The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-12-27
GREATEST EUGENIc FORCE.
TEACHING AND INFLUENCE OF
RELIGION NEEDED TO REGEN-
ERATE MANKIND, DECLARES
BISHOP CARROLL OF HELENA.

In an Advent sermon at the Cathe-
dral, Helena, Montana, the Right Rev.
erend Bishop Carroll dwelt on the
value of religion as the most effective
force that can be utilized in bringing
about the results which modern eu-
genics is, of itself, incapable of pro-
ducing. He spoke in substance as fol-
lows:
Some of the remedies proposed by
modern eugenists for racial diseases
are bad, some are good as far as they
go, but none of them go far enough.
All lack the element physicians deem
necessary for effective healing-will-
stimulus. This radical defect is in
herent in the modern eugenic system
as a whole 1t looks only at the ami
NAL in man and overlooks that which
distinguishes him from the brute-free
will.
''The power, therefore, which can
act upon the will of man is the great
est, in fact the only, eugenic force in
the world. That power is religion.
The Catholic Church by it's sacramen-
tai system, by it's teaching, by its
legislation, by it's very mission can
and does move mans will in the right
| direction and keeps it there.
The Church's Teaching.
"The whole eugenic question turns
on this point: How can the sexual
appetite be made subordinate to the
will, or rational appetite? The Church
answers: By the cult of purity in
every station in life, in marriage as
well as in the priesthood, the religious
orders and single life in the world.
The sexual appetite having procrea-
| ton, not sexual pleasure, for it's pur-
pose, may be exercised only in lawful
marriage. Hence it's exercise outside
of marriage and it's perversion within
marriage are illicit. Further, the sixth
and ninth commandments forbid not
merely deeds, but words, looks,
thoughts and desires contrary to the
holy virtue. 1t is because occasions
that tend to excite sexual imaginations
are not avoided that the passions are
infamed and the will power weakened,
with the result that the world is filed
with shattered nerves, loathsome dis
ease, insanity, unmarried mothers,
children with no man to call father,
| divorce, murder and suicide.
Power of Religion.
"Eugenists propose to select the fit
by medical marriage certificates. They
fail to see that the facility of obtain
! ing such certificates would defeat
their purpose. The Church alone eff
fectively selects the fit both morally
and physically, but she puts moral fit
ness first. She prepares the ground
| for it by training the youth to purity,
by frequent confession and Holy Com
munion, by encouraging written es-
pousals, by repeated public announce
ment of marriage and above all by
her teaching regarding the sacra-
mental character of the marriage con-
tract She provides for physical and
mental fitness by her impediments
which invalidate the marriages of the
insane, of slaves, of near relatives, of
those who on account of error, vio-
lence, or age are deemed incapable
of giving free consent.
while eugenists are over anxious
about selection in marriage, they de-
vote but little attention to it's per-
manency, and the reasons for which
they would permit the rendering of
the matrimonial bond would ultimately
destroy the home and wreck society.
On the contrary the invincible hos
tility of the Church to divorce is the
most effective means in the world for
procuring the proper selection in
marriage.
The CeIibate Life.
But the most anti-eugenic stroke OF
modern eugenists is their attack on
celibacy DR.. Saleeby, their most hui
name exponent, gives it as his expert
opinion, that the babies of the slums,
seen early, before ignorance and neg
lect have had their way with them
are physically vigorous and promising
in certainly not less than ninety per
cent of cases. If, therefore, so much
depends on environment and educa-
ton, and if heredity counts for so lit
tie, then priests and monks and nuns
do the best possible thing for race
culture by retiring to places where
they can train themselves, in art and
literature, in deeds of charity and in
meditation and where they can i'm
part these accomplishments to others
1t is to the celibate life of the Dark
Ages that we owe all the really great
universities of Europe. Then the
strong, healthy, intellectual parents of
those truly Christian times had SO
many children that they could spare
some for the world. They did not
send all to the cloister.
Besides, those who are struggling
in the alley of a sensual world find it
hard to observe even the minimum
requirements of the moral CODE They
need the inspiration that comes from
those who trampling upon flesh and
blood and pomp and power and wealth
have attained the mountain top of the
evangelical counsels."