Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-01
The Roman Church.

The Church Property question dies not out with
the Hughes and Brooks controversy. The Roman
Catholics themselves have been startled into life
by it,--and, In various quarters manifest rebel
lious systems tJohn, Of Buffalo, Bishop Ii
mon) backed out of his interdict against the St.
Louis Church, but jenitically only, 1t is said It
is reported, although it is stated in the Buffalo
Courier that Father Wennger preached In the ST.
Louis Church last Sunday, that the Trustees and
congregation have refused to avail themselves Of
the proffered indulgence, because Bishop Timon
has not conceded In substance one particle of the
Ubiquitous and illegal claim which, In obedience to
the Baltimore DEGREES Of ls49 and 1852, he has so
long persisted in. To quote the Journal of Com
merce -
"He has simply found that threats have failed,
and so has begun TO coax. He has removed all
Church censures from the people and Church Of
st. Louis, In order to make room for the services,
in his behalf, Of Father Wennger--one Of the most
talented, persuasive, and eloquent German clergi-
men Of the Catholic Church In this country, but
who could not preach in the st. Louis Church
while II was under interdict. That gentleman ia
to hold Spiritual Retreat, "a kind Of protracted
meetiDg,) for the purpose Of convincing the ST.
Louis congregation, and ifpossble the trustees, Of
crty when their Bishop wants It, and of inducing
them to resign willingly what they would not
yield to his menaces. At the close of the Retreat
they are all expected to 60 to confession, and re-
turn to obedience and implicit submission to their
Bishop will be the first condition Of absolution.
The whole affair is an artful dodge intended to
secure the accomplishment Of the very same end
which the interdct and the accommodation have
not effected
too tba oh
that the subject Of the rights Of the Catholic laty
In the property for which they have contributed is
beginning to agitate the Catholics of that city.
They cannot remain long In the free atmosphere of
New England without approaching their rights
over temporalites whatever their priests may die.
tate, or Holy Mother Church decree. The Courier
says:
''Thc controversy has it's root, SO TO speak, in
the burial ground Of the church. contiguous to the
church building. This burial ground, we are told
was purchased with money raised by contributions
levied upon the members Of the society. The fee
Of the property however, is held by the priest ;
and by the priest the regulations aud terms upon
which interments are made there were Dictated
These terms that, for every lot four feet wide
by eight feet long, the sum Of % shall be paid,
except the purchaser was one of the original con.
tributors, In which case he Is entitled TO dedue-
ton Of 81 on the price mentioned. Tho money
thus raised amounts to quite handsome sum in
the course of the year. But the priest uses this
money for whatever purposes he pleases. The
priests fock--at least portion Of them--do not
seem to think that 1t Is exactly the way in which
the income Of property bought with the peoples
money should be disposed of"
That paper states that another cause ofdificulty
has arisen from the TACT that when the pews we're
last rented, there was but one mass. Since then,
another mass il celebrated and the priest demand
ad double rents and refused 10 allow the persona
who did not pay il, any seat at all at the second
mass, and elected them from the house II now
seems that petition has been sent TO the Legisla-
ture for a law regulating the conveyance Of real
estate for religious purposes by the intelligent and
fearless Of the flock Of this Father Kelley" which
law says the Hartford Courant, Eve have no doubt
viii be passed."-N. u Express.