LE CASKET ET LE ROLE CATHOLIQUE DES CANADIENS-FRANÇAIS

Le Casket a pubhé, le 7 décembre 1916, sur le rôle cathoUque des Canadiens-Français, un article important, que nous reproduisons ici à la demande expresse de plusieurs amis de notre œuvre :

We are glad to see in "The Catholic World" for December, a fine article on the establishment of the Faith in Canada, suggested by the récent tercentenary célébration at Québec of that glorious event. The article is from the pen of Anna T. Sadlier; and it is particularly gratifying that snch tribute should be paid by an Irish ivriter; for, unfortunately, friction has been ail too cominon between Irish and French in Canada. But ail Iributes to the French race miist necessarily be inadéquate and incomplète. The whole of what they hâve donc for the Faith has never been, and never will be told. No man can write the whole of the wonderful story, because no one knows it ail. There is no land lohere Christianity has had to break new ground in which the French priests hâve not led the way or been ivell up with the leaders. Ninety times ont of hundred, they hâve been themselves the leaders. We cannot tell what it is in the Frenchman that has

32 l'action française

made him so ready lo be -pioneer in unknown, difficuU, painful and dangerous wilds. But Africa, Asia, the islea ofthe Pacific, America, North and South, hâve the same story to tell : the French, the French, always the French. Always in the first Une of trenches in the warfare with paganism and darkness. They hâve always seemed to hâve a particular love for the posts of hardships and danger. Pessimists sometimes sny that France will never be as Catholic as she used to be. We think differently. Even at this day, she is doing as much missionary work in money, and in men, as ail the rest of the Catholic world; perhaps more. The tree cannot be rotten at the heart which brings forth such fruit. As for the French iyi Canada, it makes a man shiver to think of what the position of Catholicism in this country would be ivithout them. If those 60,000 Frenchmen had not been left on the batiks of the St. Lawrence when France surrendered Canada to England, we wonder how many rights would hâve been reserved for Catholics when the Provinces agreed to go into Confédération. That solid block of Frenchmen is the greatest hmnan safeguard the Church has in Canada. Some people think there will never be any more persécutions of the Church. Some people were sure there would never again be a great war. But we hâve the makings of a promising lot offreethinkers and devotees of "modem progress" in Canada, as is the case everywhere else lohere non- Catholic Christianity has lost ils grip on the people. And at the very moment when this losing of the grip is becoming very noticeable, the twoparty political system is showing signs of breaking up under the influence of ridicule of its own making. There are, every year, more and more men who see no différence befween one party and another except that pne is out and the other is in. By the signs of the times, the two-party System will corne to an end before the end of the présent century. And then, what? Then, we dare say, parliament of croups, representing spécial interests: corporation groups, labor groups, agricultural groups and manufacturing groups ; radical sodalist. Most other countries hâve them. Shall ive fare betterf and then what? Then a multitude of propositions which call for the voice of Sound Christian teaching; and then, of course, the Church must speak. And then, the war-cry is already made and in use across the sea thèse many years: "The Church in Politics." Will it comef We pray God to forbid it; but He may permit it. He has permitted it in other countries. How can we know that we shall escape? Human eyes, gifted icith no prophétie vision, naturally look to the human assets at hand. That solid block of Frenchmen in Québec is such an asset. If such days shall corne, it is not the Catholic handfuls in the English-speaking provinces that will suffice to hold freedom for the Church.

1ère année, no 2 Montréal Février 1917

J^' A et ion française

Revue paraissant le 25 de chaque mois

If ne action intellectuelle

par l'abbé Aionel Qrouix

POUR QUE GRANDISSE L'ACTION FRANÇAISE, Omer HÉRoux — PLUS QUE L'HOMME, Joseph Gaitvreau — NOTRE ALMANACH — PARLONS MIEUX, Léon Lorrain — UNE ENQUÊTE — A TRAVERS LA VIE COURANTE, Pierre Homier — NOTRE PARLER — TRIBUNE DE NOS LECTEURS — JOURNAUX, LIVRES ET REVUES — PARTIE DOCUMENTAIRE:

Lettre des évêques ontariens; déclaration de M. le sénateur Landry.

Prix : 10 soi^P-^^^

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LIGUE DES DROITS DU ^ FRANÇAIS, ..c -r^Vv^;^

98, IMMEUBLE DANDURÀND. - ' JJL. ---^ MONTRÉAL ""^ "-^ -^