The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-12-28
PRE-EMINENCE OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH.

The following eloquent and comprehensive
tribute to the Catholic church is from the pen OF
Professor \. NJ Fairbarn and is taken from the
New Zealand Tablet
u freely admit the cmincnce OF Catholicism as
a historical institutions here she is without rival
or a peer II to be at once the most permanent
and extensive, the most plastic and incNible cccles
lastlcal organization the same thing as the
most perfect embodiment and vehicle of religion,
then the claim OF Catholicism were simply indisput-
able. The man in search OF an authoritative church
may not hesitate; once let him that visible
and audible authority is of the essence of religion
and he has choice; he must become get himself
rcckoned Catholic
The Church of Rome assails his understanding.
with invincible charms. Her sons proudly say to
him: She alone is Catholic continuous, venerable,
august, the very Church Christ founded and His
Apostles instituted and organized She possesses
all the attributes and notes of Catholicity-an
broken apostolic succession, infallible chair,
unity, sanctity, truth, inviolable priesthood a
holy sacrifice, and efficacious Sacramento
THE Protestant CHURCHES are but of Yesterday
without authority, whose confused voices but pro-
test their own nsufciency, whose impotence almost
aoncs Tor their own sin of schis by the way it sets
off the might, the majesty, and the unity OF Rome.
In contrast, the Catholic Church stands where her
Master placed her the rock, endowed with the
prerogatves and powers. He gave her, and
against her the gates OF hell shall not prevail
Supernatural grace is hers: it watched over her
CRADLE has followed her in all her ways through all
her centuries, has forsaken her yet She is not
like Professionalism, a concession to the negative
spirit, and unholy compromise with naturalisn1.
Everything about her is positive and transcendant;
she is the bearer of divine TRUTH the representative
OF divine order the supernatural living in the very
heart and before the very fact of the natural The
saints too, hers and the men she receives Joins
their Communion, ell joys their godly fellowship,
feels their influence participates in their merit and
the blessings they distribute. Their earthly life
made the past of the Church ilustrous, their heav-
emily activity binds the visible and the invisible into
unity, and lifts time into eternity. To honor the
saints is to honor Our sanctity; the Church which
teaches to live holy, helps him to love holiness
And the fathers hers; their aborings sufferings
and martyrdoms, for her sake; she treasures
their words and their works; her sons alone
able to say: Athanasius and Chrysoston1, Thomas
Aquinas and Duns Scotus, Cyprian and Augustine
Anselm and Bernard ours; their wealth is
inheritance; at their feet learn fal reverence
and divine WISDOM
'But, rich as she is iii person, she is richer in
truth; her worship is great deep. Hidden sancti-
ties and meanings surround man the sacramento
princ pie invests the simplest things, acts, and rites
with awful yet bssu significance, TURNS all
worship into divine parable, which speaks the deep
things of God, into medium of His gracious
and consolatory approach to man, and mans awed
and contrite, hopeful and prevailing approach to
Him. Symbols are deeper than words; speak when
words become silent: gain where words lose in
meanings; and so in hours of hottest worship the
Church teaches by symbols-truth language may not
UTTER