Kentucky Irish American., 1920-05-22
Religious Orders Exponents of Ideal
ism and Practical Endeavor In
Society.
Something About Them Which the
Shortsighted Critics Fail to
Recognize.
Draw Their Vitality From Source
Which Human Folly Opposes
In Vain.
REQUISITE FOR SOCIAL PEACE.

The religious orders of the Catho
lie church have been looked upoI
with an evil eye by many govern
ments. 1t is said that the religious
life as practised by these commune
ties is not suited to the ideals Of oul
time. 'The orders are out of date,
say some, land they ought to cease
to exist" But there must be some
thing about these venerable institu-
tons which shortsighted critics fail
to see. They must respond to some
need of the heart or they would not
expand and flourish in these days OF
little faith. For thousands of young
men and women, often of the high
est stations of life, renounce worldly
prospects in order to accept this kind
of life. They do this freely, and ac-
cording to their own confession they
find their happiness in leading the
religious life" looking upon the
grace of perseverance to the end as
the greatest blessing that God may
give them. The sacrifices the life re-
quires are considered as trifling COM
pared with the excellent opportuni-
ties it offers for the service of God
and man, and the eternal recompense
In Gods kingdom. This argument is
almost of itself sufficient to prove
that religious orders meet a real
want in modern society. For an in
stitution that no longer responds to
the vital needs of a community dis
appears of its own accord. 1t does
not require an attack from without
TO lay it low. But now since the tree
rE NJ arwa,
many venomous attacks and the tar
get for such repeated calumnies, not
only lives but blossoms with ever re-
newed strength and vigor, it is evil
dent that it draws its vitality from a
source which human folly opposes in
vain. .--.. ..
Despite all the comforts and adj
yantages with which modern civili-
gation has encircled men there is a
void it can not fill. This is mans
need of an ideal. Many there are
who are disgusted with the low aims
and pursuits of great number of
our people. They realize that such
pursuits lower mans dignity. And
SO they say that they will aim at
something higher and better than
their fellow citizens. They devote
llCAAlSNlNGS W dil VI literature UT So
cial service and herein they try to
find some ideal worthy of imitation.
Now does not the religious life hold
out the highest ideals for the men OF
our day? To love God with ones
whole soul, to serve the brethren un-
selfishly for his sake, and to possess
Him forever after this brief span of
years, this is the ideal of the relig-
and inspiration to the best of our
race?
One of the requisites for social
peace and happiness is the obser-
vance of the moral order on the part
of the ma jority of men. This means
that more genuine and lasting hap-
piness is found in communities where |
virtue is esteemed and where men
successfully strive to beat down the |
clamorings of lower nature. Unfortu-
nately there are so many who find it |
difficult to observe this moral order,
on account of their own weakness, |
but especially on account of the
many obstacles placed in their |
way by the sinful, evil-minded world. |
Now the religious life gives the best |
opportunity TO observe the law of vir- |
t0C III AAA ItAhSos vi IL 10 iDdOcu Ou Il
the observance of the counsels." |
And men have no higher standard of |
moral excellence than those "coun- |
sells of evangelical perfection" For |
they enable a person to serve God |
in the best manner, being freed not |
only from slavery to sinful pursuits |
but even from attachment to world |
ly honors, society, ETC.. 1t is this life |
tyhfnbI holds hn af
greatest joy that can be mans por-
ton ON earth-the peace of a good |
conscience which the treasures of the |
world cansnot buy.
One of the fundamentl virtues of |
the religious life is a strong incen-
tive to the growth of the spirit of |
democracy and liberation that char |
acterizes our time. For the members |
of the religious orders, especially
those devoted to the active life, that |
Is a life of service to suffering man.
look upon all persons, irrespective of |
creed, color, or social station, as chill |
dren of the same God and Father.
They practice heroic charity towards |
the most lonely and wretched of |
these children of God, realizing that |
by serving them they serve God, their |
father in heaven. Now 1t is only |
such charity, born of lively faith in |
the truths of revelation, that can IN |
spire the heroism and constancy
which we see in a st. Vincent de /
Paul, a Francis Xavier, a Peter Cla-
YER, or a Father Damien. The mo-
tives of self-sacrificing action sup
piled by positivism or materialism |
fade into insignificance in presence of |
these euhlirna and 0anarora r.rsincf
pies born of the sweet principles of
Christ"
always look forward to the reward
has not quenched the hope OF immor