The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-11-18
Vital Movement For
Catholic Men and Women
OF CATHOLIC EF-
FORT, ADM lRAL BENSoNS
THEME IN MINNEAPOLIS.

The need of coordination of Catho-
lie effort for the purpose of insuring
terests under modern conditions in
America, was emphasized by Admiral
William S. Benson in his address be-
fore the Knights of Columbus of Min
neapolis Saturday. Referring to the
wartime record Of the Knights of
Columbus and praising their supreme
officers for the promptness with which
they co-ordinated their activities with
the Hierarchy at the time of the
formation Of the National Catholic
war served to bring ont for the first
time the tremendous force of com.
bined Catholic endeavor.
with that service as history, is it
any wonder that the Hierarchy was
unwilling that this great power that
functioned so admirably in time of
war should not be continued in time
of peace?" he asked. II wonder in.
deed, il it were not the fact that the
record made was so glorious that the
Hierarchy came to a full realization
of the power an organized laity would
be to Church and Country, that from
out the War Council the National
Catholic Welfare Council was found.
ed"
Speaking as President of the Nation
al Council of Catholic Men the Admiral
continued: LAS Fourth Degree
knight of Columbus, imbued I hope
with the true purpose of each lesson
as taught in each degree of that order,
| want to take this opportunity of
saying | place my allegiance to the
purposes and principles of the Order
as second to those of no man within
its membership. l do not intend to
go into the details of the establish
ment of the National Council of Catho-
lie Men. | will, however say that it
is only half OF one of the five de-
partments of the Welfare Council. L
am quite sure that | can say in this.
presence that | would not be a mem
Der Of the National Council if it had
not been brought into being by direct
appeal of the Hierarchy to the laity
of the United States, to rally to their
support, and now, knowing as much as
do about it and it's purpose, l can
honestly say that / do not think any
Catholic American citizen can afford
to stand by and not rally to their
appeal"
Need of Organization.
After explaining the need imposed
by modern conditions for the forma-
ton of such an organization as the
National Council of Catholic Men, the
Admiral declared: ''The time has
come when every Catholic s,,an worthy
of the name in this great country
will be by the very force of circum-
stances compelled to inquire why he
is singled out from among his neigh
bors and penalized and possibly ostra.
| cised for his faith and the pity of it
ell is that too many there are who
ere unable to give an Intelligent
| reason for their faith; when it comes
home to these men with the full force
&C truth revealed they will wonder
| why they were so blind Excuses
| they will advance, but you must never
lose sight of the fact that the Church
| has no excuse to offer for her exist.
once, and conscience too is hard
master and will not be denied.
What we must do, and, it is every
mans job, is to get into closer touch
and contact with our pastor, let him
realize We are interested in his prob
lens, let him know by our sympa
thetic interest we have no CONNER.
cial purpose upon which to predicate
/ out faith, let him know that we stand
! ready to be his neighbors and his
| friends, let him realize we would like
to depend upon him as a counsellor
| and adviser in our personal problems
"Let us get to know our neighbol
and his problem if he has one. Let
us get together and survey the civic
problems we are called upon to pass
in Judgment at the ballot box, let us
get together for the many reasons
that We should, let us break down
the icy barrier that too often is buil
upon false groundwork due to the
simple reason we have not met oul
! neighbor in formal way. My friends
| the reasons are as many as the prob
lens of life why we should know oul
neighbor, why we should know oul
faith, why we should be interested il
good government, and yet keep out o
politics as such, but let us by our
conduct and rule of life show the mel
who seek our suffrage that we hav.
only one standard and that maj
, who seeks cur support must be clea1
/ living man, that he must be an homes
man.
II The Council Explained.
i Summing up his description of th
, work and character of the Nationa
J Council of Catholic Men, Admiral Ber
son said; To-day the avenue is opene
to us with the approval of the Hol
Father and the appeal of the America
!, Hierarchy. to rally behind them i
these days OF trial when men ar
asked to think straight and tai
straight, to see to it that we do
| CONTINUED onS page A.