy Father in a
late address to a late delegation of Roman
or italian clergy, who had called upon him.
These words ofappeal to renewed exertious
on behalf of the clergy from the Holy Fa-
Their were inspired by the disbolical fruits
which the activity of the enemies of God, of
religion, of human souls, developed every
where around them on Italian soil through
q Thousand iusidious means. In view of
such facts he calls upon the priests to re-
newed exertione, to constant watchfuness
and ceaseless work, that their little ones
especially, may not be scandallzed and Sc
duced. He urges them to call to their aid
every proper means and every posi- BILE as
sistance which may DO iced To defeat the
malignity of the enemy, especially he names
pOus and well-instructed iaymen, who by
proper direction could greatly aid the
clergy in the great work of the salvation of
souls.
The wOrds of the Holy Father are not
only intended for the clergy of Italy but
for those of the Universal Church, and to
no country in the world would they be
more pertinent than to this, particularly
the last advice, the making use of pious
lsymen to aid the anOinted ministers of
God in reaping and securing the fruit of
their labors-the harvest of the Lord.
In a country like this, in which priests
are SO comparatively scarce, and missions
area, the advice of the Holy Father, as to
the use of pious laymen, would seem to be
absolutely necessary in the great scheme of
the salvation of souls. There are many
reasons which loudly proclaim this in the
present order of things, and the fruit of it's
neglect is little less than appalling as re-
CARDS the foes of souls to the Church. The
simple fact that the surroundings of iso-
lated Catholics in country places are entire
ly Antagonistic to their religion, is of itself
perilous, even did they have tho active aid
of religion but when we consider that
added to this that, in the pest especially,
they seldom saw priest, that many wore
and are poorly instructed and had, or have
no Catholic associations or organizations to
keep alive in their hearts the active fruits
of religion, can we wonder that so many
thousand Of their children around us are
without faith or true religion. 1t is no.
ticeRble fact that Catholics reared in coun-
stationed are almost alwAyB more careless
as regards their religious obligations than
those who live in cities. This arises from
the fact that on many Sundays, having no
Mass to attend, their sense of it's obligation
becomes weakened. 1t is especially in such
cases and such places rs this that the advice
of the Holy Father as to the necessity of
pious lsymen being called upon and direct
ed to assist the priesthood comes in. II,
wherever there is church and no priest
| the people, the faithful, would be taught
and instructed to gather every Sunday and
perform some piOus exercises laid down by
priest or Ordinary of the Diocese, and
| under she direction of como " pious lay
men," tho habit as we'll as the spirit and
obligation of religion would be preserved