Newspaper Page Text
APRIL 3. 1926.
THE BULLETIN OK THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
7
i
A PAGE OF CATHOLIC INFORMATION
St Patrick’s Labors for Education
Sermon by Rev. Thomas J. Knox at St. Patrick’s Church,
Savannah, on the Feast of the Great Apostle of Ireland
There is something in oor very na
ture that makes us idolize our great
men and women. We do it almost
unconsciously. ■ It is natural for us
to revere the memory of the great
men who have accomplished great
things in war, science and leters. We
write books about them; we erect
monuments to them; we tell our
children about their deeds. Every
Vountry and every people must nave
its heroes, for hero-worship is a
grand and inspiring thing—-not th
worship of the man but ot the qual
ities crystallized in his life and
character.
’The world docs not forget its he
roes and we revere_ the memory ot
I chose of our one faith who have won
such great victories in the battle ot
life, who have achieved so much in
the science of salvation. Alexander
the Great made his people great and
respected with much bloodshed. Jut-
lus Caesar conquered the nations ot
iiis time with his mighty armies.
Napoleon planted tile standards ot
France in Italy and he stained the
snows of Russia with the best
French blood. They are gone, their
influence is dead Their names and
deeds live only in the pages ol his
tory.
Some 1,400 years ago a hero of the
.faith came to a people, alone, his
only weapons the Gospel and the
faith of Christ. He conquered hat
people by kindness, not bloodshed,
and today over the whole' world
men and womeiWare gathered just as
we arc, to celebrate the name and
deeds of that hero—Patrick the
Apostle of Ireland. His name lives
not in the dead pages of history but
in te warm hearts of a loving people
because he came to Ireland not to
satisfy lust or ambition. In every
corner of the globe where beat
Irish hearts there lips are moving in
praise and devotion to St. 1 atrick.
There again his story is told—how
he found the island pagan and left
it Christian. We, loo, have heard
the story again and again ot his
captivity, of bis preparation, ol his
wanderings, of bis sacrifices and
miracles. Rut there are other fea
tures in the life ol St. Patrick that
we do not dwell on very long be
cause we are attracted by the ro
mantic and the unusual.
Rut today we might recall these
and one might tell the world about
them. The world that regards our
Saints as dreamers vsionaries, mj s-
tics about whom Catholic deiotion
and tradition have woven many
myths and legends. Ine world
that misunderstands our Church and
her efforts to elevate mankind. It is
good information, especially ioi
those who do not understand her
system of schools, who believe that
tile Church in the early centuries
opposed education So. we might re
call what Patrick did for the educa
tion of bis people.
He came to a people not unletter
ed, but with a civilization and de
velopment that had not been touch
ed by the progress of Europe. He
traveled the island instilling into
the hearts of the people the faith
and into their minds a desire tor
learning. In the year 455 he had
founded the great school of Arma-
agh. Not only from Ireland, but
from England, and other countries,
the students flocked there In the
seventh century, so great were the
number of English students that ohe
third of the town was inhabited by
them, and called the “Saxon Third.
At that time Armagh had 7,000 stu
dents. We might contiue to list
llie schools founded by Patrick or
by the men and women who re
ceived the faith from him. St. Brid
get, who died in 525, left a great
school for women at Kildare. It
was at this time that Ireland earn
ed the title “Isle ot Saints and
Scholars.” That influence of St.
Patrick was too great to be kept
within the limits of Ireland It
crossed the seas and the continent.
We find Columba establishing on
the barren isle of Iona a rctuge tor
religion and learning. Columbanus
plants Irish culture and scholarship
in Burgundy. St. Gall founds
schools in Switzerland.
Sometimes we find a proper ap
preciation of this work of the monks
and nuns. In recent years a non-
Catholic author, George H. Putnam,
in his work “Rooks and Their Ma
kers in the Middle Ages’ tells us
that "at a time when neither local
nor national government had assum
ed any responsibility in connection
with ' elementary education, and
when the municipalities were too
ignorant and in many cases loo poor
to make provisions for the educa
tion of children, the. monks took up
the task as a regular routine of du-
tv.”
’ St. Patrick did so. His followers
did so. Why? Because the Church
wanted them to do so as she has al
ways done from the time that she
was able. She provided education
not only when the civil governments
did not, but even when they pro
hibited it. In Ireland again, in the
days of the penal laws when it was
a crime to teach the act of/faitli or
the alphabet, the priests risked their
lives to teach the people both It was
the spirit of Patrick that drove them
on, it was his love for the faith and
learning that urged them just as it
bad sent Columba and Columbus
across the sea. .lust as his spirit to
day sends' the young Irish men and
women from their homes and fire
sides, from families and friends, to
all the countries of the world, to In
dia and Africa, to China and to our
own city, Savannah, and state of
Georgia, that they might rekindle in
the hearts and minds of our chil
dren the faith and a desire for
learning.
