THE PROPOSED CATHOLIC 

 ASSOCIATION 



THIS is primarily an association of Catholic gentlemen to 

 render aid to the Church in a field which has hitherto 

 been neglected in our American life. We have magnifi- 

 cent churches, schools and missions, a capable and energetic 

 priesthood to promote Catholic Faith, devotion and practice 

 among Catholics themselves, as well as to teach it to others 

 outside the fold. We have charitable and educational insti- 

 tutions and societies of every kind, with devoted and untiring 

 workers, men and women, lay and cleric. We have clubs, so- 

 cieties and fraternities devoted to Catholic interests, enthusi- 

 asms and culture, and these are steadily growing everywhere. 

 But all of these are for Catholics primarily, and, with the ex- 

 ception of the preaching of the faith and the practice of char- 

 ity, are not for the world at large. And the world at large so 

 regards them; the very matters they touch on, the very aims 

 and objects they profess, are regarded as peculiarly fitted for 

 the children of the Church and as such fail to arrest the atten- 

 tion and challenge the interest of others. And, in so much as 

 we fail in this regard, we fail to take our proper place in public 

 opinion. It is to correct this, to awaken a regard for the Catho- 

 lic viewpoint and to arouse a healthy, vigorous and inquiring 

 public opinion upon things Catholic in the everyday world that 

 this association has been formed. 



We do not intend to trench upon any of the existing Catholic 

 societies. We rather desire to fill a place which they have not 

 been able to find time and opportunity to occupy. We will 

 leave to the clergy and their coadjutors the teaching of faith 

 and doctrine; we will leave to the charitable societies the task 

 of caring for the needy ; we will leave to the club and the kin- 

 dred organizations the development of social and intellectual 

 interests ; our purpose is to assist them along other and paral- 

 lel lines. 



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