Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:01 When Dutch Schultz was 14 years old, his father abandoned the family. So Dutch dropped out of school in order to support himself from his mom. After working in a variety of odd jobs, none of which were particularly profitable, he began hanging around with some bad company. One thing led to another until by the age of 17 he wound up in prison on a burglary charge. After he did his time, he ended up in a partnership and a speakeasy. Now, just to make sure the young people here know what we're talking about when we talk about a speakeasy, because the 18th amendment of the Constitution from January, 1920 till 1933 here in the United States, the sale manufacturing, transportation of alcohol for the purpose of actually drinking, it was banned. And since drinking alcohol was banned here in the u s that meant that bars were illegal and if they're serving alcohol, and so they got this nickname, these illegal bars got nickname of speakeasy.
Speaker 0 01:02 So anyway, in the middle twenties Dutch went into partnership with a childhood friend and they had a speakeasy, an illegal bar, and with their profits, they began to open other beer joints and then in a move to save money, they bought their own trucks to truck in beer from New Jersey. Then in order to make even more money, they decided to supply beer to their competitors. All the other speakeasies. In fact, it was a kind of sales deal where you either find yourself buying beer from a Dutch and his partner, or you find yourself hanging by your thumbs from meat hook is they're beating it into, it was kind of a, a a sales technique that really increased business. Uh, finally they controlled the entire beer supply for the Bronx and then they expanded into Manhattan's upper west side, which precipitated a war with another gang that had been controlling the beer in that part of town.
Speaker 0 01:55 Anyway, ended up with a lot of gun battles and plenty of dead gangsters spread here and there over the years, including finally Dutches partners. So he becomes unrivaled head of his own gang after prohibition ended his huge beer profits expanded into other criminal enterprise as illegal gambling, a strong arming restaurant owners to pay dues to his game. When he discovered one of his own gangsters was doing from the gangs, ill gotten gains, a real feature of his character came out. Dutch invited a thief fought to dinner. So they're sitting there having dinner. He's got his lawyer there. This guy that he's suspicion has been sitting from and another gangster and uh, the lawyer describes what happened next quote, Dutch Schultz was ugly. He had been drinking, suddenly had his gun out and pulled the trigger. It was a simple and undramatic is that just one quick motion of the hand?
Speaker 0 02:47 The Dutchman did that murder just as casually as if you were picking his teeth. Close quote. And as the man lay there, dying on the floor. Schultes apologized to the lawyer for killed someone in front of him on all Shults was just a cold blooded murderers thug. On the night of October 23rd, 1935 ripe old age at 33 dead Sholtz along with three of his associates were sitting in a restaurant in Newark, New Jersey when gangsters from a Jewish mob called murder incorporated, gun them down. Dutch was taken the Newark City hospital, a terrible internal wounds from a 45 slug. And now if you're wondering why are we having true crime stories, we'll get to the point of today's sermon while he was still coherent, got Shults and for Catholic priest. And here's the point of the story. See Dutch Schultz, real name was Arthur <inaudible>. He's Jewish, raised an orthodox Jewish family. He called for a priest because they was dying and he wanted to die as a catholic.
Speaker 0 04:02 So Father Cornelius McInerney arrived, baptized Dutch Schultz and gave him the last rights and not long afterwards, Dutch slipped into a coma and die. A murderous going a gang later baptize just before he departed. This life. Now remember the effects of baptism, infallible teaching of the Council of Trent quote, if anyone denies it, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is conferred in Baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted or even asserts that all sin is not taken away. Let him be anathema. Close quote. So baptism or myths, all the guilt of original sin and all the guilt of actual sin, all of it, every last sin, every last stain on this gangster soul, all of it washed away. And not all these washed away or this incredible burden of sin, but all the time to punishment due to sin is washed away. No purgatory time whatsoever. Gates to heaven are open to this sinner.
