The sun., 1894-12-02
EDUCATION OF THE RoMANCLERGI
A Sensational Call 60 tho Church fron the
United States-Address at the Brussels
Congress by Father Zahm OF Indians.

Congress by Father Zahn OF Iadians.
ROME, Nov. 12.-This speech was delivered at
tho last scientific congress at Brussels by the
Rev. Father Zahm Of the Congregation of the
Fathers Of the Cross, professor In the Univer-
sity OF Indiana In the United States. 1t was
hailed by all intelligent minds as a programme
blessed and approved by Leo XIII. echo
OF his sovereign thought. 1t is from the United
States It is from that progressive Church, seek
ing for q new ecclesiastical type, that come to
words Of reform, of light, and Of power II 10
from those shores that comes to us the
incitement to serious and arduOus studies. to
the high culture which Is to place halo on the
brow Of the clergy and consecrate 1t as tho
guide Of period rather bcclouded than hostile
to the divine ideal. Therefore Leo KILL, We
are assured, listened to the message with Joy
and eagerly received this pilgrim Of sacred
science. Is 1t not he who. never hinching,
has always greeted with Joy the alliance
of faith aud science, of Church and thought2
Is 1t not he who has proclaimed that the higher
synthesis of the things of heaven and earth was
a kind OF sacrament that was TO purify, elevate,
enlarge, and consolidate the new currents of
civilizations 1t is with an outburst Of gratitude
that Europeans bless these reformers from be-
yond the Atlantic. who. like tho Lombard or
Saxon sages of Charlcmagne's time. dream OF
reconCiling two worlds. OF moulding q new So
ciety, and of preparing something like revival
OF that eighth century, the crown and fulfil
ment of long life OF labors and hopes.
In his speech. In fact, Prof. Zahm knts to-
gether once more the chain OF the glorious and
fruitful traditions OF the MEDIEVAL doctors with
the intellectual aspirations OF our century. IL
is n manifesto. II he has struck responsive
chord in the souls of tho elect, II Is because he
has well expressed great desires which arc COM
mon to many. At all times the Church. faithful
to the golden words OF ST. Vincent OF Lerins
has renewed her scientific methods, Just as she
has brought her social political. and
religious action to bear upon each century,
In accordance with the conditions and needs OF
each period. This stationary bclng-as her ad-
versarles call her-this immutnble. this eternal
Church. knows the secret springs of human ac-
tivity. Platonic with the AleAandrians, Greek
with st. Augustine and the fathers, Aristotelian
with the Intellectual giants OF the middle ages,
humanistic with the renaissance, and literary In
the seventeenth century. the Spouse of Christ
has always utilized the tendencies Of the higher
science. and applied the scientific gains OF every
period 10 her divine trust.
rhe cause of tbs inferiority OF clerical educa-
tion to-day, what dealens our efforts, what stops
our forward progress, is that the intellectual
horizon Of the sem nnries has not been widened.
seminary has charm and II grandeur which
the mos most ardent innqy"tors cannot deny; IT was
tshished at d moment when, after all It's con-
qnesi were made, Catholicism had created an
wns enough to preserve. This education treated
The priest as, the guardian OF worship, as the
Church, When the age age had belief. the S, once ho
OF the apostle and OF the minister took
piety, know ledge, pure anu simple, too compIets
a separation arom the world, retirement, abso-
seminary which sent out The most marked and
any rate insufficient IN our day. We no longer
by contradictory ideas, which are Struggling for
the control of mems souls. When society bears
aspirations, the priest Is no longer merely the
guardian Of worship and the preseryer OF the
he is the apostle and the dissemnator OF the
truth. He must have knowledge and power.
in II whatever is right and good, follow The cur
rent OF Ideas and remember The peculiarlties Of
with men, great ana small act upon them ae-
cording 10 the circumstances Of the country and
OF tho time; such Is the need. This need. like
all others must create its organs. How could il
DC possible then, 70 keep cnnhned in a world Of
tionsr II would he 10 stop in the graveyards
o. the past and weep over these degenerate
such as IL is, which II is the mission OF the
clergy % teach, 10 turn TO God, and 10 direct
embrace deserted AllRrs, careless OF leading TO
SnsIn %nd ne nc 1adiheTent anu t2dghtisss crowd
That is what all true men say ia undertones
Bnt that Is also what few men dare cry out in the
HlATAet place. ~ lnOAs rs though We longer
possess the proud spirit OF former tunes the
faculty OF growing young, the power OF renewal
O4Iy too right are they who impute 10 US the
spirit ~ Routine, We confuse With more
seli-satlstaction than correctness tradition
win stagnatiOn. what is absolute with what is
HHHniy relative, tho divine trast with methods.
Ne are cowaIdly and lose faith ia ourselves
Ihsre + something indescribAbly touching and
palhIulb sad Ia observing this sloicAl holding
10 worn-out forms, when Everything ailout US is
moving ana chHnging No attempt tn reform
no impulse toward new action. We languidly
await a. the doors OF the temple that the crowd
S Colie 70 y OF us own accord. Only il does not
CONE lhe saints and FefOrmers uf the periods
ot transition would thrill with indignRtion In
the me presence OF this conservatism, which Is
That Is Why wish 10 call attention 70 the
sIeeeh and the pamphlet Of Father Iahm. An
eiIlheht member OF that group Of miads which
aiGi me woIk or Leo Alll.; he attests ina It his
talth' ms intelligence. aud his courage. II II the
ntoh9;. may almcst say, n l. the mission, ~
the hlted states to produce such men and 10
give US such lessons. When these enlightened
ihnoN AtOrs; lnnOyatOrs after the pattern OF the
l1theTs and the dOC tors. have received encOur-
sss91tiasnt rom Rome, they are guides. Lat "
'OH0" lheW- lSEONISATo.