The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-03-11
CATHOLIC LIKE THE IRISH
Irish Writer Describes National Religious Traits
of Irish People and the Intense Loyalty
of Irish Catholics
BY Mary Butler.

Although the dogmas of the Cath
olic church are the same in the old
and the new world, among black men
and white, yellow and brown, with
prince and peasant, learned and un-
lettered, it is at the same time true
that national idiosyncrasies are never
more pronounced than in the spiritual
side of peoples life. Religion
evokes the deepest and most authentic
note in the racial genius, and there
is as distinct a difference in the re-
ligious temperament of Celt and Teu'
ton, Latin and Slav, Indian and Mon
gol, as there is in the artistic and po-
litical outlook of these various races.
Teresa, the Spaniard, and Gertrude,
the German, Francis de Sales, the
Frenchman, and Columcille, the Gael,
were so racy of their own soil, that
one cannot think Of them without at
the same time thinking of their coun'
tries. They were essentially racial
types although fellow-citizens Of a
worldwide church.
Pere Bougaud writes in reference to
a French saint, "And do you think
that because she incarnated so pro-
foundry the genius Of her race she was
less saint? The same practices do
not deprive souls of the peculiar per-
fume of the mother land. Information
al on account of his virtues, saint
remains profoundly national by reason
of his character and by the force OF
his imagination. One can and one
ought to consider him as one of the
most visible and most substantial rep
reservations of the genius of his race
Saints are the incarnation of the ma
tional genius at its apotheosis."
What then are the characteristic
features of the Catholic Gael? BY
Gaels l mean both those born and
bred in the Gaeltacht, and those who,
though Palesmen by birth, have at
tuned their spiritual and mental facul-
ties to Gaelicism, 10y sleeping them
selves in the language and literature
of the Gael and by constant inter-
course with this Gaeltacht. 1t is
among these two classes that the real
representatives of our race are to
be found. Keeping this fact in mind
we find that Gaelic Catholicism has
four distinctive marks. list, patriot,
ism; End, intense Catholicism; Sd,
ascetism and aloofness; 4th, grasp OF
essentials.
An apparent paradox is constituted
by the co-existence in the same body
of the qualities above mentioned as
LIST and End; but If the position taken
up by the Catholic Gael is examined
it will be found that it is not in the
least illogical.
Let us consider these four points in
turn. Owing to historic causes re-
ligion and patriotism are so entwined
in Ireland as to be inseparable. The
Identification of these two principles
has given an intimate and personal
touch to our religious feelings, and 1t
has exalted and idealized our national
aspirations. This mingling Of the
service of faith and fatherland has
never lessened the passionate love and
loyalty of our people to those non,
Catholic Irish who have ranged them
selves on the side of Ireland and who
have proved themselves some of her
noblest and most selfless children.
Neither has it induced tendency
to Gallicanism in the Irish branch of
the Catholic church. Mr.. Snead Cox,
editor of the Tablet (who can scarcely
be accused of anti-English prejudice)
deplores in his life of Cardinal
Vaughan, a tendency to Gallicanism
among those of his compatriots who
are also his co-religionists. The dis
like Of foreigners is strongly rooted
in the English character. 1t is true
that for the present the once Savage
Slavs," "decadent Latins," and "hys-
terical Celts," have become gallant
Allies" but everyone knows that this
phase is a passing one and that the
English will revert sooner or later
to their habitual state of mind, which
is the Chinese one of suspicion and
hatred of all foreign DEVILS" This
mental attitude makes it difficult for
English Catholics to regard unreserv-
eddy as children of the same house
hold peoples alien from them in race.
language and customs.
The Irish attitude of mind is abso-
lutely different from this. Though ISL
anders, the Irish are not at all insular
minded. They are famous all over the
world for getting on we'll" with for
eigners, and they are usually popular
abroad. 1t never occurs to them to
think that customs which are different
from their own are necessarily in
ferior.
One man takes tea at breakfast,
another coffee, one parts his hair
smoothly in the middle, another brush.
es It backwards and upwards until it
stands up like a porcupine's quilts;
one observes a rigid, unbending de.
meanour, another shrugs his shout
ders and gesticulates, but the average
Irishman will make friends as easily