The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1905. CATHOLICISM AND SOCIALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7878, 21 July 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1905. CATHOLICISM AND SOCIALISM.

Til" encyclical issued |,y Pop,, although likely to occasion some stir ;inionyst. ih.» adherents to ihe Cluing of Konie ■docs not conic as a surprise lor Mis Holiness, i t is u.-ll known, ■s imbued witli very deep conviction/, on the question of the faith which Socialism threatens, iill.v with his" processor tin- pMef*'mt Poiuif hus\ (lurin- his career. bw-n <> n l "Vcral occasions brought f tiv to face with triwh.es arishrir From the atti!"de of the labouring elabs.-s, especi■ilU in t'-iation to the yrouinir de- > i - ijvinilpstt'fi towards obtaining' 'omplete liberty of action irrespective of oil constitute*! authority, -both of Church and Slute. In doalinj? with *he which emanate from Socialisrn the Tope approaches the subject with o full knowledge \ of its iK-arinp: on the well of its people aJid the clergy, and in iidvoirat ins strenuous action a gin; tost the foe, he is not only proving t! n ,i hj,. , s a y nil l)o one of the greatest enemies to the peace, of th ' worl'd. but aN> 1 0 ihe urgent which has arisen tor unitd catholic action on distinctly M'hristia'n principl >s\ and by the emTiifTif 01 practical means for pronttfling th« social and economic welfare of the peoplo, and defending the sujfroine interest* of the Church. It has lonp foewi evi-dent that one of the mnrfced i\JT(*ctd o'£ 'inotfnrn Soi'iailidm has texhiljfted itself in the tendency

to dritw its adherents away from r.*ligious infl'tences. Perhaps this is. only natural cons-ii/oring that the methods of the om» do not fit in with thoso of the oth<rr, and that Socialism \\r\sl religion can no more commingle (an oil and water. The advice and' exhortation gjvcit by tin 1 Pop* l to his flock, ajwl especially to those enterimr on, or engaged in, & public career i* .sound mid practical, it is not by any half hearted mean:'(hiit Iht* norsl feature* of Socialism

an- to In- o\enome. TJu-r'o must hi', I In; I'ope evident ly recognises, n powerful organisation formed tu-fighi'i this fo»- of society, civilisation and Christianity. ju>r will victory ho attained wiithout a stubborn struggle, lasting for a considerably lime. The position of the Kom,<ui Catholic clergy' relative to this mailer is one fraught with many j/iifitlls for the unwary or over-untiluisiaslic, yet, b\ < following the advice of the head of the Church to subordinate tho material interests uf th« poople to the ura\ei' inters/ •• t>f :ite ministry. Jle ir conrsij will l,e well directed, thouuh not frr«' from difficult ies. It is only lli »s»' dir t .ctlv brought into contact with the work of ti hu extreme So* cialists who can adequately realis" the |»'»tefic\ for evil which such a

Ilorce poJ'Messe.s. O A;isiona}ly the world is Mart led by an outbreak of unusual vioi'-mv revealing the latent power of ihu turbulent masses. but these iiiManos only servr as ane\ir (tence of the volcan-ic nature of the < v vil, and set people wonderincr where lh< k re \t uph'-a \a J will occur. There is a Socialism which would command >ur nspeci. but lhal I In* ninterinl welfare js mnde to predominate over in spiritual. In theory the -principles of Socialism have much to recommend tlym, but in practice the bad ■ puiflU wore often come to the sur-

fac|e th;m the good. Uis for that reason iho Cat'iiolic world has been amused t ) take action. By his encyclical- tin- Pope has set, cm< foot a movement that' may have a I'arI'euchiin effect on society, ami it is to be h ped t':iat much good will eventuate. not in the direction ol' resirie(inu I'uvdotni, but in basing doin on v sure foundation so that it will tie • o and not degrade lumian- | ity.