$-01 CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE GEORGE LINCOLN BURR BOOK FUND Established in 193 i Cornell University Library LC501 .C95 1905 The pafO<='^'3'„S,?HiSmiiiii olln 3 1924 030 612 208 Date Due JUN14 pg M AY^M^es g ^ PRINTED IN (GT NO. 23233 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030612208 Photograph by Morrison, Chicaeo > ' — Z." ^-£<,-<,<,,-<^ THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL A CURSE TO THE CHURCH A MENACE TO THE NATION An Expose of the Parochial School — An Appalling Account of Priestly Graft, Immorality and Sacrilege — The Loss of Thirty Million Catholics in the United States, Etc. WITH AN APPENDIX WHICH DEALS WITH THE SEPARATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL IN CANADA. REV. JEREMIAH J. CROWLEY, A Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and an American Cititen. "I am convinced that Almighty God brought Father Crowley to Amer- ica to save the Catholic Church, and that the present scandal in Chicago — the most terrible that has ever occurred in America — was permitted by Providence to bring to a climax the reign of rottenness, that it might be unearthed, exposed and wiped out." — Archbishop Katzer. Second Edition. Published by the Author, Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, Sherman House, Chicaqo, Illinois, United States of America. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1905, by Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. Also copyrighted by the Author, in 1905, in England, and copy- right protection thereby secured not only in the United Kingdom and throughout the British Dominions, but also in all countries signatory to the Berne Convention. All translation rights reserved. /3S9hii(^ z?>o DEDICA TION. I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE EMANCIPATED CATHOLIC LAITY OF TO-MORROW, Ad Majoretn Dei Gloriam. ILLUSTRATIONS. The Author Frontispiece Archbishop Falconio 206 Cardinal Martinelli S7 Photographic Copy of the Apology Insisted upon by Arch- bishop Quigley 65 Photographic Copy of a Letter from Archbishop Falconio 67 A Devoted ? Parochial School Principal 243 A Purgatorial Memento 265 For God and His Church! 319 Cardinal Satolli 359 Monsignor Sbarretti ; 416 TABLE OF contents; CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. The Scope of this Chapter 21 The Book. Catholic Priests and Prelates Determined to Destroy the Pub- lic School 21 Parochial School Considered as It Is 21 Sources of My Information . ' 22 Attitude of Bishop McFauI, Archbishop Quigley and Cardinal Gibbons 22 A Hurricane of Hate 22 Plain Speech Necessary and Commended by the Church 22 Precedents 23 Conservative in Statements 24 Devotees of Bacchus, Venus and Graft 24 Some Classes who are Especially Informed about Clerical Sin- ners 25 Other Dioceses Compared with Chicago 25 A Warning against the Catholic Press 26 No Attack on the Church 26 Priestly Corruption Only Attacked 26 No Attack on Christian Education 26 The False Cry of " Scandal " 27 Why Did not Arraigned Priests Demand an Investigation? 27 To the Pope Shall be Sent a Copy of this Book , . . 27 The Author. Writes in Obedience to Insistence of Friends and Advisers 27 Arrested and Begging Priests Representing Themselves as Father Crowley 28 VI THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Personal Description 28 Parentage 28 Nativity 28 Dedicated to the Catholic Priesthood at Birth 28 Early Training and Education • 28 Ordination to the Priesthood 28 First Ministerial Labor in Ireland 29 First Ministerial Labor in America 29 Commendatory Letters 30 Commendatory Editorials 31 Return to Ireland 33 Ministerial Labor in Ireland 33 Defends a Helpless Protestant 33 Arrested, " Tried " and Convicted 35 Excerpts from Editorials 35 Jail Treatment 40 Case Debated in British Parliament . . .■ 41 Released from Jail 41 Excerpts from the Press 41 Triumphal Return Home 41 Address of Welcome from Schull and Ballydehob Branch of the Irish National League 44 Address from Parishioners at Goleen 46 Return to America 49 Commendatory Letters 49 Adopted into the Archdiocese of Chicago 51 Appointments 51 The Famous Chicago Controversy ^ 52 Sued at Oregon, III., in Name of Xrchbishop Feehan. 52 Threatens to Publish a Full Account of the Sad Conditions Pre- vailing in the Archdiocese of Chicago 52 Excommunicated Unjustly and Invalidly by Cardinal Martinelli 53 The Ban of Excommunication Removed Without any Apology Being Made to Accused Priests, and Without any Promise to Refrain from Issuing Publication 55 Celebret Issued by Bishop Scannell, Agent of Cardinal Martin- elli 56 Celebret Issued by Archbishop Feehan 56 Celebrates Solemn High Mass , ,,,,,,,.,,,,.,,. 56 TABLE OF CONTENTS. VU Cardinal Martinelli's Promises Broken 56 Press Notices of the "Chicago Controversy": Leslie's Weekly 58 The Ram's Horn 59 The St. Louis Republic 60 The Interior 63 The Ram's Horn 64 .Archbishop Feehan's Death 64 Archbishop Quigley Appointed to Chicago 64 Archbishop Quigley Demands that an Apology be Signed 64 Singled out for Persecution 66 " Celebret " Defined 66 Refuses to Sign a Lie 66 Archbishop Falconio Succeeds Cardinal Martinelli as Papal Del- egate 66 The Reply to a Letter from Archbishop Falconio 68 Archbishop Falconio and Archbishop Quigley Meet in Alle- gheny, Pa 68 Archbishop Falconio Exhibits a Petition of Accused Priests, Beseeching to be " Whitewashed " 69 An Interview with Archbishop Falconio at Milwaukee 69 Archbishop Falconio States that the Charges of the Twenty- five Protesting Priests were Duly Considered by Being Thrown into a Wastebasket 69 Confidence in Pius X 69 Loves Ireland 70 A Naturalized Citizen of the United States 70 Delights in American History 70 Glories in American Citizenship 70 Happy in Vocation to the Priesthood 70 In the Catholic Church I was born, in the Catholic Church I have lived, in the Catholic Church I will die 70 Not Unmindful of Seriousness of Position Taken in Openly Ex- posing Parochial School 70 Champions of Parochial School have Wealth, Power and Pres- tige 70 Relies Solely on God and Approbation of Decent Men 71 " Simple Duty hath no Place for Fear " 71 Viil THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. CHAPTER II. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, AND CATHOLIC CLERICAL HOSTILITY TOWARD THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. Historic Statement. , Its Origin Explained by Bishop Spalding -72 The Real Reasons for its Establishment 73 Clerical Coercion of Catholics. Threatened with Hell-fire ^ 74 Jesuits Particularly Vicious 74 Refused the Sacraments 74 Archbishop Elder's Letter 75 iDire Predictions -79 Coercion by a Sodomite 79 Not Five per cent, of Catholic Men Favor Parochial School. ... 81 Catholic Hostility Toward the Public School. Annihilation of the Public School the Object 82 Destructive Clerical Tactics 82 The State Must not Educate the Child 83 Minority Rights 84 A Division of the Public School Funds 85 Abuse of the Public School 87 Charged with Being Godless 89 Charged with Frivolity and Depravity 90 Charged with Breeding Socialism 92 Charged with Causing Lynchings 93 Scheme to Deteriorate the Public School by the Destruction and Prevention of Normal Schools 94 Attacks on Public School Veiled and Open 96 A Simulated Liberality 97 On the Eve of an Aggressive Clericalism 98 TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER III. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. What and Who 99 Vatican History. Taken Exclusively from Works of Renowned Catholic Histor- ians .' 100 General Immorality 101 Unchastity and Simony 102 Papal and Clerical Immorality 102 Prostitution, Sodomy and Murders in Churches 102 Gross Liberties by Artists 103 Immoral Religious 103 The Church Between the Ninth and Tenth Centuries 105 Morals of the Clergy, A, D. 1303-1S17 105 Graft at the Papal Court 106 Popes Influenced by Astrology 107 The Plain Catholic People Saved the Church 107 Corruption in the College of Cardinals. Graft, Immorality, Cruelty, Worldliness, Etc 108 Incidents in the Lives of the Popes. Pope John XI., A. D. 931-936. Made Pope by His Infamous Mother 108 Pope John XII., A. D. 9SS-964. A Profligate. Indicted for Incest, etc 109 Pope Benedict IX., A. D. 1033-1044. A Profligate. Gets Married -...110 Pope John XXII., A. D. 1316-1334. A Multimillionaire Ill Pope Urban V., A. D. 1362-1370. Indescribable Immorality 112 X THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Pope Gregory XI., A. D. 1370-1378. States of the Church Revolt 112 St. Catherine Denounces the Papal Court 113 A Two-Headed Papacy 113 Pope Pius II., A. D. 1458-1464. The Father of Several Children 115 The Writer of Erotic Literature 1 16 Pope Innocent VIII., A. D. 1484-1492. • Formerly Cardinal Cibo 1 16 Buys His Election 117 The Father of Two Children 118 His Coronation 118 Marries His Son in the Vatican; also Two Other Relatives. .. .118 A Sumptuous Wedding Banquet 120 Reform 120 Forged Bulls .120 Clerical Sports 121 Simony ; 122 A Fourteen- Year-Old Cardinal 122 New Means to E.xtort Money 123 Pope Alexander VI., A. D. 1492-1S03. The Most Infamous of the Iniquitous Popes , 123 His Memory Rots 124 His Character 124 Grossly Immoral 125 Has Four Children 125 Luxury 126 Buys the Papacy 127 One of His Mistresses 129 Has a Son Born While Pope and Legitimates Him 129 Makes his Daughter, Lucretia Borgia, Regent 130 A Pointed Poem 130 Forever Infamous 131 Muzzled the Press 131 Energetically Repressed Immoral Heretics 131 Pope Julius II., A. D. 1503-1513. The War Pope 132 Formerly Giuliano della Rovere 132 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XI Made a Cardinal in Youth 132 Table Bill $4,600 to $6,900 Monthly 132 Objectionable Ways to Raise Money 132 Bribery in the Roman Court 133 Had Three Natural Daughters 133 Accused of Sodomy , 133 Pope Leo X., A. D. 1S13-1S21. Made Cardinal when Fourteen Years Old 133 Lavishly Extravagant 134 Least Fitted to Push Reforms 134 Religion Secondary 134 Table Bill Over $16,000 Monthly 135 Indulgences. One Explanation of Decay of Spiritual Life 135 In Connection with Jubilees 136 In Relation to Pope Nicholas V 136 Gold the Inspiration 137 In Relation to Alexander VI. Gold Again 141 Indulgence Graft and Luther 142 Pope Hadrian VI., A. D. 1523-1S34. The Reverse of Leo X 148 Sincerely Religious 148 Admits Corruption of Priests, Prelates and Popes 148 Inaugurates Reforms 148 Assails Luther 149 German States List 101 Grievances Against Rome 149 Attempts to Economize 149 Poisoned? ISO Pope Paul III., A. D. 1534-1549. TrafRcked in His Sister's Shame 150 Excommunicated Henry the Eighth, King of England 150 Pope Innocent X., A. D. 1644-1655. Lady Olympia 151 Pope Alexander VII., A. D. 1655-1667. Nepotism 151 Extravagance ISl XU THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Pope Alexander VIII, A. D. 1689-1691. Nepotism ISl Pope Benedict XIII., A. D. 1724-1730. A Reforming Pope 152 Clerical Corruption 152 Pope Benedict XIV., A. D. 1740-1758. Disordered Finances 152 Pope Pius IX., A. D. 1846-1878. An Infidel Secretary of State 152 Pope Pius X., 1903. The Cardinals 152 The Vatican Assails Americanisms. The Issue Stated 154 Americanisms. Human Equality ISS Sovereignty of the People 156 Freedom of Conscience, Speech and Press 156 History of the Establishment of Freedom of Conscience in America 157 Americanisms Enunciated by American. Presidents. George Washington: Resist any Innovation upon American Principles 158 John Adams: Venerates the Constitution \ 158 Thomas Jefiferson: Freedom of Conscience and of the Press. . .159 James Madison: Free Conscience and Free Press ■. . .159 James Monroe: Equality. Sovereignty of the People 159 John Quincy Adams: No Union of Church and State 160 Andrew Jackson: Free Conscience and Free Press 160 Martin Van Buren: The People the Source of Power. Church and State 160 William Henry Harrison: No Government by Divine Right. Free Conscience, Speech and Press 161 John Tyler: Popular Sovereignty. Foreigners must be Amer- icanized. Personal Liberties 161 James K. Polk: Equality. Freedom of Conscience. A Treason to Mankind 162 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XIU Zachariah Taylor: Most Stable Government on Earth 163 Millard Fillmore: Common Schools. Constitution the best ever Formed 163 Franklin Pierce: America, a Beacon Light to the World 163 James Buchanan: Richest Political Blessings Heaven ever Be- stowed 164 Abraham Lincoln: America's Free Institutions 164 Andrew Johnson: God's Hand in the Framing and Adopting of the Constitution. Equality. Education. Free Speech. Re- ligion. Popular Sovereignty 166 Ulysses S. Grant: Personal Liberties. Free Pulpit, Press and School. The States of the Church. Education 167 Rutherford B. Hayes: Education. Separation of Church and State 167 James A. Garfield: The Constitution 168 Chester A. Arthur: Popular Government 168 Grover Cleveland: Popular Government. The Constitution 169 Benjamin Harrison: American Liberties, Blessings and Duties.. 170 William McKinley: Popular Government. Six Free Things. Education. The Constitution. Fruits of American Sover- eignty. The Step of the Republic. The Nation's Hope is in the Public School and University 171 Theodore Roosevelt: Free Schools. No Public Money for Pa- rochial Schools. Full Religious Toleration. Separation of Church and State. Immigrants must Revere our Flag. The Church which Remains Foreign is Doomed 172 Vaticanisms. Against Equality, Freedom of Thought, Sovereignty of the Peo- ple, Freedom of Conscience, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, and Separation of Church and State. Cath- olic Church Should be Supreme in the State 174 Laments the Lack of Ecclesiastical Authority in the Public Schools 177 When Church and State Conflict, Obedience to the State Be- comes a Crime 177 Church and State Cannot be Separated 179 Separation of Church and State an Absurdity. Sometimes it is Worthy of Toleration when Situation Practically might be Worse — in the United States, for Instance 179 Confirms and Renews all Censures of His Predecessors 181 Not in America is Found the Most Desirable Status of the Church 181 XIV THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Sighs for the Favor of the Laws and the Patronage of the Pub- lic Authority 182 Any Civilization Conflicting with Holy Church is a Meaning- less Name 182 A Question. Does the Parochial School Teach Americanisms or Vatican- isms? 183 i CHAPTER IV. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS. Who and What 1S4 Two Illustrations of the Selection of Parochial School Superin- tendents 186 Unworthy Parochial School Principals and Assistant Principals Shielded 186 Moral Inconsistencies of Superintendents 194 Thorough Supervision of Parochial School Practically Impos- sible 194 Superintendents are not Answerable to the American People.. 196 A Pertinent Question 197 CHAPTER V. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. Who and What 198 Parochial School Principals Shield Each Other 202 Cheap Politicians 203 " Get Rich Quick " Investors 203 Liberal Patrons of the Arts and Sciences at World's Fairs 204 Nautical Clerics 208 Dealers in Smut '. , 208 Brazen Hypocrites 209 Malodorous Pedagogic Samples. Explanatory , 209 Rev. No. 1. A Forger 210 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XV Rev. No. 2. A National Rounder 211 Rev. No. 3. A Lover of Fast Horses and Fast Women 212 Rev. No. 4. A Grocer - 212 Rev. No. S. A Pugilist 212 Rev. No. 6. A Fiend 216 Rev. No. 7. A Doctor of Medicine 216 Rev. No. 8. A Sot 217 Rev. No. 9. A Gospel Pitcher 219 Rev. No. 10. A Wounded Veteran 220 Rev. No. 11. A Hat-Band Lover 220 Rev. No. 12. A Wolf in Priest's Clothing 221 Rev. No. 13. A Ballad Singer 223 Rev. No. 14. Celibacy Inexpedient 224 Rev. No. IS. A Festive Fellow 225 Rev. No. 16. An Equestrian Hero 226 Rev. No. 17. A Cuspidore Martyr 226 Rev. No. 18. A Dead Beat 227 Rev. No. 19. A Brewer 227 Rev. No. 20. A Sodomist 229 Rev. No. 21. A Philanthropist 229 Rev. No. 22. A Seductionist 231 Rev. No. 23. A Debauchee 233 Rev. No. 24. An Admirer of Little Egypt 239 Rev. No. 25. A Ground Hog 236 Rev. No. 26. A Monstrosity 237 Rev. No. 27. A Preference for Black 241 Rev. No. 28, Plus Scores and Scores. Devotees of Bacchus, Venus, Graft and Gambling 242 " The Gates of Hell " 244 CHAPTER VI. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL TEACHERS. Who and What 245 Pedagogic and Other Handicaps 247 CHAPTER VII. GRAFT. Parochial School Officers are Grafters 251 Holy Orders Graft , .252 XVI THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Promotion Graft -253 Vacation Graft ••254 Anniversary Graft 254 Baptismal Graft 255 Penance Graft 256 First Communion Graft 257 Confirmation Graft . . „ 257 Matrimonial Graft 258 Extreme Unction Graft 260 Last Will and Testament Graft 260 Funeral Graft '. 261 Cemetery Graft 264 Purgatorial Graft 264 Building Graft 266 Incendiary Graft ; 267 Sanitary Graft 268 Corner Stone Graft \ 268 Dedication Graft 269 Consecration Graft 269 Mass Graft 270 Church Fair Graft , 271 The Paulist Father's Fair 274 Poor Box Graft 275 St. Anthony Graft. 276 Relic Graft" 280 Charm Graft 284 Grotto Graft 284 Holy Thursday Graft 285 Good Friday or Holy Land Graft .' 286 Holy Saturday. Graft 286 Easter and Christmas Graft 287 Mission Graft 288 Revolving Candlestick Graft ; 293 Candlemas Day Graft 294 Indulgence Graft 295 Special Collection Graft .\ .295 Peter's Pence Graft 296 Catholic University Graft 297 Sodality and Lodge Graft ". 298 Advertising Graft .' 299 Sacramental Graft .299 Savings Bank Graft 300 Eleemosynary Graft .■. 300 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XVU Undertaking Graft 301 Employment Graft 301 " Pull " Graft 301 School Procession Graft 302 Commencement Day Graft 302 Tuition Graft 303 School Book Graft 303 Accident Suit Graft 304 Testimony Graft ^ 304 Naturalization Graft 305 Janitor Graft 305 Assembly Hall Graft " 305 Miracle Working Graft 305 The Last Straw 306 The Handling and Investing of Graft 307 A Suggestion in Arithmetic 308 Annual Income of Pastor of Small City Parish, $10,000 309 Annual Income of Pastor of Large City Parish, $100,000 309 Conclusion 310 CHAPTER VIII. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PUPILS. Inadequately Instructed Secularly 313 Irreligious Instruction 314 Demoralized 316 CHAPTER IX. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL AND THE LOSS OF THIR- TY MILLION CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES. A Statistical Argument by a Catholic Authority 322 Admitted by Bishop McFaul of Trenton, New Jersey, U. S. A. 324 Admitted by Ofificial Organ of Cardinal Gibbons 325 Placing the Blame 325 XVlll THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. CHAPTER X. APAISM. Historical Statement 334 A Catholic Cannot Become President of the United States 337 History of the Catholic Church in America 338 The Causes of Apaism, and the Cure. The Parochial School Its Chief Cause 342 The Federation of Catholic Societies 343 Temporal Power 3S0 A Nuncio at Washington 353 Blatant Boasting 362 The Cure for Apaism 366 CHAPTER XI. THE EMANCIPATION OF THE CATHOLIC LAITY. The Laity Must Control Temporalities 372 Laymen Were Formerly Trustees 381 Laymen Ceased to be Trustees Because they Interfered with Priestly Drunkenness, Immorality, and Graft 387 An Impending Explosion 388 Catholics Should Study the Catholic Bible, Particularly the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles: Commended by Leo XIII 388 These Last Named Books Give the Very Words and Deeds of Jesus Christ 389 The Acts of the Apostles Gives the Early History of the Catholic Church 389 The Simplicity, Frugality, Unselfishness and Purity of the First Hierarchy 389 The Fathers of the Church did not Occupy Palaces, Wear Princely Clothes and Receive Royal Incomes 389 Laity Should Scrutinize the Confessional 390 Punishment of Drunken and Immoral Priests 392 Prescribed by the Council of Trent 394 Clerical Excuses for Priestly Misconduct 395 Judas 396 St. Peter 395 St Augustine 397 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XIX The Catholic People Should Forsake Drunken, Grafting and Immoral Priests 397 A Decree of the Church to this Effect 398 " Ecclesiastical Power, when it Destroys the Church, is In- fernal Power " 399 CHAPTER XII. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. Historical 400 An Absolutely Necessary Institution 400 The Safeguard of Freedom of Conscience, Free Speech and Free Press 402 Prevents National Stagnation 404 Appreciation of the Public School by Distinguished Catholics. Bishop John Lancaster Spalding 405 Hon. John F. Finerty 406 Religious Instruction. Religious Teaching in the Public School 406 A Suggested Religious and Ethical Parliament 407 A Sectarian Minority Dog-in-the-JNIanger 407 Recommendations. A Warning to the Critical Friends of the Public School 408 Non-Catholic Friends of the Public School Should Withdraw all Support from Catholic Institutions 408 Catholic Public School Teachers Should Unite in Defense of the Public School 410 An Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, (orig- inally Proposed by President U. S. Grant) 413 Conclusion. The American People Should Treat as a Deadly Enemy of the Nation any Sect that Attempts to Undermine the Public School, or that tries to get Public Funds 415 The Parochial School — A Curse to the Church, A Menace to the Nation _, 415 The AppaUing Exposures in this Book a Labor of Sorrow, and made in Obedience to Duty to Country, Church, and God. 415 TABLE OP CONTENTS OP THE APPENDIX WHICH DEALS WITH THE SEPARATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOL IN CANADA. Historical 417 Separate or Parochial Schools maintained at the Expense of the Public 421 The Separate School in Ontario 421 The Sttirgeon Falls Case 422 A Priest Appears on the Scene 423 War is Proclaimed 424 The Bishop Forces the Legislature 425 An Appeal to the Civil Courts 426 Mr. Craig's Statement 427 Capitalists Intimidated 428 Increase of Separate Schools 428 The Bellrock Case 429 The Bishop Active 430 People Leave the District 431 An Independent Catholic 432 The Curran Case 432 Building of First School 433 Machinery of Law Defective 434 An Ardent Ultramontane Priest 434 Children Expelled from the School 435 Mr. Presley's Statement 435 Another Testimony ~. 436 Conspiracy Exposed 437 A Weak Judge 438. The Downe)rville Case 439 A Canadian Winter Experience 441 Secret Machinations. .' 442 A Bulldozing Priest 443 The School is Transferred 443 Inspector Knight's Report 444 Priest Applies the Closure 445 Intervicw^ with Father Bretherton 445 The Fight Goes on ". 446 TABLE OF CONTKNTS. 20 0! A Sensational Scene in Church 446 An Injunction Served 447 Bishop Compels Submission 448 A Remedy Needed 450 PubUc Men Indifferent ^ 450 The Famous Christian Brothers Case ' 451 Teaching Without Certificates 451 Terms of Contract 452 Purpose of the Christian Brothers 453 Mr. J. David Gratton takes Action 455 The Judge's Decision 456 Regulations Are Evaded 456 Appeal Court DeUvers Judgment 457 A Summing Up 458 Laity Should Unite 459 Attempt to Capture Canadian West 460 How Manitoba Stands 460 Monsignor Sbarretti's Interference 461 Monsignor Falconio Shows Anger 462 The Canadian Premier Fails to Clear Himself 463 Manitoba Hemmed In 463 How Was Sir Wilfrid Laurier Influenced 464 Sir Wilfrid Slanders America 465 The Slander Answered 465 Education Clauses of the Autonomy Measure 467 Hon. F. W. G. Haultain Remonstrates 468 Cabinet is Not Consulted 470 Mr. Christopher Robinson's Opinion 470 Sir Wilfrid Laurier an Apt Scholar 471 Unjustifiable to Coerce the North- West 471 Disastrous Effects of the Separate School 472 Immigration 472 Interference by the Vatican 473 Educational Standard Lowered 474 Increase of Crime 476 Denationalization 477 Civil War 479 An Appeal to Canadians - . . 479 A Warning to Americans 480 ARCHBISHOP FALCONIO. Preface to the Second Edition. As a Catholic priest and an American citizen, I beg you, reader, to do me the favor to peruse carefully this preface. I am engaged in a crusade against Catholic clerical cor- ruption and un-Americanism. I face single-handed the most powerful aggregation of wealth and influence on earth. In December, 1904, I published the first edition of my book. The only reply which has been made to it by Cath- olic ecclesiastics is an attempt to boycott it through the Con- fessional, to keep it out of bookstores, and to induce the secu- lar press to ignore it. In these efforts my opponents have been quite successful. Catholic people are in sad subjection to their priests; bookdealers shrink from taking the initiative in handling a publication which lays bare the rascahties of Catholic clerics ; and secular papers are too often held in bond- age by the vast wealth and the mighty influence of the Cath- olic hierarchy. My crusade is no ephemeral effort, and its scope is bounded by no narrow limits. It is here to stay as long as God per- mits me to live, and its objectives are the wide ramifications of an ecclesiastical corruption which is destroying the sheep for whom Christ died, and which seeks to undermine the very foundations of free government. Catholic ecclesiastical corruption ramparts itself in the ignorance of the people, and it fattens on their credulity ; it gathers strength from the apathy of its opponents; and it bears with equanimity the fierce attack of to-day in full confi- dence, born of experience, that the evening will end the strug- gle and that the morrow will bring forgetfulness. 20 d PREFACE. There is but one weapon which will destroy Catholic eccle- siastical corruption, and that weapon is TRUTH. There is but one way in which the weapon of truth can be wielded suc- cessfully, and that way is PUBLICITY. Catholic ecclesias- tical corruption cannot withstand a universal, thunder-and- iightning, unceasing publicity of truth. I purpose to wage a crusade against Catholic ecclesiastical corruption by ptiblicity of the truth, and I purpose that my crusade shall be without a parallel in the annals of the Cath- olic Church. I purpose to circulate my book throughout the world. I purpose to inaugurate a tract movement which shall cover Catholic communities with information leaflets (printed m various languages and circulated gratis), setting forth an- cient and modern historic and other matter. I purpose to bring suit after suit to test the validity of titles held by Cath- olic ecclesiastics — ^titles which were secured by fraud. I pur- pose to lay bare to the gaze of the people of America the inner workings of Catholic ecclesiastical rings and lobbies. I pur- pose to bring into the open with me a number of good priests who as yet have not been heard from in my crusade for re- form. I purpose to hire the columns of secular papers for the insertion of pertinent matter. I purpose to prosecute appeal after appeal to the Pope, and thus compel the Vatican to meet some mighty questions face to face. I feel that in my crusade I shall have the sincere wishes for success of every enlightened citizen of the United States and of Canada. That my crusade is a movement large enough to appall, I am well aware. But my trust is in God. He lives ! He reigns! Strong in my faith in Him, I gladly consecrate to the herculean task which I have undertaken, my means, my honor and my life. But if I am to succeed, I must have something more than kind wishes. I MUST HAVE MONEY ! My opponents have PREFACE. 20 e wealth which runs into the milHons. I CANNOT GET PUB- LICITY FOR THE TRUTH WITHOUT MONEY. How am I to get money? There is but one way which is now open to me, and that is to secure a phenomenal sale of my book on the Parochial School. If I could sell a few million copies of it, I would have enough money to secure a publicity of truth which would shake, as with an earthquake, Catholic clerical corruption. I could print and circulate information leaflets which would compel Catholics to read, to think and to act. I could engage able attorneys and bring suits which would startle America. I could prosecute appeals to the Pope, and thus bring the Vatican face to face with corruption which it tries to ignore and for which it is largel)^ responsible. I could hire the aid of the mighty secular press. I could sur- round myself with a band of worthy priests and support them — now they dare not come to me for fear that they will be reduced to beggary. If each of my well-wishers in the United States and in Canada would be the means of selling but twenty of my books, 1 would secure a mighty prestige and an immense capital for my crusade against Catholic clerical corruption. Will you not endeavor, reader, to sell for me at least twenty of my books ? My book sells for ONE DOLLAR. I will gladly allow a liberal commission." If the commission is not desired, I will place the amount of it to your credit as a contribution to my crusade fund. I may seem to be asking much of you, reader, but if these were the days of Savonarola I am confident thai that heroic monk of Florence would find you among his most ardent and self-sacrificing champions. I am a lesser light than that noble soul, but I, too, know what it means to put life in jeopardy, and my cause is none the less important than was his, and to you, my friend, my cause is of infinitely more moment. You would have been glad to have 20 / PREFACE. helped him: may I not liope that you will help me? I shall be pleased to hear from you. . I will be thankful for any sug- gestions with which you may deign to honor me. It will be noticed that this edition is on a much larger scale than the former. An Appendix has been added, giving an account of the school situation in Canada. After the issue of the first edition I happened to be visiting Canada, and, to my amazement, found the parochial school, though called by another name, flourishing there with great vigor. I pro- ceeded to inquire into matters, traveling for that purpose ex- tensively throughout the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and meeting some of the most prominent public men from all parts of Canada. My amazement was increased on seeing how the public schooLsystem of Canada was going down before the religious school; and I felt that here was an object lesson to my fellow-citizens by which they might profit. I thought, at the same time, that a word of warning should be given the Canadian people of their danger. As it may be of interest to my readers to learn that I sent a copy of the first edition of my book to Pius X., in fulfillment of the promise contained in the Introductory Chapter, I now give a copy of a letter which I sent to His Holiness : Sherman House^ Chicago, Illinois, U. S. A., April 29, 1905. To His Holiness, Pope Pius X., Rome, Italy. May it please Your Holiness : I humbly beg to inform Your Holiness that on Decernber 27, 1904, I published a book entitled "The Parochial .School, A Curse to the Church, A Menace to the Nation," and on its twenty-seventh page I stated that I would send to Your Holiness one of the first PREFACE. 20 g copies of it. I now fulfill that promise by this day sending to Your Holiness by registered mail, under triplicate cover, an autograph copy from the first edition. As a reason for the publication of my book in addition to the reasons enumerated in it, I beg to inform Your Holiness that the illustrious predecessor of Your Holiness, Pope Leo XHI., and His advisers at the Vatican, never paid the slightest attention to any of the protests, charges and appeals which were filed at Rome during the controversy that arose in the Archdiocese of Chicago over the elevation of Rev. P. J. Mul- doon of this city to the Episcopate. More than a score of prominent pastors and priests opposed his elevation on the most serious grounds. During this controversy over one hun- dred documents were sent to Rome by the friends of purity, truth and justice; but the Church authorities there remained as silent as the Sphinx. This course of the Vatican convinced me that the clerical and episcopal enemies, at home and abroad, of a reformation in the American priesthood, had formed a coterie which was influential enough, either to keep the docu- ments from the Head of the Church, or to induce Him to ignore them. Since the accession of Your Holiness to the Pontifical Throne, the same course of silence has been pursued. In view of these facts," I could see no other way to circumvent the iniquitous coterie than to resort to publicity. I humbly as- sure Your^ Holiness that I was greatly emboldened to adopt this method by the fearless and encouraging words which Your Holiness addressed to the eminent historian of Holy Church, Dr. Ludwig Pastor, — "The truth is not to be feared." Your Holiness will observe that my book deals with the parochial school as it is, and that it is in fact an expose of that institution; that it contains an appalling account of priestly graft, immorality and sacrilege, a part of which ac- count is taken from the history of Dr. Pastor and another part of which consists of the details of the crimes and rascalities of twenty-seven American ecclesiastics; that it shows that the Catholic Church in America has lost over thirty million adher- 20 h PREFACE. ents ; that it discusses the existence of Apaism, and shows that among its causes are the Parochial School, the demand for the restoration of the Temporal Power of the Papacy, the insis- tence upon having a Papal Nuncio at Washington, and the blatant boasting of American prelates, and that for a conclu- sive proof of the existence of Apaism it cites the fact that no political party in this country dare nominate a Catholic for the Presidency or Vice-Presidency of the United States; that it pleads for the control of the temporalities of the Church to be placed in the hands of the laity ; and that it champions the Public School on the ground that it is an absolutely necessary institution, and shows that it guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and the freedom of the press. I humbly assure Your Holiness that my book is a truthful presentation of the facts therein stated, and that it is far -less severe than the materials in my hands warrant. I humbly assure Your Holiness that only the profound conviction that a resort to publicity was the sole course left open to me by which to circumvent the powerful - coterie of iniquitous priests and prelates, and thereby to save from destruction the Catholic Church in America, could have induced me to publish my book. In what I have done I am glad to assure Your Holiness that I have the comforting consciousness of the approval of Almighty God. In fact, during the preparation of my book I sought daily the aid of Holy Grace. I humbly assure Your Holiness that I issued my book with the fervent prayer that it would lead to the emancipation of the Catholic people from the domination of drunken, avari- cious and immoral priests and prelates ; and that it would de- liver the Church from the adoption and pursuit of policies which are antagonistic to fundamental Americanisms. That my book will ultimately achieve these results, I confidently believe. I am pleased to inform Your Holiness that my book is being circulated _ in ever-increasing quantities in the United States, Canada and Europe. If my unpretentious publication PREFACE. 20 1 could but have the patronage of Your Holiness, how vastly en- hanced would be its reformatory influence ! Most humbly I beseech Your Highness to grant to it the Apostolic blessing. I beg to inform Your Holiness that I am hoping to be able to publish ere long translations of my book in the various countries of Europe. When my arrangements are completed for the publication of the Italian edition of it, I shall humbly beg the high honor of dedicating it to Your Holiness. I humbly call the attention of Your Holiness to the fact that the readers of my book are adversely criticizing the ec- clesiastical authorities for ignoring the grave charges con- tained in it. They say that if my book were an arraignment of the clergy of any Protestant sect by one of its own clergy- men, the officials of that sect would call the author to account before the eyes of the world, and that they would say to him, "Give the names of these clerical sinners and prove your charges, or we will forthwith expel you from our communion." They say that such a course would be pursued in any secret order, such as the Masonic fraternity, or even in a labor union. I most humbly suggest to Your Holiness that the methoti outlined by my readers is the policy of conscious integrity everywhere. I humbly submit to Your Holiness that to treat with silence the grave charges contained in my book is tantamount to a confession of fear that they are no idle tales, but that I have the proof to support them. I humbly assure Your Holi- ness that I would welcome an opportunity, open to the eyes of the world, to exhibit the proof which I have, — proof which shows conclusively that drunken and licentious priests and prelates are ministering at our Altars and in the Confessional, ■ — proof that shows beyond a question that in the name of re- ligion the shepherds of the flocks are robbing the devoted Catholic people. It is with great sadness that I inform Your Holiness that since the publication of my book additional proof of priestly and episcopal depravity lias been daily accumulating in my 20; PREFACE. hands. It includes names, offenses, places and dates. It is minute in its details and appalling in its nastiness. Clerical and episcopal hypocrisy, licentiousness, drunkenness and avar- ice are the manifestations of an ulcer which is consuming the vitals of the Catholic Church in America. This ulcer should be removed by heroic measures. May the Great Head of the Church aid His Vicar to apply the necessary remedies ! That the reign of Your Holiness may be numbered among the most illustrious Pontificates in the annals of the Church, is the prayer of Your humble servant in Christ, Jeremiah J. Crowley, A Priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I deern it important at this point to direct the attention of the public to the fact that I am a priest in good standing of the Archdiocese of Chicago, as will be seen by referring to the documents set forth on page 56 of this book. Priests and Prelates accuse me covertly of making false accusations: I now state that if my opponents can disprove the charges in my book, 1 will hand over to them all of the plates of my book, and I will agree to stop its publication forever. Non vale sed salve! J. J. C. Chicago, May 1905. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL A Curse to the Church— A Menace to the Nation. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. In this chapter the reader will find my reasons for writ- ing this book, and a brief sketch of my life to enable him to form an intelligent opinion as to the weight of my words. The Book. Catholic priests and prelates are determined to destroy the American public school. Their slogan, (suggested by the Roman cry against Carthage in days of old, " Delenda est Carthago"), is. The public school must he destroyed. The Romans had in view the maintenance of their commercial and military supremacy : the Catholic hierarchy has in view the selfish interests of its priests and prelates and not the true wel- fare of the Church or State. The Catholic hierarchy offers the .parochial school as a substitute for the public school. I shall deal in this book with the Catholic parochial school as it is, and I shall show that it is a curse to the Roman Catholic Church, and that it is a menace to the Nation. The utterances of the clerical champions of the parochial school clearly show an intense hatred of the public school — an institution which the American people rightfully regard as one of the greatest bulwarks of their liberties. 22 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. I shall show the general phases of the settled clerical plan now being carried out to encompass, if possible, the utter de- struction of the American public school. My information has its sources in personal experience and observation ; conversa- tions with priests and prelates ; the public utterances of Catholic ecclesiastics; and the history of the school controversy which has raged, with more or less intensity, during many years. I shall show that the parochial school, as an institution for educating and training American youth, is hopelessly de- ficient by reason of the anti-Americanism of its board of edu- cation, the pedagogic incompetency and moral delinquencies of its officers, the inefficiency of its teachers, and the glaring de- fects in its curriculum. During the year 1903 Bishop McFaul, of Trenton, Nev/ Jersey, Archbishop Quigley, of 'Chicago, Illinois, and Cardinal Gibbons, of Baltimore, Maryland, three of the most prominent members of the American hierarchy, publicly expressed senti- ments which are radically antagonistic to the American school system. The secular and religious press of the continent free- ly quoted the utterances of these ecclesiastics, and storms of adverse criticisms were aroused. If the course of these pre- lates is pursued by the hierarchy certain things must inevitably follow. Animosities will be engendered among the American people which should have no place in the citizenship of our Republic. The Catholic Church will lose all of Her power and prestige in America. A hurricane of hate is brewing. I love the Catholic Church, and to save Her from destruction in America I write this book. I shall use very plain language. I am compelled to do so because I am writing for all classes and not solely for learned men. I shall not conceal the truth. In this I but conform to Catholic requirements as will be seen by the quotations which follow. INTRODUCTORY. 23 Pope Pius X. (the reigning Pontiflf) said to Dr. Pastor, the celebrated historian of the Catholic Church : The truth is not to be feared. — The New World, Novem- ber 7, 190S, p. 13. Pope Pius II. sai^ in a certain bull: He who remarks anything calculated to give scandal, even in the Supreme Head of the Chutch, is to speak out freely. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. Ill, p. 272. Cardinal Gibbons says that the Catholic Church has no secrets to keep back : There is no Freemasonry in the Catholic Church ;, she has no secrets to keep back. She has not one set of doctrines for Bishops and Priests, and another for the laity. She has not one creed for the initiated and another for outsiders. Ev- erything in the Catholic Church is open and above board. She has the same doctrines for all — for the Pope and the peasant. — The Faith of our Fathers, p. 14. Cardinal Manning declared that truth in history should be supreme : The historica Veritas ought to be supreme, of which we have a divine example in Holy Writ, where the sins, even of Saints, are as openly recorded as the wickedness of sinners. ■ — Notice zvritten for the first volume of Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes. Dr. Alzog, the renowned historian of the Catholic Church, stated that the historian should not conceal the possible short- comings of his church : Historical impartiality demands . . . that the histor- ian . . . shall frankly acknowledge and openly confess the possible shortcomings of his church, for silence here would be more damaging than beneficial to her cause. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. I, p. 14. The celebrated Pere (Father) Lacordaire asserted that history should not hide the faults of men and Orders : " Ought history," asks Pere Lacordaire " hide the faults of men and orders ? It 'was not," he replies, " in this sense 24 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, that Cardinal Baronius understood his duty as an historian of the Church. It was not after this fashion the saints laid open the scandals of their times. Truth when discreetly told," he continues, " is an inestimable boon to mankind, and to sup- press it, especially in history, is an act of cowardice unworthy a Christian. Timidity is the fault of our age, and truth is concealed under pretense of respect for holy things. Such concealment serves neither God nor man." — Dr. Alsog's Man- ual of Universal Church History, — the Preface. The Great St. Gregory, the revered Hildebrand of the Pontifical Throne, once wrote: It is better to have scandal than a lie. — Homil. J, in Eze- chiel, quoted by St. Bernard. Cardinal Baronius once said: God preserve me from betraying the truth rather than betray the feebleness of some guilty minister of the Roman Church! — Annates, ad. ann. 1125, c. 12. Count de Maistre proclaimed: We owe to the Popes only truth, and they have no need of anything else ! — Du Pape, lib. ii. c. 13. St. Bernard said: I would not be silent when vice was to be rebuked, and truth defended. — Epistola ^8, torn, i., p. j8. It will be alleged by the champions of the parochial school that my unfavorable views of it are founded upon unusual and infrequent facts of the moral delinquencies of its officers and the pedagogic incompetency of its teachers; but I know whereof I affirm, and I solemnly declare that I am conservative in my statements. There is not a diocese or an archdiocese in America which has not priestly devotees of Bacchus and Venus — wine and women — ^and in the prominent dioceses and archdioceses there are scores upon scores of ecclesiastics who are the slaves of these goddesses. But the universal ecclesiastical vice is graft- ing. The American clergy, high and low, exhibit an insatiable INTRODUCTORY. 2$ desire for money. They seek and obtain it in the sacred name of religion — for God and Holy Mother Church! Many of the means they employ to secure it are not only questionable but criminal. Instead of preaching the Gospel of Christ they proclaim the message of mammon. The money acquired is spent, in the main, in the service of Satan. It is impossible for those who are not prelates, priests, monks or nuns to know how much sin there is in ecclesiastical circles. It is not difficult for me to understand how hard it must be for non-Catholics to believe that individuals, dedicated to the service of God by most solemn vows, can live in daily violation of their sacred covenants, and I know how extremely loath Catholics are to give credence to any report of clerical misconduct, no matter how well founded, as they have been trained from infancy to regard a priest as a holy man — another Christ. Policemen, railway and street car conductors, steamship officers, hotel proprietors, waiters, porters ^nd cabmen know that I do not exaggerate in my descriptions of clerical sin. Hardly a day goes by in our great cities that policemen do not pick up drunken priests and also take them out of houses of shame. Railway conductors from all parts of America tell me that Catholic priests are among their toughest passengers. Steamship officers relate tales which make the heart sick. Ho- tel proprietors, waiters and porters tell facts which for numer- ousness and nastiness defy comparison. If policemen would suddenly become authors and tell what they know of sinning priests the world would hardly be able to contain the books. Cabmen, the knights of the whip, have as their most profitable customers clerical rounders, the knights of the cloth, whose chivalry vents itself in attentions to ladies who live in houses of shame. Catholic prelates understand full well the personal knowledge which these various individuals and others possess of priestly debauchery. I know that the conditions are appalling in the Archdio- cese of Chicago. I have been assured by an American Arch- 26 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. bishop, whose former ecclesiastical positions ought to enable him to speak with the authority of personal observation and experience, that the conditions in Buffalo, New York City and other places are many times worse than they are in Chi- cago. If he were to speak to-day I believe he would say, in view of the additional light he has received on the Chicago situation, that New York City and Chicago are equals in ec- clesiastical rascality. I am well aware that this book will arouse the intense wrath of Catholic ecclesiastics, who hate the American public schools. Be it so! In this connection. Catholic laymen, permit me to warn you against being deceived by the official Catholic press. It will bitterly assail me. Its columns will be filled with villi- fication and vituperation. But who control the official Cath- olic press? Priests, Bishops and Archbishops as a rule. These men will unite in bitter opposition to any publicity of sin. The editors of the official Catholic publications are under the thumb of ecclesiastical power. Woe to them if they show any independence of thought and action ! I have been grossly slandered in official Catholic publications, while in private my detractors have admitted that I was right in my course. This expose will bring upon my head torrents of written wrath from men who know that I reveal but a small part of the awful case in hand ; but these same writers in private conversation "will be heard to say : " O, Father Crowley, God bless him ! is all right, but we have got to stand in with the authorities; we have to look out for our bread and butter." My opponents will seek to befog the issue raised in this controversy by charging me with making attacks in this book upon my Church. In answer to this anticipated malignant ac- cusation I say now that / do not attack my Church; I attack solely its corrupt ecclesiastics. 1 am not fighting my Church and never will. / am fighting priestly corruption, and I will fight it as long as God permits me to live. My opponents will also say that I am attacking Christian education. Let it be remembered that I am not attacking INTRODUCTORY. 27 Christian education, but that I am dealing with the parochial school as it is in America. I make war not upon the theory of Christian education, but upon the present practice, for the latter, under prevalent conditions, is devilish. The cry will be raised that by this publication I am giving scandal. My opponents will seek to blind the Catholic public by this false cry. Let the Catholic people remember that it is the only answer left to the debauched priests whose wicked- ness I expose. The scandalizers of our Holy Church are not the men who protest against clerical impurity, falsehood and injustice ; but they are the ecclesiastics whose lives are rotten, and the Church dignitaries who try to cloak the rotten- ness. Some of the grossest of the clerical sinners referred to in this book have been publicly arraigned by name. When this book becomes public property I look to see them adopt a much-abused attitude. They have already expatiated upon the hardship of their position in not being able to say a word in self-defense until the charges are proved ! 1 If they were anx- ious to have the charges proved, why did they not ask Rome to thoroughly investigate them? But there was no difficulty in the way of their appealing to the civil courts, and they did not. They knew there were laws in this country to protect ' the slandered. Were there not penitentiaries for criminal li- belers ? Yes, there were, but those penitentiaries were also for clerical thieves, adulterers, rapists, seductionists and sodomists. One of the first copies of this book will be sent to the Pope. I hope that the Pontiff, as soon as he is acquainted with the real condition of the public school controversy in America, will decree a policy for American priests and prelates which shall be in entire harmony with American history and ideals. The Author. Yielding to the insistence of my friends and advisers I insert this biographical sketch, not for any self-laudation, but 28 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. to enable my readers to see what manner of man I am so that they may form an intelligent opinion as to the weight of my words, and also that a stop may be put to a gross imposition which is being practiced all over the country by wicked priests who assume my name when they are arrested by the police, and when they ask for financial help. To aid in carrying out these objects this book contains my photograph, and I state now that my height is six feet and three inches, and my weight is two hundred and fifty pounds. I was born November 20, 1861, in County Cork, Ireland — " The Island of Saints and Scholars." My parents were of Celto-Norman stock and belonged to the plain people. My father was a farmer of means. He died July 7, 1904. My mother's maiden name was Nora Burke. She died a few minutes after my birth, while I was being baptized, she having received the last rites of the church. My father thought I could not live, and immediately before the priest pronounced the words of baptism he made an offering of me to the priest- hood in the hope that God would graciously spare my life. When I was about five years of age I was sent to the Na- tional (primary) School. When I was seven years of age I became an altar boy, and so continued until I was fourteen years old, when I was sent from my native parish to Bantry for better educational advantages. I staid a year in Bantry, and I was then sent to the Model School at Dunmanway, where I remained nine months. _ I was then sent for three months to the Classical School at Skibbereen. When I was sixteen years of age I was sent to St. Finnbarr's College, Cork, where I re- mained four years. I passed the required examination, and was sent to St. Patrick's College (Seminary), Carlow, County Car low (this being the oldest Catholic College (Seminary) extant in Ireland), where I remained four years and a half, and completed the prescribed classical, philosophical and theo- logical courses. I was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church on the 15th day of June, 1886, for my native diocese of Cork. My father INTRODUCTORY. 29 paid full tuition rates for my education from the time I en- tered the primary school until my ordination. My earliest thoughts were associated with the expectation that I would some day be a priest in the Holy Catholic Church and could stand at her sacred altars to offer up the Holy Sacri- fice of the Mass for the repose of the soul of my dear mother, whom I had never seen. My relatives, friends and neighbors expressed no other thought for me than that I was destined to be a priest. When I was at St. Finnbarr's College, being nineteen years of age at the time, my father came to see me, and to test the sincerity of my vocation to the priesthood he said to me, " A priest has a great many trials and troubles ; if you would prefer to follow some secular profession, there is the Queen's College (Univer- sity), I am willing that you should enter it now! " I replied, " No, father, I have but one desire in life, and that is to be a priest." My father expressed great joy over my reply, and he was supremely delighted to learn that I was blessed with a vocation. I said my first Mass in my father's house. I was ordained Tuesday morning, and I traveled all night to reach the home where I was born that I might there oi?er up my first Mass for the eternal repose of the soul of my mother. From boyhood I had the desire to go to America when I became a priest. Many of my friends had gone to the United States. I was ordained for the Diocese of Cork, but there was no vacancy in it, and I said Mass for some weeks as pri- vate chaplain to Bishop Delaney of Cork. The opportunity to go to America came to me then through the Very Rev. E. M. O'Callaghan, now Vicar-General of the Diocese of Man- chester, New Hampshire, and the Right Rev. Monsignor D. W. Murphy, of Dover, New Hampshire. The Coadjutor Bish- op of Cork gave me his permission to go to America on a temporary mission, and he wrote me the following letter: 30 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Cork, November 7th, 1886. My Dear Father Crowley: I am glad you have taken the Mission offered you through the kindness of Father O'Callaghan. You may expect a hearty welcome from me on your re- Yours faithfully, t T. A. O'Callaghan, Coadjutor Bishop. My kindest regards to Father O'Callaghan. I also bore the following letters : St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland, June 21, 1886. I feel happy in testifying to the excellent character borne by Rev. Jeremiah J._ Crowley during such time as I have had the pleasure of knowing him in this college. In matters of discipline he was regular and attentive ; in the discharge of his duties diligent; and in every branch manifested quite an anx- iety to give satisfaction. His conduct while here affords ev- ery reason to believe that his future will be characterized by the same good qualitiesj (Rev.) John Delaney, Dean. St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland, July 2, 1886. Previous to his ordination to the priesthood last Pente- cost the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley had spent four and a half years in this college. He read rhetoric, moral philosophy, and three years theology with credit to himself. His moral con- duct was always edifying, and I have every reason to hope that he will be a most zealous, useful and pious priest. (Very Rev.) Edward W. Burke, D. D. President. When I reached America I was appointed assistant rector of St. Anne's Church, Manchester, New Hampshire, which was the mensal parish of the late Bishop Denis M. Bradley. I staid there sixteen months, when my time for returning to Ireland came in obedience to my promise to the Bishop of Cork. Ae to the manner in which I had discharged my priestly duties in Manchester, I quote the following letters : INTRODUCTORY. 3I Manchester, N. H., April 2, 1888. My Dear Father Crowley : In acceding to your request to be permitted to return to your own Diocese, I cannot refrain from assuring you of my gratitude for your labors in my Diocese during the sixteen months that you have labored therein. You have always and under all circumstances carried yourself in a manner becom- ing a good priest. ,^ Yours respectfully, j- Denis M. Bradley, Bishop of Manchester. Manchester, N. H., April 3, 1888. To Rt. Rev. Dr. O'Callaghan, Bishop of Cork. Right Rev. and Dear Sir : The bearer. Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, a priest of your Lordship's Diocese, has exercised the sacred ministry in my Diocese during the past sixteen months. He returns to his home at his own earnest solicitation. I beg leave to add that he has given me entire satisfaction during the time that he has been subject to my jurisdiction. Yours very respectfully, ■j- Denis M. Bradley. I make the following quotations from the non-Catholic and tlje Catholic press of Manchester to show how I was regarded by all classes. Neither directly nor indirectly had I anything to do with the writing of the articles. The Manchester Daily Union, March 28, 1888. A Sad Occasion. The Rev. Father Crowley to Leave Manchester for Ire- land. Rev. Father J. J. Crowley, the able assistant pastor at St. Ann's Church for some time, is to leave Manchester for Ireland on Wednesday next, and in all probability will sever his permanent relationship with this city for all time. On Friday evening last he delivered a farewell sermon, taking for his text the following words: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Justice." There was a very large congregation in attendance, and after an eloquent discourse upon the above text the Reverend Father took occasion to thank the people 32 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. for their kindness, goodness and respect toward him during the sixteen months he had spent among them. . . The entire congregation sobbed aloud and heard with sadness the fare- well, words of "him they had learned to love and esteem. The Manchester Daily Union, April 2, 1888. Warm Hearted Father Crowley. He Receives Many Evidences of Esteem. Overwhelmed With Kindness — Expressions of Regrets. Since the announcement was made that Rev. J. J. Crow- ley, assistant pastor of St. Ann's Church, intended to dis- solve his official relations in this country and return to Ire- land to accept a position in the Diocese of Cork, he has been overwhelmed with callers who have waited upon him to ex- press their regrets because of his intended departure, and to wish him the choicest of blessings in all time to come. . . Among Protestants also he is highly esteemed, and among people of all manner of beliefs and callings there is but one sentiment, and that of regret because of -his going away. Un- numbered kindnesses have been heaped upon him within the last few days. . . Father Crowley leaves Manchester on Wednesday afternoon next, but will pass several weeks in the principal cities of America before sailing for the " Isle of Saints." The New Hampshire Catholic, March 31, 1888. It is safe to say that no priest captured the affections of the Catholics of this city so completely, in so short a time, as Father Crowley has done. There is nothing small about him. . . In the zeal with which he discharged his priestly duties he could not be surpassed. He is a model specimen of the Soggarth Aroon (dear priest) and quickly and thoroughly the people perceived the fact. Utterly devoted to his sacred calling he is also a staunch Nationalist, and is heart and soul in sympathy, with the cause of Home Rule for his beloved na- tive land. . . The New Hampshire Catholic, April 7, 1888. About three o'clock Wednesday afternoon the depot began filling up with people, most of whom were not in travelling garb, and very many had evidently come from the mills to at- tend the train. It was quite apparent that all eyes were INTRODUCTORY. 33 turned on one person, a stalwart young clergyman; who tow- ered head and shoulders over the throng. There was no mistaking the earnest and kindly features of Father Crow- ley, who had his hands full to bid good bye to the sorrowful friends who came to see him off . . There were few dry eyes in the throng. . . In the brief period of sixteen months he has been in this city, Father Crowley has captured and bears back with him to the diocese of Cork to which he belongs the esteem and affection of our people from the head of the Dio- cese down. I arrived in Ireland about the middle of June, 1888, and September 20 I was appointed assistant pastor at West Schull (Goleen), County Cork, Ireland. I served in this place until March, 1892. This parish was about twenty miles long and seven wide, and it was inhabited principally by tenant farmers. During this time I was imprisoned seven months in Her Ma- jesty's prison in Cork for the heinous offense of having suc- cored Mr. Samuel Townsend Bailey, a Protestant gentleman, seventy years of age and stone blind, who had been deprived, on a mere legal technicality, of his estate by the clergy of his own Church, and turned out upon the roadside without money, food or shelter. As my enemies charge that I was once in jail because of some grave violation of the law, in the palpable hope of discrediting me with the public, I am constrained to give the details of this incident, for on it they found their base slander. They have circulated the tale at home and abroad that I was "such a devil" that the British Government was compelled to lock me up to protect the public. In the year 1847, which was the famine year in Ireland, Mr. Bailey, a Protestant, was in the possession of a comfort- able estate, which afforded him a substantial stone residence and an adequate income. Most of his tenants died of starva- tion during the famine, and he was deprived of his income. Mr. Bailey's Protestant Rector was a Rev. Mr. Fisher, whose assistant was a Rev. Mr. Hopley. The people were starving and dying all around, and Rev. Fisher wrote to Protestant societies and individuals in England, telling them that if he 34 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. had money to buy food for the people he could convert all the Catholics. Money poured in upon him. He called upon Mr. Bailey, who was his chief parishioner, sympathized with him and offered him financial aid, which Mr. Bailey was very glad to get. Rev. Fisher then went home for the money; he re- turned with it and also a shrewdly drawn assignment of Mr. Bailey's property to the church trustees, the assignment to take effect after the lives of three individuals and thirty-three years (which finally proved to be a term of about forty years), which assignment. he wanted as a mere formality in case his generous friends in England should ever question his handling of the funds. Rev. Fisher died before my return to Ireland, and he was succeeded by Rev. Hopley. Rev. Hopley wanted to get Mr. Bailey's stone residence and its adjoining five acres for a woman who was then his maid-servant, and he urged the church trustees to commence legal proceedings to evict Mr. Bailey. The case was fought during three terms of court. The Judge kept putting off the delivery of his decision in the hope that the church authorities would see what a harsh enter- ~ prise they were engaged in, and relent. He finally pronounced judgment, and, on a technicality, was forced to hold against Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailey in despair turned to me, having heard of my championship of the civil rights of Protestants as well as of Catholics in that district. His son came to see me. I said, " Before I attempt to do anything I must see your father's tenants and learn from them whether he has been a kind land- lord." In a few days the tenants came to me in a body, and told me that old Mr. Bailey had been a most indulgent land- lord. I then said, " It is the duty of Christians of all denomi- nations to come to his rescue." I then asked if anyone present would give a site for a hut (a little frame cottage) in the vicinity of the Bailey homestead. Mr. Thomas Donovan, a Protestant farmer, gave a site right across the road from Mr. Bailey's stone residence. There was a vacant hut ten miles away, and I called for volunteers to transport that building INTRODUCTORY. 