EARLY in 1933, a group of laymen from representative parishes of the Episcopal Church in New York realizing the need for more effective action in fostering the spread of the Catholic Religion and maintaining the Catholic heritage of the Church met with the resolve to organize laymen of the metropolitan area into an association known as the Catholic Laymen's Club of New York. Members, by having a full knowledge of the Faith and by living the Catholic Life, seek to bring others to a better understanding of Catholic teaching and practice.

Standing for the full Catholic Religion as held by the Episcopal Church in common with other Catholic communions throughout the world, we believe the Episcopal Church to be a valid and integral part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Our Lord and we maintain that its Bishops, Priests and Deacons hold Catholic Orders and dispense Catholic Sacraments.

[2] The Club, acting as a unified force among the laity, makes every effort to whole-heartedly support the splendid stand of our Catholic clergy in teaching and maintaining the true doctrines and practices of the Catholic Religion. Every layman who is sincerely devoted to the Church should zealously give his moral and material assistance to supplement the work of our spiritual leaders.

The Club has gone on record publicly and otherwise in defense of the Catholic character of the Church whenever an attempt is made to water down the historic faith or to sanction practices not in keeping with the divinely appointed status of the Church.

Upon application, every new member is required to sign a copy of the constitution, the crux of which--its declaration of faith--is summed up in Article II, as follows:

This club exists to unite Churchmen for the purpose of maintaining and guarding the Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, especially--

1. By witnessing to the truths of the birth of Jesus Christ of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost and of the bodily resurrection of Our Lord.

2. By promoting the honour due the Person of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and by contending for the rightful place of the Holy Eucharist as the principal service of the day and for the reverent and perpetual reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. [3]

3. By promoting the honour and veneration due the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.

4. By promoting the regular use of the Sacrament of Penance and the observance of the rule of fasting communion.

5. By witnessing to the Seven Sacraments of the Church.

6. By upholding the doctrine of the Invocation of Saints.

7. By contending for Catholic Order and Discipline.

We are not a social organization. The Club exists primarily to further the Catholic cause among laymen of this vicinity and to champion vigorously the Catholic Faith in the face of attacks from any and all sources. Our members are urged to study authoritative works on the Church. In addition, through instruction and interchange of ideas at our meetings we endeavor to be thoroughly well-informed on all matters of faith and church affairs.

Lay apostleship has a vital part to play in furthering the work of the Church and only by dynamic missionary work can our holy religion be advanced. Every Christian layman must not be content only with receiving the benefits of his membership in the Body of Christ, but realize that it is a stewardship which carries the responsibility to be a real missionary within his sphere.

[4] Activities are varied. From time to time the Club sponsors public lectures by speakers of prominence in the Church, the purpose of these lectures being to expound the fundamentals of the Catholic religion and to acquaint Churchmen and others with the historic Catholic position of the Episcopal Church. On occasion the Club has tendered formal dinners to outstanding Church dignitaries. We meet once a month, except during the summer, in various parishes in the metropolitan district. Members are constantly urged to bring other men. Occasionally, meetings are open to both men and women. The usual procedure is to have Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the church, followed by a short business meeting in the Parish Hall; then an address on some pertinent church subject by a speaker of recognized authority. An open discussion and social hour generally follows. We maintain no headquarters, are affiliated with no particular parish. Each man gives freely of his energies in whatever direction they may be needed.

Membership in the Catholic Laymen's Club of New York is open to all baptized men in the Anglican Communion. We welcome inquiries from any and all men concerning the Club and its activities. They are always welcome at our meetings. Applications for membership or requests for further information may be sent to the Secretary.

Secretary: JOHN WHITELEY
Res.: 34-42 83rd Street
Jackson Heights, N. Y. C.
Newtown 9-7873

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