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APRIL 17. I92<>
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
7
A PAGE OF CATHOLIC INFORMATION
From Whence Will Help Come? An Unjust Protest
Significance of the Catholic Church Union, Which Seeks I
Reunion of Oriental Catholics With Rome, Explained
The Outlook, in a recent issue, |
•publishes a Icier from a Russian Or
thodox priest in which he vividly
describes tlie misery of those who
are true lo their faith in that un
happy land. lt‘ is a matter of com
mon knowledge that persecution
such as the world has not witnessed
s lice the days of pagan Rome lias
been visited upon the devoted heads
of this intensely religious people.
And the fact that those; in authority
have been using every el fort _ 0)
stamp out all vestiges of religion
• is welt known, but it' is brought
home lo us in the cry /of this poor
man when lie says: “The lovar-
ishtslv fights violently against the
Church, and not being able simply
to abolish it by some decree, lie
plunders, robs, and confiscates the
propertv of the Church, and parti
cularly likes to pollute holy places of
worship. Before all tilings lie tor
ments the clergy and deprives them
of all possibilities of living. They
have to disapepar as remnants of an
other epoch ” And he pitifully asks,
■Are there really no pious knights
any more in the world who might
organize a crusade and deliver us
from the Antichrist? Our misery is
indescribable. You only see the out
ward aspect of our sufferings—be
reavement, contempt, and insult.
But of my brethren who have been
tortured in the dungeons, have died
of starvation aud perished in dirt
and siekuess, what ean you know
of them? All of us wild have been
holding out are threatened by a sim-
jtar fate daily, hourly. Even if im
prisonment and a violent death do
not put an end to our lives, we sut
ler in an unprecedented manner
morally as well as physically. It is
a s difficult as possible for us lo
find any lodgings. No school will
admit our children, and all depart
ments of service arc closed to them
as offsprings of clergymen. We live
on in hunger and misery begging
some scanty alms of the impoverish
ed population. Will not the Rope do
something for us? what has be
come of the believers ill the whole
world that they calmly allow us to
perish? Or again, “Life is unspeak
ably iiard for those who serve the
Church in Soviet Russia. As to
their own people, they have ceased to
believe in it, and expect no help
from that side. But they firmly
believe in some assistance from
abroad, and they cling lo the idea
that it may lie the Pope.”
Here, indeed, % is the true solution
of their problem. Perhaps the aver
age Russian, like the chosen people
of old, looks for one to come iu\
earthly power to deliver him Irom
his intolerable bondage. lint shell is
1- i ,e spiritual method of Home.
She does not and can not promise
freedom from suffering. Indeed, one
knows “the Lord lovetli whom He
chastizcth.” Out of their trials and
tribulations, however, please God
there will grow a new spiritual force
which will.in its turn, save the world
from its threatened ruin. .lust here
is- the thing which does give heart
to Catholics. They know that the
Pope is indeed coming to their help.
It is Hie dearest desire of his heart
lo be able to do something for these
poor, distracted children of his. Em
it must he remembered that Rome
has never excommunicated Russia
and looks upon the Orthodox Church
there are merely temporarily, es
tranged from her fold.
Nor is the question one only of
desire—active steps have been taken
to bring to the minds oC all the Rus
sian people the tact that, only by
coining hack lo union with the One
Time Church can Christianity he
saved to Russia at all. To do this
will require the services of specialty
trained priests and the Holy Father
is busilly engaged in seeing that
they arc properly prepared.. He is
erecting a special Russian seminary-
in Rome for this purpose; he has
given liis saction to similar works
of various religious orders in dif
ferent parts of Europe and, at liis
request the Rt, Rev. Constantine
Roachevsky, Bishop of the Rutlienian
Greek Catholic iDocese of the United
Sates, tias opened a seminary in
Philadelphia for the training of
priests of liis Bite in this country.
They will have opportunity to comfc
into contact with the Orthodox here
andthrough them to reach their br-
leaugucred brethren in Russia itself.
