A Dangerous Political Movement
By L. A. S.
THE membership of the American Federation of Catholic Societies now numbers, according to the Catholic Mirror, “close to two millions.” At the recent launching in Baltimore of a Maryland branch of the federation, reference was made by several speakers to the work and object of the federation, from which it is evident that the tremendous power of this organization is to be exerted in harmony with the late Pope Leo’s admonition to Catholics everywhere, to “do all in their power to cause the constitutions of states, and legislation, to be modeled in the principles of the true church.” While one speaker, Bishop McFaul, asserted that “federation is a union of Catholic societies for the promotion of the interests of Catholics as American citizens,” another speaker, Mr. Pallen, declared that “the federation is simply the organized effort of Catholic laymen to promote the welfare of the Catholic Church.” Speaking of the6work and prospects of the federation, Bishop McFaul said:— Federation, up to the present, has exercised its influence in the Philippine concessions, in the amicable relations existing in Porto Rico, in the settlement of the Indian school question, and in the clear light thrown by public opinion on the parochial and public-school systems. All this has been strictly in the interests of the Catholic Church, and not in the interests “of Catholics as American citizens.” There can indeed be no interests of Catholics as citizens which are not identical with the interests of people of any other church as citizens, for “as citizens” under this government, people are considered wholly without reference to their religious beliefs or affiliations. As citizens, people of all denominations stand upon common ground. The program for the future, as defined by the bishop, is also strictly for the benefit of the Catholic Church. It is as follows:— Federation expects (1) to create public opinion by a great Catholic congress, to conduct an educational campaign on all the modern problems, and their Catholic solution, among all American citizens, irrespective of creed or race; (2) it proposes the unification of the different Catholic nationalities of the United States, by being in touch with their societies, and the training of them to participation in our religious and national life, . . . thus preserving them from social heresies, and protecting them from the insidious endeavors of proselytizers, who seek to rob them of their faith, the dearest heritage coming down to them and their children from Catholic forefathers; (3) to banish divorce and socialism, to protect the American home, to perpetuate our free institutions, as founded and cemented by the Fathers; (4) to form public opinion on the school question. The leading exponents of this federation movement have taken frequent pains to declare that it is not political in its aims, and this assertion is true enough in the sense of an affiliation with any one political party. If the federation were political in that sense, it would be of but little danger to American institutions, because it would necessarily have the opposition of other political parties. But in the sense of occupying a position where it can dictate to all the parties, and receive the opposition of none, the federation is wholly political, and it is therefore a political movement of the worst and most dangerous kind. Two million or more Catholics working together in organized capacity to advance the interests of the Catholic Church, will certainly make themselves heard and felt in this country, and will not be slighted by any of the political parties. It will be strange if the civil power does not soon begin to bend under this ecclesiastical influence. L. A. S.