The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-05-25
soNS d colu nus
AZ Address. by burke y
FsS1r.f 81

S5s!s Fort s,l,tt ayne. 81 M {zs;
On Tuesdas evening at Labor Temple
II 'IRpnrk 81 q axne, Ind. the
found r and firsts high admiral Of The
nerioan Sons Of Col nbus. spoke on
'organiz atIons. & under the auspices 81
the sioeal COLONY 81 y that order. John
Foley. president al the local colony. pre-
sided and the speaker 81 the evening
was introduced bSss Rev: ] !. NJ. Gleary,5
who recornmena ed the work fsthe Cath
Ollie orders as bengf1cial financially and
socially. Mr. q Ekourke explained how
the idea first canesto him to found q Sc;
5cret order within the Catholic Church
AT q gathering irs baltimore in 1889 he
heard . man whose identity he has
never learned, say that the way to CON
tend against the secret societies at va
rance with the church was to have Sc
scret societies among the Catholics them
selves. ri Flowing this idea he founded
the first colony at Fort Wayne in 1851,
but IT did not. get under way until the
next year He also founded the first
ladies' auxiliary of the order at the same
place, known as the Daughters Of Isabel
la. At frst,'' he said, the word secret
WaB Q stnhner &. 81, But that was soon
rendered less obnoxious by submitting
thing in the ritual and manage
nlent of the order. Ito the examination
and approval Of the resident bishop. Mr.
0'Rourke considers shat the principal
falling away from the church among the
young people Is caused by marriage with
persons Of differ mt faith, and the Amer
lean Sons of Columbus is meant to Of
fer Catholic young people opportunities
to: become acquainted and contract alli-,
ahces within the church. ..
In speaking of the choice of a name.
for his organization, Mr.. O'Ronrke said
he thought the; American Catholics
ought to do something for Columbus,
who was the first white American and
Catholic. He thought the Catholics
often not American enough. The Unit,
ed States has raised the foreign inlmi-,
grant to g rank equal with any Of its
citizens, and he who talks about the
to go back where he came from. The
thing for them more than to admit they
Ism EpGtAo W. kS1i oofOAs w Al1GAA
by the. church to do. He
asserted that America Is the best coun-
try in. the world for the Catholics here
they are Catholics because their intel
1ects ara converted. The only question
concerning the church which has made
him throw up his hands, he said, is why.
are there 500 many Catholic saloons e.
The Catholic saloon" was his asser-
tfon, lis "a milestone around the neck OF
the church. Periodical waves of
prejudice and intolerance pass over the
country, but Catholics need not fear but
that ansintelligent American can always
be depended Upon to give them justice.
When Know lNuthingism waxed strong
in the country, such men as William III.
Seward and Stephen "A. Douglass began
a fight for tolerance. Before Catholics
from other lands complain ofssintoier-
Sance and prejudices in America, he
stated, they must first become true
Americans, cease bringing prejudices
themselyes to this country, and then de-
mand the same from others.
Mr.. % ROnrke spoke more briefly on
account OF a severe cold and because ~ a
protracted musical program which pre-
coded his address. Instrumental and
vocal music was provided by Misses
Speakman, sAckerson and Webb, j. Nc
fLaughlin, William O'Brien and Prof.
Webb; which was greatly appreciated. +.
Following the entertainment members
of the colony, Daug hters of Isabella and
q few invited guests adjourned to the
dining hall Of the building, where ice
cream, cake, coffee, etc, were INDUCED
in, after which an hour or so more was
whiied away in dancing. This part of
the evenings exercises was thoroughly
enjoyed and all in all the first entertain
'naent* of the Sons of Columbus was
most instructive and pleasant one. I'M.