The Irish standard., 1915-04-24
"The historic attitude of the church

W oSASASo 10 OAS VI AuCSAly AdVOI anu
condescension. The church cannot
abdicate her queenship; science may
not fail in loyalty. The church cannot
abandon her motherhood of man. No
more may the multitude revolt against
her maternal authority. It is the duty
of such a school as this to make a
synthesis of science and democracy
with faith and to lead them to their
place of honor at the feet of the church
of God.
Catholic scholars have an undying
conviction that there is nothing in all
the content of human knowledge to
disturb the simplicity and purity Of
Catholic faith. They do not fear what
is called modern thought because they
know that there is no such thing as
modern thought. The term is merely
slogan, a battle-cry; and slogans and
battle-cries are weapons of partisan
ship and not symbols of scholarship.
Thought is simply thought, and it is as
absurd to speak of distinctively mod
ern thought as it is to speak of blue
or yellow thought; as meaningless to
speak of distinctively modern science
as to speak of aristocratic and plebeian
science. If it were necessary for the
purposes of Christianity to gloss over
or conceal in slightest measure any
of the sure findings of philosophy or
science in any time or cline of the
worlds history, that in itself would be
persuasive proof that Christianity was
not of God. True, many students
have permitted themselves to become
estranged from the old faith, but this
is due not to any established truth
of science or philosophy, but rather
to the Interpretation which these stu
dents have chosen to give to the data
of the laboratory.
1.-THE mission of the Catholic Uni
versity of America is to restore and
perpetuate the ancient friendship be-
tween science and religion and to
make close and enduring the friend
ship between science and religion and
to make close and enduring the friend
ship between the children of God and
their heavenly Father. 1t Is the mis-
sion in greater or less measure, &C.
cording to means and opportunity, of
every Catholic school.
To-day by none commissioned and
wearing no authority, l venture to lay
at the feet Of this noble school trib-
ute of admiration from all the Cath
Ollie teachers of America. The Uni
versity, like every other great spirit
ual enterprise, has passed through
vicissftudes, but she has never lacked
marvellous loyalty and devotion from
the illustrious cardinal of Baltimore,
from the hierarchy of America, from
officers and faculty and students.
Sometimes the service has been heroic;
always it has been an inspiring ex-
ample to us who watched it from afar.
In spirit of Hottest conservation her
professors have wrought unsparingly
to fulfil her mission, with results that
make the world her debtor.
twenty-five years is brief span
in the life of University when one
thinks of the centuried schools of the
Old World, but these twenty-five years
have been rich in achievement and
they have left the University immeas.
urably richer in promise. That God
may abundantly reward the achieve
ment and bless and fructify the prom.
Use is the prayer which out of our
heart of hearts we send up for you to.
day."
Honorary degrees were conferred on
twelve laymen, who have performed
distinguished services for the advance
ment of society and the benefaction
of their fellow men in various callings
The degree of Doctor of Laws was
granted to Nicholas Charles Burke
Baltimore, Md; Charles Joseph Bona
parte, Baltimore, Md; Lawrence
Francis Flick. Philadelphia, Pa; Err
nest Laplace, Philadelphia, Pa; Carrot
William McEnerny, San Francisco
Call: Thomas Maurice Mulry, New
York, N. Y; John Benjamin Murphy
Chicago, ILL.,, and Walter Geo. Smith
Philadelphia, Pa.
The Doctorate in Letters was re
ceived by Charles George Herbermann
New York, N. Y; Frederic CORTLAND
Penfield, New York, N. Y, and James
Joseph Walsh, New York. N. Y.
The academic exercises closed with
Benediction by His Eminence, Card
inal Farley.
The alumni of the University held
a banquet in the New Willard Hotel
Thursday night, when several hundred
were seated at the table. The guests
Of honor were those who have held
the office of rector of the University
during its twenty-five years existence
Archbishop John J. Keane, who
recently resigned from the see OF
Dubuque; Bishop o. ]. O'Connell, OF
Richmond. and Bishop Thomas J.
Shahan.
| The Rev. William T, Fletcher, OF