The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-08
The American
Catholic Federation

AT the recent meeting Cf the Ameri
can Catholic Federation in this city
John Hughes made the following ex
eellent address:
Monsigneur, Rev Fathers, Brothers Of
St. l.. C., and Friends.-I have been re
quested by our very jealous and ener
getic pastor, the Rev. Father Valentine
to make a few remarks this evening
pertinent to the American Catholi,
Federation, defining its objects, field OF
usefulness, and the benefits derived
| from such an organization, working, as
1t does, with energy and power for the
principles of civil and religious right
| eousness.
When requested by the father tc
speak on this subject, without any
thought as to its Importance or my
lack of ability to do it justice, I con-
sented. The cause was good, it appealed
to me, and | was more than willing to
serve it, but that willingness is mingled
with regret-regret because of the fact
that so many of the important char
acteristics of the federation will remain
untouched when / am done.
In the closing hours of the nineteenth
century and of the dawn of the TWEEN
tleth, period pregnant with great
achievements for mankind and noted
for many remarkable movements along
all lines of human endeavor, the feder-
ati0a was formed. Its organizers were
Americans-men eminent in church and
state, of deep and generous impulse,
and whose only motives were love of
God, their country and their fellow
man. Under their guidance it has be-
come an important factor in the land;
1T has aided every movement whose OBJ
Ject has been the material and moral
advancement of our people. the
strengthening of our institutions, and
the securing of higher standards of eff
feiency and integrity among our pub
lie men.
The American Catholic Federation is,
as the name implies, a confederation of
all Catholic societies with central
government, president and board of of
ficers. 1t has been aptly called a
IS Great Apostolate of Catholic Lay
men. " They finance it, transact its
business, and guide its policy.
The honor of being the pioneer in the .
for federation belongs to the
order of the Knights of St. John. At
their annual convention in 1899, the
principal topic for discussion was the
union of Catholic societies, and the feel
ing for union was so unanimous that ac-
ton to bring about the desired result
was decided upon His Eminence Car
dinal Gibbons was consulted, and with
his approval an invitation was sent to
all Catholic societies asking their as
sistance and cooperation. It was an
important step, hence many hesitated.
Only fourteen responded. Those four
teen, represented by fifty delegates, met
on Thanksgiving Day, 1900, at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, New York City, where
plans for permanent organization were
drafted and agreed upon. Meanwhile
the propaganda for union had made so
much progress that on December 10,
1901, at Cincinnati, the first national
was held. 1t opened with
prayer and closed with the Anthem of
America. Attending this first conven-
ton were five hundred delegatS repre-
senting one million Catholics.
Such, in brief. is the history of the
birth.
1t is related that at one of the early
meetings of the Federation held at the
Palmer House. Chicago, a stranger was
present shortly afterwards meeting al
he Sherman House one of those who
FAD taken an active part at the meet
ngs. said to him, "Sir, I am a Meth
1dist, but if what I heard at your
meeting correctly represents the Amer
can Catholic Federation, you Cann1.
ct your fellow citizens of other demo-
ninations know of it quickly enough"
IL. I
at its first convention is
7ast in scope and far reaching in i'm
)ortance for in it is included much
to the civil. social and reli-
yious life of the people. Amongst the
many matters it deals with, is educa-
ion. emigration, care of the sick. of
orphans and the poor, labor. marriage,
Sunday observance, gambling, liquor,
obscene literature, Catholic Indians
md the protection of civil rights. Here
We have embodied real charter of
lobility. a platform broad enough for
I'll good men to stand upon, catholic
.nough for all to support, with energy
md loyalty.
This evening I propose to touch
,rfefly and in q general way upon a
ew of the questions in our platform,
md will endeavor to show how the
,hurch and Federation are working for
heir solution. These questions are
ducation, emigration, care of the sick
md poor. and the protection of civil
lights. This latter, the protection of
.ur civil rights. is a, question that for
unately is much in abeyance-there is
eldom cause for action-and when ac-
ion is taken it does not mean that
he Federation seeks or asks for faV ors.
It means that we demand our rights,
whenever necessary. We make no
,ublic claim on the ground of relig-
N. rnr do we put it forward as a
qualification for office: nor would we
ave any man excluded from an Office
or which he is qualified because of
lis religion We hold to the principle /
s laid down in the Constitution. that .
II citizens are entitled to equal oppor- i
unities and equal rights in the pur- l
nit of life and liberty All we do 5
lain is to be free to profess our faith !
nd that because of so doing we shall
a neither handicapped nor discrimi- |
ated against. Happily. the spirit of
discrimination and intolerance is pass {
II