The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-11-28
The Catholic Church and Labor
Position of Church Explained by Charles Sermon
to Delegates at Federation Convention Philadelphia Ex-
plains Attitude of Church Toward Labor Unions

The Catholic delegates to the Ma |
tional convention of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor listened to mastery
discourses on the attitude of the
church toward the Workingmen's
Unions from Rev. Peter E. Dietz, of
Milwaukee, representing the American
Federation of Catholic Societies and
Rev. DR.. Bruehl. The sermon to the
Catholic delegates assembled in the
Cathedral at Philadelphia, was preach
ed by Father Bruehl. He spoke as fol-
lows:
This is a most significant occasion.
You are met in your official capacity
Of union men by the gracious hospi-
tality of the Archbishop, under this
lofty dome erected to the worship of
the Most High. The meaning of this
fact I conceive to be twofold: You
wish to implore Gods blessing on the
activities emanating from your organ
izations and, as loyal sons of the
Church, you are looking for some
token of approval and some word of
encouragement by which she might
endorse and sanction your movement.
For dear as this movement for eco
nomic betterment is to your hearts,
know you do not want it to be in con.
f1ict with your holy faith, which is
still more sacred and dearer to your
hearts.
1t is we'll that you look for orienta-
tion in this matter to your Church,
for she alone possesses Interchangeable
standards of truth and wrong, she
alone weighs things in balances that
are not tipped by fear or favor; she
alone sets the right value on objects
undisturbed by the fact whether they
be popular or unpopular. Witness her
uncompromising attitude on divorce,
on which she stamps her disapproval,
though it is much in demand and pur-
chased at premium in the marts of
the world.
1t is prudent that you seek the ap.
probation of your Church. For your
Church is great power in this world
A cause is the stronger for having her
support. Men, though they be not of
her fold, are inclined to regard a
movement as right and just when she
has placed her seal on it. She has a
long and noble history, and we know
that she has never made common
cause with injustice and wrong. Thus
men have great trust in her judgment
and will, perhaps unwittingly, per-
haps reluctantly pattern their opinions
after her utterances. The appreciation
of the Church is no negligible quantity
even in our own days. But the chill
dren of the Church are especially anx-
fous to have her approval, for they
know that what the Church cannot
approve God will not bless and pros
per.
What is the church's Attitude?
And th!.Ss we wish to hear at this
solemn occasion what the Church
thinks of this spreading and growing
movement. Is she Indifferent to it?
Does she anathematize it? Does she
befriend it? In ethical matters we can
rarely have clear-cut, simple yes or
no. Moral relations are complex; they
present many phases. The assent ex-
pressed in moral matters is mostly a
qualified one, subject to conditions, for
in the moral realm some slight factor
may put an entirely different COM
plexion on the situation and make un-
lawful that which but for this one ele-
ment would be legitimate. Thus the
end may be good, and the means en-
ployed bad, and forthwith the move
ment resorting to such Objectionable
means stands condemned. For the
end does not justify the means, and
so the Church must be cautious in
sanctioning movement, and she does
so with due reserve. In this manner
does she approve of the labor unions,
endorsing them on condition that the
ends are just and the means employed
legitimate. We wish to analyze in de-
tail the attitude of the Church towards
labor unions. When I speak of the
Church mean, and this goes without
saying in this magnificent temple, the
great historical Church of Christ,
which also bears the surname of Cath.
olic. which alone presents to the world
united front, alone possesses an in.
alienable capital of truth, alone
speaks with voice of authority. And
thus do define (myself an obedient
subject to her authority, most anxious
not to deviate from her teaching) her
position with regard to the unions.
My assertions are based on the ut
terances of her Sovereign Pontiffs and
her hierarchy and on her practice in
former ages and at the present times.