South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-14
BISHOP URGES
RELIGION AS
UNREST CURE
Rt. Rev. NJ. ]. Curley of St.
Augustine Speaks at
NOtre Dame.

Speaking before the Notre Dame
class Of 20 in Sacred Heart chapel
Sunday morning, Rt. Rev. Michael
]. Curley, bishop Of st. Augustine,
Fla, severely stressed, in his baccal-
aureate sermon, the moral and po-
litical Ills Of our scientific and sta
tical civilization"
To-day marks the parting Of
mother and her sons-the the grad
yates Of 1920 and their alma mater.
She does not bring you together in
a great amphitheatre or stately hall,
for the last farewell, but before
Gods altar. All this is a perfect con-
clusion TO your years at this univers-
ity where so often you have knelt
before the same shrine. You are
now about TO enter a world where
God is abandoned. You need this
last inspiration to strengthen you
against the great American heresy-
Indifference TO religion.
Country Sick.
a powerful culture has grown up
in this country in the past century.
Its effects can be scanned in the So
cial sickness surrounding us, the
slackening of home ties. the revolts
Of oppressed workers, the seething
selfishness on all sides. Its logical
result is moral chaos: its only cure
is return TO Christ. We must make
progress by going back 10 Bethlehem
and Calvary.
mo one would like to see you
attain fame as jurists more than 1,
10 rnrh ~ DO a
last Judge. No one would be more
pleased to see you rise high in ma
tionaI or international affairs but do
not leave Him who is the ruler OF
all mems affairs. When you go out
into the world of business and in
dustry, go as men of prayer. The
preparation has been given you.
Live pure lives. Give the world
what is its, and take what is yours.
Foch an Example
"If you ask an eXemplar, L point
out to you, the hero of the war. the
worlds super man, Ferdinand Foch.
Watch the great soldier on his knees
before the tabernacle as he awaits
the issue OF the tremendous struggle.
That is the kind OF greatness, we
need in the world today. Success of
course, but success in Christ. Patri-
otism, assuredly, but patriotism in
God. Notre Dame has taught you a
patriotism as sacred as religion.
Something not to be called out on
state occasions but 20 be felt in time
OF peace as well as danger.
You have learned that you have
duties to perform along with the
privileges you enjoy. 1t is for you
to correct the moral looseness, the
blasphemy. and paganism of Ameri-
ca Do not say, you have no obliga-
tions TO fulfill. while petty parasites
are sapping the very life of the ma
ton. You are all the more respOn-
sible because you are graduates of
this Catholic university.
You Need America"
"Go out, determined to p-ove why
you above others perhaps more de-
serving, should be accorded the pri-
vilege of a God-fearing education.
The Church does not need you; you
need the Church. America does not
need you; you need America. CO
and show yourself worthy OF your
citizenship in the Church and the
Republic"
Solemn High Mass, cOram episcopO
was sung by Rt. Rev. II. G.. Alerding
OF Fort Wayne, assisted by Rev
Thomas Irving and Jas. Galligan
Following this service, the flag
which is. donated annually by the
graduating class, was spread out be-
fore the altar and blessed by Very
Rev. Jas. Burns, president of the
university. Six seniors, T. J. Tobin,
Eddie Meehan, Thomas Beacon. F.
DOran Walter Douglas, Oscar Seid-
enfader and Thomas Waters. bore
the banner IN procession TO the flag
mast, where the flag Of 1919 was
hauled down and the new one hoist
ed with due ceremony.