A SICK WORLD.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1923, Page 4

A SICK WORLD.

Alii 11 BISHOP SAYS SOCIETY'S IN s'mi rio.vs auk is laxoivii. APPEAL TO CATHOLICS. Addressing the half-yearly meeting of the Diocesan Council of flic Catholic Federation recently, His Giaee Archbishop O'Shea stated that his visit to Europe and America had afforded him a splendid opportunity of aequiri.i. first-hand information about the conditions id' the world generally, and particularly about the after-effects of the Great War. LACK OF I! K V Eli EACH. The recent appeal of the great nations to force to settle their differences" ami difficulties has encouraged amongst minorities in many lands the idea that they. too. can appeal to force to impose their will on the majority. In many places also an increasing lack of reverence is being shown irt regard to tilings that have been held in respect for centuries by men of alf nations and classes. This want of reverence is showing itself more and more amongst the young people, but it is prolyblv worse in New Zealand than in any country which I visited. In America, where money Irs such tremendous power in politics. much legislation has been enacted that is causing anxiety to thoughtful people. There, after three generations of schools without religious training, more than half the population puts itself down as belonging to no church at all. Then you have open disregard of eer- j tain laws of tlm land by prominent people. You have lyuehings in which i supposed respectable citizens take part, you have outrages of all kinds, and even murder committed by secret associations that claim to supersede the ordinary civil authorities in the country. So you see there is great unrest in tin' world to-day. What is to lie t’’e out.eom( f of it all’ At times ! confess that I do not fee! very hop fid. Are we on the eve of another great upheaval such as took place when the Unman Empire wont to pieces’ The e again I remember that civilisation was saved and society regenerated by Christianity in that terrible crisis of the world's history, and so I am encouraged to hope for (he future. HOME. SCHOOL A XT) CHCFCTT. T suppose that it will ho admitted by all thoughtful people who believe in the great truths of Christianity, nr. at least, in its influence for good on the ivoiTd, that the three greatest institu-

lions that contribute to tile welfare of society are the Imiiie or family, the school and the church. I he l.imily or home is the real unit of society, and iLs very foundation. Afamilies are, so uill the nation he. C,.t what kind ol results can you expect from families that are not built on the old Christian line.-:- Most of (he evils ~i the day are traceable to the home because it is no longer a home in the old sense of the Word, hceaii.-e its vet v stability is sapped by the divorce evil. Why. in some parts of America, divorces actually outnumber the mar riuges and we are tending to the same Hay in this country. * hen there is the abominable doctrine ol oil til control closely conne, ted "illi the divorce habit. We seem to he approaching the state of things tint oxi-Jed in pagan Rome at its worst, and "Inch helped effectively to destroy that proud empire. After the home comes the selo 01, which is the second great factor in the well are ol society. Enormous sums of money have been spent in spreading education amongst the masses by modem Governments. Magnificent buildings. with splendid equipment, are to he lotind everywhere, hut prisons and penitent inries have increased proportionately, for mental training does not necessarily make man moral. Is there riot something wrong with our schools? GREAT MORAL POWER. f he third agency that contributes to the welfare ~f society is the church. It cannot he denied that the Catholic T hwrcli is the greatest moral power in lb,- world to-day. and she is doing enormous good everywhere, though this may not always he realised by the average man who sees only the surface j of things. I lie touchings ol the church. ; if properly understood and applied, j will not do harm to any section of the ; eo.iimunitv. As she has sanctified the : home and the fninilv. so too sin, has | established and supported the religious' school. She is the one great both' j which has consistently and continually | held for the unity and indiss'oliihilitv of marriage, and she has always spoken out in unniisi.'tkeahle terms against race suicide. We uered an instructed intelligent: Catholic laity to help us to spread the truth amongst men. and do our little, hut important share in this small eorn a- 'J tin* globe to meet dangers that threaten all of tis. no matter of what , less nr creel. We look then to you ( a t Indie men and women of the federation to lake your share of the work that must sooner or later he shouldered j h\ all sections of the community to save , what is into, respectable and decent in the social order 'that is now being so actively threatened by the forces of disruption: and I am sure that the . Catholic laity of Wellington will not he behind others in their love of fairness and justice to all sections ol the community .and that they will not he found wanting when the test comes.