The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-12-30

ytlE XPosToLATE oF SOCIAL Ac !.
N b n f -v WI ss n g~ ss M
M g Nj . sS AZ NJ NJ sSS
tBy Rev. ,. Z Harrington.

.f
tHy New. ]. Nj Hsrrinoton.) II
We are all familiar with the chal-|
|lenge thrown out 10 Ozanam at the.
Paris University by the Saint simon
hans and materialists OF his day.
you have good reasons" said they
to the young Catholic students. ito
talk Of the past. There was a time
when Christianity worked wonders;
but now It is dead. In fac. what are
you doing, you who boast OF your
|Catholicity? Where are your works
THAT prove your faith, that can make
|ls respect and accept it 2" Could not
millions of the American people ask
|us the same question today, with as
|nuch Justice as the socialists of
E0zanam's day asked these young Cath.
(olic students? This too was the
challenge thrown by Won Ketteler
|sthe Bishop sUf the workfngmen'' be-
fore the assembled Hierarchy of
Northern and Southern Germany at
1.-THE historic Fuiday Conference OF 1862.
| He s0lemnly warned the Episcopate of
Germany that IL the Church should
Efail in her leaders In this duty OF
social action, then should she expect
1.-The unbelieying laborer to say to her:
9sOf what use are your fine teachings
| to me? What is the good of your re-
|ferring me by way Of consolation to
| the next world. II in this world you
let me and my wife perish with
hunger? You are not seeking my
welfare, You are looking for some
thing else Nay, he went on to point
lout that it was an argument for the
(diEinity Aof the Church beautifully nm:
|derst0od of the masses or the labor
ling poor: az proof in works not, in
words that Christ Is indeed her Found
Ter: BY solving this problem, which
lis too, difficult foramankind left to, its,
own resources; by accomplishing this.
work Of love, which lis the most inn:
perative work Of our century: the
Church win prove to the world that
[she is really the Institution. Of saliva.
ltien founded by the Son OF God; for,
|according to His own words. His dis
Iciples shall be known by their works;
Iof charity
The Answer in Deeds.
This challenge in the mouth OF the
Iinfdel workingman must be answered
in our day not by words but by deeds.
You can point out if you wish the
countless institutions of Catholic
lcharity. You can show me the, lives
tof thousands Of holy men and women
Ew1o have left all ito follow Christ.
This is a sufficient argument for me
land YOU that Catholicity is a Divine
land living Faith. But the world is
mot Impressed by these evidences, part
Fly because they are so often hidden
with Christ zin God. It is rather In
tclined to Insist, and ask the Catholic
Ipriest, the slaynan and the Catholic
woman III the world what proof like
wise they atet prepared to give. Let
Iusrepeat it, what are we doing What
Iare the efforts put forth by us In this
Igraat Aposto late ,of Social Action, per-
thaps the only one now that is under
Istood by THE men and women who do
Hiie work of the world?
.Enkindle again the fire of charity, =
Isays azanafn, land justice will reign
Ihponf the earth" Interest yourself
lin The laborer.', says Bishop William
Emmanuel yon Ketteler, cor others
Twill do it In your stead who are hostile
TO the Church and to Christianity Z
That d. exactly what is taking place
all around about JUS. The writer OF
ithese articles once addressed a trade
and labor association in neighboring
city on The Social Reconstruction Pro-
lgram, issued by the -Four American
IBishops, constituting the Admins
ltrative Committee of the National
tCatholic War Council. They seemed
Host in trying to understand that this
program was no personal private
Iopinion Of the speaker. One burly
SOCIALIST in particular cried out from
the back of the hail in Swedish ac-
icent Z; stIf that Is what your Church
wants done, then why. are the Cath
1plics saying such terrible things
Iapout us. q Before the speaker had
ttlMA@ 10 answer, an equally Durly
|Irishman shouted across the hall:
t,And il that Us what our Church
wants, why in hell are the Socialists
[saying such terrible things about the
Roman Catholic Church 2" Both the
ISwede and the Irishman were right.
1.-THE Church must bring her message
to the working masses OF the people.
IIf these common people only under
lstood our position on these great
burning industrial and social Ques-
Itions Of our day and country our
progress would be irresistible. II
4 Catholics only understood the teach.
fings of their Church on these prob,
Items, and by word and deed were
liable to disseminate their beliefs,
where would be the grounds Of much
Iof the, misunderstanding that exists
to-day in America, about the things
THAT the Catholic Church stands for
lin this Republic?
| The Church and The Social Question.
@Can and should the Church help
isolye the social question? y. asked Bish-
Top Kettelers before the assembled
-.