The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-01-14


a general communion. The Cath
olics, on the contrary, appear to
refuse all overtures.
This may seem stubborn and I'M
relenting on the part OF Rome. The
Church is accused of being intrans-
igeant, absolutely committed to
her own position. The fact is that
the Catholic Church is perhaps
the best mixer" if such term
may be permitted, of all religions.
When Christianity was founded,
the Church at once took up the
language Of Rome and made 1T
her official tongue in the West.
She permitted many of the Orient
al peoples to use their own lam
guage in the services OF religion ;
a custom that survives to this day.
She adopted the garments IN COM
mon use in that day, while her
nuns even now usually wear the
garb more or less common to the
peasantry of the different coun-
tries.
The average Catholic, especially
the priest, is the best kind of a
mixer. He makes no distinction
in business, politics or social life.
He is least of all concerned with
Catholic party in politics
something that surely cannot be
said of other churches. A priest
does not select Catholics alone for
his business dealing, he goes
where he can get the best results,
irrespective of religion. In social
life he is perfectly willing to mix
with those of any or Of no reli-
gious affiliations at all. Like the
average Catholic layman, the
priest is not continually talking
"church to his companions in So
ciety.
In matters of doctrine, however,
the Church with her ministers and
her laity, is absolutely infiexible.
She permitted the Jews and the
pagans to. carry with them into
her fold certain customs not at
variance with her belief. She took
some Of the pagan festivals and
purified them, raising them to the
plane Of Christian practices; all
this in the interest of unity and
harmony. Wherever a custom or
rite seemed to smack Of religious
difference, she at once barred and
condemned it's use to her children
The denominations, therefore.
err sadly when they accuse the
Church of being immovable i'll her
position. She is willing to yield
whenever the question Of unity is
preached; but she will not, she
cannot, yield one iota of truth in
her doctrine. For if truth be one.
she cannot alter it's nature with,
| out surrendering the whole truth
Christ made her the depositary OF
the truth, and as such must she
remain until Time is no more. The
very fact that the various sects
are willing to give up some OF
their beliefs indicates that they
at least doubt the solidity Of their
teachings, for no one is willing to
trade the certain for the nebulous
and the hazy.
If the churches desire to enter
into union with the doctrines OF
Christ, why not study the claims
of the Catholic Church from with
| in. Take them one by one ano
compare them sincerely with the
| tenets Of belief found in the. Bible
Of which they make so much. Lei
them look at these doctrines from
the standpoint Of history, under
the light of just criticism, and IL
a spirit of fairness. Many of the
leading men and women of Prot
estantism, who have brought this
open spirit to the examination o.
Catholic truth, have finished by
making the great sacrifice and EN-
bracing what their reason an(
their best judgment told them wa
| the real truth.
| The Catholic Church, like he:
| divine Master, prays continual,
that ''they may all be one" on
| in unity Of belief and worship
| Christ earnestly yearned for thi
consummation he prayed fervent
| ly for it, and he left it's achieve
ment as a heritage to His follow
ers. From that day the minister
Of the Church have gone fort
preaching and baptizing. The.
| have faced the fury of tyrants, tn
| Indifference of the careless an,
the scorn and ridicule of the pa
gan and the atheist. AT this yer,
! moment they are suffering o.
every strand, suffering and work
ing and striving that all may b
made one. Missions to non-CathC
lies are ever appealing to our ser
arated brethren to open thei
eyes to the light of the Gospel an
to cease cropping in the darkness
that obscures.
Yes, the Catholic Church long
! to make the world Catholic, sin
l NV For, |, n rooco,, +Io4 II :, 1~,,a,,-