Alt looks dark enough in t lie great
white, mysterious land which liuks
East and West but alt is not help
less, and the fact that Catholics arc
being .organized to bring to them
this message of hope should hearten
them. Such an organization has been
formed-—the Catholic Union - under
tlie Presidency of the Rev. Augustine
Galon, OiS.B , which lias for it's ob
ject the return .of these separated
brtheren to the communion of the
One True Church His Holiness has
hailed its formation as ‘'Provident
ial* and has requested it's president
to broadcast the message of his de
sire for Hie Orientals to every Cath
olic in America, Already, nearly for
ty members of the American Hier
archy have expresesd their approval
of its efforts, and we feel confident
that all our readers will desire to
have a share in bringing to. pass so
wonderful .a tiling as the reunion of
the Christian world. We earnestly
commend to all that they communi
cate with the Catholic Union at 5t>
Union Square. New York, and do
whatever ties in their power to aid
its most worthy cause Floyd Keeler.
Catholics and Their Neighbors
The following comment on the ac
tion of a Pennsylvania Post of the
G. A. It. in protesting tile contem
plated purchase 5 of the Lee estate in
Virginia as a national memorial and
the terming of General Lee as an
arch-traitor was written by Rev. B.
X. O'Reilly, one of the leading con
tributors to the Catholic press of
America, and published in numerous
Catholic paoers throughout Hie
United Stales:
Don C. Seitz, a former New York
newspaperman lias joined the staff
of the Outlook, and contributed
some observations on intolerance to
a recent issue. Mr. Seitz finds the
loyalty of Catholics to-their church
objectionable; be accuses them of
solidarity in polities and of ctanish-
ness. John F. Gilroy answers him
in a letter, part of which >vas print
ed as follows in The Outlook and
in The Literary Digest:
“Mr. Seitz charges that we keep
apart .front llie rest of the people,
til what way. may 1 ask? We work
with them, live with them, light
side by side with them in time of
war. contribute to their charities
and attend their balls, dinners, and
other social events. We go to their
weddings and funerals. We belong
to tlie same social clubs and college
.fraternities. We belong to scores
of the same fraternal organizations,
such as (lie Elks, Eagles, Royal Arca
num, Rotary and Lions Clubs, and
many others. Many of us belong
to the same patriotic societies,'such
tis Hie American Legion. Veterans of
Foreign Wars, United Spanish War
Veterans, ATlny and Navy Union,
Grand Army of the Republic and
many others. We work with them
and many times fot- them in polities.
We even pray for them. How is it
possible for. us lo slioxv more friend
ship for our fetlow-Amerieaus?
“Mr Seitz says Protestants ean
not belong to the Knights of Colum
bus. That is true. Neither can
Catholics belong to the-’ Methodist
Brotherhood, tlie Epworth League,
the Christian Endeavor Society, or
the Baptist Young People’s Union of
America. The Knights of Columbus
are a religious, charitable, patriotic,
and fralcrhal society of Catholic
men. A Protestant would no more
want to join the Knights of Colum
bus than a Catholic would some dis
tinctly Protestant order. Why may
not a Catholic be a Mason? Because
we consider the Masonic Order a sort
of humanitarian religion. As we
consider Masonary a religion, a Cath
olic could no more belong to that
than lie could belong to some Protes
tant church. We have tlie kindest
feelings toward the Masons, we look
on many of them as our best friends,
and differ from them only in re
ligion. Many times have i heard in
Catholic clubs, Knights of Columbus
councils, and Holy Name Soeielics
the Masons referred to as our sepa
rate brothers. Is there anything un
friendly in that?
“Mr Seitz charges I bat Catholics
vote in blocks. If that is so how is
it that Boston elected a Protestant
Mayor when 75 per cent of its popu
lation is Catholic? How is it that
Rhode Island is represented by two
Protestants in the United Stales
Senate? Why are Protestants elect
ed to many offices in New York
City? Why arc the majority of the
judges in the Irish Free State Prot
estants. when 90 per cent, of the
population is Catholic?”
“Worthy of Imitation’'
Did you know that (lie Catholics
have a Negro seminary for the train
ing of Negro priests? This semi
nary is Ipcated at Bay St. Louis,
Miss, and it requires four years
of high school work, four years of
college work, four years of theolo
gical work and a year of parish work
under competent supervision. As
yet the school has only high school
students, hut its standards are said
to ho (how truly‘we do not know)
“far in advance of that of any one
of the fifty-one Protestant schools”
for theological training for Negroes.
