CATHOLIC CONVERTS' LEAGUES

New Zealand Tablet, 31 March 1910, Page 492

CATHOLIC CONVERTS' LEAGUES

The Apostolic Mission House at Washington (says an American contemporary) is gradually growing to be the centre of a group of lay organisations known as Catholic Converts’ Leagues. The original league was organised some years ago in New York, and it has given a good account of itself. The Feast of the ‘lmmaculate Conception was selected as the day for the organisation of the Washington centre, and leagues are forming in other cities. , Some objections have been offered to the organisation on the grounds that it is a mistake to group converts together in an organisation -and segregate them apart from the great body of the Catholic people. This objection is made by some who do not understand the purpose of the league. That is just what the Converts’ League is nota body composed of converts alone—and whenever a new' league is to be formed special care is taken to emphasise the fact that the Converts’ League is not a league of converts, but a league for convert-making. , - - The ■; preliminaries of organisation were conducted by Very Rev. A. P. Doyle, presiding over an audience which filled to overflowing the assembly hall of the Apostolic Mission House. In his opening address Father Doyle said: .‘ The Catholic Church is attracting unto itself in these days many of the brightest and most intelligent minds. There were 28,709 converts received on profession of faith in the United States last- year. They were spirituallyminded people who came in spite of many difficulties and often in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles and many .heart-burnings and wrenching of old . affections and associations. They weighed all the gains, however, and set them in the balance over against the losses. . So numerous are converts becoming that it becomes necessary not only to organise for their welcome, but to help to clear the approaches of the Church of some obstacles that encumber it. It becomes necessary to disseminate a wider and surer .knowledge of things Catholic, to dispel many of the illusions and bizarre misrepresentations; of the Church that prevail in some minds and - extend to inquiring, non-Catholics every - facility for reception into the Church. For these reasons we are organising the Catholic Converts’ League here in Washington. It may be hoped that, after the models set up here there will be organised similar leagues in other cities, and - these in turn will form a national organisation. These leagues will consist not of converts alone, but also of men and women 1 who; have been born in the Church, ho shall extend to the incoming throngs of , new Catholics the fraternity of .welcome and also assist them in many spiritual ways until they have become accustomed to their new surroundings.’ , This view was incorporated into the constitution which was unanimously adopted by the charter members then present, which further specified the, methods to be followed by . the • league. Each member undertakes to offer prayers, -Communions, and good works for the intentions of the league, and especially to recite and cause others to recite frequently the Litany for the Conversion of America,. Each member shall select one soul for -whose conversion he shall pray and labor with particular fervor. Personal example shall be considered a prime influence to encourage conversions by. open profession of the faith and fraternal assistance in all ways dictated by , prudence. Particular stress is’ laid on dissemination of literature through libraries arid book-racks at doors of churches.