Catholic Problems in Western CanadaDaly, George Thomas
Religion
Catholic Problems in Western Canada
Daly, George Thomas
Catholic Church -- Canada
[3] Canon E. W. Barnes, of Westminster Abbey, in a sermon to the members
of the British Association, at their meeting at Cardiff, Aug. 29, 1920,
declared that, to harmonize Christian Doctrine with modern science,
particularly with the theory of evolution, he found it necessary to
abandon the doctrine of the Fall of Man and arguments deduced from it by
theologians, from St. Paul onward.
[4] Father Leslie Walker, S.J., in a recent work on "The Problem of
Reunion," suggests we should enquire rather how we came to differ than
what we differ about.
CHAPTER VI.
"THEM ALSO I MUST BRING"
(Jo. X, 16)
_The Apostolate to Non-Catholics--Its Obligation.
What have we done? What can we do?_
The spiritual influence of a Christian is commensurate with his
appreciation of responsibility. The breadth and depth of vision give
to this moral feeling its field of action. The circle of our influence
ceases with the limits of our spiritual outlook. The boundless and
clear visions of all the Great Apostles in the Church of God give us
the key to the generosity and artfulness of their zeal. Just as the
narrowness of our views explains the restrictiveness of our charity and
the limitations of its activities. This is particularly noticeable in
our dealings with the spiritual needs of those outside the Fold. The
claims of our non-Catholic brethren to our charity do not seem to
affect us, because our spiritual outlook has not the proportions of
that of the Master. With Him we do not stand on those heights from
which we could see beyond our own green pastures, "Other sheep that are
not of His Fold and which we must also bring." This explains how the
claim--"_Oportet_" . . . "_We must bring_"--awakens in us no sense of
responsibility and meets with no answer in the ordinary activities of
our life. Every one seems more or less contented with the lines of
denominational demarcation as he finds them around him in the
community. Not to discuss religion, not to busy oneself with the other
man's belief, to be very frequently rather reticent about our own, is a
policy generally accepted in the West. This habit of evasiveness is
not Christian and often leads to the sacrifice of Catholic principles.
Far from us be the idea of advocating rash obtrusiveness, of untimely
aggressive and inconsiderate zeal. But between this excess and that of
a "_laissez faire_" policy there is a golden mean. What is then wrong,
our method or our zeal?
A right understanding and a deep conviction of our duties in the matter
under consideration are of the greatest value for the Church in Western
Canada. May we preface our chapter by asking the reader to keep before
his mind the illuminating distinction of St. Augustine between the Body
and Soul of the Church. Many souls outside of the visible Body of the
Church are nevertheless within the beneficial influence of her
invisible pale. This is a commonplace of theology, we all know, but
evidently, very often forgotten.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account