The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-02-12

The following extract is taken from
the recent pastoral letter of His Grace,
Bishop Corbett. 1t is an eloquent, log
ical and forceful statement of the po-
sition of the Catholic Church:
The Church of Rome cannot be
rightly stamped as a foreign institu-
ton. Every nation is her home, be-
ing Indifferent to and in sympathy
with any form of legitimate govern
ment and living in peace and harmony
with any nationality. Where would
America be but for the Church of
Rome? A Catholic sailor discovered
America, a Catholic monk encouraged
Columbus, Catholic cardinal inter-
coded for him, Catholic queen would
pledge her jewels in aid of his dis
covery, a Catholic king fitted out his
vessels. Columbus dedicated America
to the Church Of Rome. Catholicity
cannot justly be regarded as a
stranger on the American soil, on
which Columbus planted the Cross of
Christ and on which the first real act
of worship to the true God was the
Catholic Mass and the first hymn sung
on the American shore was the Hail
Holy Queen in honor of the Virgin
Mother of God. From the declaration
of independence down to the present
hour, Catholics have appeared and do
appear most prominently in every
honest work for the promotion of ma
terial, intellectual, moral and espe-
cially religious welfare of the country.
Twelve missionary priests, ready to
sacrifice their lives for the CONVEX
sion of the new world, accompanied
Columbus on his second voyage. The
Church has imprinted the names of
her missionaries and discoveries on
our cities, our lakes and our rivers.
In our great battle for freedom, the
children of the Catholic Church as
sumo most active and prominent
parts. Witness on land the valor of
a Lafayette and on water the re-
nowned skill of a Commodore John
Barry, justly named the father of the
American navy. The illustrious Arch
bishop Carroll of Baltimore, in his ar
dent patriotism, sought, as priest, to
interest Canada in the revolutionary
war. Over half a million did Cath
olics contribute to the war of indie
pendence. Germany sent Baron de
Kalb, Poland a Polasky, and Ireland
a multitude of soldiers in search of
American freedom. Catholics signed
the declaration of independence to the
great American Republic, the wealth.
est signer of which was the distin-
guished Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
who also donated portion of the very
ground on which stands the Capitol
in Washington.
Who would presume to consign to
oblivion the historical fact that the
day Of national independence would
never have dawned for the United
States but for the great aid of Cath
Ollie France? For the birth of our
national freedom the king of France
declared war against England and
sent across the ocean five fleets, ships,
arms and soldiers. The Catholic
clergy of France lent to the king the
sum of six millions for the prosecu-
ton of the war. The Catholic king
of Spain also joined the war against
England for American liberty.
George Washington recognized
Catholic worth in a famous speech.
Consider the honorable line of our
numerous Catholic generals and Cath.
Ollie soldiers, not only in the revolu.
tionary, but also in the civil and Span
ish wars. For long years has the
Church of Rome favored our beloved
country with the untold benefits of its
genius, the admirable skill of it's arti-
sans. the powerful strength of its
workmen and the glowing fame of its
charity, especially by her splendid
Sisterhoods in their work in their
numerous hospitals and asylums, in