The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-07-13

HI Rev. r. y. O'O0nanue FreolGts
Growth Of catholicity and Reiig
ious United States-West Virginia
PreIate Hopes the Standard Of the
Cross Will Be Raised on Every
School at Every crossway and Upon
Every. Mountain Top in the Land
I mneither prophet, nor the son
of prophet, but take the privilege
of one with some imagination and
some ability to forecast the future
from the present. I have no mission
to proclaim the things that are to be,
but closing my eyes, see this fair
land a half century-or, at most, a
century-hence a Catholic country,
practically speaking, and in the win
ter nights, through the fog and the
mist, and the snow, from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, and from North to
South, hear one Angelus bell speak
ing unto the other and calling the
millions to prayer. This is the predic-
ton of Bishop O'Donahue of the
Wheeling diocese. He adds:
And over those plains and across
the mountains, that now only know
for inhabitants the coyote and the
wolf, l see vast chain Of Catholic
churches girt about by homes of pur-
ity and peace. I hear the tinkling of
the bell at the sacred moment of con-
secration, and all over the land be-
hold on Corpus Christi and in Mary's
sweet month the white-robed children
vending their way along the green
and pleasant paths, vending their way
and singing their songs in flower-like
sweetness of feature and purity of
heart, lifting up their souls to that
God who made them and whose grace
is showered upon them.
see, ladies and gentlemen, in the
year 1868 at the latest-I put it thus
far forward so as not to indulge any
personal expectation myself behold
here, not three score Bishops, but 900
robed prelates, attending the fiftieth
American Catholic Missionary Con-
gress. l not only see Bishops and
Archbishops, but I see members Of
the Sacred College to the number of
four or five clothed with the sacred
purple.
l see Christ living, Christ ruling,
Christ reigning and Christ loved
throughout all this broad land! l see
the wane and the extinction of all the
fads in religion and the ever-chang-
ing philosophers. l. feel certain that
by that time our friends, the socialists,
will have had quite large number of
lucid intervals.
And l hope that in the end, in the
good days to be, that the standard
of the cross will be raised in every
school, at every crossway, upon every
mountain top, and that the truth will
sink deep down into mems hearts, the
truth spoken by our divine Lord Him.
self: "You shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you free"
Is there any blur in the vision? Is
there anything in all the long vista of
the years appearing like note Of in
terrogation? Alas, yes; alas, yes.
What is it? I answer APATHY of
Catholics"
What is "apathy?" Well, deriva-
lively speaking, it is "a lack of sugar.
ing or of feeling. l believe, "a lack
of interest in those engaged in strug-
gle or who are in distress" We know
what sympathy is, and apathy is
pretty much it's opposite. 1t is kind
of non-committal, negative, non caring,
witnessing of a struggle of various
forces.
Do we need more cathedrals? Not
very urgently. Do we need more uni.
versities? Well, perhaps, one of them
will do for half century yet. Do we
need any of those other appliances
and equipments which mark the fully.
developed Catholic country and com.
munity? I answer, "No."
What, then, do we need? We need
earnest men and women who are en-.
thusiastic in the cause of Christ and
His holy faith.
was saying my holy Mass this
morning and read there at the tenn.
pie of God raised by the living stones
of willing hearts, hearts given to en-.
thusiasm and sacrifice; not temple
of free-stone or Cleveland stone OF
marble, but the living, breathing TEN.
pie of God.
We know what apathy is. Some
times we are the victims of it. Moth
ing hurts more than to be ourselves
engaged in some fierce struggle and
to see our alleged friends looking on
unconcerned.
The last instance of apathy that ]
heard Oft may not be new to you
but still will tell about twas away
hoo1y IN 1,oo nh .x~1~SA ...~-