avail: _these are the two main causes to which can be traced
this universal opposition_. And indeed no one will tax us with
exaggeration were we to repeat here what Tertullian wrote in his
"Defence of the Church," a hundred years after St. John's death: "_They
think the Catholics to be the cause of every public calamity, of every
national ill_." Have we not in our own country, organizations that
live and thrive only on enmity to the Church of Rome? They cannot meet
without passing resolutions of condemnation of the Church, of the Pope,
of separate schools, etc. We all know how often Public Opinion, in our
country, has been inflamed by prejudiced appeals to racial and
religious feelings. Racial antagonism itself is only a cover for
anti-Catholic fanaticism.

Let us, by clear and sound thinking, by definite and bold expression
_enlighten Public Opinion_. To-day Public Opinion is shifting as the
winds, swinging like a boat with the ebb and flow of the tide. These
are days of loose thought, wild words, catchy phrases, especially in
social and religious matters. Words and phrases are passed off as
ideas, and fragments of an idea as the whole idea. Let ideas always be
clear-cut, with a sharp, definite relief. Hazy notions are of no
constructive value, and always full of danger, particularly in times of
intellectual ferment, such as we are now going through. They are on
the great sea of Truth as the smoke-screens, behind which lurk the
destroyers of error.

Cardinal Newman concludes one of his letters on "The Position of
Catholics"--which bears on the subject of Catholics making themselves
known: "Protestantism is fierce because it does not know you; ignorance
is its strength; error is its life; therefore bring yourselves before
it, press yourselves upon it, force yourselves into notice against its
will. Oblige men to know you. Politicians and philosophers would be
against you, but not the people, if they knew you."

_Create Public Opinion_ by _individual and concerted action_, that is
our next duty. Truth spreads, not like the devastating torrent, but
like the tide. From individual to individual as from pebble to pebble
it slowly creeps in and spreads the silent power of its rising waters.
"No one ever talks freely about anything without contributing
something, let it be ever so little, to the unseen forces which carry
the race on to its final destiny. Even if he does not make a positive
impression he coun