CATHOLIC CHURCH AND LIFE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22343, 5 March 1938, Page 6

CATHOLIC CHURCH AND LIFE

EAGERNESS TO MAKE CONVERTS CfiNtteNARY AtiDftfcSSfeS AT AUCKLAND <rsiss i.3socutioi« Tct.taKiii.) AUCKLAND. March 4. The Catholic Church diid human reasbh were discussed by the Very Rev. Father O. F. Dudley, df Lbhdbh. in ah address at the Town Hall to-night. E 'shbjp Listbh presided over an attendance of 3000 people. "When it comes to religion. Catholics are the only really logical and rational people in the wbrlfl," Father Dudley said. "A cbmmon dictum toi" y is that it dbes hbt matter what a

man believes. It is highly irrational to assert this, which obviously matters Very much. "There are many people to-day Who give vent to the parrot-cry that Christianity is a failure, and therefore the Catholic Church is. They, mean b£ it that the Catholic Church lias failed tb estiißlish a universal tJtbpia of worldly prosperity on earth, and on tiiis score they reject c nsideration of her claims. She is a failure from the utilitarian st&hdpbiht. ".To this bur bßvibtis reply is that i Shrist did hot tdWQ a mere philanthfbpical society Ibr bilfihg public and Social ills, aithbUgh abtuaily the GatiitJiie Church has Bone Hibre for hlihiahIty than all the philanthropists Slit together. Christianity -flbes hbt 6xist tb establish rMH iir aiiti pfbsPe|ity 8h feafth. its pWb'Bse, is tb put then in pbssessjbh, Hbt, of trig things pi this wbrld; But of trie things bJ Heav6b ; "TM slictess df-failure Of the Cikiho: jib Ghiirch. if W@ ifiaj> use stlch tgrms at all, is in prbßbrtibh tb. the humber bf sbtils shb sanctifies and saves, tier' Critics are scarcely in a pbsitibh tb judge bf this." Fathei- Dudiey said that the Catholic" CMrch Was always but to bbhvfer't people. There was no secret .about it.. A t)isturblh& "Some people do not like this." He cotttihUed; "They look Upon the Catholic Church as a bublic nuisance. always gbihg aueut disturbing people WHB Want tb be left alone. In a sense they are tjtiite right: The Catbblic Church is a public nuisance; She dogs disturb pedple. She does upset Bebfile; Did hdt th§ Apbstles upset people? They- Were bent on cbhvefting them. In a sertse the Agostigs Wife S public nuisance, find were lß6Ria up fdr it. The Catholic EliUfcH, being a church of apostles, is exactly the same to-dav. She Will hot let the World aIbUS; She is bill for the dbriau§st bf sbuls." In th§J*JJhcllitjlHg stages; Father, DUdley addressed BlmseM partieuiafiy to non-dathoiies; and appealed tb them to get to know the gathpiie Gfiurch. "Thefe is H6t dm pei-sen in this country who hates the Catholic Church," he said. "They may. hatej

the I.viiig tai ; ibatUre presented bv her £!leit»% bUt that is hbt {life .Church. To khtHy the Catholic Church is to love iibtv A^i-ti^S 1 ?% Dl \ J - b - Simbnds. • Ai-chbifehbiJ bf Hbbijrt. said that there was a great deal bf rhistinderstaiidins? P/V l he duestibn bf the irifahabilitv of he ChUrbH, He disbussed the existing bias* struggle. u » T i£ V6, "- v - R6v - father J: M. Reardori, bf Minneapolis, spoke in the plabe of the Rt... Rey, f. C. Kelley; Bishop of Oklahoma City. One hi Seveii '-fliis cduhtry. like burs, is a nonCathblib cohhtr,v ; " hje 1 said. < "Whenever seveii New Zealanders are brought tbgfethef In a grdUb. btie and only bhe of thehi is a Calhblic; and on his or her shoulders alone tails he CesDOhsibility bf preaching the Catholic faith. "There is H doUBt that the Church w-fents to friake Nbw Zealand Catholic Ine Anglicans waht to make it Angli-' ?? t Methodists want to make it Metheatst: . "If the work is ever done., and New Zealand becomes a Cattibjie country, iHL.V 3 nd honour Will be to the crfedit of the Catholic laymen and wbjneH." ,faihei; fteardon said that about 400 priests lias ample to do iii ministeri itlg ttt 200<000 Cat: olics in New Zealand, ahQ the duty bf spreading the faith rested without doubt on the shoulders of laymen. |