The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-06-07

the spirit of faith. The more numer-
Gus they are, the better for the
Church.
The Need Of Militant cathoIicity.
You propose to deverop in your
members virile and militant Cath
olicity, such as is needed today when
Catholic laymen are exposed to trials
on account of the faith. We live in
non-Catholic atmosphere. The
very language we speak has been for
centuries charged with misrepresenta-
ton of the Catholic Church. News
papers and periodicals misunderstood
and mis-state her teaching. 1t takes
strong faith to stand erect amid the
winds of unbelief and prejudice 1t
is easy to be a Catholic when the
atmosphere is Catholic, but in America
today each Catholic must needs be a
sturdy oak to defy the storm, an ada
mantine rock unmoved by the waves
that break upon it. He must have the
spirit of the martyrs and be ready to
make sacrifices for his faith and to
challenge public opinion in defence of
the Church.
This great Order has in it's ranks
the very best children of the Church.
1t strengthens them by mutual con-
tact and prepares them to meet every
opposition. Hence, you need the cour-
age to profess your faith in God, in
the Incarnation and in the Catholic
Church which in her sweep through
the ages has gathered into the folds
OF her mantle every glory that hui
mainly has known and valued. She
is still the Church which has civilized
every land, that sends her Apostles
everywhere, and on whose banners
are inscribed ten thousand victories
over error and vice. When we know
what the Church is, it is easy to
listen to Misrepresentation, because
we know it is false, we pity those
who make the charge and we thank
God that we possess religious truth in
all it's fulness.
The Lay ApostoIate.
The Knights of Columbus are doing
great work blessed by the Church,
the work of propagating the faith
through the laity. 1t is true that the
laity are not on a level with the
clergy as official teachers of religion,
but they are the spokesman of the
Church among men whom the clergy
cannot reach. The laity should there
fore be animated by the spirit of
Frederick Ozanam who, with a few
devoted followers, enkindled the flame
of lay apostolate in Paris and did
wonders for the salvation of France
after the revolution and, later on,
throughout Europe and America So
L would have Ozanams multiplied in
every city in America, and then it
would be we'll for the Church.
Spread of Catholic Literature.
For such an apostolate we must
have intelligent Catholic laymen. For
that purpose the educational work of
the Knights of Columbus is of special
value. l will not speak of all the
phases of this work, but will precise
one, namely, the spread of Catholic
literature among the members them
selves and among non-Catholics. The
evil of the day for the Catholic
Church is ignorance of her doctrines
and history. Let her be known, and
there is no danger of renegades from
her ranks, no danger that among
thoughtful citizens there will be preiu-
dice and misrepresentation The
books which the Order has already
published should be in the hands of
every member and each one should
deem it his duty to place a COPY in
the hands of those who are not of
the faith. The books of DR.. Walsh
help to place the Middle Ages before
us in their true light. The Middle
Ages are often spoken Of as the dark
ages, but they we're in reality the age
or faith and genius, wherein all mod
ern inventions were Graded. What
we now possess is but the develop
ment which their thought and energy
were preparing for humanity 1t
should be the aim of each knight to
familiarize himself with the teaching
Of the Church and her attitude on the
great problems of the age and be able
to discuss them intelligently with
those who are not of the faith. This
is demanded not alone by the prin-
ciples Of the Order but by the very
name it bears-Knights of Columbus.
Meaning Of the Name.
The motto of the Catholic knight
Of the Middle Ages was ode rather
than be sullied." He was ready at
any time to leave all and fight for the
freedom of the Holy Sepulchre. So
sacred was the profession Of knight
hood that, before the novice was ad-
mitted he spent the night in the pres
ence of the Blessed Sacrament in
order that he might drink into his
soul the spirit of love and self-sac-
r1fice which 1t symbolized. Hence,
there is no more inspiring name for
the lay apostles of the present day.
Your patron, Columbus, was the great
genius who, looking across the dark
waters Of the ocean, felt that there
must be land beyond, and he vowed
that he would not cease his activity
until it was discovered and its people
brought to a knowledge of the faith.
His ambition was to spread the faith
and the obstacles which he encoun-
tered only strengthened his resolve.
His piety, valor and eloquence won