The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-06-22
where those men could put their hands

on the guns. So it has been with the
church, down through the centuries
and so will be. Some time the church
may have to call upon it's loyal soldiers
to go into danger, stand firmly even to
death. But as it has been in the past
so it will be in the future, no matter
what the danger the ranks will always
close up and the command will always
be Forward" and this is what is sig
nitied when we speak of you as
knights and Catholics. Faithful chill
dren of the Catholic church, better
Catholics because you are knights OF
Columbus, better knights because you
are Catholics, and better Americans be-
cause you are knights and Catholics.
Aside from this the loyal Catholic
means something else. Loyalty to the
church means to know your faith and
YOUR religion better. And if there is
one want among Catholics today, it is
that they should know their religion
better than they do. 1t may be indif-
ference and that Indifference is strik-
ing our faith in the divine revelation.
If we are to be loyal Catholics we
must have an active faith, that faith
that st. Paul says, knowing it will
bring to our hearts the TRUTH that
faith that must be the substance Of
everything we hope for. We are too
Indifferent, and Indifference in matters
of faith involves an Indifference in our
lives and morals. Outside Of the Cath
Ollie church are many looking for some
thing conservative to lean upon; how
strongly we ought by our lives to
bring them what they need. We have
been misrepresented, but this has been
more from ignorance than malice We
may feel offended by the things said
of us by nom Catholics, but many are
sincere and believe what they say is
the truth. In other words, outside of
the church there exists a wocful ig
norance of the Catholic church and
Catholic teachings. We can therefore
feel no malice towards those who mis-
represent us when they are honest and
sincere in doing so. The other day ut
university, the uttcranccS Of twad-
ding youth were picked up and quot
ed throughout the land. an attack on
the Catholic church. Some Catholics
thought that it required serious attcn-
ton, but there were perhaps not
enough who thought tihe talk of Il boy of
enough Importance to pay attention to
it. But what terrible thing to reflect
that one of the leading universities of
this country. which stands, perhaps.
for more than any other university in
the country, could be put on the de-
fensive for truth and even honesty by
the fashy talk of a youngstcr, but still
the fact remains that when these
things go lmcontradcted they are talk
en- as the sentiment and views of that
institution.
Father Slocum went on to urge the
people to know their religion better
that the false attacks upon their church
might easily be answered, that they
could combat the Ignorance of their
faith, which universally exists without
the church. He then went on to speak
of federation, which some have said
would be dangerous.
Dangerous? They know not Of what
they speak. What danger would there
be in the different Catholic societies
standing together. as Catholics. ready
to obey the voice of the church and do
their duty as their church shows it to
them. Whence would be the danger
for this country. Then it could be said
Of our Constitution, Este perpetual
may it last forever
'Whcn men tell us that it is danger
for Catholic societies to join together.
they seem to lose sight of this fact
that ii is an impossibility for Catholic
societies through an Individual society
or a union of societies to come together
to interfere with the public right or
the individual rights. Does it ever
strike those outside the Catholic church
who make that accusation of Socir.
ties that come together ON n Catholic
basis that the Catholic church is the
greatest defender on that point? That
1t prohibits every individual from Join
ing any society that crrtails the rights
of the individual or the community? If
this federation would curtail the rights
OF the individual. the church would
break that federation or it would pro-
nounce outside of its pale all the men
belonging to that federation Then
why should men fear at federation
of Catholics? They would be a power
but not for evil, they would be a pow
er for good Most of you are men of
Irish blood. If you are loyal to your
lineage and to those things you have
inherited you could not for a moment
curtail amy nlm's civic or religious ill.,
erty. Look back ut that nation from
which you have sprung. If there is a
people III the world who have been
martyrs to civil and religious liberty,
those people are your forefathei.s. From
the time when first raliO;o,c, kl,nr+,,