The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-07-02
BRITISH PRESS
PERSECUTES CHURCH
Catholic Church Suffers More From
Press in England Than
Elsewhere.
In the Midst of All the Difficulties
the Church is Making
Progress.
Irish Exasperated Rout Street
Preachers and Sing, God
Save Ireland"

That weilknown and charming
writer and M. P, Hillaire Belloc, had
grave charge to prefer, says London
correspondent in the Catholic Union and
Times.
We boast of our fair play, yet this
man, who has twenty years experience
of journalism, declared that in no
country in the world was the Church
suffering from SO violent a press per-
secution as it is here. or course it is
subtle persecution, which suppresses
and distorts rather than openly ca
lumniates, and for this reason it is
all the more effective, since it is sell
dom that any statements can be
brought to book. The writer has
noticed personally, again and again,
In attendance at public meetings, ETC.,
that where some tribute was paid, In
passing, to the Catholic Church, either
as the mother of learning. OF freedom.
VI PACtS VI SCll-ShSll lAOO, lAc luObL I'LL"
peccable journals have passed over
that portion Of the evenings event in
silence. On the other hand, the most
far-fetohed story, rumor, or incident
which can reflect any discredit on
Catholic conduct or Catholic practice
is Immediately luridIy displayed while
! its ultimate refutation, If it appears
at all, is given some inconspiclous
footnots on the least-read page. 1t is
because the leaders of the Catholic
Church have seen, looking out over
the world from the Eternal City. that
the Churchs greatest enemy today, In
both moral and spiritual things is the
press, that we have been so often ad-
monished to meet our enemies with
their own weapons, and organize a
strong, skillful, alert and interesting
press Of our own.
Progress 10 Being Made.
Yet, with all our difficulties. what re-
markable progress has been achieved.
A Southern stranger, who found him
self in the neighborhood Of the docks
last Sunday, might well have opened
his eyes In astonishment and asked
was this the heart Of cold Protestant
England, as he passed along the
streets in the vicinity and saw tho
windows Of the poor tenement houses
glowing with wayside shrines to Our
Lady of the Sacred Heart. The air
was full Of music, too, and 8 turn III
the road would bring him upon great
procession Of children carrying baskets
of flowers, League Of the Cross Guards
with the bright green sashes which
told Of the children Of st. Patrick,
| young girls looking dainty beneath
maiden priests in their robes of office,
banners Of saint and martyr fiutter-
ing in the breeze, and beautiful statues
of the Maiden Mother and her divine
Son borne high on the shoulders Of
tall acolytes, while the Catholic Boys
Brigade, which was the pioneer in
that boy scout movement now so wide
spread under the leadership Of Brit
| ish general, looking smart and fit In
their dark uniforms and playing re-
markably well, formed the guard Of
honor. The old streets, which once re-
| sounded to the footsteps of the Canter-
bury pilgrims, now echo once more
to the notes of Catholic hymns. Along
the highways where English martyrs
passed on their way to death, their
spiritual descendants chant the glori-
GUS strains Of Faith Of Our Fathers; !;
, in stony streets where once the May
pole graced wide fields. where Mary's
wild flowers jeweled the turf, the fresh
young voices Of children echo back the
strains of Our Ladys Dover"
Bigotry in Liverpool.
Yet, lest we should forget our obli-
CATION of gratitude, there is still
black spots in the land and dark
stains upon the liberty Of England.
Not long since the remarkable and dis
graceful soenes Of religious intolerance
which disgraced Liverpool and cost
the city some $4,000 pounds In compen-
satoa and extra police work, led ts