The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-02-17
ALL CATHOLICS SHOULD BE MINISTERS
OF THE GOSPEL.
Cincinnati Telegraph.

The Church of Christ WAS not intended
to be spread abroad over the face of the
world instautaneously and by miracle. It's
spread was to be a human work with a
divine mainspring and power. 'Men, not
angels" as DR.. Newman has very beauti-
fully shown, are the ministers of the Cos
pei. All Christians are in sense minis
ters of the Gospel, by their lives, their
words, their actions, their knowledge; and
all are bound to be this, or they are Sun
profitable servants"
We do not mean that the la.ty should
infringe on the sacred Office and duties of
the priesthood. The priesthood cannot be
everywhere and do everything. There are
hundreds of thousands of practical heathens
or unbelievers whom the clergy can never
reach, but whom the Catholic laity do reach, ,
whom they meet every day of their lives in
business or social relations. And who is to
give to theee the first knowledge of the
faith? No one, unless he who has it and
who comes in contact with them.
We do not mean, of course, that our
preachers of the Gospel. They can preach
the gospel very effectually without ever
opening their lips about religion. They
can show forth by their lives whose disci-
pies they are that is to say, they can lead
good Catholic lives just as we'll in the
is not thing for Catholics only; it is uni
vereal-fcr the whole world. 1t is not a
thing of the cloister merely, of the Church,
of the school, of the fireside. 1t must fer
ment a mans life; rule his thoughts, guide
his business affairs, just as much as his
prayers and aspirations for heaven. The
inner life must be reflected in the outer,
and manifest itself in the world indeed it
cannot help doing this.
There are days, however, when Catholics
must of necessity speak, and speak of their
religion. Their religion is challenged on
all sides, and it is just as much their duty
to defend it when challenged as for soldier
to uphold his flag. Men cannot escape
controversy in an age such as this is.
Catholics, Protestants, Infidels, Pagans
mingle together day by day; and the ques-
tion-the most vital of all questions-What
are you7 What do you believef must of
necessity constantly arise.
When thus challenged, what are Catho-
lies to dof Are they prepared to meet the
challenger Are they ready with an intel
ligent reason for what they believe Can
they inform intelligent men why they are
Catholics and nothing else2 Can they
reasonably defend their Church, it's general
teachings and practices when attacked If
they cannot do this, of what uee are they
rs ministers of the Gospel to those who do
not know itf
It requires no profound theological train
ing to be able to defend the Catholic Church
against ordinary opponents. The Church,
which lS the lllumlnAUOT, ana nOC1 as IaLSSly
said, the darkener of the intellect, has
provided means for this. She wants and
claims a reasonable SERVICE" and not that
of obedient brutes. The man who knows
his catechism thoroughly and understands
it, is very efficiently armed against all
assaults on points of doctrine. The cato
chism is the compendium of Catholic teach
ing, aud in these days there is no excuse
for Catholic not knowing the catechism.
In addition to this there are any number
of Catholic popular works of instruction
which are easy of comprehension and in
terestinR reading. The ordinary Catholic,
then, should first of all knot0 his catechism
and understand 1t. If he knows that he
will know very much more than most non
Catholics.
The catechism covers the doctrinal
teaching of the Church. But the Church is
not q mere embodiment of doctrine. 1t is
q human. divine society which stretches
back to Christ; and through him to the
beginning of the world. The Christian
Church, properly so called, begins, of
course, with Christ. This great society,
which has now been in existence for nearly
nineteen centuries, has history; and
those who belong to the society ought
surely to know it's history. The pages of
that history are the most wonderful, the
most picturesque, as we'll as the grandest
and Tnost ingDiripR in the world, There is