Catholic Federation by L. A. S.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 21, 1903

Catholic Federation

By L. A. S.

IN a recent issue of the New York Sun a half column is devoted to an announcement of a “giant Catholic federation” which is to be formed at a national convention of Catholic societies, to be held in Atlantic City, N. J., the last week in April. Either Cardinal Gibbons or Mgr. Falconio, the “apostolic delegate” from the pope, will preside over this convention, and a Catholic membership of more than one million will be represented. As there is already in existence one great American federation of Catholic societies, it seems probable that no second organization is contemplated, but rather a great extension and strengthening of the federation movement.

“The work it contemplates,” says the Sun, quoting a Catholic authority on the subject, “may be summed up thus: in religious action, it will tend to propagate Catholic schools, colleges, and universities; to uplift and encourage Catholic literary societies, periodicals, and books; to establish Catholic homes and to encourage colonization; to bring about Catholic conventions and demonstrations, Catholic congresses, State and national.

“In a social way it will deal with marriage rights, and attack the divorce laws, lax Sunday observance, obscene literature , and gambling, and will deal with the subjects of labor troubles and strikes.

“The nearest approach to politics the federation will reach will be in what might be termed civil work; that is, in regard to the religious rights of Catholics, in State institutions, in the public schools, in the army and navy, and in regard to taxation of church property; support of sectarian institutions and protection of Catholic civil rights. This is the line of work already mapped out by the leaders.”

The federation “will not enter politics”—so its promoters are careful to announce. That is, it will not put a Catholic political party in the field, nor will it be allied with any particular party. But it will do more: it will by consolidating Catholic political power in this country so that it can be brought to bear effectively at any time, force the leading political parties to do its bidding. It “will not enter politics,” but it will dictate politics to the parties already in the field.

It is interesting to note that Catholic writers are beginning to boast of what the federation has already done in a political way. One who signs himself “Dominicana” says:—

It is needless to assert that since the inception of the Federation movement, Archbishop Ryan, of Philadelphia, and Mr. Bonaparte, of Baltimore, have been appointed the first Catholic members of the Board of Indian Commissioners; that a Catholic has been appointed for the office of assistant postmaster general; that a graduate of the Georgetown Catholic University has been appointed one of the private secretaries of President Roosevelt; that several Catholic chaplains have been appointed in our army, and that other notable personages have deservedly received positions of trust. Do not these results, speaking louder than words, tell us what united action—what a Federation of Catholic societies—can accomplish?

Notice that among other things, the federation will lend its power to the suppression of “lax Sunday observance.” Doubtless the Catholic attitude on this subject will become more positive at no distant date. L. A. S.