The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-19
THE CATHOLIC FEDERATION.
Union of Church Societies to be Dis.
cussed in New York.


NEW YORK, Nov. lS.-The project look
ing to the federation of the Catholic So
cieties of thel United States into one great
union, whoseSpbject, it has been announced,
Is to insist that Catholics shall not be dis
criminated against. is to be formally dis
cussed at meeting of the Catholic clergy
and laity at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. this
city. on Thanksgiving Day. Bishop Nc
faui, OF Trenton, is one of she leading ad-
Vocates of the federation idea. and he is ex-
pected TO give his views at the meeting.
A plan for federating the societies has
been prepared by Bishop Messmer. OF Green
Bay, Wis. He defines the proposed fedora
ton as union of Catholic societies in the
United States for the purpose of an or
sanized and common action in promoting
and defending Catholic interests on re-
iigious, social, and civil lines
Under the religious head he includes
education, literature, Catholic societies,
Catholic immigration homes. colonization,
homes for Catholic sailors, Catholic con-
ventions, and demonstrations. The social
work OF the federation, according to his
plan. would have to do with the poor and
orphans, laborers, and public morality I'M
der which last head he includes marriage
and divorce. the Sunday observance, the
drink problem, the theatre, gambling, and
obscene literature.
AS relating 10 the civil rights of Cath
oltcS, Bishop Messmer groups the relig-
1ous rights of Catholics in State institu-
tions and in the public schools chaplains
in the army and navy. the Catholic In
dams, taxation of church property, State
support of sectarian (ProtestanD institu-
lions, and corruption in politics.
According to Bishop Messmer's plan,
fts6n ttnr, t,
supreme council of from fifteen to thir-
ty-three members and house of dele
gates which is to elect supreme coun-
Gil every few years. and to make laws
and rules for the federation. Bishop
Mossmer. after outlining his plan. says:
Our object is not aggression; it is no
menace or threat to any of our on-Cath-
Ole citizens. We do not wish nor intend
to rob them of single right, religious, or
civil. that our laws give them. We claim
no more for ourselves than we are willing
shall be granted to them. But we do claim
the same and equal rights with them, re-
ligious. social, and civil. We seek no
change of the Constitution, but We demand
that not its letter only, but its spirit shall
be faithfully embodied in our State and Fed
e1al legislation.
Our object Is not political. We pos
itively repudiate the charge. 1t is for
eign to our intentios to become a political
party or to affiliate ourselves to any of the
existing political organizations, and no
political iobbing' is to be allowed in our
federation. Yet. we can not and shall not
Keep away from politics altogether. Cath
Ollie interests, religious and civil, are
greatly affected in many of our public in
situations, the management of which is
subject to legislation and the ruling of
public officers whether State or Federal.
III it becomes necessary to claim or defend
our full religious and civil rights as
American citizens or those of our Cath
Ollie fellow citizens in those public in
situations, it must be done through just
and proper laws and law givers, thar is,
through political action or influence.
Again. should the social questions and
troubles of the day become a matter of
public or political agitation. Catholic citi-
zens will be bound by duty of religion as
well as of citizenship to take part in it. The
foregoing political duties. however, devolve
on every Catholic citizen whether he be a
member of Catholic organization or not.
While, therefore, in the very nature of the
case, this federation is to be at certain
times or under certain conditions, forced
to exert political influence, yet it will
never do So fer mere temporal. material
DR. purely Political purposes.
FINALLY, our work is not to be secta-
rian in harrow, bigoted sense. which
would exclude in principle all co-epera-
tion with non Catholic organizations or
but wherever our fed is the |
same as theirs and wherever we can join
our efforts with theirs on the basis of a
Christian principle of morality
without danger of scandalizing the weak
er brethren, we shall gladly work hand |
in hand for the best of our fellow men.
Anyone who looks over our programme |
must see at a glance the many points |
Of contact where Catholics can work to-
gc.her with Protestants toward a happy |
solution Of the burdening social ques-
tons, toward eliminating or lessening |
some social evil, or removing many pub
lie disadvantages There is no reason |
why Catholic federation should not ex- /
nrcise its powerful influence where non |
Catholic organizations have been trying |
TO do good long before an organized eff |
fort had been made by Catholics.