35 forthwith and put it on the new site. Within twenty-four hours the hut was transferred to the new location, and above it I had placed two flags, one green and the other orange. Be- fore the erection of the hut a fair rental was tendered on behalf of Mr. Bailey for the stone house and five acres, but it was refused. A few days later a force of bailiffs and police evicted the blind old man and his family, and threw them " on the road- side." Word was sent to me and I hastened to the seat of difficulty. There I found the blind and helpless old man sit- ting on the roadside ; I took him by the hand and led him into the hut, his aged wife and son following. Rev. Mr. Hopley was insanely maddened by the presence of the hut and its occupants in such close proximity to the old homestead, and to his own home, which was about a quarter of a mile distant. The Tory Government trumped up against me a charge of intimidation; I was arrested; and, under a re- vived statute, passed in the reign of George the Third, I was " tried," not before the ordinary and usual tribunal, but be- fore two " Removable " Magistrates — paid government offi- cials. My conviction was a foregone conclusion from the be- ginning. My prosecution was the subject of many editorials. I give a few excerpts. Eagle and County Cork Advertiser, Ireland, June 28, 1890. . The Prosecution of Father Crowley. When the history of Ireland comes to be written up to date, no more extraordinary event will present itself to the writer than that which has occurred in West Cork during the past few days. If the historian does his work faithfully, both the Land League and the National League will occupy prominent places in historical records. To the agrarian question of the present day much time and thought will be devoted, but in no event from the Clanricarde evictions, from the founding of New Tipperary, down to the most trivial affair, will be found such an episode as that which presented itself at Goleen on last Sunday. No less than eight Protestant families changed 36 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. their religion, and joined the Roman Catholic Church, to show and prove their indignation at the conduct of their own pastor, the Rev. Mr. Hopley. . . . Out of Bailey's eviction and the threat to remove Donovan for an act of kindness have arisen the proceedings which terminated on Wednesday in the conviction of Father Crowley under the Crimes Act. . . The Cork Daily Herald of June 26, 1890. Yesterday Mr. Cecil Roche (one of the two presiding magistrates) consummated the outrage which he was sent to West Cork to perpetrate. At the conclusion of a farcical trial, during the course of which it was quite easy to see that the Bench meant to convict, a most outrageous sentence was passed on Father Crowley, of Goleen. Seven months' imprisonment is what is awarded against Father Crowley, for taking the side of the poor Protestants of Teampeall-na-bo'ct against their evictors and persecutors. Father Crowley denounced these people. He made public charges against a parson and against a policeman which these persons could have got investigated by means of a civil action. They did not do so. The fact that the paid Castle (Government) magistrates have come down, and in violation of the spirit of the law and of all constitutional usages have sent Father Crowley to gaol for seven months does little to better their position. We have no doubt that this " trial " of Father Crowley will receive immediate atten- tion in Parliament. The sentence is not only abominable and vindictive in itself, but it is a , deliberate evasion of the law which gives every subject the right of appeal from every sen- tence of over a month's duration in Ireland, and from all sentences whatsoever in England. . . His imprisonment is, in every respect, a misfortune for his locality. In the poor district of Goleen he has been a peacemaker of a model type between landlords and tenants, and both classes are equally thankful to him. The fact that he interfered in favour of Protestant as well as Catholic proves the spirit of broad-mindedness in which he approached his work. It was not because the parson sided with the evictors of one of his own flock that his mouth was to remain closed, and it did not remain closed. For what arose out of his thus championing the oppressed he goes to goal. . . We simply say that under the circumstances a prosecu- INTRODUCTORY. 37 tion on an absurd charge was a gross misuse of public author- ity and a scandal on the administration of justice. The Cork Examiner of June 26, 1890. The remarkable prosecution at Bantry came to an end yesterday, when the sentence demanded by Mr. Ronan, Q. C, (Crown Prosecutor) was imposed on the defendant, the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, the popular young curate of the parish of Goleen. . . Seeing the nature of the charge and the constitution of the Court, the result can have surprised no one. But it is a strange prosecution, arising out of very exceptional circum- stances and connected with some very curious occurrences. . . A sentence of savage severity is imposed on this young and blameless clergyman. That severity will assuredly defeat its own purpose. The immense popularity of Father Crowley in West Cork was demonstrated in Schull and Bantry in a way that must have impressed Mr. Cecil Roche. Even before the trial the feelings of the people with regard to the prosecution and the conduct of the Rev. Mr. Hopley were exhibited in a perfectly startling and unprecedented fashion. Up to eight Protestant families left the Rev. Mr. Hopley's congregation and joined the Catholic Church. The incident proves, at all events, that even among the Protestants of his district the Rev. Mr. Hopley has lost his influence through his interference with tenants like Bailey and Donovan (both Protestants) and that the young priest has won the affections of Protestants and Catholics alike by his generous and practical sympathy with the poor and the op- pressed. Removables Welch and Roche are, perhaps, of opin- ion that Father Crowley's influence in his district will not sur- vive a term of imprisonment, and that the National League must cease to exist west of Bantry. On the contrary. Father Crowley's sufferings in their cause will but render him ten times dearer to the hearts of the people and make ten times stronger their resolve to overthrow a system under which the imprisonment of a young and kindly clergyman becomes a necessity of State. West Cork is the western half of County Cork, and is about sixty miles long by thirty wide. 38 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. The details of my journey to gaol were given in extended press notices at that time. I quote briefly from one of them : Eagle and County Cork Advertiser, June 28, 1890. The Journey to Cork. At half past six o'clock Father Crowley was driven from the police barrack in a covered car to the railway station, ac- companied by a strong escort, and followed by a large cheer- ing crowd. Cordons of police were stationed at all approaches to'the station, and allowed to pass only those who were travel- ing by train. A large crowd, however, by climbing over the walls and ditches, succeeded in reaching the road outside the station, but their progress to the platform was barred by a strong force of police drawn across the entrance. At the sta- tion, District-Inspector Smyth was in charge of a body of po- lice and a great portion of the crowd was prevented from enter- ing the railway premises, but they soon fringed the line and cheered the Rev. prisoner loudly. Father Crowley's brother clergymen were allowed on the platform, and he had many a hearty handshake before the train started. District-Inspector Stewart, Kinsale, was in charge of Father Crowley, who was accommodated in a first-class compartment, and the body- guard consisted of four policemen. In a third-class carriage a dozen policemen traveled, while the fifty soldiers of the Welch Regiment, who had been on duty, also returned to Cork by the train. As the train moved off the Rev. gentleman was followed by the enthusiastic cheers of those gathered on the platform, and which were vigorously echoed by those outside. At the stations en route to Cork — Drimoleague, Dunmanway, Ballineen, Enniskean, etc., crowds cheered Father Crowley en- thusiastically, and bonfires were lighting as the train steamed by. Police Violence at Bandon. In Bandon the whole populace appeared to have turned out, headed by the town band, but at the gates of the station they were met by a body of police under the command of Mr. Gardiner, R. M., who had traveled from Cork by the evening train. He at once ordered the police to charge the people, and the batonmen obeyed the order with alacrity. The bands- men were beaten and the instruments seized. On the plat- form priests. Town Commissioners, shareholders of the line. INTRODUCTORY. 39 railway porters and all were hustled and shoved about, and the police did all they could to provoke a row. When the train arrived Mr. Gardiner's excitement was intense, and he rushed from carriage to carriage shouting out for Military and poHce as if the train was about to be seized and carried off the rails. At last he rushed to the compartment in which Father Crowley was, and seeing District-Inspector Stewart, he ordered that officer to get a number of his armed policemen out of the train, and clear the people off the platform if the cheering was not stopped. The inspector carried out the magistrate's order, and the moment the cheering was renewed the police charged the crowd, and a number of people were punched with the butts of rifles. Fathers Magner, O'Shea and Coghlan were present, together with Mr. C. Crowley and several Town Commission- ers. These gentlemen protested to the stationmaster against the manner in which the Bandon people had been treated on the railway premises, but all Mr. Rattray could say was that he was powerless in the matter. After a short delay the train started for the city of Cork, Mr. Gardiner traveling by it in order to take charge of the police force on duty at the Cork terminus. Scenes in Cork. The news of the sentence on Father Crowley was pretty well known in the city of Cork about nine o'clock, and a good- ly number had assembled outside the railway terminus when the Bantry train reached Cork, shortly after half-past nine. There were but few persons on the platform, as the police ap- peared to have superseded the railway officials in charge of the station. A body of police kept the gates, and exercised an arbitrary power over the rights of the citizens generally. The Mayor was admitted and some town councillors got through in a rather undignified manner, but dogged pertinacity alone procured admittance for some other gentlemen, while the vast portion of the crowd was crushed outside. A considerable number of plain clothes men (detectives) mingled with the crowd, while a few of them took up positions on the station platform. Just as the train reached the platform about twenty police- men, under District-Inspector Bourchier, drew up opposite the carriage in which Father Crowley was in custody, while the moment the train stopped the military, who occupied the car- riage next the engine, quickly sprang out and formed on the 40 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. left of the policemen. The large body of policemen who had come in on the train then came forward on the far end of the platform, completely barring the few persons present from ap- proaching any portion of the train. A minute after Father Crowley stepped from the train, and was hurried by his escort to the police side-car. A number of policemen treading on one another's heels, pressed after the Rev. gentleman, and surrounded the car while he was taking a seat beside District- Inspector Stewart. The gates being thrown open the police car, followed by the brake, which was loaded with fully armed policemen, drove out into the thick of the crowd amidst loud cheers for the Rev. prisoner. The general body of police im- mediately followed and kept up with the cars for some little distance. Amongst the gentlemen who w^re present in the railway station when Father Crowley arrived were the Mayor; Rev. P. O'Neill, S. S. Peter and Paul's; Rev. J. M'Donnell, S. S. Peter and Paul's; Rev. Father Murray, C. C. ; Messrs. W. Kelleher, T. C. ; J. C. Forde, Sec. National League; Aid. J. O'Brien; and E. Murphy, sessional chairman, Cork, Young Ireland Society. The route to the 'gaol was by the South Mall, Grand Pa- rade, Great George's Street and the Western Road, and all along the way the sidewalks were covered with people, who cheered loudly and long for the Rev. prisoner. The usual, police cordon was drawn up at the gaol Cross, but it was rather surprising to find a crowd of people at the very gaol door as the prisoner drove up. The Mayor accompanied Father Crow- ley into the prison and saw him lodged in the reception ward. I had for my jail diet the first three days bread and water; thereafter I had the usual prison fare. For the first month my bed was a plank. Within a few days after my incarceration, letters, tele- grams and cablegrams poured in upon Rev. Mr. Hopley's bish- op, asking him if he had been a party to this injustice. The bishop sent at once three clergymen to tender to Mr. Bailey his old residence and the five acres, with the privilege of oc- cupancy rent free during the rest of his life. Mr. Bailey re- plied, " No, gentlemen. Father Crowley is in prison, suflFering for me. You must get Father Crowley out of prison before INTRODUCTORY. 4I I could think of going back to my old home." I heard of this offer, and succeeded in communicating with Mr. Bailey and in- sisted upon his going back, which he most reluctantly did. Great pressure was brought to bear upon me by the Tory Government to sign a peace bond, and thus to put an end to my captivity at the end of the first month, Mr. Gladstone, the Liberal Party and the Irish Party having become interested in my case, which was debated in the British Parliament. I refused absolutely to sign any such bond, as its signing I con- sidered would be tantamount to an admission of guilt, and my refusal had the unanimous approval of the Catholic bishop and clergy of the Diocese of Cork. The result was that 1 remained in jail six months longer. Upon my release, on my way home and at home I was greeted by vast throngs of people who testified in every pos- sible way the esteem in which they held me ; but the one wel- come which touched me most was that given me by Mr. Bailey ■ — the old and blind Protestant gentleman threw his arms around my neck and kissed me. Some press excerpts seem apropos and I give them : Eagle and County Cork Advertiser, January 31, 1891. Father Crowley Released on Saturday. Father Crowley, the gallant and patriotic curate of Go- leen, was released from Cork prison at 7 : 30 o'clock on Satur- day morning, after undergoing seven months' imprisonment for an " offense " under the Coercion Act. The circumstances under which Father Crowley was imprisoned are already well known to our readers. We are glad to say that the true-heart- ed Sag garth -(priest) is in excellent health and spirits, and has borne his imprisonment with a cheerful courage worthy of the cause for which he has suffered. Father Crowley comes out of the prison with the happy consciousness of not only having done his duty as a iaithful priest and a robust politician, but of having won the battle for which he fought. The law might call his offense " intimidation." But at least his intimidation was a success. The man whose cause Father Crowley advocated — the cause of an evicted Protestant 42 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. against his own parson — has gained. When Father Crow- ley was a short time in gaol, he was re-inst^ated, and notwith- standing this the authorities still detained the Rev. gentleman in prison. On Wednesday Father Crow-fey proceeded from Cork to Bantry. He left Cork for the purpose of visiting his friends and former parishioners in West Cork, and at the different sta- tions along the route he received hearty ovations. Rev. W. Murphy, P. P., Kilbrittain, traveled with him as far as En- niskeane. At Waterfall a large crowd gathered, by whom hearty cheers were raised. At Bandon there was a very large number of people with the brass band of the town, including the Very Rev. Dean M'Swiney, P. P., V. G. ; Rev. Mr. Mag- ner, C. C. ; Rev. Mr. Russell, C. C. ; Rev. Mr. Coghlan, C. C. ; Rev. Mr. M'Donnell, C. C, Kilbrittain. When the train steamed in Dean M'Swiney was the first to shake hands with Father Crovyley and welcome him back out of the hands of the Balfours and the Roches, and when the train was leaving the station he a-gain called for cheers for Father Crowley, which were heartily responded to. At Enniskeane Rev. Mr. O'Sullivan, C. C. and a large crowd were gathered, and at Dunmanway there was another large concourse assembled. At Drimoleague Rev. J. Murphy, P. P.; Dr, Crowley, Messrs. W. Fitzgerald, J. Connolly, A. M'Carthy, P. L. G., and a number of others were present. At Bantry Father Crowley was met by Rev. J. O'Leary, C. C. ; Rev. J. O'Hea, C. C. ; Rev. J. Kearney, C. C. ; Mr. J. Gilhooly, M. P.; Mr. P. T. Carroll (soHcitor), and a large deputation of the townspeople. As the train steamed in hearty cheers were raised for the Rev. " ex-criminal," and when he stepped out on the platform a rush was made to seize his hand and welcome him to liberty once more. The Rev. gentleman then proceeded to the residence of the Very Rev. Canon Shink- win, P. P. In the evening a meeting was held in the town hall in his honor. The building was filled to overflowing. The Rev. J. O'Leary, C. C, presided. The Rev. Chairman briefly introduced Father Crowley, and referred to his sufferings in prison, and the fortitude and dignity with which he had borne, them. He said the glaring injustice of which Father Crowley was the victim, and the INTRODUCTORY. 43 iniquitous punishment to which he had been subjected, had only more endeared him to the hearts of the people of West Cork, and it was with a hearty caed mille failthe they wel- comed him amongst them once more (cheers). Addresses were presented from the Bantry Branch of the National League, and the Bantry G. A. A. . . From Bantry Father Crowley proceeded to Skibbereen. The arrival at Skibbereen was marked by an enthusiastic ova- tion from a large crowd assembled at the terminus. Amongst those present were Rev. Fathers O'Brien and Cunningham; Dr. Kearney; Dr. O'DriscoU ; i\Iessrs. Florence Al'Carthy; Cor- nelius M'Carthy, Town Clerk ; Timothy Sheehy, T. C. ; John O'Shea; Charles O'Shea; P. Sheehy, solicitor; Edward Roy- craft, Chairman Schull Guardians ; etc. At Ballydehob a great crowd was assembled, and a most enthusiastic cheer was raised when the train pulled up at the station, the fife and drum band of the village playing a series of National airs. It may be observed here that on the occasion of Father Crowley's release on Saturday last the village was brilliantly illuminated, tar-barrels being lit in the streets and the windows of afl the houses being illuminated. The band paraded the streets, playing National airs, and followed by a large crowd. On Thursday the band joined the train at Ballydehob and traveled with us all the way to Goleen. A tremendous cheer was raised as the train steamed out; the band playing the while. With the band the following representatives from Bal- lydehob accompanied Father Crowley as far as Schull — -Rev. D. Corcoran; Messrs. T? McSwiney, Hon. Sec. I. N. L. ; D. Gallagher ; J. Coughlan, M. Cotter, R. Hodnett. On the arrival of the train at Schull a scene of the most extraordinary enthusiasm was witnessed. Before the station was reached the road for a long distance was crowded with men and women, the men waving their hats, and many men and women bearing aloft evergreens. On the platform the throng was dense, and immediately that the train stopped a rush was made for the carriage in which Father Crowley traveled, joy beaming on every face, and the people almost walk- ing on each other in their eagerness to shake the hand of Father Crowley. Schull itself presented a gay appearance. All the way from the station the road and fences were lined with peo- ple, of whom there were some thousands, not alone from 44 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Schull, but from all the surrounding country, and even from Goleen. There were triumphal arches across the streets, bear- ing suitable mottoes, flags waved from many windows, and as the procession wended its way through the village to the Rev. Father O'Connor's house the greatest enthusiasm was evinced. Schull, on the occasion, did honor to the patriotic priest in a splendid manner. On the day of his release they showed their joy in a befitting way with tar-barrels and illu- minations, while the country all around was blazing with bon- fires. . . Father O'Connor addressed the meeting, and said that he need not say how happy they all were at seeing Father Crowley amongst them, and their pleasure was the greater _ at seeing him in such splendid form, notwithstanding all that he had endured — endured so unjustly and cruelly, in " Balfour's Hotel " in Cork during the past seven months. He need not relate to them the reasons why he was imprisoned. He was put into jail for trying to promote justice between man and man and for championing the cause of a poor blind old gentleman, who was a Protestant. They were all proud of Father Crowley's action in defending one who then dif- fered from him in creed (cheers). Father Crowley had al- ways endeavored to see justice between landlord and tenant, and it was for these reasons that he was, immured in Cork Gaol (groans and a voice, " Thank God he is not the worse for it"). They were all delighted to know that he was as determined to work in the national cause in the future as he had shown himself to be in the past (cheers) ; and he hoped that that future would be a long and ^ happy one (cheers). Father O'Connor, then read the following addr.ess: — " To the Rev. J. J. Crowley, R. C. C. " Dear Father Crowley, — On behalf of the Schull and Bal- lydehob branch of the Irish Natioital League, we beg to ten- der you a hearty welcome from " Balfour's Hotel." You may feel sure we highly appreciate your noble efforts and sufifer- ings on behalf of the poor and oppressed people of West Schull. We feel the injustice of the terrible sentence — seven months — inflicted upon you for no earthly reason but that you championed the cause of a poor blind old gentleman against landlord rapacity, and we feel the greater pride in your action because that he differed from you in religion. We congratu- late you upon the splendid state of your health after your INTRODUCTORY. 45 term of imprisonment, and we hope you will be long spared to work in the future as you have so nobly done in the past in the grand old cause of fatherland." Father Crowley, who got a splendid ovation, addressed the people and said that he could hardly express in words his grateful thanks for the enthusiastic welcome accorded him, and for the genuinely hearty manner in which they had received him. It was almost unnecessary for him to remind them of the history of the struggle which had just come to an end. . . At the conclusion of the addresses the word was given " TO GOLEEN " and a long procession was formed. First came Father Crow- ley, accompanied by Father Corcoran and Father O'Connell. Then came a body of pedestrians, including many women ; then came the Ballydehob band, followed by a long line of spring carts, equestrians, and common carts, the procession reaching nearly two miles in length. Along the line of march the people congregated in groups near the houses, bonfires blazed along the hill-sides, and evergreens were tied to long poles, fixed in the ground. At intervals in the procession flags were borne aloft, and at every now and then enthusiastic cheers were raised by the crowd of pedestrians that formed Father Crowley's guard of honor. The evening was beautifully fine, and as the procession wended its way along with banners fly- ing, and the horses decorated with green, the effect was pic- turesque in the extreme. When we arrived at TOORMORE the band struck up a tune, and at the " Poor Man's Church " some of the villagers met us. The rocky elevations around the village were occupied by cheering groups. Bonfires blazed, horns were " tooted," and the enthusiasm of the processionists reached a high pitch when a banner was observed waving from Mr. Bailey's window. Outside Bailey's house a great crowd was collected, the women and children waving green branches, and the men cheering enthusiastically. A halt was called here, and Father Crowley paid a visit to Mr. Bailey, who wept for joy when he clasped Father Crowley's hand. Poor Mr. Bai- ley is not very well just now, though he is able to be about. All the cabins were decorated with ivy and laurel, and the vil- lagers gathered around Father Crowley as he emerged from 46 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Mr. Bailey's, some saying that but for him they would be far from Tooi-more now, and all expressing their joy at his re- turn, and their sorrow at his forthcoming departure, some of them saying that they'd never let him be sent away from them. Leaving Toormore, the crowd of pedestrians was very con- siderably augmented, and as the shades of evening were falling, GOLEEN was reached, the hillsides as we approached aur destination being ablaze with bonfires in all directions. Goleen itself was brilliantly illuminated, every house in the village being a blaze of light. Before entering the village the crowd struck up " God Save Ireland," and the chapel bell boomed forth its deep notes as Father Crowley reached his old home. On the rocky elevations above the village tar-barrels blazed, and were surrounded by cheering crowds. As Father Crowley made his way on to one of the rocks, which served as a sort of plat- form, the enthusiasm of the multitude reached an extraor- dinary pitch. He was accompanied by Fathers O'DriscoU, Corcoran, and O'Connell; Messrs. Florence M'Carthy, R. Roberts, T. Ward, S. Bailey, John Roycroft, James Roycroft, and all the principal men of the village and the surrounding locality. The whole population of the district for miles around was present on the occasion. The Rev. Father O'DriscoU, C. C, was chosen to preside, and, in opening the proceedings, said that they were assembled on a historic occasion to give a -welcome home to Father Crowley after his absence of seven months in jail^ (cheers). The people showed their love of Father Crowley unmistakably that day. From Mizen Head to Dunbeacon the people had shown by the numbers of them who went to Schull to welcome him what popularity he had earned amongst them by his labours on their behalf. Father Crowley had every man and woman and child to welcome him back to their "midst, while if Removables' Welch and Roche, who sent him to jail, came there they would have nobody to greet them but the police (groans J. He concluded by asking Mr. Florence M'Carthy to read the address to Father Crowley on his release. Mr. McCarthy read the following address : " Address to the Rev, J. J. Crowley, C. C. (Catholic Curate) from the parishioners of Goleen, on his return after seven months' imprisonment. INTRODUCTORY. 47 Dear Father Crowley, — It is with feelings of sincere pleasure that we welcome you back safely to liberty ' after en- joying for seven months the care and attention of our paternal Government in one of its bastiles. We are delighted to find that your long imprisonment has neither injured your health nor subdued your spirits. We cannot refrain from referring with pride to your imprisonment being the result of your de- nouncing the harsh and unfeeling treatment dealt out by the Trustees of his own Church to an old Protestant gentleman. Your hatred of oppression urged you to expose the cruelties and hardships of evicting and leaving to die near the ditch this old man of seventy winters, with his wife and famity. Your kind thoughtfulness, however, provided them with a home, and it must have been a pleasure to you to-day, as the knowledge must have been for months past in your lonely cell, to find Mr. Bailey and his family restored long since to their old home. You were beloved by us before ; but the hall-mark of the prison endears you to us a thousandfold. The Govern- ment through motives of petty vindictiveness, detained you for months in prison after the wrongs you denounced had been rectified; and while you, a Catholic priest, have not hes- itated to come to the aid of your oppressed Protestant neigh- bors, and cheerfully go to prison for their sakes, the Govern- ment and its supporters are not ashamed to urge for political purposes the knowingly false cry of ' Catholic intolerance ' and oppression of the Protestants as a reason for withhold- ing Home Rule from Ireland. Thank God, Catholic Ireland can proudly refer to her present and past history to refute this libel. A natural hatred of wrong, an inherent sense of jus- tice have been intensified by your sojourn in (America) the land of liberty. The hardships they were obliged to endure, and the petty tyrannies and wrongs the poor people of the parish were subjected to aroused your indignation; and once you were convinced of the necessity for action you never hes- itated to espouse the cause of the oppressed, and were fear- less of the consequences. Your prompt and decisive action Vept many in their homes ; but while checking the aggressive- ness of unfeeling landlordism, you would not tolerate the with- holding or non-payment of fair rents, and have in many in- stances largely increased the landlords' rent collections. Re- gardless of yourself, you were at any time of the day or night, when duty called, by the bedside of the suffering, bringing 48 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. tender-hearted sympathy to the couch of pain, and succor to the poor and lowly. In our selfishness we hoped you would be left longer with us to enjoy the little improvements we recently made in your home in anticipation of your return and stay with us. If this is not to be, we can only assure you that your memory will always be treasured by a grateful peo- ple, who will look forward to your visiting them occasionally, when you may calculate on receiving at all times, as you do now, a cead mille failthe." Father Crowley, on coming forward to address the peo- ple, received a magnificent reception. He said that he was unable to express in words how happy he felt at being back again in Goleen, and how glad he was to find them all in such spirits. He was happy in being able to tell them that he was in good health and spirits, too (cheers). He was very thank- ful to his dear people for the enthusiastic manner in which they received him, and for the address presented to him on behalf of the people of Goleen. . . An Extraordinary Scene. As Father Crowley was making his way from .the place of meeting to his own house, a most extraordinary scene was witnessed. The men and women flocked about him, and wept as if their hearts were breaking at the thought of his departure. It was a most pathetic scene, and as the loud sobs of many hundreds of sorrowing hearts were echoed back from the sur- rounding rocks, the effect was at once weird and wonderful. Such devotion as was here displayed is a thing that but few priests have ever experienced. The manifestations of sincere love exhibited were most impressive. The people rushed to kiss Father Crowley's hand, and it was only after a long strug- gle that he was able to tear himself away from amidst a weeping throng of admirers, many of whom loudly declared that they would never let him be removed from amongst them. The foregoing suggestion of my removal from Goleen was founded upon the fact that my bishop was seeking to promote me. He yielded to the wishes of the people of Goleen, as will be seen by the following letter : INTRODUCTORY. 49 Cork, Feb'y 8th, '91 Dear Father Crowley: I have yielded to the wishes of the good people of Goleen, and I have determined to leave you with them for some time longer. There is much to be done in the parish, and the dis- tress of the poor people will give you many opportunities of exercising your zeal. I remain Yours faithfully, t T. A. O'Callaghan. I remained in the parish of West Schull (Goleen) fifteen ■ months longer; then I was promoted to the parish of New- cestown, near Bandon, where I staid four years. When I returned to Ireland I determined to go back to America at some future time. I asked permission of my bishop in 1895 to return. He begged me to withdraw my re- quest, and would not yield until my importunity drew from him the following reluctant consent: Cork, June 18, 1896. The Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, of the Diocese of Cork, has my permission to seek a mission in the United States, and I have given it to him reluctantly at his own earnest request as I sincerely regret his departure. He is a good, hard-work- ing priest, zealous and devoted to his duties. During the eight years he has been in the diocese I have had no fault whatsoever to find with him. He has already labored on the American Mission and is now anxious to return. f T. A. O'Callaghan, Bishop of Cork. I also received the following letters : Bantry, County Cork, July 13, 1896. As the Rev. J. J. Crowley, who for some years officiated in the Deanery over which I preside and is now of his own accord severing his connection with this Diocese, has asked me to say what I think about him, I feel much pleasure in com- plying with his request. He was always faithful in the dis- charge of the duties that devolved upon him and thoroughly devoted to the work of his sacred calling. His ministry was highly efficient and fruitful, and so appreciated was it by the people amongst w'lom he labored that, when he was taken from them, they manifested the greatest possible regret. His so THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. relations with priests and people were of the kindliest char- acter. All who know him v^ish him a bright and happy future, and indeed none more sincerely than myself. M. Canon Shinkwin, P. P. V. F. Bandon, County Cork, June 15, 1896. Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, who has ministered in this Deanery for four years, is a very worthy priest. He is hard- working and energetic, is esteemed by all who know him, and it gives me great pleasure to be able to state that he leaves us without the least stain on his character. Joseph Canon Shinkwin, P. P. V. F. ■ From the Cardinal Primate of all Ireland I received the following : Ara Coeli, Armagh, July 13, 1896! From all I could learn regarding Rev. Father Crowley I believe him to be a good, regular, hard-working priest. I am sure Father Crowley will labor with zeal and success in any mission entrusted to him. | Michael Cardinal Logue. From Bishop O'Donnell of Raphoe, Donegal, I received the following: Letterkenny, County Donegal, June 25, 1896. Having met Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley of Cork more than once and heard a great deal about him from others, I have much pleasure in stating that he bears the name of a zealous and efficient priest, and it is my expectation that he will prove a very useful worker in whatever mission in America his lot f Patrick O' Donnell, Bishop of Raphoe. I also received the following letters : Maynooth College, County Kildare, July 20, 1896. I am happy to testify from personal knowledge and from reliable information that Father Crowley is an excellent priest with a stainless record. Intellectually, socially, and physically he is everything that could be desired. He am- bitions a wider field for the use of the gifts God has endowed him with ; and I confidently pray that his zeal and prudence may be as conspicuous in the future as in the past. Edward Maguire, D. D. (Professor). INTRODUCTORY. 5 1 St. Finnbarr's Seminary/ Cork, Aug. 15, '96. Most Rev. M. Corrigan, D. D., Archbishop of New York. My Dear Lord : Father Crowley asks me for a line of introduction to Your Grace. He is seeking for a mission in America with permission of his bishop, from whom he has got an excellent letter. To that I would wish to add the very strong personal recommendation of my brother (Very Rev. John B. O'Mahon- ey, D. D.), President of our Diocesan Seminary, and who knows -Father Crowley particularly well, as he was one of his earliest pupils. I take this opportunity of thanking your Grace for all your kindness on the occasion of my last visit to New York, every way one of the pleasantest of my many pleasant souvenirs of America. I write this from my brother's place, where I am staying for a few days on my way to All Hallows (College). Most Respectfully Yours in Christ, T. J. O'Mahoney, D. D. (Professor of All Hallows College, Dublin). I arrived in New York in August, 1896. After a few days I p^id .a .visit to my friends in Manchester, New Hamp- shire, . and received the following letter to the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York: Manchester, N. H., August 30, 1896. My Dear Monsignor Mooney : This will introduce to you Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley of the Diocese of Cork. He exercised the sacred ministry in this Diocese for sixteen months. He was an assistant here in the city during his stay in this Diocese. He is an excellent priest, sober, zealous and of great faith. Yours sincerely in Christ, ■j" Denis M. Bradley, Bishop of Manchester. I was received most cordially by Archbishop Corrigan and other Church dignitaries at New York, but there being no vacancy I came to Chicago. I called upon Archbishop Feehan in Chicago, accom- panied by a prominent ecclesiastic. I was appointed an 52 THE PAROCHIAL SCHCX)L. assistant pastor at the Church of the Nativity of our Lord, 37th St. and Union Ave., Chicago. I was there nearly three years. On December 20, 1899, I was promoted by Archbishop Feehan to the Oregon, Illinois, parish and the outlying mis- sions thereof, receiving from His Grace the following letter: Chicago, December 20, 1899. I hereby appoint Rev. J. J. Crowley pastor of St. Mary's Church, Oregon, 111., and also of the missions attached to that place. I recommend him to the kindness and confidence of the Catholic people. f P. A. Feehan, Archbishop of Chicago. I remained in Oregon until August 3, 1901, when I was ousted by an injunction issued by the civil court on the prayer of a petition alleged to have been filed by the direction of the late Archbishop Feehan of the Archdiocese of Chicago. And now I come to the famous Chicago controversy which arose in the summer of 1900 over the appointment of an Auxiliary Bishop to the late Archbishop Feehan. It was commenced by twenty-five priests of most excellent stand- ing, and it is still pending. During the Oregon, Illinois, litigation, commenced against me as stated in the name of Archbishop Feehan of the Arch- diocese of Chicago, I had prepared a printed brief which set forth the pleadings, affidavits, etc., in that litigation, and I mailed copies of this publication to various Church dignitaries. To the fly-leaf I attached a little slip, a facsimile of which is as follows: With the Compliments of A full and authentic history of the sad con- dition of the Catholic Church in the Archdio- cese of Chicago, is now being prepared and will be given to the public in the near future. INTRODUCTORY. 53 A consequence of the foregoing slip was the sending to me of the following unjust and invalid document, Cardinal Martinelli, (the Papal Delegate to the Church in the United States), having been persuaded to adopt this, course in the hope that it would save himself and my opponents from ex- posure by frightening me into a cowardly submission : [TEAUSLATION.] Apostolic Delegation, United States of America. No. 1393. Washington, D. C. This No. should be Prefixed to the Answer. Inasmuch as the Sacred Congregation for propagating the Faith has learned that certain priests of the Archdiocese^ of Chicago have taken grave offense at the election of the' Rev. P. J. Muldoon to the Episcopate, and have with all their vigor, pertinaciously and wrongfully protested against his consecration, therefore, it, [the Sacred Congregation] , by let- ters No. 45,708, dated Rome, August 21, 1901, has charged this- Apostolic Delegation with the duty of watching closely lest the matter should grow to too great a scandal, and at the same time of canonically admonishing, and, as far as may be necessary, visiting with ecclesiastical censure, whomsoever it [said Delegation] might happen to find guilty. Now, however, since we have with safety learned that the Rev. Jeremiah Crowley, a priest of the said Archdiocese, made a very bitter contest against the aforesaid election and. conse- cration, and does not even now desist therefrom, since, indeed, we have before us 1. A bill of complaint by him presented to the civil court, 2. A defense which his advocate undertook to prepare, 3. A promise made by him in writing concerning the early publication of a work wherein he will relate the sad state of the Archdiocese existing in his mind. We require the said Rev. Jeremiah Crowley, in the Lord, for his own good and for the honor of the Church, to desist from his pertinacity, and at the same time we peremptorily, once instead of thrice, warn him to give certain signs of repentance and reparation. But if he shall refuse and if, within the space of ten days, to be computed from the day of his receiving notice of this Admonition, he shall not repair the scandal, 54 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. 1. By desisting from the prosecution of the suit in the civil tribunal, 2. By altogether prohibiting the printing of the prom- ised book, or, if it shall have already been printed, by not pub- lishing the same, 3. By making public reparation for the public scandal, 4. And by submitting himself to the authority of the Archljishop, We declare him ipso facto excommunicated, and we re- serve to this Apostolic Delegation the power to annul (or to absolve from) this excommunication. Moreover, we commit to the Court of the Archbishop of Chicago the execution of this decree, and we, therefore, charge it with the duty of transmitting these presents to the afore- said Rev. Jeremiah Crowley, all legal requirements being ob- served. But if the said Rev. Jeremiah Crowley is absent or cannot be found, then, the edict being posted up in the churches or in other public place, after the space of tenMays, as above mentioned, he still not desisting from pertinacity ,_ we ordain that this decree shall in like manner take effect. Given at Washington, From the palace of the Apostolic Delegation, Octo- ber 13, 1901. Sebastian Card. Martinelli, Apostolic Pro-Delegate. In due course the following unjust and invalid document was issued in the name of Archbishop Feehan of the Arch- diocese of Chicago : Chicago, 111., Oct. 26, 1901. Whereas, the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, a priest exer- cising faculties in the Archdiocese of Chicago, has grievously violated the laws and discipline of the Roman Catholic Church and of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and as he persists con- tumaciously in his unlawful conduct, therefore, after due warning from the Apostolic Delegation of the United States, as shown by the above document, which was delivered to the Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley in person on Wednesday, the i6th day of October, 1901, and the said Rev. Jeremiah J. Crow- ley having failed to comply with the conditions laid down by the Apostolic Delegation within the period of time allotted to him in the said decree, we hereby declare publicly and solemnly that the Rev. Jeremiah J, Crowley is excommunicated INTRODUCTORY. 55 from the Roman Catholic Church and all participation therein, according to the decree of His Eminence, Sebastian Cardinal Martinelli, Pro-Delegate Apostolic. The effects of this most grave censure of the Church are : 1. He is cut off from the communion and society of the faithful. 2. The faithful are forbidden, under severe penalty, to hold communion with him or assist him in his unlawful con- duct. 3. He cannot receive or administer any of the sacraments of the Church. Should he attempt to give absolution in the tribunal of penance, said absolution is invalid and sacrilegious. 4. He cannot be present or assist at any of the public ex- ercises or offices of religion in the Roman Catholic Church, nor can he be present at mass, vespers or any other public ser- vice in the Roman Catholic Church. 5. He cannot receive or fill any office within the gift of the Roman Catholic Church. t 6. Should he die while under this excommunication he will be deprived of Christian burial. All the pastors of this Archdiocese are hereby commanded, sub pcena siispensionis, to attach the above decree and this let- ter on the wall of the sacristies of their churches for thirty days, in such a manner that it may easily be seen and read by all. This order goes into effect immediately upon receipt thereof. Given at Chicago, on this 26th day of October, 1901. f Patrick A. Feehan, Archbishop of Chicago. By order of the most Reverend Archbishop, F. J. Barry, Chancellor. This unjust and invalid ban of excommunication was re- moved within two months by Bishop Scannell of Omaha, Nebraska, U. S. A., he acting as the representative of the Papal Delegate, Cardinal Martinelli. / made no apology to the priests against whom charges had been m.ade, and I made no promise to desist from issuing the publication the announce- ment of which had been the moving cause of my unjust and invalid excommunication. The following is a translation of the Celebret given to me 56 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. by Bishop Scannell upon the removal of the ban of excommuni- cation : RICHARD By divine mercy and favor of the Apostolic See Bishop OF Omaha. To the Rev. J. J. Crovi'ley : By these presents we testify that you for honorable rea- sons known to us obtained leave of absence for six months, and we make known to all with whom you may come in con- tact that you are of good moral character, and that as far as we know you are not laboring under any ecclesiastical cen- sure or canonical impediment. Wherefore we request in Christ the Bishops of all places in which you may be to permit you to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In proof of which etc. Given at our palace at Omaha the 26th day of December, A. D. 1901. •}■ Richard Scannell, [Episcopal 'Seal]. Bishop of Omaha. I received from the Archbishop of Chicago the follow- ing Celebret, which was sent in obedience to the command of Cardinal Martinelli: Chicago, 111., February 7th, 1902. The Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley is, so far as I am aware, under no ecclesiastical censure and maybe permitted to say mass " de consensu Ordinariorum." Yours faithfully, f P. A Feehan, Archbishop of Chicago. On March 9, 1902, I celebrated Solemn High Mass in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and I quote the following from the headlines of The Chicago Tribune of the next day: Crowley Again a Priest. Authorized by Martinelli to Celebrate High Mass. Of- ficiates at Special Services in the Church of the Immacu- late Conception and is Recognized by the Congregation — Papal Benediction on the Parish is Received and Read to the Members. Most solemn promises were made to me by Cardinal Mar- tinelli in person at Washington, of a parish in Chicago, salary CARDINAL MARTINELLI. S8 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. from the time I was ousted from my Oregon parish, etc., but none of these promises was kept, as the priests against whom the twenty-five prominent pastors had made grave charges insisted that I should first sign an apology to them. I refused to " whitewash " them. It does not come within my purpose to give in this publication the history of this now famous and still pending Chicago controversy. The publication of its history remains, perhaps, for the future. But my readers will probably be able to glean a few hints of its facts and importance by perus- ing the quotations (a volume of which I have in my pos- session) which I now give from religious and secular publi- cations of high standing. My friends insist that I shall not eliminate from them the flattering expressions, and most re- luctantly I yield to their advice. Leslies Weekly, New York, Nov. 2ist, igoi. Chicago's Fighting Priest. Father Jeremiah J. Crowley, until recently pastor of the Catholic Church at Oregon, 111., was the central figure of the most sensational incident in western church history, Sunday, November 3d. Defying a recent edict of excommunication from Cardinal Martinelli, of Washington, he entered the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, while. solemn high mass was in progress, and took a seat immediately belpw the altar. Chan- cellor F. J. Barry, of the archdiocese of Chicago, was in charge of the mass, and in pursuance of the laws of the church that no excommunicated priest shall be allowed to take part in the services of a Catholic Church, ordered Father Crowley to leave. The priest quietly refused to go. The music was stopped ; the choir filed out, and the priests retired. Chancellor Barry ex- plained the situation to the congr^ation, most of whom left; low mass was hurriedly rendered, and Father Crowley re- mained to the end. The sensational incident had its origin last July, when Father Crowley, in connection with twenty-five other priests, protested against the appointment of Peter J. Muldoon as auxiliary bishop of Chicago. Archbishop Fee- han disregarded the protest. Father Crowley resigned from his parish in Oregon. Later he withdrew the resignation. INTRODUCTORY. 59 The archbishop, however, accepted the action of Father Crow- ley and appointed a pastor in his stead. Father Crowley re- fused to give up the church and the archbishop secured an injunction, prohibiting Father Crowley from acting. The in- junction suit is still pending. The archbishop notified Father Crowley that he must desist in his charges against brother priests or suffer excommunication. Father Crowley refused to withdraw his charges, and the letter of excommunication by Cardinal Martinelli was printed in the Qiicago press. Father Crowley insists that he cannot be excommunicated without a trial. Father Crowley is forty years old and a man of striking physique. He is gifted as a scholar and orator. The Ram's Horn. Chicago, November 30th, 1901. A brave and pious priest in the Roman Catholic com- munion is not so scarce a personage as he was within the mem- ory of men now living. Indeed, it is the character of the priesthood that has been the chief objection which men have argued against this ancient church. When its own clergymen, however, come to a lively appreciation of the shortcomings of their order, hope arises that this mighty ecclesiastical sys- tem may have within itself the seeds of. a new life. But the reformation, if it come, will not be without stubborn conflict, as is indicated by what is now taking place in the archdiocese of Chicago. When men were recently raised to high offices in the diocese, a young priest. Father J. J. Crowley by name, asked the church authorities for a thorough investigation of these men's records. The answer was a sentence of dismissal of Father Crowley from his own parish, which he was serv- ing' most faithfully and acceptably, and after it appeared that his contention was being seconded and supported by all honorable Catholics, he was summarily excommunicated. But this loud edict, which was so dreaded once, has failed to alter the fixed purpose of Father Crowley. He is a man whom it will be hard to defeat. He is finely endowed physically, stand- ing more than six feet high; mentally, having a thorough classical and theological training; and spiritually, for one to look into his open face and clear eyes assures one that he is a man who has been with God. Compared with the types of priest that are seen most frequently, slim, ferret-eyed. 60 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. shifty, designing creatures, or greasy, obese, dull-witted ones, Crowley looks like a man from another planet. The St. Louis Republic. Sunday, Dec. ist, 1901. Unique Case of The Reverend Jeremiah J. Crowley. The case of the Reverend Father Jeremiah J. Crowley, a priest of the Roman Catholic diocese of Chicago, who was excommunicated recently by authority of Cardinal Mar- tinelli, furnishes at once the most unique and the most inter- esting controversy that has ever arisen between that wonder- ful church and one of its anointed ministers. It differs from the McGlynn case, which was one of di- rect disobedience to the commands of Rome ; it differs from the famous Koslowski case, which was one of schism; it differs from all the minor cases in which the accusations against the excommiinicated were based on immorality or religious infi- delity. Father Crowley is a man and a priest of high intellect- ual endowments; one of rare, almost fanatical piety. His career as a student, as a citizen and as a minister of his church is exemplary from the standards of measurement with- in and without the Rorhan church. A product of Carlow Col- lege, a living example of the genuine Irish gentleman, young, handsome, a giant physically and yet a person of much ten- derness, as well as courage. Father Crowley stands forth in his own right as a personage sure, to prepossess acquaintances and likely to win and hold their high regard. He is abstemious in his habits, industrious to the limit of his great physical power, studious to a degree, intensely sincere, direct and frank of mind and manner. The Very character and reputation of the man make his present sad plight incredible to strangers. He has been cursed by Rome through a published document of excommunication uttered by Cardinal Martinelli. If he died to-day his body would be denied burial in holy ground. His presence at mass in the parish church of Archbishcp Feehan in Chicago has been sufficient to stop the ceremonial. If Lucifer himself had appeared in the church, no greater consternation could have reigned amongst the priests celebrating the sacrifice. The music ceased, the lights were quenched and the high cere- monial was abandoned. The preacher leveled his logic and INTRODUCTORY. 6l his eloquence against the outlawed priest, who, in spite of her malediction, was kneeling there worshipful, silent, alone and, as it seemed, defenseless against the pontifical thunderbolts falling around him. Having thus pilloried a good man and a good priest be- fore all men, the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church have at least invited the astonished curiosity of all religionists, all thoughtful men. What has Father Crowley done to incur the most awful curse that can befall either a Catholic layman or priest? According to his own statement, he began, many months ago, to oppose and expose the alleged sinful machinations of a number of clergymen then and now high in the councils of the Chicago diocese. To his Archbishop, and through him to Rome, he protested against certain deeds of priests whose lives, thought Father Crowley, were a menace to his church and a blasphemy against her holiest teachings. At first he waged his crusade through the secret channels of the hierarchy, not that he feared candor, but to evade scandal if possible. His efforts were absolutely ignored. If his communica- tions, offers of evidence, names of witnesses and other state- ments ever reached the proper authorities, they elicited no action or response. Then came Archbishop Feehan's declara- tion that he would appoint the Reverend P. J. Muldoon as auxiHary Bishop of Chicago. Twenty-five priests of the dio- cese, one of whom was Father Crowley, protested against the appointment on grounds already exploited in the secret crusade against corruption and sin in the high places. The Archbishop ignored this protest and preparations for the con- secration of Father Muldoon proceeded. Then Father Crowley gave to the world a story of al- ' leged priestly decadence and corruption such as has been sel- dom charged even against ordinary self-respecting men of the world. The question as to whether these charges were true was never raised by the church authorities. The first action of the diocesan was to begin civil proceedings to relieve Father Crowley of his mission as pastor of St. Mary's Church at Oregon, 111. The priest defended the injunction suit thus brought, on the ground that he had been neither accused, tried nor found guilty of anything that could debar him from his rights as pastor. But he bowed to the arm of the civil law and obeyed the enjoinder. A priest was sent thither to sup- 62 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. plant him. The case took its place on the docket of the Cir- cuit Court of Ogle County. The briefs then issued by Crow- ley's attorneys contained between the flyleaves a slip of paper announcing that later Father Crowley would publish a book exposing the alleged state of affairs in the diocese of Chicago. Father Crowley and his friends believe that this threat (never carried out) was the true cause for the commotion which followed in the high councils of the Catholic Church. The offending priest was warned that unless he withdrew all past charges, expressed penitence and accepted the punishment which Archbishop Feehan might mete out within ten days he (Crowley) would be excommunicated. The priest, yet be- lieving that his charges were true and uttered in a holy cause, refused to recall his words. He permitted the ten days to elapse. A printed circular, with Cardinal Martinelli's name at- tached, was served upon him by three constables, hired lay- men, while the priest was at dinner. It proved to be a stere- otyped form- of excommunication and upon the same day was posted in the sanctuaries of every Catholic Church in the dio- cese. It was a shocking surprise to Crowley, who expected at least a trial. The causes for the decree of excommunication were summed up as (first), "appealing to a civil court." To this Father Crowley replies that it was his Archbishop and not he who went into the civil court. The second charge was that Crowley had sought to defend himself in a civil court at law. To this the priest replies that neither priest nor man needs an excuse for self-preservation. The third charge was to the effect that he had threatened to expose the " unfor- tunate diocese of Chicago as he believes it to exist." To this last and most significant accusation Father Crow- ley answers: " I threatened to tell the truth about this diocese' for no other motive than to further the best interest and pre- serve the sanctity of my Holy Mother Church. I do not be- lieve that my church is benefited by the suppression of truth and the continiiation of evil men in her holiest offices. If I have falsified, why do they not investigate, and prove me false? But I have not. My charges were supplemented by willing and credible witnesses, names and dates. I am not fighting my church and never will. I am fighting the evil men who in this diocese at least, are sapping her power, dishonoring her sanctuaries and blaspheming the God of all Christians If INTRODUCTORY. . 63 that be a crime, I do not understand what loyalty, decency and virtue mean. But, right or wrong, I am entitled to a trial. The meanest criminal is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. My worst enemies accuse me of no sin. I believe that my church will yet hear me ; that she will uphold me. But, come what may, I shall never fight against nor villify my church. I shall remain a Roman Catholic, as I was born and as I am to-day." Father Crowley has appealed to Rome through the Amer- ican Ablegate, Cardinal Martinelli. He is willing to with- draw from the fight if the church authorities will appoint an unbiased court and investigate the charges he has made against his fellow-priests of this diocese. He is willing to abide by the results of that investigation. He believes it will be given. Meanwhile he continues to attend holy mass in the face of physical, oratorical and tacit opposition. His opponents, clerical and lay, insist that he has already committed the un- pardonable crime of scandalizing his church by accusations against her clergy. They insist that even the truth of those charges cannot condone the inherent offense. His friends and adherents, and they include some of the ablest and best of the priests and laity of the Chicago diocese, contend that there can be no sin in telling truth, in exposing corruption, no matter how cloaked with the sacred vesture of office. They say that there are bad priests, just as there are bad preachers, bad merchants, dishonest lawyers, but, they argue, it is the duty of honest Catholics to " drive them out." {The Interior, April 3, 1902. Editorial Column.) Every new movement made by Archbishop Feehan and Bishop Muldoon of this city to crush Father Crowley is of a nature calculated to convince the Protestant onlooker that the priest has attacked the prelates and their favorites at a point where they do not dare to make a fair reply. Father Crowley's charges of immorality among the clergy of the dio- cese have been definite enough in all conscience to deserve attention, but his overlords absolutely refuse to order or sub- mit to investigation. As a climax to his tyranny Archbishop Feehan has issued an edict prescribing that any priest who gives countenance to Crowley shall by that act be automatically suspended from the priesthood. This is done in spite of the fact that Father Crowley has been upheld by the highest 64 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. authority of the Catholic hierarchy in this country, Monsignor Martinelli, and stands now in perfect nominal relations to the church. This decree of ostracism, a punishment not only without conviction but even without charges, is full of the very spirit of the old-time Inquisition. We can only hope that for it the archbishop will incur the avenging wrath of the papal delegate whose will he has virtually defied. Martinelli, of course, is as tyrannical as anybody, but there would be some rude kind of justice in an apportionment to Feehan of a good big dose of his own sort of medicine. The Ram's Horn, Chicago, June 28, 1902, Editorial Column. The most important question before the Vatican is, what will it do with the many protests on file there against the ir- regularities and immoralities in the church itself? These are made by good Catholics. They are not attacks from without, but are appeals from priests and people within. Conditions as they exist in the archdiocese of Chicago are perhaps akin to those which exist elsewhere. Instead of dispi^oving Father Crowley's charges or giving him a chance to prove them, the church excommunicated him. He was, however, almost im- mediately restored to church communion, which act was a confession that he was right, and yet there is no evident "in- tention of cleansing the church of its unworthy priests. Archbishop Feehan died July 12th, 1902, and Bishop Quigley, of Bufifalo, N. Y., was appointed his successor, com- ing to Chicago March 10, 1903. Archbishop Quigley of the Archdiocese of Chicago, with full knowledge of the villainy of some of the priests of his Archdiocese complained of by the twenty-five protesting pas- tors, has demanded that I sign a document which would in effect whitewash them. At our last interview he handed me an apology in Latin and what purported to be a translation of it in English, the latter paper bearing across its top in the handwriting of His Grace the words, " Authentic translation. J. E. Quigley." I now give a photographic copy of this trans- lation. ^f///le a- /li /y-^ A-y/H^t ^i» ^ A^^..^^ Chicago, 111. WoBt R««'erond and Dear Archbiahop: Having come to the concluaion that the couree pursued by me for the laat two years le altogether wrong, and having In mind the solemn promise of reverence and obedience to my Bishop, which I made on the day of my ordination, I hereby renew that promise and pledge myself to be henceforth to your Grace, an obedient son in Christ , I regret and deplore the injury I have done to certain of my fellow-priests by publishing charges against them after said chargea had been duly considered £ind set aside by the competent ecclealaatlcal authority, and I pledge myself to accept any penance which your Grace nay deem fit in satisfaction therefor. I sincerely engage myself to do all in my power to stop the further publication of anything which may give scandal or offense. I hereby bind mj^self to submit all matters of grievancQ or dispute be- tween me and my confreres to the judgment of the proper ecclesiastical authorities; and I will abide by their decision. Therefore I have withdra\vn certain cases now pending in the civil courts, specified by me in another letter of even date with this; renouncing at the same time all right on my part to re-open them. Henceforth I shall earnestly endeavor to repair my short-com- ings of the past. I will accept without question any charge your Grace] shall confer upon me after my re-instateraent. Your Grace has ray per* . mission to make public this letter at any time or in any way you may eelect. Trusting that your Grace will find it possible to restore me shortly to the full exercise of faculties as..a priest of the Arch- dloceso of Chicago, I remain, Your Grace '^ most obedient servant In Christ, To the Most Beverend James Edward Qulgley, Archbishop of Chicago. 