Views of the Labor Movement [pp. 784-798]

798 Vtcws of the Labor Mo ve'ncJi 6.
tense. Several secular efforts, based only for celibates, and that only celion mere worldly advantage or mutu- bates are entitled to gain the conality, have proved seriously successful. sequent blessings. "Blessed are the"
The tendency of work and business willingly "poor, for theirs is the kingis toward the Organization of corpo- dom of heaven." Certainly, a man
rations. The capitalists have set the and wifb are entitled to earn the beneexample by their monster companies fits of this willing poverty as well
and monopolies. The plain deduc- as any monk or nun. The married
tion is, that this tendency affords a fa- poor are entitled to make the same
vorable opportunity for forming re- sacrifice and take part in the same
ductions. To neglect it would be to work to enhance the glory of the
neglect making all things work toge- church, and to merit the same reward.
ther unto good to such as, according Association makes the sacrifice and
to God's purpose, are called to be the work possible to the celibate. It
saints. (Rom. viii. 28.) creates a similar possibility for mar
~. To say that there is no place ried people. The wondrous powers
for communities of families in the eco- of combined labor and economy are
nomy of the church, would be to deny wdl known. The fields in that direcber beautiful adaptability to all grades tion are wide and free, and ready for
and varieties of virtue and good works. good seed. Instead of thinking that
That she should reject and oppose associations of married people are in
socialism, with its cor2~ge of free love, any wise incompatible with Catholic
heresy, blasphemy, covetousness, na- doctrine and discipline, a little refiecturalism, and woman's dispersion, let tion will convince us that it is, on the
us loudly declare; but to say that contrary, the long-negl@cted link that
there should be in the system of the completes the circle of good works.
churd~ a place only for such apostolic Infidels would fain seize the position
communities as are composed of celi- and try to adapt it to naturalism and
bates, would be to condemn her histo- cupidity; but their attempts have
ry, which tells us of the community been simply ridiculous. The reason
at IerusAem, and of the reductions of is obvious: the vow of poverty and
Paraguay. We cannot suppose there all its consequences is possible only in
is a grade or kind of real perfection and through the motives inspired by
that the church would reject, i?, in- the Christian religion. They cannot
deed, that grade or kind be in con- exist and cannot be imitated outside.
formity with evangelical counsel. It True association, that which is prois said that keeping the vow of po- ductive of moral good and social
verty would be too hard for married happiness, that which springs from
people, who are naturally impelled to charity, bc[ongs to Christianity, and it
seek riches for the sake of their chil- is impossible to separate it from her.
dren. It is said that parental bias, It was practised by the primitive dissolicitude, and duty would create ciples, it was praised and taught by
great obstacles, hard to be overcome. the f~U~ers of the church, it was and
Supposing this, still we say, all things still is fulfilled by the celibates in the
are possible wi(/z Cod. The merit of monasteries, it was successfully apthose who, with God, could conciliate plied in the reductions to a whole
these two obligations, and accomplish people; and we conclude that il~e
both, would only be greater in the place once occupied by saintly tribes
eyes of the church. Certainly, no and families under the wing of the
Catholic will say that the counsels in church is still vacant and open to
regard to voluntary poverty are meant their return and re~stablishment.