The Irish standard., 1908-05-16
the CATHOLIC PRESS
Catholics Too Neglectful and
Indifferent Towards
Their Own Press and Literature,
49,. Says a Writer.

or evil. 1t is the maker of public opin-
ion: and .ublic opinion shapes our So
cial. pol: :cal and national destinies.
The ordinary man is ruled by popular
opinion. It enters into his veins. his
sympathics his politics. his education.
can get 4 hearing that does not get the
sanction If the press. This was dis
covered ling ago by the nationalist, the
socialist, the reformel and the poll
tician. Now do we Catholics realize
this fact.
! regre: to say that we Catholics
press and Catholic literature, writes
Rev. John F. Mullany. in the Chi
cago New World of May 2.
We give little support to Catholic
writer's and thinkers. Unfortunately
we are MT reading people. At best
we are satisfied with the secular press
which is often poisoned source OF
Information. The eff'ectual antidote to
all this is Catholic literature. The la
mented Pope Leo XIII, never ceased
sending out warnings to his children
the worll over. The present glorious
Pontiff, Plus y, has also spoken clear
ly on the subject. The following words
have the proper ring. Speaking to the
French clergy, he said: In vain will
you build churches, give missions and
found schools; all your noble works,
all your grand efforts will be destroyed
! If you are not able tn build up the de
fensive weapon of logical and sim
cere Catholic press.''
A glance at the condition OF Cath
olicity in The various countries of Eu-
rope will prove the truth of these
burning words. Contrast France and
Germany At the present moment the
Catholics of Germany are great
power at ZONE and abroad. They are
thoroughly orSanized; their religion is
/. dear to them and thew are not asham-
ed to bring it to bear upon all that is
around and about them. In spite of
long years Of persecution. overwheln1-
ing difficulties and banishment of their
spiritual leaders. they have organized
themselves into an invincible army.
How did they accomplish all this?
Principally by the means of a Cath
olic press to the support of which bish-
ops, clergy and laity devoted them
selves with untiring energy.
On the other hand. look at poor dis
tracted France today. French Catho-
lies neglected their press and the
Catholics of France have been swept
off their feet by the rising tide of So
cialism. This state CT affairs could
never have arisen had French Cath
olics heen sustained. instructed. forti-
fled and organized by an up-to- date
Catholic presG
What aye we Catholics doing in our
own dear republic for our Catholic
press? A.e we alive to the necessity
of an aggressive Catholic defender of
religion? Making every allowance for
our shor .comings and inactivity, we
are not ding all in our power to sup
port the means of strengthening the
Catholic faith in the hearts of our
children. We are permitting the pow
ers of irreligion to triumph in fields
where we ought to be holding our own
AS. body we have great devotion to
our Church. We recognize more or less
clearly that cur religion is a great
neral force which is absolutely nee
essary to save our republic from de-
struction We contribute generously
to the building of churches, schools
colleges and all kinds of charitable in
stitutions. But when 1t comes to the
Catholic press our love of our Chris
tian Inheritance seems to vanish into
air. We torget that on the Catholic
press depends much of our success
IL Under present conditions a Catholic
press is an absolute necessity. The
secular p 'ess. the nationalist press and
the immoral press are destroying faith
land morals in the present generation.
Without exaggeration it is safe To
say that Catholics of this country
A neither read nor encourage the Cath
olic publications to that extent which
might reasonably be expected They
have little taste for such reading. They
prefer the non Catholic publications.
especially the light, foamy periodicals.
The sporting columns of our daily
Z press an: the frivolous magazines are
all the rage. Our graduates from
Catholic institutions have little taste
for. reading. They have plenty of
money t., spend on theaters anu
amusements. but to subscribe for a
good sound Catholic journal never en-
tiers their inds. This tendency should
be combatted. as 1t weakens the moral