The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-25
Diocese Of Denver.
DENVER.
Father Malone's Sermon on Relation
of Church to Woman.
Especial Correspondence

St Frances de sales church was
packed to its very doors last Sunday
for it had been previously announced
that Rev. Father Malone would bestow
the apostolic benediction. Fully $50
chairs were placed in the aisles. but
the number was by no means sufficient
10 accommodate the vast concourse OF
people.
AT the close of the service Father
Malone descended the altar steps, and,
standing before the kneeling audience,
raised the crucif1X up with both hands
in front Of him and said by virtue of
the faculty granted me on the day of
my audience, Dec. !, 1901, l beStow upon
you the papal blessing in the usual
form of the church. Pray for the well
fare Of our holy father, Leo XIII, our
right reverend bishop, and our holy
mother of the church Then followed
the prayer in Latin, closing with: May
the omnipotent God, the aFther, the
SON and the Holy Ghost, bless you"
The Gospel of the day was that
which referred to the marriage feast in
Cana of Galilee. The occasion on which
the Savior performed his miracle on
tarth-namely, the turning of water
into wine. Father Malone took his
text from this Gospel and preached a
sermon on matrimony.
The institution of marriage" said
ha did not have Its origin from the
beginning of the Christian era, for it
auJedated the Christian era by centu-
rIes going back as we read in sacred
scripture to the days of Noah
with the coming of Christ, how
ever marriage was a noble and sancti-
fed with sacramento graces and its in
dissolube character dates from Christ
himself. In the old dispensation. mar
riage was dissoluble, but Christ gave
IL it its character of indissolubility and
for no cause whatsoever except
through death can marriage be dis
solved The church. while it had power
to grant dispensations affecting the i'm
pediments to matrimony has no power
whatsoever to dissolve the marriage tie.
The Christian institution of marriage
elevated and ennobled and sanctified
womanhood in the eyes of man. Until
the coming of Christ, woman, while at
times intellectually strong. was univer-
sally considered mans inferior. She |
was the toy of his pastime. She was, |
50 far as man was concerned, mental in |
everything. He looked upon her al |
WAYS as the object of his sensual graft |
fcation. She had no guarantee of per- |
mauence in the marriage state and |
hence Ublllt Sd e AlCl lllllC VI III SO4i-D-
lation.
When Christ elevated marriage to |
the dignity of a sacrament, woman's
position was instantly changed Christ |
made mankind know and feel, and fully
appreciate that woman, through whom
he came into the world. was henceforth |
10 hold the highest place in mans ven
Grafton. esteem and respect. The
Catholic Church has been true
10 the commission committed to
ii by our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. She has placed the halo
If her protection around womankind
and against him who would approach
Ter presence with feelings or impulses,
gnoble or base. she has hurled her an
lthemas. Even though the whole Eng
ish nation was lost to the Church
Gods representative on earth would
rot Weld to the lustful desires of a king
md against that kings all-powedful
she gave her protection to
lone woman. But this action has
,udeared her to womankind in all ma
ions on the earth. Women know that
he Catholic church stands not alone
IS a protector of the marriage tie, but
is the Sanctity of the home as well,
or one is the outgrowth of the other
his is the doctrine that has been
aught on Catholic affairs for 1000
ears. II is plain, it is simple, Mar
iage cannot be dissolved except by
cath. over the Catholic home divorce
nth all it's horrible consequences does
ot cast its blightful influence. When | :
roubles and vicissitudes come to the
atholic husband and wife. as they
lust come to all people, ministers of ]
he Catholic church recall to them the !
act that matrimony is sacrament;
lan AnVaf
D them who seek His loving care in | ,
1irit: that the troubles of the mar !
age state are transitory and fleeing
} those who place reliance in God. In ,
MS there is a striking contrast to our :
issenting brethren. The tendency out r
de the Church is to make the disso> {
ltion of the marriage tie easier. The :
ightest provocation is sufficient. both ;
the eyes of the law and in the eyes
T numberless Christians outside the !
atholc church to justify the dissolu-
on of marriage and the wrecking of
oUntless homes.
The position of the Catholic church
one of impregnable strength. 1t 7
.akes not only for woman's benefit, :
ut il makes for the benefit of society
s well Our idea is that the unit of
,ciety is not the individual, but the
.mily-the home And whatever tends =
give permanency to this unit must !
acessarily make for the welfare of
aneral society This is the spirit that '
athohcity breeds, consequently all I
,esp attempts to break down the mar
age tie viii ever meet with opposi- I
ou from the individual Catholic as I
el as from the Church.
We may. to be sure, sympathize p
18th an these things which are said p
work for woman's intellectual ad- n
sncement But we must not lose sight $
Tine fact that before the coming OF o
hriSt when the marriage tie lacked v
rmanency, we perhaps have not to- r
ay but as ] have pointed out, she did L
ot receive at the hands OF man that "
eneraNon and respect that are given II
o. her today II a woman occupies her Il
NaIled position at the present time It e.
, due to the Christian sacrament of t
lalnmonN. This has made of woman d
queen The world over. u has given
D every woman a kingdom over which ri
ne rules. Nenerated and respected. e
bis kingdom is the home al
niortunata.y an the tendencies Of n
le present day. outside the Catholic pl
lurch. are working against this con- P
uon. which was created by Jesus a.
drist If men are honest to them
Ives they must admit that by the Ia
de Of the mother. the sternIy intel s.
etual woman who seeks her place on &c
De- platform by the side of man, is ts
1loFely and ENJOYABLE. 81
Religious. Social and Personal. e.
Thomas II. Ryan celebrated his ninth 81
rthday at his home, 1888 Downing m