The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-04-05
The Passing
Of The Saint
In the American Journal Of Sociology,
Published by the University of
Chicago.
Written for the Press Bulletins of the
Central Bureau by z. II.
A Reply to an Attack on the chureh,s
Position on Sainthood.

Saul among the Prophets! This ex-
clamation is called forth by the strange
appearance of Mr.. Meeklin on the
stage of the American Journal of So
: GEOLOGY in its January debut. The per-
Torrance bears the title The Passing
of the Saint 1t is curious bit of
apodictic dogmatism, dished out by a
member of the Faculty of the Univer-
sity of Pittsburgh How this gentle
man got to write on this subject. and
how the Journal, published by the
University of Chicago, happened to
accept this contribution, to print it and
to regale its readers with this curios-
ity, is certainly mystery.
The Passing of the Saint, i. e. Saints
do not exist any more; Saints cannot
exist. For the traditional idea of
Saint is strangely out of place in a
democratic age. The term Saint" is
not in harmony with our scientific nat
uralism or our militant industrialism."
This statement represents the startling
thesis of Mr.. Meeklin. Besides,-and
this seems to be the principal thesis
the Roman Catholic Church is blamed
openly for her attitude towards the
Saint, "a strange and almost pathetic
disregard for its lack of harmony with
the changed conditions Of modern life"
What Constitutes Saint in the catho-
Tic churchf
Fairness would demand that the au-
thor conceive and state clearly what
this Church means by "a Saint" The
answer is obvious to the Catholic
Even for the non.C Catholic q simple
book, Question Box by Rev. Bertrand
L. Conway, would offer the following
concise definition Up. 1881:
"a Saint is one whose extraordinary
holiness of life and heroic virtues
have attracted the notice of the Uni
versal Church, and who after the most
exact scrutiny into every detail of his
life, writings, etc., has been placed
on the approved list of Gods chosen
followers. Except in the case of mar
tyrs, their holiness must be proved
conclusively by evident miracles be-
fore they are canonized. Of course
there are many men and women who
live and die unknown to the world,
but whose lives are just as holy in
Gods sight,"
The possession of Saints at all times
is claimed by the Roman Catholic
Church, because she claims that, as
the true Church, she must and does
possess the mark of Holiness. This
mark of holiness consists in this that
the true Church, having Christ for it's
Holy author, with His saving doctrine
and means of grace must produce
members of extraordinary holiness of
life and that the great deeds and mi
raculous manifestations which Christ
has promised His Church must con-
tinue to the end of the world.
veneration Of Saints Is not ldolatry.
The Church honors and venerates
the Saints not with any idolatrous wor-
ship, but with respect that is due
to the friends and servants of God.
The Church has always honored the
Saints from the early times of Chris
tianity, but it required the official pro-
nouncement of the Church before such
honor could be bestowed in public.
Whilst in the beginning such pro.
nouncement was made and could be
made by the single bishop, later on all
official pronouncements were reserved
to the Pope. The Beatiacation and
Canonixation is most complicated,
but interesting part Of Church legisla.
ton. A summary OF the rules which
! insure the extreme care in such an
important affair may be read in the
Catholic Encyclopedia, article: Beati,
fcation and Canonization.
Honor Bestowed on the Relics Of the
Saints.
The Church honors the memory OF
( her Saints, by honoring their images
and relics. II we treat with respect
the abode of George Washington or his
3 sword, the pen Of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence, Liberty
Bell in Philadelphia, the insignia and
distinctions which our war heroes
have received and which will be kept
in high esteem after their death by
their admiring sons and daughters,
and IL the writer of the strange con-
tribution preserves with reverence the
3 portrait or lock of hair of his be-
loved mother or wife, why should the
Church be blamed for paying proper
respect to the images and relics of her
Saints? The Church is most careful
in examining the genuine relics and
r. s. Sc 49, q. n