CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 135, 3 December 1875, Page 7

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS.

We commend the following, which we find in the London ' Tablet * of the 28th ult., to the attention of our co-religionists i — The proceedings of the Catholic Congress of Poitiers, -which commenced its sittings last week, included a report sent by M. Baudon, the President-General of the Society of Sb. Vincent do Paul, on the duty of Catholics towards the press. M. Baudon dwelt on the melancholy fact of the insufficient support given by Catholics generally to their own newspapers and periodicals. They have these publications alone to look to for the defence of their most cherished principles against the attacks so continually made upon them by sectarians and unbelievers, and yet, strange to say, they are content for the most part to leave the organs of their own body in a precarious position — a position of inferiority to their opponents, the narrowness of their resources cramping their efforts both to the obtaining of early authentic intelligence, and as to the employment of superior literary talent. On the other hand, the Catholic public (said M. Baudon) is very exacting in its requirements from Catholic newspapers, and is very severe on any mistakes or shortcomings of which they may be thought guilty. At the same time, Catholics too often support with their own money the hostile press, under the excuse of wanting to know what the other sidohas to say. It is not considered.that if the same support were "iven to Catholic journals they would be at once placed in a position that would enable them to compete on much more equal terms with, their adversaries, and to support the Catholic cause with far greater efficiency than they can possibly do at the present. M. Baudon concluded his report with an urgent appeal — which was heartily joined in by the Congress — to Catholics to exert themselves to the utmost in supporting and increasing the circulation of Catholic journals •