The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-30
A Catholic Union.

In another column will be found, copie,
from the Ercemaa's Journal, an account OF
recent meeting Of the New York Catholi
Union where the principal feature of tn
evening WA an address delivered by Cardi
nal McCloskey. After referring to the gen
eral system of annoyance and persecution
of the Church now in vogue and the loca
storm with which American Catholics arr
| threatened at home, the Cardinal, though
| counseling patience and charity in al
things, EXPORTED his hearers 70 the utmost
firmness in maintaining principle and right
He directed attention to what he evidently
selected as the peculiar point of danger and
of duty-the eGre Of tie children.
Here il your ssork, gentlemen of the
Catholic UnieB," he said.
The editor Of the Freesaaa's Journal in
forms us that the New York Catholic Union
has been moribUnd for . considerable time.
SO far as we know, the affection has been
epidemic; certainly New Orleans has not
escaped it. It Ia useless now to inquire into
the causes which paralyzsd our essay here
the wreck and commence over on different
footing.
In the first place, it 10 unnecessary for Us
to make rules and regulations for the whole
world. Such en- attempt lie, we think,
based on q misrepresentation of the meaning
of the Holy Father in urging the formation
of Catholic Unions. The phrase does not
bracing all the quarters of the world, but
may Just as we'll refer to an indefinite
number of Unions, each limited to its own
local sphere and having no organic bond of
connection with any other. There might,
indeed, be an advantage in some such con-
nection among Unions in one neighborhood,
by means of which they could act in con-
cert for getting up lectures or demonstra-
tions of nature equally interesting all the
societies. But for the purpose Of controlling
the separate action of each society, or of
carrying forward q concerted movement,
the propriety of organizing q central
authority might be very questionable.
Catholic societies cannot possibly sue
coed land very fortunately without the
hearty appreciation of the parish priest
As q general thing, he Lahore for his own
parish and its needs. If any exterior work
is to be forwarded, such as the collection of
funds for the Propagation of the Faith, he
wants to know all about it before endors-
ing it very enthusiastically. He does not
care about being dictated to by central
council of laymen, even though the Arch
bishop may preside over it occasionally. Is
the parish priest right in this2 We think he
is.
Therefore let a Catholic Union be organ
ICED which shall limit it's ambition to
parochial works. The grand work before
it, cut out already by Providence and in
dictated, as above, by the highest Church
dignitary of our country. is the work of
educating the children. Hear the Cardinal
more at length:
Show your zsst, your life, your devotion in
pcopagating, increasing, spreading Catholic
schools, aud in inveutiDg methods to protect
the faith of our Catholic children,
Do not be afraid of putting your hands in your
pockets. Suppose the State
taxes you for schools You cannot use, and that
schools that your cousciences approve.
Do it. Go to work at it bravely. God will
bless such efforts he will bless and prosper
yon for your sacrifices. He will bless you and
your children in this world, aud will give you
a rich reward in the world to come.
This advice is addressed to the Catholic
Union as such and to all Catholic gentle
men. 1t ia very we'll to have meetings aud
speeches and keep informed as to tho his
tory of current persecution. But the great
thing lie work, aud the great work is Cath
Ollie education, and the great book in which
to look for information tur the children is
the pocket book.
praShvferian conScianca