The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-16

many, Catholic homes into which
it does not go as a weekly visitor
and there are, likewise, many, too
many, Catholics whose names are
not on it's subscription lists,
The Catholic Bulletin appeals to
its friends and well-wishers to do
their utmost to extend it's circula
ton in order that all those for
whose benefit it was established
may be secured as subscribers. It
appeals, especially, to the pastors
of parishes who know the need OF
Catholic paper in every home.
Unless the pastor takes a real IN
terest in it his people will be
apathetic. It should be the boast
Of every pastor that no family in
his charge is without a Catholic
paper. From time to time he
should preach on Catholic litera-
ture and urge his people to read
good books and subscribe for at
least one Catholic paper which will
keep them in touch with what is
going on in the world of Catholic
thought and activity, and supple
ment the lesson Of the catechism
and the pulpit instruction. Not
only will he remind his parishion-
ers Of their duty to support the
Catholic press, but he will devise
the means best adapted to the con-
ditions that obtain in his parish
for the attainment Of that end,
and thus help in a practical way
to make Catholic papers more eff
cient opponents Of the Church s
teaching.
The Apostolate Of the Catholic
Press is subject dear to the heart
Of Pope Plus x. In many Of his
recent utterances and pontifical
letters he reminds Bishops and
priests Of their duty to aid in the
dissemination of sound Catholic
literature and thus counterfeit the
harmful effects of vicious press.
It will be remembered that he once
blessed the pen of a Catholic jour
nalist with the words: "There is
no nobler mission in the world to-
day than that of a journalist. I
bless the symbol of your profes-
sion. My predecessors used to con-
secrate the swords and armour of
Christian warriors. I am happy
to draw down blessings on the pen
of a Christian journalist" It is
unnecessary to repeat the Holy
Father words in which he point,
ed out that the building Of church
es, the preaching Of missions, and
the founding Of schools would be
a vain task unless they are sup.
plemented by a sound Catholic
press.
Nor was his predecessor, Lee
XIII, less insistent on this point
He declared that "a good news
paper is perpetual mission in 6
parish. In his letter to the Bish
OPP Of Vienna in 1888 he says
"Among the means best adapted
to the defense Of religion there is
none, in our opinion, more effica
cious and better suited to the pres
ent time than that which consist:
in meeting the Press by the Press
and thus frustrating the schemes
Of the enemies Of religion. Later
on, in a letter to- the Bishops o:
Brazil, he declared: "With III
less insistence we renew our ad
vice that you should labor with a
much zeal as prudence for the pub
LEGATION and diffusion Of Catholi,
newspapers. For in these day
people form their opinions ant
regulate their lives almost entire
ly by their daily reading of news
papers. ~
In view Of these emphatic decla
rations Catholics should conside
it their duty not only to supper
the press themselves but to en-
courage and exhort others to sub
scribe for Catholic newspapers.
One of the best means of in
creasing the circulation of Catho
lie newspapers is to get the youn,
interested in them. This can b
done most effectively in Catholi
schools. The value of the Catholi
newspaper should be impressed OF
the children by the teachers in
, practical way. Every schoo
!, should subscribe for number o
, copies and these should be dis
, tributed among the pupils an,
read by them. In this connection
!. we quote the following extrac
from an address delivered at tn
recent convention Of the Catholi
!, Press Association at Columbus
> Ohio hv fha Row Tomas IT Ho4