The Washington herald., 1913-08-31
RELIGION AND SOCIAL SERVICE

Holy Scripture, asserting that portions
of the Scripture could not be satisfac-
torily explained unless his theory was
admitted. The affair was turned over TO
the inquisition. In a few days a papal
decree, founded on decision OF the In
QUESTION. was issued. obliging him to
promise that he would no longer teach'
as a demonstrated fact, that the earth
moved around the sun, as such opinion
appeared contrary to Scripture. He hum
bly, submitted. His trial, which has un-
warrantably been given such prominence
in history. came seven years later Q6S2).
Calico was cited before the inauisition
for having broken his promise OF seven
years before by a printed dialogue in
which high ecclesiastics were lampooned.
After a trial, Calico was condemned in
June. 1888. During his trial he resided
in the palace OF the Tuscan ambassador.
He was never in prison. The only sem
tence pronounced on him was to recite
the Seven Penitential Psalms once a
week for three years and to remain in
the custody of a special officer of the
court This officer was a special friend
of Calico, and after a time he was
placed in the custody of his own son.
Calico submitted without protest, and
continued to be a devout Catholic, and
frequently visited his daughters, who
were cloistered nuns. Huxley wrote from
Rome: I have been looking into the
GaliIeo matter, and I find that the Pope
and the cardinals had rather Inc best
of it
In France the cause of liberty has just
suffered the loss of one of its deter
mined and eloquent champions. M.
Edouard Aynard, deputy for Lyons, died
suddenly in the lobbies of the chamber
when, after a whole night spent in pre-
pairing his speecl, he was on the point
of going to the tribune to defend the
liberty of the free CCatholic) schools
threatened by the measures now under
disc,-' ion for what the government and
the antireligious sectaTians Of the French
Parliament call the defense of the say
school" NJ. Ayard was good Catholic
and fervent lover of truth and justice.
He demanded for the church, the religious
congregations and the religious schools
the same liberty which he would have
demanded for the state schools If the
tyranny had come from the church. He
was 76 years of age. and had represented
Lyons in the chamber since 1889.
We are so often told by Paris corre-
spondents that the women OF the French
metropolis think of little save dress and
amusements. that it is a real pleasure to
be informed by A recent writer that many
of them are engaged in religious work.
We are told by &C. de c." that there
are now, in Paris alone, 5000 voluntary
catechistes: out of these forty are lay
men. eighty are nuns. the rest are wOG-
en- of the world, chiefly young girls" II
would astonish those who believe that
charity and self sacrifice must needs
wear an austerc garb to hear how girls
NAh hn Nd pf ha
gatherings which they attend often
spend their mornings. Plainly dressed,
they begin their day in some distant
faubourg, where their presence is vel
coined though their name is unknown.
and there, sweetly. brightly. as II the
task amused them. they have opened
before the waits and strays Of the Parts
suburbs the vista of another and better
life. Over and over again We have wit
messed the influence that these volun-
tary teachers acquire over their rough
charges. The priests ministrations are
regarded as a matter Of course-'il fait
son metier." say these qmck- -witted and
often irreverent neophytes. The dame
catechiste is a volunteer: they do not
know her name and station, but they
know that she does not live among them;
she is of a different class. but her kind
ness, patience. and ready sympathy
her from her pupils. Indeed. the fact
that she comes from the fashionable
quarters of the city. that she has
pretty face and a soft voice, gives honor
and weight to the lesson that she
teaches. The Catechism must he OF i'm
portanCe IL a well-dTessed lady can come
so far to teach it. The primitive argu-
ment is often the beginning Of a new
awakening in childish minds that are
sometimes wonderfully receptive and
logical.
In the diocese OF Paris SOS voluntary
Catechistes are divided among 1924 chill.
dren. In the central parishes, where the
parents are less ignorant, the work, al
though always useful, has not the i'm
portance that II assumes in the out
lying faubourgs. Here. the mission of
the dame catechiste often extends be-
yong the horizon of the big. hare room
where she is seated among her pupils
BY discreet inquiries and sympathy.
taCtfully expressed in times OF trouble.
she may become acquainted with the
families of the boys and girls, whose con-
fdence it is easy to win. and her action
has often a lasting influence.