Irish Jesuit Province

An American Challenge and Opportunity. The Bruce Publishing Company, MilwaukeeAuthor(s): Frank BruceSource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 61, No. 725 (Nov., 1933), pp. 729-731Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513662 .

Accessed: 15/06/2014 17:03

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Irish Jesuit Province is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Irish Monthly.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 91.229.229.49 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:03:43 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

729

AN AMERICAN CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY.

The Bruce Publishing Comptvy, Milwaukee.

By FRANK BRUCE.

W1 ;E AMERICAN Catholics have been subject to a peculiar and particularly unfortunate environ ment, for, while we form the largest of the

religious bodies, we are still roughly only about one fifth of the total population. The traditions of the country are for the most part Protestant, with the

Puritan predominating. The religious freedom written into our institutions has been acepted as a right by and

for Protestants, but for Catholics it is regarded as a

kind of tolerance. American Catholics have built up against this attitude a reaction of defence; we have been and still are, for that matter, so occupied in, explaining our position that it does not occur to us to shift the burden of proof to our opponenits, where it properly belongs. Consequently, too, we have come to accept,

with some reservations, the non-Catholic culture that has grown up around us. We have accepted, and up to the present we have given nothing distinctly Catholic.

About thirty years ago, in our old Humanities class at Marquette University, the then Mr. F. X. MeMenamy, S.J., discussed with us the problem of Catholic leader ship in all phases of public life. I remember very dis

tinctly how he fixed the principle that we Catholics were making so small a contribution in the arts aand sciences, in professions and public life, because up to that point we had failed to prepare for our opportunity by training for lea-dership by a high school and college education. This, of course, was a fact, but its causes

must be sought in the social and financial conditions of our immigrant forbears. It is enough to say that at present this handicap of educational poverty is not as widespread as it was thirty years ago.

This content downloaded from 91.229.229.49 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:03:43 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

730 THE IRISH MONTHLY

With the development of Catholic schools and col leges there is coming among Catholics a gradual awaken ing to the existence of a culture distinctly Catholic. We are learning that the highest, the noblest, the finest learning is found in the Church; that life and letters are her field as well as faith and morals-or because of them. That sentire cum ecclesia refers to more than dogma. And we are beginning to realise, too, that our culture did not cease to grow at the Reformation, that it is growing to-day, and is applicable to to-day's problems.

We are beginning to see that our point of view, the Catholic one, can be stated in to-day's terms, thaLa our faith can be taught by to-day's methods, and that to-day's problems can be solved by our formulas. We can take much, we can give more.

In our work as publishers we are trying to meet the challenge to give the fruits of this Catholic culture to Catholics anid to the world at large. We! have recog nised the fact that we ourselves must appreciate what we have before we may expect others to do so. And

we have realised that this appreciation must have its beginning in childhood. Hence, we are trying, in pre senting text books to give only the best in material and

method. We feel a healthy discontent with what we have, and we are constantly seeking better.

In other works we have attempted to set a standard that will honour the end at which it aims. Bad material

well presented effects harm, but the best material badly presented effects nothing. The saints were the finest of ladies and gentlemen, and their lives deserve -to be

written in the best and most interesting way. And so with all phases of Catholic culture; they demand the best. And yet, if it is to have its effect, this best must not be too learned or scholairly. There are many of us who are neither students nor scholars, and still the Catholic tradition is for them as well as for others. Catholic books, excellently written and appealing to the widest possible audience-this is the necessity and this is our aim. We are carrying it out, we believe with

a high degree of success, in our Science and Culture

This content downloaded from 91.229.229.49 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:03:43 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

AN AMERICAN CHALLENGE 731

Series, edited by Father Joseph Husslein, S.J. In The Christian Social Manifesto the Catholic teaching on social questions as contained in the encyclicals on labour

was presented fully and clearly. After several other books from American authors we invaded the British Isles for Father Thurston's The Church and Spiritualism and for Helen Parry Eden's Wlhistles of Silver, Christopher ilollis' Erasmus,s and others of wide interest yet to come.

To go on further would abuse the invitation of the editor for this statement. But we are enthusiastic about this opportunity for adventure and service. We are meeting a challenge-a challenge from, the world to all Catholics " Show us your works." IWe are trying first to show " our works" to, our Catholic people, to

make them realise that we are a noble race, a race whose culture goes back to the beginning and is the origin and basis of all the good that other systems still possess. If

we ourselves come to realise these things, we will cer tainly impress them upon others. This is just our way of answering the call of our Holy Father for Catholic Action.

BOOK REVIEWS.

Life, and Religion. Fr. James, O.M.Cap. (Sands & Co. 260 pp.

5/-.) Realising the need of advanced religious irnstruction for

University students, His Lordship the Bishop of Cork has instituted an annual series of lectures on religion for the benefit of the students of University College, Cork. The first series of lectures was entrusted to Fr. James, O.M.Cap., and one cannot but feel that His Lordship's choice was particularly happy. In the present book we have the thirteen lectures practically as they were delivered, but enlriched with valuable references and some notes. The author faces the profoundest problems of life with admirable frankness and shows convincingly that religion is the only factor that can round ofl and complete

man s experience and satisfy his deepest desires. Beginning with the Mlission of the Church and her attitude

towards- education, Fir. James goes on to show how religion

This content downloaded from 91.229.229.49 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 17:03:43 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions