The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-01
Churches

lawful authority. Wheh fllate, the
examined the case he
found Jesus innocent OF the
charges made against Him. The
Church. which Is Christ In a myth
zeal sense, Is accused OF the very
same things that our Lord was. IN
recent months, especially, the age
old charges have been hurled
against US. The Catholic Church Is
represented as having designs on
our government, our public school
system, the press, labor. rural
and hundred other
things. Her secusers charge that
the ultimate aim OF the Bishops In
the United States is union Of the
State with the Catholic
Church. The accusations are mani
testify false, and anyone who i'm
makes an investigation
will, ms did PLATE In the case OF
our Lord, easily md the Church
giltless.
Nevertheless. the charges are
widely promulgated. But there Is
no cause for real alarm. This Is
exactly what we are to expect.
Speaking OF His Church our Lord
said, They have prosecuted Me,
they will also prosecute you" John
is, 20). So in our persecution we
have assurance OF divine appro-
baton. Here is cause for Joy.
Blessed are you when men re.
proach you, and, speaking falsely,
say all manner OF evil against you,
for My Sake. Rejoice and exult
because your reward is great in
Heaven; for SO did they prosecute
the prophets who were before you
Matt. 5, HID. We rejoice then,
as did the Apostles OF whom ST.
Luke writes, They went from the
presence OF the Council rejoicing
that they had been accounted
worthy to suffer disgrace for the
name OF Jesus (Acts s, ~.
We will not respond by engaging
in fruitless controversy. for there is
no Justification for controversy
over matters taught by Christ and
promulgated in His name by the
Apostles. Moreover, II parties to a
controversy do not accept the same
authority, nothing can be settled.
We will continue to do in the
face OF these changes what the
Church has always done. that is toll
erantly and reasonably present our
position. What reasonable excep.
ton can be taken to Catholic belief
or Catholic practice? Do not Catho-
lies believe all that the most ortho-
dox Protestant considers essential?
Do they not fulfill at least as we'll
as members Of any other Christian
body the great commandment of
the love of God?' They say their
morning and night prayers, pray
before and after meals, and not
only do they attend divine ser.
vices every. Sunday. even II the
same be conducted at an inconyen'
lent, early hour, but hundreds OF
thousands of Catholics 30 to church
to worship God every day in the
week.
DO they not also fulfill as well
as members OF any other Christian
body the next greatest command
ment, that OF love OF thy neigh.
bor?' Let all other religions COM
bined point to as many hospitals,
homes for the aged, the poor, the
orphan, and the unfortunate, as
Catholics have created in this land.
Then are not the worlds most trust
ed educators and statesmen declar.
ing the Catholic Church to be right
in her attitude towards the great
social questions of the day, such
as marriage, education, capital and
labor relations?
"As a matter OF fact, the Catholic
Church was in sole possession OF
the Bible and of the Christian
faith throughout the world for 10
centuries. The unity OF Chris
tendon was first broken In West
ern Europe in the sixteenth CEN
fury. But the old Church remains
the predominant Christian reli-
gion, counting 100000 more men,
beers than all other Christian or
carnations combined, while des-
pendants OF the separatists have
been splitting from one another
ever since. Not one OF them
claims credentials from God In
proof Of the divinity Of its par
ticular sect.
I'm conclusion, my dear breth
rem, We want to impress upon you
that you have, in your Church, In
her Faith, her Morals, her Liturgic-
al Arts, a pearl OF great price,
treasure Of sufficient value TO ran
som the soul OF the Christian West.
Unfor .unately you have allowed
this pearl, this treasure. to be hid
den away. You have not made ef-
fort enough TO learn what your
Church teaches on Faith and
Morals; you have not tried to en-
ter more deeply into the meaning
of Catholic Doctrine.
at is most important for the
world that you should make every
effort to learn what 1t is that your
Church teaches in Faith, for 1t
is your Church alone that stands
for the Christian Verities unequi-
vocally; It is urgent that you learn
what your Church teaches about
right and wrong, for, in q world
gone quite askew. II is your Church
alone that stands for Christian
Ethics without hesitation and with
ont nliihhlen