The Irish standard., 1896-05-02
Points Out the Trouble He Had in
Restoring catholi- 5
cism. d
Sound Of Church Bells Brings
7. -. Him Back to His is. '.'.'..... u.
Youth. ~s-5,... @5,.s.

| religion are not the least instructive and
interesting. t+
Modern philosophers have endeavored to
persuade France that the Catholic religion
was the flexible enemy of the democratic
system and of all republican government;
this idea gave rise to the cruel persecution
that the French republic exercised against
to which the unfortunate people were sub
jected The diversity of opinion which at
the period of the revolution prevailed in
France, upon the subject Of religion. was
at the bottom of the disorders of that period.
Experience has disabused Frenchmen, and
| has convinced them that OF all religions
Catholicity alone adapts itself best to this
divers form of government. l am myself
a philosopher, and know, that in what
ever state or society Of whatever descrip-
| ton, no man can be styled virtuous and
! just, If he does not know from whence he
comes, and where he is going. Simple rea-
son is unequal to this problem; without re-
lgion society is continually enyeloped I'M
darkness; the Catholic religion alone gives
a man the certainty as to his beginning and
! the certainty as to his final end.
f'When seized the helm Of public affairs
had already fixed ideas upon all the CO.
hesive elements of society; had weighed
the Importance of religion; was convinced
state it. It would be difficult to believe the
resistance that I had to overcome In bring
| ing back the nation to CathoMc:ty. 1t
should have been more readily done if i
/ had raised the standard Of Protesran tisn1;;
and in the council of state had gYeat diff
Guilty in obtaining the adoption OF the Con-
cordat-many of the councils only Submit
ted while aiming to escape its effects.
| WELL they said to one another, let us
| turn Protestants, and there will be no need
of Concordat.'
cit is evident that in my success upon
this point that, considering the ruins OF re-
l;gion, upon which I found myself placed,
l could have chosen between the Catholic
church and Professionalism, and it IS only
true to say that the public inclination at
that time was all in favor Of the latter; but
besides my attraction to the religion OF my
youth, had other motives which governed
me. In proclaiming Professionalism What
would have obtained? would have Gre
ated in France two powerful parties about
equal, whereas I wished to put an end to
all parties. would have brought back the
of the age and my own wish was to see them
disappear forever. These two parties in
their quarrels, would have annihilated
France, and would have made her, the slave
of Europe, whereas had the ambition to
make her the ruler over all. With Catho-
licity would the easier reach all the ends
proposed. With us the greater number
would absorb the less, and / proposed to
treat them both with the same equality, that
in the end they would become satisfied. A
broad Catholicism would give me the Pope
in my side; and with my influence and army
in Italy, / did not despair, sooner or later,
by one means or other, to obtain the con-
troll of this Pope, and with this influence
over him, would control the world. am
all powerful today; but had been disposed
to change the old religion Of France, she
would have risen up against me, and she
would have vanquished me.
II had openly declared myself the ene-
my Of religion, the whole country would
have gone over to her; would have
changed the Indifferent believers into s.n-5
cere Catholics. would have been, perhaps,
less jeered at had / favored Professionalism
than in attempting to make myself the pa
triarch of a Gallican church. but would
soon have been hated by the people. Isl
Professionalism the old religion OF France?
Is 1t not the Catholic church, who after long
civil wars, after a thousand battles, finally
conquered her enemies, in conformity to the
genius and habits Of the nation? It has
been vain attempt to have usurped the
place of whole people, in creating for them
new tastes and new habits, together With
recollections other than those that already
existed? d l5S S IN s Il s -ss5~~f@
The charm Of a religion is in It's attract
tions and souvenirs. The Catholic religion
is the religion Of our country, that IN which
we were born; she has a strongly organized 4
government, which prevents disputes or as !.
much so as IS possible to prevent them, con-
sidering the, wrangling disposition Of men.
This government is outside Of Paris, for )
which. we should be thankful. 5s,. 5s.s
!. Nd society can exist without noraltt I!
there are no, good morals without religion
consequently, religion alone can give the
state. q Arm and lasting basis. Society
without religion Is always 'ag. .tated, perpet-83
5ually threatened by the c,ash:ng Of violent
passions, and undergoing all the effects OF +
Intestine war, which ends in great evil, and
sooner or later infallb bly ends in its destruce
ton is # ;.ss #
,ast sunday II was walking in the soli-
tiIde and silence OF nature, IN the par ofgg
Ine SOuua DI LIZ, peAl y ~
church at Reuil fell upon my ears. WAS \
overcome by 1t, SO strong is the power Of ourSs
earlier habits and education Il said to my.s
sell &. &; hat must the influence Of
church ioon simple and believing men bs s.9
tIets your ilosoph hers ana drean1eiss
anki ind must ;i1aye a fel.gi
iDElTfSEa;;R RA Ys. .ss
couple of French TaYl liaInen III
were KIM abouta the Fxefttieg Botlr9
k1se Ass Don
st,fe ience sbys