The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-15
or
THE TYPICAL CATHOLIC LAYMAN IN AMERICA

nues leading to its splendors, the hab-
it's there in vogue may not always be
such as the Church would approve:
no matter, we must adopt them as our
own. And so, Catholics send their
to schools that are fashion
able, however un-Catholic or anti
Catholic Catholics, who giving their
children in marriage seek primarily |
in the alliance the glitter of fashion,
allowing easy pardon to the absence
of faith or of moral virtue, ready to
make sacrifice of their children upon
the altar of Moloch, provided Moloch
be the god of fashionable society.
Perilous theatres and dances are ad-
mitted into use-because, forsooth,
without them one is not in society.
Then, there must be marked separa-
ton from the lower people, however
Catholic those may be. Works of char
ity and religion are eschewed, because
taking part in them would be to asso-
ciate with the lower people, to de-
scend from the high hills of fashion
able society. Often meritorious works
suffer, because those who could best
help ask the question-Who will be
there? May Catholics rise to highest
SUBMITS in wealth, in honor, in social
splendors-provided, however, they so
rise without the sacrifice of the small
est title of their act of Catholic faith.
A Generous Faith.
Be yours a courageous faith. Be it,
too, a generous faith, generous of your
own self, generous of your belongings.
All good and strong things are diffu-
sive of themselves. They seek, as of
an intrinsic necessity, to spread their
| fragrance, to distribute to other be-
ings their wealth of life. So it is with
God in the creation and in the incar-
nation. So must it be with you in the
manifestations of your faith.
Diffusiveness is the very essence of
the Church of Christ. Hence the apos-
tolate, the priesthood, professionally
missioned to teach and to sanctify.
But the mistake is obvious, if the laity
imagine that their task is exclusively
personal, that no care of the general
work of the Church is incumbent upon
them. 1t might as we'll be said, that
the officers, without the aid of the
subaltern soldier.
When a project is proposed, when
an association is formed, for the fur
therance of religion, or of charity,
the typical Catholic will be on hand,
so far as situations and circumstances
reasonably allow, with an offer of per-
sonal service.
Personal service is the more valu-
able to the Catholic himself in whom
it builds up the virtues in behalf of
which he is called to labor: often, too
it is the more serviceable to the pur.
poses and projects he is invited to
uphold. Here I might, without appar
ent injustice, make complaint. The
hurry of life, the urgency of pursuits
of business, perhaps, too, an excessive
counting of pastime and pleasure take
up the day and the year. Talk OF
general works of religion and of char.
ity, or of local parochial interests
the answer is, time is wanting. AS q
matter of fact, there is not sufficient
cooperation, on the part of the laity
in works of religion and of charity
Associations for the diffusion of re
ligious literature, for the propagation
of the faith in home and foreign fields
, for the subvention of the poor, the
, uplift of the distressed and the for
lorn, rally to their gatherings hand
, fuls of people, where the hundreds ant
! the thousands were necessary. I in
stance one observation-disclosures so no
BILE and so wide-embracing-th st
Vincent de Paul, intended by it's consti
tuition and rules, to cover the whole
field of charity and social succor: i
: slumbers in most of our cities, be
cause of the absence of active work
ers. Leave, it is said, religion ant
: charity to the clergy: but priests alon,
do not suffice, and it were distinc
E spiritual loss to the layman if sucl
: things were done without him.
v The Church is not of this earth
Y yet she lives upon it, and with it
p helpings she fills out her mission tt
e provide those helpings is the office
t the privilege of her laity. In NOR,
D ways than one it is blessing to tn
Church in America that in her TEN
, poral needs she depends, not on gov
e ernments, but upon the people, No
|. only is she freer in her movements
:. but because of her dependence upol
f the people she is drawn into more i'm
d mediate contact with them, and the
d become more devoted to her and NOR
:. watchful of her welfare. The Catholi
r people in America are marvellous i
II their generosity to the Church. Coun
a if you can in dollars and cents tn
u temples of religion, the homes of char
r ity and learning built within a Gel
n tury-and you will quickly say, NJ
d where has the like been seen. An
O then there are the annual sums pal
in their maintenance: in a particula
manner, the sums given in support {
q schools, the burthen of which is born
o. purely through the conscientious col
" viction of the need religion has {
h. those schools. To the questioner, ho'
- deep the faith in the minds of Cath,
% lies, how ardent their love for it,
=, point to the millions willingly spent
.. its support.