RELIGION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2884, 22 October 1895, Page 2

RELIGION.

The Rev. Father Lomenantdes Chesuaia delivered his eighth lecture ou " Reunion of Christendom " in St. Joseph's Church, Temuka, on Sunday eveuiug. The subject was " Universality or Catholicity of the Church." The rev. gentleman took for his text " From the rising of the sun to the going down My name is great among the Gentiles." (Mai., i.,2.) The following is a brief report of the lecture : Christianity is destined for all nations and individuals, since Jesus commanded His Gospel to be preached to all nations. Consequently all men, no matter what nationality they belong to, if they can come to the knowledge of it, are bound to enter the Church of Christ. So convinced were the apo3tles of this that, after the coming down of the Holy Ghost, they scattered themselves all over the world to preach Christianity. St. Philip went to Phrygia, St. Bartholomew to Armenia and India, St. Matthew to Ethiopia and Persia, ?3t. Thomas to Parthia, Media, and India, St. Simon to Africa, St. Jude to Mesopotamia, St. Andrew to Achaia, St. James the Greater to Spain, St. James the Less to Jerusalem, St. Johu to Asia Minor, St. Mark to Alexandria, St. Peter to Antioch and Rome. This is also evident from the fact that the Redeemer was promised not only to the Jews but to all the nations of the earth, which were all to be blesseed by Him. (Gen., xii., xvi., xxviii, xlix.) But if Christianity is in the design of Divine Providence to be the universal or Catholic religion of mankind, there can be no other true rehgiou approved by God. This is what must be well understood in any attempt to eiiect the reunion of Christendom. So long as people imagine that salvation can be obtained in any other way but the Christian religion approved by Christ, and established Him and His apostles, with the unity of faith and government under His visible representative, they will never abandon their particular creeds to enter the Christian Church. We have also seen that Christianity is to endure to the end of time. " Behold I am with you all days," says Our Blessed Lord to His apostles and their successors, " even to the consummation of the world." (Mat., xxviii., 20.) That is to the end of the world. The whole doctrine of Jesus Christ is to be taught, nor can any other religion take its place, because there can be no other revelation than the Christian Revelation, which is perfect and complete and to endure for ever. Let me now explain more clearly still the univeriality or catholicity of the Christian Church. Catholic is the proper name of the Christian Religion. From the dawn of Christianity, the true followers of Jesus Christ were called Catholics. Thig appellation is found in the Creed of the Churches of Alexandria and Jerusalem and in the Nicene Creed. A letter of the Church of Smyrna, relating the death of St. Polycarp (169), is dedicated to " the parishes of the Catholic Church." (" Catholicae Ecclesiae Paroeciis,") St, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (107), styles the Church Catholic. This name waß adopted to distinguish the Universal and only true Church of Jesus Christ from other Churches. When the early Christians were asked their name their ready reply was, " Christian is my name, Catholic my surname." Many innovators of ancient and modern times have styled themselves Catholics, but if any one asked for the Catholic Church, he would never be directed to the meeting of any other denomination, but to the Lioinan Catholic place of worship. From the earliest ages of Christianity, no one was called Catholic, except those in communion with the Roman Poutiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth. This observation is from St. Jerome, in his first book against Rufinus, and also from St. Cyprian aud St. Ambrose. (" Hier L.I. Contra Kufiuuin, S. Cypr. Epist. LII ad Antouianum ; S. Arabr. I. 47.") It would be easy to mutiply quotations, to show that in the 11., 111., IV., and V. Centuries, which had according to all preserved the Apostolic Spirit, the Ohurch of Jesus Christ was distinguished from all other Churches by this appelatiou of Catholic, as it is still in our own time, even by its enemies, " Catholica nominatur non solum a suis, verum etiam ab omnibus inimicis, S. Aug. De Vera Rel. c. vii." The Church of Christ or Catholic Church, for both, as we have demonstrated, are synonymous, is universal or Catholic—(l) As to time, beciuse it was founded by Jesus Christ, propagated by His A.postles and successors, and it to eudure iill the e id of the world. (II) As to truth, because it possesses all the revelation of Jesus Christ, teaches all truth, and opposes all error, irrespective of the rank or quality of the offender. (Ill) it has all the means of Salvation established by Jesus Christ, particularly the Seven Sacraments, instituted by Him to unite Himself to us, and communicate or increase sanctifying grace within us. (IV) As to place, the Catholic Church alone, from the days of the Apostles, has been, is, and will be diffused all over the world, and is at all times of her history, and in every place always the same. " San eta Ecclesia ideo Catholica dicitur pro eo quod universaliter per oinuem sit muudum diffusa." (Isid., Llispal., Sent., c. xvi.) That tho Church should be called Catholic, it is not necessary that it should be absolutely diffused everywhere ; it is enough that in any important country it should be firmly (established and well known. The very inscription on the cross of Our Saviour, written in three different languages, soems to be a prophotic and mystic declaration of the Catholicity of the Church. The gift of tongues, given to the Apostles ou tho Day of Pentecost, was also a sign that people speaking n\\ la-.ignages wore to outer it, ;is St. A ugustmo aptly remarks. (S. Ang.,L., 11., Contra Lit. Potiliani, 74.) Tho Catholic Church is not the Church of a particular country or language, it is tho universal Church of tho whole world. The oblation of tho sacrifice of fho Mass in every country of tho world, from the time of the Apostles, is a mark of tho Catholicity of the Church. Sho fulfills ;he prophecy of Malachi : " From the . ising of tho sun to tho going down my name is great among tho Gentiles. (Mai., i , 2.) Catholic missionaries iallil this prophecy of Our iiOid ; they g > into tho whole world, not oil}" in tho liritiih or German colonies, : at everywhere, to preach tho Gospel and oll\j;-<lai'y tlii' adorable sacrifice of tho Mass, Go wherever yo'.i please, wherever there is ;.. <'a nolle piie ■•:, wli'.-ihur in civilised eou-n i-ie.s o'- iiiii'iirnib places, there every il.iy the holy v.eini of Calvary is mystically offered; there the Blessed .Sacrament is kept, if there is a re.ad ng priest, and d.:vout worshippers come day and night to adore their Jj-'d and Saviour, really mid Mlb&taniiahy pre. ou!, though hiding His Gloriou; M.-.j■ .-ty from n.s under the •iacrametral v.ilr.. i'lveiy Sunday, all over the world, Catholics assist at Masß vol his is ti'it. a modern invention, but a eiir-ioui tin. eao he traced back to tho ii.-iy.-s of tiio Apos.les, as wu shall see when t-poaUing of Gio olc-sed Eucharist. The Schismatic Eastern Churchos are confined to Turkish aud Russian Dominions* AH

