The Catholic Church, like Christ, stands at the cross-roads of humanity and cries out to the passing generations as they come tramping down the avenues of time:  “Ego sum Veritas, Via et Vita—­I am the Truth, the Way, the Life.”  Her kingdom is that very same Kingdom of Truth of which the Master spoke to Pilate when the latter had asked Him so insolently:  “What is Truth?” Faith gives to everyone of Her children the right to all the wealth of that Kingdom.

The self-assurance of the Catholic mind in matters of Religion is a noted and universal fact which implies necessarily the tranquil possession of Truth.  This certainly is not a blind adherence dictated by fear or fatalism as some would lead the unwary to believe; but rather, as St. Paul states, the reasonable subjugation of the mind . . . “Rationabile absequium.”  The universal unrest and chaotic condition of Christendom outside of the Catholic Church are in sharp contrast with the unity and tranquillity of the Catholic mind.  This is not the place to prove for our own pleasure and benefit the security of our position.  Christian Apologetics have vindicated it.

This security of the Catholic mind extends beyond the sacred domain of Religion.  Catholic philosophy has been justly named the “scientific justification of common sense.”  Its principles do not rest on the capricious fancies of the versatile human mind, as is the case with the philosophy of the dreamer of Koenigsberg.  We only mention here Kant, for his influence has in our days been tremendous and far reaching.  In Catholic philosophy the mind indeed reflects the objective order of things and from that order evolves universal laws.  This basic truth of our mental attitude is still more evident when considered in the moral order.  For, when God becomes but a “pure abstraction,” and the moral law solely dependent on the human will, one readily sees where such philosophy may lead.  This “ego-centric philosophy” is responsible for the frame of mind which gifted the world with German “Kultur.”  Nietzche taught Germany how to think, and Germany had set out to teach the world the lessons she had received.  As some author remarked, Kant and Nietzche are responsible for the firing of the Krupp guns.  Thus the war has shown the fallacies of anti-Catholic philosophy.

From these serene heights of Philosophy, Catholic Truth flows into the political, social and economic fields of human life.  Our principles on Authority and Liberty, on Capital and Labor, on Family and State, on Marriage and Education are as solid as the rock, and are recognized as such, even by leaders who have a different religious persuasion.

Yes, religious, philosophical, social, political, economic truth we do possess.  But of what use to the world, to the laborer, to the patriot, to the inquirer, is this truth and the solutions to problems it offers, if they are not known?  If we have the light we cannot hide it under the bushel.  We must place it where it can be seen, where its beneficial rays can light up the way for those who are “sitting in darkness, in the shadow of death.”