The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-03-06

H.
Our separated brethren have for
years been seeking an answer to the
question, why do meu not 20 to
church?" The question is not correct
ly put. 1t should read, "Why do Prot.
estant men not go to church?" It
would be work of supererogation on
our part to give laconic and con.
elusive answer to their question. There
Is no solution to their difficulty. The
non-presence of men at Protestant SER
vices is becoming more and more
marked. The various movements in
augurated to improve conditions in
this regard have proved ineffective.
The "Go-to-Church" Sunday brought a
slight increase in Protestant church
attendance. But it was only a tenn.
porary squirt. Protestant revival meet
ings produce much the same effect.
The Men and Religion Forward
Movement" did not move forward as
had been expected. All in all, the situ.
alton as regards the non-attendance of
men at Protestant church services is q
distressingly vexatious problem for
which the ministers of the various de.
nominations can find no adequate solu.
tion.
No such problem exists as regards
Catholic men. All Catholic men 70 to
church, not only because it is an OBJ
legation, but because to them religion
is something vital-something that can
not be disassociated from life itself.
One has but to observe the great
crowds that fill every Catholic church
several times over during the Sunday
morning masses. There are as may
men as women worshippers. :
Mere attendance at divine worship.
however, is not the only thing that is
desired by the jealous Catholic pas.
tor. 1t does not satisfy him to merely
see the church crowded with devout
worshippers. The greatest testimony
of genuine Catholicity is the frequent
reception of the sacraments, in which
regard Catholic men are prone to be
somewhat amiss. And so we find that
special efforts are being made In vari-
Gus parts Of the country to increase
not the number of men in church, but
the number Of men at the Holy Table.
In this endeavor it is interesting to
report that some years ago Father e.
Del. Mcdonnell, s. j., started move
ment in st. Aloysius church, Washing
ton, d. c., which he called the Third
Sunday Brigade. 1t began in 1904 with
forty men. 1t now numbers 1000 men,
and of this number 1900 receive holy
communion regularly on the third Sum
day Of every month.
The brigade has been we'll planned.
There is nothing of the haphazard
about It, 1t has been great success,
because its foundation has been we'll
laid. 1t is the result Of prayer and
work-about an even measure of each.
On the Sunday previous to the third
Sunday the priest in charge of the
brigade speaks at all the masses, urg-
ing the men to come next Sunday to
the z o'clock mass, for the o'clock
mass is for the men and boys of the
brigade. During the week every priest
connected with the church reminds
every man and boy he meets to come
to the o'clock mass on the third Sun
day. But that is not all. A postal card
is sent out to every man. He is re-
minded again; and 1t is suggested that
he bring g. friend.
The confession and communion fea.
ture is not specially emphasized. The
men and boys are not urged to go to
confession and communion, but only to
be at the o'clock mass on the third
Sunday. However, the confession and
communion part follows naturally, It
seems, for the number of regular
monthly communicates among men
on the third Sunday has risen to 1,500.