The Irish standard., 1915-05-08

his words are indeed significant as the
expression Of the opinion of an un-
doubted and eminent authority that
the majority of Catholic members in
the Y. M. G. A. have practically re.
their allegiance to the
faith.
We may remark that this account
of the interview with Mr.. Messer has
been submitted to him for approval
before its publication so that there is
no question but that the above para
graphs express his honest and person
al views. In approving it, he further
declared that he had, since the inter-
view, gone over the matter of our
conversation with others among the
heads Of the Y. M. G. A. and found
them in substantial agreement with
the judgments he has there expressed.
While we are upon this subject of
the opinion of the Y. M. c. A. officials,
it may be we'll to put on record express
sions from other officials in the Y. M.
c. A. Thus, for instance, one of the
officers, in dealing with this question
of Catholic membership, expressed
himself as very anxious to cooperate
with Catholic priests in getting Cath
Ollie young men back to their duties.
He declared that so careful were the
officers of the Y. M. c. A. to keep the
even balance between denominations,
that the Protestant ministers not sci.
dom reproach the Y. M. C. A. for not
doing enough for the Protestant
churches.
+ Another officer of the Y. M. C. A.
declared it to be his opinion Gas was
mentioned in the course of the quoted
interview, that if the Catholics had
made determined effort to obtain the
active membership, that is the right
to vote and to hold office in the organ.
ization, they could long ago have OBJ
tanned it. There seems, however, on
this point to be no little diversity t
opinion among the Y. M. c. A. secre-
taries themselves. Some of them are
inclined to consider seriously the ad.
visibility of granting the Catholics
active membership. Others, and per.
haps the more influential part, are
strongly against such a move and
stand out for the exclusively Protest
ant character of the Y. M. C. A. This
is question which we merely men
tion in passing, as its adequate treat
ment would require paper by itself
However, the present drift in the or
ganization will probably result (un
less the Catholics introduce a new ele
ment into the discussion), in combining
the active membership in the Y. M. c
A. to members in good standing of the
Federation Of Christian Churches.
The frankness with which the secre
taries of the Y. M. c. A. discuss thei1
organization and their attitude TOWARD
it, is very helpful to obtaining a cleal
and correct view of their attitude to
ward Catholics. The more clear sight
ed and authoritative among the secre
taries realize the incompatibility o
Catholic membership in a Protestan
organization, where the Catholics ar,
thoroughly loyal and Jealous in thei
faith. When confronted with chi
Catholic doctrine that indifferentisn
in religion is heresy, that to believ
that one church is as good as anothe
is to deny the Catholic faith; and tina
If the Catholic church is right every
one who differs from her is wrong
they admit that as logical conse
quence of such doctrine, an organize
ton which inclines young men toward
indifferentism is weaving them iron
the Catholic church. Whether they g
further and own that the Y. M. C. A
has this effect on the Catholic mem
; bers, depends on their own observa
ton in the field.
But that from the standpoint of tn
church there should be Catholi
Y. M. c. A. to take care of Catholi
young men, few of them will question
The Y. NJ. c. A. is essentially Prot
estant institution. Its tone is Protest
ant, its Christianity is tinged wit
Professionalism. Professionalism is al
active element in its life. Therefore
the Catholics do not wish to affiliat
themselves with Protestant organizs
ton and to live in a Protestant al
mosphere, they should have an organ
ization and an atmosphere of thei
+ own.
: We have already mentioned in
: preceding paragraph the difference b,
tween the methods of the Y. NJ. c.
J. in dealing with member of Protes
Y ant organization and with a Jew Q
4 Catholic. In the second instance n
notice is sent out to the priest or rabbi
g as the case may be. The young ma
d is merely advised to seek out his pro-
q er spiritual adviser and become agai
e an active member of his churcl
!. Where the young man is Protestan
g however, another course is followe,
q Inquiries are made as to the name an
e age of the young man, whether he
t. Continued on Page 81