The morning call., 1890-08-05

breadth of the land, so that whenever ques-
tons arise which involve the interests and
constitutional rights of the Catholic people
they may be found shoulder to shoulder,
with one mind and one heart defending
the cause of justice and truth, with firm
determination to use every legitimate means
to secure the triumph of their cause,
But, at the same time, let 1t be well
understood that Catholic societies are not
bands of conspirators; they do not excite
rebellion, nor use violence or deceit to gain
their purpose. These arts are left 10 reyO-
lutiOniSts. Catholics need no weapons but
truth and justice. Harmony Of intelligence,
fraternal charity and submission TO the
church will make them serried battalions,
irresistible in all their attacks and victori-
Gus in all their conflicts. But Catholic So
cietieS, to be worthy of the name, must ne
cessarily be constituted and organized on
strictly Catholic principles; in other words,
they must rest on the firm basis Of Catholic
religion.
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES.
Moreover, Catholic societies have been
organized, as it were in elf-delenSe. We
all know that the oath of secrecy, blind
obedience to irresponsible leaders, aud
other false principles, both religious and
social, forming the basis of secret societies,
have long since provoked the well-deseryed
censuIes and condemnation of the church.
Excluded as all true Catholics necessarily
are from such bodies, they naturally lock
around for means Of protection and self
defense. The movement is inevitable;
and eminently just; hence it
should be encouraged by all who have at
heart the triumph of the church and the
welfare of her members. Our Catholics
should then band together, come to each
others assistance, and thus obtain that mu-
tual aid which is denied them by the other
social combinations of the day.
1.-The necessity of the paramount influence
of religion to insure stability and success
to a Catholic organization is a self-eyident
truth which calls for no proof at my hands
For it is an incontroyertible truth that there
can be no stable society without justice. no
justice without morality, no morality with
out religion and no religion without God.
This is the faith that you boldly and pub
ley profess on this day, and in the name
of the clergy and all your fellow Catholics
OF this State and country, offer you my
sincereSt congratulations. ProSpere, pro-
cede ct regnai
Young men of the institute, bear In mind
the idea of true Catholic society, which,
basing my reasoning on the authority of
the church, have attempted to outline to
you to the best Of my abilities. Remember
that you are not merely society or Catho-
lies, but Catholic society in the fullest
sense of the term, having one aim, one pur-
pose constantly in view, to further your
material temporal interests without forfeit
ing those that are spiritual and eternal.
Unless the light of heaven fell across your
pathway imDenetrable darkness Will gather
around you, and in the end, even though
your TO ndest hopes of worldly success shall
have been fulfilled, you will find yourselves
without God, without hope, without happi-
ness. without peace.
A GREAT CAUSE.
Yours is great cause. Bend all your
energies to it. We may not all live to see
the complete realization of our ideals, but
each one Of Us, priest or layman, must en-
deavor TO do something to help to bring il
about. Let our young men stand together
and work together in spirit of charity and
brotherhood under the guiding star of their
Christian faith, borrowing their vitality and
their strength directly from the channels of
the church's life. Let them march onward
under the two-fold standard of religion aud
patriotism, PRO Dec, pro Patra" of fidelity
to God and loyalty to their country, rem
dering Caesar the things that are Caesars
and to God the things that are
Gods. Let their patriotism be inspired
by the principles of Catholic faith, by the
firm conviction that submission to all law
full authority means OBJ dience to God him
self, from whom all legitimate power is de-
rived. For in the words Of st. Paul in his
epistle to the Romans, oh. xiii: There is
no power but from God, and those that are
are ordained of God. Therefore, he that re-
sisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of
God, and they that resist purchase to them
selves damnatiOn.'
with the blessing of heaven. which you
come here to invoke this morning, l trust
that your and our highest expectations shall
be completely realized, and then we may