66 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Catholic people, note this : I was but one of a band of twenty-five priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago who pro- tested against clerical corruption. I alone am made to feel the weight of ecclesiastical displeasure, and I alone am commanded to apologize for telling the truth. I have been subjected to persecution. My name has been unjustly removed from the directory of the Catholic clergy of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I have not received, as is my ecclesiastical right, any financial support from the funds of the Archdiocese. I have been left without a parish, without a home, without any salary, and have been uncanonically forbidden by the authorities of the Chi- cago Archdiocese to say Mass, or in any way to exercise my " faculties " as a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago, although I have a " Celehret." I am convinced that I have been sub- jected to this cruel treatment with the deliberate design of forc- ing me to apologize to corrupt priests. For the information of my readers I now state that a " Celebret " is a canonical docurpent which is given to a priest by the head of the diocese to which he belongs, or by some higher Church dignitary of competent jurisdiction, when that priest travels outside of his own diocese. It is, in effect, a certificate that he is of good moral character and not laboring under any ecclesiastical censure or canonical impediment. I have never looked upon the face of Archbishop Quig- ley since March 28, 1903, when he handed me the apologies in Latin and English. These papers, it is needless to say, remain and will remain unsigned. I will never sign a lie for any man, be he layman, priest. Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal or Pope! I have nothing to regret or retract. I can only say : God save the Roman Catholic Church ! Archbishop Falconio succeeded Cardinal Martinelli as Papal Delegate to the Church in the United States. He was made fully acquainted with the details of the Chicago con- troversy by a mass of official documents on file in the Dele- gation Office; and a correspondence ensued between His Ex- cellency and myself looking towards a settlement of it. I now give a photographic copy of one of his letters to me : anttea states of America. No.^JJJJ__. "^^A^^u^. ^. »-. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., p. 370. Morals of the Clergy, A. D. 1303-15 17. The gradual decline of papal influence and the evil ex- ample of the lives of some of the Popes reacted with terrible effect upon the morals of the bishops. As many of these had secured their sees by the employment of questionable means, it need excite no surprise if, having once entered upon the duties of their ofifice, they led lives the reverse of exemplary, and did absolutely nothing to elevate the standard of morality among the faithful. . . It must be admitted that morality. I06 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. especially among the lower clergy and in the monasteries, was dissolute indeed in the fifteenth centufy. . . Concubinage was the crying vice among the clergy of many dioceses. . . Such scandals will occur in the very best and purest ages. . . Neither can the action of synods be taken as conclusive against the morals of any age. . . But after allowance has been made for every such modifying circumstance, the fact that during this, age the morality of the clergy was deplorable, is still before us in all its hideous deformity. This dissoluteness of morals rapidly infected the laity, who learned from those whose lives should have been examples of manly honesty and priestly honor to put a light estimate on the virtue of purity. The leading minds of the Councils were divided as to what means to employ for removing so deep a stain from the priestly char- acter. Some professed to believe that the marriage of the clergy was the only adequate remedy for the evil ; but others . . maintained that the well-being of the Church depended upon the rule of celibacy, the observance of which would be ren- dered morally certain if based upon a thoroughly clerical edu- cation, an education such as is consonant with a divine call- ing to the priesthood. Decrees were enacted punishing with fines and deposition those of the clergy who should refuse to leave off living in concubinage. As these disorders- were very generally believed to be a consequence of the great wealth of the clergy, many asserted that the removal of so potent an occasion of sin, was the first step towards either forming a new clergy, with more exalted principles of priestly purity and honor, or raising up those of the existing clergy from the depth of degradation to which their avarice and their immorality had precipitated them, and establishing them once more in the esteem and affections of a laity who now regarded them with aversion and Contempt. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., pp. 928-931. Graft at the Papal Court. So wide an extension and so active an exercise of the power and authority of the Holy See called for a large and efficient staff of officials about the immediate person of the Pope, and the continual presence of papal legates in distant countries. For the decisions in all legal matters, the Roman court was the highest tribunal of appeal, and for these legal services heavy fees were exacted. The legates' sent into the BOARD OF EDUCATION. 10/ various countries to look after ecclesiastical affairs, as a rule, made an honest and conscientious use of the vast authority with which they were invested; but the abuses which they not unfrequently permitted themselves excited the most bitter complaints even against the Popes, who, to their honor be it said, always meant well, but were not always faithfully served. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., PP- <^33> 634. Popes Influenced by Astrology. Astrology was so bound up with Italian life that many even of the Popes, Sixtus IV., Julius II., Leo X., and still later Paul III., were influenced by the notions of their time. It is uncertain whether or not Paul II. tolerated Astrology. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., p. 149. Astrology in those days evidently had superseded the Holy Ghost. The Plain Catholic People Saved the Church. The religious dispositions of the people held many things together which threatened to fall to pieces, and explain much that would otherwise be difficult of solution ; it was often very touchingly manifested. When Gregory XL, the last of the Avignon Popes, laid an interdict upon Florence, crowds of citizens used to assemble in the evening before the images of the Madonna, at the corners of the streets, and endeavor by their prayers and hymns to make up for the cessation of pub- lic worship. Vespasiano da Bisticci, in his life of (Pope) Eugenius IV., relates that when the Pope, during his sojourn in Florence, blessed the people from a balcony erected in front of the church of Sta. Maria Novella, the whole of the wide square and the adjoining streets resounded with sighs and prayers; it seemed as if our Lord Himself, rather than His Vicar, was speaking. In 1450, when Nicholas V. celebrated the restoration of peace to the Church by the publication of a Jubilee, a general migration to the Eternal City took place; eye-witnesses compared the bands of pilgrims to the flight of starlings, or the march of myriads of ants. In the year 1483 the Siennese consecrated their city to the Mother of God, and in 149s, at the instigation of Savonarola, the Florentines pro- claimed Christ their King. . . Side by side with these evi- I08 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. deuces of religious feeling in the Italian people, the age qf the Renaissance certainly exhibits alarming tokens of moral de- cay ; sensuality and license reigned, especially among the higher classes. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., pp. 34, 35. CORRUPTION IN THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS. GrafTj Immorality, Cruelty, Worldliness, Etc The lives of many cardinals, bishops, and prelates, are a sad spectacle at a time when one man could hold any num- ber of benefices, and squander unabashed the revenues derived from them in a career of luxury and vice. The serious cor- ruption in the College of Cardinals began under Sixtus IV., and during the reign of Innocent VIII. it increased to such an extent that it became possible by bribery to procure the election of such a successor as Alexander Vl. A glance at the lives of Ippolito d'Este, Francesco Lloris, Caesar Borgia, and others, is enough to show the character of the members ad- mitted under this Pope into the Senate of the Church. It was not till the reign of Julius II. that a partial improvement took place, and even he bestowed the purple on such worthless per- sons as Sigismondo Gonzaga and Francesco Alidosi. Strict ecclesiastical discipline was not re-established in the College of Cardinals till the middle of the i6th century. — Dr. Pas- tor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. ijo, i^i. Of Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, we are told that he hired assassins to put out the eyes of his natural brother Julius, be- cause one of his mistresses had remarked that they were beau- tiful. He was made a cardinal at the age of fifteen years. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., p. iji, foot-note, and p. 41;. INCIDENTS IN THE LIVES OF POPES. John XL, A. D. 931-936. Made Pope by His Infamous Mother. Dr. Alzog says that his mother was Marozia, one of the infamous daughters of the infamous courtesan, Theodora the elder. While she was in the possession of the castle of St. Angelo, she had Pope John X. cast into prison and put to death. Pope John XI. was her son by her first husband, and BOARD OF EDUCATION. IO9 he " was throughout his whole reign, subject to the baneful influence of either his mother or brother." — Dr. Ahog's Man- ual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., pp. sp^, 2p^, 2p6. John XII., A. D. 955-964. A Profligate. Indicted for Incest, etc. In the year 956, Octavian, a youth only eighteen years of age, the son of Alberic, Duke of Tuscany, the husband of Marozia, succeeded, through the influence of his faction, in having himself raised to the papal throne. The custom, now common with popes, of changing their baptismal name upon their accession, into one more ecclesiastical in form, was first introduced by lohn XII. His pontificate lasted till the year 964. Though young in years, this unworthy occupant of the papal chair was old in profligacy, and brought disgrace upon his exalted office by his many vices and shameful excesses. . . When (King) Otho was informed, upon the authority of the leading citizens of Rome, that John XII. was stained with the guilt of immorality, simony, and other vices equally hein- ous, he dismissed the charges with the remark : " He is still young, and may, with the example of good men before him, and under the influence of their counsel, grow better as he grows older." (Otho, while at Pavia, learned of treacherous conduct on the part of Pope John XII. towards him and) he set out for Rome, where he arrived November 2, A. D. 962; but John and (Prince) Adelbert, not daring to await his com- ing, had already fled, taking with them the treasure of St. Peter's Church. The Romans took the oath of fealty to Otho. . . He (Otho) convoked (A. D. 963) a synod to meet in St. Peter's Church, at which forty bishops and sixteen cardinals were present, for the purpose of deposing the Pope. . . This so-called Synod indicted the Pope on the charges of incest, perjury, blasphemy, murder, and others equally enormous. This synod deposed Pope John XII., and elected Leo, a layman, who was called Pope Leo VIII., to the pontificate. Later, John XII. returned to Rome, and drove out the anti- pope, assembled a synod, declared the acts of the synod called by Otho null and of no effect, deposed and excommunicated Leo, and pronounced his ordination invalid. No sooner had John gained this triumph over his enemies than he again went back to his former licentious habits and no THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. unseemly excesses. But though God may tolerate such things for a time, His vengeance usually overtakes one in the end. John was suddenly stricken down with cerebral apoplexy, and died, at the end of eight days, without being able to receive the Holy Viaticum. — Dr. Alzo^s Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. n.,pp. 297, 298, 303, 304, 305. Benedict IX., 1033-1044. A Profligate. Gets Married. Count Alberic, the brother of Benedict VIII. and John XIX., succeeded, by means of unbounded bribery, in having his son, Theophylactus, a young man of only eighteen (12?), but far more proficient in vice than became one of his age, elected Pope, under the name of Benedict IX. For eleven years did this young profligate disgrace the chair of St. Peter. One of his successors (Pope Victor III.), in speaking of him, said, " that it was only with feelings of horror he could bring himself to relate how disgraceful, outrageous, and execrable was the conduct of this man after he had taken priest's orders." The Romans put up with his misconduct and vices for a time ; but, seeing that he grew worse instead of better, from day to day, they finally lost all patience with him, and drove him from the city. The Emperor Conrad . . . conducted him back to Rome and reinstated him in his office; but, on the death of the former (Conrad), Benedict was again forced to leave the city; and his enemies, by making liberal distribu- tions of money among the people, reconciled public opinion to the election of an antipope in the person of John, Bishop of Sabina, who took the name of Sylvester HI. After an ab- sence of a few months, Benedict was brought back by the members of the powerful family to which he belonged ; but he had scarcely been fairly seated on his throne when he gave fresh offense to the people by proposing a marriage between himself and his cousin. The father of the young lady refused to give his consent to the proposed union, unless Benedict would first resign the papacy, and the archpriest John, a man of piety and rectitude of life, fearing the consequences so great a scandal would bring upon the Church, also offered him a great sum of money if he would withdraw to private life. Benedict, who longed for privacy, that he might the more fully indulge his passions, listened with pleasure to these sug- gestions, and finally consented to resign and retire to live as a BOARD OF EDUCATION. Ill private citizen, in one of the castles belonging to his family. It was the honest purpose of the archpriest John to raise the Holy See from the degradation to which it had been sunk by the tyranny and the bribery of the nobles; but, at the same time, conscious that the only way to defeat them was to outbid them in the purchase of the venal populace, he distributed money lavishly, but judiciously, and thus secured his own election. He took the name of Gregory VI. But the love of power and notoriety soon grew upon Benedict. He repented of the step he had taken, and, coming forth from the privacy which had now lost its fascination, and supported by his powerful rela- tives, he again put forth his claims to the .papacy. There were now three persons (Benedict IX., Sylvester III. and Gregory VI.) claiming the same dignity. This condition of affairs brought grief to the hearts of the well disposed of all parties, and they coming together, invited Henry III. of Ger- many . . to put an end to the confusion and restore order. . . He caused a synod to be convened . . at Sutri, at which Syl- vester III. was condemned and ordered to retire to cloister, and there pass the remainder of his days. Benedict's claims, owing to his resignation, were not taken into account, and Gregory came forward, and, on his own motion, declared that though he had had the best intentions in aiming at the pap- acy, there could be no question that his election had been se- cured " by disgraceful bribery and accompanied by simoniacal heresy, and that, in consequence, he should of right be deprived of the papal throne, and did hereby resign it." Accompanied by his disciple, Hildebrand, he afterward retired to the mon- astery of Clugny. . . The Romans had sworn that they would not choose another Pope during the lifetime of Gregory, and they therefore begged Henry III., as he with his successors enjoyed the title of Patrician of Rome, to make choice of one. Henry selected for the office Suidger, Bishop of Bamberg, who took the name of Clement II. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Uni- versal Church History, Vol. II. , pp. JJ(5-J/p. John XXIL, 1316-1334. A Multimillionaire. John died (December 4, 1334). leaving a well-filled ex- chequer whose wealth, amounting to eighteen millions of gold florins and seven millions in jewels, was derived chiefly frpm 112 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. annats, or the first year's revenue of a vacant bishopric ; from expectancies, or moneys paid by clerics to the Pope for let- ters securing them the first benefices that should fall vacant; and from the tithe, or a levy amounting to the tenth of its value on all property. It was said that the Pope was accumu- lating this wealth to undertake a new Crusade, and to put him in a position to restore the pontifical residence to Rome. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., P- ^25- Urban V., 1362-1370. Indescribable Immorality. Urban V. was one of the best of Popes. . . The period was in many ways a most melancholy one. The prevailing immorality exceeded anything that had been witnessed since the tenth century. . . Habits of life changed rapidly, and be- came more luxurious and pleasure seeking. The clergy of all degrees, with some honorable exceptions, went with the current. . . Gold became the ruling power everywhere. . . The officials of the Papal Court omitted no means of enrich- ing themselves. No audience was to be obtained, no business transacted without money, and even permission to receive Holy Orders had to be purchased by presents. The same evils, on a smaller scale, prevailed in most of the episcopal palaces. The promotion of unworthy and incompetent men, and the complete neglect of the obligation of residence, were the results of this system. The synods, indeed, often urged this obligation, but the example of those in high places counter- acted their efforts. The consequent want of supervision is in itself enough to explain the decay of discipline in the mat- ter of the celibacy of the clergy, though the unbridled im- morality, which kept pace with the increasing luxury of the age, had here also led many astray. Urban V. . . clearly saw that the reformation of the clergy was the first thing to be attended to, and took vigorous measures . . against immoral and simoniacal ecclesiastics and idle monks. — Dr. Pastor's . History of the Popes, Vol. I., pp. 97-98. Gregory XL, 1370- 1378. A Revolt. St. Catherine Denounces Papal Court. (The States of the Church revolted.) Consternation reigned in Avignon; Gregory XL, timid by nature. BOARD OF EDUCATION. II3 was deeply shocked and alarmed by the evil tidings from Italy. . . He endeavored to make terms with his op- ponents but in vain. . . In face of the reckless proceedings of his enemies, Gregory XI. believed the time had come when even a pacific Pontiff must seriously think of war. A sen- tence accordingly went forth, which, as time proved, was terrible in its effects and in many respects doubtless too severe. The citizens of Florence were excommunicated, an interdict was laid upon the city ; Florence, with its inhabitants and possessions, was declared to be outlawed. Gregory XI. came ^o the unfortunate decision of opposing force by force, and sending the wild Breton mercenaries, who were then at Avig- non with their captain, Jean de Maletroit, to Italy, under the command of the fierce Cardinal Legate, Robert of Geneva. War was declared between the last French Head of the Church and the Republic of Florence. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., pp. 102, 103. (St. Catherine) urged him by word of mouth, as she had already done in her letters, to undertake the reformation of the clergy. The worldly-minded Cardinals were amazed at the plain speaking of this nun. She told the Pope of his fail- ings, especially of his inordinate regard for his relations. . . She loudly complained that at the Papal Court, which ought to have been a Paradise of virtue, her nostrils were assailed by the odours of hell. It is greatly to the honor of Gregory that St. Catherine could venture to speak thus plainly, and equally to her honor that she did so speak. Many would have been glad to crush her. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol, I., pp. lo/, io8. A Two-Headed Papacy. At a number of times there were two and even three Popes at the same time. I now give a brief account of the two-headed papacy which started during the pontificate of Urban VI. My readers will please note that the " corruption of the clergy was the root of all the misery." The election of Urban VI. had taken place under cir- cumstances so peculiar that it was easy to call it in question. It was impossible for those not on the spot to investigate it in 114 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, all its details, and the fact that all who had taken part in it subsequently renounced their allegiance, was well calculated to inspire doubt and perplexity. It is extremely difficult . . to estimate the difficulties of contemporaries who sought to know which of the two Popes had a right to their obedience. The extreme confusion is evidenced by the fact that canonized Saints are found among the adherents of each of the rivals. . . The writings of the period give more or less evidence of the conflicting opinions which prevailed; and upright men after- wards confessed that they had been unable to find out which was the true Pope. Peter Suchenwirt, in a poem written at this period, de- scribed the distress, which the growing anarchy within the Church was causing in men's minds, and earnestly beseeches God to end it. " There are two Popes " he says, " which is the right one?" (This is Dr. Pastor's recital of the poem) : " In Rome itself we have a Pope, In Avignon another; And each one claims to be alone The true and lawful ruler. The world is troubled and perplext, 'Twere better we had none Than two to rule o'er Christendom, Where God would have but one. He chose St. Peter, who his fault With bitter tears bewail'd. As you may read the story told Upon the sacred page. Christ gave St. Peter pow'r to bind, And also pow'r to loose ; Now men are binding here and there. Lord, loose our bonds we pray." We can scarcely form an idea of the deplorable condition to which Europe was reduced by the schism. . . This schism affected the whole of Christendom, and called the very ex- istence of the Church in question. The discord touching its Head necessarily permeated the whole body of the Church; in many Dioceses two Bishops were in arms for the possession of the Episcopal throne, two Abbots in conflict for an Abbey. The consequent confusion was indescribable. We cannot won- der that the Christian religion became the derision of Jews BOARD OP EDUCATION. IIS and Mahometans. . . All evils which had crept into ecclesias- tical life were infinitely increased. Respect for the Holy See was also greatly impaired. . . The schism allowed each Prince to choose which Pope he would acknowledge. In the eyes of the people the simple fact of a double papacy must have shaken the authority of the Holy See to its very foundations. It may truly be said that these fifty years of schism prepared the way for the great Apostacy of the sixteenth century. The Cardinals of the rival Popes were at open variance . . in many cases public worship was altogether discontinued. The most clear sighted contemporary writers point to the corruption of the clergy, to their inordinate desire for money and possessions — in short, to their selfishness — as the root of all the misery. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., pp. 138-142, 143, 146. It certainly is passing strange that notwithstanding, the fact that " upright men " of that sad time were " unable to find out which was the true Pope," yet Dr. Pastor, living five hundred years later, assisted by five Cardinals, has no diffi- culty at all to tell which was the true Pontiff. Surely it is a matter for deep regret that those " upright men " died five centuries before the lifetime of Dr. Pastor and his eminent supervisors! (See Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., p. 120). Together with the revolt against the Church, a social revo- lution was openly advocated. A chronicler writing at Mayence in the year 1401, declares that the cry " Death to the Priests!" which had long been whispered in secret, was now the watch- word of the day. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., p. 120. Pius II., 1458-1464. The Father of Several Children. A Waiter of Erotic Literature. (He was Aeneas Sylvius of the noble house of Piccolo- mini, and was) unable to enter upon his studies until his eighteenth year — gifted with a fine mind — Secretary under Capranica, Bishop of Fermo, . . whom he accompanied to the Council of Basle — ^promoted to the office of Recorder of the Il6 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Council. He was also frequently sent on important embassies, during some of which he was not over discreet in his con- duct. He fell in with an English-Woman at Strasburg, by whom he had a son, a fact which he quietly communicated to his father without any attempt at exculpation other than a reference to the examples of David and Solomon. . . he was created Cardinal by Calixtus HI. . . He was called to fill the chair of Peter and took the name of Pius II. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., pp. 898-900. Pope Pius II. was a writer of erotic literature. Dr. Pas- tor says : Beccadelli's disgraceful work did not, unfortunately, stand alone, for Poggio, Filer Filelfo and Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini (Pope Pius II.) have much to answer for in the way of highly seasoned anecdotes and adventures. — Dr. Pas- tor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., p. 24. Dr. Pastor says of the early life of this Pope: He was employed by the Council as Scriptor, Abbreviator, and Chief Abbreviator; was a member of the commission of dogma, and took part in several embassies. . . His happiest hours were spent in Basle, in a little circle of friends, like him- self, of studious tastes and of lax morality. . . We have posi- tive proof that his own moral life was deeply tainted by the cor- ruption which surrounded him, and that he even gloried in his errors with the shamelessness of a Boccaccio. (Foot- note) : See especially the notorious and much misused letter to his father, in which he begs him to receive a little son whom a Bretonne woman had borne him. Another illegitimate child of Aeneas' died early. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. I., pp. 342, 343. Innocent VIIL, 1484-1492. Formerly Cardinal Ciho. Buys Election. The Father of tivo Children. Ma/rries his Son in the Vatican; also two Rela- tives. Reform. Forged Bulls. Clerical Sports. A 14-year-old Cardinal. New Means to Ex- tort Money. Pawns his Mitre. The news of the death of Sixtus IV., which had taken place on the 12th of August, 1484, set all Rome in commo- BOARD OF EDUCATION. II7 tion. . . A Strong. movement in favor of the Colonna, and in opposition to the chief favorite of the late Pope, Girolamo Riario, soon made itself felt. With wild shouts of " Colonna, Colonna " the infuriated populace invaded the palace of Giro- lamo on the 13th August and devastated it so completely that nothing but the bare walls remained. . . In a short time the city, to which all the armed vassals of both parties flocked m crowds, had become an open camp. Civil war threatened to break out every moment. All shops were closed; no one could venture into the streets without endangering his life. The palaces of the Cardinals were changed into small fortresses; according to the account of one of the ambassa- dors, the owners seemed to be prepared for an immediate at- tack. The Cardinals Giuliano della Rovere and Rodrigo Bor- gia especially had filled their houses with troops, had erected outworks and provided themselves with artillery. . . The whole town was in arms and uproar. Such was the state of Rome when the obsequies of Sixtus IV. began on the 17th August, 1484. Only a few of the cardinals were present. . . Owing to the energetic interference of Cardinal Marco Bar- bo, aflfairs assumed a more promising aspect. . . On the 25th August (1484) the obsequies of Sixtus IV. were finished, and on the day following the 25 Cardinals present in Rome went into Conclave. . . The Italian Cardinals had a complete majority over the four foreigners. . . The Conclaves of 1484 and 1492 are among the most deplorable in the annals of Church history. The first step taken by the Cardinals in Conclave was to draw up an election capitulation; in doing so they openly disregarded the prohibitions of Innocent VI. . . The personal interests of the electors (Cardinals) were the primary consideration. . . There existed a great divergency of opinion as to who would be raised to the Pontifical dignity. . . Italian diplomacy was, of course, not idle. . . All the re- ports agree in stating that Rodrigo Borgia, (afterwards Pope Alexander VI.) was trying his Utmost to obtain the Tiara. . . Jakob Burchard, who took part in the Conclave, relates that Cardinal Cibo won the votes of his future electors by sign- ing petitions for favors which they presented to him during the night in his cell. . . At 9 o'clock a. m. Cardinal Piccolomini was able to announce to the crowd assembled outside the Vati- can that Cardinal Cibo had been elected and had assumed the name of Innocent VIII. The people burst forth into acclama- Il8 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, ttons, the bells of the palace of St. Peter began to ring and the thunder of cannons resounded from the Castle of St. An- gelo. The newly elected Pontiff . . was above middle size. . . He studied at Padua and at Rome, and in his youth had no intention of taking Orders, and his life at the licentious court of Aragon was no better than that of many others in his posi- tion. He had two illegitimate children, a daughter, Teodorina, and a son, Franceschetto. The statements of Infessura and of the poet Marullus, who speak of seven or sixteen children, are exaggerations. . . It is certain that from the moment (he) entered the ecclesiastical state, all the accusations against the purity of his private life cease. . . All accounts agree in praising the kindness, the benevolent and amiable disposition of the newly elected Pope, but they are equally unanimous in condemning his want of independence, and weakness. " He gives the impression of a man who is guided rather by the. advice of others than by his own lights," says the Florentine ambassador of him. . It is not surprising that Giuliano della Rovere. to whom Cibo owed his promotion to the dignities both of Cardinal and Pope, obtained an unbounded ascendancy over (him). — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 229, 231-236, 238-242. On Sept. nth, all the preparations for the coronation (of Innocent VIII.) were completed. . . In the morning the Pope went to St. Peter's, celebrated High Mass there, and gave his benediction to the people. Then Cardinal Piccolo- mini crowned him outside the Basilica. After a short in- terval he went in solemn procession to take possession of the Lateran Palace. The homage of the Jews, usual on such an occasion, took place in the interior of the Castle of S. An- gelo. . . An immense crowd of people thronged the streets, which were decorated with green boughs and gorgeous hang- ings and carpets. Sixteen noblemen carried the canopy, un- der which the Pope rode on a white horse, richly caparisoned in white and gold. He had on his head a golden crown, and over his shoulders the pallium, and -wore round his neck a costly amice, and a cross of gold on his breast, and blessed the people as he passed. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. v., pp. 243, 244. A project of a marriage between Lorenzo's second daughter Maddalena and Franceschetto Cibo (bastard son , of Pope Innocent VIII.) was broached; but on account of BOARD OF EDUCATION. IIQ the youth of the bride its celebration had to be postponed for a while. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 265, 266. (This marriage finally took place, and Dr. Pastor thus describes it): On November 13th (1487) the bride entered Rome, accompanied by her mother. On the i8th the Pope gave a banquet in honour of the bridal pair, and made them a present of jewels worth 10,000 ducats. At the beginning of his Pontificate, Innocent (VIII.) had refused to allow Franceschetto to reside in Rome; now with almost incredible weakness he celebrated the nuptials in his own palace. The marriage contract was signed on January 20th, 1488. Lor- enzo was vexed at finding that Innocent VIII. showed no disposition to make an extensive provision for the newly mar- ried couple, but his annoyance was still greater at his delay in the bestowal of the Cardinal's Hat, which had been prom- ised to his second son Giovanni. The marriage of Maddalena with Franceschetto, who was by many years her senior, was not a happy one; though utterly rude and uncultured, Cibo was deeply tainted with the corruption of his time; he cared for nothing but money, in order to squander it in gambling and debauchery; but quite apart from this the alliance be- tween the Cibo and Medici families was a most questionable proceeding. " This was the first time that the son of a Pope had been publicly recognized, and, as it were, introduced on the political stage." . . In the November of the follov/ing year Innocent VIII. celebrated also in the Vatican the marriage of his granddaughter Peretta (daughter of Teodorina) with the Genoese merchant Gherardo Usodimare ; the Pope himself sat at table at the banquet. . . Burchardi remarks : " These things were not secret but were divulged to and known by all the city."— Pr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 269, 2'/0. Ferrante's behavior towards the Pope underwent a corti- plete transformation. Amidst effusive professions of grati- tude and devotion he commenced negotiations for a family alliance between himself and Innocent VIII. He proposed that his grandson, Don Luigi of Aragon, should marry Bat- tistina, a daughter of Teodorina and Gherardo Usodimare. . . Ferrante despatched an envoy to Innocent VIII. to discuss this subject. On -the 27th of May, Ferdinand, Prince of I20 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Capua, son of Alfonso of Calabria, and Ferrante's grandson (Don Luigi), came to Rome and was received with royal honors. A chronicler of the time says that he will not at- tempt to describe the splendours of this reception as no one would believe him, and .the contemporaneous reports of the envoys corroborate his statement. A banquet, given by Car- dinal Sforza, which lasted six hours, seems to have sur- passed in sumptuousness anything hereto imagined. Dra- matic performances were included in the pleasures provided for the guests. The entertainment given in honour of the betrothal of Luigi of Aragon to Battistina Cibo furnished an occasion for a fresh display of magnificence in the Vatican it- self, (This marriage took place later, and Dr. Pastor says) : The Pope's condition improved, so much that he was able to take part in the solemn reception of the Holy Spear, and the mar- riage of Luigi of Aragon with Battistina Cibo. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 284-286, 318. Unfortunately nothing of any importance was done un- der Innocent VIII. for the .reform of ecclesiastical abuses. At the same time Infessura's statement that the Pope had authorised concubinage in Rome is absolutely unfounded. We have documentary evidence that in France, Spain, Portugal and Hungary, he punished this vice with severity. (In a foot-note here Dr. Pastor says) : See in the Injunction to the Archbishop of Rouen to take measures against clerical con- cubinage. No proof that he (Innocent VIII.) favored it (con- cubinage) in Rome has yet been adduced. . . In this particu- lar instance it is not difficult to find the probable origin of the calumny. In 1489 it was discovered that a band of unprin- cipled officials were carrying on a profitable traffic in forged Bulls. Neither entreaties nor bribes were of any avail to induce Innocent to abstain from punishing the crime with the utmost severity. Domenico of Viterbo and Francesco Maldente who were found guilty were hanged, and their bodies burned in the Campo di Fiore. Now it is notorious that some of the forged Bulls were to this eflfect (authorising concubinage), and the supposed permission accorded by In- nocent VIII. to the Norwegians to celebrate Mass without wine was also a forgery. The existence of such a confederacy for forging Bulls throws a lurid light on the state of morals in the Papal Court, where Franceschetto Cibo (bastard son Board of education. 121 of the then reigning Pope, Innocent VIII.) set the worst pos- sible example. The increasing prevalence of the system of purchasing offices greatly facilitated the introduction of un- trustworthy officials. The practice may be explained, but can- not be excused, by the financial distress with which Innocent VIII. had to contend during the whole of his reign, and the almost universal custom of the time. Numberless briefs de- plore the terrible dearth of money. In the Bull increasing- the number of the College of Secretaries from the original six to thirty, want of money, which had obliged the Pope to pawn even the Papal mitre, is openly assigned as the reason for this measure. Between them, the new and the old secretaries brought in a sum of 62,400 gold florins and received in re- turn certain privileges and a share in various taxes. Innocent VIII. also created the College of Piombatori with an entrance fee of 500 gold florins. Even the office of Librarian to the Vatican was now for sale. Ko one can fail to see the evils to which such a state of things must give rise. Sigismondo de' Conti closes his narrative of the increase in the number of secretaries with the words : " Henceforth this office, which had been hitherto bestowed as a reward for industry, faithfulness and eloquence, became simply a marketable commodity." Those who had thus purchased the new offices endeavored to indemnify themselves out of other people's pockets. These greedy officials, whose only aim was to get as much for them- selves as possible out of the churches with which they had to do, were naturally detested in all countries, and the most de- termined opponents of reform. The corruptibility of all the officials increased to an alarm- ing extent, carrying with it general insecurity and disorder in Rome, since any criminal who had money could secure im- munity from punishment. Gregorovius points out that all the other cities in Italy were in the same case. The conduct of some members of the Pope's immediate circle even gave great scandal. Franceschetto Cibo (the Pope's bastard son) was mean and avaricious, and led a disorderly life, which was doub- ly unbecoming in the son of a Pope ; he paraded the streets at night with Girolamo Tuttavilla, forced his way into the houses of the citizens for evil purposes, and was often driven out with shame. In one night Franceschetto lost 14,000 ducats to Car- dinal Riario and complained to the Pope that he had been cheated. Cardinal de la Balue also lost 8,000 to the same Car- 122 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. dinal in a single evening. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. v., pp. 350-354. In order to obtain the means for the gratification of such' passions as these (gambling), or worse, the worldly minded Cardinals were always on the watch to maintain or increase their power. This explains the stipulation in the election capit- ulation that the number of the Sacred College was not to exceed twenty-four. Innocent VIII., however, did not con- sider himself bound to observe this condition, and already in 1485 we hear of his intention of creating new Cardinals. The College refused its consent, and the opposition of the older Cardinals was so violent and persistent that some years passed before the Pope was able to carry out his purpose. In the in- terval as many as nine of the old Cardinals had died. . . . Though, in one respect, these deaths facilitated the creation of new Cardinals, on the other (hand) great difficulties were caused by the urgent demands of the various Powers for the promotion of their candidates. In the beginning of March, 1489, the negotiations were at last brought to a conclusion, and on the 9th of the month five new Cardinals were nominat- ed. (Among these was the Pope's nephew.) . . . Three others were reserved in petto. (One of the three was a son of de' Medici, and Dr. Pastor says of this youth) : Giovanni de' Medici, Lorenzo's second son, was then only in his fourteenth year; he was born December 11, 1475. His father had des-' tined him for the Church at an age at which any choice on his part was out of the question, and confided his education to distinguished scholars. ... At seven years old he re- ceived the tonsure, and the chase after rich benefices at once began. Lorenzo in his notes details these proceedings with appalling candour. In 1483, before he had completed his eighth year, Giovanni was presented by Louis XI. to the Abbacy of Font Douce in the Bishopric of Saintes. Sixtus IV. confirmed this nomination, declared him capable of holding benefices and made him a Prothonotary Apostolic. Henceforth " what- ever good things in the shape of a benefice, commendam, rector- ship, fell into the hands of the Medici, was given to Lorenzo's son." In 1484 (when he was nine years of age) he was al- ready in possession of the rich Abbey of Passignano, and two years later was given the venerable Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino in commendam. But even this was not enough for Lorenzo, who with indefatigable persistency besieged the Pope BOARD OF EDUCATION. I23 (who was the father-in-law of Lorenzo's daughter) and Car- dinals to admit the boy into the Senate of the Church. He did not scruple to represent Giovanni's age as two years more than it really was. Innocent VIII. resisted for a long time, but finally gave way ; and he was nomitiated with the stipula- tion that he was to wait three years before he assumed the insignia of the cardinalate or took his seat in the College. Lor- enzo found this condition extremely irksome, and, in the begin- ning of 1490, instructed his Ambassador to do everything in his power to get the time shortened. The Pope, however, who wished Giovanni to devote the time of probation to the study of Theology and Canon-law, was inexorable, and Lorenzo had to wait till the full period had expired. When at last the day for his son's elevation arrived he was too ill to be able to assist at any of the ceremonial services. The moment they were con- cluded the young Cardinal started for Rome, where great prep- arations were being made for his reception. On March 22, 1492, the new Cardinal Deacon of Sta. Maria in Dominica (Giovanni, aged then about sixteen years and three months!) entered Rome by the Porta del Popolo; on the following day the Pope admitted him, with the customary ceremonies, to the Consistory. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 354-35^- Innocent, like his predecessors, invented new means of extorting money from the churches to fill his depleted treasury. The decrees of (the Councils of) Constance and Basle were either entirely forgotten or lost sight of; ecclesiastical affairs were esteemed of little consequence, and artists and savans seemed to have taken the place of ecclesiastics. This Pope, however, deserves considerable credit for his energetic efforts to suppress sorcery and witchcraft and the remnants of the heresy of John Huss. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. H, pp. po6, po/. Innocent VIII. was known, before he was made Pope, as Giovanni Batista Cibo and he " had passed a frivolous youth." — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. IV. p. 410. Pope Alexander VI., 1492-1503. Before he became Pope he was Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia. He bought the Papacy. He was the most infamous of the iniquitous Popes of the Roman Catholic Church. 124 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. His life was a blasphemy. His memory rots. The following is' a brief epitome of his life in the words of Dr. Pastor : Character. (Calixtus in. had a partiality for one of his nephews, Rodrigo Borgia, who was a man of remarkable abilities, but sensual.) He loaded him with dignities and favors of all kinds. (At the age of twenty-five he was secretly created a Cardinal, in 1456) — ^an unjustifiable action, and the evil was aggravated by the fact that Rodrigo (Borgia) was an immoral and vicious man. In the time of Pius II. the historian Gasparo di Verona sketched his (Rodrigo's) portrait in the following terms : " He is handsome, of a pleasant and cheerful countenance, with a sweet and persuasive manner. With a single glance he can fascinate women, and attract them to himself more strongly than a magnet draws iron." . . Repeated efforts have . . been made in recent years to rehabilitate the moral character of this man. In the face of such a perversion of the truth, it is the duty of the historian to show that the evidence against Rodrigo (Pope Alexander VI.) is so strong as to render it impossible to restore his reputation. — Dr, Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II, pp. 448-452. The first light thrown upon Rodrigo's immorality occurs in an admonitory letter of the year 1460, in which Pius II. re- proaches the Cardinal. . Says Pius II : " You, beloved son, gov- ern the Bishopric of Valencia, the first in Spain ; you are also Chancellor of the Church, and you sit with the Pope among the Cardinals, the Counsellors of the Holy See. We leave it to your own judgment whether it is becoming to your dignity to pay court to ladies, to send fruit and wine to the one you love, and all day long to think of nothing but pleasure. . . . A Cardinal must be blameless and an example of moral life be- fore the eyes of all men. What right have we to be angry if "temporal princes call us by names that are little honorable . . ? We trust in your prudence to remember your dignity, and not suflFer yourself to be called a gallant by women and youths." The hopes of Pius II. were not realised. Cardinal Rodrigo would not change his mode of life. — Dr. Pastor's His- tory of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. 432, 453, 455. board of education. i25 Grossly Immoral. Has Four Children. Luxury. They . . (the worldly Cardinals) allowed themselves the utmost license in morals ; this was specially the case with Rod- rigo Borgia (afterwards Pope Alexander VI.). His uncle Calixtus III., had made him a Cardinal and Vice-Camerlengo while he was still very young, and he had accumulated bene- fices to an extent which gave him a princely income. In the time of Sixtus IV. he was already, according to d'Estouteville, the wealthiest member of the College of Cardinals. One of his contemporaries describes him as a fine-looking man and a brilliant cavalier, cheery and genial in manner, and winning and fluent in conversation; irresistibly attractive to women. His immoral courses brought upon him a severe rebuke from Pius II. But nothing had any effect. Even after he had re- ceived priest's orders, which took place in August, 1468, and when he was given the bishopric of Albano, which he after- wards exchanged in 1476 for that of Porto, he still would not give up his dissolute life; to the end of his days he remained the slave of the demon of sensuality. From the year 1460 Van- ozza de Cataneis, born of Roman parents in 1442, was his ac- knowledged mistress. She was married three times; in 1474 to Domenico of Arignano ; in 1480 to a Milanese, Giorgio de Croce; and in i486 to a Mantuan, Carlo Canale, and died in Rome on the 26th of November, 15 18, aged 76. The names of the four children whom she bore to the Cardinal (Rodrigo Borgia) are inscribed on her tomb in the following order: , Cxsar, Juan, Jofre, and Lucrezia. This inscription, originally in Sta. Maria del Popolo, has disappeared from thence, like many others, but has been preserved in a col- lection' of MSS. It is absurd to doubt its genuineness. . It runs thus : " Vanotiae Cathanae Cesare Valentiae Joane Cadiae. Jofrido Scylatii et Lucretia Ferrariae ducib, filiis nobili Probitate insigni religione eximia pari et aetate et ' Prudentia optime de xenodochio Lateranen. meritae. [ Hieronymus Picus fideicomiss. procur. ex test, pos." Vanozza is the diminutive of Giovanni, as Paluzzo is of Paolo ; according to Jovius, in her later days she strove to make repar- ation for her sins by her piety. Besides these, Cardinal Rod- rigo had other children,— a son, Pedro Luis, certainly born be- fore 1460, (which) may be gathered from the deed of legitima- 126 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. tion granted by Sixtus IV., Nov. 5, i486, in which Pedro Luis is called " adolescens," and described as the issue of de tunc Diacono Cardinali et soluta; and a daughter, Girolama, but apparently by a dififerent mother. Rodrigo turned to his Span- ish home for the careers of these children, who were legitima- tised one after another. In 1485 he obtained the dukedom of Gandia for Pedro Luiz. . . in 1488 he (Pedro) came to Rome, and in August fell sick there and died, certainly before the year 1 49 1. He left all that he possessed to his brother Juan, the best of Rodrigo's sons, born in 1474, who eventually married his brother's intended bride. The Cardinal's third son, Caesar, born in 1475, was from childhood, without any regard to his aptitude or wishes, destined to the Church. Sixtus IV. on ist of October, 148c, dispensed him from the canonical impediment for the reception of Holy Orders, caused by his being born out of wedlock, because he was the son of a Cardinal and his mother was a married woman. At the age of seven years Caesar was made a Protonotary, and was appointed to benefices in Xativa and other cities in Spain, and under Innocent VIII. to the Bishopric of Pampeluna. Jofre also, born in 1480 or 1481, was intended for the Church; he is mentioned as a Can- on, Prebendary, and Archdeacon of the Cathedral of Valencia. Lucrezia, born in 1478, seemed, like her brothers, destined to make her home in her father's native land, for in 1491 she was betrothed to a Spaniard. The mother of these children, Van- ozza de Cateneis, possessed substantial property in Rome, and a house on the Piazza Branca, close to the palace which Rodrigo Borgia had built for himself. ... In the reign of Inno- cent VIII. Jacopo da Volterra writes of Cardinal Rodrigo: " He has good abilities and great versatility. . He is naturally shrewd. He is reputed to be very rich, and his influence is great on account of his connections with so many kings and princes. He has built for himself a splendid and commodious palace. . . . His revenues from his numerous benefices and Abbeys in Italy and Spain and his three bishoprics of Va- lencia, Porto, and Cartagena are enormous; while his post of Vice-Camerlengo is said also to bring him in 8,000 gold ducats yearly. He possesses immense quantities of silver-plate, pearls, hangings, and vestments embroidered in gold and silk, and learned books of all sorts, and all of such splendid quality as would befit a king or a pope. I pass over the sumptuous adorn- ments of his litters and trappings for his horses, and all his BOARD OF EDUCATION. 1 27 gold and silver and silks, together with his magnificent ward- robe and his hoards of treasure." We obtain a highly interest- ing glimpse into the amazing luxury of Cardinal Borgia's pal- ace from a hitherto unknown lettei: of Cardinal Ascanio Sfor- za, dated 22nd of October, 1484. On that day Borgia, who, as a rule, was not a lover of the pleasures of the table, gave a magnificent banquet in his palace. . The whole palace was splendidly decorated. In the great entrance halls the walls were "covered with hangings representing various historical events. A smaller room opened into this, also hung with ex- quisite Gobelin tapestry. The carpets on the floor were se- lected to harmonize with the rest of the furniture, of which the most prominent piece was a sumptuous state-coach up- holstered in red-satin, with a canopy over it. This room also contained the Cardinal's credenza, a chest surmounted by a slab, on which was ranged for exhibition an immense quantity of table plate and drinking vessels in gold and silver, while the lower part was a marvel of exquisitely finished work. This apartment was flanked by two others, one of which was hung with satin and carpeted, the divan in it being of Alexandrian velvet ; while in the other, still more splendid, the coach was covered with gold brocade and magnificently decorated. The cloth on the central table was of velvet, and the chairs which surrounded ifwere exquisitely carved. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 362-36;. Buys the Papacy. In view of the failing health of Innocent VIII. the Cabinets of the Italian powers had for some time been occupied with the probability of a Papal election. . . . On July 25, 1492, when the death of Innocent VIII. was hourly expected, the intrigues in regard to the election were at their height. . . . Some were for Piccolomini and some again for Borgia. The Florentine envoy ... on the 28th July mentions stren- uous efforts on the part of the Roman barons to influence the election, and the foreign powers were equally active. It was currently reported that Charles VIII. of France had paid 200,- 000 ducats into a bank, and the Republic of Genoa 100,000, in order to secure the election of Giuliano della Rovere* On the strength of this they fully expected that their countryman would be chosen. As soon as it became known that the Pope was seriously ill an eager interchange of communications at 128 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. once commenced between the Italian powers, but they were unable to come to any agreement. . . . Giuliano della Rovere did not want for rivals. . . . The chances were against Borgia because he was a Spaniard, and many of the Italian Cardinals were determined not to elect a foreigner ; but the wealth of the Spanish Cardinal was destined to turn the scales in the Conclave. . . . The Conclave began on Au- gust 6th. On .the loth of August the Florentine Ambassador, who was one of the guards of the Conclave, writes that there had been three scrutinies without result; Caraffa and Costa seemed to have the best chance. Both were worthy men, and one, Caraffa, was a man of distinguished abilities. The election of either would have been a great blessing to the Church. Un- fortunately a sudden change came over the whole situation. As soon as Ascanio Sforza perceived that there was no likeli- hood that he would himself be chosen, he began to lend a will- ing ear to Borgia's brilliant offers. Rodrigo (Borgia) not only promised him the office of Vice-Chancellor with his own palace, but in addition to this the Castle of Nepi, the Bishopric of Erlau with a revenue of 10,000 ducats, and other benefices. Cardinal Orsini was to receive the two fortified towns of Monticelli and Soriano, the legation of the Marches and the Bishoprics of Carthagena; Cardinal Colonna, the Abbacy of Subiaco with all the surrounding villages; (Cardinal) Savelli, Civita Castellana and the Bishopric of Majorca; (Cardinal) Pallavicini, the Bishopric of Pampeluna; (Cardinal) Giovanni Michiel, the suburban bishopric of Porto ; the Cardinals Sclaf- enati, Sanseverino, Riario and Domenico della Rovere, rich ab- bacies and valuable benefices. By these simoniacal mea,ns, counting his own vote and those of the Cardinals Ardicino del- la Porta and Conti who belonged to the Sforza party, Borgia had thus secured 24 votes, and only one more was wanting to complete the majority of two-thirds. This one, however, was not easy to obtain. The Cardinals Caraffa, Costa, Piccolomini and ZenO' were not to be won by any promises however brilliant ; and the young Giovanni de' Medici held with them. Cardinal Basso followed Giuliano della Rovere, who would not hear of Borgia's election. Loreiizo Cibo also held aloof from these unhallowed transactions. Thus Gherardo, now in his ninety- sixth year and hardly in possession of his faculties, alone re- mained, and he was persuaded by those who were about him to give his vote to Borgia. The election was decided in the BOARD OF EDUCATION. I29 night between the loth and nth August, 1492, and in the early morning the window of the Conclave was opened and the \'ice- Chancellor, Rodrigo Borgia, was proclaimed Pope as Alex- ander VI. ■ The result was unexpected ; it was obtained by the rankest simony. Such were the means, as the annalist of the Qiurch says, by which, in accordance with the inscrutable counsels of Divine Providence, a man attained to the highest dignity, who in the early days of the Church would not have been admitted even to the lowest rank of the clergy, on account of his immoral life. The days of distress and confusion be- gan for the Roman Church ; the prophetic words of Savon- arola were fulfilled ; the sword of the wrath of God smote the earth, and the time of chastisement had arrived. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., pp. 377-386. One of his Mistresses. Let us see what Dr. Pastor has to say further about " the notorious Giulia Farnese " : Writers speak of an unlawful connection between Alex- ander VI. and Farnese's sister Giulia {la bella). Infessura calls Giulia, Alexander's concubine ; and Matarazzo in his pamphlet, p. 4, and Sannazar, Epigr., i, 2, both use the same term. A stronger proof is to be found in a letter of Alexander to Lucrezia Borgia, dated July 24, 1494, in which he expresses his annoyance at Giulia's departure. Any further doubt in re- gard to these relations, which began while he was still a Car- dinal, is dispelled by the letters of L. Pucci of the 23rd and 24th December, 1493, published by Gregorovius in his Lucrezia Borgia. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V, pp. 417, 418. Has a Son Born ^^^HILE Pope and Legitimates Him. A Bull of 17th of September, 1501, gave to Rodrigo, the son of Lucrezia and Alfonso, then two years old, the Dukedom of Sermoneta with Ninfa, Cisterna, Nettuno, Ardea, Nemi, Al- bano, and other towns. The Dukedom of Nepi, which included Palestrina, Olevano, Paliano, Frascati, Anticoli, and other places, was bestowed on Juan Borgia, also an infant. This child (Juan Borgia) was legitimised by a Bull on ist Septem- ber, 1501, as the natural offspring of Caesar, and his age in- cidentally mentioned as about three years. A second Bull of 130 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. the same date (ist September, 1501), legitimised this same Juan as Alexander's own son. (Dr. Pastor has voluminous foot-notes concerning these Bulls and the paternity of this Juan Borgia, and from them I cull the following) : These two Bulls are to be found in the State Archives at Modena. The first is a copy, the second the original. Another original draft of the second Bull is to be found, according to Thuasne, in the Archives of the Duke of Ossuna. In view of possible fu- ture apologists in the style of (the Catholic) Ollivier, it may perhaps be well to observe that I found both Bulls in the Se- cret Archives of the Vatican in the official Regesta of Alex- ander's reign. Creighton, IV., 19, supposes that Alexander, in his anxiety to secure the position of Caesar's bastard son, accused himself in the second Bull of a fault which he had not committed; but from Burchardi Diarium, II., 170, and especial- ly from Sigismondo de' Conti, II., 253, who is always trust- worthy, it is plain that Juan, who seems to have been born on the i8th June, 1497, really was Alexander's son. . . . An inscription in which Franciscus Cardinal Cusentinus is called Juan's guardian has been published in Arch. d. Soc. Rom., VII., 403 ; and also IV., 90, in opposition to Ademollo's hypothesis that Juan was the child of Alexander and Lucrezia. (Main text) : These undoubtedly genuine documents nullify all attempts to rebut the accusations against the moral conduct of the Pope. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. 104-106. . Makes his Daughter Lucrezia Regent. On the 27th of July (1501) Alexander went to Caste! Gandolfo and Rocca di Papa and thence to Sermoneta. He had the effrontery to hand over the Regency of the palace to Lucrezia Borgia during his absence with power to open his correspondence. (Foot-note) : When the Pope went to Nepi in the autumn the same arrangement was made for the time of his absence (from 25th Sept, to 23rd Oct.). Of course Lucrezia was only Regent in regard to secular affairs, but such a thing had never been done before, and was a startling breach of decorum. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. loj, 104. A Pointed Poem. In his (Alexander the VI's) own palace one day, a set of verses were put up, urging the Colonna and Orsini to come BOARD OF EDUCATION. I3I forwara bravely to the rescue of their afflicted country; to slay the bull (a play upon the Borgia arms) which was de- vastating Ausonia ; to fling his calves (bastard children) into the raging Tiber, and himself into hell.— Dr. Pastor's Historv of the Popes, Vol. VI., p. 5p. Forever Infamous. Any further attempt to rehabilitate Alexander VI. is ren- dered forever impossible by the documents from the Archives of the Duke of Ossuna in Madrid recently published by Thuas- nt.—Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., * 4^^- foot- note, t tj , I From henceforth it is clear that the rehabilitation of (Pope) Alexander VI. is a hopeless task.— i^r. Pastofs His- tory of the Popes, Vol. V., preface p. viii. He Muzzled the Press. Alexander the VI. distinguished himself by muzzling the press. The severe censorship which Alexander (VI) exercised with regard to all publications, would seem to strengthen the suspicion that he had a dread of public opinion. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., p. pi2. His Censorial edict for Germany, dated ist June, 1501, is a very important document in this respect. In this, which is the first Papal pronouncement on the printing of books, it is de- clared that the art of printing is extremely valuable in provid- ing means for the multiplication of approved and useful books ; but may be most mischievous if it is abused for the dissemina- tion of bad ones. Therefore measures must be taken to re- strain printers from repi-oducing writings directed against the Catholic Faith or calculated to give scandal to Catholics. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. 154, i§§. Energetically Repressed Immoral Heretics. In Italy Alexander VI. energetically repressed the here- tical tendencies which were especially prevalent in Lombardy. On the 31st January, 1500, two inquisitors were sent by him with letters of recommendation to the Bishop of Olmiitz, to proceed against the very numerous Picards and Waldensians in Bohemia and Moravia, who led extremely immoral lives, — Pr. Pastors History of the Popes, Vol. F/., p. 156, 132 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Julius II., 1503-1513. He was the war Pope. He led his troops on the battle field. He bought the Papacy. He was the father of children. Julius II. was formerly Giuliano della Revere. (Before Julius II. became Pope he was known as Giuliano della Rovere. He was made a Cardinal in youth.) Sixtus IV. had not occupied the Papal throne for many months be- fore two of his youthful nephews, Giuliano della Rovere and Pietro Riario, were admitted into the Sacred College. . . Car- dinal Ammanati speaks of the elevation of two youths, now for the first time brought out of obscurity, and altogether in- experienced, as an act of imbecility. . . Giuliano della Rovere was certainly the most remarkable of the two nephews. . . If his moral character was not unblemished, his outward de- meanor was always becoming. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. IV., pp. 233, 236, 23;. Table Bill $4,600 to $6,poo Monthly. Objectionable Ways to Raise Money. Bribery in Roman Court. He (Julius II.) kept a- better table than Alexander VI.; the monthly bill for this (Julius' table) was between 2,000 and 3,000 ducats. Julius II. was so economical in his house- keeping that he was quite unjustly accused of being a miser. It is quite true that he was very careful to keep his treasury always well filled. He quite realised the futility of any pre- tensions that had not physical force to back them, and knew that an efficient army meant plenty of money. In the begin- ning of his reign Julius II. had great financial difficulties to contend with, in consequence of the extravagance of his pre- decessor. He had to borrow money, and to pay. Alexander's debts, even down to the medicine which he had required in his last illness. (Some historians allege that Caesar, a son of Pope Alexander VI., appropriated his father's treasure im- mediately after his death.) Some of the means which he (Julius n.) adopted for the replenishment of his treasury were of a very objectionable kind. His subjects were certainly not oppressed with taxation, but it cannot be denied that he not only sold offites, but also benefices. This formed a serious hindrance to the reform ■ which was so much needed ; for if that were carried out, it would mean the abolition of all such BOARD OF EDUCATION. I33 sales. It is true that under Julius II. the money was employed for the interests of the Church, and not for the enrichment of his family; but this is no justification for persistence in simony. The complaints of contemporaries both in Italy and abroad shew how strongly this abuse was resented. (A foot note.) On the bribery which prevailed in the Roman Court under Julius II., see the Swiss Ambassadorial Report in the Anz. f. Schweiz. Gesch. (1892), 373. