The San Francisco call., 1908-07-19

IN August at Spring Bank, Wis, a
beautiful spot on Ocenomowoc lake, 2S
miles west Of Milwaukee. The grounds
comprise about 100 acres. situated in
the very heart of the beautiful lake
region Of Wisconsin. Spacious build
ings have already been erected, and
no pains have been spared to make
this an ideal and successful Catholic
summer school from the start
The project has the approval and
active support of Archbishop Messmer
of Milwaukee. who is chairman of the
general committee in charge. More
than 100 prominent Catholics of the
west are taking an active part in the
organization of the summer school.
This year the school will continue
from August u to 29. A large num-
Der of Catholic families have signified
their intention to spend the summer at
Spring Bank. The executive commit
tee consists of the following Milwau-
kee gentlemen: John II. Hopeier
chairman; John T. Kelly. secretary;
Joseph Zimmerman, treasurer; NJ j.
Hogan. J. NJ. J. Keogh, August n.
Ritz. Humphrey ]. Desmond. John c.
Carel and Rev. T. c. Mcbride. The
general committee comprises some
thirty odd members from Milwaukee,
including the archbishop, Very Rev.
H KampschrOer, II. II. Wiltzius. Pat
rick Cudahy; some "a members
throughout Wisconsin, including John
A Kuypers. Maurice Fitzsimmons and
Right Rev. John ]. Fox, and a large
number Of Chicago Catholics, among
whom are Father Kelly of the EXten-
sion society. Rev. A. J. Burrowes Of
St Ignatius college. Rev. Peter J.
O'Callaghan of the Paulists: Hon.
Thomas H. Cannon, John A. McGarry
Of the Irish fellowship club, J. S. Hy-
land. the Catholic publisher; Richard
H Wolfe Of the Irish choral society
and Hon. p. L. McArdle. The state
council of the Knights OF Columbus
IN Illinois have adopted a resolution
approving of the project, and the Wis
cOnsin knights at their state conven-
ton did likewise.
The great middle west, from which
this summer school would naturally
draw its patrons. includes such states
as Wisconsin. Michigan, Illinois, Iowa
and Minnesota. and claims some 4.0OO.-
600 Of Catholics. This territory has
some five Catholic universities, IS
Catholic colleges and almost innumer-
able Catholic academies. Churches,
schools, hospitals. asylums of all kinds
are constantly being multiplied Its
Catholic men are prominent in all
ranks of life, including law, medicine,
journalism, finance, craftsmanship and
commerce. Others are making names
for themselves in art, literature, music
and sculpture. Such a community
should furnish a fruitful field for
building up a Catholic summer school
Of which the entire country may be
proud
Among the lecturers already. en-
gagged are mentioned Prof James C.
Mona CHAN Of Notre Dame. Indiana;
Charles J. O'Malley, editor of the New
World, chicago; Miss Keith O'Neill
Marguerite Donegan) of New York,
and Miss Gertrude NJ. O'Reilly. Miss
O'Neill viii also have charge OF the
musical program during the season.
In the line Of amusements will be
found baseball, lawn tennis, bicycling
bowling. rowing. fishing. driving, bath
ing with occasional excursions to points
OF interest.
Such an institution should accom-
plish world of good among our
Catholic population in the central
states and should easily prove as great
a success as the eastern school at Lake
Champlain.
The following declaration Of princi-
pies OF the Catholic federation. which
meets in Boston next August, deserves
careful reading:
The American federation of Catholic
societies is an organization of Cath
olics in the United States for the pur-
pose Of advancing their civil, social
and religious interests.
1T is not a political organization and
does not control the political ahiliation
of its members; it asks no favors or
privileges. but openly proclaims what
is just and fair.
1t aims at the creation Of sound
public opinion on all important topics
OF the day; it stands for the Christian
life of the nation itself; for the proper
observance Of Sunday; for the Chris
tian education of youth; for the sane
tity and perpetuity of Christian mar
riage; for the safeguarding of the
Christian home.
1T asserts the necessity of Christian
principles in social and public life, in
the state, in business, in all financial
and industrial relations.
1T combats all errors which are in
opposition TO Christianity and threaten
10 undermine the very foundations of
human society.
1T is willing to cooperate with all
loyal citizens and with all civil and
religious energies which work for truth
and virtue.
1T exposes falsehood and injustice.
WAcl-tL III misrepresentation or his
tory. doctrine or principles of moral
ity.
The aims Of the federation, there
fore, are religious and patriotic; they
are the interest of all American citf-
zens and especially of those who be-
lieve in a divine law giver and in the
revelation OF divine religion through
Christ our Savior"
Plus x has himself said that. when
he became pope, one of his first de-
signs was to have the canon law so
arranged that a cleric of ordinary
learning might easily find out his
rights and duties. He, therefore Gre
ated in 1904 special commission for
the codihcation of canon law. He also
desires to make the law fit the condi
tions Of the present day eliminating
what is obsolete and modifying in
some respects the general laws. which
must still be left in force The dogmas
OF the church are immutable; her laws
and her discipline are subject to the
changes required by time and place
IT was at first thought that the new
code might be completed in five wears
but IL is now expected that another
three years may be consumed in the
work
Piux X, while experimenting the
revision and codification Of the canon
law. has also been quietly making
some far reaching changes in the adj