New-York tribune., 1912-02-26
.PASTORAPPRovESD DIVORCE breaches ON SOCIALISM,
Bio Crowd at St. PatriCk'S Hears
Attack by Father Vaughan, S. J.
"POPE CHAMPION OF TOILER"
How Is It To Be with Us-On to
Socialism or Back to Christi"
the Preacher Asks.

Saying he was here on a mission, with the
consent of Pope Plus y to reconcile Gods
poor TO Gods word" as set forth in the
encyclical OF Pope Leo XIII on labor. the
Rev. Bernard Vaughan, S. j., preached the
first of his sermons against socialism In
st. Patricks Cathedral yesterday morning
he said II would not be worth a preachers
while to combat socialism as mere eco
nomic theory but as a philosophy OF life
and q theory of social evolution II de-
manded attention.
The Cathedral was crowded, more than
enc thousand men and women standing in
the aises and other open spaces during the
sermon. The discourse was a reminder Of
the championship OF the toIler By the
papacy, and a plea 70 adhere to the SOW
ereign pontiff who has been a friend for
nineteen hundred years" rather than to
follow the socialist philosopher with his
bravery of statement and blindness to con-
sequence"
Father Vaughan said in part.
The Pope ever has been the champion OF
the toiler the defender OF the weak, the
upliftgr Of the downtrodden, and in him
che worMngman always has found his
best and often his only friend. II IL not
TO be questioned that In the Dark Ages the
Church and the Pope saved humanity.
How? BY the creation OF military class
what we now call feudalism.
1t Is true that in the Dark Ages the
Pope blessed the auto crat, but In those
days, not to be judged in the broad lights
OF to-day, autocracy was necessary 10 bring
order out Of chaos and prevent the serf
and slave from being crushed. What
chance would they arm d with hoes. stand
against the mailed knight on horseback?
The Church never had recognized any dis
tinction between the likeness TO Christ in
the seri and the peasant and IN the peer
and the prince. Father Vaughan said Her
cathedral schools were free alike to the
children Of each and her monks taught
all alike. He continued:
Her teaching uplifted woman and called
the attention Of the toiler TO his own per-
sonallty and to the fact rhat Christ on the
threshold OF eternal life knew no dstinc-
, tion between rich and poor Under her in
fiuence the guilds were formed and craft
learning was taught until in Europe pagan
ism rolled away and Christianity came
forth. And In recognition OF this service
/ empires ceded 10 the Church their sceptres
and gave to her their choicest gifts.
From her stand between the people and
political and social organizations are crea-
tions OF that Church OF the White Pope
against which the half educated now have
6ss ssG s9s1 to Te A So1e Msd
speak so brayely against the Catholic
Church but owe II TO the Catholic Church
/ 10 be able 20 speak at ALL She has re-
minded prince and peasant always that
they are OF common origin, have com
mon destiny and that each Is responsible
for his thoughts and words and acts be-
fore God
! 81 can see but two physicians in the
! field" Father Vaughan continued, coming
with cure-alls for society whose organism
! is suffering from derang ement which
speedily may lapse into artlculo mortls'
unless some remedy be found" Then he
said:
These physicians, ] see. are the sovereign
| pontin and the socialist philosopher. OF
] the remedy the former bears ] will speak
later. Unlike the socialist he has lived in
close contact with humanity for nineteen
hundred years and knows something OF
the ailment, temperament and character
OF the patient. He has been on terms Of
intimacy with high and low, the learned
and the unlettered, the rich and poor. No
class or section of the community Is allen
to him.
Read the history of any country and you
will be forced to say that the Pope always
has stood for the rights of the people
against the oppression of tyranniZing kings
and mobiles. Did not my own country
England, pass from. the rule OF the Pope
because the sovereign pontlff would not
sanction Hentys sdulterous union with
Anne while Catherine lived?
II do rot speak Of the private lives OF the
popes. Some Of them may nave been cor
rupt." Father Vaughan said but do we
his private life? SO with the popes. II Is
of their public policy speak. and so { ask
YOU as Christian people, How Is Il to be
with us: on TO socialism or back TO Christ?'