The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-07-04
religious orders of men were abol-
ished and later those of women. No

ished and later those Of women. No
religious functions outside churches
were or are permitted, and for re-
ligious priest or sister to appear in
public in a religious garb subjects
them to a fine. Even at a burial,
the grave may not be blessed. nor
is any religious ceremony tolerated.
We were present once at the burial
Of one Of our Fathers and had to con-
sign the body to its resting place
with hurled prayer for the repose
of his soul and few drops Of holy
water sprinkled from small flask.
for even this act rendered us liable
to hne or imprisonment. What dis
gust we felt, our readers may mag
inc. Even a procession inside con-
vent walls and in the presence of
invited guests only. has stirred the
rancor Of Mexican intolerance to
to open denunciations. What chance
has the Church, hampered in every
way, to labor for the people and the
upbuilding of the masses? And yet
the unthinking American tourist
will turn up his nose at the Mexican
priesthood and belabor the Church
as If the religious condition of the
people were her doing! First tie the
Church hand and foot, rob her OF the
means of working, limit her ell
cheney in every way. and then IN
pious horror turn up the whites OF
YOUR eyes that so little is done where
there is so much needed! Bind the
farmer hand and foot; confine him
to his dwelling; hamper him IN
every way and then wonder that the
weeds have overspread his fields.
Such is the course of the Mexican
government in Catholic matters.
What we should wonder at is, that
Catholicity in Mexico should still
have the firm hold that it has. Prot
estantism has made some advances
for it goes well supplied with funds
and appeals to the apathetic peon
through his stomach. 1t poses, more
over, as Catholicity; not as Roman
Catholicity, for it draws a neat dis
tinction, but Catholicity for all that.
It is not strange that with an ignor-
ant population some are caught IN
the net.
Give Catholicity the freedom that
it has in our own land; allow the
Bishops the freedom which our own
enjoy. and we have no fear OF the
upbuilding of the Church in Mexico,
which, in it's SORROWS and persecu-
tions. richly deserves our sympathy
and admiration. 1t is the only way
for the regeneration of the nation;
it is the only way for the uplifting
of the masses; but it is the only way
excluded by the infidel government
of Mexico.
Should the American government
intervene in Mexican politics the re-
storation of the Church to her rights
should be the first move. There
would be no question of the union
Of Church and State in Mexico any
more than there is question Of such
a union among ourselves; but there
never can be peace and harmony
among citizens where, as in Mexico,
there is such unjust oppression. Will
the government of Washington be
broad enough to see twill it be
brave enough in the face of unrea-
soning bigotry to do it? We hope
that it may, for we have every con-
fidence in the honesty of our presi-
dent.
The Indiana Catholic, in touching
upon this subject, says:
Repeatedly in daily papers and
magazines we have seen it stated
that Mexico is a priest-ridden coun-
try" and that "the deplorable con-
ditions in Mexico are due to the
Church." and all that kind of thing.
AS matter of fact. there is no
country on earth in which the
Church has been so harrassed and
hampered as in Mexico. Much is writ
ten of the persecution of the Church
in France and Portugal, but we have
no hesitation in saying that the anti
clerical laws of Mexico are far more
drastic than in these countries. AS
long ago as 1859 the persecution of
the Church in Mexico began. Orien-
tai Masonry-the Masonry of bad
Catholics or ex-Catholics, found its
way into Mexico just about that time.
and the fanatical devotees of the
Grand Orient got to work on the laws
of Mexico.
Here is a list of the anti-clerical
or anti-Catholic laws passed in Mex
leo at the instigation of the Grand
Orient politicians who grabbed the
leadership of all political parties by
secret cable methods:
Law of Aug. IL, 1859, Article 3
All laws, circulars and ordinances of
any kind. established by public all
thority by last will and testament, or
I>~v al ~ A.