The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-26
ADVERTISEMENT

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"As an American citizen / protest
against the insinuation that my
Church, because of a Catholic candi-
date or for any other reason what
soever, in any way attempted to con-
troll my political affiliations or to
give me the slightest indication as to
how ! or any other Catholic citizen
of my jurisdiction should VOTE" said
Archbishop John I. Nicholas, o. p,
speaking at the mass meeting in
Music Hall Sunday night, which
the public opening of the
National Council Of Catholic Mems
II wish, as Catholic bishop, in
the interest Of religion, to protest
against any party that is willing to
be the beneficiary of attacks on any
mans religion. God forbid that
should ever be silent in this COM
munity if any man not of my faith
were attacked and if our Catholic
people were asked not to vote for
him because of his religious belief
continued Archbishop McNicholas.
"Nor can remain silent when my
religion is attacked. Any party is
worthy Of condemnation which either
seeks to gain votes through attacks
on religion, or, by remaining passive.
is willing to be beneficiary Of them. !"
Archbishop McNicholas said:
1--WE love the Church because she
is our spiritual mother, and because
she is the living bond between our
selves and God. We love the material
home in which we live. We love our
country, which gives us protection
and guarantees to us opportunity
and freedom, with love which in
crucial times knows no bounds.
Recent Crises Recalled
"Our love Of the Church has been
deepened and rendered more ardent
because of recent crisis in which
her fair name has been foully black
ened. The Catholic Church has been
held up to men as an ca.e:o to be
hated and feared.
"She has been described as Anti
Christ, the epitome of all evil. She
has been scorned as an alien, in
capable Of assimilating American
ideals, and as awaiting only the op-
portunity to effect the destruction
Of American institutions. No clean
minded man could think, much less
could any decent man give expression
to some Of the things that have been
broadcast about our sweet and ten
der mother.
II speak for the priests and for
the Catholics of this diocese when
say that ! know the Catholic Church
to be most ennobling and super
naturalizing influence, incapable, as
a corporate entity, of directing men
to do wrong. Any individual member
Of the Church may sin and may mis-
lead others, but we challenge the
whole world to prove that the Cath
olic Church is a teacher of evil, that
she leads men away from God, OF
that she directs her members in any
other way than those Of truth and
love.
"Never Has Existed
"The Catholic Church that men to.
day scorn and ridicule and hate does
not exist. 1t never has existed. Il
is but the degenerate creation of 3
perverted imagination and of a judg
ment that is not informed. AL
would be compelled to hate thu
Church if she were in truth VIVA
she has recently been represented
to be.
II speak with no bitterness, bu
only with the deepest grief that oul
loving and most tender mother
should have been slandered so malig
nantly. ask every priest ant
every Catholic man Of this jurisdic
ton to be calm and patient under
this ordeal. Let no incorporate
words pass our lips. Let no unchar
liable judgment find Judgment in oul
minds.
II speak officially when say tha
the Catholic Church in Cincinnati i.
interested in no political party mol
in political candidates of any party
1t experiences no disappointment be
cause Of the defeat of one party, no.
does it rejoice in the victory of tn,
other. The Church is committed t,
no form Of government, but willingl,
lives under every form, and as dut.
supports all legitimate civil author
ity, by whatever party it is exer
cised.
I'm our form of government tn
choice Of the people means for US
representative and agencies endowe,
by God with divine authority In tn
civil order, to which we owe I'm
swerving loyalty. To the president
elect of the United States, to tn
governor-elect of this state, and
the other officials Of the city, stat
and nation, | can give the assul
ance that the Catholic citizens |
this jurisdiction will show respe,
for the divine authority vested
them which will be surpassed
no other group.
CAS- bishop Of this diocese, pr
test with all the power at my COZ
!. mand against the attack made up
4 the religion which controls the CO
) sciences and the lives Of my poop
. That religion is dearer to us tn
any earthly mothere that religion