The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-05
CATHOLIC CHARITY
THE CHURCH is THE PIONEER ON
WORK OF PHILANTHROPY
CHARITY UNKNOWN IN THE
PAGAN WORLD.

There is one thing that civiliza-
ton with all it's advantages has not
been able to do, and that is to rid
the world of human suffering and dis
tress, says DR.. Pace of the Catholic
University. In fact, in the march of
civilization it has indirectly increased
human suffering in some forms. 1t is
not possible to compare the suffering
Of one. age with. that of another, but
in the midst of our splendid civiliza-
ton we must admit there is suffering
in multitude of forms.
Two principal attitudes are adopted
at the present time in regard to the
sufferings of mankind. One would
remove distress by preventing it. It
would rid society and the world at
large of those that make the appeal
to charity. Men of insight and ex-
perience openly proclaim the doc
trine of the survival of the fttest
and advocate the removal, \ actively
or passively, of those unfit, Of those
not equipped for the struggle Of
existence. Those who are..truly Chris
tians cannot accept this doctrine.
Suffering is in the world and all true
Christians are engaged in doing some
thing to provide relief.
The idea Of social service which has
come to be so prominent is the atti-
tude of those who are ministering to
the poor in the spirit of Christ. This
service has a consecrated meaning
While the present great conflict is
enough to sadden the hearts of all,
there is one feature about it that gives
consolation and that is the way in
which various organizations have
united to- mitigate the sufferings and
horrors of war.
These charities have a special in
terest for the Catholic mind, for the
Catholic Church is the great pioneer
and leader in works of philanthropy.
1t is the greatest agency in the work
of social service that the world has
even seen. Eliminate from the world
today the charities that had their
origin in the Catholic Church and you
sweep away at once thousands of in
situations for the poor, the sick and
other unfortunate dependents. Char
ity as we know it was unknown to
the pagan world. They cultivated art
and literature, amassed great wealth
and built mighty empires, but the
duty of charity was unknown to the
Greek and Roman. Only when Christ
the Saviour came into the world had
true charity its birth. Any nation or
generation that drifts back to the cul-
tiyation of pagan ideals will in some
measure lose the spirit of charity.
The spirit of charity expanded in
the Catholic Church through the
monasteries, guilds and laymen's as
sociations. The monks we're the first
physicians of modern Europe, and
while they might not be able to pass
the examination for an M. d. today,
they brought to the poor relief for
their ills. Their charity was prac-
tical, not theoretical The history
of the hospital, written by men not
Catholics, is a tribute to the Church.
As an institution the hospital origi-
mated in the Catholic Church and even
before the time of the Reformation
England alone had 400 hospitals. Be
tween the years 1850 and 1870 Ger
many built 155 hospitals. During the
medieval ages, SO often cited as sy-
nonymous with barbarity, every form
of charity was fostered.