The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-11-14
Continued from Page ~
THE LAY APOSTOLATE.

THE LAY APOSTOLATE.
increasing hostility of her enemies and
fail in her defense? How long will
children of the Church continue to see
her great high-priest scorned and
derided; her priesthood hated and
charged with Vilest crimes; her bands
of virgins Knocked, traduced, calumni-
ated; her Sacraments reviled; her
churches desecrated; her sacred rites
interrupted and profaned? Must the
Church become Mater Dolorosa
grieving in the midst of her children
with few hands raised in her Defense
with no voice to help her, save the
petulant whine that the Church and
her hierarchy look out for their own
and the peoples welfare
The great need of the times is
virile, fervent love of Gods cause and
all the Church holds dear. This is
certainly present in some degree in
every community of Catholics. Now
then, let some one in each community
be strong enough to rise and, if need
be, single-handed do some one positive
thing to make known to the Church's
enemies that her children will be in
slant in her defense. Enthusiasm will
be awakened, slowly perhaps, but in
eVitably.
Then again the Catholic laity must
get over regrettable failing, SO char
acteristic of many communities, the
carping criticism directed against any
Catholic leader, be he lay or ecclesi-
astic. They must learn to see the big
object clearly, to sense the good that
is struggling to the front, to realize
that God can raise leaders out of
straw, and that perchance the great
leader whom the times demand will
be formed in their midst, if they but
rally around the standard raised in
the Church's battle, no matter how
humble, obscure or otherwise unprom-
Using the standard bearer may seem.
Unfortunately, too often, the problem
is reduced to the familiar outlines of
cause in which leaders struggle
without followers, as opposed to the
more spectacular view of swarming
followers who clamor for a leader.
Each community that has done
something or is doing something eff
fective in defense of the Church
should make it's action known in the
forum of the Catholic press, so that
local leaders and followers may be in
spirited to enlist in a cause that ac-
complishes rather than fancies re-
suits Let each community inaugurate
its honor roll of Catholic heroes.
This reiuvenation of Catholic loyal
| ty will blossom forth into Catholic lay
congresses and will stabilize lay or
CARNATIONS that will guard in serried
phalanXes the sacred treasure of the
Catholic Church, and each and every
one who bears the humblest livery of
her apostolate. Is this too much to
expect from the Catholic laity? VIII
they rise from their apathy to the
great work that lies somewhere near
| to each and every one of us?
We have many organizations. A
new organization is invariably sug-
Sested as a panacea for every social
| ill., A badge or button as a symbol
of membership is we'll enough, but
how very many rest perfectly content
with the button-wearing Something
more than button-wearing is impera-
tive for the life of any cause. If the
members of the organization at pres
ent in existence were individually
active, individually, l emphasize, the
powers behind the diabolical propa-
ganda would shrink bowling from the
light. The leaders of the organiza-
lions at present among us should en-
deavor to qualify for the great general
ship that is demanded by enlivening
the dormant in their various groups
or checking them off into the Sleep
ing Chapter" so that the organiza-
tions may forge ahead without them.
Our present organizations should get
into training for the great apostleshiB
of the future, the defense of the Cath
Ollie Church. There should be a quail.
fication for membership, sor1e live
deed performed, to guarantee that true
soldiers are enlisting in the ranks
Soldiers are the need of the hour;
not men who prefer the purse to
principles or "societyt to Catholic
manhood. There are enough CONNER.
cial and society" Catholics already
The time has come for others to stand
! out as representative of the Church