oblem of mixed marriages and the _Ne
Temere_ decree. It is perhaps worth observing that marriages get mixed
in other countries as well as in Ireland. It grieves one that men should
differ as to the true religious interpretation of life. But they do in
fact differ, and wherever two human beings, holding strongly to
different faiths, fall in love there is tragic material. But they do in
fact fall in love. The theme recurs, with a thousand reverberations, in
the novel literature of England, France, and Germany. The situation
occurs also in Ireland. But I am bewildered to know in what way it is an
argument for or against Home Rule. Let us appeal once more to colonial
experience and practice. There is a Catholic majority in Canada and an
overwhelming Catholic majority in Quebec. The policy of the Catholic
Church towards mixed marriages is precisely the same there as in
Ireland. Does Protestantism demand that the constitutions of the
Dominion and the Province respectively shall be withdrawn? Since no such
claim is made we must conclude that the outcry on Orange platforms is
designed not to enforce a principle but to awaken all the slumbering
fires of prejudice. The _Ne Temere_ decree introduces no new departure.
Now, as always, the Catholic Church requires simply that her members
shall consecrate the supreme adventure of life with the Sacrament of
their fathers before the altar of their fathers. It is strange that the
Orangemen, believing as they do that the Pope is anti-Christ, should be
so annoyed at finding that the Pope teaches a doctrine different from
theirs on the subject of marriage. The Pope can inflict no spiritual
penalties on them since they are outside his flock. He can inflict no
civil penalties on anybody. There is undoubtedly in the matter of
divorce a sharp conflict between Catholic ideas and the practice and
opinion of Protestant countries. That exists, and will continue, under
every variation of government. It is an eternal antinomy. But whom does
it aggrieve? We Catholics voluntarily abjure the blessings of divorce,
but we should never dream of using the civil law to impose our
abnegation on those of another belief. If there is any doubt upon that
point it can very easily be removed. The civil law of marriage can be
conserved under one of the "safeguards."

The truth is that in order to test our tolerance Orangeism proposes to
us a series of exercises which are a very delirium of intolerance.
"Sever yourse