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. 22s, 224. Had Three Natural Daughters. Giuliano della Rovere (Pope Julius II.) had three daugh- ters. — Sec foot-note. Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. v., p. 369. Accused of Sodomy. Julius II's. obstinate confidence in (Cardinal) Alidosi has been made to serve as a ground for the very worst accusations of immorality against him. . . Creighton writes : " It is hard to account for the infatuation of Julius II. towards Cardinal Alidosi, and we cannot wonder that contemporary scandal attributed it to the vilest motives." " II papa era molto vitioso e dedito alia libidine Gomorrea," (The Pope was very much depraved and addicted to the lechery of Gomorrah — now the crime of sodomy), says a relazione of Trevisan, printed by Brosch, Julius II., 296. The charge was often repeated with reference to Alidosi. It" was a rude way of explaining what could not be explained. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. 342, 3§i, foot-note. Leo X., 1513-1521. Lavishly Extravagant. Least Fit- ted TO Push Reforms. Religion Secondary. Table Bill over $16,000.00 Monthly. (After the death of Julius II.) the fifty Cardinals who went into conclave, elected the young Cardinal-deacon, Gio- vanni dei Medici, now in the thirty-eighth year of his age. (He had been admitted to the Cardinalate when he was four- teen years old.) — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. V., P- 356- On ascending the papal throne, March 19, A. D. 1513, (he) took the name Leo X. . Leo was a true representative of 134 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. his age. An ardent admirer of classic and humane culture, he possessed a refined taste, had a love of elegant literature, and was sincerely devoted to the arts and sciences. But, for all this, he was entirely destitute of the motives and spirit which should form the guiding principles in the life of an ec- clesiastic, and was, moreover, lavishly extravagant. . . The Vatican became the resort of savans, literati, and artists. . . The work of the Lateran Council, which Louis of France now acknowledged, was again taken up where it had been left off in the fifth session, on the death of Julius II. The old ques- tion of reform was again discussed and decrees proposed which provided for a purer morality and a stricter discipline . . abolished the practice of the same person holding several ec- clesiastical benefices, the possession of which would require incompatible duties ; condemned the concubinage of the clergy. . . . These salutary measures were received with indifference. The evil had grown to such vast dimensions that the men of that age lacked the nerve, the vigor, and the determination to look it steadily in the face, to grapple with it, and to persevere in the struggle till it should have been crushed, or at least rendered harmless. And, of all the men of his time, Leo was perhaps least fitted, either by nature or education, to under- take and conduct to a successful issue so difficult a task. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. 11., pp. p20, p2i. To artists and scholars he was magnanimous, noble, and generous ; patronizing them, not from feelings of vanity, but from taste and conviction, and as one having a practical, and thorough knowledge of what he was doing, and why he did it. The age of Augustus seemed to have again dawned upon Rome. More devoted to art than to the duties of his- offices — more enamored of the charms of elegant literature than of the chaste beauty of Christian virtue — Leo pursued toward Luther a policy at once halting and ineffective. Regarding religion himself as a matter of only secondary importance, he could but ill comprehend how others should bear trials for its sake, and expose themselves to countless dangers in pushing for- ward its interests. His pontificate, though one of the most brilliant, was by no means the most happy,- in the history of the Church. His lavish extravagance occasioned in great part the disastrous controversies of the age, and was a source pf no little erobJirrassnient to his successors in the Papacy. He llOARD OF EDUCATION. 135 died December i, 1521. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. III., pp. 43, 44. (Leo) seemed either totally oblivious of, or entirely dis- regarded the decay that had come upon every branch of ec- clesiastical discipline, and which, while it was eating into and poisoning the very life of the Church, was no uncertain token of the sad days that were soon to follow. — Dr. Alzog's Man^. ual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., p. c)22. The monthly bill for the table of Pope Leo X., the suc- cessor of Julius IL, was 8,000 ducats. (See Dr. Pastor's His- tory of the Popes, Vol. VI, p. 223.) Assuming that the value of the ducat was, as stated by. the Century Dictionary, about $2.30, His Holiness spent only $18,400 per month for some- thing to eat and drink. Indulgences. Indulgences were often a source of graft in the olden time, and they are a prolific source of gain to the clerical graft- ers of our day. Since the abuse of Indulgences was especially horrible in the reign of Pope Leo X., I deem this the proper place to insert quotations upon the subject: One Explanation of Decay of Spiritual Life. The decay of spiritual life is inevitably followed by a re- laxation of penitential discipline. The abuse consequent' up- on granting indulgences to crusaders, to those contributing to the building of St. Peter' ^ Church, in Rome, and to others in commutation for similar works, modified the rigors, and eventually wrought the complete destruction of the whole pen- itentiary system. To the earnest zeal of the early Christian ages succeeded an incorrigible levity. The insolent sarcasm of sectaries, which grew daily more violent and offensive, tend- ed to cool the ardor for penitential practices ; and they were largely aided in their work by the lethargy and remissness of many of the clergy, who, instead of instructing the faithful, strengthening the weak, and encouraging all in works of pen- ance, wholly neglected their priestly duties. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., pp. 10^6, lo^'j. 136 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. In Connection with Jubilees. Plenary indulgences were first granted to the Crusaders ; next, to those who took arms against seditious heretics and pagans in Northern Europe ; and, finally, to places of pilgrim- age, and to those who, in making the Jubilee, complied with the prescribed conditions. The Jubilee of the Jews, or rather a custom analagous to it, was perpetuated under the Christian dispensation, and during the closing years of every century an extraordinary throng of pilgrims might be seen in Rome. Moved by the recital of an old man, aged one hundred and seven years, who said he remembered that, just a century pre- vious, he had witnessed similar throngs of people coming to the Holy City, Boniface VIIL, in 1300, granted a plenary in- dulgence to all pilgrims who from penitential motives should visit the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul. Strangers were required to make these visits on fifteen and the Romans on thirty different days in the course of the year. On this oc- casion, two hundred thousand pilgrims gathered about the Holy Father. The interval between one^ Jubilee and another was reduced by Clement VI. (1343) to fifty years, by Urban VI. (1389) to thirty-three, and by Paul II. (1470) to twenty- five. The venal spirit of the Romans could not resist the temp- tation of reaping from these pious gatherings a harvest of sordid gain. Alexander of Hales is the author of the doctrine that they are drawn from the superabundant merits of Christ and His saints. . . (He) also teaches that, by the power of the Keys, indulgences may be applied by the Church to the dead as well as the living — a doctrine which St. Thomas Aquinas establishes by still stronger arguments. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Uni- versal Church History, Vol. II., pp. 797-799. In Relation to Pope Nicholas V. Gold the Inspiration. The restoration of peace to the Church, after so protract- ed a period of conflict and confusion, was deemed by Nicholas V. a fitting occasion for the proclamation of a Universal Jubilee. . . The obstacles presented by the war in Italy and the pesti- lence which followed, were not sufficient to deter the Pope from his project, and, on the 19th January, 1449, in pres- ence of the assembled Cardinals, he solemnly imparted his benediction, after which a French archbishop read aloud the BOARD OF EDUCATION. 137 list of all the Jubilees ever celebrated in the Church, and then proclaimed the new one. All who, during a given time, should daily visit the four principal churches of Rome — St. Peter's St. Paul's, the Lateran Basilica, and Sta. Maria Maggiore — and confess their sins with contrition, were to gain a plenary indulgence, that is to say, remission of the temporal punish- ments due for those sins from whose guilt and eternal punish- ment they had been absolved. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. 74, 75. As early as the summer of 1447 the plague had broken out in Venice, and before lorfg it had spread over a great part of Italy. In October it reached Perugia, where it raged for several years. During the hot season of 1448 the ravages of the malady (called Plague-sore), were terriljle, and before the end of the year it had visited Rome. In 1449 the cry of " The plague ! " again rose from city after city. France and Germany also suffered severely. But throughout the whole of the fifteenth century the destroying angel nowhere found a richer harvest than on the blood-stained soil of Italy. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. 74, 75, foot-notes. The " golden year " opened on the Christmas Day of 1449. The concourse was immense. Then began a pilgrimage of the nations to the Eternal City, like that which had taken place a century before. The pilgrims flocked from every country in Europe ; there were Italians and " Ultramontanes," men and women, rich and poor, young and old, healthy and sick. As Augustinus Dathus says in his history of Sienna, " Countless multitudes of Frenchmen, Germans, Spaniards, Portuguese, Greeks, Armenians, Dalmatians and Italians were to be seen hastening to Rome." . . An eye-witness likens the thronging multitudes of pilgrims to a flight of starlings or a swarm of ants. The Pope did everything in his power to render their passage through Italy easy and safe ; in Rome itself he made the most extensive preparations, and especially sought to se- cure an adequate supply of provisions. But the pilgrims ar- rived in such overwhelming masses that all his efforts proved insufficient. . . Cristoforo a Soldo, chronicler of the city of Brescia, says, " A greater crowd of Christians was never known to hasten to any Jubilee. . In short people of all ranks in Christendom daily arrived in such multitudes in Rome that there were millions in the city. And this continued for the 138 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. whole year, excepting in the summer, on account of the plague, which carried off innumerable victims. But almost as soon as it abated at the beginning of the cold season the influx again commenced." The Roman chronicler Paoli di Benedetto di Co- la dello Mastro has left us a description of the Jubilee. . " I rec- ollect," he says, " that even in the beginning of the Christmas month a great many people came to Rome for the Jubilee. . Such a crowd of pilgrims came all at once to Rome that the mills and bakeries were quite iasufficient to provide bread for them. And the number of pilgrims daily increased, wherefore the Pope ordered the handkerchie| of St. Veronica to be ex- posed every Sunday, and the heacis of the Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, every Saturday ; the other relics in all the Roman churches were always exposed. The Pope solemnly gave his benediction at St. Peter's every Sunday. As the unceasing influx of the faithful made the want of the most necessary means of subsistence to be more and more pressing, the Pope granted a plenary indulgence to each pilgrim on condition of contrite confession and of visits to the churches on three days. This great concourse of pilgrims continued from Christmas through the whole month of January, and then diminished so considerably that the innkeepers were discontented, and every one thought it was at an end, when, in the middle of Lent, such a great multitude of pilgrims again appeared, that in the fine weather all the vineyards were filled with them, and they could not find sleeping-place elsewhere. . At night many of the pil- grims were to be seen sleeping beneath the porticos, while oth- ers wandered about in search of missing fathers, sons or com- panions; it was pitiful to see them. And this went on until the Feast of the Ascension, when the multitudes of pilgrims again diminished, because the plague came to Rome. Many people then died, especially many of these pilgrims; all the hospitals and churches were full of the sick and dying, and they were to be seen in the infected streets falling down like dogs. Of those who with great difficulty, scorched with heat and covered with dust, departed from Rome, a countless num- ber fell a sacrifice to the terrible pestilence, and graves were to be seen all along the roads even in Tuscany and Lombardy." —Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. j6-'j8, 8j, 84. " The court of Rome," writes the envoy of the Teutonic Order, " is sadly scattered and put to flight ; in fact, there is no Court left. One man embarks for Catalonia, another for BOARD OF EDUCATION. I39 Spain, everyone is looking for a place where he may take ref- uge. Cardinals, bishops, abbots, monks, and all sorts of peo- ple, without exception, flee from Rome as the apostles fled from our Lord on Good Friday. Our Holy Father also left Rome on the 15th July, retreating from the pestilence. . . His Holiness goes from one castle to another, with a little Court and very few attendants, trying if he can find a healthy place anywhere. He has now moved to a castle called Fabriano, in which he spent some time last year, and has, it is said, for- bidden, under pain of excommunication, loss of preferment and of Papal favour, that any one who has been in Rome, what- ever his rank, should come within seven miles of him, save only the Cardinals, a few of whom, with four servants, have gone to the said castle and are living there." Even in the previous year the Pope had, on the outbreak of the plague, fled from Rome with some few members of the Court and gone first to the neighborhood of Rieti, and then to the castle of Spoleto, whence he was driven by the malady. . Poggio mockingly declared that the Pope wandered about after the manner of the Scythians. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. 86, 87. When the pestilence ceased with the first cold of winter the Pope returned to Rome. Pilgrims again began to pour in. . . " So many people came to Rome," according to an eye- witness, " that the city could not contain the strangers, al- though every house became an inn. Pilgrims begged, for the love of God, to be taken in on payment . . of a good price, but it was not possible. They had to spend the nights out of doors. Many perished from cold; it was dreadful to see. Still such multitudes thronged together that the city was actually fam- ished. . If you wanted to go to St. Peter's it was impossible on account of the masses of men that filled the streets. . . All Rome was filled so that one could not go through the streets." —Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., pp. 88, 8p. " Perhaps," says the chronicle of Forli, " it may have Been in order to moderate the Pope's joy at the unwonted and ex- ■ traordinary concourse of pilgrims, and to preserve him from pride, that an event was fated to occur which caused him the deepest sorrow." A very beautiful German lady of rank, who had undertaken the pilgrimage to Rome, was, in the district of Verona, set upon and carried away by soldiers. Sigismondo 140 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Malatesta of Rimini was generally looked upon as the instigator of this crime, which caused great excitement in Italy, but not- withstanding the careful inquiries at once set on foot by the Venetians, the mystery was never cleared up. The disaster was all the more distressing to the Pope, inasmuch as it was calculated to deter many rich and distinguished personages from setting forth on a journey which was already deemed in itself most perilous. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II-> PP- 95, 96- " Immense sums of money poured into ^ome during the Jubilee Year, especially at its beginning and at its close, when the concourse of pilgrims was greatest. A chronicler mentions four classes as chiefly benefited: First, the money-changers; secondly, the apothecaries; thirdly, the artists who painted copies of the holy handkerchief ; and fourthly, the inn-keepers. . . . On this occasion, as in previous Jubilees, the pilgrims brought an immense number of offerings. Manetti, the Pope's biographer, says that an exceedingly large qiiantity of silver and gold found its way into the treasury of the Church, and Vespasiano da Bisticci tells us that Nicholas V. was able to deposit a hundred thousand golden florins in the bank of the Medici alone. From the chronicle of Perugia we learn that money was dear at this time, and could only with difiiculty be obtained, because " it all flowed into Rome for the Jubilee." The Pope thus became possessed of the resources necessary for his great schemes, the promotion of art and learning; the poor also had a share of the wealth. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. n., p. 102. The experience of all Christian ages has shown that pil- grimages of clergy and laity to the tombs of the Apostles at Rome are a most effectual means of elevating and strengthen- ing the Catholic life of nations, and of uniting them more closely to the Holy See. (Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. II., p. 103). I will leave it to my readers to reconcile the last with the two following quotations from Dr. Pastor : The concourse of Jubilee pilgrims, which commenced on Christmas Day ( 1474) ' did not at first equal the expectations entertained. . . Respect for the clergy had been much shaken by former experiences. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. IV., p. 280. BOARD OF EDUCATION. I4I Of Italian pilgrims one- of the most notable was Elizabetta Gonzaga. . . She went incognito (to Rome during the Jubi- lee of Pope Alexander VI. in 1500) with one or two attend- ants, and only remained a few days, merely long enough to gain the Indulgence. This lady, and numbers of other women, were only brought to Rome — where they must have seen so much to grieve them — by genuine piety. What the German knight, A. von Harff, thought, in the year 1497, qf the Rome of the Borgias has already been told. A similar impression is conveyed in the words of a Rhinelander who had been in Cardinal Briconnet's service, retailed by Vettori. " If you ask me why I left Rome, I answer that we Rhinelanders are good Christians, and have read and heard that the Christian faith has been founded on the blood of the martyrs, and good morals and many miracles, so that it would be impossible for any one who lived here to become an unbeliever. But I spent several years in Rome and saw the lives led by the Prelates and dignitaries, and had I staid there any longer I should have been in danger not only of losing my faith, but of becoming an Epicurean and doubting the immortality of my soul." — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., p. 151. In Relation to Pope Alexander VI. Gold Again.- Receipts from the Jubilee . . Sigismondo says, former Popes such as Nicholas V. and Sixtus V. . . employed in re- storing atjd adorning the churches of Rome. . . In December (1500) the Jubilee in Rome was prolonged until the Feast of the Epiphany and extended first to the whole of Italy, and then to the whole of Christendom. According to these Bulls, all Christians living at a distance from Rome might, in the fol- lowing year, gain the great Indulgence without visiting the city, by fulfilling certain conditions and paying a certain sum. The Pope left all moneys collected in Venetian territory in the hands of the Republic for the war against the Turks. The same thing was done in Poland, though there the money was not employed for the purpose specified. In Italy, Caesar (Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI.) had the effrontery to appropriate the jubilee moneys on his own authority. The Florentine historian Nardi relates How his emissaries ap- peared in Florence and demanded the money in the Jubilee chest, " to enable him to pay the soldiers who were plundering us. and it was no small sum." The knowledge that these things 142 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. were done goes a good way towards explaining the resistance which those who were commissioned to preach the Jubilee Indulgences met with in Switzerland as well as in Germany. Cardinal Peraudi had to put up with all sorts of harassing restrictions in the (German) empire, and to undertake that all the money there collected should be handed over untouched to the administration for the Crusade. — Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes,' Vol. VI., pp. 152-154. Indulgence Graft and Luther. Dr. Pastor will, perhaps, treat at length the subject of Indulgences in his forthcoming volumes ; I wish they were now in print. He has already said, and I have just quoted it, " Ac- cording to these Bulls, all Christian's living at a distance from Rome might, in the following year, gain the great Indulgence without visiting the city, by fulfilling certain conditions and paying a certain sum." The gravest abuses characterized the procuring of Indulgences, and the handling of the receipts. Dr. Pastor himself says, and I have already so quoted him, that certain Jubilee or Indulgence moneys were misappro- priated, and that " the knowledge that these things were done goes a good way towards explaining the resistance which those who were commissioned to preach the Jubilee Indul- gence met with in Switzerland as well as in Germany." (See again Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., pp. 152- 154). Let us see what Catholic historians have to say on our present topic ! It was at this time (about 1512) that Indulgences were published in Germany by the authority of the munificent and splendid Leo. X., the proceeds of which were to be applied to the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, commenced by Julius II. The office of publishing the indulgences was given to the Elector Albert, a prince of the house of Branden- burg, Archbishop of Mentz and Madgeburg, and administra- tor of the diocese of Halberstadt, who was as extravagant and as fond of magnificent displays as Leo himself. Albert selected the Dominican Tetsel of Leipsic to preach the indul- gences to tlfe people of his diocese. A ripe scholar and a fine BOARD OF EDUCATION. 143 popular speaker, Tetzel proclaimed the efficacy of indulgences in language at once ardent and energetic, which while at times sufficiently offensive to call forth expressions of hostility against both the man and his mission, was by no means so in- temperate or extravagant as his enemies would have us be- lieve. As the civil and ecclesiastical authorities had but re- cently enacted measures restricting the sale of indulgences, the recent publication of them gave no little offense. In the year 1500, the electoral princes entered a protest against their publication, and enacted in 15 10 that sums of money arising from this source should not be sent out of the country. The emperor Maximilian was at special pains to see that the latter provision was faithfully executed. John, Bishop of Meissen, had also issued a prohibition, cautioning any one in his dio- cese against receiving the preachers of indulgences ; and a similar prohibition had been published in the diocese of Con- stance. Luther, therefore, was not the first to protest against the flagrant abuses incident to putting indulgences on sale ; but had he been, no blame could have attached to him, for he would have been only exercising a right which he had in virtue of his offices of preacher, confessor, and doctor of the- ology. So also, when, by the advice of his friends, he affixed his famous ninety-five propositions to the doors of the church attached to the castle of Wittenberg, on the Vigil of All Saints (October 31, 1517), he did no more than what was sanctioned by the usage of that age. It would seem that he might claim the greater right to do so, inasmuch as he openly proclaimed the doctrine of indulgences, saying in his seventy-first proposi- tion : " Whosoever speaks against the truths of papal indul- gences, let him he anathema ; " and protested that it was not his wish or purpose to say aught against Holy Writ or the teachings of the Popes and the Fathers of the Church. No fanlt, therefore, could be found with him for having de- nounced whatever was really extravagant and excessive in the preaching of indulgences, and for having called for some authoritative settlement of the question, of which, as he after- ward confessed, " he knew no more at that time than those who came to inquire of him." That he was sadly in need of some elementary instruction on the nature of indulgences, their conditions and effects, is painfully evident from the grotesque character and intemperate language of many of his propositions. In his twenty-ninth proposition Luther asks : 144 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. " Who knows if every soul would desire to be delivered from purgatory ? " Again, in his eighty-second : " Why does not the Pope, since he may open heaven to so many for a few wretched florins, ffi his sacred charity empty purgatory of the sufjfering souls confined there ? " — Dr., Alzog's Mjmual of Universal Church History, Vol. III., pp. 10-13. The great applause ttiat greeted the appearance of Luther's propositions revealed the intense indignation everywhere evoked by the abuse of indulgences. Within the short in- terval of two months, they were known in almost every coun- try of Europe. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. HI., pp. 14, 15. That no one might have a pretext to plead ignorance of the true teaching of the Roman Church on indulgences, Leo, in a bull issued November 9, 15 18, and beginning Cum post- quam, gave the fullest instruction on the doctrine, and threat- ened such as should gainsay it with excommunication latce sententicE. About the same time, the Pope sent the accom- plished Saxon, Charles of Militz, to Germany, for the two- fold purpose of decorating the Elector Frederic with the golden rose and the securing him in the interest of the Holy See ; and of restraining Luther by peaceful measures until such time as the German bishops should have put an end to the quarrel. Tlae Apostolic nuncio while traveling through Germany heard much complaint of the evil effects of Tetzel's preaching, and in consequence sharply rebuked the Dominican for indiscreet zeal. Tetzel took the reprimand so much to heart that he withdrew to a monastery, fell sick, and died, it is said, of grief, July 14, 1519. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Uni- versal Church History, Vol. HI., pp. 20, 21. The bull " Exsurge Domine et judica causam tuam," was issued June 15, 1520, in which forty-one propositions, ■ ex- tracted from the writings of Luther, were condemned, his works ordered to be burnt wherever found, and he himself ex- communicated if he should not have retracted at the expira- tion of sixty days. The Pope exhorted and prayed him and his followers by the Blood of Christ, shed for the redemption of man and the foundation of the Church, to cease to disturb the peace of the spouse of Christ, to destroy her unity, and outrage her sacred and unchangeable truths. But should he disregard these entreaties, refuse to avail himself of this pater- BOARD OF EDUCATION. 145 nal kindness and tenderness, and persist in his errors, he was declared excommunicate, liable to the penalties attached to the crime of heresy, and all Christian princes were instructed to apprehend him and send him to Rome. The execution of this Bull was given to the Papal Legates, Carraccioli and Ale- andro, and to these Dr. Eck was joined. That one like Eck, holding no superior rank as a churchman, should have been made a member of this commission of itself gave no little of- fense. But apart from this, he had been and was still Luther's most formidable and implacable enemy ; and he was now the bearer of his sentence. — Dr.. Alsog's Manned of Universal Church History, Vol. III., p. 23- The Elector of Saxony, who had come as far as the Rhine to welcome the Emperor on his arrival, had a conference with Erasmus ("the guest of popes and princes") at Cologne, in the course of which the latter gave it as his opinion that Lu- ther's fault chiefly consisted in his having aimed a blow at the tiara of the Pope and the bellies of the monks. — Dr. Al- sog's-Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. HI., p. 55. Luther, now spurning papal prohibitions, and notably that of Paul IL in the bull Exsecrabilis, and without waiting for an answer from Leo, appealed (November 17, 1520), on the authority of the decrees of' Constance, declaring a Council superior to the Pope, from the Holy See to an Ecumenical Synod; after having previously published on the 4th of the same month his violent protest " Against the Execrable Bull of Antichrist." Not content with these bold and aggressive acts, he went still further, and on December 10, 1520, having called together the students of the University and the inhabit- ants of Wittenberg at the Elster or Eastern Gate of the city, where fagots had been heaped up, ready to set fire to, he ap- peared bearing the bull of Leo, printed in characters large enough to be seen by all present. The Body of Canon Law, many scholastic and casuistical works, the controversial writ- ings of Eck and Emser, were first cast into the flames, after which Luther flung the Pope's bull into the pile, exclaiming: " Thou hast disturbed the Lord's Holy One, therefore shalt thou be consigned to fire eternal." . . On the following day he addressed the students saying : " It is now full time that the Pope himself were burned. My meaning is that the Papal Chair, its false teachings and abominations, should be com- mitted to the flames." The Emperor, sensible that matters 146 THE rAROCHIAL SCHOOL. were going from bad to worse, convoked his first diet at Worms. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. III., p. 36. The Emperor had at first intended to summon Luther be- fore the diet. Aleandro (Papal Legate) objected, because to submit to the discussion of a secular court questions which had been already disposed of by the Holy See and their author excommunicated, he regarded as disgraceful. . He demanded that the provisions of the bull against Luther should be fully carried out (January 3, 1521). . . The States, however, re- fused to yield to Aleandro's demand; for having themselves brought forward one hundred and one grievances touching abuses in ecclesiastical affairs, they were unwilling to con- demn Luther without a hearing. Moreover, George, Duke of Saxony, a determined enemy of Luther's, brought before the diet twelve specific complaints, including some against the abuse of indulgences and the lax morals of the clergy. He also strenuously advocated the holding of an Ecumenical Coun- cil. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. HI., p. 27. Luther went before the imperial diet (at Worms), where the Emperor was present, on the 17th and i8th of April (,1521). On the former of these days, John von Eck, Chan- cellor to the Archbishop of Treves (and a member of the papal commission), pointing to close upon twenty volumes placed upon a table near by, asked Luther, first, if he acknowledged himself the author of these writings published under his name ; and, secondly, if he was willing to retract the teachings con- tained therein. After hearing the titles of the books read, Luther, in answer to the first question, admitted their author- ship, but requested time for consideration before answering the second. A day was given him to prepare his reply, and on the morrow the Chancellor again asked him if he would retract. Luther was evasive. The Chancellor pressed for a categorical answer. " Will you or will you not retract ? " said he, addressing him. Luther replied : " Inasmuch as it is cer- tain that both Popes and Councils have time and again fallen into error, and denied at one time what they had affirmed at another, I can not bring myself to put faith in them. My con- science is captive to the words of God, and unless I shall be convicted of error by Scripture proof or by plain reason, 1 HOARD OF EDUCATION. I47 neither can nor will retract anything. God help me. Amen." . . On the 26th of May when many of the States had already, as it seemed unadvisedly, withdrawn from the diet, an im- perial decree drawn up by Aleandro, and dated May 8th, plac- ing Luther under the ban of the Empire, was signed by the Emperor, and officially promulgated. . The decree command- ed all persons, under severe penalties, to refuse hospitality to Luther; to seize his person, and deliver him up to the officers of the Empire, and to commit his writings to the flames. . It was now very generally believed that there was an end of the heresy; that the last act of the tragedy had been performed, but a few far-seeing men thought otherwise, and predicted that the storm, far from having spent itself, was still gathering strength. " There is, as some think, an end of the tragedy," wrote the Spanish courtier, Alphonso Valdez, to his friend Peter Martyr, " but as for myself I am fully convinced that the play is only opening, for the Germans are highly incensed against the Holy See." . . . The edict of Worms was feebly executed if at all. It was coldly received by the representa- tives of the States of Germany, who had been industriously taught to believe that this theological quarrel was no more than a struggle against Rome, in the destruction of whose claims they fancied they saw the realization of wild dreams and delusive hopes. (Foot-note) : When the Papal Legate, Chieregati, remarked that if Hungary should be lost, Germany would also pass under the yoke of the Turk, the malcontents replied : " We had much rather be under the Turk than under you, who are the last and greatest of God's enemies, and are the very slave of abomination." — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Uni- versal Church History, Vol. III., pp. j8, 40, 41. On " The General Causes of the Rapid Spread of Protes- tantism" Dr. Alzog says, among other things: Luther's efforts received a color of recognition and sup- port from the serious complaints which had been made in gen- eral councils, with a view to the correction of existing abuses. Many well-meaning bishops had spoken out in no faltering terms against abuses of every kind, and chiefly against those of indulgences; and hence when Luther reechoed their lan- guage, he was listened to with approval. — Dr. Alsog's Man- ual of Universal Church History, Vol. HI., pp. zgi, 292. 148 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. (Germany was) abandoned to the heresy of Luther chiefly through the ignorance and immorality of the clergy. — History of St. Ignatius De Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, by Father Daniel Bartoli, . Vol. II., p. 369. Hadrian VI., 1533-1534. The Reverse of Leo X. Sincerely Religious. Admits Cor- ruption of Priests, Prelates and Popes. Inaugurates Re- forms. Assails Luther. German States List loi Grievances against Rome. Poisoned? The character of Hadrian was quite the reverse of that, of his predecessor, Leo X. Sincerely and deeply religious, a true priest, of simple tastes and grave manners, he had in a certain sense a horror of the art treasures of ancient Rome, regarding them as in a measure tending to revive the idols of paganism. His dislike of them, which was emphatic and out- spoken, gave great offense to the Romans, who, besides taking an enthusiastic pride in the reign of Leo X., had financial rea- sons for encouraging the love of pagan art which that reign had called forth. The oft-repeated words of Hadrian, that " he would have priests for the adornment of churches, not churches for the adornment of priests," expressed a line of action with which the Romans had little or no sympathy. The growing discontent reached its height when the Pope, through his legate, Chieregati, Bishop of Teramo, publicly proclaimed at the Diet of Number g, that, " impelled alike by inclination and duty, he would put forth his best energies to bring about all needful reforms, beginning with the papal household, the primary source of the evils afflicting the Church, to the end, that, as corruption had infected high and low, all might mend their lives, and make sure their salvation." But while thus frankly avowing the faults of the papacy, and prom- ising the correction of these and other abuses, the Pope soon learned that it was not in his power to hasten the march of events, or to shorten the time necessary to such a work. Ful- ly persuaded that only the ignorant could be led astray by the crude and irrational teachings of Luther, and that the revolt against the old faith was to be mainly ascribed to the burdens and hardships endured by the bulk of the people, he enter- tained the hope that this frank avowal of the existence of evil and the promise of its correction, coming from the common father of Christendom, would have the effect of allaying popu- BOARD OF EDUCATION. 149 lar discontent, of conciliating and inspiring confidence in the minds of all. In this frame of mind he pressed the Diet to , take prompt and vigorous measures against Luther, " For," said he, with prophetic foresight, " the revolt, now directed against the spiritual authority, will shortly deal a blow at the temporal also." The words of the Pontiff were ill received by the Diet, and his warning unheeded; his frank avowal of the shortcomings of the papacy gave occasion to exhibitions of unseemly triumph, and his promise of reform was inter- preted as an acceptance of defeat. The hundred and one grievances against the Holy See were again taken up ; and the convocation of an ecumenical council, to convene in some city in Germany, imperiously demanded; which should, in the first instance, provide for the general well-being of the Church, and, this accomplished, settle the Lutheran controversy. Thus far, said the assembled States, it has been found impossible to enforce the edict placing Luther under the ban of the Em- pire, from fear of a popular insurrection. However, they fal- teringly added, every effort will be put forth to prevent the propagation, either orally or in writing, of the new doctrines, until such time as the council shall have convened; and to sustain the authority of such bishops as shall punish married ecclesiastics with canonical penalties. The Nuncio, clearly perceiving that the temper of the States was hostile to Rome, and mortified at the ill success of his mission, withdrew from the Diet; and Hadrian, equally cognizant of their sinister de- signs, gave expression to his sorrow in words of reproachful tenderness, in which, while laying bare the deep and intense grief that crushed his paternal heart, he seemed to take upon himself the responsibility of all the faults committed by his predecessors. Hadrian, however, did more than utter words of complaint. Desirous of putting an end to the system of wasteful extravagance that had grown up under his prede- cessors, he dismissed a large number of useless functionaries, thereby exciting against himself a spirit of intense hostility. To add to the bitterness of his grief he learned that his ef- forts to defend the island of Rhodes (December 25, 1522) against the assaults of the Turks, had proved unsuccessful. The disastrous issue of all his most cherished projects was too much for the tender heart of the holy Pontiff, and he grad- ually sunk under the weight of accumulated sorrows. " How sad," said he in his last moments, " is the condition of a Pope 150 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. who would do good but can not." On the very day of his death (September 14, 1523), the Romans gave expression to •unseemly joy, in a coarse inscription placed above the dooi of his attending physician. (Dr. Alzog omits giving this inscription.) (Foot-note:) The epitaph composed by his friends, and inscribed on his tomb, does him justice: "Here lies Hadrian VI., who held that to rule is the greatest of mis- fortunes." — Dr. Akog's Manual of Universd Church His- tory, Vol. III., pp. 44-47. The inscription placed above the physician's door was this : " To the liberator of his country." Did the physician poison the good Pope, Hadrian VI. ? Paul III., 1534-1549. Trafficked in his Sister's Shame. (His sister was a mistress of Pope Alexander VI.) Rumors of this scandalous connection penetrated into Ger- many; and, later, it came to be so universally believed that Paul III. was openly taunted with the way in which his Car- dinalate had come to him. — Dr. Pastor^s History of the Popes, Vol. v., pp. 416-418. In other words, Paul III. secured his Cardinal's hat by winking at his sister's adultery with Pope Alexander VI. In 1538 the Pope, Paul the Third, published a bull of ex- communication and deposition against Henry the Eighth. — Green's History of the English People, Vol. H., p. 194. Henry the Eighth was the King of England under whom the Protestant Church of England came into existence. He had written a bitter attack upon Martin Luther, and for this service he received from Pope Leo X. the title " Defender of the Faith." At a later time he determined to divorce his Queen, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn, but the Holy See would not dissolve the marriage. The King would not abandon his purpose, and out of this clash came the separa- tion of the English nation from the See of Rome, and the formation of the Church of England. BOARD OF EDUCATION. ISI Catholic writers never tire of asserting that the Qiurch of England owes its origin to the adultery of Henry the Eighth, who was excommunicated by Paul III., but they are discreetly silent about the fact that Paul III. obtained his ecclesiastical preferment by winking at his own sister's adultery with Pope Alexander VI. Innocent X., 1644-1655. Lady Olympia. There was another and more serious subject of complaint against Innocent, namely, the influence which, it was well known, Olympia Maldachina, his brother's widow, exercised in the affairs of the Church. While it is a fact, admitted on all hands, that his morals were above reproach, his conduct in this particular cannot be wholly excused. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Uninersal Church History, Vol. III., p. 368. It is not " admitted on all hands that his morals were above reproach." Alexander VII., 1655-1667. Nepotisni. Extravagance. He called his grasping relations to Rome, and when he appeared in public it was with a pomp and splendor such as had never before been witnessed or even thought of in that city of magnificent displays. . . Alexander erected many mag- nificent structures, which largely contributed to the embellish- ment of Rome. . The costliness of these and other improve- ments, together with the rapacity of his relatives, exhausted his resources, and led to financial embarrassment. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. HI., pp. 479, 481. Alexander VIII., 1689-1691. Nepotism. The memory of Alexander has unfortunately suffered much from the misconduct of his nephews, to whom, on ac- count of his advanced age, he allowed a large share in the government. — Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church His- tory, Vol. HI., p. 484. 152 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Benedict XIII., 1724-1730. A Reforming Pope. Clerical Corruption. Shortly after his election he published various sumptuary regulations, restricting the luxurious habits of the cardinals, prescribing modesty of dress to the clergy, etc. A council convoked by him in the Lateran palace (1725) made many wise enactments for the suppression of scandals and abuses. . Benedict was unfortunate in taking into his confidence Car- dinal Coscia, by whose simulated piety he was deceived, and by whose abuse of power and influence the Church was dis- honored and he himself enriched. — ^Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. III., pp. 48^, 488.^ Benedict XIV., 1740-1758. Disordered Finances. . He at once applied himself to restore the finances from the disordered condition into which they had fallen, owing to the extravagance into which Benedict XIII. had been driven by Cardinal Coscia, and the enormous sums expended by Clement XII. on public buildings. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. III., p. 489. Pius IX., 1846-187S. An Infidel Secretary of State. Cardinal Antonelli was Secretary of State for Pius IX. When he was dying he refused the sacraments, saying that he never believed in their efficacy. He said he had served the Pope faithfully in his official capacity, but that he did not be- lieve in the spiritual powers claimed by the Church. After his death his wife and children came forward and claimed his estate and got it. Pius X., 1903 — The Cardinals. In The Catholic Citizen, published at Milwaukee, Wis- consin, in its issue of July 16, 1904, appeared the following on its front page: board of education. 153 Cardinals' Income Cut. Ever since he succeeded the late Pope Leo, Pius X. has tried to cut down the expenses of the Holy See, a poHcy which has made him anything but popular amongst the cardinals of Rome. A few days ago he announced his intention of cutting off an annual amount of 23,000 francs which it had been custom- ary to pay to every cardinal residing in Rome. The majority of these cardinals have various other sources of income besides their residences, which are paid for by the Church. Pope Pius X. now intends to have all the cardinals reside in the Vatican proper, where there is ample room, and in this way save the high rental which now has to be paid for man- sions for the cardinals in the city of Rome. Several of the cardinals are protesting against this, and say that it would not be proper for them all to live in the same building, as it would detract from their dignity, and also ob- ject to the cutting down of their income. A very prominent cardinal said : " It costs about 35,000 francs to be made a cardinal, and many a cardinal has died without succeeding in paying off debts which he has incurred to meet this expense." The above, it will be noted, is from a Catholic authority. Why should it cost " 35,000 francs (about $8,000.00) to be made a cardinal " ? Why should they live in mansions and not in the Vatican? Why should they object to cutting down the expenses of the Holy See? Many of the Princes of the Church to-day are best de- scribed in the words used by Dr. Alzog, the great Catholic historian, concerning prelates of an olden time: They are vain and arrogant courtiers, lovers of fine liv- ing and pompous display, and much given to usury ; they make their faith subservient to schemes of worldly wealth and am- bition, and entirely neglect the care of their churches; they visit the great ones of the world and the wealthy, but seldom the poor and the lowly; they have neither simplicity, love of God, nor chastity, and the celebration of Holy Mass and the preaching of the Word of God have ceased to be objects of their solicitude; in short, their entire life is one uninterrupted 154 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. scandal. — Dr. Alsog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., p. p2p. THE VATICAN ASSAILS AMERICANISMS The Declaration of American Independence asserts hu- man equality: Rome denies it. The Constitution of the Unit- ed States proclaims the sovereignty of the people; it prohibits any union of Church and State; and it guarantees freedom of conscience, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Rome repudiates the sovereignty of the people; She demands the union of Church and State, and proclaims Herself to be the Church to the exclusion of all others; and she condemns free- dom of conscience, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The non-sectarian public school has become an Amer- ican institution, and is championed by the vast majority of the American people. " The little red schoolhouse " represents an Americanism just as much as any one of the constitutional provisions which I have namicd. Rome condemns the non- sectarian school and asserts that the control of the education of the nation's youth belongs solely to Her. The United States Constitution has been regarded by the fathers and build- ers of American institutions as a priceless document, and not only a boon to Americans but a blessing to mankind: Rome condemns liberties which the Constitution of the United States guarantees. Does the parochial school teach these American- isms or Vaticanisms? If it teaches these Americanisms it is false to Rome : If it teaches these Vaticanisms it is false to America. That my readers may see that I am not misstating these Americanisms or Vaticanisms I now show the former by ex- cerpts from the charters of American liberties, recognized American history, and the most solemn declarations of each occupant of the American Presidential Chair; and the latter by excerpts from the Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII. board of eajucation. 155 Amebicanisms. Human Equality. I quote the following from the Declaration, of American Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; that among these are life, lib^ty, and the pursuit of happiness ; that to secure these rights gov- ernments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. (Ridpath's History of the United States, 1889, p. 736.) The great American historian, George Bancroft, honored at his death by the half-masting of " the flags of all the Execu- tive Departments at Washington," " as an expression of the public loss and sorrow," and called by the President " One of the most distinguished Americans/' as appears from page 164, volume IX of the " Messages and Papers of the Presidents," has this to say about the Declaration of Independence : This immortal state paper was " the genuine effusion of the soul of the country at that time," the revelation of its mind, when, in its youth, its enthusiasm, its sublime confronting of danger, it rose to the highest creative powers of which man is capable. The bill of rights which it promulgates is of rights that are older than human institutions, and spring from the eternal justice. Two political theories divided the world: one founded the commonwealth on the advantage of the state, the policy of expediency, the other on the immutable principles of morals ; the new republic, as it took its place among the powers of the world proclaimed its faith in the truth and reali- ty and unchangeableness of freedom, virtue and right. The heart of Jefferson in writing the declaration, and of congress in adopting it, beat for all humanity ; the assertion of right was made for the entire world of mankind and all coming genera- tions, without any exception whatever ; for the proposition which admits of exceptions can never be self-evident. (Ban- croft's History of the United States, Vol. IV, p. 450. )_ 156 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. The Sovereignty of the People. I quote as follows from the Constitution of the United States: We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tran- quility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of North America. (Ridpath's History of the United States, p. 745). Freedom of Conscience, Speech and Press. The First Amendment to the Constitution reads as fol- lows: Congress shall .make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ; or abridg- ing the freedom of speech or of the press ; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (Id. p. 753.) This Amendment was ratified December 15, 1791, but a few months following the ratification of the Constitution it- self by the several States. This is what Rev. P. A. Baart, a Roman Catholic canon- ist and author, says in' his " Tenure of Catholic Church Prop- erty in the United States of America: " Section 19. Each of the thirteen colonies, before the revolution of 1776, recognized some form of Protestantism as its State church, and several levied taxes for the support of the authorized worship. To prevent contention, the con- stitution of the United States, in its first amendment, pro- hibits the recognition of a state religion, though it intends that all forms of Christianity shall be protected from disturbance in worship and in property. Because of this constitutional prohibition, the government of the United States does not recognize the Catholic Church as such, nor can thei Church as such become incorporated. BOARD OF EDUCATION. 157 History of the Establishment of Freedom of Conscience in America. In the History of the United States by George Bancroft, " the author's last revision," 1888, there is a special chapter on the " Constitution of the States." Each American State, of course, has its own Constitution, which embodies the prin- ciples of the Constitution of the Federal Government, or con- tains nothing antagonistic to them. In his history Mr. Ban- croft writes concerning the Constitutions of our original States. He says: For more than two centuries the humbler Protestant sects had sent up the cry to heaven for freedom to worship God. To the panting for this freedom half the American states owed their existence, and all but one or two their in- crease in free population. The immense majority of the in- habitants of the thirteen colonies were Protestant dissenters ;• and, from end to end of their continent, from the rivers of Maine and the hills of New Hampshire to the mountain val- leys of Tennessee and the borders of Georgia, one voice called to the other that there should be no connection of the Church with the State, no establishment of any one form of religion by the civil power ; that " all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of their own con- sciences and understandings." With this great idea the colonies had travailed for a century and a half ; and now, not as revolu- tionary, not as destructive, but simply as giving utterance to the thought of the nation, the states stood up in -succession, in the presence of one another and before God and the world, to bear their witness in favor of restoring independence to conscience and the mind. The establishment of liberty of con- science, which brought with it liberty of speech and of the press, was, in the several states, the fruit not of philosophy, but of the love of Protestantism for the open (Bible). . . But from the beginning the Church no longer formed a part of the State ; and religion, ceasing to be a servant of the government or an instrument of dominion, became a life in the soul. Pub- lic worship was voluntarily sustained. Nowhere was perse- cution for religious opinion so nearly at an end as in America, and nowhere was there so religious a people. (Bancroft's History of the United States, Vol. V., pp. 1 19-122.) 158 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. 'AMERICANISMS ENUNCIATED BY ALL OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS. From the beginning of our Government until the present year (1904) twenty-five different men have filled the Presi- dential Chair. They each entered upon the discharge of the grave duties of the Chief Magistracy under the sanction of a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the Nation. Their messages to Congress and proclamations abound in references to fundamental Americanisms. From this long line of dis- tinguished American patriots, I quote: George Washington, " the Father of his Country," — presi- dent 1 789- 1 797. Resist any Innovation upon American Principles. Toward the preservation of your Government and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretext. One method of assault may be to effect in the forms of the Constitution alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. (Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Vol. I., p. 218.) John Adams, second president, 1797-1801. Venerates the Constitution. I first saw the Constitution of the United States in a foreign coimtry. Irritated by no literary altercation, animated by no public debate, heated by no party animosity,.! read it with great satisfaction, as the result of good heads prompted by good hearts, as an experiment better adapted to the genius, character, situation, and relations of this nation and country than any which had ever been proposed or suggested. (Id. Vol. I., p. 229.) SOARD OF EDUCATION. 159 Thomas Jefferson, third president, 1801-1809, and the idol of the Democratic Party. Freedom of Conscience and Press. (He enumerates what he deems the essential principles of our government, and in the list are) the diffusion of in- formation and arraignment of all abuses at the bar of the public reason ; freedom of religion ; freedom of the press. . . These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and the blood of our heroes have been devoted to .their attainment. They shpuld be the creed of our poHtical faith, the text of civic instruction, the touch-stone by which to try the services of those we trust ; and should we wander from them in moments of error or alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty and safety. (Id. Vol. I., pp. 323, 324.) James Madison, fourth president, 1809-1817. Free Conscience and Free Press. To support the Constitution, which is the cement of the Union, as well in its limitations as in its authorities ; . . to avoid the slightest interference with the rights of conscience or the functions of religion, so wisely exempted from civil jurisdiction; to preserve in their full energy the other salu- tary provisions in behalf of private and personal rights, and of the freedom of the press ; . . to favor the advancement of science and the diffusion of information as the best aliment to true liberty — as far as sentiments and intentions such as these can aid the fulfillment of my duty, they will be a re- source which cannot fail me. (Id. Vol, I., pp. 467, 468.) James Monroe, fifth president, 1817-1825, — the author of the " Monroe Doctrine." Equality. Sovereignty of the People. In this great nation there is but one order, that of the people, whose power, by a peculiarly happy improvement of the representative principle, is transferred from them, with- out impairing in the slightest degree their sovereignty, to l60 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. bodies of their own creation, and to persons elected by them- selves, in the full extent necessary for all the purposes of free, enlightened, and efficient government. (Id. Vol. II., p. 93.) John Quincy Adams, sixth president, 1825-1829. No Union of Church and State. In 1825, referring to the Congress of American nations to be assembled at Panama, he wrote : There is yet another subject upon which, without enter- ing into any treaty, the moral influence of the United States may perhaps be exerted with beneficial consequences at such a meeting — the advancement of religious liberty. Some of the southern nations are even yet so far under the dominion of prejudice that they have incorporated with their political con- stitutions an exclusive church (the Roman Catholic), with- out toleration of any other than the dominant sect. The aban- donment of this last badge of religious bigotry and oppres- sion may be pressed more effectually by the united exertions of those who concur in the principles of freedom of conscience upon those who are yet to be convinced of their justice and wisdom than by the solitary efforts of a minister to any one of the separate Governments. (Id. Vol. II., p. 319.) Andrew Jackson, seventh president, 1829-1837. Free Conscience and Free Press. As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of person and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth' defending. (Id. Vol. II., p. 438.) Martin VanBuren, eighth president, 1837-1841. The People the Source of Power. Church and State. The national will is the supreme law of the republic. (Id. Vol. III., p. 380.) It was reserved for the American Union to test the ad- vantages of a government entirely dependent on the contin- ual exercise of the popular will, and our experience has shown that it is as beneficent in practice as it is just in theory. . . In no country has education been so vyidfly diffused. . . All BOARD OF EDUCATION. l6l forms of religion have united for the first time to diffuse char- ity and piety, because for the first time in the history of na- tions all have been totally untrammeled and absolutely free. (Id. Vol. III., p. 484.) William Henry Harrison, ninth president, March 4 to April 4, 1 84 1. No Government by Divine Right. Free Conscience, Speech and Press. The broad foundation upon which our Constitution rests being the people — a breath of their's having made, as a breath can unmake, change, or modify it — it can be assigned to none of the great divisions of government but to that of democracy. . . We admit of no government by divine right, believing that so far as power is concerned the Beneficent Creator has made no distinction amongst men ; that all are upon an equality, and that the only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed. . . The boasted privilege of a Roman citizen was to him a shield only against a petty provincial ruler. . . Far different is the power of our sover- eignty. It can interfere with no one's faith, prescribe forms of worship for no one's observance, inflict no punishment but after well-ascertained guilt under rules prescribed by the Con- stitution itself. These precious privileges, and those scarcely less important of giving expression to his thoughts and opin- ions, either by writing or speaking, unrestrained but by the liability for injury to others, and that of a full participation in all the advantages which flow from the Government, the acknowledged property of all, the American citizen derives from no charter granted by his fellow-man. The maxim which our ancestors derived from the mother country that " freedom of the press is the great bulwark of civil and religious liberty " is one of the most precious legacies which they have left us. (Id. Vol. IV., pp. 6-20.) John Tyler, tenth president, 1841-1845. Popular Sovereignty. Foreigners Must Become Americanised. Personal Liberties. The institutions under which we live, my countrymen, secure each person in the perfect enjoyment of all his rights. l62 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. The spectacle is exhibited to the world of a government de- riving its powers from consent of the governed and having imparted to it only so much power as is necessary for its suc- cessful operations. (Id. Vol. IV., p. 39.) The census recently taken shows . . our numbers . . al- ready exceed 17,000,000. . . We hold out to the people of other countries an invitation to come and settle among us as members of our rapidly growing family, and for the blessings which we ofifer them we require of them to look upon our country as their country and to unite with us in the great task of preserving our institutions and thereby perpetuating our liberties. (Id. Vol. IV., p. 41.) A sacred observance of the guaranties of the Constitu- tion will preserve union on a foundation which can not be shaken, while personal liberty is placed beyond hazard of jeopardy. The guaranty of religious freedom, of the freedom of the press, of the liberty of speech, of the trial by jury, of the habeas corpus, . . these are the great and important guar- anties of the Constitution which the lovers of liberty must cherish and the advocates of union must ever cultivate. (Id. Vol. IV., p. 336.) James K. Polk, eleventh president, 1845-1849. Equality. Freedom of Conscience. A Treason to Mankind. The inestimable value of our Federal Union is felt and acknowledged by all. By this system of united and confed- erated States our people are permitted collectively and indi- vidually to seek their own happiness in their own way, and the consequences have been most auspicious. . Multitudes from the old world are flocking to our shores to participate in its blessings. Beneath its benign sway peace and pros- perity prevail. . All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished. All citizens, whether native or adopted, are placed upon terms of precise equality. All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection. No union exists between church and state, and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds. . Who shall assign limits to the achievements of free minds and free hands under the protection of this glor- ious Union ? No treason to mankind since the organization of society would be equal in atrocity to that of him who would lift his hand to destroy it. (Id. Vol. IV., pp. 375, 376.) BOARD OF EDUCATION. I63 Zaghariah Taylor, twelfth president, 1849-1850. Most Stable Government on Earth. I this day renew the declarations I have heretofore made and proclaim my fixed determination to maintain to the extent of my ability the Government in its original purity and to adopt as the basis of my public policy those great republican doctrines which constitute the strength of our national ex- istence. (Id. Vol. v., p. 5.) Sixty years have elapsed since the establishment of this Government, and the Congress of the United States again assembles to legislate for an empire of freemen. The pre- dictions of evil prophets, who formerly pretended to foretell the downfall of our institutions, are now remembered only to be derided, and the United States of America at this mo- ment present to the world the most stable and permanent Government on earth. ( (Id. Vol. V., p. 9.) Millard Fillmore, thirteenth president, 1850-1853. Common Schools. Constitution the Best ever Formed. We live in an age of progress, and ours is emphatically a country of progress. . . The whole country is full of enter- prise. Our common schools are diffusing intelligence among the people and our industry is fast accumulating the com- forts and luxuries of life. This is in part owing to our pecu- liar position. . but much of it is also owing to the popular in- stitutions under which we live. (Id. Vol. V., p. 181.) Our Constitution, though not perfect, is doubtless the best that ever was formed. Therefore let every proposition to change it be well weighed and, if found beneficial, cautiously adopted. Every patriot will rejoice to see its authority so ex- erted as to advance the prosperity and honor of the nation, v/hilst he will watch with jealousy any attempt to mutilate this charter o£ our liberties or pervert its powers to acts of aggression or injustice. (Id. Vol. V., p. 182.) Franklin Pierce, fourteenth president, 1853-1857. America, a Beacon Light to the World. It is no paradox to say that although comparatively weak the new-born nation was intrinsically strong. . . The op- 164 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. pressed throughout the world from that day to the present have turned their eyes hitherward, not to find those Ughts extinguished or to fear lest they should wane, but to be con- stantly cheered by their steady and increasing radiance. In this our country has, in my judgment, thus far fulfilled its highest duty to suffering humanity. It has spoken and will continue to speak, not only by its words, but by its acts, the language of sympathy, encouragement, and hope to those who earnestly listen to tones which pronounce for the largest rational liberty. (Id. Vol. V., pp. 197, 198.) James Buchanan, fifteenth president, 1857-1861. Richest Political Blessings Heaven Ever Bestowed. Convinced that I owe my election to the inherent love for the Constitution and the Union which still animates the hearts of the American people, let me earnestly ask their powerful support in sustaining all just measures calculated to perpet- uate these, the richest political blessings which Heaven has ever bestowed upon any nation. (Id. Vol. V., pp. 430, 431.) Abraham Lincoln, " the Savior of his Country," sixteenth president, 1861-1865. America's Free Institutions. It may be affirmed without extravagance that the free institutions we enjoy have developed the powers and improved the conditions of our whole people beyond any example in the world. Of this we now have a striking and an impressive illustration. So large an army as the Government has now on foot was never before known without a soldier in it but who had taken his place there of his own free choice. But more than this, there are many single regiments whose members, one and another, possess full practical knowledge of all the arts, sciences, professions, and whatever else, whether use- ful or elegant, is known in the world; and there is scarcely one from which there could not be selected a President, a Cabinet, a Congress, and perhaps a court, abundantly com- petent to -administer the Government itself. Nor do I say this is not true also in the army of our late friends, now adver- saries in this contest; but if it is, so much better the reason why the Government which has conferred such benefits on BOARD OF EDUCATION. 