Speaker 0 05:09 He strengthened by the last rights and he dies. That's the 11th hour. How great mysterious are the mercy of God in Today's Gospel, we hear this story of the laborers. They're hired to work in the vineyard at the first hour, the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and finally those hired at the 11th hour. Yet they all receive equal pay. That great doctor, the church Saint Robert Bellarmine points out that the equality and pay here means that each labor has given an equality of eternity but not an equality of glory or excellence. It's Saint Augustan says, quote, eternal life has given to all, but there are many matches for them and once the shine with more splendor than another close quote San Augustan says, quote that was seen fit to pay an equal wage of life but not of glory. And so to always give them the same penny because all the saints will reign with odd end, although not all will reign with the same eminence and the same way it's common to all the stars in the sky to glow perpetually even though some spark more brightly than others.
Speaker 0 06:18 Close quote San Agustin, Bishop and doctor, the church. Now sound might be tempted to think along with the workers and the parable that it's not fair. A gangster like Dutch Schultz gets a straight shot to happen. We have to struggle, but it's easy to see how to answer that sort of objection. If we take a moment to step back and look at the situation a little differently. Remember that we're all born dead supernaturally speaking. We're all born children of wrath. We're all born natural born enemies of God, and that didn't change until we're supernaturally born again. The waters of baptism and dud shelters case that just happened a lot later in life than it did for most of us after all. Most of us were about ties, were given supernatural life a few days after our birth, weren't we? In other words, most of us were hired to work in the vineyard at the first tower, and how have we shown God our undying gratitude for this priceless gift? Have we preserved our baptismal innocence? Spotlessly? How many of us have written lent? Leslie kept striving to give glory to God in all our acts by this means to sanctify our souls.
Speaker 0 07:41 How many of us have been totally faithful workers and his vineyard
Speaker 0 07:48 Saint Robert Bellman, comments on this precise point quote as Saint Augustan says, God crowns his own gifts, not our merits, God crowns, his own gifts, not our merit. So this means that eternal life does not constitute a reward for works that are ours by our own efforts, but rather a reward for works that are ours by the grace of God. So that this might be understood. God will to be still eternal life on those who had labored much. And I know those who had labored little that those who labor much may not glory and their own strength. Close quote, Saint Robert, Bellarmine bishop and Dr the church, God crowns his own gifts, not our merits. It means that eternal life does not constitute a reward for works that are are by our own efforts, but rather those for works that are ours by the grace of God. So this might be understood. God will too be story turn life on those who have labored much and those who labored little, that those who labored much may not glory in their own strength. So the answer's, of course, Dutch Schulte didn't deserve it. Of course he didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve it at all. But neither do we.
Speaker 0 09:13 That's the whole point. That's the whole point of God's mercy. We don't deserve God's mercy. We can't deserve God's mercy. But father, vet gangster, you might very well get a higher place in heaven than one of us. Yeah, he might and whatever. Thank God for his great mercy. St Paul made it right up near her. Don't forget, he started out as an old days equivalent of a strong army force for the Pharisees on a mission to take out Catholics, didn't he?
Speaker 0 09:50 The story of Dutch Schultz should fill us with joy in wonders at the mercy of God. It should fill us with hope and great hope, supreme confidence that your, regardless of how rough a life someone might be leaving maybe one of our friends or relatives or enemies, there's still hope for his salvation. We all have friends. We all have relatives. We all have enemies that are not living godly lives, but we should never give up hope. Never, never give up hope never. We should glorify God for His mercy and pray that he showers his mercy on all on us and our friends on a relatives, on our enemies. I remember our lady of FATTOM told the children, many souls go to hell because there's no one to pray. Now for sacrifices in penance is for then. Let that not be said of us. If we want to be faithful workers in the vineyards of the Lord, we have to strive that that not be said of us. Let's close this morning with an act of hole. Please unite yourself to this prayer. All my God relying on it all mighty power and infinite mercy and promises. I hope to obtain part of my sins, the help that I grace and life everlasting. So the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen. In the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
