The Catholic Paper

New Zealand Tablet, 2 August 1906, Page 22

The Catholic Paper

'How often,' says the 'Catholic Citizen' (Milwaukee) ' has not every priest been asked what Catholics are to think of certain statements, alleged facts, or false principles, read in the newspapers, heard from the lecture platform, or urged in con/ersation by me n and women, ignorant or prejudiced it may be, but too influential to bo ignored ? The priest regrets that his information or ev^sition in the case is given only to one person. 'He rightly wishes he could reach all Catholics likely to be perplexed by such utterances, and thrc/igh them all the norn Catholics who honestly seek information from C<atholic friends or neighbors. The Catholic newspaper gives him the opportunity of carrying oat his wish.' The South African ' Catholic Magazine ' dea-ls in a recent issue with another phase of this subject. ' When,' it says, 'we ha\e to deal with purely secular { apers we soon discover that there is little liq-e of getting fuil justice done to our cause in an/ but a Catholic paper. The plain, full, and candid truth does not pay any daily t ,aper ; for the average man does not want the truth, but just so much of it as will suit his prejudices. In Mark Twain's phrase, he wants to economise the truth. Of all species of the truth, that about the Catholic Church pays least ; -because there always will tye a prejudice against her. Our Lord has promised us this. The world hated Him, and will hate His Church. Only a iyaper chiefly devoted to the interest of Christ, of His Church, can aflord to be frank in dealing with Catholic matters, ami fen cut in dealing with Catholic interests.'