1 65 both them and us should not be broken up. Whoever in any section proposes to abandon such a government would do well to consider in deference to what principle it is that he does it ; what better he is likely to get in its stead; whether the sub- stitute will give, or be intended to give, so much of good to the people. There are some foreshadowings on this subject. Our adversaries have adopted some declarations of indepen- dence, in which, unlike the good old one penned by Jefferson, they omit the words "all men are created equal." Why? They have adopted a temporary national constitution, in the preamble of which, unlike our good old one signed by Washing- ton, they omit " We, the people," and substitute " We, the depu- ties of the sovereign and independent States." Why? Why this deliberate pressing out of view the rights of men and the authority of the people? This is essentially a people's con- test. On the side of the Union it is a struggle for maintain- ing in the world that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevate the condition of men ; to lift arti- ficial weights from all shoulders ; to clear the paths of lauda- ble pursuit for all ; to afford all an unfettered start and a fair chance in the race of life. Yielding to partial and temporary departures, from necessity, this is the leading object of the Government for whose existence we contend. I am most happy to believe that the plain people understand and appre- ciate this. It is worthy of note that while in this the Govern- ment's hour of trial large numbers of those in the Army and Navy who have been favored with the offices have resigned and proven false to the hand which had pampered them, not one common soldier or common sailor is known to have deserted his flag. Great honor is due to those officers who remained true despite the example of their treacherous associates ; but the greatest honor and most important fact of all is the unani- mous firmness of the common soldiers and common sailors. To the last man, so far as known, they have successfully re- sisted the traitorous efforts of those whose commands but an hour before they obeyed as absolute law. This is the patriotic instinct of plain people. They understand without an argu- ment that the destroying the Government which was made by Washington means no good to them. (Id. Vol. VI., pp. 29. 30.). l66 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Andrew Johnson, seventeenth president, 1865-1869. God's Hand in the Framing and Adopting of the Constitution. Equality... Education. Free Speech. Religion. Popular Sovereignty. The union of the United States of America was inten3ed by its authors to last as long as the States themselves shall last. " The Union shall be perpetual " are the words of the Confederation. " To form a more perfect Union," by an or- dinance of the people of the United States, is the declared purpose of the Constitution. The hand of Divine Providence was never more plainly visible in the affairs of men than in the framing and adopting of that instrument. . . The ancient re- publics absorbed the individual in the state — prescribed his religion and controlled his activity. The American system rests on the assertion of the equal right of every man to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to freedom of conscience, to the culture and exercise of all his faculties. As a conse- quence the State government is limited — as to the General Government in the interest of union, as to the individual cit- izen in the interest of freedom. (Id. Vol. VI., pp. 353-355.) Here more and more care is given to provide education for every one born on our soil. Here religion, released from political connection with the civil government, refuses to sub- serve the craft of statesmen, and becomes in its independence the spiritual life of the people. Here toleration is extended to every opinion, in the quiet certainty that truth needs only a fair field to secure the victory. Here the human mind goes forth unshackled in the pursuit of science, to collect stores of knowledge and acquire an ever increasing mastery over the forces of nature. Here the national domain is offered and held in millions of separate freeholds, so that our fellow-cit- izens, beyond the occupants of any other part of the earth, constitute in reality a people. Here exists the democratic form of government; and that form of government, by the confession of European statesmen, " gives a power of which no other form is capable, because it incorporates every man with the state and arouses everything that belongs to the soul." Where in past history does a parallel exist to the public hap- piness which is within the reach of the people of the United States? Where in any part of the globe can institutions be found §Q suited to their habits or so entitled to their love as BOARD OF EDUCATION. I67 their own free Constitution ? Every one of them, then, in what- ever part of the land he has his home, must wish its per- petuity. (Id. Vol. VI., p. 370.) Ulysses S. Grant, eighteenth president, 1869-1877. Personal Liberties. Free Pulpit, Press and School. The States of the Church. Education. The country having just emerged from a great rebellion, many questions will come before it for settlement. . . This requires security of person, property and free religious and political opinion in every part of our common country, with- out regard to local prejudice. All laws to secure these ends will receive my best efforts for their enforcement. (Id. Vol. VII., pp. 6, 7.) We are blessed with peace at home . . with facilities for every mortal to acquire an education ; with institutions clos- ing to none the avenues to fame or any blessing of fortune that may be coveted ; with freedom of the pulpit, the press, and the school. (Id. Vol. VII., p._ 27.) I have been officially informed of the anaexation of the States of the Church to the Kingdom of Italy, and the re- moval of the capital of that Kingdom to Rome. In con- formity with the established policy of the United States, I have recognized this change. (Id. Vol. VII., p. 144.) I recommend favorable consideration of the plan for unit- ing the telegraphic system of the United States with the pos- tal system. . . Education, the groundwork of republican in- stitutions, is encouraged by increasing the facilities to gather speedy news from all parts of the country. . . The desire to reap the benefits of such improvements will stimulate edu- cation. - (Id. Vol. VII., p. 150.) Rutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth president, 1877-1881. Education. Separation of Church and State. To education more than to any other agency we are to look as the resource for the advancement of the people in the requisite knowledge and appreciation of their rights and responsibilities as citizens, and I desire to repeat the sugges- tion contained in my former message in behalf of the enact- ment of appropriate measures by congress for the purpose of l68 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. supplementing with national aid the local systems of educa- tion in the several States. (Id. Vol. VII., p. 506.) The sanctity of marriage and the family relation are the corner stone of our American society and civilization. Re- ligious liberty and the separation of church and state are among the elementary ideas of free institutions. (Id. Vol. VII., p. 606.) James A. Garfield, twentieth president, March 4, 1881, to September 19, 1881. The Constitution. It is now three days more than a hundred since the adop- tion of the first written constitution of the United States — the Articles of Confederation. . . The Colonists were struggling not only against the armies of a great nation, but against the settled opinions of mankind ; for the world did not then be- lieve that the supreme authority of government could be safe- ly intrusted to the guardianship of the people themselves. We cannot overestimate the fervent love of liberty, the intelli- gent courage, and the sum of common sense with which our fathers made the great experiment of self-government. When they found after a short trial, that the confederacy of States was too weak to meet the necessities of a vigorous and ex- panding republic, they boldly set it aside, and in its stead established a national Union, founded directly upon the will of the people. . . Under this Constitution the boundaries of freedom have been enlarged, the foundations of order and peace have been strengthened, and the growth of our people in all the better elements of national life has indicated the wis- dom of the founders and given new hope to their descendants, (Id. Vol. VIII., p. 7.) Chester A. Arthur, twenty-first president, 1881-1885. Popular Government. For the fourth time in the history of the Republic its Chief Magistrate has been removed by death. . . For the fourth time the officer elected by the people and ordained by the Constitution to fill a vacancy so created is called to as- sume the Executive Chair. The wisdom of our fathers, fore- seeing even the most dire possibilities, made sure that the Government should never be imperiled because of the uncer- BOARD OF EDUCATION. I69 tainty of human life. Men may die, but the fabrics of our free institutions remain unshaken. No higher or more as- suring proof could exist of the strength and permanence of popular government than the fact that though the chosen of the people be struck down his constitutional successor is peace- fully installed without shock or strain except the sorrow which mourns the bereavement. (Id. Vol. VIII., p. 33.) The abundant privileges of freedorfi which our fathers left us in their wisdom are still our increasing heritage. (Id. Vol. VIII., p. 36.) Grover Cleveland, twenty-second and twenty-fourth pres- ident, 1885-1889, 1893-1897. Popular Government. The Constitution. In the presence of this vast assemblage of my country- men I am about to supplement and seal by the oath which I shall take the manifestation of the will of a great and free people. In the exercise of their power and right of self-gov- ernment they have committed to one of their fellow-citizens a supreme and sacred trust, and he here consecrates himself to their service. . . Amid the din of party strife the people's choice was made, but its attendant circumstances have demon- strated new strength and safety of a government by the peo- ple. In each succeeding year it more clearly appears that our democratic principle needs no apology, and that in its fearless and faithful application is to be found the surest guaranty of good government. . . But he who takes the oath today to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States only assumes the solemn obligation which every patri- otic citizen — on the farm, in the workshop, in the busy marts of trade, and everywhere — should share with him. The Con- stitution which prescribes his oath, my countrymen, is yours ; the government you have chosen him to administer for a time is yours; the suffrage which executes the will of free- men is yours. (Id. Vol. VIII., pp. 299-301.) When the experiment of our Government was undertaken, the chart adopted for our guidance was the Constitution. De- parture from, the lines there laid down is failure. It' is only by a strict adherence to the direction they indicate and by restraint within the limitations they fix that we can furnish proof to the world of the fitness^ of the American people for self-government. (Id. Vol. VIII., p. 773.) 170 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Benjamin Harrison, twenty-third president, 1889-1893. American Liberties, Blessings and Duties. The people of every State have here their representatives. Surely I do not misinterpret the spirit of the occasion when I assume that the whole body of the people covenant with me and with each other to-day to support and defend the Con- stitution and the Union of the States, to yield willing obedi- ence to all the laws and each to every other citizen his equal, civil and political rights. Entering thus solemnly into cov- enant with each other, we may reverently invoke and con- fidently expect the favor and help of Almighty God. . . Our people will not fail at this time to recall the incidents which accompanied the institution of government under the Con- stitution, or to find inspiration and guidance in the teachings and example of Washington and his great associates. . . The masses of our people are better fed, clothed and housed than their fathers were. The facilities for popular edtfcation have been vastly enlarged and more generally diffused. The vir- tues of courage and patriotism have given recent proof of their continued presence and increasing power in the hearts and over the lives of our people. The influences of religion have been multiplied and strengthened. . . As a citizen may not elect what laws he will obey, neither may the Executive elect which he will enforce. The duty to obey and to exe- cute embraces the Constitution in its entirety and the whole code of laws enacted under it. . . No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love or a land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon, and so full of generous suggestion to enterprise and labor. God has placed upon our head a diadem and has laid at our feet power and wealth beyond definition or calculation. But we must not forget that we take these gifts upon the condition that justice and mercy shall hold tlje reins of power and that the upward avenues of hope shall be free to all the people. . , We shall find unalloyed pleasure in the revelation which our next census will make. . . Each State will bring its gen- erous contribution to the great aggregate of the nation's in- crease. And when the harvests from the fields, the cattle from the hills, and the ores of the earth shall have been weighed, counted and valued, we will turn from thejn all to crown with the highest honor the State that has most promoted BOARD OF EDUCATION. I7I education, virtue, justice, and patriotism among its people. (Id. Vol. IX., pp. 6, 7, 9, 13, 14.) William McKinley, twenty-fifth president, 1897-1901. Popular Government. Six Free Things. Education. The Constitution. Fruits of American Sovereignty. The Step of the Republic. The Nation's Hope is in the Public School and University. No great emergency in the one hundred and eight years of our eventful national life has ever arisen that has not been met with wisdom and courage by the American people, with fidelity to their best interests and highest destiny, and to the honor of the American name. These years of glorious his- tory have exalted mankind and advanced the cause of free- dom throughout the world, and immeasurably strengthened the precious free institutions which we enjoy. The people love and will sustain these institutions. The great essential to our happiness and prosperity is that we adhere to the prin- ciples upon which the government was established and in- sist upon their faithful observance. Equality of rights must prevail, and our laws be always and everywhere respected and obeyed. We may have failed in the discharge of our full duty as citizens of the great Republic, but it is consoling and en- couraging to realize that free speech, a free press, free thought, free schools, the free and unmolested right of religious liberty and worship, and free and fair elections are dearer and more universally enjoyed to-day than ever before. These guar- anties must be sacredly preserved and widely strengthened. . . A grave peril to the Republic would be a citizenship too ig- norant to understand, or too vicious to appreciate, the great value and beneficence of our institutions and laws, and against all who come here to make war upon them our gates must be promptly and tightly closed. Nor must we be unmindful of the need of improvement among our own citizens, but with the zeal of our forefathers encourage the spread of knowledge and free education. (Id. Vol. X., pp. 14-16.) The Republic was never so strong, because never so strongly intrenched in the hearts of the people as now. The Constitution, with fev; amendments, exists as it left the hands of its authors. The additions which have been made to it proclaim larger freedom and more extended citizenship. Pop- IJ72 tHE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. ular government has demonstrated in its one hundred and twenty-four years of trial here its stability and security and its efficiency as the best instrument of national development and the best safeguard to human rights. (Id. Vol. X., p. 191.) We are not waging war against the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands. A portion of them are making war against the United States. By far the greater part of the inhabitants recognize American Sovereignty and welcome it as a guar- anty of order and of security for life, property, liberty, free- dom of conscience, and the pursuit of happiness. . . May it end without further bloodshed, and there be ushered in the reign of peace to be made permanent by a government of lib- erty under law! (Id. Vol. X., p. 224.) The Republic has marched on and on, and its step has ex- alted freedom and humanity. (Id. Vol. X., p. 243.) In an address delivered at Columbus, Ohio, June 12, 189s, entitled " Education and Citizenship," Mr. McKinley said: Our hope is in the public schools and in the university. (International Memorial Edition, Life of William McKinley, p. 247.) Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth president of the United States, in his book entitled, " American Ideals " (published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London, 1900), writing on "True Americanism" (page 63), says: Free Schools. No Public Money for Parochial Schools. Full Religious Toleration. Separation of Church and State. Immigrant must Revere our Flag. The Church which Remains Foreign is Doomed. We have no room for any people who do not act and vote simply as Americans, and as nothing else. Moreover, we have as little use for people who carry religious prejudices into our politics as for those who carry prejudices of caste or nationality. We stand unalterably in favor of the public school system in its entirety. We believe that English and no other language, is that in which all the school exercises should be conducted. We are against any division of the school fund. BOARD OF EDUCATION. I73 and against any appropriation of public money for sectarian purposes. We are against any recognition whatever by the State in any shape or form of State-aided parochial schools. But we are equally opposed to any discrimination against or for a man because of his creed. We demand that all citizens, Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Gentile, shall have fair treatmenr in every way; that all alike shall have their rights guaranteed them. The very reasons that make us un- qualified in cur opposition to State-aided sectarian schools make us equally bent that in the management of our public schools, the adherents of each creed shall be given exact and equal justice, wholly without regard to their religious affilia- tions; that trustees, superintendents, teachers, scholars, all alike, shall be treated without any reference whatsoever to the creed they profess. . . The immigrant . . must learn that we exact full religious toleration and the complete sep- aration of Church and State (p. 68). . He must revere only our flag; not only must it come first, but no other flag should even come second. He must learn to celebrate . . the Fourth of July instead of St. Patrick's Day (p. 69). . . Those (of the Germans) who became Americanized have furnished to our history a multitude of honorable names ; those who did not become, Americanized form to the present day an unimportant body, of no significance in American existence. . . Thus it has ever been with all people who have come hither, of what- ever stock or blood. The same thing" is true of the churches. A church which remains foreign, in language or spirit, is doomed (p. 71). President Roosevelt's works are now in the Vatican li- brary, and that he is admired by the highest officials of the Holy See will be seen by these words of His Eminence, Car- dinal Satolli, uttered at an international function ""ome, February 29, 1904: I have very great pleasure; in asking you to drink the health of the President of the United States. Nearly all of us have been witnesses of his zeal, his activity, his forceful- ness; we have followed with interest and admiration the steps of his brilliant career, and we have come to look upon him as a magnificent type of the true American. 174 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Vaticanisms. The Encyclical Letters of Leo XIIL have been pub- lished by Benziger Brothers, (New York, Cincinnati, Chica- go), printers to the Holy Apostolic See. I take it that no higher authority can be cited than this Vicar of Christ for I read in his words " We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIIL, P- 304.) Against Equality, Freedom of Thought, Sovereignty of the People, Freedom of Conscience, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, and Separation of Church and State. Catholic Church Should he Supreme in State. I now quote from the deliverances of Leo XIIL In his Encyclical entitled " The Christian Constitution of States," dated November i, 1885, His Holiness said: Sad it is to call to mind how the harmful and lamenta- ble rage for innovation which rose to a climax in the six- teenih century, threw first of all into confusion the Christian religion, and next, by natural sequence, invaded the pre- cincts of philosophy, whence it spread amongst all classes of society. From this source . . . burst forth all those later tenets of unbridled license which, in the midst of the terrible up- heavals of the last century, were wildly conceived and boldly proclaimed as the principles and foundation of that new juris- prudence which was not merely previously unknown, but was at. variance on many points with not only the Christian, but even with the natural law. Amongst these principles the main one lays down that as all men are alike by race and nature, so in like manner all are equal in the control of their life ; that each one is so far his own master as to be in no sense under the rule of any other individvial; that each is free to think on every subject just as he may choose, and to do whatever he may like to do; that no man has any right to rule over other men. In a society grounded upon such maxims, all government is nothing more nor less than the will of the people, and the people, being under the power of itself alone, is alone BOARD OF EDUCATION. 175 its ruler. It does choose nevertheless some to whose charge it may commit itself, but in such wise that it makes over to them not the right so much as the business of governing, to be exer- cised, however, in its name. The authority of God is passed over in silence. . . as if there could be a government of which the whole origin and power and authority did not reside in God himself. Thus, as is evident, a State becomes nothing but a multitude, which is its own master and ruler. And since the populace is declared to contain within itself the spring-head of all rights and of all power, it follows that the State does not consider itself bound by any kind of duty towards God. Moreover, it believes that it is not obliged to make public profession of any religion; or to inquire which of the very many religions is the only one true ; or to prefer one religion to all the rest ; or to show to any form of religion special favor; but, on the contrary, is bound to grant equal rights to every creed, so that public order may not be disturbed by any particular form of religious belief. And it is a part of this theory that all questions that concern religion are to be re- ferred to private judgment; that every one is to be free to fol- low whatever religion he prefers, or none at all if he disap- prove of all. From this the following consequences logically flow : that the judgment of each one's conscience is inde- pendent of all law ; that the most unrestrained opinions may be openly expressed as to the practice or omission of divine worship; and that every one has unbounded license to think whatever he chooses and publish abroad whatever he thinks. (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII. , pp. 120, 121.) The sovereignty of the people, however, and this with- out any reference to God, is Keld to reside in the multitude; which is doubtless a doctrine exceedingly well calculated to flatter and to inflame many passions, but which lacks all rea- sonable proof, and all power of insuring public safety and preserving order. . . The liberty of thinking, and of publish- ing, whatsoever each one likes, without any hindrance, is not in itself an advantage over which society can wisely rejoice. On the contrary, it is the fountain-head and origin of many evils. (Id. p. 123.) To exclude the Church, founded by God Himself, from the business of life, from, the power of making laws, from the training of the youth, from domestic society, is a grave and 176 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. fatal error. . . The Church of Christ is the true and sole teacher of virtue and guardian of morals. (Id. p. 124.) The drawing up of laws, the administration of State af- fairs, the godless education of youth, the spoliation and sup- pression of religious orders, the overthrow of the temporal power of the Roman Pontiff, all alike aim at this one end — ^to paralyze the action of Christian institutions, to c,ramp to the utmost the freedom of the Catholic Church, and to curtail her every single prerogative. (Id. p. 122.) The State, constituted as it is, is clearly bound to act up to the manifold and weighty duties linking it to God, by the public profession of religion. . . It is a public crime to act as though there were no God. So, too, is it a sin in the State not to have care for religion, as a something beyond its scope, or as of no practical benefit; or out of many forms of religion to adopt that one which chimes in with the fancy ; for we are bound absolutely to worship God in that way which He has shown to be His will. Ail who rule, therefore, should hold in honor the holy name of God, and one of their chief duties must be to favor religion, to protect it, to shield it under the credit and sanction of the laws, and neither to organize nor enact any measure that may compromise its safe- ty. This is the bounden duty of rulers to the people over whom they rule. (Id. pp. no, in.) Care must especially be taken to preserve unharmed and unimpeded the religion whereof the prar'-ice is the link con- necting man with God:- Now, it cannot h. difficult to find out which is the true religion, if only it be sought with an earnest and unbiased mind ; for proofs are abundant and striking. (Id. p. III.) The only true religion is' the one established by Jesus Christ Himself, and which He committed to His Church to protect and to propagate. (Id. p. 112.) And just as the end at which the Church aims is by far the noblest of ends, so is its authority the most exalted of all authority, nor can it be looked upon as inferior to the civil power, or in -any manner dependent upon it. (Id. pp. 112, BOARD OP EDUCATION. I77 Laments Lack of Ecclesiastical Authority in Public Schools. Pope Leo XIII. in his Encyclical entitled " The Right Ordering of Christian Life," dated December 25, 1888, stated : As for the public schools, it is well known to you that there is no ecclesiastical authority left in them; and during the years when tender minds should be trained carefully and conscientiously in Christian virtue, the precepts of religion are for the most part even left untaught. (The Great En- cyclical Letters of LeoXIIL, p. 167.) When the Church and State Conflict, Obedience to the State Becomes a Crime. In his Encyclical entitled " On the Chief Duties of Chris- tians as Citizens," dated January 10, 1890, His Holiness said: We are bound, then, to love dearly the country whence we have received the means of enjoyment this mortal life af- fords, but we have a much more urgent obligation to love, Vvith ardent love, the Church to which we owe the life of the soul, a life that will endure forever. For fitting it is to pre- fer the good of the soul to the well-being of the body, inas- much as duties toward God are of a far more hallowed char- acter than those towards men. Moreover, if we would judge aright, the supernatural love for the Church and the natural love of our own country proceed from the same eternal prnciple, since God himself is their Author and originating Cause. Con- sequently it follows that between the duties they respectively enjoin, neither can come into collision with the other. We can, certainly, and should love ourselves, bear ourselves kind- ly towards our fellow-men, nourish affection for the State and the governing powers ; but at the same time we can and must cherish towards the Church a feeling of filial piety, and love God with the deepest love of which we are capable. The order of precedence of these duties is, however, at times either under stress of public calamities, or through the perverse will of men, inverted. For instances occur where the State seems to require from men as subjects one thing, and religion, from men as Christians, quite another; and this in reality without any other ground, than that the rulers of the State either hold the sacred power of the Church of no account, or en- 178 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. deavor to subject it to their own will. Hence arises a con- flict, and an occasion, through such conflict, of virtue being put to the proof. The two powers are confronted and urge their behests in a contrary sense ; to obey both is wholly im- possible. No man can serve two masters,- for to please the one amount's to contemning the other. As to which should be preferred no one ought to balance for an instant. It is a high crime indeed to withdraw allegiance from God in order to please men; an act of consummate wickedness to break the laws of Jesus Christ, in order to yield obedience to earthly rulers, or, under pretext of keeping the civil law, to ignore the rights of the Church; we ought to obey God rather than men. This answer, which of old, Peter and the other apostles were used to give the civil authorities who en- joined unrighteous things, we must, in like circumstances, give always and without hesitation. No better citizen is there, whether in time of peace or war, than the Christian who is mindful of his duty; but such a one should be ready to suffer all things, even death itself, rather than abandon the cause of God or of the Church. . . 5ut if the laws of the State are manifestly at variance with the divine law, containing enact- ments hurtful to the Church, or conveying injunctions ad- verse to the duties imposed by religion, or if they violate in the person of the supreme Pontiff the authority of Jesus Christ, then truly, to resist becomes a positive duty, to obey, a crime ; a crime, moreover, combined with misdemeanor -against the State itself, inasmuch as eve^ry offence leveled against religion is also a sin against the State. . . Men have become pos- sessed with so arrogant a sense of their own powers, as al- ready to consider themselves able to banish from social life the authority and empire of God. Led away by this delusion, they make over to human nature the dominion of which they think God has been despoiled; from nature, they maintain, we must seek the principle and rule of all truth ; from nature, they aver, alone spring, and to it should be referred, all the duties that religious feeling prompts. Hence they deny all revelation from on high, and all fealty due to the Christian teaching of morals as well as all obedience to the Church, and they go so far as to deny her power of making laws and ex- ercising every other kind of right, even disallowing the Church any place among the civil institutions of the State . . in order that the legislation may the more easily be adapted to these BOARD OF EDUCATION. I79 principles, and the morals of the people influenced in accord- ance with them. Whence it comes to pass that in many coun- tries Catholicism is either openly assailed or else secretly in- terfered with, full impunity being granted to the most per- nicious doctrines, while the public profession of Christian truth is shackled often times with manifold constraints. . . But the supreme teacher in the church is the Roman Pontifif. Union of minds, therefore, requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the church and to the Roman Pontifif as to God him- self. This obedience, however, should be perfect, because it is enjoined by faith itself, and has this in common with faith, that it cannot be given in shreds ; — ^nay, were it not absolute and perfect in every particular, it might wear the name of obedience, but its essence would disappear. (The Great En- cyclical Letters of Leo XIII., pp. 183, 185-187, 193.) Church and State Cannot he Separated. In his Encyclical which reviewed his pontificate, dated March 19, 1902, His Holiness said: In making man a being destined to live in society, God in his Providence has also founded the Church, which as the holy text expresses it. He has established on Mount Zion in order that it might be a light which, with its life-giving rays, would cause the principle of life to penetrate into the various degrees of human society by giving it divinely inspired laws, by means of which society might establish itself in that order which would be most conducive to its welfare. Hence in pro- portion as society separates itself from the Church, which is an important element in its strength, by so much does it decline, or its woes are multiplied for the reason that they are separated whom God wished to bind together. (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII., p. 575.) Separation of Church and State an Absurdity. Sometimes it is worthy of Toleration when Situation Practically Might he Worse — in United States for Instance. In his Encyclical entitled "Allegiance to the (French) Republic," dated February 16, 1892, His Holiness said; l8o THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. We shall not hold to the same language (referring to the Concordat between France and the Holy See) on another point, concerning the principle of the separation of the State and Church, which is equivalent to the separation of human legislation from Christian and divine legislation. We do not care to interrupt Ourselves here in order to demonstrate the absurdity of such a separation; each one will understand for himself. As soon as the State refuses to give to God what belongs to God, by a necessary consequence it refuses to give to citizens that to which, as men, they have a right ; as, whether agreeable or not to accept, it cannot be denied that man's rights spring from his duty toward God. Whence it follows that the State, by missing in this connection the principal ob- ject of its institution, finally becomes false to itself by deny- ing that which is the reason of its own existence. These su- perior truths are so clearly proclaimed by the voice of even natural reason, that they force themselves upon all who are not blinded by the violence of passion ; therefore Catholics can- not be too careful in defending themselves against such a separation. In fact, to wish that the State would separate it- self from the Church would be to wish, by a -logical sequence, that the Church be reduced to the liberty of living according to the law common to all. citizens. . . It is true that in certain countries this state of affairs exists. It is a condition which, if it have numerous and serious inconveniences, also offers some advantages — above all when, by a fortunate inconsis- tency, the legislator is inspired by Christian principles — and, though these advantages cannot justify the false principle of separation nor authorize its defence, they nevertheless ren- der worthy of toleration a situation which, practically, might be worse. But in France, a nation Catholic in her traditions and by the present faith of the great majority of her sons, the Church should not be placed in the precarious position to which she must submit among other peoples; and the better that Catholics understand the aim of the enemies who desire this separation, the less will they favor it. To these enemies, and they say it clearly enough, this separation means that po- litical legislation be entirely independent of religious legisla- tion; nay, more, that Power be absolutely indifferent to the interests of Christian society, that is to say, of the Church; in fact, that it deny her very existence. (The Great Encycli- cal Letters of Leo XIIL, pp. 261-263.) BOARD OF EDUCATION. l8l Confirms and Renews All Censures of Predecessors. In his Encyclical entitled " The Evils Affecting Modern Society," dated April 21, 1878, His Holiness said : In the next place, in order that the union of hearts be- tween their chief Pastor and the whole Catholic flock may daily be strengthened. We here call upon you, Venerable Brothers, with particular earnestness, and strongly urge you to kindle, with priestly zeal and pastoral care, the fire of the love of religion among the faithful entrusted to you, that their attachment to this chair of truth and justice may become closer and firmer, that they may .welcome all its teachings with thorough assent of mind and will, wholly rejecting such opin- ions, even when most widely received, as they know to be contrary to the Church's doctrine. In this matter, the Roman Pontiffs, Our predecessors, and last of all, Pius IX. of sacred memory, especially in the General Council of the Vatican, have not neglected, so often as there was need, to condemn wide-spreading errors and to smite them with the Apostolic con- demnation. This they did, keeping before their eyes the words of St. Paul : Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ. All such censures, We, following in the steps of Our predeces- sors, do confirm and renew from this Apostolic Seat of truth, whilst We earnestly ask of the Father of Lights that all the faithful, brought to thorough agreement in the like feeling and the same belief, may think and speak even as Ourselves. (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII., pp. 16, 17.) The predecessors of Leo XIII. had condemned without stint the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Not in America is Found Most Desirable Status of the Church. Sighs for the Favor of the Laws and the Patronage of the Public Authority. From the Encyclical of Leo XIII„ entitled " Catholicity in the United States," dated January 6, 1895, I quote as fol- lows: 1 83 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Many facts have been brought to Our notice, whereby We are animated with hope and filled with joy, namely, that the numbers of secular and regular clergy are steadily augment- ing, that pious sodalities and confraternities are held in esteem, that the Catholic parochial schools, the Sunday-schools for imparting Christian doctrine, and summer schools are in a flourishing condition; moreover, associations for mutual aid, for the relief of the indigent, for the promotion of temperate living, add to all this the many evidences of popular piety. The main factor, no doubt, in bringing things into this happy state were the ordinances and decrees of your synods, especi- ally of those which in more recent times were convened and confirmed by the authority of the Apostolic See. But, more- over (a fact which it gives pleasure to acknowledge), thanks are due to the equity of the laws which obtain in America and to the customs of the well-ordered Republic. For the Church amongst you, unopposed by the Constitution and Gov- ernment of your nation, fettered by no hostile legislation, pro- tected against violence by the common laws and the impar- tiality of the tribunals, is free to live and act without hin- drance. Yet, though all this is true, it would be very erron- eous to draw the conclusion that in America is to be sought the type of the most desirable status of the Church, or that it would be universally lawful or expedient for State and Church to be, as in America, dissevered and divorced. The fact that Catholicity with you is in good condition, nay, is even enjoying a prosperous growth, is by all means to be at- tributed to the fecundity with which God has endowed His Church, in virtue of which unless men or circumstances in- terfere, she spontaneously expands and propagates herself; but she would bring forth more abundant fruits if, in addition to liberty, she enjoyed the favor of the laws and the patronage of the public authority. (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIIL, pp, 323, 324.) Any Civilisation Conflicting with Holy Church is a Meaning- less Name. Possibly, as a summing up of the views of Leo XIII., the following taken from his Encyclical entitled " The Evils Af- fecting Modern Society," dated 'April 21, 1878, although not uttered at the close of his many deliverances, may suffice : BOARD OF EDUCATION. I83 That kind of civilization which conflicts with the doc- trines and laws of Holy Church is nothing but a worthless imitation and a meaningless name. (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII., p. 12.) Does the Parochial School Teach Americanisms or Vaticanisms ? The important question now is : Does the parochial school teach these Americanisms or these Vaticanisms? If it teaches the former, it is non-Catholic ; if it teaches the latter, it is un- American. Does it teach neither ? Then it is neither American nor Catholic because its relation to both is too vital to permit it to follow any such silent course. I close this chapter with this statement: The parochial school which does not continually strive to create in its pu- pils a firm belief in the foregoing Americanisms is a menace to the American Nation. CHAPTER IV. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS. Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals are the superintend- ents of the parochial schools in their respective Sees. A Papal Delegate is virtually a supervising superin- tendent of parochial schools. Such superintendencies are inherently ineffective and de- ficient for many reasons. Is the parochial school superintendent always a man of natural ability, pedagogic training, and holiness of life? No, indeed ! He may be without pedagogic ability and training, and most frequently is. He may be a trained spiritual ad- viser — ^he is not a trained secular educator. He may be a man of immoral life. Grave charges against parochial school superintendents are not unknown at Rome. Lamentable are the deficiencies which are frequently found in men who wear the mitre ; and shocking are the means by which the episcopal dignity is often acquired. Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals frequently get their positions through "pull" and per pecuniam — ^by money — ^and not through merit or the Holy Ghost. Whenever there is a vacant See a regular scramble for the nomination to the position ensues among the clergy. Often the " wires " are laid before the See becomes vacant. Cau- cuses are held day and night, trades are made, preferments are offered, and money is plentifully used. There is very lit- tle chance for a humble, pious and learned man to receive the nomination or appointment. SUPERINTENDENTS. I85 Bishop Spalding, of Peoria, Illinois, was chosen by the electors of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Suffragan Bi- shops of that Province, and the leading Catholic ecclesiastics of America urged Rome to appoint him, as the successor of the late Archbishop Feehan; but merit was ignored and the Holy Ghost was not consulted. In the words of one of the Suffragan Bishops of the Province of Chicago, " the defeat of Bishop Spalding was brought about by the sordid little soul of Satolli, the Religious Rabble, (meaning the Religious Orders), and the reprobates (meaning priests) of Chicago." Ecclesiastics are appointed to vacant Sees in America by the Propaganda, subject to the approval of the Pope. The appointing powers prefer men who will be entirely subser- vient to them, and hence they do not select men who are likely to enter upon any reformatory work among the clergy. They dread getting any priest into ofSce who might be inclined, even in a remote degree, to imitate the fearless and righteous Florentine martyr. Father Jerome Savonarola. Such a man in his zeal might attempt to bring about a reformation, and find it necessary to expose to the world the rottenness of priests and prelates, and if there were any attempts by Rome to stop him he might tell some embarrassing facts, ancient and modern, about the clergy there, and by being the head of a See his words might create a deep impression on the world. A risk of this kind is not knowingly taken by the ecclesiastics who control the appointment, and whose mail, while their decision is in abeyance, often necessitates extra banking facilities, while they themselves are waited upon by emissaries of various candidates, armed with blank checks. Wicked men do not have their way every time a vacant See is filled, and men of good character sometimes providen- tially slip into the episcopacy; but if they assert any indepen- dence, for instance by lecturing before a non-Catholic uni- versity and thereby giving recognition to such an institution, or by writing liberal-minded articles, which are repugnant to Rome, they will never get any higher ecclesiastical honors. l86 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. There is a bishop in Illinois who is a living proof of the truth- fulness of my words. He is an American citizen who is most highly esteemed by all classes and creeds, and has a world- wide reputation. Will he ever be a Cardinal? No. .Will he ever be an Archbishop? No. Men who are unworthy to un- latch his shoes have been and will be given the preference. Two Illustrations of the Selection of Parochial School Superintendents. My biographical sketch contains one illustration. A Catholic priest, a candidate for the episcopacy, went to Rome to secure the mitre, and met there a beautiful woman from St. Louis, who was travelling. He returned to America, and soon afterwards was elevated to the Episcopacy. Formal charges of seduction were then made against him, but nothing came of them. They were "wastebasketed." A distinguished prelate, his Archbishop, since deceased, said to him : " I ex- pected merely to attend your consecration, but since they have preferred charges against you I will do better — I will con- secrate you myself," and he did. This seductionist-bishop is a strong advocate of the American Federation of Catholic Societies ; he wants French goods boycotted to punish France for attacking and expelling the Religious Orders; and he asserts that the American public school is of the Devil. Unworthy Parochial School Principals and Assistant Principals are Shielded by Parochial School Superintendents. The parochial school superintendent is generally in such a position that he dare not interfere with corrupt parochial school principals or assistant principals. Parochial school su- perintendents are not made in a day. They are first priests. They serve their time in the pastorate. They are men of like passions with their brethren. If they sin in the pastorate their sins are probably found out by their fellow-priests. When they are elevated to the episcopacy the priests of their dioceses SUPERINTENDENTS. I87 already know or speedily find out about their compromising deeds, and if they rebuke a corrupt priest it is but the kettle calling the pot black. There are Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals who are living in constant dread of exposure. In America the Bishops and Archbishops have a cardinal- ate bee in their bonnets as the Catholic Church in America has but one representative in the College of Cardinals. They re- gard this representation as being ridiculously small. The pub- lic press teems periodically with announcements, purporting to emanate from Rome, of the intention of the Holy Father to en- large the American representation in the College of Cardinals. This is welcome news to the American Church dignitaries, who see in it an opportunity for their own advancement. Now does any one suppose that a Bishop or an Archbishop will hazard his chance for a Cardinal's hat by having disagreements with the powerful sinning priests under him? Indeed, no. These parochial school principals might manage to get racy accounts into the Vatican of the adventures of their Archbishop when he was a parish rector or a parochial school superintendent elsewhere, and while the Holy See might not seriously object to him on this account, still it might turn the scales against him and in. favor of another Archbishop whose Archdiocese shows no outward sign of dissension. The ambitions of a Bishop or an Archbishop lead him into the course of condon- ing sin, especially when the sinners are his under-shepherds of wealth and prominence. It may happen that his priests are aware not only of his past, but present violations of the moral law. Elevation to the episcopacy does not deaden the fames peccati. If it did, the Council of Trent would not have passed laws (which are still in force) concerning incon- tinent Bishops and their bastard children. (See Sess. 25, cap. xiv. et cap. xv., de Reformatione.) To let my readers know how parochial school superin- tendents shield unworthy parochial school principals, I now state that a strong Catholic Layman's Association was formed during the Chicago controversy. The laymen, knowing that l88 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. their immediate Church dignitaries would afford ho relief, made several appeals to the Papal Delegate, Cardinal Mar- tinelli. This is a copy of one of their communications : Chicago, January 4th, 1902. To His Eminence, Cardinal Martinelli, Pro Delegate Apostolic, Washington, D. C. Your Eminence : The committee representing the Catholic Laymen's As- sociation of Chicago, were grievously disappointed not to be able to present to Your Eminence in person the petition en- closed which they had prepared for presentation on Sunday, Jantiary 5th, 1902, at which time it was reported that Your Eminence was to be in Chicago. You will note in this petition we refrain from specifying the particulars of any incidents evidencing the lamentable conditions which prevail here and call for immediate and strenuous measures of relief. We omitted such mention from said petition because we deemed the occasion upon which we hope to present the same to Your Eminence to be unfitting for such details. We desire now to impress upon Your Eminence some adequate conception of the state of affairs by referring to the following facts, all of which are capable of verification. We confine our attention to the period within the past two months. ■ We still withhold names because the purpose of this com- munication is to solicit your intervention and beg the oppor- tunity to present evidence. It is plain that at such stage of procedure it is not desirable that the names of the delinquents should be committed to writing upon any documents except such as are intended as formal steps in the way of prosecution. On the night of Friday, November 29, 1901, between 7 and 9 P. M., a pastor of one of our city parishes was seen in a state of intoxication near Wabash Avenue and Madison Street in this city engaged in soliciting women passers-by. On the same night another pastor of a parish in this dio- cese was seen coming out of a public saloon plainly under the influence of drink. This was in the same general locality as the incident last above mentioned. This district is in the central and most frequented part of the city. SUPERINTENDENTS. I89 On Tuesday, December 3, 1901, about midnight, another priest, recently appointed pastor of a city parish, was found by the poHce in a condition of helpless intoxication and taken to a police station and there kept over night. Within a few days of the last mentioned incident an as- sistant pastor of a prominent city parish entered a saloon located in a neighboring parish in this city ; found no one present there except the saloon-keeper and his wife ; dispatched the former upon some errand real or supposed which would have required the husband's absence for some time; and then attempted an indecent assault upon the wife; was resisted and received a severe beating at the hands of the wife and the husband upon the latter's return. About midnight on Sunday, December i, 1901, the police were called to the presbytery of one of the largest parishes in this city to a disturbance caused by one of the assistant priests who was under the influence of liquor, firing pistol shots in the house. Upon the entry of the police beer bottles were found lying about the room and the windows were broken and the scene was one of drunken disorder. An assistant pastor -of a prominent city parish is known to have had illicit intercourse repeatedly with a young girl, with whom his first appointment was made through the con- fessional. It is also known that this same assistant with three other priests had intercourse with the same woman during the same evening while they were together all under the influence of liquor. The subscribers hereto are life-long members of the Catho- lic Church. Her reputation is as dear to us as our own. We beg you to believe that we are incapable of making such state- ments as the above except in an honest belief of their truth and in the sole desire to save the Church from such raven- ing wolves. We are ourselves responsible citizens whose self- interest as well as a sense of decency would make it impossi- ble for us to participate in or to countenance slanders of our own Church. It is only because these enormities have grown to such frightful proportions as to threaten the very sanctity of our own homes and to make every Catholic man with wife and daughters shudder to reflect that they or their friends are exposed to such dangers and that such unspeakable shame is brought upon their Holy Mother, the Church. 