Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-06-29
Mission Services in the Catholic Church.


The mission services at the Catho'
lie church this week are attracting
unusual crowds. They are being con-
Quoted by Rev. A. P. Doyle, rector
of the Apostolic Mission House at the
Catholic University, Washington, D.
IC. Father Doyle as mission preach
err has had over twenty-five years of
experience in all parts of the country.
He is still in his prime and is most
vigorous and interesting talker.
The services have been announced
for non. Catholics as well as for Catho-
lies, and the audience that crowds
the Catholic church each evening is
made up largely Of interested nom
Catholics, who are anxious to hear an
exposition of the teachings and poll
cies of the old mother church OF
christendom. In order to give a Vi
tai interest to explanation of Catho-
lie doctrine, Father Doyle requests
the audience to write out their que.
ries and place them in the question
box that is located at the door of the
church. Some of the points OF relig'
ious truth that interest every one
have been discussed each evening.
Among the questions that were asked
Tuesday night was the following:
"Why are Catholics not allowed to
read the Bible ?"
Father Doyle replied that not only
are they allowed to read the Bible,
but they are urged to do 50. The
fact of the matter is, it is because the
old Catholic Church has had such rev.
erence for the Bible that there is any
Bible in the world today. 1t was the
Catholic Church that received the BIZ
bic from its fret writers, that gather
ed the various books of the Bible to-
getber and established the Canon of
Scripture. 1t was Catholic monks
and nuns who copied and recOpied
the Bible during the Middle Ages be-
fore the art of printing was invented,
and Immediately after the art Of
printing was invented in l440, before
the religious revolt of the 10th centu-
ry, there were no less than $50 edi-
tons of the Bible printed, very large
proportion of these in the vernacular,
the language Of the people, so that
the sacred word might be read by the
people. The Catholic Church has
been the custodian of the Bible all
during the centuries, and all who
have found so much comfort and con-
ISOLATION in reading the Bible in these
days should be eternally grateful to
the old Catholic Church for preserving
it.
Another question that was dropped
in the question box ran as follows:
"My mother, good soul and a sim
cere Protestant, tells me it would break
her heart were l to become Catholic.
l am convinced that your church is
the only true church. 1t is very
hard for me to give my mother so
much pain"
Father Doyle replied that one is
bound to follow his conscience at any
cost. 1t sometimes does happen that
on one side is the love of parents and
many worldly advantages and on the
other is the will Of God and our duty
to our conscience. When it is a
question of choice between God and
duty and man and money there can
be no doubt which must be selected.
After all, there is no reason why it
should break any ones heart if one
became a Catholic. The Catholic
Church has included among its mem
bers the wisest and best men and
women the world has ever known,
and today in this country it is the
largest Christian church, having 49,
100000 adherents, and its members
are good citizens Of this country, as
they are also sincere and devoted
Christian people. There is no reason
why any one should grieve over an
other becoming a Catholic, but, on
the contrary, mother should grieve
if her son did not follow what is his
conscientious duty, and she will love
him the more when he does follow
his conscience.
"Why do Catholics adore the Vir-
gin Mary ?" again was asked.
They do not adore the Virgin
Mary" Father Doyle eaid. This is
one of the old calumnies against the
church that has been denied over and
over again. To give to any creature
the honor that is due God is idolatry
and idolatry is an atrocious crime.
There were a number of other
questions answered and it was all done
in admirable temper. Nothing but
the kindliest and most considerate
spirit was manifested throughout.
Not one word of condemnation of any
one else's religious preferences was
permitted through these exercises.
Father Doyle explained that he was
here simply to give the non-Catholic
people of this town an opportunity
to learn something of the true teach
ings of the Catholic Church. There
are manv honest souls who have been
taught things that are not so about
the old mother church, and honest
men and women do not want to think
wrong of their neighbors and friends,
especially when there is no need.
The mission will continue each ev-
ening and will close on next Sunday
night.
100 Years Old.
/ -. - r,noI