The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-10-07
BISHOP GIBBONS ON THE NECESSITY OF
CATHOLIC UNION.

| SA1HOL4C CN1ON.
At tho end Of lsst month delegates repre-.
| sentfng some 500 societies of Catholic Irishmen
numbering from GO 600 to 20 GOO men, scattered
! over the Union, met in Convention in Rich.
mond, Va. The Right Rev. Bishop Gibbons
delivered an address full, as his addresses
always are, of sound, practical advice. We tnks
the following extracts:'
| Dearly Belored Delegatcs-In the name of the
| citIzehs of Richmond, in the name of the Cath
olio community, and in NY own name, 1 tender
you q warm welcome. Yoor beautiful organi-
sation manifests itself before me as q fittip z
type of the unity and catholicity of the fsitn
which You ali profess. You are q type of its
unity for you are " careful to keep the unity
of tho spirit in the bond Of peace, one body
and one spirit, as yon are called in the one
hope of your vocation, one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father Of ALL" A type
cf its catholicify; for see you assembled be-
fore me from various and remote sectionsSof
our common country. You are come from the
North, and from the South, and from the East,
and from the far West, blending in one COM
mon cause your varied talents and induetries.
THE NEED OF LAY co OPERATION.
AS children of the same mother You have
solemn uatles to discharge. The energies OF
the Bishops and clergy are taxed to the fullest
e1tent. The duty devofves upon MS not only
of mioistering to the spiritual wants of the
flock, but also of administering the temporaIi-
tics Of the Church. We are obliged to solicit
funds for the construction Of churches, schools
and asylums and are held responsible for their
payment. And it speaks we'll for the financial
administration of our hierarchy that, though
they are charged with the maintenance of
nearly $60.000000 worth Of property, the
forced sale of a chpych for debt among US il
not only rare. but almost unprecedented
We need your cooperation. Without you
we can do little OR nothing. We clergy and
you people have the same interests. We stand
or fail together. We serve the same God, are
children of the same mother, and heirs of The
same kingdom.
Cooperate with Us, first by obeyinR the
Church with fiial devotion. She is the witness
of truth the organ Of the Holy Ghost the |
represen tativ. of Hin who has said " He " ho !
heareth you, hesreth Ne"
ID. Take on active. personal, vital interest !
in all that concerns the welfare of your Spir- |
iJuai Motner, Rejoice in her prosperity. Grieve |
at any sdversity that may befall her. Say |
Jerusalem, lot my right hand be forgotten.
Let my topgue cleave to the roof of my mouth |
if do not remember Thee, and pluce Thee
also IN the beginning OF my ways"
UNITY NEEDED.
welcome you as brothers of the same 30
ciety. 1t is difficult to over>e6timate the good
which may be accomplished by an Association
like yours when it strictly keeps within the
limits permitted by it's rules and constitution.
1t is evident that o greater amount of work
can be accomplished by an organized tody of |
men than 10y Individuals who labor without
any concert of action. Union is strength in
LDS puyblCBl moral ana religious world.
Take drop of water. How weak and
po werless il is as it moves OF the palm of the
hand. But let millions of drops be united
ogether and directed to the same object, and
heir force is irresistible. Look ut the mighty {
dississj ppi as il flows from its rock bound
,averns TO the Gulf of Mexico. See how it {
wells as it advances. Every tributary stream |
Increases its Volume and haSteps its motiun. | 6
t bears ON it's breast the treasures of our i
Western prairies. SO with you. As individ- | a
lals your po" or is curcumecrlbed. Bat united !
sgether you are irresistlble in your force, and {
Will bear untold biessiDss to many an aching Q
cart.
But sometimes the Mississippi over-leaps its |
aturat boundaries. IL bursts it's leveeB and /
Ands which it overdows. 50 with you. If v
on transgress the boundaries 6xed by your v
oustitution, you will waste your energies and v
ecome powerful for evil rather than for good. b
dhere, then, to the letter and spirit of your a
onstitution. Il
Follow tho maxim of Father of the O
hurch : In essentials let there be unity; in
pen questions, liberty 10 ell thing oh srICy.
beseech You that you walk worthy of the "
ocatioD ia which you are called with pa II
ence supporting one another in charity; al
lrefnl to keep the unity of the spirit in the ci
Ond of peace, one body, and one spirit, as you in
re called in one-hOpe of yoar vocation. One &C
ord, one faith, one baptism, one God and I
ather of oil, who 10 above all, and through v
j, and in us ALL" You should lovo one sn. b:
her because you are Incorporated, Gays the "a
postle in the mystical body of the Church, ul
ia are also metn Defs OF the same organization OF
raw a comparison from the affection and sy nl- A
SLby which the members of the human body | W
I'VE for one another. ar
You should love one another because your us
,ciety has one aim and one objsct-the tenn II
,ral and spiritual sdvancement of your al
You should all be Ruma- pe
by the same spirit. vi
You should love one another becaose you all tn
ssess the same faith, There is not q single Ru
ticle of the creed professed by one that is Ii
It Professed by all. The same WateCs Of bap- Ia
I'm were poured on your infant heads; the ct
me- sAcraments of confirmation, eucharist, .
nance, extreme uncticn, etc. Igo