The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-04-04
Catholicism vs.. Professionalism.

LII Ids IEECibiJ DCSoG4S SdCSSL10AJ -
this portion of the diocese for Catho-
lie ministers to openly criticise mem
bers of their flock who have fled to the
ranks OF Professionalism That the
duty OF pastor is to point to his
laymen the error of their ways we GER
tainly acknowledge. However. there
is a limit; and when a minister steers
too far upon the ocean of free
speech, +" it is only fair play that the
common people should resort to
''free- press.
4 few days ago, the Rev. J. c.
Gonon, pastor of the Cornerview
Catholic Church, in a matrimonial
sermoa laid charges upon those for
saking his church to unite with other
denominations. In substance, this is
what Priest Gonon said: ''Those bad
| Catholics who forsa6e the religion IN
which they have been reared and unite
with other sects, do SO because of their
ignorance. -
! Quite Accomplishment from the pastor!
Then, of course, by admitting the
above statement as true, we are bound
to admit that all Professionals are igno-
ramuses. The average and intelligent
Roman Catholic of today you may
| convince by pressing upon his mind
substantial evidence of the condition
Of affai as they exist; the other class
| of Catholics cannot be reached in this
world.
! Hence, let Us carefully weigh Rev.
Gonon's statement upon the scale CT
/ governmental statistics. Inasmuch as
] I, being a non Catholic, am devoid of
conscience, will as nearly as possible
confne my remarks to facts revealed
! by the United States government.
/ Let US, for instance, visit Italy and
see how the common people there are
! progressing in literature. Here we find
| constitutional monarchy. Here we
find a nation for whose guidance in
civil and religious affairs, the Catho-
lie hierarchy has been the chief coun-
Gil for ages. Here we find the magni-
] ficent city of Rome, SO long the mis-
5ress sof the world; the home of the
| pope; the very seat Of the Catholic
religion And out OF population of
80, 900, 900 Catholics in Italy, seventy
per cent cannot read. It seems that
| Rome, the home of the Vatican, whose
triumphant banner has for centuries
been uufurled to the breeze, has had a
vast opportunity Of leading her fol-
| lowers out of the trenches of ignorance
and superstition. Those opportunities
she has not needed so far as we can
| see.
! Now, let us see what Uncle Sam
tells US is the condition or The various
nations of the world. Upon our jour
ney let US notice Sweden and Norway,
where Professionalism prevails, as a
contrast to Italy. Here the church
| and state are separate. Note the re-
suits: Educational matters IN that
country are progressive. Education
is compulsory and the law is strictly
| applied. There are $4,000 pupils in
II, 800 schools. There are also large
number of schools for higher educa-
ton. But, don't forget the fact hat
the tide OF ignorant, benighted Pro-
testantism is sweeping over that land.
/ Again, let US take Spain for another
example. For hundreds of years Spain
has been a stronghold of Roman
Catholicism. What is the result?
The common people are very illiterate.
Tue historian tells US that the priest,
hood in Spain is rotten and tyrannieal.
| Why? Because it has a monopoly of
religious power, a despotism over the
conscience, and riches in excess of its
legitimate needs.
/ Again, let Us compare Catholic
| Spain with Protestant Germany. In
membership the Protestants outnumber
the Catholics by majority Of IA COO,
/ 600. But, don't be surprised if you
1 ind in Germany an enlightened peo-
pie. Do not shed tears of amazement
/ if you should find upon the statute
books OF Germany, laws of compulsory
education.
Let US now make a slight comparison
of modern France with ancient France.
Unless | am mistaken, we have now
reached Father Gonon's native coun
try. II this be true, we will especially
call his attention to its history. Was
there ever a people more oppressed than
the French nation uEder the yoke of
the Catholic church prior to the French
revolution? Was there ever a more
unjust law enacted than that taxing
the non Catholic as we'll as the Catho-.
lie to the amount of from SO, coo, 1000
to sI5, oC0, 600 yearly to be poured into
the Golfers of the Catholic church,
| What premium had the priesthood
placed upon the education and re
fnement of the common people of
France3 None, practically, as is gen
orally the case where Catholicism pre-
dominates. But alasl not 50 much
now. The church and state are sepa-
{rate. Laws Of compulsory education
are enacted and as far as We can see,
modern France paradise when
/ compared with ancient France.