On the Church and the Age
by VP
Posted on Wednesday September 05, 2018 at 01:00AM in Quotes
"Let us strengthen our devotion to the Church. Let us love our holy
mother the Church; we owe everything to the Church. Let us not fear that
the words of Christʼs promise shall ever fail. The gates of hell have
never prevailed, and never shall prevail, against His Church. She has
never gone astray on a single doctrinal point: her enemies may be
challenged to prove that she has ever erred in any point of practical
justice or prudence.Her children may have done wrong; but the Bride of
Christ has preserved unstained during nineteen centuries that white robe
which He gave to her that she might be " a glorious Church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing." She has never been unfaithful to His
truth or to His cause, and, by the virtue of His power, she will purify
again this earth, on which it is her lot to lead a life of ever-varying
trial and combat. Let us ask to be made worthy children of that Church
militant and struggling, in order that, having done our part of duty in
her warfare with the world, we may merit to be enrolled among the
glorious members of a Church which is triumphing in heaven."
Source: On the Church and the Age, Fr. Merrick (Catholic Oratory, A compilation of Sacred and Sublime Orations, 1891)
