The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-25
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DOC TRINAL. SSRRg IITURGLCAL.


One Of the first effects which the ex-
| ample of the heroic virtue of the
monks wrought in that debased society
was to convince it that it was possible
to lead dignified existence without
giving way to the cruel and shameful
slavery of sinful and riotous excesses.
These anchorites, moreover, effiacious-
ly taught the value of goods of the
moral and spiritual order. They made
men understand how far spirit excels
matter and how great is the power of
the will, when assisted by grace,
against the evil tendencies of corrupt
nature. ~. - ....
Builders and Road Constructors
To understand fully the social eff
cacy of the hermitical life we must re-
call the state of Roman society in the
fourth century. Paganism as a relig-
ion and a philosophic system had fall
en- never to rise again. BY his victory
at the Milvian Bridge Constantine had
routed the army of the last heather
emperor In this sign thou shalt con-
quer," became the watehword of
throngs of noble men and women, and
vast numbers entered the Church,
many of them voluntarily accepting
poverty and the burdens of life in a
religious community. -.-...-.
The life and example of the latter,
as we'll as the rigorous rule followed
by those who lived in solitude as: her
mits became a continuous object les
was certainly not of little value to a
society carried away by avarice and
love of gold to behold rich lords, and
matrons distribute their wealth to
the poor and live. content in sackcloth
and with coarse food. ~
In many cases these persons who left
the world did not only engage in
prayer and contemplation, but labored
with their hands for their own susie
nance and that Of the poor. They led
the life which was later on summarized
by many religious orders under the
watchword fora ct labOra, pray and
work" By their systematic undertake
ings for the material improvement of
the vicinity in which they were locat-
ed, many of the great religious orders
merited the gratitude of their con-
temporaries and Of future gener-
| ations. DR. Thompson recognizes this
fact in his book, 'tThe Church and the
Wage Earners." He admits that the
religious orders acted as the bridge
builders and road constructors of
many districts in the, middle ages.
They drained the swamp and improved
the fertility of large wastes and tracts
of aridglands.
| But this work has continued to, our
| own day. Missionaries of religious
orders became the instructors of the
tribes, not only in religion, but in agri-
| culture. The Jesuit Reductions of
Paraguay are a telling example. In
| other cases the monks and religious
acted not only: as preachers OF the
gospel, but as social apostles. The
| Salesians are today carrying on fine
social work in the spirit of their
founder, Don Bosco, not only in Italy,
but also in South America. The Fa-
theirs of the Society, of the Divine
Word have been labofing success
fully in Togoland in Africa, teaching
their black children the Christian re.
Iligion and the arts of life. The sons
Of St. Francis have brought the light
of faith and material prosperity to
the Navajos. of Arizona, following in
this the example of their Industrious
brethren-Junipero Sierra and Saliva
terra. The Oblates are working sue.
cessfully. for the spiritual and social
Iuplift among the Denes of British Co.
lumbia. Men like, De- Smet,, Father
Morice, Og NJ l.. Bishop Marty, who
labored among the Sioux, we're NOT
only missionaries of the. good It'd
Iings," but apostles of charity and
promoters. of social peace and happi
ness. III. I'll - - ~: III:
The social work of the religious
orders forms one of the most instfuc
tive chapters in the history of the
Church 49,, %.sst; ~