Of one thing we arc perfectly sure,
if the Catholics successfully main
tain this school and put a lot. of
Negro prists through the full course
twenty-five years from now they
will have a strong hold upon the
Negroes of Mississippi The long-
licadedness of the Catholics is well
worth imitating. If we sit still and
do nothing to offset their efforts to
win the Negro we shall suffer great
loss—A Baptist Exchange.
We feel quite certain that tlie ac
tion of a Pennsylvania post does
not represent the general opinion of
members of the Grand Army of the
Republic. 1 his particular section of
the “old guard” protested against
the contemplated purchase of the
bee c-stalc in Virginia as a national
memorial. They denounced General
Robert E. Lee as an “arch-traitor”
to the nation.
Such protest serves no good pur
pose. -It certainly does not repre
sent the tailing of the North. The
obvious result will lie a revival of
old hatreds and bigoted sectional
ism Judged by tlie standards of
manhood General Lee was an hon
orable man just to Hie highest de
gree and-a very slave to the dic
tates of tns conscience.. When he
resigned liis commission lie was
honored hv every associate in the
army. They recognized that the no
bility of lu s spirit made him answer
the call ot duty which came from
us state and his beloved .Southland.
It :s not the purpose to argue tlie
merits of secession, Judged as a
man General Lee was not a traitor.
He I ought to maintain a cause which
he believed to be just even (hough
that cause was opposed by a strong
er majority. It was a lost cause,
hut no man fought more honorably
and more generously for what he
conscientiously thought to lie right
than did General Robert E. Lee.
it is a hard thing to blot out
prejudice. We have had reason to
thank God that during the past GO
years there lias been harmony be
tween the two sections of'our coun
try. ]| would be a national trag
edy |o revive old hatreds. The
protest of this Pennsylvania post
ot Hie Grand Army of tlie Repub
lic is not only imprudent hut it is
mauifestlv unjust,
• :—l
The Question Box
By Rev. Bernard X O’Reilly
Q. Is it right to pray for success
in athletics between two' rival, col
leges? Is it not uncharitable and
trifling with the Sacraments?
A. A legitimate desire to win an
athletic contests is not a bad thing.
It is perfectly proper to pray for
such success. We may be actuated
by uncharitable motives which Would
make it sinful hut if tlie rivalry be
honest and the desire to win be pure
there is no reason why we should
not ask the help of Almighty (thd.
There is nothing that interests us.
no matter how trifling it may lie
which is not of interest to our Heav
enly Father.
‘Good Work Heartily Appreciated ’
An Editorial Tribute to St. Vincent’s Hospital and Jack
sonville Sisters of Charity by the Florida Times-Union
(From The Fieri (la-TimesUni on.)
St. Vincent's hospital furnishes an
example ot necessary and good work
so well done as to win the hearty
appreciation of the people of Jack
sonville, this appreciation expressed
in substantial and most practical
manner. The word “beauty ’ is used
with special significance in this in
stance, for it was through the hearts
Of the contributors of lunds for St.
yielded readily of their contents for
the purpose of providing a new and
larger hospital building for this
splendid Jacksonville institution in
which is performed a great work by
which sickness and suffering receive
such proper and competent -attention
as to win Hie approval of all peo
ple, while at the same time bring
ing the relief to very many who are
afflicted.
Therefore, when it became known
that St Vincent s hospital had out
grown Us facilities, the more rooms,
and equipment were needed, in Or
der to accommodate the constantly
increasing number of those-applying
for admission and treatment for
their physical ills. Hie response was
immediate, and substantial. There
was no appeal for funds, not even
recital of what was being accom
plished, just a plain statement of
present and pressing needs, and the
answer came trom scores of Jack
sonville men and women to whom
have,come material blessings, and
whose response in behalf of a wor
thy cause was instant and thorough
ly practical, as is evidenced by the
contributions made, in cash i-i'fl in
pledges, for making possible the do
ing of more and better work bv this
hospital, if, indeed, the doing of bel
ter work is possible, except bv-yjv
extension of facilities that now will
be made.
