The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-12-16

olics to what is known as
active membership in the Associa-
ton and voice in its executive
control.
In a subsequent letter to the
clergy and laity Of his Diocese,
Archbishop Harry warns his flock
against joining the 7. M. G. A. or
aiding it in any way, because, as
constituted, it is practical denial
Of the Catholic Church, heretical
cult, and a danger to Catholic
youths. By requiring it's active
members to belong to evangelical
Protestant churches it establishes
a religious test which prescribes
that they believe in Jesus Christ
our Lord, and accept the Bible as
the sole rule of faith and morals.
Furthermore. the religious ser
vices it holds are distinctively
Protestant and it cannot with
truth deny that it is sectarian in
spirit and in purpose.
The consequences of this are
pointed out by the Archbishop in
the following words: "By setting
up it's test Of membership the
Y. M. G. A. implicitly, at least,
distinguishes between truths nee
essary to be believed, and doc
trines not of faith. Singing out
one dogma to be held, it implies
that all other doctrines, even
though revealed, are not bind
ing upon the assent of the mind F.;
, or rather, since reason itself
evinces that, if God revealed other
: doctrines, they must be true and
must be held, this society, by ex-
Guiding them from it's test, casts a
, doubt upon their revelation.
Moreover, in exercising it's
r private judgment as to what must
E or need not be, believed, the Y. M
: G. A. has planted itself on the
E basis of all Protestant sects, whose
( fundamental tenet is that in the
Y choice of religious creed the ul.
: innate criterion of truth is, not the
authority of the Church, but the
individual judgment Of every man
''Admitting to it's membership
by this standard, persons Of differ
ent denominations, it fosters indif
ferentism in religion; or rather i
e is an embodiment Of that error
/ For, provided, you profess faith il
r the divinity of Christ, it matters
s not, so far as it's membership i
v concerned, what else you hold O.
d to what other sect you belong
y This is to deny that it is man !
I duty to worship God by believing
q and practising one true religion
c 1t means that one Christian de
s nomination is as good as another
q Any Catholic, therefore, VIII
e joins or aids the Y. M. G.. A. there
y by sanctions all the errors agains
u Catholic dogma contained in it
l. structure and his action is tanta
lt mount to a confession on his par
J. that the Catholic Church is not tn
s sole authorized representative o
g Christ upon earth, nor the in
is fallible guardian Of revelation, no
lie the ark of salvation.
:. "And if he takes part in tn
- sectarian services of the Y, M.
20 A. he breaks the divine an
=, e natural laws which forbid partici
=, -. patton in heretical Worship
= In view Of the foregoing" cor
- cludes the Archbishop, it seem
!, hardly necessary to point out tn
% danger Of the Y. M. G. A. to GU
- Catholic youth, especially t
~ :, young Filipinos, who have littl
= experience of heretical sects. I
- many cases, these youths are az
e. to be insuficiently grounded in
~ 70 knowledge of the Catholic Rel
~ gion to be able to resist the onse
=. Of error and allurements; still les
:. are they conversant with the hi
=. tory, doctrines and methods c
40 40 false creeds; they are Of an ag
- - when they are easily beguiled b
~ notions of free thought, and il
= - dependence Of spiritual authorit
- and when they are prone to SUI
~ cumb to human respect; they wi
= be subjected to both open an
:" covert attacks made on their n
= ligion by Protestant ministers di
y ficulties long ago exploded i
- other countries will have for thel
- answerable truth; but, above al
- they will be constantly surrounde
:: by an uncatholic atmosphere; an
y so, little by little they will los
u their horror Of heresy; they wi