OCR Text |
Show MOXEY AM) RELHHOX. There is a pious group of people in almost every parish, which is al- ' ways seriously shocked when the pastors appeal for money. It's all wrong, they tell you, this tiling of mixing money and religion in the ser-r mon. One goes to church to pray and to hear the Word of God expounded, and not to be harassed by harangues for revenue. To hear them talk, and you can hear then always and everywhere, every-where, the priest is too anxious for money, too indifferent to souls, and an apparently inexhaustible supply of similar silly complaint. Have you ever studied these peo-and peo-and deep hypocricy. If you have par-tainly par-tainly discovered their shallow piety and deep hypocricy. If ou have participated" par-ticipated" in the work of collecting at the Masses, or otherwise, you know they have to be dynamited to get a nickel. You recognize them cvent- x , i axiung laaor, . . . " jt ' r""' ually as the great "hold-outs," the prize "tight-wads" of the parish. You realize that their chronic cry against the pastor is merely to protect their purses from the common demand of religion. These poor, deluded individuals have no more idea of the duties which religion imposes, judging from their criticisms, than they have of some yet unknown planet. They assume a very pleasing expression when expatiating expat-iating cm the wonderful growth of the Church in this country, as though in dicating that they were largely responsible re-sponsible for the results. Correctly do they boast that we have far outstripped all other Christians, so much so that no two of the denominations de-nominations combined equal us in numbers. Well may they point to the fact that everywhere our churches, large and small, magnificent and unpretentious, un-pretentious, are multiplying to meet the needs of this great and constantly constant-ly increasing population. These are things to be proud of, indeed. If they had any common sense at all they ought to see that this means a corresponding expenditure of money. mon-ey. It means debt and sacrifice. And if it be a burden to the people, it is a cross to the clergy. To many of the latter it has even been an untimely un-timely grave. They ought to remember remem-ber that no one, including the clergy, assume the role of beggars of money voluntarily. It isn't a pleasant occupation, occu-pation, nor is the compulsion conducive conduc-ive to peace of mind or body. Nor would there be many long engaged in the work if the beneficiaries loyally and generously did their duty. But is these never to be any end to these appeals from the pulpit for money? Not unless there is an end to the growth of Catholicity in this country. While the increase continues, contin-ues, while the Catholic population multiplies, there must be more schools for the children, more churches for the worshippers. And there must be money to supply these necessities. It is money for the Catholic cause, money mon-ey for God. How better invest it? Away. then, with these chronic com-plainers com-plainers against pastors. Give them a deaf ear. or a warm reception. |