St Vincent Seminary - Symposium Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

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Q Jlllllllllllll: , A A Ellllllg ' . iflllllllllllle ' ' if practical assertion of the sovereignty of the people. The Colony developed The population increased steadily so that in 1660 there were between eight and twelve thousand souls, at peace with God and man determined to spend the remainder of their lives in that Maryland dear to the hearts of each and everyone. These then were the contrasting conditions existing in the realms of Puritamsm and Catholicism in Colonial times. We have seen in the one, bigotry and prejudice, nourished by hate and ill will, in the other, tolerance and brotherly love. We have seen how the Puritans, apparently unmindful of the sufferings they formerly experienced in England under prejudiced sover- eigns, now administering similar persecutions upon those at variance with their beliefs. On the other hand, we have noticed how the Catholics, having undergone the same afflictions, and remembering the terrible penalties that were exacted from them, now cheerfully opening to all not only their Colony but also their hearts. Indeed, a genuine Christian charity was here dis- played. Truly, Maryland was a haven for the oppressed, an abode of religious freedom, a state constructed along the very teaching of Christ: Love thy neighbor as thyself .viii ttlmraoysiyr awe Xl ll32l gmnnu ll alll I 1 ! I . illlllllllllll 'I I I

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Attempts to deprive Catholics of the credit of this decree proved futile, but Gladstone's endorsement of their efforts gave rise to a triumphant Catholic vindication. It was the last Catholic act confirming the policy obtained from the founding of the Colony and maintained so long as Catholic Proprietors were in power, ceasing only with Catholic influence. The religious toler- ation which historians have so much extolled in the Catholic colonists and founders of Maryland did not originate with or derive its existence from that law of 1649, but on the contrary, it existed long anterior to, and independent of it. This great feature in the Catholic government of Maryland had been es- tablished by the Catholic Lord Proprietary, his Lieutenant- governor, agents and colonists, and faithfully practiced for fifteen years prior to the Toleration Act of 1649. From 1634 to 1649, it had been enforced with unwavering firmness, and pro- tected with exalted benevolence. I To preserve the Catholic missions among the natives, which had attained splendid successes since the founding of the Colony, Lord Baltimore, in 1651, set apart ten thousand acres of land at Calverton Manor, for the remnant of the neighboring Indians. The Assembly recognized his constant efforts to Christianize the natives and thus the first Indian reservation was founded by a Catholic and under the direction of Catholic clergy. In 1652, Clayborne and Bennet, as Commissioners of the Com- monwealth of England, overthrew the Proprietary Government and when Lord Baltimore prepared to restore it, they convened an assembly and prohibited any Catholic to vote or sit as a delegate. In place of the peace and benign policy which had existed under the Catholic rule, was now substituted a reign of terror. Anti-Catholic power was gaining. After victory on the Severn, the Puritans proceeded to St. Mary's County, spread disorder and ruin and attackedthe homes of the priests, intending to kill them. Fortunately the good Fathers had already escaped to Virginia. Lord Baltimore, however, soon again recovered his authority, and liberty of conscience was once more restored. An act was then passed making it a felony to disturb the order which was re6stablished. I-Ienceforth, no authority was to be recognized except the Assembly and the King. The light of peace promised to dawn anew upon the land. Thus was Maryland at the epoch of the restoration, in full possession of liberty, based upon the 1Shea, The Catholic Church in Colonial Days. lI31l

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zlllllla Ill! - ,,! ' ,rf-1.1.5 .1 an auumumr X , ' ' i ' ff xv., , The Pursuit of cm Ideal JOHN F. ROACH, A B ROM the moment the infant opens his eyes and puckers up his little mouth, until those eyes are closed 1n the cold sleep of death, man rises and falls-the enigma of creation. Throughout the world stand his works. What a brain they mani- fest! How powerful in wrestling the secrets of nature! How almost infinite in understanding! How wondrous his achievements! How inspiring his arts! Yet these are but cold, inert, lifeless aspects of the true man. Man-not his works-remains the most interesting study. To really know him, we must study him in that aspect which is by far the most fruitful, stimulating, and fi ,nf gnmmuuu ' lil , M mmmu.. 5 mQm, 5 L 9 . V .. . I . XX 1 unumnun Q - PIC . 9 . t K 0 , I 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . 4' :mmm mg - . 3 5 - s ' s 3 5 ilmlmnmf beautiful-we must study man in his almost unlimited potenti- ality for good. Perhaps no subject is more' calculated to incite the aversion of an audience than the subject of asceticism or self-discipline. Immediately the mind conjures up associations linked with the foibles and the excesses of men who lived in the so-called Dark Ages. The prejudices against this word are an almost universal acquisition of the human race. They are a great obstacle in less educated minds and in educated minds they are manifested in no less a person than William james who treats this subject with the sarcastic chuckle of a cui bono? However a little introspection manifests the fact that this antipathy is too often the result of an argument between con- science and self-love, or traces its source to a misunderstanding of true asceticism Conscience wishes us to follow the ideal. Self- love replies 'that's too difficult for me. Quite .unconsciously one acquires a paratawus of defense, manifesting itself in a parti- cular odium for knowledge concerning this matter. No one who is acquainted with the facts, can truthfully deny that there is no little misunderstanding of the word and the spirlt of asceticism Even the minds of the clergy are not entirely immune from a distorted notion of 1tS meaning. Of course there is some founda- tion for these prejudices in the past and not a little abuse in the present. But 1f asceticism is examined in the light of true psy- chology- a psychology which emphasizes the positive side of these practices which further demands that man build upon his God-given endowmentsg and which looks upon man as an A speech delivered before the St. Vincent Seminary Unit of the Catholic Students Mission Crusade. X52 !l33ll r I t nf palrfgf R , , .4-2 Jigga' as I l 1 - I l 1 I I l l CHI ll lllllt El li 'mm mum r 9 . 5 E ' ll: