The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-12-03
THE APOSTOLATE OF
THE PRESS

pastoral letter, presses the claim of the
Catholic press on the attention of al
! Catholics in the following words:
Finally. Christian parents. let Us
/ beg your earnest consideration of this
! importan truth, that upon you. singly
and individually. must practically de-
pend the solution of the question
whether or not the Catholic press is
to accomplish the great work which
Providence and the Church expect of
it at this time.
SO frequently and so forcibIy has
the Providential mission of the press
been dwelt Ipon by Popes and pre-
! lates and distinguished Catholic writ
ers. and SO assiduously have their ut
! terances boon quoted and reported
/ everywhere. that no one certainly
stands in need of arguments to be con-
WINGED of their truth.
But all this will be only words in
the air, unless it can be brought home
( to each parent and made practical in
each household II the head of each
Catholic family will recognize it. as his
privilege and his duty to contribute
toward supporting the Catholis press.
by subscribing for one or more Catho-
lie periodicals. and keeping himself
well acquainted with the information
they impart. then the Catholic. press
VIII be sure to attain its full develop
ment and to accomplish its destined
mission. But choose a journal thor
oughly Catholic. instructive and edi-
tying; not one that would be. while in
name and pretense. un-Catholic in
tone and spirit. disTespectful To con-
stituted authority. or biting and I'M
charitable to Catholic brethren
need not remind you that the
I .Fr,1
our day and country is the press. Our
age is pre-eminently an age of news
papers. Millions, old and young. look
To them as the only source of knowl-
edge They mould the ideas and form
the habits of thought of the majority
of the people. In d large measure
they occupy the place once held by
the pulpit and the platform Whether
we lament the fact or not. the news
paper has become a great power for
good or for evil, as il is directed to
promote the one or encourage the
other 1t is our duty, therefore to
seize it as an instrument to promote
the interest of our faith, and through
II to carry the teachings of our re-
hgion into the homes of our Catholic
people.
/ know of no other means as DO
tent. by which the principles of our
Divine Faith can be impressed on the
minds of our people. or brought to the
knowledge of those outside the church.
as that of popular Catholic literature
the most accessible form of which
Is newspaper edited in the interests
of Catholic principles, and in the spirit
and temper of our religion.
"A Catholic newspaper is perpet-
ual mission in every parish" wrote
His Holiness. Pope Leo XIII Divine
Providence" wrote Pope Plus TX. has
given IN our day a great mission to
the Catholic press. 1t is its duty TO
prepare the principles of order and of
faith where they still exist and 10
draw them forth from the obscurity
into which impiety or religious indif-
ference may have consigned them.
While the memorable words of orr
present Pontiff, the Most Holy Father.
Pope Plus Y. strike home to every
heart: In vain you will build churches
give missions and found schools. all
your noble works, all your grand eff
forts will be destroyed If Won are not
able to build up the defensive weapon
of logical and sincere Catholic
press
Unless our people are solidly and
thoroughly instructed in their religion
they will soon cease to practice its
obligations. They are held in the
faith because they know it to be true.
Hence our efforts. which exact great
sacrifices from our people. to build
and maintain Catholic schools in
which their children may. while they
receive secular knowledge necessary
and useful for this life, receive with
1t religious training Hence the
zeal of devoted pastors who. when
ever the occasion presents itself. feel
the necessity of instructing their
hocks on this or that point of Chris
tian doctrine or practice. Yet we all
know that these two powerful agen-
cies must be supplemented by others
If we do not wish our people to be ig-
norant of the teachings of the Church
or the obligations of the Christian
life.
Many of the children of Catholic
parents do not attend Catholic |
school, while nearly all are obliged |
to leave school at a tender age before |
their minds are sufficiently expanded |
and matured to hold firmly the relig- |
ous knowledge impaired to them.
The Sunday sermon alone. useful |
and obligatory as it is. is nevertheless.
rom its very nature. rather an appeal /
o the religious feelings and emotions |
which suppose faith. than a systematic
course Of religious knowledge. To sup
element and perfect the work OF the
choOl and Church. a further means of
Catholic instruction that win reach
very Catholic family in its home is an
need of our society. and
without il we must lament the loss of
aith in many, and an Indifference to-