Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1916 — CATHOLIC CITIZENSHIP VIEWS [ARTICLE]

CATHOLIC CITIZENSHIP VIEWS

Ably Presented by Fr. Cenerose of Lafayette—Many Examples Cited, The duty a citizen of the United States owes his country was the story told between the lines in an eloquent lecture given last night at St. Boniface school hall by Rev. Fr. (Jem-rose Stronk, chaplain at St. Elizabeth hospital. It was the first of a series of free lectures to be given during the Lenten season under the auspices of the Young Men’s Philomatic club of St. Boniface church and Fr. Generose was greeted by a crowded house. Fr. Generose announced the status of the theme “Americanism and Catholicism” with these words of Archbishop Ireland: “Our religious faith is' that of the Catholic church, Catholicism—integral and unalloyed, Catholicism unswerving and soulswaying, the Catholicism if put in concrete and more positive form, taught by the chieftain of the Catholic church, the Bishop of Rome, the I‘ope. Our political and civil faith is that of the republic of the United States, Americanism—purest and brightest, yielding in strength and loyalty to the Americanism of no other American, surpassed in spirit of obedience and sacrifice by no other citizen, no other soldier, sworn to uphold in peace and war, America’s Star Spangled Banner.” The speaker then showed that the Catholic as a citizen is in no way hindered by the church in fulfilling his duties as a citizen, that there is no room for discord and contradiction between the state and church, and that both these powers cover distinct and separate zones of thought and action. The duties of the Catholic citizen are outlined in the words of the Messias: “Render unto God the things that are God’s and unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” e

The Guardians of Liberty were severely criticized for their attacks on the church and the loyalty of Catholics since the discovery of this country proved by their deeds in defense of the same and especially by the granting of religious liberty by the Catholic founder of Maryland, Lord Baltimore. Among the many explorers of this country the names of the following Catholics: Columbus, the Cabots, Balboa, De Leon, Verazzano, De Soto, Joliet, Marquette and Cartier were mentioned. He said the loyalty of the Catholics in the days of the Revolution wag proven by a letter written by George Washington after the war, to the Catholics. The deeds of Charles Carrol and his brother. Rev. John Carrol; as well as the assistance given this Country by Kosciusko, Pulaski, Lafayette and Jack Barry, "the Father of the American Navy," were especially lauded.

The loyalty of the Catholic citizen was emphasized by the deeds of the Catholics during the Mexican and Civil wars and the following were mentioned; Rosecrans, Meagher, Corcoran, Thomas, Sheridan, Shields, Guiney and hosts of other Catholic officers. To cap the climax the speaker referred to his own father who was a Union soldier in a Kentucky regiment. The Catholic church was defended against the accusation of being unAmerican and its status concerning state schools was clearly defined. It was shown that the Catholic church puts forth only one claim concerning state schools—that the secular instruction he given so that the religious creed of the child he no way imperiled, . ' The statement that there he a Catholic political party was flatly denied, and the unscrupulous politician condemned its a traitor to his creed and his country. X The message of the Catholic church to its members was defined as folows; “She teaches that disobedience to law is a sin against God; that society is front God; that to undermine the foundations of society, to make null its purpose afid mission, is to resist the ordinance of God. She teaches those simple virtues propounded by the Saviour of the world, she admonishes man to control his passions and subjugate his will to God’s. She reaches into eternity and shows man his future abode, if he will but strive to attain it; she warns society of the dangerous abyss on which .it is bordering, since it relegates religion to the background.” The speaker concluded by pledging the loyalty of the Catholic citizen to his beloved country, by word and deed. —Lafayette Journal.