The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-12
OLD ENEMY or CATHOLICS.
Rev. Madison c. Peters Now Finds
Much to Admire.

AT this hour, the: Catholic Church
in France, whose institutions and con-
quests have been thesproud boast and
the glory of France FOR long centuries.
stands despoiled of alt her possessions,
robbed of her treasured equipments for
the exercise of the ministry and for
hidden the exercise Of: every right save
that to suffer for the interests which
she represents. @
1T has been the proud and loud
boast of every French ministry for the
last twenty-five yeatA bat God should
be driven from the 9euntry, Christian
ity strangled and Etance 'un-Catholi-
cized.'
"lt was in the spirlt Of this purpose
that the religious cbngrcgations We're
twice within +;tlidtS.. u. " III ',unteaA down,
their property confiscated, and their
form of life prescribed.
THE men and women who united
/ for corporate action in the church
service We're charged with no offense;
but by their devotedness they strength
ened the position Of religion in the
country by devoting themselves to
every kind Of beneficient and educa-
tional work. Hundreds Of those wOm-
en- who hsAl given tllei- best years to
the service of God and their country
were I'm the decreptitude of age, driven
from their homes and forced to enter
domestic service or to tend cattle in
the fields, while others, unable to
work, were driven to absolute penury
and want.
at was With the same end in view
that the government by wanton inter-
ference justified neither by law nor
precedent, made the institution of
bishops to vacant sees impossible un-
til some twelve or more dioceses in
France were widowed.
1T was in the same temper that
the government made the exercise of
his spiritual jurisdiction impossible to
the Pope in the case Of the bishoprics
of Laval and Diion. whose unworthy
dalous lives the churches of their
jurisdiction.
Thus, for twenty-five years. have
the successive French ministers
striven, by every expedient, by every
manner of intentional affront to the
churches, behold the earnings they
lay upon the altar of the Church. Any
financial committee will tell you that
from one-third to one-half of those
whose names are on our Church rolls
give nothing, and with many who give,
when hard times come they begin re-
income.
Every Catholic is identified with
some parish. There are tens of thou
sands OF Protestants whose Church
membership is in their trunks or III
the place where they used to live. In
caring for their children Catholics
teach us a lesson. Statistics show
that Protestants do not hold their
own children to the church. The
Protestant laity need TO be awakened
to d deep sense Of the magnitude OF
their duty toward the children. Here
is the source Of strength in the Cath
olic Church. The seed of divine truth
| is planted in the hearts Of the chill.
dren.
THE Catholic Church has been
charged with putting too much stress
upon good works and not enough upon
faith. Professionalism has swung tc
the other extreme and not put enough
stress upon good works. Good works
won't save, but faith without works il
dead. Our religion lis too much talk
We have too many womens gather.
ings and not enough sisters Of charity