Today, too, we might recall ano
ther phase of Patrick’s influence on
the Irish people. Patrick trained in
the schools of Rome, blessed With
benediction of the Pope, came to
Ireland and made the people not on
ly Catholic, but also made them a
nation. Ireland was organized un
der its kings, with its systems of
laws even before the coming of Pat
rick, but his coming united the
clans under the gentle sway of
Christianity-, and gave Ireland a na
tional unity it did not possess be
fore. He instilled into tlieir hearts
the proper devotion of God and
country. They were good Catholics
and good Irishmen, just as all
Catholics are good citizens of their
countries.
“We are proud today, and justly
so. We recall with pride that St.
Patrick has done for Ireland in edu
cation and patriotism. If he had
done neither lie would still be our
hero, he would be our saint; lie
would have fulfilled his mission
when he brought the faith to Ire
land. We are here today because
that man with atmosphere of hea
ven about him found the land pa
gan and left it Christian, because he
gave to the Irish of his time and to
all generations a lesson in the faith
that they have never forgotten. A
lesson they learned so well that ov
er 7(H) years of persecution could
not shake that stalwart Irish faith
they bad received from St. Patrick
Whatever the world may say or
think about the Irish people it
must admire their fidelity to the
faith of their fathers when every
human means possible was used to
deprive them of it. We must give
due praise, we cannot but admire the
man who lives up to the principles
that he holds sacred. Even those
who regard our doctrines as mere
human principles must honor the
spirit of the Irish people who sacri
ficed all earthly glory for the sake
of those doctrines they believed
true and necessary. The example
of the Irish people is unsurpassed >£
the history of te world.
Wonderful indeed the faith that
could inspire such sacrifice. Won
derful the man who could install
such a faith into Irish hearts. Hie
Irish have not forgotten to render
due thanks to St. Patrick, 'lliey
have died for that faith. May the
spirit and influence of St. Patrick
continue in our lives. May he keep
us, as our fortfathers were, true to
the faith. >
Catholics and the Court
An Association Letter to An
Editor
The' following self-explanatory
letter was written by the publicity
director of the Catholic Laymen’s
Association to the Macon Telegraph,
which published it in its March 9
issue:
To the Editor of The Telegraph:
In an editorial entitled “The
Rig Parade” in your isse of Feb
ruary 11, to which our attention
has been directed, you refer to the
opposition of “the Knights of
Columbus to entrance into the
World Court.”
The Knights of Columbus have
never taken a stand on this or
any other political question.
The constitution of the order
forbids Knights of Columbus
Councils local, State pr national,
even to discuss politics.
"If Catholics have any other
reason than the Irish question
for opposing the World Court as
a body they have done them
selves the injustice of not mak
ing the basis of that opposition
clear” the editorial says. Some
Catholics oppose it, but press dis
patches credited the four Cath
olics who are United States Sen
ators with voting for the resolu
tion of adherence to the court.
We regret that The Telegraph
on an unwarranted premise,
coupled the Knights of Colum
bus with tile Ku Klnx Klan, a
procedure as unjust as coupling
the Elks, Masons, Eagles or
Epworth League with the Klan.
The Question Box
By Rev. Bernard X O’Reilly
Q. At what age is it proper for
a person to be confirmed?
A. -A person may be confirmed
immediately after baptism. This
applies even to infants. In the early
days of the church it was custom
ary to confirm immediately after
baptism. In the present discipline
ot the church children are confirmed
very shortly after their First Com
munion. While this is the general
rule, in sonic countries, as in Spain
and Greece, the Sacrament is admin
istered in early childhood. In some
dioceses of great territory, where it
is impossible for Rislion to visit the
parishes of his diocese only once in
many years, the practice exists of
administering the Sacrament of Con
firmation to the little children. A
little child may also be confirmed
if the Bishop so desires when there
is danger that the child may die
before it reaches the customary age.
Q. Are we forbidden to eat two
kinds of meat at the same meal
during Lent?
A. You arc allowed to eat as
many kinds of meat as you wish
whenever the use of flesh meat is
permitted under the Lenten regula
tions.
Dangerous Praise
That was dangerous praise which
certain Religious gentlemen in con
vention assembled gave to President
Coolidge. They praised him as “Our
Puritan President.” We do not
question the sincereity of this praise
nor do we doubt that these good peo
ple meant well. They might profit
ably read the story of one Mr. Bur-
chard. We do not want a “Puritan
President” any more than we want
a Catholic President or a Moham
medan President. What we need just
now is a good sound American
President— Western Watchman St.
Louis, Mo.