190 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. We implore Your Eminence, if it be impossible to prose- cute an immediate investigation of these matters, that you will take at least some prompt steps to impose some restrain- ing influence upon this element of our priesthood here. When the late agitation to which Father Crowley was a party was at its height it was noted that these evil excesses were at least temporarily suppressed. But recently it seems to have been understood that the authorities of the Church in frowning upon that agitation have condoned the evils which were there- by exposed, and that since Father Crowley was subjected to censure, the evil-doers had received a dispensation and were licensed to continue as before. There is apparently no one here who has. the authority and at the same time the courage and the disposition to suppress these abominable evils. They have existed so long and are known to so many among the Faithful and the efforts heretofore made to invoke the active interven- tion of the local authorities of the Church have so utterly failed that we can only appeal to Your Eminence. We do so in the hope and with the prayer that you will save our Church, our homes, our wives, our children, and ourselves from consequences which no man can foresee, if our hope is disappointed and our prayer rejected. We subscribe ourselves loyal sons of the Catholic Church and humble and devoted servants of Christ and dutiful sub- jects to Your Eminence, the representative of the Holy See. This communication was duly signed and sent, but it was ignored. On Sunday, January 19, 1902, there was held at the of- fices of the Catholic Laymen's Association in Chicago, a meeting of its executive committee. Nearly every parish in the city was represented. The following resolutions were unanimously passed, and a copy thereof was ordered to be sent at once to His Eminence, Cardinal Martinelli, with a respectful request for as speedy a reply as his convenience would permit. For the purpose of transmitting the resolu- tions and receiving a reply thereto, a sub-committee was ap- pointed, and its members were directed to request 'His Emi- nence to address his reply to them. The resolution was as follows : SUPERINTENDENTS. IQI Whereas, we have heretofore in dutiful and respectful terms invoked the attention of His Eminence, the Pro-Dele- gate Apostolic, to the scandalous condition of immorality among certain of the clergy in this Archdiocese, citing to him numerous specific instances occurring within the past few months, with details of time, place and circumstance, and praying that he will at least permit us to present the proofs of our complaints ; And Whereas, His Eminence has heretofore ignored our prayer and taken no steps whatever to redress these wrongs ; And Whereas, it is our plain and undoubted right, both as sons of the Holy Catholic Church and as American citizens, to enjoy immunity for ourselves, our wives, our children and our homes from any licensed or obligatory association, official or personal, whether under the relation of pastor or other- wise, with these debasing, soul-destroying influences against which we have protested, and are therefore by God himself armed with the power of self-protection, if those whom the Church have empowered and enjoined to protect us fail in that sacred duty and leave us defenseless save by an appeal to the public opinion of mankind ; Therefore Be It Resolved : That if within ten days after a copy of these resolutions shall have been forwarded to His Eminence, Cardinal Martinelli, no reply shall have been re- ceived thereto and no steps shall have been taken by the Church authorities either to institute a thorough investigation of these abominable evils, or to secure the presence in the diocese of some active and restraining influence which shall serve to suppress and check them, and at least secure a tem- porary respite from present conditions until a thorough re- form can be effected, we shall lay before our fellow-citizens in the public press or by whatever means may be necessary the full facts and details which form the basis of our just indig- nation and complaint, and exhibit to the world the conditions in this archdiocese which have prevailed for years past. Resolved that in preferring this request to His Eminence we reiterate our unshaken loyalty to our Church and our rev- erent and dutiful submission to all lawful authority in the Church and that, in attempting to fix a specific time within which an investigation should be instituted, we intend to act subject to the wise judgment of His Emnience, the Pro-Dele- gate Apostolic ; and if the time named by us above is too brief 192 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. for him to take such important action we will gladly and hum- bly yield our judgment in this particular to his own; that it is only our purpose to receive definite and reliable assurance that within a reasonable time action will certainly be taken toward that end or at least some measure will be adopted that will impose an effective and salutary restraint upon the evil- doers whose corrupt actions and conduct imperil the very sanctity of our homes. The sub-committee sent the following letter to Cardinal Martinelli, with a copy of the foregoing resolutions : In discharge of the duty devolved upon us we herewith transmit to Your Eminence a copy of the resolutions afore- said and most respectfully but" urgently solicit immediate at- tention and as early response as the convenience of Your Eminence may permit. Cardinal Martinelli refused, point-blank, to take any no- tice of the Catholic Laymen. He told me upon one occasion at the Delegation Office in Washington ; " The laity have no right to interfere with the clergy; if the laity understand that they have any rights, they will do in America as they once did in France during the Revolution, they will kill the clergy. In this independent country it would not be wise to let the laity un- derstand that they have any fights to interfere in Church mat- ters." My reply was : " Then the only rights you concede to the laity are to 'put up and shut up?'" "Just so," he said, " and one of the principal things we have against you. Father Crowley, is that you are enlightening the Catholic laity of this country as to their rights; the laity have no right to expose their .clergy, no matter what they do ; any charges by the laity against priests or prelates must be ignored; and any spirit of independence in the laity in reference to Church government must be crushed." As a further illustration of how wicked parochial school principals are shielded by parochial school superintendents and honored by the Parochial School Board of Education, I refer again to the case alluded to in Chapter II. of a prom- SUPERINTENDENTS. I93 inent Church dignitary in the Phihppine Islands, who was formerly a noted pastor in the United States. While he was in the pastorate in America he was accused of corrupting Protestant and Catholic boys. He was so loathed that decent people would spit when they saw him on the street. The Church authorities knew what a stench he was, but they did not discipline him. Finally lay people confronted him with affidavits setting forth his bestialty, and they threatened him with immediate criminal prosecution if he did not leave the city forthwith. Thereupon he left his parish and went to St. Louis, Missouri, and finally to Rome, where he secured the friendship and favor of Princes of the Church by a liberal use of ill-gotten money. Before he went to Rome he had de- frauded a Catholic loan company out of about $80,000 and swindled private individuals out of about $20,000. He procured for a close friend, who was a pastor in America, a See in the Philippine Islands, and then he him- self received a desirable appointment in that Archipelago, where he now resides in a grand palace and is curing souls. His promotion was a shock to the good people of the American city from which he had been driven. By virtue of his present title he is to-day a member of the Pope's household. Some of these unworthy parochial school principals who are shielded by the superintendents of the parochial school, are the spiritual advisers of prominent female academies, or convent schools, to which Protestant girls are sent. In this connection it may interest Protestant parents, whose daughters are convent pupils, to read the following which I take from The Catholic Calendar of September, 1902 (published by the Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois), page I I : Why do many Protestant parents send their daughters to convent schools ? In order that their innocence may be safe- guarded while their mind is being educated. That is the an- swer. The parents know well the dangers that surround 194 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. their girls in secular schools and fashionable boarding col- leges; they know also that in the Sisters' care their darlings will be kept from evils. Forbidden knowledge will be closed to them. Dangerous books will not be allowed in their hands. Improper amusements will be prohibited. The love of virtue will be inculcated. Purity will be reverenced. Obedience will be made a habit. Truthfulness will be deemed indispen- sable. Industry will be honored in the practice. By example as well as by precept, goodness, gentleness and gracefulness will be taught. Moral Inconsistencies of Superintendents. One of the most prominent Archbishops in America is renting church property in a great city to tenants, who, to his knowledge, use it for base and immoral purposes, such as low saloons (called in America "barrel houses"), dance halls and brothels. He has much to say against socialism. He receives an exorbitant rent from these disreputable tenants because of the immunity they enjoy from any m.unicipal interference, through the political pull of their ecclesiastical landlord. Children of tender years have been rescued from these evil resorts. Whatever prosecution of the proprietors was started came to an untimely end through the powerful influence of His Grace. How can this parochial school superintendent rebuke his subordinates when they know of his renting church property for such base purposes ? He is particularly outspoken against the public schoois. He professes to stand in great fear of the rising generations becoming utterly depraved by them. The only hope for the welfare of this Nation which he can discover is in the parochial school. He is «not the only Catholic ecclesiastic in his Archdiocese, or in this glorious Republic, who is drawing a revenue from vicious resorts. Thorough Supervision Practically Impossible. In a large Diocese or Archdiocese it is practically impos- sible for the Bishop or Archbishop to thoroughly superintend SUPERINTENDENTS. I95 his parochial schools. He is compelled to rely upon the good faith of his priests. This is particularly so in an Archdiocese of the magnitude of the Chicago Archdiocese, whose Archbishop is burdened with manifold spiritual concerns, and financial responsibilities. But what thorough supervision of parochial schools can there be in a See when its Bishop or Archbishop is incapaci- tated by protracted illness or advanced age? If such inca- pacitated Bishop or Archbishop has a Coadjutor Bishop, with the right of succession, there would be just such supervision of the parochial schools in his See as the Coadjutor Bishop cared or dared to bestow. If such incapacitated Bishop or Archbishop were given an Auxiliary Bishop, there would be just such supervision of the parochial schools in his See as he might direct his Auxiliary Bishop to give, because the su- perintendency of parochial schools does not canonically fall within the duties of an Auxiliary Bishop, who is appointed chiefly to assist his Bishop or Archbishop in confirming the children of the See, and whose position is so temporary and suhordinaie that he holds the office and acts solely at the nod of his superior. The Most Rev. Patrick A, Feehan, the late Archbishop of Chicago, during the last two years of his life, was so weak in body and mind that he was never without a trained nurse, day or night. He was suffering from a form of paralysis, and was so incapacitated that his signature had to be stenciled on documents. He was given an Auxiliary Bishop in 1899, but this official unfortunately was in a shattered condition of health and was able to render him but very little assistance. In 1901 he was given another Auxiliary Bishop. Archbishop Feehan died in July, 1902. During the time that he was incapacitated there was virtually no discipline in the Archdiocese of Chica- go, and many of the priests took advantage of this fact to do as they pleased ; and one of the most prominent of them, who was well known at home and abroad, and who was leading a dual life, managed to secure several important Archdiocesan 196 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. offices, and then, by forging the name of Archbishop Feehan, he secured from a number of sources large sums of money, ag- gregating many thousand dollars. Thorough supervision of parochial schools in any See is likely to be wanting at almost any time by reason of the inca- pacity, through age or illness, of its Bishop or Archbishop. Parochial School Superintendents are not Answerable TO THE American People. To whom are the parochial school superintendents re- sponsible ? They are directly answerable to the Vatican author- ities. The Pope has never seen America, and, if reports be true, does not understand the English language, and hence cannot read the Constitution of the United States without the aid of a translation or an interpreter. The supreme head of the parochial school system in the United States is inevitably an Italian, and a person whose election suits France, Spain and Austria. The College of Car- dinals has its majority composed of Italians.' The Church calls itself universal, and is established indeed in all parts of the world,- but any Cardinal who is not an Italian has no more chance to become Pope than he has to become President of the United States. France, Spain and Austria have for centuries exercised in the Conclave the right of vetoing any candidate for the Papacy whom they disliked. The Holy Ghost, if He acts at all in the selection of a Pope, must consult these three secu- lar governments. Dr. Alzog says : The great Catholic powers have continued to exercise a greater or less influence on papal elections down to our day. (Dr. Alzog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., p. 484.) It certainly must seem to the American people an anomaly that France, Spain and Austria should have a commanding voice as to who shall be the supreme head of a system of schools in the United States of America. SUPERINTENDENTS. 197 It is said that the present Pope has decreed that these CathoHc powers shall no longer exercise the right of veto in Papal elections. But the Catholic powers themselves have not so agreed, and their right of veto can hardly, be terminated by a Pontifical pronunciamento. A Pertinent Question. I submit to the American people this question: Is it to the best interests of the Nation that a multitude (now over a million) of its children should receive their secular educa- tion in schools which for their highest supervision are subject to ecclesiastics whose perpetual residence is in Europe, who have never seen the shores of America, who are strangers to our language, our customs and our laws, and who attack Americanisms ? CHAPTER V. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. Parish rectors are the principals of parochial schools; and assistant rectors are assistant principals. If a parish rector is a drunken or an immoral priest, then the parochial school of that parish has a drunken or an im- moral principal. If the pastor is. a man without pedagogic ability, then his school has an incompetent principal. If the pastor is mercenary in his aims, then his school children will be compelled to further his selfish and reprehensible under- takings, a fact fully substantiated by the history of many Catholic church fairs, carnivals, picnics and dances. The parochial school principal is not always at heart and in life a man of God. The majority of the corrupt pas- tors in America are principals of parochial schools. If assistant rectors are men devoid of moral character and pedagogic training, then parochial schools have assistant principals who are unworthy. If assistant rectors happen to be good men, they can do nothing for the betterment of the parochial school if the principal is unworthy, because they are wholly in his power. Proper care is not exercised by prelates in the adop- tion of candidates for the sacred ministry, and hence the paro- chial schools are provided with unworthy principals and as- sistant principals. Men are adopted, educated and ordained who should never be intrusted with the cure of souls or the secular training of children. It is well known to those who are conversant with cur- rent events in France, and familiar with her history, that the PRINCIPALS. 199 hostile attitude of the French Government toward the Cath- oHc Church is largely due to the deterioration of the Catholic clergy in France. There was a time when the noblest Catholic families in France were proud to have their sons ordained to the priesthood. What is the situation in that glorious Re- public to-day? It is this: The majority of its priestg come from the families which occupy the lowest places in the social scale ; and the sad result is seen in the existence of a woefully deteriorated priesthood. A similar condition obtains in Amer- ica. Far be it from me to say a word in disparagement of the worthy poor. I know that nobleness of manhood and woman- hood is found in the humblest dwellings of men. I know that in the galaxy of America's heroes the names of men, who were the children of poverty, shine with unfading lustre. I rejoice in the fact that America is the poor man's opportunity. But honest poverty is one thing and vicious poverty is another. The children of the former can be trusted, as a rule, with any office which is within their capacity in Church or State; but the children of the latter, in the nature of things, cannot be equally trusted. " A silken purse cannot be made out of a sow's ear." Are American bishops and archbishops careful in the ac- ceptance of candidates for the priesthood? They are not. Young men, whose homes have been evil and whose associates have been vicious, are adopted, educated and ordained for the sacred priesthood of the Catholic Church. I say it is wrong. It is a sowing to the wind and the harvest will be the whirl- wind. Throughout America are priests and prelates whose antecedents would keep any reputable bond company from bonding them for responsible positions in secular employment. The Catholic Church in America adopts unworthy men, edu- cates them, ordains them, and even honors them with episco- pal authority — that is, makes them parochial school assistant principals, principals and superintendents. Even bastards are ordained to the priesthood in the United States. 200 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. America is cursed with priests of foreign birth and train- ing who were sent to America to relieve their native dioceses of the scandal of their unpriestly conduct. A priest who does wrong in Europe should never be entrusted with the cure of souls in America. The United States Government sends back immigrants who are not up to a fixed standard in health, wealth and character. The Catholic Church in America should have a department of ecclesiastical immigratipn, and any priest who has broken his vows across the sea should be refused adoption here. America should not be made a dumping ground for fallen foreign priests. The parish rector has full control of the parish moneys. His word is law. He collects and spends according to his own good pleasure. He is supposed to report annually to his bish- op, archbishop or cardinal. But does he? Well, when he does, his report would not stand the scrutiny of a fifth rate auditor. Some pastors make an annual pretence of giving to their congregations a report of receipts and expenditures for the year, but those who have inside knowledge of the making up of such reports know that they are monumental pieces of deception. Many priests never even make a pretence of re- porting. Sometimes _MOwiwa^ trustees are appointed for a " blind," but in reality the laity have no voice in the temporal af- fairs of their parish. They dare not ask for a complete finan- cial report. All they can do is " to pay up and shut up." It hardly requires any special penetration to see what an oppor- tunity for grafting such a condition of things affords a mer- cenary priest. My observations lead me to the conclusion that not two per cent, of the parochial school principals could pass an or- dinary examination for a public school principal. The public school excels the parochial school in com- pelling its principals and assistant principals to observe in public life a higher ethical standard than that followed by the parochial school principals and assistant principals. If the principal of a Chicago public school got drunk, or if he were PRINCIPALS, 20I discovered to be a silent partner in a liquor saloon, he would be ousted. This is not the case with the parochial school prin- cipal. Charges of immorality against a public school prin- cipal would be sifted to the bottom ;, such charges against paro- chial school principals are thrcwn into wastebaskets. I venture to say that no public school principal who was known to have ever been guilty of immorality could hope to obtain a position again anywhere in the United States. His offence would be a perpetual bar. This is not at all the case with an immoral parochial school principal. If a priest gives public scandal, he is whitewashed by his bishop, or he is sent, perhaps, to make a religious retreat for a few days, and then he returns to his parish, or he is trans- ferred to another parish in that diocese, or he is sent to some other diocese where he may assume another name to escape the service of criminal or civil process. This course in effect means no punishment for sin, and it affords no protection to the Catholic people from ecclesiastical rascals. In an Ameri- can Archdiocese a pastor, who had a parochial school, se- duced his ward; he was denounced publicly in his church at Sunday morning Mass; but he was simply transferred to an- other parish. The same treatment was accorded by his ec- clesiastical superiors to a priestly sodomite. If a priest runs away with a woman he still retains his priestly faculties; and if he deserts her and seeks an appointment he has no particular difficulty in securing a parish, even though they had been legally married. Failure to punish sinning priests is working incalculable harm to the Catholic Church. There is not a Protestant sect in America that deals with its immoral clergymen in this loose way. If a Protestant clergyman seduced a young lady, would he be transferred to another church ? Nay, he would be kicked out of his denomination. Why should Catholic priests who sin receive any less rigorous treatment? I humbly urge upon the Catholic Church the necessity of dealing sternly with sinful priests and prelates. A wicked 202 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. priest, even though he repents, should never be entrusted with the care of souls. He should be consigned to a monastery, and he should never be permitted to officiate publicly at the altar, or to sit in the confessional — to serve as a parochial school superintendent, principal or assistant principal. Parochial School Principals Shield Each Other. Another point, which must not be overlooked, will help the public to a clearer understanding of -the disabilities of the parochial school by reason of its principals. Catholic priests shield each other. The immoral cleric is shielded by his moral as well as his immoral brother priests. This indicates the false code of honor which prevails in the Catholic priesthood. It is a code which is uncanonical and unchristian. Neverthe- less, it even dominates the course of decent priests and com- pels them to condone and cover up offences which should send their perpetrators to the penitentiary. How can the parochial school get rid of an unworthy principal when priests and pre- lates ate his devoted protectors and champions? And this leads me to say that this false code should be relentlessly as- sailed. Publicity is purity. Secrecy is sin. I am happy to be able to quote the eminent Cardinal Manning in support of my views concerning this subject. From the Life of Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of West- minster by Edmund Sheridan Purcell, (Member of the Roman Academy of Letters), I quote as follows: Cardinal Manning himself — and that is enough — ^has laid down a rule against concealing the sins or shortcomings of Bishops and others in the following words, spoken on the oc- casion of his final visit to Rome in 1883, to Pope Leo XIII : — ■ "If the Evangelist did not conceal the sin and fall of Judas, neither ought we to conceal the sins of Bishops and of other personages." (Foot-note) : The Pope in his conversation with Cardinal Manning, reprobated the vicious system of sup- pressing or glossing over facts in history, sacred or profane, or in the lives of men, Saints or sinners, as repugnant to PRINCIPALS. 203 truth and justice, and in the long run, as detrimental to the spiritual interests of the Church. (Vol. II., p. 755.) Parochial School Principals are Cheap Politicians. Our great American cities, are cursed with municipal cor- ruption. From my knowledge of the undercurrent of things I assert that Catholic parochial school principals are at the bottom of American municipal corruption. They have gone into politics ; and they are wire pullers at the caucuses, at the conventions and at the primaries. They succeed in getting their henchmen into various civic offices. This political work is not done through purely benevolent motives. They make money out of it. A clerical politician is none other than a priest who is corrupt at heart. He abandons the spiritual in- terests committed to his care, and, consumed by an unholy de- sire to amass wealth, he plunges headlong into political chican- ery for the graft that is in it. " Get Rich Quick " Parochial School Principals. The vast majority of Catholic priests are investors in various " get rich quick " concerns. Gold, silver and copper mines are very attractive to them, and in many of these mines the only ore is the coin put in by the mercenary priests and other gullible people. The more knowing priests do not in- vest, but give the use of their names for blocks of stock; and prospectuses are prepared containing copies of signed letters of endorsement by these God-fearing ecclesiastics. This print- ed matter is sent to their parishioners, and on the stock sold to them these pastors receive a commission. Often these cler- ics personally solicit or advise their parishioners to invest in speculative stocks, and the properties may exist on paper only. These priests are frequently directors in these mining corpora- tions, and church presbyteries often serve for meeting places for the boards of directors. These pastors often have parishes overwhelmed with debts which run into many thousands of dollars, and they continually cry for money. Sunday after Sunday they command their 204 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. people to give money. Money, indeed, is their only gospel I When they are not at home their assistants take up the cry, and woe betides them if they do not cry lustily, for the pastor's relatives report any half-heartedness. What becomes of the money ? Ask the pastor, not the people — the people do not know. The money goes into the bank accounts of the rector and his relatives, and it is used for all kinds of speculations. From reliable data I am convinced that over fifty per cent of the Catholic clergy are investors in " get rich quick " schemes. Many of them are investors in listed speculative stocks, and their first office in the morning is to examine the stock quota- tions. When the market goes against them they usually an- nounce a special collection on the following Sunday for some special object, such as prospective repairs to the church, or to the presbytery, or to the parochial school building. A few years ago there were two brothers who formed a mining company. They belonged to a most prominent parish, which ^as conducted by a Religious Order. They made gen- erous contributions to all the collections, and liberally patron- ized the parish fair, picnics and dances. They gave the pastor blocks of stock for his recommendation of their mining scheme ; and men of that parish and of the adjacent pai-ishes bought mining stock. Men mortgaged their homes to obtain money to invest. Suddenly it was ascertained that the wonderful mine was simply a hole in the ground. Brave, noble women of the parish went en masse to the presbytery, rang the bell, and, no response being made, broke in the door and horse- whipped the pastor, who was the head of the Religious Com- munity. There was press publicity of the assault, but there was no legal prosecution. This pastor is an Examiner of the Clergy. Liberal Patrons of the Arts and Sciences at World's Fairs. A multitude of priests attended the World's Fair which was held in Chicago in 1893. They sought the educating and PRINCIPALS. 205 refining influences of that " White City." Their parishioners were glad to see them go to it, and contributed towards their expenses. The majority of these clerical visitors behaved in a scandalous way. They frequented houses of shame ; they patronized gambling dens; many of them were arrested and booked under fictitious names. Some of them got crazy drunk in their hotels and ran around the corridors naked. Neverthe- less, some of these ecclesiastical sinners officiated on Sundays in the various Chicago churches, kindly substituting for their brethren who had gone elsewhere for a summer's recreation. From the data which I have received the harlots of St. Louis, during the great fair now in progress there, are getting a greater percentage of patronage from Catholic parochial school principals and assistant principals than from the male sinners of any other vocation, occupation or profession. In this connection I relate a conversation I had with a most prominent American archbishop, who is, indeed, an aspirant to a seat in the College of Cardinals. I said to him: " Your Grace, as I was going to my hotel last night a hack- man said : ' How are things coming with you, father ? ' I said to the hackman : ' Very well ! ' He said : ' You are up against a tough proposition; the priests are a tough bunch.' I said : ' What do you know about them ? ' He said : ' I have not been a hackman for the last twenty years right down in the heart of the city without knowing a good deal about them ; I frequently drive them down to the levee district at night, and whenever I take one down I can sleep for a month.' I said: 'What do you mean by that?' He said: ' I get a rake off from the house of ill-fame, a certain percentage.' I said : ' A percentage of what ? ' He said : ' A percentage of the amount which he spends in the house.' I said : ' In what way ? ' He said : ' On the girls, buying wine for the girls, setting up the can-can, and ,for the other things which go with such doings ; the priests are the best spenders I meet; their money comes easy and they let it go easy.' I said : ' How do you reckon your percentage from the house?' He said: 'I size the fel- 206 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. low up pretty well; I have an idea of how much he wants, and of how much he is going to spend; and the people who run those houses are pretty square people ; any way they know that if they don't deal square with us we will take the business to some other house, so you see they have got to be on the square with us.' " This hackman was a Catholic. I then told the Archbishop about another case. I said : " A Catholic ■hackman stopped me a short time ago and said: 'How are the boys getting on, Father ? ' I said : ' What boys ? ' He said : ' The priests.' I said : ' I believe they are improving ! ! ' He said : ' It is pretty hard to change them ; they are a tough class; it is little the people know about them; in fact if you tell them anything about them they won't believe it ; they will call you an A. P. A. if you tell them anything about their clergy; when I was a boy I attended the Catholic schools in this city, and at that time I, too, would not believe anything bad about them, but after I got into the hack business my eyes were opened. One night I was engaged by a few gentlemen to take them down the line onto Wabash Avenue to a certain house of ill- fame ; I drove them there ; they got out of the car- riage and paid me for my services, and I waited awhile and went then right into the house to get my percentage for bring- ing them there; well, good God, to my great surprise who should come down the stairs but a priest of my then parish, and now a prominent Chicago pastor ; he said to me : ' Hello there, Patrick, what are you doing around here ? ' Then I screwed up my courage and I said : ' I am here on business ; what are you doing around here ? ' He said : ' I am here see- ing the sights.' Now, I tell you, father, that was my first eye- opener, and my eyes have been kept open ever since ; but when I told that to some of my friends they did not believe me and called me all sorts of names and warned me against giving scandal by telling that to anybody else, and they said that if I did I would get into trouble ; so realizing how hard it is to persuade the Catholic people that there is anything wrong with PRINCIPALS. 207 these fellows I made up my mind that the best thing I could do was to keep my mouth shut." The Archbishop then told me about one of his experiences. He said : " Yes, hackmen know a great deal about us ; they have seen a lot; they are in a way to see it; why, down at my former diocese there were two hackmen, father and son, who* were Catholics once, but owing to what they saw amongst the clergy they lost the faith. When the old man was dying, his wife, unknown to him, sent for me to give him the last rites of the Church; I went there, and as I was entering the ' door of his bedroom the old man cried out : ' For God's sake, don't come into this room ! I don't want you ! ' I said : ' Don't you want me, aren't you dying ? ' He said : ' Yes, I am dying, but I am at peace with my God, with my country and with myself, and I don't want to have anything to do with you nor the likes of you; I know too much about priests; I have driven lots of them to bad houses ; for God's sake, don't come in ! I don't want to be reminded by your presence of those things now when I am dying ! ' I saw that the old man was thoroughly in earnest, and, not caring to debate the mat- ter with him for fear the people in the house might overhear what he had 'to say, I turned on my heel and walked away." The Archbishop continued: "^ Hackmen, policemen, firemen, street car and railway men know a great deal about us; they see a great deal, they are in the way of knowing it, but for- tunately the poor fellows keep it to themselves." The fact is that when a man of any of the foregoing classes dies, his pastor and the assistants exert themselves to show all possible honor to his memory, particularly by the delivery of a most flattering funeral sermon. If the deceased died with- out the last sacraments, or even refused them, greater exer- tions are made. These honors are paid to the deceased to shut the mouths of his relatives in case he may have told them of the clerical misconduct he had seen. High church digni- taries often grace these funeral occasions. 208 the parochial school. Nautical Clerics. In the United States there are parochial school principals who are very fond of the water. They enjoy trips on the pala- tial steamers which ride the waters of the inland lakes, the great rivers and the ocean. They are also much given to yachting. During the summer time their health, impaired by arduous service in their parochial schools, demands frequent visits to the various beaches. I have heard fanatics predict that the Atlantic coast would be submerged some day as a punishment by an offended God; I have been amused by their weird predictions; but as I think of the immorality and bes- tiality of these nautical clerics, records galore being in my pos- session, I really marvel that such a cataclysm does not happen. Catholic travelers, watch the priest on shipboard ! Watch him closely! If you will look sharply you will see a priest and a woman. He may call her his " sister," or " niece," or " cousin," but as a rule she is not. The ofificers of the Atlantic liners tell many sickening facts in connection with nautical clerics. Many an ecclesiastical voyager has found himself in irons before the end of the voy- age to protect the passengers and himself from his drunken frenzy. What these nautical clerics do not know about poker and other gambling games on their voyages Satan does not know. They usually travel incognito in both dress and name, but when the liquor gets into them they betray their clerical character by attempting to assert their priestly jurisdiction. Dealers in Smut. There are priests in America who are considered special- ists in retailing smutty stories, the foundations of which they learn in the confessional. In Catholic theological seminaries in America students form associations (not sanctioned by the seminary authorities) in which membership depends upon the applicant's ability to PRINCIPALS. 20g tell stories of a prescribed degree of nastiness. A priest told me that it took him three years to get admitted. Brazen Hypocrites. There are Catholic priests and prelates who are at the head of various Catholic temperance societies, and others who are famed as temperance advocates, who get drunk ad libitum. They deliver stirring addresses at temperance meetings, and then they are put to bed the same night drunk. Catholic priests in America impose severe penance upon penitents who have eaten meat on proscribed days, but these priests do not scruple when they are outside of their parishes (and inside when the housekeeper is trustworthy) to break the law of the Church concerning days of fasting and absti- nence, and many of them even break their fast before they say Mass. Some priests, who have a little conscience left, and who have not wholly lost the faith, winter in Mexico where the Church permits Catholics to eat meat on those proscribed days — even on Friday! Malodorous Pedagogic Samples. So far I have discussed in a general way the principals and the assistant principals of the parochial schools. I now deal specifically with some of these clerical educators, designat- ing each by a numeral and some suggested title. The cases I describe I have selected at random from the hundreds which I have listed. They are but average samples, and are scattered over America. My readers may wonder why I do not give the names and addresses of these clerical sinners, and of other wicked ec- clesiastics to whom I have referred. I do not do so out of regard for the opinion of my advisers. My clerical counsellors assert that since many, if not all, of these names are now on file in formal charges at the Vatican, and since the present Pope, Pius X., has hardly had an adequate opportimity to 2IO THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, familiarize himself with the details of these charges, in order to canonically deal with the accused, it would be disrespectful to His Holiness to give to the world the names and addresses. My lay counsellors solemnly declare that there is grave like- lihood that such publicity would lead to the burning of churches and the lynching of priests by an infuriated Catholic people. It will be noticed that I describe some of these cases at greater length than others. The shorter length is not due to a lack of material. I do not care to nauseate my readers, and so I give a few cases at greater lengfth simply to illustrate what might be said about each of these malodorous peda- gogues. The cases which I now cite may seem improbable to my readers by reason of their awfulness; but I solemnly declare that I am conservative in my statements, and that the cases which I now describe are in reality infinitely worse than they appear here. If I should give the full story in every day speech con- cerning each of these malodorous pedagogic samples, this book would be so nasty that it could not be circulated. It is my desire to tell the truth in chaste language, and, therefore, I take as my literary guides the celebrated Catholic historians. Dr. Alzog and Dr. Pastor (from whose works I quoted in Chapter III), and I trust that my descriptions of clerical depravi- ty will equal in refinement the similar portrayals of these emi- nent authors. Rev. No. I. A Forger. In the autumn of 1903 a priest of international repute dis- appeared. He had robbed his parish and Archdiocese of about $750,000, and this largely through forging the name of his Archbishop. Why is he not prosecuted? Why is he not punished in conformity with the canons of the Church ? Is it possible that he knows some startling things which his Archbishop fears he might reveal to the world? Can it be that even now he is drawing hush money from his Archdiocese ii PRINCIPALS. iil October i6th, 1901, he offered me $50,000 to induce me not to expose his dual life in any forthcoming book. I said to him then : " If you dare to make that offer to me again I will take you by the nape of the neck to the police station." At that time he was living in adultery with a married woman whom he had estranged from her husband and established in a palatial home. He was an ardent champion of the parochial school and a fierce denunciator of the American policy in the Philippines. He was the principal of a parochial school which had 21 nuns and 750 pupils. His influence was eagerly sought by politicians, and he was once urged to run for Congress. Since he has become a fugitive he has been teaching in a Catholic college, and has been giving missions, under an as- sumed name, to convert Protestants. Rev. No. 2. — A National Character. His parochial school has over a thousand pupils. In the winter season he is very fond of providing sleighing parties for the young ladies of his school, and he always arranges it so that there is a lack of at least one seat. The consequence is that one young lady rides in the pastor's lap. This rector is one of the most lecherous of the lewd members of the priest- hood. He constantly attends and " plays " the races. He won $60,000 on one race. He is an habitue of race-tracks, gambling houses and brothels. He is a national character. His " O. K." is omnipotent. Gamblers have to secure it in order to run their houses in his section of his city ; and can- didates for the priesthood have to obtain it to get ordained. This man has been guilty, on land and sea, of unprintable lewdness. He presented one of his mistresses with a belt, each link being a twenty-dollar gold piece. He is reputed to be worth about a million dollars. 212 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Caught in flagrante delicto he said : " I never beUeved in celibacy, I never preached it, never practiced it, and never will. It's a humbug." Rev. No. 3.. A Lover of Fast Horses and Fast Women. He has in his parochial school over 1,500 children. He keeps a city house and a country residence. He is devoted, to fast horses and fast women. In the country he is known as " Mr. West " ; and one of his temporary better halves as " Mrs. West." Rev. No. 4. A Grocer. He is a priest who eloped with a young woman. He is living with her and running a grocery. She has borne him three children. He said Mass the morning the first baby was born. Any time he will abandon the woman he can return to parochial school duties, for " Once a priest always a priest." In the parish from which he eloped the parochial school had over 600 pupils. His name appears in the issue of the Catholic Directory and Clergy List of 1^0^; although his ecclesiastical superiors are fully aware of his misconduct. After his elopement he solicited ofiferings by mail for Masses for souls in purgatory and undoubtedly made a nice little sum in this way. Rev. No. 5. A Pugilist. After his ordination he served as an assistant pastor in numerous parishes, where he acted as assistant parochial school principal. He was finally appointed pastor of a country parish and its outlying missions, which parish had been vacant nine months on account of the sudden disappearance of its rector, who had been drunk most of the time for five years and who was accused of a criminal assault upon two little girls. At his, first appearance he told the people from the altar PRINCIPALS. 213 during Mass that they had a very bad name with the Arch- bishop and priests of the Archdiocese, so bad, in fact, that priests did not care to come and labor among them; that he was the only priest with sufficient zeal and faith to volunteer to undertake the work of the cure of their souls, and that if they interfered in any way with his plans or reported him to headquarters he would lock up the church, leave the place and they would never get another pastor. This cowed the people. He succeeded, by underhand means, in getting an- other town attached to his parish. This gave him a large ter- ritory for his operations. He adopted every means to raise money. He held missions, fairs, picnics, sociables, euchre parties and barn dances, which he advertised through the parish by hand-bills, placards, and the press. Depraved women came from surrounding cities to his entertainments and helped to sell his tickets and make his enterprises successful. These abandoned women covertly plied their shameless arts at these undertakings. When some of the good people remonstrated with him, he replied with an oath : " It is not my business to look into the character of people; what I am after is money for God's Church." Just after one of his fairs was opened, four most respectable young ladies, finding a woman of doubtful character in charge of a booth, went to him and gave him their booth books and said : " We cannot have any- thing to do with this fair ; it is a scandal ; we cannot associate with abandoned people." He replied : " It is none of our business ; it is not for you or f 9r me to question the character of people; what we want to do is to make money for the Church." At one of his church fair dances an intoxicated stranger asked a young lady of the congregation to dance with him. She declined, and he staggered over to the Reverend Father and promised to give ten dollars to the fair if he would induce the young lady to comply. The pastor urged the young lady to dance with this man, telling her that her re- fusal would cost him ten dollars. 214 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. He expelled a number of children from his Sunday School, which was held in the church immediately before Mass, there- by preventing them from being present at Mass, to humiliate their parents for not meeting his exactions. He wrote scur- rilous letters to several parishioners because they did not pay enough to satisfy nim. In March, 1898, he told his congregation to be ready on a certain Sunday to announce, on the calling of their names, the amounts they would contribute to pay oflf the church mortgage. The Sunday came, and during the Mass he as- cended the pulpit, and commenced to call the roll of his con- gregation. He called out three or four names, and the parties replied : " I will see you to-morrow. Father." He called back : " You will be in hell to-morrow ; damn to-morrow ; to-morrow be damned; I'll see you all in hell to-morrow." The congregation rose to leave the church, and he cried out: " Go, and may- the curse of God go with you ; this is damna- ble; this is casting pearls before swine; by the eternal God I'll make you do your duty." Several parishioners fainted. The people at one of the outlying missions bought a lot, for a church site, upon which there was a cottage. This cot- tage was sold for $49.00, which the pastor treated as his own money to pay for a memorial window in his own honor in the new church. At another outlying mission, in a popular contest for a gold watch at one of his fairs, he put on a blackboard the name of a prostitute with the names of three Catholic ladies, two of whom immediately withdrew their names, but he persuaded the third lady to stay in the contest on the plea that the money would be for God's Church. After having continued this course of blackguardism for a number of years he was promoted to a most desirable parish, where he commenced his administration by holding a fair, at which he had all kinds of gambling devices. Shortly after it closed he had a most prominent Paulist Father give a mis- sion. The Paulist Father had a "question-box," and among PRINCIPALS. 215 tHe questions asked were : " Is it right to have gambling de- vices at a church fair ? " " Should not the pastor be paid a definite salary ? " " Should not a parish have trustees to man- age the parish finances ? " The Paulist had announced that he would answer the questions at the evening service. The pastor forbade him to answer the foregoing questions. The pastor opened the evening service with the recitation of the Holy Rosary, and then retiring to the sacristy he met the Paulist and asked him, " Are you going to answer those questions?" "Yes, Father," was the reply. The pastor then struck the Paulist with his fists ; smashed his spectacles and knocked him down, he breaking the electric lamp in his fall, leaving the sacristy in darkness. The altar boys rushed from the sacristy into the sanctuary crying, " A fight ! a fight ! a fight ! " Many of the congregation thought they were cry- ing " fire." The pastor quickly put on the benediction cope, picked up the Monstrance, which had been thrown upon the floor in the struggle, rushed into the sanctuary, ascended the steps of the altar, opened the tabernacle, took from there the Blessed Sacrament, placed it in the Monstrance, turned around to the people and dismissed them with the Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament. Over a third of the congregation were Protestants, who were curious to hear the sermon of the Rev- erend Missionary, the Paulist's work being especially the con- version of Protestants to the Catholic faith. This pugilistic pastor has refused to pay his debts; he has involved his parish; and he has blackguarded his people. His congregation recently demanded, by a signed petition ac- companied by grave charges, that he be removed, but his Arch- bishop ignored this demand, and the priest still has the cure of their souls. In his late parish he claimed that a parishioner, who was a poor man and eighty years of age, owed him six dol- lars pew rent, and he demanded the money. The old man re- sponded, " I have no money, father, except twenty-five cents." The pastor replied, " I see you have the ' Lives of the Saints ' i2l6 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. here, and I will take these books for the pew rent." The old man exclaimed, " Why, father, you surely would not take them from me ! They are the only comfort I have during the long, days and dreary nights." The pastor replied, " I_jnust have my pew rent. Bring them up to the presbytery." The feeble old man obeyed the command of his Reverend Father in God. The six volumes had cost him over nine dollars. He is the principal of a parochial school which has over 300 children enrolled. Rev. No. 6. — A Fiend. He is a priest who ravished a defenceless fifteen-year-old orphan, who had just arrived from Ireland. He committed the crime in his parochial school hall, where he was in the habit of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the children of the parish. He kept her in his power through fear. Finally he forced her into public prostitution, and he often visits her for immoral purposes in her abode of shame. He has an honorable place in the published list of the Catholic clergy of Jiis Archdiocese. She is numbered among the inmates of a brothel. He is beloved as a " Reverend Father in God." She is loathed as a common harlot. Rev. No. /. — A Doctor of Medicine. In 1899 he was sent to one of the most prominent parishes in America. He was appointed second assistant pastor, and was put in immediate charge of the parochial school, which had about six hundred pupils. In 1902 he was charged with a number of penitentiary offences. The pastor of the parish tried for one year to see the Archbishop about this unworthy assistant, but the stereotyped reply of the Archbishop's valet was : " You can't see him. He is in the country." Finally this assistant was charged in a sworn affidavit with having committed in indecent assault upon a beautiful young lady, who was taken suddenly ill, and to whom he was PRINCIPALS. 217 called to administer the last rites of the Church. While hear- ing her confession he told her that he was " a doctor as well as a priest, and spoke about the female anatomy and sexual matters," and to her great shame and resentment made a digital examination. He then gave her the Sacraments. He was the spiritual director of the parochial school and was in the habit of visiting it daily. He would sit in the seats with the young girls. One day he asked one of the girls how she felt. She replied : " I have a pain in my hip." He said : " Come with me and I will cure you." He took her into the parochial residence, placed her on a lounge, exposed her per- son and indecently rubbed her with holy water, telling her that whenever she had a pain like that to come to him and he would treat her. The little girl told the nun who taught her in the school, and the nun reported it to the pastor. He should have been indicted for a criminal assault. On one occasion a father, on returning from business in the evening, found his little girl on the lap of this priest, who was taking indecent liberties with her. Said the parent : " My God! Father, what is the meaning of this? what are you do- ing ? " "I am preparing her for her First Holy Communion," was the response of the assistant principal of the parochial school. The parent ordered the priest from his house, and threatened to kill him if he ever visited his home again. The Church authorities were made acquainted with thd foregoing and other incidents of his depravity, and fearing that he would be arrested or lynched they punished him by promoting him to the position of assistant pastor in a neighboring parish!!! This man is still preparing children for their first Holy Com- munion ! ! ! Rev. No. 8. A Sot. He was appointed pastor of a church in 1901. It was known to many priests that he was an habitual drunkard. He was frequently found wandering on the streets intoxicated, and was carried by policemen to police stations. He was un- 2l8 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. der the influence of liquor the very day he got his appoint- ment, and his clerical friends did what they could to sober him sufficiently to be presentable at the Archiepiscopal Palace, to which he was called by a telegram. He left at ii A. M., received his pastoral appointment at noon, did not return, and was found by the police at midnight lying dead drunk in an alley. About three months previous to the above incident he was serving as an assistant pastor and was charged with the duty of preparing children for Confirmation. The Confirmation Sunday came and brought his Archbishop, who was accom- panied by a numerous retinue composed of priests, bands of music and a squad of cavalry.' At ii o'clock on the previous day Rev. No. 8 procured a jug of whiskey, at once went to bed with it and got so crazy drunk that the other assistant pastors and the housekeeper had to hold him in bed, from which, when he heard the music on Sunday, he made frantic efforts to escape though clad only in his nakedness, deter- mined to take an active part in the enthusiastic welcoming of the Archbishop by the good people of the parish. The first Sunday he was to say Mass as pastor he was too drunk to appear, and having secured no other priest the good people were deprived of divine service. He was too drunk to appear on the following Sunday and failed to pro- cure a substitute, but his ecclesiastical friends came to bis rescue and had present a Carmelite Father who said Mass. A few months later he was found lying on the street in a help- less state of intoxication in one of the most disreputable dis- tricts of the city, and was removed by the police to the police station and kept over night under the name of " John Doe." He escaped appearing on the following morning among the " drunks," as he had escaped on former occasions, through the effective political influence of Church officials. This last episode was one of the many things reported to Cardinal Mar- tinelli by the Catholic Laymen's Association of Chicago. PRINCIPALS. 219 Rev. No. 8 does not believe in lay trustees for parish property. He is the principal of a parochial school which has enrolled over 350 pupils. Rev. No. p. — A Gospel Pitcher. He v/as so drunk on a number of occasions while offici- ating at Mass that his parishioners had to remove him from the Sanctuary. On one Christmas morning his parishioners had to -remove him from the altar and put him to bed. At one time during Mass on a Sunday he took the Book of the Epistles and Gospels in his hand and staggering around on the altar, while turning the leaves, he suddenly said : " The Gospel for the Sunday is taken from — ah! O, h — 1, I can't find it, there is the d — n book, find it yourselves ! " and he then hurled the Holy Book at the congregation. The good people were scandalized beyond description, and at once went to their homes broken hearted. On another occasion he read the Gos- pel of the Sunday, and then said: "Do you beHeve that? Well, I'll be d — if I do. Since you believe it, here's the d — book, take it ! " and he threw the book of the Epistles and Gospels at the congregation. Before he was appointed to this parish he had been in charge of several parishes, where he scandalized the faithful by his vices. Complaints were con- stantly made about him to his ecclesiastical superiors, but to no avail. At one parish his boon companion was a colored porter of a barber shop, whom he would take into the church and vest, and the colored porter would walk around the altar pre- tending to officiate, while the priest rang the altar bell. Of course they were both drunk. His parishioners charged him also' with undue intimacy with a certain woman. After some time he was promoted ! ! About the middle of February, .1904, he was in an in- toxicated condition in a leading Chicago hotel, and boasted of having been to houses of ill-repute. A Catholic bystander said to him : " You ought to respect the Roman collar you 220 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. wear; the people can see by that that you are a priest." He repUed : " A priest ! a priest ! why, I am a priest, and I don't give a G — d — who knows it." The bystander said : " You ought to take off that collar." " O, h— ," he said, " that's my trade-mark ! " A parochial school which has this principal can hardly be open to congratulations. Rev. No. 10. — A Wounded Veteran. At a certain Sunday Mass in the summer of 1901 he ap- peared before his congregation with a bandaged wound in his forehead, which he had received in a house of ill-repute, where he had also been robbed of his valuables. The house was " pulled " by the police, and he was among the guests. At the police station he was given medical attention. In 1902 the piety, zeal and efficiency of this wounded soldier of Christ received due recognition and reward by his appointment to an important parish in an aristocratic suburb. He is a devotee of four goddesses — Bacchus, Venus, Graft and Gambling. Rev. No. II. — A Hatband Lover. He is now an assistant pastor. About six years ago he fell in love with a young nun, who was beautiful and accom- plished, she was the music teacher at a female academy. They carried on an amorous correspondence. Appointments were made and kept. Sometimes they met at the house of his mother; and at other times elsewhere. Ingenious methods were practiced to arrange these assignations. He visited the convent to say Mass and to give Benediction and spiritual instruction to the sisters and children; and he hung his hat in a certain place, and then the musical nun would quietly slip out of the chapfel during the devotions and go to his hat and find under the inside band a loving missive. She would then go to her cell and read her love letter, and pen one to her PRINCIPALS. 221 clerical lover in which she would designate a time and place for their meeting, and then put it under his hatband. On one occasion a Bishop accompanied him to the female academy. Their hats were alike. When the Bishop put on his hat he discovered that it was too small, and on investigat- ing he found a letter under the hatband. He was kind enough to give the letter to Rev. No. 1 1 instead of attempting to keep the appointment himself. The nuns knew of this intimacy, and there was a good deal of tittle-tattle which came to the ears of Rev. No. ii, who threatened the Mother Superioress with all kinds of revelations if she did not silence the gossip. He said to the good Mother : " How can I help it if one of your nuns falls in love with me?" A conscientious nun wrote to Cardinal Martinelli, then Apostolic Delegate, at Wash- ington, D. C, and revealed the corrupt condition of things. The pastor of the parish was ordered to make an immediate and searching investigation. He made a judicious inquiry, and reported to Cardinal Martinelli that the priest had fallen from grace. At this opportune time a priest was needed to act as as- sistant pastor and spiritual director of the Young Ladies' Sodality in the Cathedral parish, and Rev. No. ii, regardless of his bad record, was installed. The charms that smote the nun have had a similar effect upon a number of the young ladies of the sodality, and a great deal of scandal has been the result. He is the spiritual director of about a thousand sodality young ladies, and he is assistant principal of a parochial school which has enrolled about thirteen hundred pupils. Rev. No. 12. — A Wolf in Priest's Clothing. He gave instructions for First Holy Communion to a motherless girl, aged thirteen years, who was accompanied by a girl of about the same age. He sat between the girls, who were standing up, and suddenly took indecent liberties with the orphan. The little girl was shocked, went home cry- 222 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. ing and told her married sister, with whom she hved, what had happened. This offence was brought to the attention of his Archbishop by affidavits made by both children and the married sister. The Archbishop referred the whole matter to his Auxiliary, who held a white-washing investigation. Rev. No. 12 left the parish upon the advice of certain ecclesiastical dignitaries. He was an honored guest at one of the oldest and most prominent convents in America, where young candidates for the sisterhood are instructed and where there is a very large female academy for Catholics and non-Catholics. He lived in continual fear of being shot by the father of the little orphan, or of being brought before the bar of the Criminal Court. He was persuaded to go to Europe by his friends, who were glad to get him out of the country for fear that he would be caught by the law and would tell tales. At this time he was having criminal relations with a young woman who was the dear friend of one of the mis- tresses of a certain member of the Episcopate, and who is referred to in a certain affidavit (sent to Rome) as having become a mother by His Lordship. He was provided with one thousand dollars when he left America. He went to Ire- land. He tried to seduce a young American girl (who was traveling with her uncle) in the Victoria Hotel, Cork. He re- turned to America after a few months, and through the good offices of his friends he was provided with a home at St. , appointed assistant pastor of a city parish, where he heard con- fessions, said Mass and performed other priestly functions. The Bishop came to this church to confirm a class of children. He was assisted principally by Rev. No. 12 who wiped from the foreheads of the innocent boys and girls the holy oil placed by the Bishop's hand. The good people present, who knew some of the unsavory facts, were indescribably shocked. While spiritual director of a young ladies' sodality he seduced one of its most prominent officers, and promised her that when he secured a parish of his own he would make her PRINCIPALS. 223 his housekeeper and they would then Hve as husband and wife. He acted as her confessor while committing sin with her. From 1893 to about 1900 he was an assistant pastor. Part of this time he was a professor in a female academy, and he was in the habit of having some of the boarders in the academy visit him in his private rooms in the presbytery, where he kissed them and took other liberties, frequently having some of his brother priests present. In 1903 he was appointed pastor of a fashionable rural parish, where he immediately commenced and carried to com- pletion the erection of a large parochial residence, provided with a goodly number of bedrooms. He entertains quite lav- ishly, among his guests being some drunken and immoral broken down priests who have all their clerical faculties but no appointments, and during this last summer one of those reverend guests visited Catholic families in the neighboring metropolis and invited their daughters to spend the summer in the new presbytery, painting it as a delightful vacation re- sort and so situated that a morning dive could be taken from it into the waters of a placid lake. I personally advised Cath- olic parents not to allow their daughters to accept the invita- tion for I well knew that it was extended by lust. Rev. No. ij. — A Ballad Singer. While he was an assistant pastor a scandal arose con- necting his name with one of his female parishioners, in con- sequence of which he was transferred to an adjacent parish. An important parish, in which is located a prominent fe- male academy, became vacant, and he was promoted to it. Worthy priests, when this appointment was announced, ex- claimed : " Behold the priest who has been selected to guide the sisters and pupils in the ways of chastity ! ! ! " He has appeared many times before the public, with ec- clesiastics of his ilk, in the role of a ballad singer. He rarely appears in public in the garb of a priest — ^his dress is usually secular. 224 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. There are on file at the Vatican the most serious charges against him. Money is his god and Venus is his goddess. In his parochial school there are enrolled over 500 chil- dren ; and the female academy has over 300 pupils, a number of them being Protestants. Rev. No. 14. Celibacy Inexpedient. This priest has an international reputation. I now give a translation of an affidavit in Latin which was filed at Rome against him, but no attention has as yet been paid to it by the Vatican : makes oath and says : I am a priest of the Arch- diocese of and was lately appointed Rector of a Church in the same Archdiocese. I was Assistant Rector of the Church of for about thirteen years. During all these years I lived in the same house and sat at the same table with the Rector, Rev. . During at least two years the afore- said Rev. was an intimate friend and faithful adviser of the Rt. Rev. , Auxiliary Bishop of . Of my own accord and of my own knowledge I bear tes- timony to the following facts: The aforesaid lived the life of a layman rather than that of a priest. His associates and friends are certain priests of doubtful character and some from, among the laity against whom again and again grave charges have been publicly made. For twelve whole days in a year he has not lived in his parish. For ten years, clad in secular dress, he spent a night, nobody knew where, away from his house, once in every week. It is certain that he frequently lied about the circumstances. For twelve years he never missed the festivity called Mar- di Gras in the City of New Orleans, which is one thousand miles from Chicago. He lived for at least two months in the year not only away from his parish but away from the Diocese. To my knowledge and that of my associates the Rev. rarely said the Divine Office nor did he hear confes- sions except two hours in a year. For ten years he had the Stations of the Cross in his church without canonical erection. PRINCIPALS. 225 He made sport of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the hearing of myself and companion, Rev. priest of the Archdiocese of Rev. has main- tained that carnal intercourse of priests with women of ill- fame is not to be held as a sin, provided they do not cohabit with the women of their own parishes. The intimate companion and mistress of Rev. is , who publicly maintains that the celibacy of priests is inexpedient if not impossible. Again and again I found Rev. and in a bed room with the door closed. The circumstances were such that no doubt remained but that they met there for an immoral purpose. The sister of Rev. was grieved at the visits of this woman, but neverthe- less they were continued. (Signed) Subscribed and sworn to before me April 17^ 1902. [Seal.] Notary Public. Rev. No. 14 tells his parishioners from the altar : " It is none of your business what I do. You don't have to do as I do. You do as I say and not as I do." Rev. No. 15. — A Festive Fellow. He is a pastor of very loose morals. He associates witK what are vulgarly known as " sporting characters." At 10 o'clock on the night of July 25, 1902, accompanied by a lewd woman, he went into a fashionable restaurant, and remained with her several hours in a private wine room. They left at 12 : 30 A. M. and got into a " runabout " that had remained hitched for them all that time. They drove furiously through the streets, the woman holding the reins and he hold- ing her around the waist. The woman was a beautiful per- oxide blonde, about twenty-five years of age, and had dia- monds in her ears. At the Silver Jubilee of his church a bishop and some prominent priests were present and officiated at the Solemn High Mass, but the pastor appeared not. He and a clerical 226 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. friend had entered heartily into some secular ante-jubilee fes- tivities, and when the Sunday came he had only enough strength to attempt the six o'clock Low Mass. He retired from this ordeal completely exhausted, and was unable to be present at the Jubilee services at ii o'clock to hear his friend, a Very Reverend Professor, portray him as "a pastor justly celebrated for his piety, learning and efficiency, a noble man." Rev. No. i6. — An Equestrian Hero. He has been a drunkard for a third of a century. Be- cause of repeated scandals he has been removed from one par- ish to another, as a mild discipline. About five years ago he received a severe optical injury in a drunken spree. He was taken to a Catholic hospital for treatment, and from there the report was sent out by the good nuns that the reverend suf- ferer was a Christian hero — that he had been kicked by a horse while in the discharge of a pastoral duty! Before his removal to the hospital an hotel officer made an inventory, as was the rule in such cases, of all the effects upon his person, he being unconscious, and among the valuables were found some rubber goods for lewd purposes. His unministerial con- duct was so gross that complaints were made to his Archbish- op, but nothing came of them. He still remains in good standing with his archdiocesan authorities. I saw him at noon, in January, 1904, on the public street, in zero weather, with his shoes unlaced, without collar and tie, shirt unbuttoned, and minus an overcoat, rushing into a saloon. He is but the representative of a large class of parochial school principals and assistant principals who are abject slaves of Bacchus and Venus. Rev. No. I'j. — A Cvispidore Martyr. His transgressions against all ecclesiastical proprieties have been continuous. When he was an assistant priest he was moved from one parish to another, as no pastor could tolerate PRINCIPALS. 