The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-02
SYNOPSIS or. LETTER ISSUED BY
RIGHT REVEREND BISHOP
WEHRLE or BISMARCK.

" lIiC nav. S1C1SS W SAO AACIesAOo6
Communities and the Faithful of
the Diocese, Health and Benedic-
ton in the Lord.
During our whole life there has
never been q Lenten season, that
urged us in such a forceful way to
do penance as this years Lent. Near
ly the whole world, our own dear
country included, has been drawn into
the most terrible war of the world s
history; the nations desire peace, but
it seems that there is no way of OBJ
tanning peace, SO great is the mutual
hatred and distrust of the nations. i
Such times lay upon the individual
and upon the people as such some
special and Onerous obligations, be-
sides those which are demanded from
us by the government. In such times
what is unhealthy or corrupted in the
social and political life, is laid bare
moro than ever; such times are, ac-
cording to holy Scripture, judgments
on the nations, executed by God the
Almighty.
I find it necessary to call your at
tention to some truths and duties,
which we should specially bear in
mind in these days of war.
I. Trials and Tribulations.
Men start wars; men, namely
princes or governments, lead the men
to battle; men stand in battle array
and send thousands and hundreds of
thousands TO mutilation and death;
men destroy cities and deyaste coun-
tries, sink ships and thus cause mis-
cry, suffering and starvation over the
largest parts of the earth, in such a
way that generations cannot repair
| the damages and losses. .,r
But over all these deeds of men the
spirit of God moves and Divine ProVi.
dence rules. Our Saviour testifes that
not even'a sparrow falls to the ground
without the will of the heavenly
! Father. The holy Scripture declares
that Good things and evil, life and
| death, poverty and riches are from
| Cod" Eccli. II, IA.
Thus God uses kings, governments
and nations as His rod or staff, to
| chastise, correct and discipline other
| nations. Therefore war time is peni-
| tential time, and it is important that
we all practice the spirit of penance,
and do works of penance in order that
the wrath of God be turned away
from His people.
| This truth should protect us from
various errors; it should keep us free
from pharisaical self-praise, as we'll
as from hatred and SANDER against
the enemies; it should make US deep
| ly serious, bravely courageous and
| self-sacrificing; it should engender in
us a deep conviction that in war we
are not allowed to seek ourselves or
material advantages, but that in war
time we must more than ever try to
fulfill the will of God.
These arc also the first conditions
for just and lasting peace.
2. War Barcs Evils.
| When the health of q man breaks
down. it usually becomes known that
tho cause of the disease has for some
time been existing, but was not no
ticed. Thus it is also with the moral
and political life of nations. Never
since the Church left the Catacombs
has there been such constant anC
widespread war against Christianity
as within the last hundred and fifty
years. The Sacrament of MatrimonJ
l lol A. iIil evil Il
: vorces became most frequent, in spite
of the words of Christ: What Coz
, has joined, man shall not put asun
) der The school in nearly every
country was secularized, Jesus Chris
: banished from the school room, bu
: the doors of the schools were opene:
, wide to every wild theory. In the pc
: litical life between the different coun
t i tries the commandments of God ant
) the Christian principles were set aside
> and unprincipled politicians were
/ allowed to rule. Indeed, most of thu
: so-called Christian countries actet
: like Israel of old, of whom God speaks
: through His prophet: BE astonished
4 we heavens, at this and We gates there
; Of be very desolate, saith the Lord
+ For my people have done two evils
= They have forsaken me, the fountain
q of living water, and have digged t
q themselves, cisterns, broken cisterns
4 that can hold no water. -Jer Ii,
+ I-13.
q The only salvation out of this pres
n ent calamity, the only security Of on
!. civilization, the only foundation TO
;. a true and lasting peace, rests in hun
!. bly, and penitcntly returning to Jesu
: Christ, Who has been given to tn
, human race as the King of kings, tn
/ Prince of Peace, the Lawgiyer of tn
nations, by the heavenly Father.
} l call your attention, dear Brethren
. Ito these facts, because every huma
= being is member of the great huma
: family, and because every health
e member has salutary influence upo
the other members of the human rae,
The more anyone of you is permeate
: and enlightened by Christian truth
Y the more he follows Jesus Christ
his own daily life, the greater ais
will be his influence upon his fello
: men and upon human society. Ii
> we're not for the influence of tn
!, Catholic Church and her faithful chi
Il r