The Mechitarists are members of
a congregation which exists for the
purpose of instructing and improv
ing the scattered members of the
Armenian nation. Tli c congregation
was founded by an Armenian named
Mecliitar. who was born in 1670 at
Siwas, the ancient Sebastia. His
family was of that section of the
Armenian race which has always ad
hered lo the Catholic church. To
gether with some companions he
founded a convent at Modon, then
a part of the Republic of Venice,
but in 1715 during war between the
Turks and the Venetians, his con
vent was broken up. He then re
tired to Venice and founded an
Armenian convent on the island-of
San Lazzaro which became a great
intellectual center.
Jubilee Requirements in S. Carolina
i
Rt. Rev. William D. Russell, D. D., Bishop of Charleston,
Announces Them in Following Official Letter to Pastors
Dear Rev. Father:
The Holy Father, in the current
number of the “Acta Apostolicae
Sedis” has extended the privilege of
the jubliee for this year. 1926. Jn
this decree the Holy Father says:
“With the authority oT God Al
mighty, of the Blessed Apostles, P.e-
ter and Paul, and Ours, with those
Apostolic Letters, we extend and
promulgate to the universal Cathjo-
lic body for the whole of the next
year the great Jubilee, which was
celebrated in this Holy City, so that
it can be gained from the first Ves
pers of the Circumcision of Our
Lord until midnight of December .31
in the year 1926.”
The Holy Father urges all pastors
of souls to exhort the faithful com
mitted to their care to gain these
extraordinary indulgences of the
jubilee.
The intentions of the Pope for
which the faithful must pray in or
der to gain the indulgcncies are:
The propaganda of the evangelical
faith, the protection of the holy
places in Palestine in a manner con
forming with the rights of the
Church.
Following arc the conditions un
der which the faithful may gain the
jubilee:
(1) They must go to confession
and Communion. Neither the Easter
comunion nor the annual confes
sion prescribed by the precepts of
the Church, are valid in fulfilling
these conditions.
f2) They must visit for five days
consecutively»or otherwise, once a
day, the principal church of each
place and three others designated,
praying lor the ; above-mentioned
intentions *if the Supreme Pontiff,
The days may lie considered natu
rally or ecclesiastically, that is
either from morning to evening or
from vespers of the preceding day
and the whole of the following day,
(3) The jubilee may also be
gained by those who had already
gained it last year in pilgrimage lo
Rome.
(4) No one, however, can gain it
more than twice, once for them
selves or for the dead, and once
for the dead only.
(5) Those at sea or traveling al
most the whole year can gain the
jubilee in any place where they
may stay and make five visits in
a single day to the principal church
and comply with the rest of the
prescribed conditions.
In the city of Charleston the
churches to he visited arc: The Ca
thedral, and the three that rank
next to the Cathedral by reason of
their seniority, namely: St. Mary’s.
St. Joseph’s and St. Patrick’s.
For Columbia and -Shandon the
visits are to be made to both
churches.
In all other places of the diocese
the visits are to be made to the
parish church or to the mission
church.
Sisters living in a convent or in
the infirmary, and the children who
are boarders in the convent, and
the patients who are living in the
infirmary may gain the indulgences
by making the prescribed visits to
their own chapel. But others may
not gain the indulgence by visiting
such chapels.
Sick people, who arc not able to
leave their homes, may substitute
the fifteen decades of the rosary
for the five visits.
You will, therefore, in compliance
with the order of the Holy Father
do all you can to have all your peo
ple gain this extraordinary indul
gence.
Devotedly vours in ChrisL
-|- WILLIAM T. RUSSELL,
Bishop of Charleston.
Characteristics of a Gentleman
By Cardinal Newman
Q. What are tile Words to he said
to gain tile indulgence with a happy
death crucifix?
A. To gain this indulgence fit is
necessary that one accept death wil
lingly and invoke the Holy Name of
Jesus with lips if possible”and if
not possible to say the Holy Name
it must lie invoked in the heart.
r—-
Q. To what order do the Chris
tian Brothers belong?
A. The Brothers of (he Christian
Schools, popularly known as the
Christian Brothers, belong to a spe
cial order founded h.v Saint John
Baptist de Ja Salle.
Q. May a priest ever get mar
ried under any circumstances?
A. Absolutely spiaking a priest
could validly marry with permission
of the Pope. We may be quite posi
tive that no such permission ever,
will he granted.
Q. Could a parish priest give per
mission to guests to eat meat on a
fast day?
A. Such a permission may he
given and it rests witfcjtlie conscience
of the priest whether or not there
is a just or sufficient cause.
Q. Why are Catholic priests call
ed Father?