The public was given the opportu
nity to contribute a total fund ot
$250,000; the contributions exceeded
that amount by a substantial “plus.
This quarter-of-a-million-dollar fund
will not pay for the new hospital
buildings that ’are necessary and
that are proposed. But Sisters of
Chanty, band of noble women that
they are, will provide what more of
money is necessary to establish a
200-bed hospital, thoroughly modern
and better able to meet present and
future requirements. Here is not
only splendid sacrifice, but nkisl
commendable enterprise.
Here, too, is this latest Jackson
ville undertaking, is the very best of
proof of the actual brotherhood of
humankind. There was no drawing
of lines, u question of creed or de
nomination, by tlie public.. The
need ot St. Vincent’s was known, as
was its very good work, and that
was quite sufficient. Providing of
the funds required was all that was
deemed necessary, and they were
provided with unusual promptness
and without urging.
Splendid work in behalf of a most
worthy cause!
Q- Do you think it right to tell a
child that if lie make a certain nove
lla be will get anything he asks?
A. It would lie dangerous to tell
such a thing, to a child and it would
not tie true since we might pray
for a thing which, would not lie for
our good and therefore our prayer
would not lie heard. Tell tlie child
that if he prays for'sometlung that
is for his good and prays with the
proper dispositions lie mav lie sure
that God will answer his prayer.
Toll him that if liis prayer is not
answered he—may feel quite certain
that his request was not for tiis good
and that God showed a real kindness
in not acc.eding lo the request lie
made in prayer.
Q. Kindly explain why tlie church
is opposed lo Masonary when it is
understood that one time they were
united. Also kindly tot! me when
Masonary was inaugurated?
A. The Church is opposed to Ma
sonry because it is a religious sect,
having its own code of faith and
morals. Fundamentally and in prin
ciple it is absolutely opposed to
Christianity. There never was any
union between Hie Church and Free
Masonry. The present Masonic cull
was established in England June 21,
17*7. Before it had attained its ma
jority that is on April 28, 1737, it
was condemned by Pope Clement
Q. What is latest hour at which
a priest is permitted to say Mass?
. A. The general law of the church
is that Mass must be begun before
noon. By a special privilege priests
in the United States are permitted
to begin Mass one hour after noon,
that is, before 1 o’clock. This does
not mean that the bishop of Hie dio
cese. may not have reasons that are
sufficient to himself making a law
that Mass must he begun before a
certain hour. In many dioceses it Is
forbidden to have a Sunday Mass
later than 11 o'clock.
7 he Church and The Jews
Remarks of Rabbi Wise Recall Efforts Continually Made
by the Catholic Church to Win Them to Christ
When recently ilie remarks of
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise on- t lie doc
trine of Christ aroused discussion
of the. subject of conversion of the
Jews to Christianity, H also brought
to mind Catholic efforts to bring the
children of Israel into the fold of
the faith.
A brief study reveals the fact that
the latter half of the nineteenth cen
tury saw an intensifying of these
efforts, and that today not a few
Catholics are occupying themselves
with the relations between the Cath
olic and Jewish religions.
Perhaps most notahfe of all* is the
reminder, that among llie documents
ot the uncompleted ecumenical
Council t>f 1870 there reposes a pro
posal healing tlie signatures of 510
Catholic bishops,, several of them
Americans, begging the Council to
send a paternal invitation 4.0 the
nation of Israel {<; recognize Jesus
Christ as the Messiah, thus, “fulfill
ing and crowning t he ^Mosaic reli
gion, without changing it."
This document, unanimously ac
cepted by the commission to which
it was assigned, was never discussed
at the Council proper because of
the abrupt suspension of that gath
ering. However, i| has been said
that when the Council is reopened-
and there lias been much talk of re
opening it, of late the proposal
might still tie discussed.
It was after tlie miraculous' ap
parition of (lie Madonna lo Alphonse'
Ratishonne in Rome in 1812 in the
Church of St. Andrea dclle Fralte,
that the. subject of the conversion
ot the Jews came into prominence in
Catholic circles. Since then it lias
constantly been kept alive, and is
particularly so now, when the "Na
tional Homeland” nffivement is
prominently before the world as a
constant reminder of the people of
Israel.
