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Show CATHOLIC DUTY DUEING HOLY YEAR. f Distasteful as it may be we cannot hide the fact from ourselves that as i Catholics we are not animated with the Fame zeal that characterizes many of t our non-Catholic biethren in the ma- I : terial upbuilding of the institutions of our church. ' The year that has just closed is no- ' table in the number of men, all non- Catholics, who have contributed in a ' most generous spirit to institutions for the spread of Protestantism, while it i records but few acts of an equally generous nature on the part of Catho- lies. The fault of this is not so much with the people as it Is with the teach -j crs who have failed to show them the , needs of Catholic institutions, . and j placed before them the merits that are f sure to come to those who generously r upbuild them. Within the past year !we have heard the pastor of one of the wealthiest parishes in the country as- sure his people that they did their ' whole duty when they contributed to the annual church collection. More-' More-' - over, this same pastor affirmed that his people should turn a deaf ear to all other appeals for the development of Catholic life because in answering his appeals for money they had fulfilled their duty. He seemed to forget that in answering his appeals they had only done an act of justice, one that in so doing they entitled themselves to tione of the merits that attach to acts of charity . It is because of such teachings that wealthy Catholics fail to comprehend, the splendid opportunities oppor-tunities that offer in this country for) J - the betterment of established institu- I tions" and the establishment of otheij J and necessary ones. "We are delighted to bear testimony to the fact that frn I this western country there 3s less rea- 1 pons for such criticism as this than in I the older and wealthier portions of the country. Instance Salt Lake, which, during the past year, -witnessed the erection of a splendid orphanage the gift of a single individual and the do- ration of ?10,000 by a few Catholics for the erection of a new and magnificent; cathedral In addition to this The In-' tcrmountain Catholic owes its existence to the desire on the part of a Catholic layman to do something for the church . welfare and not to any desire for profit. But notwithstanding the magnificent spirit displayed in Salt Lake we feel that there is lacking all over the country, coun-try, especially on the part of rich Cath- Iolics, that generous, self-sacrificing spirit so marked during 1899 on the part of non-Catholics. The church can be benefited in many ways during the Holy Year. The fountain foun-tain of grace will pour in obedience. The priests of the church will arouse a spiritual life among the people and sacrifice will mark their lives. It is a year when the Catholic laity shouldj enter into the spirit that animates the church and make possible by generous i donations the furtherance of all the church's works schools, convents, academics, asylums and the like are ull necessary and should be cared for at all times. The Catholic press, too, should receive support and aid, for it is the medium of great good. Indeed, there are so many opportunities for the wealthy Catholic to do good that it should be sufficient to call attention try them in general without particulariz-t- ing. "We trust that the year of Our Lord will witness the spread of Catholicity and the advancement of Christian m- stltutions all over the country, but particularly in the intermountain region. |