227 him. He was drunken and immoral in his habits, and violent and brutal in his methods. He carries to-day a scar received from a former pastor who struck him with a cuspidore in self- defense. He and a clerical chum took two young girls to the pres- bytery of another priest, where they ruined them. These girls belong to prominent Catholic families. x He was drinking in a saloon with other priests on an Easter Sunday night. They discussed their Easter offermgs, and they were so pleased with the receipts that they drank copious toasts to the faith of the good Catholic people, and finally he began to sing a High Mass. He kissed the counter for an altar and then turned around with extended hands and chanted " Dominiis vobiscuin," the others chanting in response " Et cum spiritu tuo." He has a large parochial school. Rev. No. 18. — A Dead Beat. Many years ago he was an assistant pastor, and by treach- erous conduct towards the pastor he secured a pastorat2. Dur- ing all these years he has been a man of intemperate habits. By unbusinesslike methods he almost put his parish into bank- ruptcy. He refused to pay the builder of his late church, who had to sue him. His present parish is wealthy and aris- tocratic. He is a clerical dead beat, a slave of Bacchus and a lover of Venus. He has a parochial school, and is the spiritual director ~ of a large female boarding academy which has many non- Catholic pupils. Rev. No. Jp. — A Brewer. For years he was the assistant pastor of a parish located in the " tenderloin " district of a great city, where he gave free rein to his depraved instincts, consorting with prostitutes, gambling and getting drunk ad libitum. From many saloons 228 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. in this parish he was evicted late at night for being drunk and disorderly, and for the same reason he was ejected from the public bar of a prominent hotel in his parish. He was in the habit of taking a Turkish bath at midnight to free him from the effects of debauch. On one occasion, in company with two of his sacerdotal brethren, he repaired to a leading Turk- ish bath establishment. Following the bath of steam and hot air the three retired into the same compartment and while naked bathed their insides with many rounds of Bass' ale. Their conduct became so scandalous that they were threatened with expulsion. Before they departed they purposely used the empty ale bottles; for an unmentionable purpose, and the at- tendants, on entering the compartment and thinking the liquid was ale, quaffed it and were nauseated. They ran after the priests to do them bodily injury. That same Sunday morning Rev. No. 19 preached an eloquent sermon on the beauties of a well ordered Christian life. It produced a profound impres- sion, except upon some of the victims of the Bass ale outrage. The life of Rev. No. 19 is a travesty of our Holy Faith. While his Archbishop was weak in mind and body, he was ap- pointed rector of a large parish. On the eve of this appoint- ment he was ejected from a saloon late at night for outrage- ous conduct, it taking five men to get him out. He preached at the laying of the corner stone of a church, and in his eloquent effort he urged the people not to forget that the Church to-day is as it was fashioned by Christ, and that She cannot be both progressive and consistent; th^t if they complain of the Church they impeach Christ. (When corrupt Catholic clergymen refer to the Church in this man- ner, they mean the priesthood.) He was greatly irritated by the exposures in the Chicago controversy. A brother priest said to him : " There is only one way for them to stop this; if it is not true let them sue Crowley!" "Well," he replied, "they can't take Crowley into Court ; he has told the truth ; and^ anyway, it is the part PRINCIPALS. 229 of a gentleman to have a good time with the ladies, to gam- ble and to get drunk." Over twelve hundred children look up to him as their parochial school principal. Rev. No. 20. — A Sodomist. In his early career he was an assistant at one of the lead- ing churches in a great city. While there he was under grave suspicion of abominable misconduct, and his superiors and friends, fearing that he would be arrested by the civil law, to the scandal of the Church, promoted him to a rectorship. In both places he committed sodomy. He was also guilty of habitual drunkenness. His parishioners rose en masse and sent deputations to his archbishop to demand his removal. They submitted proofs. Their efforts were in vain. The parish- ioners then appealed to a neighboring bishop to help them get the rotten priest removed. That bishop's efforts were futile, and the clerical beast remained unmoved for years, a stench in the nostrils of the entire community. In 1901 he was promoted to the rectorship of a city par- ish, where he is now curing souls and warning the faithful against the " godless public schools." When his present parish opens its parochial school it will have a sodomist for its principal. Rev. No. 21. — A Philanthropist. This priest conducts an alleged charitable home and school for waifs. He sends " chain " letters and circulars all over the United States, and even abroad. The money flows in to him like a stream from an artesian well. His daily receipts at the start averaged $500, but now they are much larger, owing to a more systematic working of his various soliciting schemes. In his office a Miss B. was a faithful worker, and she toiled in reality for the glory of God, not receiving any salary what- ever. He took all of the money and wisely invested it for him- 230 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. self in real property, and if ever a rainy day comes he has a number of farms upon which to settle. He occupies a dou- ble building which is sumptuously furnished and electrically lighted, the four or Hve waifs occupying one of the garrets. The first lady of the home was a German, and on all their trips he passed her ofif as his niece, I don't know whether on his mother's or on his father's side. She finally married. Her successor made it so hot for the conscientious Miss B. that she appealed to him for protection, but he peremptorily sent her away. Generous people call at the institution and leave money for this " sweet charity," ignorant of the fact that at that very time the institution's hard worked head is lying in an elegant upper room, sleeping of? the influence of Bacchus. Tippling priests never refuse an invitation to visit his institution. It beats a saloon — a greater variety, more of it, and nothing to pay. He has a barrel of whiskey so placed that he can suck its contents through a rubber tube while lying in bed. His cigars are made to order and are brandy soaked. He imports his wine, champagne, oysters and lobsters. He is worth thousands of dollars and is still making large money at the old stand. A former post office clerk is now confined in a peniten- tiary for robbing the mail of this clerical philanthropist, who probably escapes a like fate by " divying " with certain of his ecclesiastical superiors, a conclusion to which I am led in part by the lying advertisement of the number of waifs in his home which the officials of his archdiocese have inserted in his be- half in the Catholic Directory and Clergy List for 1904 for the United States and Canada. This philanthropic clerical swindler cries loudly " To hell with the public school," and he is an ardent supporter of the demand for State aid for parochial schools. He is now work- ing to secure State aid for his home and school for waifs. PRINCIPALS. 231 Rev. No. 22. — A Seductionist. He began his ministry in a large city. He was constantly found in brothels. He was sent into the country as pastor, and was finally promoted to a very desirable rectorship in an inland city, where he seduced a beautiful girl. Her father before his death wanted religious consolation, and his trusted pastor came to him and gave him the last rites of the Church. The dying man, tortured by the fear of leaving unprotected his beautiful daughters, turned to his pastor and said: " Father, protect and save them from all harm." The priest said : " I will." The man died. The pastor had already seduced one of the daughters. During her absence from home, preceding her father's death, the pastor wrote to her the fol- lowing love letter: Aug. 24th, 1894. My Dearest: Your most affectionate and long expected letter reached me yesterday morning, and its arrival and the reading of its contents pleased me more than any language of mine could adequately express. With your letter also came one from your father. After reading them, especially yours, which I read more than twenty times, I called over to your home and read them to your mother (of course leaving out the love part of it). Your mother is of course lonesome, but she is hap- py and encouraged under the circumstances to know that your own dear self is improving in health. Dearest, believe me when I say that you can form no idea of the pleasure which your letter afforded me when you stated that you were having a real swell time on your much needed vacation and your wishes to have me with you have often been the same as mine. But when impossibilities pre- vent us as at present from meeting and enjoying each other it thus affords me exquisite pleasure to do the next best thing, to write to you and to assure you that you are not forgotten, and that the old adage " Out of sight, out of mind " does not and never will hold good in our case. Had grateful thoughts been letters you would have received one hundred a day, but opportunities for letter writing have been few since the dis- tance between us is so great. 232 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. When I stated the positive truth to you in my last letter concerning my interview with I paused before com- mitting my thoughts to paper for fear that they may annoy you on your pleasure trip but as I have never deceived you in the past I was not going to deceive you now. I have always tried to be honest and frank in everything I said or promised to you and I want to be so in this instance. I am glad that it has not annoyed you. I felt and know now that you are a good sensible girl and that the truth, no matter how un- pleasant it might be, were better known, for I could not allow you to be humbugged by any man living. You ask, while I stay by you, what need you care ; and you need not care about the deceptions of man or woman. The world is full of de- ception and the older you and I get the more we realize that fact. I have seen a great deal of it and often from those I least suspected. Honey talk and sweet smiles are cheap and for that reason they abound in the world, and the true friend, like the true diamond, is a rare jewel to find. Fear not, my dearest love, for I will stay by you through thick and thin, in joy and in sorrow. There is none on earth I love and cherish so much as I do you, my dearest. It makes my very heart bleed when I am compelled to say anything to you but words of tenderness and love. I have seen some joys and some sorrow since my advent here. I have labored hard and during the constant respon- sibilities of my ministry I have made many friends, but none so kind, none so true, none to whom I feel so grateful as I do to you, and I sincerely hope that you and I will continue always to love each other as we do to-day, and that nothing will ever .break the golden chain of love that unites us so close- ly together. I made $58.30 on the concert. I will make it $75.00 and distribute that amount among the choir; $10.00 is for my dearest when she returns from rural visits. . With kind remembrance to all and my best love to your own dearest, sweetest self, I remain, as ever. Lovingly yours. The young lady returned from this trip ; her father died, and she found herself in delicate health. She went to Rev. No. 22 and he frightened her into doing just as he bade by declaring that all of her money was forfeited by her misdeed. PRINCIPALS. 233 and that she would be in the poor house unless she depended upon him. He then got a young man to shoulder the disgrace and to marry her for her money. Rev. No. 22 and this fellow hurried down town and procured a marriage license; but her mother arrived at the hospital before the two villains got back, and then the daughter refused to be married, and violently de- nounced the priest, who thereupon departed. His church was crowded the following Sunday morning; and just as he, with acolytes and incense bearers, was step- ping within the altar railing, a wild, shrill scream sounded above the tones of the organ. Instantly everything stopped. There at the altar stood the poor girl's mother, and pointing her finger in scorn at the priest she screamed : " Keep down ! you shall not hold service. You ruined my beautiful daughter, and no such false-hearted man can step into that sacred place." The white-haired mother was taken away by a policeman, and Rev. No 22 told the people that he was being blackmailed. The scandal was on everybody's tongue in the town. Rev. No. 22 was arrested for bastardy, and stood convicted before the people. He went to the press and tried to have the story suppressed, but his love letter made that impossible. Through the lust of this parochial school principal a promising life was ruined, several young women were crushed by a sister's shame, a mother's heart was broken, the confi- dence of a dead man was betrayed, and the escutcheon of our Holy Church was so stained that Catholics in that town hang their heads to-day in shame. Yet this scoundrel, instead of being driven by ecclesiastical authority from our sacred al- tars, was simply transferred to another parish where he now has the spiritual direction of immortal souls. Rev. No. 23. — A Debauchee. He was expelled for immorality from the seminary in his native diocese while studying for the priesthood. He then came to his present Archdiocese, and resumed his theological studies in its seminary. After his ordination he was ap- 234 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. pointed an assistant pastor of a parish in the " tough " sec- tion of a large city. He was a frequent visitor at houses of ill-repute. About twelve years ago he was made pastor of his present parish. His career there has been one of drunk- enness and debauchery. He visits houses of vice, and takes lewd women back to his parochial home. From November, 1889, to November, 1890, he had illicit relations with Miss — , Mrs. — and Miss — . The last two were supposed to sleep, on their visits to the presbytery, in a room adjoining his, but in the morning only one bed showed signs of having been occupied, and it was the pastor's and clearly showed that it had held two. The first woman was his parishioner and was a virtuous girl until he met and ruined her. Frequently rub- ber articles were found in his presbytery whose use is familiar to debauchees. He has been, afflicted with a loathsome dis- ease and has had medical treatment for it. Rubber articles marked, " For prevention of disease only " were taken out of a garment that he had worn on the preceding Sunday while saying Mass. Miss — was pulled out of his bed at the mid- night hour by two reputable Catholic women. At one time his Archbishop gave him $500.00 to pay for church improvements. He spent the money in debauchery, and did not get back to his parish until after the early Sunday Mass, which was said by a Franciscan monk. He was ac- companied home from a vile haunt by a suspended priest of a neighboring diocese. He hired a liveryman to drive them home. The carriage bill was $64.00. He was too drunk to say Mass when he got home, and the High Mass was said by the suspended priest. A special collection was taken up for some church purpose, out of which the carriage fare was paid. While lying on the floor of the presbytery drunk, he soliloquized upon his deception of the people, and dismissed the subject with the exclamation : " O, well, if I don't de- ceive them somebody else will ! " A Catholic lady called thrice upon his Archbishop to complain of this priest, but could not see him. Finally the Archbishop's valet told her PRINCIPALS. 23s to go to the Cathedral House and see the Chancellor. She saw this official, but he dismissed her abruptly, saying that he did not believe anything she said about the rector. Rev. No. 23 has the reputation of being an eloquent preacher, and his services are in demand by his sinning breth- ren for special ecclesiastical functions (such as corner stone layings, dedications and jubilees), his Archbishop, who knows about his unholy life, often being present. When Rev. No. 23 goes to Hot Springs and other sum- mer and winter resorts his friends address him, verbally and in writing, as " Mr." He goes under the alias of " Mr. Mitchell." He has become so depraved that he has low creatures serve him in the ways of Sodom. If he had his just deserts he would be transferred from his parish to the penitentiary. He is the principal of a parochial school which has en- rolled over two hundred pupils, and he vehemently seconds the Catholic clerical demand for State aid for parochial schools. Rev. No.. 24. — An Admirer of " Little Egypt." After his ordination he served as an assistant pastor, and he was known about town as a sport, a gambler and a roue. One of his pastimes was telling smutty stories founded upon things which he had learned in the confessional. He and other priests caroused. Moonlight nights were used for hay- rack parties by these convivial priests, whose companions were abandoned women. He was never known to miss a picnic day or night. There was no exhibition of beastliness in any noted house of depravity, white or black or yellow, which did not number him among its most delighted patrons. " Little Egypt " was one of his prime favorites. Her nude dancing never failed to fascinate him. His conduct was so unpriestly that he finally was written up in the daily press. Within two weeks thereafter he was grievously punished Tby being promoted to the cure of souls in his present parish ! Repeatedly he lias 236 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL; accompanied his Bishop to assist in the confirmation of the children of the faithful Catholic laity ! ! ! Being short of funds he mortgaged his church for a thousand dollars; and then he invited his Bishop to confirm the children of his parish. After the Confirmation he gave a banquet in honor of the Bishop, and congenial priests and a number of young lady friends attended it. The gathering broke up after the departure of the Bishop in a drunken fight over the girls. Two parties were formed, and one ejected the other. The vanquished party retired and awakened a saloon- keeper, one of the pastor's leading parishioners, and insisted upon being furnished with a stock of liquor. This was given to them, and with it they went to a hotel. They then pro- ceeded to drown the recollection of their recent defeat, and in the effort made such a rumpus that the quiet of the town was disturbed, and the city marshal threatened to put them all under arrest if they did not desist. While debating the matter the imbibed liquor came to the relief of the officer of the law, the offenders subsiding into a drunken sleep. Rev. No. 24 makes it a Christian virtue to avoid the pay- ment of bills. Indeed, he is a bankrupt financially and morally. Because of his artistic singing, he is in great demand as celebrant of Requiem High Masses, and as chanter of the "Vent Creator Spiritus" at spiritual retreats, synods, etc., this hymn being a prayer for the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the gathering. He is an accomplished singer of " coon " and " levee " songs, and is unequalled as a cake walker. As soon as his parish has its parochial school erected, he, by the law of the Church, will be its principal, and the par- ishioners can have none other. Rev. No. 25. — A Ground Hog. He is rector of an immense parish. He first studied law, but seeing more money in .the priesthood he abandoned the law for the Lord. He went to Rome and studied there. Then he came home, and the prestige of his foreign schooling placed PRINCIPALS. 237 him at once in an important ecclesiastical office. Then he was, through a " pull," appointed rector of his present parish. He is grossly intemperate. He was for some months in a Catholic hospital at the time of his appointment on account of inebriety. He is continually absent from his parish, being at Hot Springs and other resorts. He is never home except when he wants money. About the only religious duty he ever performs is to announce special collections. He never baptizes ; he never hears confessions ; and he never answers sick calls. His chief ecclesiastical service is to beg for more money on Christmas, Easter and All Souls' Day. Some of his parishioners refer to him as " the ground-hog " because of his rare appearances and sudden departures. He is short on religion and long on graft. He has 1200 pupils in his parochial school. He has all sorts of gambling devices at his church fairs, and raffles whiskey at them. From the altar and pulpit of his church the public schools are called " godless." Rev. No. 26. — A Monstrosity. He is the pastor of a very large parish, and has been its rector for thirty years. After his ordination he was appointed an assistant to Father Z. Father Z. held a big church fair, got dead drunk during it, and an assistant ran away with the proceeds. Rev. No. 26, being regarded as a shrewd man to hush up the scandal, was selected to take the place of the fugi- tive assistant. When he got on the ground he saw that the parish by proper handling would have a great future, the par- ishioners being a generous, industrious and thrifty people. But he felt that he must get Father Z. out of the way. He procured a two-gallon jug of whiskey and gave it to Father Z., who was lying in bed partially intoxicated and begging for liquor, and Father Z. got beastly drunk. Rev. No. 26 then hurried to his Bishop, and complained that it was impossible to do any work for God with the Rector continually drunk. The Bishop immediately sent his Chancellor to the presbytery 238 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. to investigate, with orders to remove Father Z. to the hospital if the complaint was found correct. Father Z. was taken away forthwith. At this time the fugitive assistant was ar- rested, and arraigned before the Criminal Court. Rev. No. 26 was a necessary witness to produce and testify to the books of the parish ; and he went to his Bishop and said : " In what capacity shall I testify? If I testify as an assistant my evi- dence will have little weight." The Bishop replied : " Testify as pastor of the church." " But," rejoined Rev. No. 26, " if I am asked to produce my letter of appointment as pastor, what shall I do?" -The Bishop said: "I will fix that now," and he forthwith wrote a letter appointing Rev. No. 26 pastor of the church. When Father Z. got sober he found his parish gone, and he drifted around from place to place among his friends and finally died. But he is to-day the nemesis of Rev. No. 26, who, when he has the delirium tremens, sees Father Z., and it is heart-rending to hear him cry: " O, let me alone! let me alone ! for God's sake, let me alone ! let me alone ! " Rev. No. 26 and his relatives have amassed a fortune of nearly a million dollars out of this church. He has demoralized the people of his parish through his scandalous conduct. Numerous complaints have been made against him by parishioners and assistant priests but to no avail. The complaining assistants were usually punished ; the parishioners were always ignored. On especially sacred occasions, such as'the days of the Na- tivity, Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord, he gets ex- cessively drunk, alleging that his drunkenness is an incon- testable proof of the genuineness and depth of his faith. The way he puts the matter is this : " A man with my faith would drop dead on the day of the Nativity of our Lord, when he thinks of the divine Savior being born in a barn, if he did not drown his amazement ! " "A man with my faith on the day of the Crucifixion of our Savior, thinking over His sufferings and death, would go crazy if he kept sober ! " " On Easter PRINCIPALS. 239 a man with my faith would be paralyzed with holy joy, reflect- ing upon that open tomb and the risen Christ, if he did not have whiskey to calm his emotions ! " " Only men of weak faith can keep sober on the day of the Ascension of our Lord ; men of strong faith must get drunk to keep their hearts from being broken by lonesomeness ! " The Feast Days of the Blessed Virgin are times of peculiar trial to him ; and only by copious draughts of whiskey is he able to stand the strain of their touching memories. He frequently officiates at Mass without his pants, trust- ing to his cassock to hide his limbs, and he often wanders around the streets in some of the sacred vestments. He made two attempts on Christmas morning, 1902, to say Mass in his night shirt before the great congregations. He made a third appearance in the sanctuary before fully two thousand people, clad in his night shirt, with a short cape over his shoulders, and he stood in the sanctuary bowing and smiling foolishly at the worshipers. The two priests who were engaged in giving Holy Communion ordered an altar boy to lead him away. Just after the death of the noted American agnostic, Rob- ert G. Ingersoll, he said : " Gentlemen, Ingersoll is dead. It is too bad. He was an honest man. I wish I had the strength and ability to take his place in the world; if I had I would do so gladly. Gentlemen, we are fooling the people, but he did not." He was then asked by one of the priests, " Father, do you mean to say that there is no God ? " He' replied, " Why, certainly I do." His questioner then reviewed the usual Cath- olic arguments for the existence of a God, but he sneered and said : " If there be what you say, a God, I now challenge Him to strike me dead: that is my answer to you, young man." He held his watch and gave God five minutes, and on the failure of the Almighty to kill him claimed that he had won the argu- ment. This man's life has been an open book to bishops, priests and people. The blasphemous wretch is to-day the spiritual shepherd of at least fifteen thousand souls. What has been 240 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. and what is his "pull "? He has become so besotted that he throws money out of his windows to the parochial school chil- dren to get them to bring him whiskey. He keeps his parish heavily in debt. He once said to one of his assistants : " If you ever get a parish, don't get your church out of debt ; keep it in debt, and then you can holler for money as often as you please ; if anybody is fool enough to pay off the debt, start a new debt. Have a collection every Sun- day, at least every other Sunday; never allow three Sundays to pass without a collection ,•• if you do, the people will get put' of the knack of giving. I've got a beautiful parish, and I prefer it to a diocese. I will tell you why my parish is beauti- ful: I've the finest lot of cattle in the country to deal with, and they never run dry. Why, the more I, kick them and the more I cuff them, the more I blackguard them and the oftener I get drunk, the better they pony up." For over seven years whenever he has addressed his peo- ple during church services he has done so seated in a chair inside the sanctuary rail. He gives this as his reason : " Why should I tire myself by standing? Only an inferior being would stand to talk to such a lot of cattle." The poor people believe that the infirmities of his flesh compel him to occupy a chair. Virtually the only Mass he says is at some funeral where there is for him a fee. Generation after generation of his relatives have drawn their support from the duped people of his parish. His house- keeper is his sister, and she is also his general manager and cashier; his brother is his sexton, and so on. His sister has large real estate holdings. She keeps her money deposited in different banks so that no one can tell the amount of her de- posits. He is an ardent promoter of church fairs, and makes his parochial school children sell the tickets. At them he has slot machines, wheels of fortune and other gambling devices ; also fortune tellers, and a saloon which he runs without a license. His parochial school is closed during two afternoons to give PRINCIPALS. 241 the children an opportunity to gamble. He holds his fairs, with their varied attractions, saloon, etc., in his church. He is now about 55 years of age ; and if he rounds out in his present parish the proverbial threescore and ten years, there remain for himself and his relatives fifteen years more of graft, and for the good people of his parish fifteen years more of priestly sottishness, simony and sacrilege. He has a parochial school in which are enrolled over a thousand pupils, who are taught by fifteen sisters. Rev. No. 2"/. A Preference for Black. He was caught by officers in citizen's clothes in a city alley, at midnight, while having lascivious relations with a negress. As the officers came toward them they separated, he going to- ward the west and she toward the east. One officer captured her and held her. The other officer caught the priest, who had a handkerchief around his neck to conceal his Roman collar. The officer asked the priest to come with him to where his brother officer was holding the negress, saying : " That ne- gro wench may have robbed you, and now is the time to get your money if she has; you better come back and see." The priest swore at the officer and said : " Who are you ? " "I am a police officer," was the reply. " Show me your star," commanded the priest. The officer did so. " I doubt that you are an officer; I will go only with a uniformed officer," said Rev. No. 27. The detective whistled, and a uniformed officer immediately appeared. The priest refused then to go at all, still swearing. The officers grabbed the priest's arms, twisted them backwards and forced him to go to where the negress was being held. A second uniformed officer appeared and asked : " Isn't he a priest ? " One of the detectives replied : " I think so." When they got the priest to where the negress was being held the detective in charge of her said : " My God ! you hold this one, and let me hold him." This exchange was made, and the detective took the priest aside and said : " My God! Father, what has come over you? what is the matter 242 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. with you ? " The priest replied : " What in h — do you mean? Do you take me for a d priest?" Said the detective: " Father, I am sorry to take you for what you really are not but what the people suppose you to be." The priest then swore and said he had sufficient influence to get them all re- moved and he would do business with them and get their stars taken away from them on the following day. Said the detec- tive : " If you don't go home quietly, Father, I will tell them who and what you are. My God ! Father, I live in your par- ish, I am sorry to say." Then the priest said : " For the honor of God let me go." The officer said : " You had better go and go quickly; take the one-thirty car," and he released him and the priest hurried away. The negress was taken in a patrol wagon to a station where she was fined in the morning for her misconduct of the night before with the priest. The priest went home, and at lo o'clock that morning celebrated Requiem High Mass over the remains of a parishioner, and he discoursed eloquently upon the necessity of living a pure and holy life, much to the disgust of the wife of one of the detectives who had been infornfted of the celebrant's midnight love affair with the colored lady. A few nights after the arrest of the negress the officers met her on the streets while she was pursuing her avocation, and talked with her about her relations with the priest. They wanted to find out if she knew, who and what he really was. They said to her : " That man's wife will tear the wool off your head if she finds out about your doings with her husband." Said she : " Why, he's got no" wife ; he's a Cath- olic priest ! " " What ? " said the officers, " what do you meanj " Said she : " Why, he's my bo' ; I had a bo' of culur, but I fired him las' September an' ever since that priest has bin my bo' ; he calls himself Jack McCarthy, but I know that isn't his right name ; I could find his right name if I wanted to ; he's a priest sure enuf, and he spends one night every week with me; why, I luv him, he's a cracker- jack." Rev. No. 28, plus scores and scores. Devotees of Bac- chus, Venus, Graft and Gambling. A DEVOTED (?) PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. 244 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. The man in the foregoing is a prominent Catholic priest. He is the spiritual adviser of a large female academy, to which Protestant girls are sent. The Propaganda has a copy of this picture. " The Gates of Hell." The priests to whom I have referred by number are stren- uous objectors to lay trustees, and vociferous shouters against the " godless " public school. It is a marvel that the lightnings of the wrath of God do not consume grafting, lecherous, drunken and infidel priests. People of America, what think you of such men being the principals and assistant principals of schools which are training American youth? Our Blessed Savior said of His Church : " The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Surely His words find a striking illustration in the faithfulness of so many of the Cath- olic laity to Holy Mother Church despite the wolves in sheep's clothing who minister in holy things at Her sacred altars. May Almighty God soon deliver the patient, honest and loyal laity from the ministrations of corrupt priests. The parochial school is a curse to the Church and a men- ace to the Nation by reason of the pedagogic deficiencies and moral delinquencies of its principals and assistant principals. CHAPTER VI. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL TEACHERS. The parochial school is fatally defective in its teaching staff. This declaration will he seen to have ample founda- tion by a perusal of the facts, as I shall conservatively state them, regarding the procuring, the ability, the training and the environment of the parochial school teachers. Parochial school teachers, by the law or custom of the Church, are members of some Religious Order, the female teachers belonging to sisterhoods and the male teachers to brotherhoods. Over ninety-five per cent of the teaching in the parochial schools is done by nuns. Let us see how the parochial school teachers are secured. The officials of the Religious Orders — nuns and monks — are constantly on the alert to discover subjects. The nuns urge upon girls the calm, the dignity, the blissfulness and the honor of a life wholly devoted to God. These girls are most gener- ally those whose parents have been unable to give them edu- cational advantages, and they and their relatives feel flattered and honored by such solicitation. They have, as a rule, but a smattering of the common branches as taught in the paro- chial school. The girls are also told how angelic they will look in the dress of a nun, and what a pretty photograph they will take in that sacred garb, and how highly esteemed they and their families will be by the people at large. The sisters in the parochial schools and academies coax and urge their pupils to become nuns. The priests cooperate with these recruiting sisters, and in and outside of the con- 246 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. fessional they flatter and coax girls in the same way, and as- sure them, as their spiritual advisers, that they have a vocation. Many girls become postulants at an early age. As a rule the majority of the nuns enter convents while under legal age. If a girl consents to become a sister she immediately en- ters a convent as a postulant, and receives the appropriate garb. A few months later she is received as a member of the Order, becomes a novice and receives a new name in religion. She remains a novice from six to twelve months, when she becomes a professed nun — that is, she makes her solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The whole procedure, from her entrance into the convent as a postulant till she makes her solemn vows, requires usually about two years. American convents are often recruited abroad. Nuns are sent to foreign countries to procure subjects. In 1903 a prominent Irish-American politician gave a letter to a re- cruiting nun in which he extolled her sisterhood, and de- scribed the beauty of the life of its members, and portrayed the great need of additional members to carry on the work, of converting America; and he particularly advised the young women of his native section to become postulants. The letter brought forth much fruit. This foreign recruiting is greatly helped by the rigid re- quirements to which postulants are subjected in certain for- eign places. For instance, a young lady cannot become a pos- tulant in Ireland unless she has had a first-class education, and has an ample dowry, the latter generally being about $2,500.00; and her personal character and family history for generations must be above reproach. These rigid rules make the sisterhoods in Ireland very exclusive; but this very ex- clusiveness produces a fertile field for the American recruit- ing nuns, for in America these strict requirements are un- known. There is one dowry, thank God, which these im- TEACHERS. 247 ported Irish girls bring with them, and that is virtue. Na- tive recruits are generally secured in the parochial schools. Recruits, as a rule, are immediately put to teaching. With- out training, without pedagogic ability, and without experi- ence they are placed over the Catholic children to impart to them secular knowledge and religious instruction. Postulants, dressed in the garb of professed nuns, are fre- quently sent the next day after entering the convent to teach classes in parochial schools. A girl, seventeen years of age, a pupil in a prominent Catholic academy in America, became a postulant, and next day she was put over a class of about eighty children in a parochial school ; and a few years later she was put in charge of the eighth grade in a parochial school She had been a stupid scholar, and when she became a postu- lant she was onty in the fifth grade. She could not have hon- estly passed a public school teachers' examination anywhere in America ; yet she was put to teaching in a parochial school. But if these deficiencies did not exist there would still be the grave danger that the secular instruction would fail to have its relative importance recognized. A teacher is most likely to see everything through the glass of the dominant motive. If the dominant motive is religious, then it follows naturally that religion will receive the preponderant emphasis. The Catechism might appear to outrank greatly all other studies. The Catechism has its place, but may not too much Catechism be as harmful to youth as too little ? Again, parochial school teachers are in great danger of mental stagnation and retrogression. What incentive have they to keep abreast of the times? They are free from the criticism of the pupils' parents ; they are not subjected to ex- aminations; they are not held to any established secular ped- agogic standards ; and they are answerable to ecclesiastics who are very uncertain intellectual, moral and spiritual quantities. Parochial school teachers receive individually no pay for their services; hence their toil is reduced to an unrequited 248 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. drudgery, except the compensation which may be found in religious sentiments. If this religious reward is absent, then there is an utter lack of incentive to greater achievement in their teaching work; and, if this recompense is experienced, by its very nature the only incentive it furnishes is to become a better religious teacher, and that in the sense of achieving greater success in imparting catechetical instruction. The secular instruction imparted to the children in paro- chial schools is deplorably weak. Nevertheless ecclesiastics laud to the skies these incapable teachers, and even assert that they are endowed with supernatural grace for their teaching work. A prominent Archbishop said in a sermon which he delivered June 26, 1904: The parochial schools surpass all others. How could it be otherwise? Its teachers — instruments of God's Church — ^are inspired by the Holy Ghost. Parochial school teachers are grossly incompetent. I am convinced that but a very few of them could pass the pre- scribed examinations for public school teachers. I know of one parochial school in America out of which thirty-three sisters have been turned by the rector during the past four years, on the ground of their "marked incompetency." The last eleven were turned out at the very time Archbishop Quigley was attacking the public school in 1903. These nuns belonged to one of the most prominent sisterhoods in their Archdiocese. They were sent to other parochial schools. The religious instruction comprises a smattering of the Catechism, a rehearsal of astounding ancient and modern miracles, dissertations upon the Christlikeness of the paro- chial school officers, and some other odds and ends. Parochial school teachers tell the parochial school chil- dren continually that the anger of God will immediately visit any one who makes bold to comment unfavorably upon a cardinal, a bishop, a priest, a monk or a nun. This instruction TEACHERS. 249 is imparted to close the mouths of those pupils who keep open their ears and eyes. The nuns are completely under the thumb of the pastors. They dare not oppose their reprehensible schemes. Their activity in church fairs shows their subserviency to the wishes of the parochial school principal. At church fairs the parochial school teachers attend the " afternoons " for the children, and they often instruct the children how to play the various gambling devices, assist them in placing their bets, and help the little children put their money into the slot-machines. These nuns frequently manage two booths, one for boys and the other for girls so as to create a rivalry between them. Articles for the fair are solicited by the nuns and the children ; chance-books are issued on each article, and each parochial school pupil- has to take a chance-book. The children sell these chances, and the child who sells the most in each grade gets a small prize. The teachers' booths make the most money. The parochial school principal can, if he chooses, make life miserable for the parochial school teachers. He can dis- charge them at will. He can overwhelm them with petty an- noyances. He is their spiritual confessor, and therefore has them completely in his power. Bold, indeed, would be that par- ochial school teacher who would enter any protest against the unclerical conduct of her principal. But if she were courage- ous enough to complain, her complaint would not bring re- dress. Her course would be interpreted as an attack on authority; and the parochial school superintejident, instead of rebuking the corrupt principal, would have the complaining teacher punished. Nuns have been exiled for such conduct. All the nuns in a convent must be in subjection to their sister superioress. Her will is law. Her will absolutely dominates them. The nuns dare not express any will of their own. ' Such arbitrary power in the hands of one woman, who may be unchristian at heart, is fraught with the gravest peril 250 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. to any of the nuns who do not cater to her and enjoy her favor- Think you that under such conditions a sister will oppose her superioress or refuse to- acquiesce in her every wish ? Let no one imagine that the lives of the nuns are full of unalloyed happiness. If the truth were known the Cath- olic people would be astounded by the number of sisters who carry crushed and bleeding hearts. Not infrequently nuns summon up courage enough to leave the sisterhood, despite all suggestions of shame and threats of eternal damnation. Parochial school teachers live in too narrow a groove and breathe too confined an atmosphere to warrant Catholic parents in feeling satisfied with having their children under them, even if there were no question as to their qualifications to teach. Catholic children should have natures over them which are strong, broad, sympathetic and expanding. As far as the monks are concerned many of them are devotees of Bacchus and Venus. I assert again that the parochial school is fatally weak in its teachers because of their lack of pedagogic talent, train- ing, incentive and independence. CHAPTER VII. GRAFT ! GRAFT ! ! GRAFT ! ! ! I HAVE already in geneial terms charged the parochial school officials with being grafters. In this chapter I will give some forms of clerical grafting. I do not pretend to de- scribe all of the nefarious methods by which ecclesiastics filch money out of the pockets of the faithful and generous Catholic people, who blindly imagine that their gifts of money are en- tirely devoted to holy purposes, and have no suspicion that their contributions go to the personal enrichment of priests and prelates. It is not surprising, however, that they should be so easily deceived, for what could be more natural than for them to believe without a question the statements of the shep- herds of their souls? Taught from infancy to regard priests and prelates as holy beings, they must not be unduly blamed for shutting their eyes to all signs of clerical hypocrisy, nor must they be too harshly censured for coming with the greatest reluctance to a realization of the frauds which are daily practiced upon them in the name of religion by the am- bassadors of Jesus Christ. My dear Catholic readers, I beg you to remember that a grafting priest turns everything he possibly can into money. Nothing is too sacred to deter him. He grafts on the living and he grafts on the dead. He traffics in the holy things of religion, and he does no service without making money out of it if he possibly can. When he asks you for money for the cause of God it is his own pocket that is uppermost in his thought. He is a vampire that sucks the very life blood of the poor. He is worse than an infidel because he destroys 252 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. while professing to be a friend. He is a wolf in sheep's cloth- ing who gains access to the hearts of the people by the garb of godliness which disarms their suspicion. If you have a graft- er for your pastor remember that you have a rector who has not at heart the good of your souls; his sole aim is to get as much money out of you as he can. I seek no quarrel with the Church over the feasts and fasts and ceremonies which She in Her wisdom has enjoined upon the faithful, and I do not begrudge an honest priest a decent livelihood. What I oppose is the prostitution of sacred things by clerical grafters to the service of mammon, and the introduction by them of various religious side-shows for the purpose of making graft. An old Irish- American gentleman said to me one day: " My God ! Father Crowley, the priests are nothing but graft- ers; it is nothing but money, money, money, the whole time; they are bleeding the people of money day and night; they are hotter after graft than the Irish landlords are after their rack-rents; I left Ireland to escape the clutches of the grasp- ing, rack-renting landlords, but I find I jumped from the fry- ing pan into the fire, as the clergy here are worse than the landlords there ; I am so sick and tired of these reverend graft- ers that I have lost all confidence in them, and I intend from now on to do business straight with the Almighty and boycott the clerical middlemen." I reserve for a later chapter a full discussion of the dis- astrous results to the Church of clerical grafting, hypocrisy and immorality. Holy Orders Graft. The Church educates the young men who are to enter Her priesthood in this country, and the Catholic people once a year, in every church in America, are taxed for their educa- tion, the offering being called " The Seminary Collection." The explanation given for this tax is that the parents of the GRAFT. 253 young men are too poor to pay for their care and tuition. Each candidate has to be adopted by a bishop or an archbishop, and in order to' secure adoption he has to obtain the recom- mendation of his parish rector. For this recommendation it is not unusual for the parish rector to get an annual graft until the candidate is ordained. The pastor is likely to object on some ground, real or imaginary, to his ordination, if the graft is not forthcoming. This Annual Seminary Collection is vehemently urged upon the people " to sustain the Church in her efforts to Chris- tianize infidel America." The pastor keeps at least fifty per cent, of the Seminary Collection for his graft. When a priest is ordained he aims to say his first public Mass in his native parish. He sends out a card of ordination with an elaborate card of invitation to his first Mass. The Mass is announced from the pulpit and in the religious and secular press weeks .ahead. The relatives and friends of the celebrant and other worshipers throng the church. Usually the Mass is a Solemn High. A sermon is preached by the pastor or some other ecclesiastic on the dignity, the beauty and the power of the priesthood. A special collection is taken up for the young celebrant but he gets just what the rector chooses to give him. At one of these services there was at least five hundred dollars received, but the pastor gave the young celebrant only twenty-five dollars, although the young priest had paid fifty dollars for the special music. Promotion Graft. This graft is made by priests when they are promoted from the place of assistant pastor to a rectorship, and when pastors are transferred from one pastorate to another. When these events take place the Catholic people are duly advised, and influences are set to work to lead them to give the promoted priest or transferred pastor a monetary testimonial. Circulars are gotten up by the priest and his clerical friends, setting forth 254 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. the propriety of a testimonial purse, and public meetings are called to carry the suggestion into effect. Large sums of money are collected in this way. Those who do not contribute are likely to be blacklisted by the priests of the parish and to have opprobrium heaped upon them. This might cause a delinquent serious embarrassment at a time when spiritual consolation is wanted by ' himself or some member of his family. Vacation Graft. Catholic pastors work so hard for the glory of God that they must have vacations in which to recuperate from the wear and tear of their arduous labors for the salvation of- souls. They manipulate their vacation necessities in such a way that the faithful are asked to contribute either to a purse to enable them to get away or to a purse after they return to recoup them for their vacation expenses. The spdalities and societies make large contributions. « The subject is so adroitly presented to the people that their giving becomes a sign of their faith. Vacation, graft is by no means to be despised. It runs in the aggregate into hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Anniversary Graft. Birthday: Parochial school children are harassed annual- ly for money for a birthday present for the pastor. No child can be comfortable who fails to contribute. A tajtr is levied upon each child, and the money comes out of the pockets of the hard-working parents. It is simply an annual graft. Adult Catholics may and do contribute directly. Apparently the pastor has nothing to do with the celebration of his birth- day, but in reality he is the prime mover. • Ordination: The anniversary of the ordination of a pastor cannot be allowed to go unremembered, and so a purse has to be forthcoming to duly commemorate the event. The paroch- ial school children are taxed and the societies and sodalities GRAFT. 255 are virtually forced to contribute. • The priest himself and not the people sets the machinery in motion for the collection of ordination graft. Silver Jubilee: When a priest reaches tjie twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination a great occasion is made of it. It is called his silver jubilee. Great efforts are put forth to fittingly commemorate this anniversary. They crystallize in a purse for His Reverence, or His Lordship, or His Grace, or His Eminence, as his title may be. Everybody is asked to con- tribute to this purse, from the highest ecclesiastic and civil of- ficial down to the humblest toiler on the streets ; non-Catholics are solicited for funds as well as Catholics. Laudatory ad- dresses are presented and sumptuous banquets are served. Sil- ver jubilee receipts as a rule are exceedingly comforting in size. Silver jubilees are supposed to be the result of the spon- taneous action of the Catholic people, but those who really understand about their origin know that the priest whose an- niversary is celebrated is the one who starts and works up the enthusiasm. Baptismal Graft. At the baptism of a child of a poor couple by a prominent pastor and parochial school principal, its father paid the priest two dollars, and each of the sponsors gave a dollar. The priest looked contemptuously at the " two dollars " and scornfully asked : " Is that all I am to get from you, Pat ? " " That's all I have. Father ! " " Well, now, see here Pat, if you are not ready to pay at least five dollars for a job like this, you must stop making children I " The poor man had borrowed the two dollars! On the Sunday following baptisms some pastors announce or have announced from the pulpit, just before the sermon, the amounts given at such baptisms by the father and each of the sponsors. This practice of giving names and amounts is pursued to shame into larger giving any prospective fathers 256 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. and sponsors, and also to prevent the assistant pastors " knock- ing" down " baptismal offerings. The baptizing of infants is 'a profitable industry with the Catholic clergy. Baptism is the first Sacrament, but priests and prelates turn it into an institution for graft. There is probably not one baptism in ten thousand in the Catholic Church in America which does not bring to the pastor a fee ranging from at least two to fifty or more dollars. As a rule the infants are baptized on Sunday afternoon, and the priest, to spare himself labor, baptizes " in a bunch " all the infants presented, and frequently he gets confused, forgets and makes mistakes. He never forgets the baptismal fee, however. There are thousands upon thousands of infants baptized in the Cath- olic Church in this country every year. Think of the graft which is made out of this holy Sacrament! Grafting priests lead some Catholic parents to believe that if the first fourteen verses of the first chapter of St. John's Gospel are read after the Sacrament of Baptism, the baptized infant will never be troubled by fairies or ghosts. For the reading of these few verses of Scripture the grafting priest expects and gets an additional offering. Penance Graft. Grafting priests do not scruple to use the confessional for the making of mercenary gain. For example, they will com- pel people who have gone to fortune tellers outside of church fairs to put an amount into {he poor box equal to the fee paid to the fortune teller. The pastor is the custodian of the poor box and has sole access to and entire control of its contents. As assistant pastors do not have access to the poor box they generally pursue the plan of ordering as a part of the penance the having of one or more Masses said, and then and there they receive the offering for the Mass or the penitent brings it to them later. I know a poor woman who paid a fee to a Gypsy fortune teller, out of charity, and later went to confession, and the GRAFT. 257 priest compelled her to pay him five dollars as a fine for hav- ing listened to the fortune teller. First Communion Graft. In America Catholic children receive their first Holy Communion at about the age of ten or twelve years. For this ceremony their clothing is prescribed. Certain stores are urged upon the children. The nuns sell the children certain articles such as ribbons and sashes, wreaths and veils. The children also buy rosary beads, scapulars, prayer books, medals and candles. For the candles they pay twenty-five cents for two or fifteen cents for one, and they are supposed to carry them lighted, but as a matter of fact they do not. After the cere- mony the candles are taken away from them and either used on the altar or sold to the members of the next Confirmation class. ' There is a first Holy Communion certificate which is filled out for the child and signed by the pastor, for which there is a prescribed fee. Often the children of a first Holy Communion class are requested or commanded by the nuns, to contribute a certain amount to make up a purse for their poor pastor in honor of their first Holy Communion. Confirmation Graft. Confirmation is the next 'Sacrament following the first Holy Communion, and may come a year later. For it the same furnishings are virtually prescribed as for the first Holy Com- munion, and practically the same graft is made. The Sacrament of Confirmation can be conferred by no Church dignitary less exalted than a Bishop. As a rule the children confirmed are taxed so much each to make up a purse for the dignitary who confirms them, and to pay for the sump- tuous banquet which is given in his honor. For such ban- quets professional caterers are generally engaged, and the 258 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. plates range in price from five to ten dollars, the price includ- ing wines but rarely the cigars. There is a Confirmation Certificate filled out for each chi|d and signed by the pastor, for which there is a prescribed fee. Matrimonial Graft. When a Catholic gentleman wishes to get married he goes to the pastor and makes arrangements for the ceremony. Or- dinarily the minimum fee for the service is ten dollars; in rare cases it may be only five dollars. If the contracting parties wish to avoid the publishing of the bans they have to get what is called a dispensation for which the pastor is paid at least five dollars. It is issued by the Chancellor of the Diocese or Archdiocese, and the pastor may pay him or may not. If one of the contracting parties is a non-Catholic a dis- pensation for the marriage has to be obtained from the Bishop or Archbishop, for which cash down has to be paid, the amount being at least five dollars. The marriage in this instance, how- ever, cannot take place in a Catholic church, and at it, wherever it takes place, the officiating priest cannot wear the sacred vestments. If the wedding is held in a church, the contracting parties must pay at least fifteen dollars extra for having the organ played if they want that instrument used, and if they have singing they must pay still more. If they want the church bells rung for a few minutes they must pay a fee of at least twenty- five dollars. If there is a floral display with an awning and a carpet from the church to the sidewalk, they must pay an extra fee. Candles are supposed to be lighted at every wedding cere- mony when the contracting parties are Catholics. Two can- dles are furnished by the pastor. If more candles are wanted an extra fee is required. GRAFT. 259 Catholic priests sometimes officiate at the weddings of di- vorced people. When they are called upon to marry individ- uals who have been married previously but not validly accord- ing to the doctrine of the Church, they take advantage of the situation to exact large fees. A priest showed me five hundred dollars that he had just received as a wedding fee for officiating at a marriage though the bride had a living husband. This last wedding was held in a Catholic church and at it there was celebrated a Solemn High Mass. The law of the Church provides that Catholics shall be married by their own pastor and they cannot be married by any one else without getting his consent. But priests and prelates deliberately break this law and marry cpuples without the consent of their pastor, and sometimes against his protest, and without knowing anything about the antecedents of the • contracting parties. Why do they thus violate the law of the Church? Because they get the fee. I call attention to these marriage fees chiefly to prevent my readers losing sight of this prolific source of revenue when they attempt to calculate the income of Catholic pastors. Matrimony is one of the seven Sacraments of the Cath- olic Church. I leave it to the calm judgment of my readers to say whether the various fees in connection with a wedding cere- mony which are exacted by the representatives of Jesus Christ do not show a prostitution of a holy Sacrament to clerical gain. I am unable to say how large the fees are of Bishops and Archbishops, — perhaps they officiate for nothing! The wed- ding fees of Cardinals are evidently not to be despised. First and second cousins are allowed by the Church to marry on securing a dispensation for which a fee is exacted, its size depending upon the wealth of the contracting parties. The law of the Church is that a man may marry his apostles. I assert that the foregoing article is a catering to a cre- dulity which is a disgrace to the enlightened Catholicity of this twentieth • century. My dear Catholic people, do you know how you are fooled by these relic grafters? Let me tell you a few true things which I imagine will be new to you in reference to relics. In the first place it is highly probable that there are but few genuine relics in existence, and it is improbable that many, if any, relics are genuine which claim to date from before the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. The people, centuries ago, cared very little for antiquities. Nations then were com- paratively small and they were constantly warring. During the first few centuries after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ his followers were poor, despised and inhumanly persecuted. They were hunted like wild beasts, and their burial places were desecrated. All of these cofiditions made against the securing, preserving and passing down from generation to generation of sacred articles, such as " a part of the red robe worn by the Savior after leaving the sepulcher," " a scrap of the title of the inscription on the cross," " a chip from the ta- ble of the last supper," " a splinter of the crib that held the Christ child," etc. Dr. Pastor, the great Catholic historian, openly confesses that the men of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance had no sense of reverence for the past ; he says :, In truth, the men of the Renaissance had as little sense of reverence for the past as those of the Middle Ages. . . The passion for the new style stifled all interest in the monuments of former days. It would be unjust in blaming the Renais- sance period for its reckless destruction of precious memorials, not to point out that the men of the Middle Ages were not GRAFT. 283 One whit less indififerent ; in the 13th century the famous tomb of St. Bardo at Mayence was demoHshed, and not a trace of it is left. . . The Carolingian tombs at St. Alban near Mayence completely disappeared during the early me- diaeval times. In the 13th century; the old cathedrals at Co- logne, Spires, Worms, etc., were treated in a similar manner. The feeling that we designate as piety, reverence, seemed un- known in the Middle Ages. _ (Dr. Pastor's History of the Popes, Vol. VI., p. 477.) History teaches that finally a traffic in antiquities (and this included relics) sprang up, and that deliberate deception was practiced. Dr. Pastor says : The demand for antiquities became so keen that the ex- treme difficulty of procuring them is often mentioned. George of Negroponte, writing from Rome in 1507, says, "The mo- ment anything is found, innumerable bidders for it start up." From the same letter we gather that a flourishing trade in such things was carried on by speculators, the prices con- stantly rising and falling. The rage for discoveries of course produced many forger- ies inspired by vanity or desire for gain. (Dr. Pastor's His- tory of the Popes, Vol. VI., p. 491.) The crusaders who went to the Hcly Land did not want to return home without some tangible proof of their having been to Palestine, so they bought relics to take back with them. Kings and princes sought to show their zeal for religion by securing relics and giving them to churches. Bad Popes and Prelates greatly desired to secure relics because they saw the endless graft they could make out of them. The result of this traffic was the perpetuation of con- stant frauds. Relic hunters abounded, and they did not scru- ple to manufacture articles. In fact, there was often a dupli- cation of 'relics. Two abbeys claimed at the same time to be in possession of the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. There have been other equally as disgraceful duplications of relics. 