An institution that lias made a
present day contribution of import
ance to the effort to. convert the
Jews is the Eucharistic League for
Peace._ i his organization, which
cable into being in answer to Pope
Benedict XV’s appeal for peace, was
tounded in Naples in 1914, canonic
ally recognized and established in
Rome in 1922 and raised to the dig
nity of a Primaria in June, 1925 Its
aim is the promotion of Christian
Peace- between individuals, between
families, between Hie different class
es of society, and between nations—
by a thorough reform of moral
standards and by striving Iq'Tiring
about the recognition of Christ as
King not only of individuals, hut
also of society, according to Hie
spirit and principles of the Gospel
arid the Church. First called tlie
League for tlie Cessation of Hos-
tiJlies after the war it was renamed
Hie Eucharistic League for Social
Peace and the Return of Men to
Jesus Christ, and later the Eucharis
tic League for Social Peace Through
the Return of Society to Jesus
Chryst.
A few weeks ago. through the ini
tiation of the League, an important
lecture was given at the St. Peter’s
Club in Borne on the subject of the
-Jews. Father Anthony van Assel-
donk. Procurator-General of the Re
ligious Order of Hie Crucifixon, was
the speaker, and many eminent per
sons -were present.
In Hie course of his remarks.
Father van Asseldonk told of the
works for the Jews organized by the
various Popes at Rome. Among
them were the Hospice for Cate
chumens and Neophites initiated by
J g ?.®Dus Loyola and supovted by
I aul IV, Pius V and Gregory XIll:
the House of Catechumens entrusted
to the Dominican Sisters, where sov-
erat hundred Hebrew converts Were
gathered; and the Ecclesiastical Col
leges for Young Neophites founded
by Gregory XIII. Father van Asset-
dunk asked that the Jews he held
in proper esteem, that they he hclpe.i
by prayer and sacrifice. a‘nd that all
.tom tlie Archconfraternitv of Praver
for the Return of lsrcal. He a Is®
made a plea that the Romans heip
the Hospice for Catechumens and
Neophites, restore the House for
Catechumens and the Ecclesiastical
College of the Neophites.
Following this recital of past and
projected Catholic works at Rome
for the Jews, Miss Mary Frances
'an Leer, a Dutch Jewess’converted
to Catholicism told of he,- convec
tion and asked prayers for the re
turn of her people “the people of
Jesus and Mary, of the Apostles and
Prophets.” She rejoiced that the
Reman clergy is showing sncli in
terest in tlie return of Isreal, which
Pope Pius XI has so much at heart.
This gathering had a profound im
pression, and Miss Van Leer will
shortly give another lecture.
These manifestations in our own
day immediately recall the great con
sideration given tlie cause of the
Jews’ conversion on tlie occasion
of the Council of 1870. At that time
there were in Rome two priests of
the Diocese of Lyons, the twin
brothers Joseph and Augustine. Le~
mann. They were Jews, born at
Digione in 1830 and converted to
C atholicism in 1854. They became
priests and learned apologists and
apostles for tlie conversion of their
people. They were tile authors of
notable works bearing on this sub
ject, and were definitely given the
mission, by Papal brief, to procure
the salvation of their blood brothers,
the Jews. Augustine died in 1909
and his brother a few years later.
When tlie Ecumenical Council eon-
veued, the two brothers came to
Rome to speak of their people's
cause at the great assembly. As
themselves to different cclesiastical
dignitaries, notable among whom
was Cardinal Lueien Bonaparte, cons-
soon as they arrived, th;v presented
in of Napoleon HI. Of that meeting
an incident is told:
The Lcmaun brothers thanked the
Cardinal for the benefits the, Bona
parte family had bestowed upon tlie
Israelites. “Our 'people loved Na
poleon the. Great so much that they
wanted to make him the Messiah.”
they said. The Cardinal replied with
a twinkle: “They have renewed the
attempt for Pius IX. but this time
there is less probability of their be
ing mistaken.” He alluded to tlie en
thusiasm of tlie Jews for Pius JX
when that Pontiff had the doors of
the Roman Ghetto taken away. Prior
to that time the Jews had Jjeei*
shut in during the night. J