'STAND FAST IN THE FAITH'

New Zealand Tablet, 29 July 1915, Page 27

'STAND FAST IN THE FAITH'

(A Weekly Instruction specially written for the N.Z. Tablet by Ghimel.) v •

It; appears that some English papers are "still troubled over the Pope's'attitude in the present war, and we know from occasional articles in our own papers and from conversations with intelligent non-Catholics that his position is not altogether clear to them. It may be useful therefore to return to the subject once more. In doing so we shall pick out the main points of a recent address by Cardinal Bourne dealing with the matter. ' (1) Who are those who now so loudly complain of the 'Silence of the Pope,' the 'moral breakdown of the Vatican ' ? The very men who but yesterday did their best to ignore the Pope and his pronouncements, or, if that were impossible, either misrepresented or poured ridicule on his claims and views. ' We know ' remarks Cardinal Bourne, ' what has been the ordinary attitude of the English mind towards the Catholic Church. For the most part it has been one of contempt. The claim that the Church makes to the faith\ and obedience of men has been ridiculed or rejected. The Englishman's claim is that he is free from the submission (demanded by the Catholic Church). He is not prepared to give up his mind and judgment into the hands (as he would say) of the priest. He misrepre- ■ sents, as a rule, the infallibility of the Pope. He is glad to say he is an Englishman, and is free from such a burden, and thinks that he has something upon which he may congratulate himself in comparing his country with other nations that have not thrown off the authority of Rome, and" he is glad when he sees the authority of Rome circumscribed. Englishmen in 1870 were not very sorry when the freedom of the Holy See was lessened. In a later period, when the Hague Convention was being set up, and political consideration prevented the Holy Father being . represented in it, when he was not allowed free action, England did not protest, and Englishmen in their hearts .rejoiced that the position of the Pope was not recognised. Is it not a wonderful spectacle that those, who would have been the first to reject and-resist any action by the Holy See, should now, in this time of stress and anxiety, come to invoke the power of the Holy See on the side of England and that civilisation for which England is fighting to-day?' The explanation, we may add, is fairly obvious. These people want to have the Pope on their side. That is very natural, of course, but they should remember that the Pope has some • 60 to 70 million Catholic subjects in Germany and Austria who just as naturally would like to have him on their side. He has to consider the interests, claims, and rights, of both sides, and if he is ever to make a statement about the justice and conduct of the war it will, be time enough when he has gathered all the facts, and when both sides are willing to abide by his decision. That is out of the range of practical politics at present. (2) As a matter of fact the Pope has not been silent. The cables, as usual, have told us several things he did not say, and, in that whimsical fashion of theirs to which long years have made us accustomed though not reconciled, have themselves been silent when he did speak. This, of course, was because the Holy Father did not go far enough for them", but that is another matter: of which he is the best fudge,' ' The whole of this criticism is based on.the fallacy that no protest is of any value unless it be shouted on the housetops and published in he daily papers. Unless there,,is a protest given in that way, they count it as non-existent. Because the

Holy}* Father, in accordance with the traditions of the Holy. See, has followed '' the traditional methods, and made his -protest in the way most likely ,to - have its effect, but which has hot given much matter for prominence' in the leading newspapers, they think he 'lias not spoken at all. *=. Bear in mind -that there are two entirely different functions of the "Holy. See. • The first is the exercise of the doctrinal authority, whereby the Pope proclaims the principles, governing human conduct. In" fulfilment of this the Holy Father has spoken in his Encyclical of November 1, in which he set forth principles which must never be forsaken. Again, he spoke on Januarv 22, in his Allocution to the Sacred College of Cardinals, and stigmatised certain operations in the war at present being carried on. • Those two utterances give us a clear declaration as to the principles, that are to guide us. Our Lord, we know, did not condemn the abominable institution of human slavery then prevailing, but His whole teaching was a direct negation of it and was bound to lead ultimately to its abolition, ; So the wisest of teachers thought it well to speak and act prudentlv. His Vicar on earth at present is only doing the same, .and if the nations of the world would only listen to the Master and His living echo,.'.there would be no wars. (3) These remarks are made in no unfriendly spirit. Controversy is out of place in these days, when all our energies are wanted elsewhere: but it is just as well we ■should understand where wo are. We Catholics have good reason for rejoicing when we see the nations of the world recognising by their actions, and even by their complaints, the commanding position of the Pope. Some of us believe that familiarity with things Catholic, and especially with the elemental facts of life and death, will renew and deepen the religious instincts of men, and gather them once more in unity round the feet of the great Shepherd of Souls.