284 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. The Council of Trent treated the subject of relics in its twenty-fifth session, held in December, 1563, and it expressed its earnest desire for the removal of abuses, for the abolition of unworthy gain in the veneration of relics, and of revelry on the occasion of their visita'tion. Churches which have celebrated relics are thronged with worshipers, and thousands upon thousands of dollars are giv- en in offerings by the deluded worshipers. I often wonder how the twelve apostles feel over their bones being broken into pieces and the pieces scattered over the earth for grafting priests to use to filch money out of the honest Catholic people. It is a wonder that the jaw-bones do not begin to talk and give the graft away. A distinguished clerical friend, who has lately traveled abroad, recently told me this : " From the persistent way in which I saw Catholic ecclesiastics sell pieces of the ' True Cross' — the cross on which Christ was crucified — I am con- fident that they have already disposed of enough of it to fence in the State of Kentucky." Charm Graft. Little images of different saints are sold and blessed and the owners carry them in their pockets in order to insure im- mediate attention to their prayers. Among these are the fol- lowing : St. Anthony — to help the owner recover lost articles. St. Joseph — to help the owner get rich. The Sacred Heart of Jesus — ^to help the owner get a hus- band or wife as the need may be. Grotto Graft. Many Catholic churches have grottoes. These are places where shrines are placed. Statues of the Blessed Virgin, of the infant Savior and of other holy beings are erected in them, and the people are urged to go to them to pray for special favors. As a rule they are made in imitation of rockeries, with GRAFT. 285 moss and trickling water. The water is represented as pos- sessing supernatural virtue, although it may be derived from the city main or from a private pump. Sometimes ice is put around the pipes in a hidden place and the cold of the water is regarded as an evidence of its miraculous quality. Drinking cups are conveniently placed, and the faithful are recom- mended to drink freely and to take a supply home. Revolv- ing candlesticks and offering boxes complete the scene. Some of these grottoes are regarded as places where as- tounding miracles are wrought. I know a priest who is very prominent and wealthy. A few years ago he established a grotto in his church, and an- nounced publicly that he had imported several barrels of the blessed water of Lourdes which the faithful could obtain at the grotto. His barrels were like the cruse which held the widow's oil in the time of the prophet Elijah — they never gave out though daily drawn upon. Grotto graft goes to the pastor. Holy Thursday Graft. The Blessed Sacrament is generally kept enclosed in the tabernacle of the main altar. On Holy Thursday morning the Blessed Sacrament is removed and carried in procession. Priests and prelates, parochial teachers and pupils march in the procession around the church, while the people kneel, and the Blessed Sacrament is placed in what is called the altar of repose. Hundreds of candles surround it as well as a pro- fusion of costly flowers. At the foot of this last named altar is placed a collection basket. Catholic people from morning till night on Holy Thurs- day conie to church to kneel in front of this altar of repose to adore the Blessed Sacrament. They are exhorted to put liberal offerings into the collection basket. They do. Who gets the money? The pastor. 286 the parochial school. Good Friday or Holy Land Graft. In Catholic churches on Good Friday a crucifix (whicH embraces a cross with a representation of Christ upon it) is placed on a pillow just at the sanctuary rail and a collection basket is put near it. The Catholic people are exhorted to kiss the crucifix and are urged to place an offering in the bas- ket ; they are told that the offering will be sent abroad and will be used for the preservation and renovation of the holy places in Palestine. As this solicitation occurs at the end of Lent the good Catholic people are in a frame of mind to respond gladly, and large offerings are accordingly made. Thousands of Catholic people go to church on purpose to kiss the crucifix. Who handles the contents of the basket? The rector. Does the money get to Palestine? The only Holy Land it reaches is the pocket of the grafting pastor. Holy Saturday Graft. Holy Saturday is the day before Easter Sunday. On it there are appropriate religious ceremonies, among them being the blessing of the baptismal font and blessing water for Easter which is known as " Easter Holy Water." Large quantities of water are blessed, barrels and wash-tubs being borrowed from the neighbors, liquor dealers and others to hold the water. In some churches this water is bottled by the priests, kept on hand for sale and actually sold at so much per bottle. Who gets the profits from this bottling industry? This is not a small business, as Easter holy water is ex- pected to be kept in the homes of the devout Catholics all the year round, and to be supplied for twelve months they must have an ample quantity. There is a Jesuit parish in America which numbers twenty thousand people where this bottling industry is particularly in evidence. GRAFT. 287 Easter and Christmas Graft. The children of parochial schools are directed by the sis- ters to bring in envelopes, furnished by the pastor, Easter and Christmas offerings to the Church on those days. Pub- lic inquiry is made by their teachers in the class rooms to as- certain who neglected to bring these offerings. The question is asked : " How many of you children did not bring an of- fering? Those who did not will stand up." To stand up un- der such circumstances is a great humiliation to a child. Those who stand are directed to procure the proper envelopes and to depart at once to secure the offering. Following the Easter of 1904 a parochial school teacher corhmanded all her children to stand who had failed to bring in Easter offerings ; and she severely reprimanded the delinquents, and said to them: " When I was a little girl I always brought a Christmas and Easter offering." One of the children asked, " Where did you get the money, sister ? " "I got it from my parents," was the reply; and thereupon the delinquent children were sent home to ask their parents, many of whom were poor people, for money to make an Easter offering. At that very time their pastor was just recovering from a debauch. For the Easter and Christmas offerings the pastors issue thousands of envelopes, of different sizes and colors to fit thf various ages and classes. These envelopes bear, as a rule, somt. religious picture calculated to stir the religious emotions. The pastor gets all these offerings. At all the Masses on the Sunday preceding Easter and Christmas the people get the Gospel of money instead of the- Gospel of Christ. They are urged to lay up treasure in heaven by putting cash in the Easter and Christmas envelopes. They are reminded of the heavenly mansions, and they are urged to make, by a generous offering, their title good to a heavenly housi, on which there will be no taxes. 288 the parochial school. Mission Graft. I now call attention to mission grafting, and I will describe an average case. The rector of a parish concludes to have a mission. Such a mission is generally held once every two years, alternating with a church fair. A mission is a succession of religious services for the people of the parish. As a rule it never lasts less than two weeks and in large par- ishes it frequently runs four weeks, the first week being de- voted to married women, the second week to the young women, the third week to the married men, and the fourth week to the young men. It opens at the Solemn High Mass on Sunday, and services follow in the evenings and mornings of the days of the mission, and sometimes on the afternoons of three or four days the children are gathered together for special serv- ices. Confessions are heard during the day and evening. For the mission the rector engages preachers from some Re- ligious Order. These preachers have " stock sermons " which they have learned by heart and " fire off " in the various par- ishes to which they are called for missions. The rector will have, as a rule, preachers from a different Order at each suc- ceeding mission. The mission is announced two or three weeks ahead. Placards are put up, and handbills are given out at the church door. The rector goes to dealers in religious articles and gets rock bottom prices; then he orders a stock consisting of scapulars, rosaries, crucifixes, candlesticks, me- dallions, holy water fonts, prayer books, religious pictures of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, and other mission goods. These goods are placed in a booth in the rear of the church or in the basement chapel or in the parochial nail. Appropriate signs are placed calling attention to the goods. The preachers urge the people to buy these goods, tell them where they are to be found, and ask the people to bring the purchased articles to the altar rail immediate3y after morn- ing Masses to have them blessed, and some of them specially, indulgenced. These articles are sold to the people at two OE GRAFT. 289 three times their cost price. A collection is taken up at each service, and sometimes an entrance fee is demanded at the door in addition. The sermons deal with those things which are calculated to quicken the devotion of the people and to stir their liberality. The people contribute most generously to these collections, which are taken up during the Masses in the morning and immediately after the sermon in the even- ing. The people are given to understand that all of these col- lections, less a moderate amount for the maintenance of the preachers during the mission, go into the coffers of the Re- ligious Order to which the preachers belong, to be used to educate young men for the missionary work of that Order. At the end of the mission for each division of the people a special collection is taken up for the same worthy purpose. The preachers urge this collection and in this are earnestly sup- plemented by the rector, who implores his people to be liberal to the holy fathers. The preachers generally pass the col- lection baskets which they frequently empty into large bas- kets which are carried immediately after them by the pastor and his assistants, who watch the people closely to discover any who may fail to give and to keep the holy preachers from slipping any of the collection into their own pockets. Dur- ing the mission the people, particularly the women, make gen- erous offerings to the preachers, outside of the collections, for Masses for their living and deceased relatives and friends. The services for each division end with a special sermon, special collection and the Benediction of the Most Holy Sac- rament and the Papal Blessing. All who attend the mission a certain number of times, and go to- confession and com- munion, receive a plenary indulgence. A second plenary in- dulgence is gained by all those who are present at the final sermon, special collection. Benediction of the Most Holy Sacra- ment and the Papal Blessing. Now, look at the graft ! The rector of the church gets all the collections and all the profit on the sale of the religious articles. At the close of the mis- 290 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. sion for each division the people renew their baptismal vows, sometimes the real or an imaginary baptismal font is erected, and the people hold lighted candles in their hands. They buy these candles from the rector, he making a profit on their sale, and after the people have held the candles a few minutes they extinguish them and they are collected by the altar boys and are used afterwards in the service of the church, thus saving the rector that much expense. He has both the can- dles and the money! A certain rector, who has at least fifteen thousand souls in his parish, and is a hard drinker, concluded to have a mis- sion. He engaged four P^ulist preachers. He laid in a big stock of religious goods. The Paulist Fathers came. On the Saturday evening preceding the opening of the mission, he expatiated on his own life as a priest and recounted his many toils and sufferings in the vineyard of the Lord. He told of his valor at the Battle of Gettysburg, and described how he helped General Meade to hurl back from Cemetery Ridge the valiant Confederates. The truth was that he never saw that battle. Then he said : " We will open the holy mission to- morrow morning, and I will sing the Solemn High Mass." The leader of the Paulist band was warned not to depend upon the rector's singing the High Mass. The leader then di- rected one of his band to remain fasting so as to have some one ready to take the pastor's place. The morning came and a few minutes before the time for High Mass the rector said he would not sing the Mass. He was not in a fit condition because of drink. Were it not for the warning, one of the priests would have had to say Mass, even though he had broken his fast, to avoid the public scandal of having no Mass. The rector announced, however, that he wanted a parade around the church, preceding the solemn High Mass, to excite pub- lic attention; so he had the priests and altar boys form in line in the sacristy. The altar boys carried the cross, lighted candles, holy water, thurible and incense. The missionary GRAFT. 291 and parish priests were fully vested, and the rector brought up the rear dressed in cassock, surplice, stole, cope and ber- retta. They marched from the sacristy of the church into the rectory, through the rectory into the garden and onto the street, and then into the main entrance of the church, up the center aisle, the pastor endeavoring to chant the De Profundis, the Miserere and the Te Deum. They went to their respec- tive places in the sanctuary. One of the Paulists was the cele- brant of the Mass, and the other three were seated in chairs in the center of the Sanctuary. The rector mounted the plat- form of the altar, and turning around to the congregation of at least 2000 people, and blessing himself, said : " In the name of the Father*and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. My dear people, I am your pastor. I am a providen- tial entity." I was sent by God to guide and direct you. I have brought here these four wise young men to preach ta you. They cannot do so without my authority. I have got my authority from God, and that authority I will now give to them, and they will preach God's word to you." He stag- gered down to the three Paulists, each of whom held a preach- ing stole, and taking from their hands the stoles he kissed them and put them on the Paulists and put his hands on their heads, made the sign of the cross over them, looked towards heaven and breathed on them. Then he said : " You have now re- ceived the Holy Ghost through me, and you may preach to my people." He then seated himself in the sanctuary, and the Mass proceeded, but during it he continually interrupted by giving unnecessary orders to the altar boys, whom he kept running around in every direction in the sanctuary. This mis- sion lasted four weeks and it netted the rector at least ten thousand dollars in morning and evening collections, special collections taken up at the end of the mission to each division of the people, and profits on the sale of religious goods, which total sum he put into his own pocket. The preachers got through the confessional; and in private and voluntary 6t- 292 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, ferings, a large sum. The rector handed the preachers for their profitable services only $400. The leader of the band refused to leave the presbytery till he got $8oOi saying to the pastor: "You are not going to have all of our blood money." After a fierce contention fie succeeded in getting $800 out of the pastor's $10,000. The people who con- tributed were given to understand from the altar by the mis- sionaries and the pastor that the pastor was not getting any of the money contributed, except just enough to cover the living expenses of his missionary guests and the extra light- ing bill for the church. They were urged with great earnest- ness to make generous offerings. Some of them to my per- sonal knowledge borrowed money to puj^nto the collections. The faithful people thought that they were giving their money to God. They had not the slightest suspicion that .a game of graft was being played upon them by the holy preachers and their own reverend father in God. The poor people ! Heaven help them ! During the month of June, 1904, a prominent Catholic priest lost $50,000 in speculation. He went to the bucket shop about his December wheat and found the place in charge of the sheriff and the proprietors gone. Fortunately for him several mission preachers were then conducting a mission in his church, and at this time (Friday) the mission was about to end. The mission preachers urge a collection on the last Friday night of each mission, to be received on the following Sunday, and on the night of this " black Friday " the people present at the mission heard a plea for a large collection on the following Sunday which for urgency surpassed any they had ever heard before, and the object put before them was the education of young missionaries and the conversion of Amer- ica. The people were told that at least one dollar was wanted from the poorest person in the parish and more from those in better circumstances, and that God would return a thou- sandfold whatever they might give.- The preachers said thai GRAFT. 293 if any one was so poor that he could not give a dollar at the clos- ing service on Sunday, at which a plenary indulgence would be obtained by those who would be present and discharge all the obligations, they would advise him to take a street- car ride instead of attending the service. When the collection was taken on that Sunday nigTit a basketful of money was received. Surely it is the Catholic clerical gambler who has a cinch on easily recouping his speculative losses ! I know of Catholic priests who have bought large stocks of religious goods for missions, sold the goods at big profits, and then refused to pay their bills, some of them having to be sued, after vain appeals to their Bishops and Archbishops. A nice picture this, people praying on such specially indul- genced rosaries, and wearing such specially indulgenced scapu- lars! A recently appointed Archbishop, who was asked to com- pel dead-beat priests to pay their bills, replied : " I did not come here to become a collector. In addition, I am afraid you will get into trouble; if those priests hear that you came here they may boycott your store ! " REVOLVING Candlestick Graft. Inside the sanctuary rail in many Catholic churches are revolving candlesticks, provided with a number of tiers of metal sockets, the tiers rising in diminishing diameter. Each of these candlesticks will hold on an average about one hun- dred candles. Two boxes are placed near these candlesticks, one with a slot to permit the entry of money, and the other box filled with small candles. The faithful are taught that it is a holy and a wholesome devotion to get one of these candles, light it and place it in a vacant socket in the revolving candlestick, and they are told that they may perform this devotion for any intention imaginable. They are sometimes led to believe that if they perform the devotion for a suffering soul in purgatory, that 294 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. that suffering soul ceases to burn at the very moment the candle is lighted and remains free from pain during the burn- ing of the candle, and that as soon as the candle dies out the burning commences again. In some of the churches there are two revolving candle- sticks to accommodate the people. Who gets the money that is deposited in the box? The needy pastor. Candlemas Day Graft. Candlemas Day is the second of February annually. It is the feast day of the purification of the Blessed Virgin. On the Sunday preceding Candlemas Day an announce- ment is made of Candlemas Day at each Mass, and families of the parish are requested to bring a supply of candles, at least a few pounds. Candles of the purest beeswax are re- quired, and for fear that the people will not get the pure ar- ticle in these days of adulteration the priests tell them that they have bought a large supply of candles which they have had analyzed and know to be absolutely pure, and that they can be purchased in the sacristy or vestibule of the church on or be- fore the morning of the feast. In fact the people are often pro- hibited from purchasing candles elsewhere, and they are told that if they buy elsewhere and present the candles for bless- ing in the church that the blessing will be no good. The re- sult is that the people purchase the clerical candles. The candles presented by the people are placed in the sanctuary before Mass on the day of the feast and they are immediately blessed by the officiating priest. After Mass those who presented candles receive back one and sometimes two candles which they take to their homes to be used in case any member of the family should require the last Sacraments; and also to be used during lightning storms to keep away the lightning. The priest makes money in two ways on these candles. He buys th?in cheap at wholesale and he sells them at retail GRAFT. 295 at an immense profit. I am led to believe that the priests do not secure pure beeswax but an inferior article. On Candle- mas Day the priest gets back for nothing ninety out of every hundred candles he has sold, and he keeps them presumably for use on the altar, but -few of them are so used because of the prevalence of gas and electric light. In fact the priest sells the candles over again on next Candlemas Day. Indulgence Graft. Catholic people are not strangers to various forms of in- dulgences granted for the performance of various prescribed religious duties, neither are they strangers to an incessant demand for money at the services where these indulgences are obtained. Clerical grafters in America are making graft out of in- dulgences just as truly as the clerical grafters of former days made money out of them, even if the methods of getting the graft are not just the same. How strange it is that in the Church of Jesus Christ the loyal and devout Catholic people cannot earn an indulgence without having to look into a collection box ! Special Collection Graft. Pastors find many excuses for asking for special collec- tions. Money is solicited for repairs to the parish buildings, frescoing, painting, insurance, interest on debt, fuel, etc., etc. The object itself may be worthy but it is used to filch money out of the pockets of the faithful for selfish clerical ends. The Catholic people are liberal contributors to these special col- lections. They give far more than the object presented re- quires, and the grafting pastor pockets the excess. I know prominent pastors who say that special collections should be taken frequently; that a month should never be al- lowed to go by without one; that special collections keep the people in the habit of giving. 296 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Formerly the people gave to special objects by simply putting their money into the collection baskets, but now the custom is obtaining of having the people enclose their contri- butions in envelopes which are given out on the preceding Sun- day. On these envelopes the people must write their names, addresses and amounts, and the pastor personally collects them on Sunday. This new custom is followed so that the pastor may know what the people give and who fail to contribute. I have known pastors to say to their assistants, " Don't dance attendance upon these people who do not contribute when they are asked for money." Peter's Pence Graft. Even the taking of the Peter's Pence collection has been made the opportunity for graft. The cry is made : " O, the Holy Father is in great need of money ! Testify your love to him and your faith in Holy Mother Church by liberal con- tributions ! " The honest people make large responses. Does all the money reach the Vatican ? No ! only a fraction. Who gets the major part? Priests, over whom there is no financial supervision. The following resolution was passed by the American Federation of Catholic Societies, at its convention in Detroit, August, 1904: Detroit Evening News, August 4, 1904, p. 6. We commend to the societies which we represent in this convention generous endeavors to increase the contributions of the faithful known as Peter's Pence. What a thoughtful and unselfish resolution ! Two priests were once gratefully discussing their large Peter's Pence collections and rejoicing in the strong faith of their people. Said one to the other : " How much did you remit ? " " O, about a fourth," was the answer ; " how much did you keep?" "O, I always charge the Holy Father sev- GRAFT. 297 enty-five per cent for taking up His collection," was the frank response. The Peter's Pence collection appeals especially to the poor of all lands owing to their great faith and loyalty. I Have known poor people to actually borrow money to put into this collection when their children were in need of food and clothes. In view of the accumulated millions of dollars amassed through the centuries by the Vatican, and the prodigality ex- hibited by princes of the Church, I fail to see the righteousness of calling yearly upon the poor Catholic people of the world to give of their hard earned money to Rome. I have seen poor people in Ireland walk barefoot, without breakfast, carrying to the church a Peter's Pence offering. Catholic University Graft. Pastors take up public collections, pursuant to the orders of their Bishop and Archbishop, issued in obedience to the command of the Holy Father, for the Catholic University at Washington, D. C, which is expected to wield a dominant in- fluence at the Capital of the Nation. The honest Catholic people contribute liberally. Do their offerings find their way to Washington ? Yes, they do, that is, the balance that re- mains after the pastor has deducted his commission for taking up the collection. I am led to believe that the funds of the University have been grossly mismanaged. During the year 1904 the Catholic world was startled by the news in the public press of the proba- ble loss of all or the greater part of the vast funds of the University by the business failure of a prominent Catholic layman to whom, it was reported, the University had loaned its money at an attractive rate of interest but with inadequate attention to the security. The Catholic people will be called upon to make the loss good, and Catholic clerical grafters are correspondingly happy. It might be interesting to know the records of the priests who receive in this University what a humorous friend of 298 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. mine calls " a post-mortem education." I know a number of them who are simply clerical blackguards. Sodality and Lodge Graft. The parish sodalities are fruitful sources of gain to the rector. At stated times their members approach the Holy Communion in a body, and they make a liberal offering to the pastor. Every time a member dies his or her sodality has a Mass said. In addition to these Masses, which are said fol- lowing the decease of sodality members, often a sodality has said during the year twelve Masses for the living and twelve Masses for the dead, and the pastor receives an offering for these. Retreats are given for sodality members to rest, restore and strengthen them spiritually; but the retreat always ends in a special collection, and a profitable business is done by the pastor in religious articles. The sodality treasuries receive money constantly from initiation fees and dues ; no embarrass- ment happens to the custodian of these funds, however, by reason of their bulk, for the pastor expects and receives pres- ents of sodality cash. I have known of sodalities being dis- banded which objected to clerical inroads upon their funds. Some pastors handle all sodality money and never account for it. There are also in Catholic parishes what may be termed lodges or courts of certain general Catholic Orders. No lodge or court can be instituted without the permission of the parish rector, for which he receives graft. Every time that a lodge loses a member a High Mass must be said, for which the pastor gets an offering. The members of each lodge or society ap- proach the Holy Communion in a body at least once a year, and they give the pastor an offering for a Mass, which he re- ceives from them when the arrangement is made and which Mass he may not say. These societies require doctors and attorneys, and the pastor sees to it if he has any available pro- fessional relatives that they secure the employment. GRAFT. 299 Grafting- priests make money by electioneering for certain candidates for office in various Catholic societies. Some of them spend weeks, and even months, ahead of a convention to secure votes to defeat certain candidates, and at the con- vention itself they are indefatigable workers. Some of them make long journeys for such electioneering graft. I know a prelate who is over eighty years of age who traveled from New York to St. Paul. Advertising Graft. Church calendars, programmes for church fairs, com- mencement days, picnics, etc., are lucrative sources of graft. Business men not only make donations of merchandise, but they pay liberally for space in the programmes. Saloons are given space in them, and wines and liquors for family and individual use are advertised. This advertising graft is no trifling matter. Sacramental Graft. Certain articles are used by priests in their ministrations to the sick. A sick call cabinet has been devised to hold these things. The dealer will go to a pastor and ask permission to sell the cabinet to the households of the parish. The pastor grants his permission for a consideration. I have never known these sick call cabinets to sell for less than five dollars and I fail to see how they can possibly Cost over a dollar apiece to make. Every family is commanded to buy. Commission deals are also made by pastors with dealers in religious books, pictures and statuary, and the unsuspecting people are urged to supply themselves with these things. Sometimes these articles are represented as being specially in- dulgenced by Rome, and larger prices are consequently de- manded, whereas the fact is that articles which have been blessed are forbidden to be sold by the law of the Church — they must be bought first and blessed afterwards. 300 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Theological students are much in evidence as canvassers for these pious frauds. Savings Bank Graft. The plan of the savings banks to induce people to save and to deposit their savings by giving depositors small metal banks in which they can place savings, but which the bank it- self can only open, has been adopted by clerical grafters, and now in Catholic parishes these metal banks are found in the homes of the faithful. They are given out by the pastor to hold the offerings from the family. The rector comes around or sends his assistant once a month to open the banks and take the contents. In some churches the people are told that amounts and names will be called out at the end of the year. This is done to frighten them into larger giving, and at the same time to prevent the assistants from embezzling. The people are taught that if they do not make generous deposits in these banks they may expect the curse of God to fall upon them. Eleemosynary Graft. The Catholic people are being importuned constantly in their churches, homes, places of business, and fraternal so- cieties to contribute for various Catholic eleemosynary enter- prises both at home and abroad. Ofter the begging is done by itinerant clerical solicitors. The people who contribute do not know whether the ob- ject is real or mythical. If it is a myth the contributions all go to graft ; if it is genuine the contributors do not know how much goes to it and how much to graft. Resident pastors join hands with these itinerant grafters and assist them in fleecing the faithful for a good round share of the collections. From what I know of the Bishops in Ireland I am cer- tain that they would never send clerical collectors to America to solicit funds for their churches if they knew of the grafting GRAFT. 301 and dissipation connected with such efforts here or the sources from which much of the contributions come. Undertaking Graft. There are priests who are in the undertaking business, but they run it in the name of some relative or trusty in- dividual. They virtually compel th6 dying to direct that Mr. so and so (their own store) have charge of the funeral, or they compel the relatives of the deceased to send the business to him. Other priests have commission arrangements with certain undertakers. On each funeral which they get through clerical influence they pay the Reverend Father in God a cer- tain percentage. Undertaking graft is likewise made at Catholic hospitals, asylums and other institutions where inmates die. Employment Graft. There are priests who do a thriving business in the big cities in securing situations for Catholic men and women in all lines of employment. Their charge depends upon the amount of the monthly salary the employee receives. I have known them to exact a hundred dollar fee. "Pull" Graft. There are influential pastors in the great American cities who make a great deal of money by using their influence to help law-breakers escape punishment and to get them out of places of punishment after they have been convicted and sen- tenced in the courts. They importune verbally and in writing state's attorneys, judges, wardens, prison boards. State gov- ernors and Congressmen, the range and direction of their ef- forts being controlled by the amount of graft and influence. I have known priests to intercede verbally and in writing for houses of pro'stitution. There are priests who have in their possession diamonds, rings, watches and other articles of jew- 302 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. elry which were given to them by the thieves who stole them. The watches they carry and the other articles of jewelry they wear when they are in lay costume, or they dispose of them by sale or gift. Thieves and murderers often escape their just deserts at the hands of the law through the " pull " of clerical grafters. School Procession Graft. I know of parochial schools where processions of the children are had which are simply dress parades, the garments being prescribed, and if the children can be persuaded to pur- chase their outfits at certain stores then there is graft, and such arrangements are usually made. The nuns generally sell to the children wreaths, veils, sashes and ribbons. These pro- cessions are also designed to entice the Catholic pupils of the public schools to attend the parochial school so that they can march in them. In some of these processions tlie priest, marching at the Vear, carries the Blessed Sacrament, and the children marching ahead strew his way with flowers which their parents had to purchase, the parochial florist making a generous offering later to the rector or to the teachers. Commencement Day Graft. Commencement day is one of graft in parochial schools. From Easter till its arrival the school work is virtually aban- doned, and all the children are drilled in exercises for gradua- tion day, the graduating class being drilled in a play. On commencement day the children have to appear in prescribed suits, which they are often forced to rent through the rector or teachers, and the parents, relatives, friends and strangers pay a liberal entrance fee to see the children perform. Each child makes an appearance if it is only to cross the stage. Commencement day exercises are held in the largest halls obtainable, and often theatres are procured. Sometimes they GRAFT. 303 are held in the church, the sanctuary being used for the stage. For weeks in advance of the rendition of the programme the Catholic parochial school children run around day and night peddling tickets, which range in price from fifty cents to one dollar. The children are encouraged to make large sales of tickets by little prizes, such as cheap rosary beads, scapulars or medals. An immense number of tickets is usually sold. Saloon-keepers are harassed by the importunities of the youth- ful ticket sellers. Saloon-keepers are urged by the rector to sell bundles of tickets to the brewers with whom they deal. In many schools the certificate of graduation, signed by the pastor, costs two dollars. Tuition Graft. The parochial schools demand tuition fees. These fees are fixed by the parish rector. If there were no public schools the Catholic parents would be absolutely at the mercy of any sordid rector. The public school prevents Catholic parents from being squeezed dry. Who gets the tuition fees? The rector. School Book Graft. I wonder if the dear Catholic people have ever thought about the profit there is in parochial school books ! Well, there is such a thing as parochial school book graft. It is a source of great gain to those who have it in charge. Think, Catholic people, of the books required for each child from the com- mencement to the close of his or her parochial school educa- tion ; think of the profit on all of these ; and then multiply that profit by the hundreds of thousands of parochial school chil- dren, and perhaps you will be able to comprehend the magni- tude of this kind of easy graft. About the only way for a parochial school superintendent to stop this kind of grafting by parochial school principals is to erect a printing plant; but then this simply transfers this graft from the priest to his bishop or archbishop. 304 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. Catholic people will do well if they ponder carefully the action of any bishop or archbishop who starts a publishing plant. It is not an enterprise which is as innocent and un- selfish as it seems. Look closely and you will see that the idea is conceived, brought forth and nurtured by graft. Accident Suit Graft. The public has no idea of the money that is made by cler- ical grafters out of accident suits. Every day, men, women and children are being maimed- by railways, street-cars, ele- vators, defective side- walks, etc., and each injured one has a claim for damages, whether well or poorly founded, and can begin a suit for damages. If the injury is severe and the negligence of the defendant is shown to have been gross a jury may assess heavy damages. Priests often act as settlement agents, and they make the injured person pay liberally for such service. This kind of graft is not to be ignored because in large parishes of Catholic working people some one is injured almost daily. Testimony Graft. There are priests in the great American cities who do not scruple to go on the witness stand in the courts of justice as character or alibi witnesses, or to give other " necessary " evidence, for graft. I know several famous cases in which such priests have appeared as witnesses. In one of these cases two Jesuit priests, among the most prominent in the United States, appeared on the witness stand, and under the solemnity of an oath testi- fied in behalf of the defendant, who was charged with pollut- ing the very fountains of justice. One of these Jesuits was an alibi witness and the other was a character witness. This graft is sporadic in its character, and I refer to it to put judges and jurors on their guard. GRAFT. 305 Naturalization Graft. There are priests in America who do not scruple to make graft out of the naturahzation of foreigners who have not been in the United States the prescribed legal time but who for personal reasons desire to become citizens, by assisting them to secure naturalization papers. Janitor Graft. A mercenary rector will make his pupils do janitor work. I have seen young boys and girls cleaning the outside of third story windows in parochial school buildings, and they had to sit or stand on the window ledge while working. They also are compelled in some parochial schools to do inside cleaning. Assembly Hall Graft. Assembly halls are provided in parochial schools. Such halls are rented by re'ctors to various societies, and they pocket the rent. They give dances in them and pocket the receipts. They also rent them for dances. A prominent pastor gave a dance, (under the patronage of the Young Ladies' Sodality of the Blessed Virgin) on St. Patrick's night, 1904, in the assembly hall of his new school, which had cost about $100,000.00, at which over three hun- dred couples were present at a good fat fee apiece. He got this dance money, and also the profits from the refreshment counters. His receipts from the cigars and soft drinks were not to be despised. Any parochial society in his parish which refuses to rent that hall will have to disband. It is now rented six months ahead for dances. Miracle Working Graft. There are priests who impose upon the credulity of Cath- olics by claiming to be able to restore the health of the sick by supernatural power. The news percolates through the ranks of the faithful that Father so and so, because of his peculiar 306 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. sanctity of life, can heal the sick. Sick people seek out such a priest, and he treats them by pra'yer, making the sign of the cross, breathing upon them, applying holy water and by men- tal suggestion. They insinuate that they do not make any charge for their treatment, but suggest that it would help the treatment to have some Masses said for which the patient can make an offering. These miracle workers make great graft. The treat- ments are administered at the rectories and at th^ homes of the sick. One priest made a specialty of working miracles by using a certain brand of holy water which he put up. His labora- tory was stocked with bottles and corks. In the corner was an ordinary city water hydrant. He got tired blessing a quantity of water from time to time so he blessed the city water hydrant and then when he wanted holy water he just filled the bottle directly from the faucet. The holy water was to be taken internally and applied externally. I know of a case where a poor workman gave him fifteen dollars to .cure his wife. All the poor man got for his money was a bottle of this holy water. The wife died and the family was evicted for non-payment of rent. The Last Straw. Catholic clerical grafters even made money out of my unjust and invalid excommunication of October, 1901. They advised the people to get Masses said for my conversion, pre- tending to be my warm friends in order to deceive the people. A certain notoriously drunken and grafting rector was particularly solicitous in my behalf. A gentleman went to see him to arrange for a Requiem Mass, and noticing his shaky appearance said : " Father, you seem to be very de- crepit." " No wonder I seem so," replied the priest, " for 1 am on my knees day and night praying for Father Crowley ; the doctors tell me that I am likely to get locomotor ataxia from constant kneeling ; now look here, I know that you are a GRAFT. 307 warm friend of Father Crowley; I am afraid there is very little hope for his salvation; the only way that I can see to save him is by Masses, High Masses, for these Low Masses are no good ; the High Masses never fail ; when I go on the altar in my unsullied vestments and the organ peals and I lift my hands and raise my voice, my cry penetrates the courts of heaven, reaches the Almighty, takes Him by violence and com- pels Him to grant my prayer. Now, you are worth fifty thou- sand dollars, and I am directed by God to tell you that you ought to pay me at least half of your fortune to have me say High Masses for the salvation of Father Crowley; and I will also give you permission to go through the parish and solicit others to follow your noble example." Up to date friend has wisely kept his estate intact. I have reason to believe that large amounts of grait were made in this way, because Masses were said for me from the Atlantic to the Pacific at the suggestion of grafting priests. The parochial school teachers had the children kneel and pray for me in the class rooms. They also had them save their pennies to make an offering for Masses in my behalf. I know I have had God's blessing. The honest prayers of the innocent children and misguided people no doubt brought divine help to me to persevere in my crusade against sin. The Handling and Investing of Graft. Who helps the pastor handle his graft? Some trusty relative, such as a brother or a sister or a niece or a nephew or a cousin. These relatives are usually found among the regular inmates of parochial residences and are especially in evidence during church fairs and missions, and at the Christ- mas and Easter collections. They come to safeguard the paro- chial funds and they most liberally reward themselves for their arduous labors. Many of these relatives have large bank accounts, and numerous real estate holdings. They get inside tips on the location of new churches, and buy up the desirable property and reap a handsome profit by the advance 3o8 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. in value produced by the establishment of a new parish. An examination of the records of the various counties in which are located the big cities, would disclose some very interesting facts in reference to real estate being owned by priests and their relatives. The pastor's housekeeper is often the power behind the throne, even though she may be no blood relation. Some of my readers may say, " Well, I don't believe that these Catholic priests have so much money, I never hear of their investing any of it or paying taxes." Clerical grafters are large investors in real estate in outside dioceses, and in stocks and bonds, as well as in " get-rich-quick " enterprises. Some of my readers may wonder how the various Cath- olic hospitals, asylums, orphanages, etc., are supported, and they may think that much of the money which the priests re- ceive goes to these institutions. Not so.^ They are conducted by various Religious Orders which solicit the necesary funds, and they have no financial claim upon the rectors of parishes. A Suggestion jn Arithmetic. Catholic readers, why not estimate the income of your pastors ? You know the number of worshipers who attend the Masses said, in your churches, and approximately the min- imum which each one pays for a sitting ; you know the urgency of the various church collections, and you can make a fair esti- mate of the responses ; you know about how many marriages, funerals and baptisms occur in a year; you can form an ac- curate idea of the success of the church mission, and of the fair; you can make an accurate guess at the pastor's receipts from sociables, picnics, card parties, dances, etc. You can arrive at a reasonable estimate of the receipts from the paro- chial school children for tuition. It will not be a difficult mat- ter for you to estimate the rector's legitimate expenses. Make the total of his receipts and disbursements and you will see ^something of the graft of which I complain. GRAFT. 309 Let me help you, Catholic readers, to calculate the annual receipts of your pastor by putting before you a conservative hypothetical statement of the income of the rector of a small city parish, and the income of the pastor of a large city parish. Let us suppose that only two Masses are said on Sunday in the small parish, and that 250 worshipers attend each Mass; and that ten cents, on the average, is paid at the door by each worshiper; this would equal $25 for each Mass or $50 for both Masses. Suppose that ten cents, on the average, is received from each worshiper, either as a contribution to the Offertory collection or for a share in a Mass which is to be said sometime during the week; this would equal $25 at each Mass or $50 at both Masses. Add together the $50 received at the door and the $50 received for shares in the prospective Mass, and the result will be $100, which is the income on one Sunday. Multiply this $100 by 52 and the product will be $5,200, which is the amount that the pastor receives for one year from his Sunday services alone. In ad- dition to this amount he receives offerings on the six Holy Days of Obligation, and proceeds from various forms of graft. His total annual income is at least $10,000. Now let us suppose that five Masses, (exclusive of the Mass for the children), are said on Sunday in the large city parish, and that, on the average, 1,500 worshipers attend each Mass; and that ten cents, on the average, is paid at the door by each worshiper; this would equal $150 for each Mass or $750 for the five Masses. Suppose that ten cents, on the average, is received from each worshiper, either as a contribution to the Offertory collection or for a share in a Mass which "is to be said sometime during the week; this would equal $150 at each Mass or $750 at the five Masses. Add together the $750 received at the door and the $750 received for shares in the prospective Mass, and the result will be $1,500, which is the income on one Sunday. Multiply this $1,500 by 52 and the product will be $78,000, which is the amount that the pastor 3IO THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. receives for one year from his Sunday services alone. In addition to this amount he, too, receives offerings on the six Holy Days of Obligation, and proceeds from various forms of graft. His total annual income is at least $100,000. The pastor of a medium city parish is annually in receipt of as much money as the Government of the United States pays the President. What does the good pastor do with his income? Does he lessen the parish debt? Does he support benevolent insti- tutions? Does he send it to the Pope? No, he uses it mainly for his own convenience, pleasure and profit. Assistant pastors receive from twenty-five to fifty dollars a month, their food and shelter and their laundry, minus boiled shirts, cuffs and lay-collg.rs. It takes a small amount of money comparatively to pay the assistant pastor, the janitor, the gas and coal bills, insurance and painting bills. Catholic people, let me ask you again, what becomes of the money received by your pastor? God and the rector alone know. If you would really like to find out I suggest that you ask your pastor, but let me caution you to secure police pro- tection first. Conclusion. Leo Xni. said: Let the workingman be urged and led to the worship of God, to the earnest practice of religion, and, among other things, to the keeping holy of Sundays and Holy-days. Let him learn to reverence and love Holy Church, the common Mother of us all; and hence to obey the precepts of the Church, and to frequent the Sacraments, since they are the means' ordained by God for obtaining forgiveness of sin and for leading a holy life. (Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII., p. 244.) How can any sensible Catholic, rich or poor" 'be led to the worship of God by clerical grafters? The sad fact is that multitudes of honest Catholic people are becoming infidels owing to the mercenary conduct of their Reverend Fathers and GRAFT. 311 Lords in God, who are, as already explained, the officers of the parochial school. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, warned the people against the bad example of the Scribes and Pharisees, who were their religious guides. Our Lord's words are strikingly applicable to grafting and immoral Catholic priests and pre- lates, and I quote from His sayings, as they appear in the Catholic Bible, (St. Matthew's Gospel, Chap. XXIII, verses 13, 14,. 25, 27, 28), as follows: Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you your- selves do not enter in ; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ; because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment. Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness. Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. The inordinate love of money by Catholic priests and prelates is making atheists of Catholic people. The Catholic laity cannot endure clerical avarice. In this connection I quote as follows : For the vice of avarice there seems to be less to be said than for any other of the failings to which flesh is heir. We remember from our days of the classics how even the pagans, who made gods of some of the other vices, detested avarice. We recollect how the Roman poet gives the lowest place in hell among parricides to those qui divitiis soli incubuere re- pertis, adding, quae maxima turba est (Virg. ^n. vi. 610). Milton makes the angel of wealth less attractive than any other of the angels that fell : 312 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. " Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell From heaven; for ev'n in heaven his looks and thoughts Were always downward bent, admiring more The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold. Than aught divine, or holy else enjoy'd In vision beatific." Avarice was the ruin of the one bad Apostle. It ought to be the most unnatural in followers of Him who had not where to lay His head, and yet often it is looked upon as the clerical vice. Bishop Moriarty tells us that the laity hate the vice of avarice in a priest more than any other. " When they talk of a priest or of the priesthood there is no more frequent sub- ject of conversation than our love of money or the amount of money that we receive or possess. . . . They despise and hate an avaricious priest. Avarice they never pardon, either in life or in death. To thefn it is as the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is quite clear that if the first preachers of the Gos- pel admitted none to Mass who could not pay, and drove hard bargains for their presence at the weddings of the first Chris- tians, the world would never have been converted." (The Priest, His Character and Work, by James Keatinge, Canon and Administrator of St. George's Cathedral, Southwark, Eng^ land, and Diocesan Inspector of Schools, p. 115.) It is said of St. Bernard : His earnest desire and the yearning of his soul is ex- pressed to the Pope in the following language : " Would that I might have the happiness of seeing, before I die, the restora- tion of that glorious age of the Church when the Apostles cast oujt their nets, not in search of silver and gold, but to take hauls of precious souls." St. Bernard's earnest desire is my daily prayer. CHAPTER VIII. THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL PUPILS. Inadequately Instructed Secularly. Having in preceding chapters dealt with the officials and teachers of the parochial school, I deem it proper at this time to consider the parochial school pupils. As to the secular instruction imparted to children in the parochial school I feel that I need say very little about its in- adequacy in view of what I have said about the deficient pedagogic talents and training of the parochial school officers and teachers. Incompetent teachers in secular things cannot give children the requisite instruction. The fact is, the parochial school children are very inade- quately instructed in purely secular knowledge, and the children of the public school enter upon the duties of life incomparably better informed and trained. I have heard complaint after complaint from Catholic parents that the parochial school did not fit their children for life ; that their training lacked the virility necessary to meet the multitudinous demands upon American manhood and womanhood of this aggressive age; and that the parochial school militated against the development of symmetrical char- acter. I can readily understand how such ill effects should result from parochial school training received under the prin- cipalship of a drunken, sordid, or even worse, rector, and the teaching of incompetent teachers. I have known intelligent Catholic parents to summon up enough courage to remove their children from the parochial school and send them to the public school^ notwithstanding 314 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. the threats of eternal damnation for themselves and. for their children uttered by priests and prelates. I have in mind now the case of a bright child who was taken from the parochial school by her parents and sent to the public school. In the parochial school she was in the eighth grade but the public school found her only fit for the fifth grade. My understanding is that children who are taken out of the parochial school and sent to the public school are always put in a lower grade. Priests and prelates assert that they are put into the lower grade through prejudice and to bring a reproach upon the parochial school. This is a groundless charge as any fair-minded person must feel when it is remem- bered how many public school officers and ^teachers are Cath- olics. The fact is that such Catholic children are placed in the public school just where the parochial school has fitted them to be put. Irreligious Instruction. Now what are the facts in reference to the religious in- struction imparted to the pupils of the parochial school? It must be remembered that the necessity for daily indoctrinat- ing the children with religious truth in the school room is the supreme excuse offered for the existence of the parochial school. I assert that the children of the parochial school receive a religious training which is simply hypocritical, and instead of being the foundation for the holding of a superstructure of religion and morality its logical effect is the demoralization of the child. Precept and practice must go together in religious in- struction or the result cannot fail to be disastrous to the pupil. If an officer or a teacher of the parochial school teaches a precept and then practices the opposite of that "precept I hold that the. children are thereby trained for the kingdom, of Satan and not for the Kingdom of God. The evil effect of such in- consistency in an instructor of youth is destructive when the offender is a secular teacher and does not wear the sacred PUPILS. 315 vestments of religion; but when that instructor or officer is clad in a religious garb the teaching of righteousness and the doing of iniquity simply mean moral and spiritual disaster to the pupils. Precept and practice are lamentably foreign to each other in the lives of the officers and teachers of the paro- chial school. The religious training of the parochial school is worse than failure. But in the parochial school there is, alas, what amounts to a positive teaching of irreligion. When children are de- liberately instructed to stultify their moral sense I assert that irreligion is thereby taught. Let us glance at this irreligious teaching. Parochial school children are taught that priests and prelates are holy or supernatural beings. I have known this kind of instruction to be imparted in parochial schools : " Children, if a priest should tell you that your hand is mar- ble, and an angel from heaven should at the same time tell you that your hand is flesh, you must believe the priest and disbelieve the angel ! " I make bold to say that the effect of such teaching is to stultify a child. The children are taught to attribute manifest clerical delinquencies to a religious cause, and thus they are led to stultify themselves intellectually and morally. A drunken priest staggered in the presence of parochial school children, and the nun said, " O, the dear priest ! He is so weak ! he has been making a novena, he has been fasting and praying for nine days, and he is so weak that he can hardly walk." That drunken priest was the pastor of that parish and consequently the principal of that parochial school. He was constantly under the influence of drink, and the nuns and children knew it. In fact, he at that very time had been an habitual drunkard for over a quartei of a century, and is to-day. I heard him, say repeatedly : " The education and enlightenment of the Cath- olic children will be the ruination of the Church." In his paro- chial school there are 15 nuns and about 1200 pupils. Parochial school children have their moral sense blunted by being taught that God will eternally damn the Catholic 3l6 ^ THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. who exposes a bad priest. The children see in this instruction a scheme to cloak sin, and it leads them to regard with horror a God who is in league with bad priests to protect and keep them in power. In a large Jesuit school a nun told he^ class, " Children, you may not have heard that there are bad priests, but when you grow up you will probably hear about them and see them. You must pay no attention to what you hear and see about them; you must not give it a thought, no matter how bad they may be, for they are the ambassadors of Jesus -Christ. If you hear about them you must close your ears,. and if you see them you must close your eyes, and you must close your mouths ; you are bound by the laws of God to close your ears, your eyes and your mouths. Never speak about bad priests ; if you do something dreadful will surely happen to you." Then she told the children some terrible things which she said had befallen Catholics who had talked about bad priests. Children Demoralized. Parochial school children are positively demoralized by the use that is made, of the parochial schools by the officers and teachers in connection with parish fairs. In the preced- ing chapter I described various kinds of church fair graft, and promised to show later the pernicious influence of church fairs upon the parochial school children. I now undertake to fulfill that promise. The parochial school is the powerful auxiliary of the iniquitous church fair. Its children are compelled to do their utmost to make the church fair a financial success. I have al-- ready stated that the parochial school principal gets all the money. Priests permit the desecration of their churches, for in many instances the fairs are held in church basements. These basements are a duplicate of the upstairs part, being furnished with altars, sanctuary, baptismal font, pews, and choir plat- form with organ. Funeral Masses and Mass for the children PUPILS. 317 on Sundays are often said in these basements, arid the con- fessional boxes are located in them. The basement is as holy as any other part of the church. When fairs are held in these basements the pews are removed, the choir platform is en- larged to accommodate musicians who furnish dance music, and also to accommodate professional vaudeville performers who are hired by the pastor. Some pastors have dancing at these fairs in the church; others have wheels of fortune and slot machines; some have all these things; some have part of them. At some of the fairs they sell liquor. They also raffle bottles of whiskey — on one Occasion a little girl won a bottle of whiskey and she and her little companion drank it and nearly died ; and at the same fair a little girl won two bottles of whiskey which she took home, and her parents used it, got drunk and into a fight and the husband lost his job. As a rule these fairs, whether held in the church basement or not, have on Saturday nights special attractions to draw the people and they close at one or two o'clock Sunday morn- ing. Dancing, slot machines and other money-making schemes run till the last minute. These slot machines are prohibited by law, and saloon and other users of them are severely pun- ished, but Catholic rectors use them with impunity at their church fairs. The Catholic pastors get slot machines which have actually been confiscated by the civil authorities. The public should remember that at Catholic fairs all the articles are raffled, chance-books being issued against each article and chances sold as widely as possible, the raffle taking place upon the closing nights of the fair. The fairs often last two, three or four weeks. Catholic girls at these church fairs are brought into con- tact with the vicious and the lewd. They are given chance- books which contain numbered tickets, each ticket entitling the holder to one chance at the drawing of some prize. These girls are encouraged to make large sales of these chance 3l8 THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. tickets, and they go to all sorts of persons; I myself have seen them coming out of disreputable saloons with chance- books in their hands at a late hour of the night. A lamentable number of these poor innocent girls take their first lesson in harlotry upon these trips for the sale of chance tickets. It is notorious that lustful men patronize these church fairs because at them they have the opportunity to form the acquaintance of lovely, virtuous Catholic girls, whom they could never meet under other auspices; and it is equally notorious that all over the country, multitudes of these beautiful girls have been se- duced by these men. As soon as a man enters the fair a lady runs toward him begging him to " take a chance ! " This in- nocent remark gives him a chance to indulge in vile innuendo. No introductions are necessary at these church fairs — in fact an introduction would be regarded as an insult. The ladies, young and old, are all on the reception committee. These ladies are given this license to act in this free and easy way in order to increase the receipts of the fair "for the greater honor and glory of God ! ! !" Catholic boys are taught and encouraged to smoke, drink and gamble at these fairs. Priests and laymen at these fairs in the church smoke cigars and cigarettes. Tobacco is sold in the church. The next Sunday these priests preach against vice ! ! ! The necessity of making the fair a great success is urged upon the children and the teachers on and off the altar, and in the parochial school class-room, during the several weeks preceding the fair, and also while it is running. I know a parochial school principal who tells his children publicly, half in jest and half in earnest, that if their parents will not give them money to spend at the church fair matinees they are privileged to steal it. Some of them do not see the jest and act on the earnest. The parochial school, as a rule, gives its children two half holidays to enable them to attend the fair, although this is not necessary as the children are there night after night. ^•^^xeifc'fiV,, StQ)(m,s(I(,urjj,; iiST PAffiERS ^wt!;,-^.»,.„- aY,i S.-.^ 7-30P.M \'UtM-nay\Us!.s f..