The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-03-26
Complete Text OF Bishops Talk At Family Life Conference

We are the children Of saints.
and look for that life which God
viii give to those who never change
their faith from Him. Tobias,
II. 18.
We rejoice IN the blessing Of this
occasion. We are grateful TO God
for the inspired leadership Of the
beloved Archbishop Of New Or
leans and for his presence in this
venerable Cathedral OF Saint Lou.
Is Archbishop Rummel's presence
here, as his active interest and par
ticipstion in every important con
Germ of the Church for the past
half century, Identifies this Con.
ference as a most important Catho-
lie work. We here take inspiration
from the Arehbishop's presence as
later we shall be guided by the
wisdom of his noble priestly coun-
sci.
We meet in an especially appro-
pirate season in which to consider
Christian family life. Il is in the
month dedicated TO Saint Joseph
and it is the very vigil of the
great feast OF Mary's holy accept
ance of the will OF God to be the
Mother of Jesus. In union with the
whole Church we gladly salute
Mary, Christs Mother and Our own.
in the words of the Archangel Ca
briel, Ave Maria Throughout the
ages that angelic Salutation has
been a paean of love and praise as
we'll as a fruitful source of help
for the human family who prayed
for aid in their present necessities
and especially at the hour OF death.
How easily and lovingly our minds
turn on this blessed day to Jesus.
Mary and Joseph. How fervently
we pray for their continued aid on
the homes and families of our
Country and of those throughout
the world. And certainly in our pc
titions we shall ask the Holy Fam.
lily to make fruitful the plans and
programs and efforts of this Con-
ference as a necessary apostolste
TO promote and to defend the ideals
and truth of holy family life.
In such pious setting as this his
toric Cathedral affords, it is full
of promise for rich blessing that
this morning finds us assembled at
Holy Mass before we undertake the
work of our annual meeting. Grave
questions await our deliberation
and action. Our souls must be
cleansed of any contagion they may
have taken from a goddess world,
guided by distorted judgments. yet
supremely confident of its own Suf-
ficing powers and wisdom, even in
the face of existing disorder and
under the menace of impending
disaster. Here, sharing in the
Sublime Sacrifice, we are suffused
with Reality Here we are rightly
conditioned for the task we have to
perform. Here we take deep reali-
zation of the truth that we are in
deed the children of saints. and
that, in all our studies and de.
cisions, We are to manifest the no
bility OF our household. Here we
find renewal of the spirit within
us, the spirit of the home-life oi
the Church.
As we join in offering the Holy
Mass, we gain appreciation of the
honor and the glory of our state
and of the strong demands it makes
upon us. Thus fortified, we move
to the social studies for which we
are assembled. ready TO think and
speak as the children of saints. In
this attitude we shall be certain
that no opinion, no suggestion, no
plan or program of our making will
carry the slightest taint of the
modern heathendom which knows
not God.
We therefore discard, at the