The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-24
4 PLAIN AND PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION
on 4 NATTER OF ACCH INTEREST.

on 4 MATTER OF NCCH INTEREST.
| BISHOP OF ROCHESTER, on THE MoDERS
| PRIEST HUNTERS.
| The Waterfowl, N. Y. Catholic Times, pub
fishes the following synopsis of q sermon de.
| livered by Bishop Nc Q aaid, Of Rochester, re.
Gently.
On last Sunday tho Bishop of Rochester
! preached in his Cathedral o sermon which con
tanned remarks that more than his immediate
| listeners ought to hear. The sermon took over
an hour fer it's delivery, and NO more than an
imperfect synops's could be given in your
limited space.
The Bishop read the gospel of the Sunday, as
found in the eighth chapter OF St. Matthew
and then repeated the fourth verse as his tex !:
Aud Jeeus said to him See thou tell no man:
but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer tn
gift which Moses commanded for a testimonv
to them"
1t was the same Christ who chose poverty as
His portion, who lived with the poor aud sui.
fered with them, who told the man who want
Cd TO know what he should do to be saved to
sell his possessions and giving them TO the
poor, to follow Him, who sconrged the money
changers out of the temple, telling them they
bad made it den of thieves, who bade the
healed leper show himself to the priest and
oher the gift commanded by Moses. These are
thoughts suggested by the text which it may
be advantageous for you to hear and which I
propose to offer for your consideration. The
duty OF supporting the ministers Of religion is
epJoined by the dictates Of common sense and
common justice, without the need of divine
sanction yet it is consoling to have this sane
ton. In the very fret age Of the Church, At.
Paul enforced this only on the principle of
common justice when, writing to Timothy, he
declared that priesta who rule will deserve
double honor; for the Scripture saith: "Thou
shalt not muzz!e the OK that treadeth out the
corn" Aud, The iAoorer is worthy of his
hire" When Mary went up to the temple to
present the child Jesus, and TO be purified as
offerings of the poor pair Of turtle doves, or
two yourg pigeons. When Christ seut His
apostles and DIS pies TO carry the glad tdinps
OF salvation He told them 10 Garry neither
pufss, ror scrip, uor shoes" but in the house
which received them they should tarry "eat-
ing and drinking such things as they have {:
for tho lnborer is worthy OF mis- hire" There
are two classes in the CO immunity W no take ex-
ception to the right and becoming support of
the ministers of retig giou and ho see to cast
IL siur on priests.
THEY WOULD CLAIM JUSTIFICATION BY ABUSES
in the past, as though there could be anyth ing
human and natural, not hupernaturally and
dlv!ne!y preserved, that would not be liable to
abuse. The abuses began very early in the
CbuTcA,s history. Judas betrayed his Master,
| selling Him for thirty pieces of silver. Simon
MaG1s offered the apostles money as the price
OF holy gifts. May thy money perish with
| thee; because thou hast esteemed the gift OF
God to be purchased with money" said St.
| Peter. For one instance of abuse, aud iuordi.
|
| religion which the worst enemy may be able to
addnoe, will show you ninety nine examples
| OF diSinteEeStedHees, and of a generous self
Saor hoing spirit worthy of cur Master. draw
yoHr attention to this subject, because it is OF
| great consequence to mark with reproof two
| ways in which even Catholics often sin against
tho loyalty they owe their Church and her
| priests. They ain through ignorance more fre
quentIy than through malice. False impres
sioDs are made on the mind until it adopts
| them as admitted truths. The cuief cause OF
these erroneous notions is to be fourd in the
newspapers Catholics read. They read then
without the requisite knowledge to correct
| their false statements Catholics often say il
speaking OF Church affairs tn Europe what
| pity II IL that
IHE UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE
existing in many of those conntrics, makes th,
| c'ergy dependent on the annual budget of tax
es FOR their support and that of reliR Rop !" The,
read thnt IN France, in Germany, 10 Italy, The
governments nclnde in their necessary ex pendi
lures large sum Of money for religion This
they seem 70 think, is very unfair towards in
| hdeis and others, who are bhus made to pay il
! taxation for tho main tenanCe Of religious W or
snip NO one thinks Of going back in history
10 the time when these governments began tc
make such payments. They do not care tC
know the truth, for the intidel would lose or
invaluable argument against the Church if
truthiul account were placed before the peo
pie. SO the newspapersrepeat the stereotypsd
misrepresentation, and Catholics, like others
believe ns they read, so that the attack be not
SEainst positive dogma OF faith. ii tile do they
dream of what the truth in the matter really
is. These governments, at different per.odt
in the past, robbed the churches, monsS
teries and converts of their property, ss sacred
! ly theirs, as is the money or evidence of money
which any of you may have in bank, or secure
ly locked up in your iron safe ut home, ant
appropriated 1t to State nses under one ples
or another, as suited their eonveuienea, prom
istng TO pay annually to the robbed and de-
frauded c.erics suoh pittsnoe as they wer,
pleased to allow. And people would have then
be thankful for suoh fsvors with the ever i'm
pending threat of total withdrawal hanginI
over their heads. No Catholic in anyone o
| these European countries sees cause for graft
tude for the miserable stipend grudgiugly
doed ont to bis Church. That AMOUNT, snc
nVe times as much, is the Churchs right by
every title that secures possession to q man O