The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-04
AND Man
J. Will Kelley COmmends Fa-
Their of Press Club.
Relations of Priest and Outside
Beliefs Defined.
MAN ppm Tn HIN GhiIIMG
MAN BORN TO HIS CALLING
Must Divert Mind From World.
ly Side of Life.
A MOulder of Human Character,
He Declares.


evening in honor of Father Murphy
by ]. Will Kelley, secretary OF the
Commercial club. Mr. Kelley looked
upon the meeting as one unique in the
history of the clergy of the Roman
Catholic church, men of different
religious faith vying with one another
to do honor to a priest, man usuaiiy
so far distant from those outside ms
faith.
Not only did Mr.. Kelley discuss the
proper relationship between the priest
and those outside the church, but also
that of the priest with his congresa-
ton. Mr.. Kelley's remarks follow:
read an announcement in the
State Journal the other evening that
for this occasion an armist1ce hao
been declared and that Germany,
Scotland, Holland and Ireland were TO
forget for tonight all national discord
and differences in the true CHRISTIAN
spirit that characterizes American
men and distinguishes them from all
others, in order that we might IN
moods both frivolous and serious, tell
a fellowman the respect and love we
bear him. The thought occurred TO me
what a wonderfully democratic peo-
ours is.
Politics, religion, birth, lineage or
profession are no barrier to man
being fully appreciated for his fun
Dy MS IrlenuS, anu tiC
pleasure we can get out of life is to
let the other fellow know he is appre-
ciated, and SO tonight we gather
around the festal board, not Irish
men, not Germans, not Scotch, French,
English not Catholics, not Protestants
but as a united people, seeking to get
all the sweetness we can out of life,
and giving as much or more than We
receive.
1 dare say that this meeting tonight
is unique in the history of the clergy
of the Roman Catholic church, Of this
or any other country. Few of you
are of the same religious belief
as the guest of honor, yet all are wy
ing with each other in efforts to make
his departure from our midst a. bril-
liant milestone in his life's journey.
land we appreciate him, not alone for
the dignity of his position, but for his
true worth a man as well.
The Catholic priest is born to his
calling. The man who lives that holy
life decides early in his boyhood TO
take up the priesthood as a life work
and tc consecrate himself to the work
Of God, and the years of study and
preparation for his work divert his
mind from the worldly side of life
and concentrate it entirely on things
spiritual in order that they may fol-
low as far as man can the teachings
and leadership of Jesus Christ, whose
priests to be.
To reach that high state, to be or
dained a priest, requires years of study
and discipline, self deprivation and
self abnegation of most of the things
that make life worth living to you and
me, who appraise life from a worldly
point of view. The remuneration of
worldly ambitions, to forego fame. for
tune, pleasures. the vow OF celibacy.
removes from the life of man all that
seems to be worth living for, as you
and 1 gauge it. and yet, virtue has it's
rewards, for the priest becomes the
spiritual and confidential adviser of
his people, the arbitrator of their diff
ferences-in a measure the director
of their destinies. the good Samaritan
to the world-weary and the comforter
to the dying.
In no other religion. 1 believe. does
the minister play so great a part in
the molding of human character, for
the children of his people are under
his direct care during their tender
years and the principles of Christian
religion are thoroughly rooted in the
child in it's formation period, so from
the birth to the grave he is the spirit
ual staff of his people. Naturally then
the priest lives within himself and
within his people, and the priest as
the priest Is the conception that we
most frequently get of him and too
with the priest and the man.
AS member of the Catholic church
I have often thought that more de-
nocracy in the priesthood is desirable.
More mingling with all the people
would do much to dissipate bigotry
both in and out of the church and
would bring US into a closer universal
brotherhood of man, but from what L
have previously said and which 1 be-
lieve is true, it is readily seen that it
takes a man of unusual qualifications
to bring out the man and to surround
himself with real friends who lament
his absence when he is removed from
our midst.
Father Murphy. to my mind, IS all
have said of :he clergy of the church
and more. He has the love of democ-
racy in his heart. He gets Inspiration
from his association with men. He
loves the close relationship of friends
he takes broad view of life. He
cannot find ii in his heart to condemn
the man who does not agree with him
and it is because of these character
istics that we men ere glad to cal
him our friend and we are loath to
see him leave our midst, and 80 to-
night we are here to wish him God
speed in his new fields of endeavor
wherever they nay lead and though
he may carry the teachings If the
Christian religion o the wild man Of
interior Africa or to the unleItered
and un-Godly men of semi-Christian-
lied countries we have confidence
that his mission will be performed
faithfully and that his life will be
spent IN doing good to others
The call of his chosen life york.
that of a priest grows stronger TO him
rs he progresses in his work and to-
night We see the exemplification of
the sacrifices and renunciations f the
man for his greater mission and duty
as "a priest He is breaking fond lies
of friendship and bidding goodbye TO
a company of congenial friends all Of
whom he loves abandoning a life Of
comparative comfort and convenience