The Irish standard., 1915-06-12

| q OF society and to promote industrial
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A CATHOLIC SOCIAL cATEcHlsM.
(Continued.)
u. The Sickness.
You say that society is very i'll
What is the matter with it? The diff.
ferent parts are not doing their work
properly. The various classes do not
try sufficiently to help each other.
What are the signs of this sickness?
They are many. Capital and labor,
for instance, are often seen to be in
conflict instead of in harmony.
How can there be harmony? Their
interests are different?
Their true interests are not differ.
ent; you might as we'll say that the
interests of the brain and of the heart
are different. They do different things,
but both work together for the COM
mon good. If they do not work in
harmony both will suffer.
How does this conflict between
capital and labor show itself?
In many ways. For instance, there
is a great deal of sweating"
What is sweating?
Sweating" is employing people to
work and not giving them enough
wages for a decent living.
Does the Catholic Church condemn
sweating?
Yes, the Catholic Church condemns
sweating as cruel and unjust. To
defraud laborers of their due wages is
sin crying to Heaven for vengeance
Name some other results of the want
of harmony between capital and Ia.
Dor?
Child labor, unemployment, bad
housing, restitution, sinful cxtrava.
gance.
Are not children protected by law
from being put to work?
Yes, but they are not protected sui.
ficiently.
Are there many men out of work
There are always many men out OF
work, and this means great misery
for their wives and children.
Why are they out of work? Is 1t
through their own fault?
Very often it is not through their
own fault, but is due to the effects of
the present social system.
Are the people who work properly
housed?
Very often their homes are not fit
to live in, and many have to sleep
crowded in single, unhealthy room
What is restitution?
Being without the necessaries of
life or means of obtaining them.
Does God mean any member of so.
ciety to be in such a state?
1t is contrary to Gods will that his
children should lack the means of liv.
ing, and Of loving and serving Him,
What is extravaganza?
Wasting the goods of this life on
useless and unworthy ends.
Are there any other bad results OF
our social sickness?
Yes, the worst results of all are the
spiritual and moral results.
What are the spiritual and moral
results?
One result is that many rich people
have become very selfish and think
only of making money and enjoying
themselves, and many poor people
have become very bitter and would
like to rob the rich.
Are riches forbidden as bad fol
people?
No, not In themselves; If properly
used they may do much good. But
they are great danger.
Why are riches q danger?
Because men who are rich easily
forget that God has ordered them to
use their riches to help others. Rich
men often come to look upon their
riches as If they we're intended fol-
themselves alone.
Is poverty bad thing?
Poverty is not bad thing. Christ
was poor, and many saints have pre-
ferred a life Of poverty. But destitu
ton, which is being without what ie
necessary for decent living, is bad
Christ has said. "R1oreod aro the
poor" but he did not say: BLESSED
are the paupers."
Does being poor make a man good
No. being poor does not In itself
make q man good. 1t removes some
temptations which rich men have; but
1t has other temptations Of its own.
Must we try to get rid of extreme
poverty or restitution?
Yes. because when people are very
poor they may easily give way to sad