the Protestaut denominations of the world to British and German dependencies and to America. Taken collectively they number sixty-five millions; whilst Catholics alone number two hundred and fifty, if not two hundred and sixty millions, a clear proof that they are tho universal or Catholic Church established by Josus Christ. Through contempt tho members of tho Church of Jesus Christ are sometimes called " Papists or Romauists," but all the world over they aro known only as " Roman Catholics." This title is exclusively their own; if others usmp it people will uot recognise i<. Among the members of the Catholic Church every language under the sun is spoken : German, English, French, Greek, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Singalese, Indoustanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Malay, Maori, etc. Go to the Propangauda in in Rome aud in five imnutes you will be convinced of this. Her children arc to be found from the Atlantic to tho Pacific Oceans, from the banks of tho Tigris and Euphrates, from Mosul and Bagdad, from Damascus and Mount Libauus, from the plains of Asia, from Afghanistan, Russia, Siberia, Algeria, Africa, aud both Americas, and in all those places, all Catholics have the same Faith, believe in the same sacra meuts, adore the samo Jesus Christ at tiv* same altar, sing His praises and those of His Holy Mother, angels, and saints in the same manner aud, all are united under the leadership of the Vicar of Christ on earth, whom they love aud revere, and whose prudent guidance tlu.y aro always ready to follow; and this stat:> of things always existed from tho apostolic times as it exists to-day. la not this a wonderful and manifest proof of tho divinity of the Catholic Church 'I The other de Dominations are ever changing. Not so the Catholic church ; her distinct features are visible to all, her image is always grave, majestic, and graceful, and her appearance ever essentially the same. Christian artists generally represent the Catholic Church as a beautiful Virgin, lookiug up to Heaven, holding in her right a globe of the earth, with this inscription in letters of gold " Catholic," and in her left hand a Phoenix bird with tins inscription, '-Ever the same" and "Ever one" "Unitaa Semper." I.—The Catholic Church is represented aB a beautiful virgin, on account of her divine institution and sublime apostolic teaching. If.—She is represented looking up to Heaven, because her mission is to teach mankind the true religion, to train them to the practice of perfection and holiness and lead them to heavenly bliss. 111.— She is represented with a globe of the earth in her right hand with the inscription in golden letters, " Catholica Ecclesia," because as Jesus Christ died for tho whole world his religion is to be spread all over the world. I V. —She is represented with a Phoenix in her left hand, because as the Phoenix is said to revive from its ashes, so opposition, and persecution can never crush the Church; she revives, as it were from her ashes, and is ever one and the same. " Unitas Semper." She includes all times ; from the days of the apostles there is no time when >,he did not exist, she is spread everywhere, she teaches all truth, excludes all errors, this is her exclusive privilege: "Unitas Semper Catholica" (" Catholic and ever one,") and no profane hand or machination will over be able to take this glorious title from her virginal and spotless brow. She is not ruled by a Sultan, a Czar, or Parliament, the Holy Spirit guides her, Jo3us Christ is ever with her, aud she safely lauds her children on the shores of that beautiful land which is the eternal abode of God and all His friends. We shall next Sunday atudy tho Apostolicity and Sanctity of tho Church.