The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-28
"Go-To-CHURCH" SUNDAY.

The "Go-to-Church" movement
which was started last fall in one
of the smaller towns of Ohio and
taken up by a number of the
larger cities throughout the coun-
try has reached the Northwest It
is an attempt on the part of the
denominations to increase the size
of their Sunday congregations.
They would have a big turnout of
church-goers at least one Sunday
in the year.
Next Sunday, March 1, has been
set apart as "Go-to-C Church" Sun
day in the Twin Cities. The pro-
meters of this movement have
been very active in bringing it to
the attention Of the public. It
has been extensively advertised in
the public press and large posters
calling attention to it are dis
played ON the billboards. It is
confidently predicted that rec
ord attendance will fill the
churches to overlooking, and that
many people who seldom or never
see the inside of house of wor-
ship will be induced to take part
in some sort of religious service
on that day.
Of course, the "Go-to-Church !"
movement is purely Protestant
affair. There is no need. for spe-
cial efforts to induce Catholics to
attend church on Sunday. They
recognize that as a duty and not
only on one Sunday Of the year,
but Sunday after Sunday, they fill
our churches to overlooking.
1t will be cause for rejoicing if
the mont Catholics turn out in such
large numbers next Sunday as to
tax the capacity of their several
meeting places. A half loaf or
even a few crumbs is better than
no bread, and every effort made
to turn the attention of the public
to the necessity of sanctifying the
Sunday by divine worship must be
commended. It is to be hoped
that this "Go-to-C Church move
ment will not be confined to bring
ing people to church on this Sun
day only but that it will have a
noticeable effect on the attendance
during the remainder of the year
The movement serves to en-
phasize the deplorable conditions
that obtain in non-Catholic
churches. 1t is a public confession
Of the fact that Protestant men,
especially, do not 60 to church.
The ministers preach to handful
Of people. How far they them
selves are to blame for this state Of
affairs by reason of their striving
after novelty in their sermons
rather than preaching ON ques-
tions of doctrine and morals, is a
subject which might with profit be
taken under consideration by all
who are interested in increasing
attendance in Protestant churches.
In view Of the effort made to
induce non-Catholics to attend
church in larger numbers, it be-
hooves Catholics, and especially
Catholic men, to be most exem-
plary in attending Mass every
Sunday. They should allow none
but the most urgent reason to pre-
vent them from fulfilling this re-
ligious obligation. They owe it to
themselves, to the community in
which they live, as well as to the
church of which they wish to be
honored members, to show them
selves faithful to the teachings of
their religion, especially by at
tending Mass on Sunday and ap-
preaching the sacraments regu-
larly. The few who are inclined
to be negligent in this regard are
not infrequently the cause of
bringing discredit on the church,
by exposing their co-religionists
to the undeserved opprobrium of a
class of bigots who are always
ready to magnify the molehills of
individual shortcomings into
mountains Of public scandal. Cath
olics should not be. satisfied with
attending Mass on Sunday but
should, whenever possible, make a
practice of participating in the
Holy Sacrifice every day, both for
their own spiritual welfare and
for the public edifcation which
such whole-souled loyalty to the
church never fails to give even to
the unbeliever