A. This tille is given to Catho
lic priests by the people as recog
nition of their spiritual relationship
to them. The priest is their spir
itual father. Use of this term is
sanctioned by Holy Scripture. We
read in the first epistle of Saint
Paul to the Corinthians: “For if you
have ten thousand instructors in
Christ, yet not many fathers. For
in Christ Jesus, l>y Hie gospel, 1
have begotten yon.” He calls Tim
othy “his beloved son,” while Saint
John calls the early Christians “lit
tle children.”
Q. May first cousins marry w : th-
in theichurch?
A. For sufficiently grave reasons
a dispensation will be granted for
a marriage between first rousins.
It is almost a definition of a gen
tleman to say lie is one who never
inflicts pain. This description is
both rbfined and, as far as it goes,
accurate. He is mainly occupied in
merely removing the obstacles which
hinder the free and .unembarrassed
action ,of those at tout’' him, and he
concurs with their movements
rather than takes the initiative hini-
The Universal Church
I have often been struck with tli«
facility with which the Catholic re
ligion adapts itself to the charac
ter of every nation: 1 have had
some opportunities of observation;
I have seen the Catholic Church
on three out of four continents,
and have everywhere noticed the
same phenomenon. Mahometanism
could never be transplanted lo the
snowy regions of Russia or Nor
way; it needs the soft, enervating
atmosphere of Asia to keep it alive;
the veranda, the bubbling fountain,
tlie noontide repose, are all parts
of it. Puritanism is the natural
growth of tlie country where the
sun seldom shines, and which is
shut out by a harrier of water and
fog from kindly intercourse with
its neighbors. It cocld never thrive
in the bright South. The merry
vine-dressers of Italy could never
draw down their faces to the
proper length and would he very
unwilling to exchange their blithe
some canzonetti lor Sternhold and
Hopkins’ version. But the Catholic
Church, while it unites its profes
sors in the belief of the same in
flexible creed, leaves them entirely
free in all mere externals and na
tional peculiarities. When 1 see the
light-hearted Frenchman, the fiery
Italian, the serious Spaniard, the
cunmig Greek, the dignified Armen
ian. the energetic Russian, the hard-
headed Dutchman, the philosophical
German, the formal and “respecta
ble” Englishman, the thrifty Scotch
man, tile careless and warm-hearted
Irishman, and the calculating, go-
ahead American, all hound together
by the profession of the same faith,
and yet retaining their uatonal
characteristics, I can compare it to
nothing but. lo a similar phenome
non that we may notice in the
prism, which, while it is a pure and
perfect crystal, is found on exam
ination to contain, in their perfec
tion, all tile various colors of the
rainbow.—Exchange.
self. His benefits may he consid
ered as parallel to wliat are called
comforts or conveniences in ar
rangements of a persona) nature;
like an easy chair or a good, fire,
which do their part in dispelling
cold and fatigue, though nature pro
vides both means of rest aud animal
heat without them.
The Hue gentleman in like man
ner, carefully avoids whatever maj
cause a jar or a jolt in the minds
of those with whom he is cast; at:
clashing of opinion, or collision ol
feeling, all restraint, or suspicion,
or gloom, or resentment; his great
concern being to make every one jtl
their ease and at home. He has his
eyes on ail li ' company: he is ten
der towards the bashful, gentle
towards the distant, and merciful
towards the absurd; lie can recollect
to whom',he is speaking; he guards
against unseasonable allusions, or 1
topics which may irritate; lie is
seldom prominent in conversation,
and never wearisome. He makes
light of favors while lie does them,
and seems to be receiving when he
is conferring.
lie never speaks of himself except
when compelled, never defends him
self by a mere retort; he has no
ears for slander or gossip ,is scru
pulous in imputing motives to ’hose
who interfere with him. and inter
prets everything for the best. He
is never mean or little in his dis
putes. never takes an unfair advan
tage, never mistakes personalities
or sharp sayings for arguments, or
tnxhmates evil which he dare not
say out. From a long-sighted pru
dence lie observes the maxim of the
ancient sage, that we should ever
conduct ourselves towards our nee-
niy as if he were one day to be our
friend. He has too much good sense
to lie affronted at insults; he is too
well employed to remember inju
ries, and too indolent, to bear malice.
If lie engages in controversy of
any kind, his disciplined intellect
preserves him from the blundering
discourtesy of Letter, perhaps, but
less educated minds, who, like blunt
weapons, tear and hack instead of
cutting clean, who mistake the point
in argument, waste their strength on
trifles, misconceive thid adversary,
and leave the question more in
volved than they find it. He may be
right, or wrong in his opinion.' but
lie is too clear-headed to he un
just ; lie is as simple as he is forci
ble, and as brief as he is decisive.
Nowhere shall we find greater can
dor, consideration and indugence:
be throws himself into the. minds of
liis opponents he accounts for their
mistakes. He knows the weakness
of human reason as well as its
strength, its province and its lim
its. , ,