The Irish standard., 1901-01-26
CENTURY OF CATHOLICISM.
Subject Of Father Cleary's Address on
Sunday Last.

y
gave an interesting review of the work
of the Catholic church in the nine
teenth century. a large audience was
in attendance at st. Charles church.
and all were deeply impressed with
the story of the marvellous progress
of the Catholic church in this country
during the past century. He said in
part:
mo institution has had greater diff
fculties to encounter, and no institu-
ton in human society has made such
marvellous progress as has the Catholic
church in the nineteenth century. Ger
tainly the outlook was disheartening
for the Catholic church at the close of
the eighteenth century. Pope Plus
vi. had died in exile a prisoner of
France, just at the sunset of the
eighteenth century. Ribald infidelty
and defiant contempt for religion were
held in greater honor than the ancient
faith that had enlightened and civ
iliZed the world"
Father Cleary then told of the situa-
ton in France where Napoleon sought
to use the church for his own designs;
in England where Catholicism was not
supposed to exist, where Catholics
could not hold office and had few
rights before the law. AS to the United
States, he said:
'"The fanatical pulpit exhorters of
the colonial period in our history had
vilified and DETAINED the Catholic
church to such an extent that their
benighted dupes throughout the thir-
teen original colonies hated and feared
the Catholic priest as they feared
Beelzebub himself, and We're as ig-
Iorant of Catholic doctrine as the
Kaffirs of South Africa.
catholics had taken a most credit
able part in the mighty struggle for
independence. Most powerful and
necessary aid had been given to the
brave patriots by Catholic France.
Commodore Barry, Catholic, was the
founder of the American navy. Charles
Carroll Of Carrollton was the wealth.
lest signer of the Declaration of In
dependence, Bishop Carroll, his cousin,
the only Catholic prelate in the land,
was constant supporter Of American
independence, the loya1 and trusted
friend Of Washington. But the poison
of religious hatred had permeated the
veins Of the descendants of the Pur-
itans of New England, and in spite of
all that had been done by Catholics for
independence and freedom, they would
not believe that any good could come
of what they ignorantly styled 'Ro-
manish.''
He next told of the burning of
churches and converts in New England
where the people boosted of their des-
cent from the champions of civil and
religious liberty. Here he referred to
the burning Of the convent of the
Ursuline nuns in Boston in 1884 and
the circulation of books of the Maria
Monk order, which found pulpit in
dorsement and places in Sunday
school libraries. Continuing, he said:
'The disgraceful know-nothing move
ment began in 1874 and reached it's
elimination in 1854. Its proudest
work was the burning Of the churches,
the defaming of pure, innocent women,
the petty persecution of friendless
servant girls and vilifying defenseless
foreigners, who had sought a refuge
from tyranny in this land of freedom.
''Fifty years ago the meaning of
Christmas Day was almost wholly I'M
known in New England. Christmas,
they had been told, was relic of pop
ish superstition.
"Cathlic missionaries were the first
discoveries; they were the first ex-
plorers of our lakes and rivers. Catho-
lies had given the first example in this
western world of liberty of conscience
in the colony Of Maryland. But dur
ing the first half of the century Catho-
lies were few and widely scattered.
The astounding progress of the Catho-
lie church has taken place during the
latter half of the century. Our Catho-
lie population in the United States to-
day is the largest of any denomina-
ton. Catholics own more valuable
church property than any other de-
nomination in the land
"We have passed through the mis-
sionary period. We have undergone in
most sections of the country the trials
Of the building period. The church has
been harassed by new and hitherto
unknown disadvantages in doing it's
work for the enlightenment and cleva-
ton Of man. Many of these disadvan-
tages have been overcome in the gene
ration gone by. But the church has
fourished in the sunlight Of freedom.
and in America it finds it's most invit-
ing field for progress and advance
ment'
Death Of Mrs. Nicholas Nightingale.