The national Republican., 1862-07-25
Comnunioatsd.
Catholic Churches.

Catholic Churches.
M. Editor: have several times noticed q
little item In your columns on the subject OF
taking Catholic Churches for Hospitals" and
must say that blush at the bare Idea of any
therein expressed. I agree that the Holy
| Catholic Church 10 "ssored," |" and "belongs
to God in a special manner, but have we not
proof from the holy book Of God, that the sol.
the poor aiok and wounded soldiers "belong"
also, In . special manner, "to Godr Yes,
those brave, noble, giAnt.hearted fellows, who,
with their blood. and the sacrifice OF home, Of
friends, the fondest, most sacred, and endear-
posssssion, and In anticipation, have unhinch.
ingly fought the battles Of their country, and
thus saved our capital, and our very iresdes,
from the devastating shells Of the enemy, while
in our homes. 'Uneratsfal must We be even to
speak slightingly OF them, much more to refuse
them, insultingly, the shelter Of Church be.
cause Il belongs to God"
or Of the "Holy Catholic Church" we're standing
In person at the door OF the church, that he
would refuse admission to our poor soldiers,
while suffering, wounded and bleeding, from
himself had saorsdiy epjoinsd upon them We
read in holy writ that he healed the infrm man
on the Sabbath day; and when he found him
afterwards In the "holy. temple, he did not
him nor SrG toll him that The temple
sick or afflicted man In; but he said to him,
" Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more,
lest some worse thing happen TO thee"
rather think our Heavenly Father would be
more pleased TO see his church walls giving
shelter 10 suoh than to witness them afFording
q cloak for dsloysl, hypooritioal hearts, with
. dash Of nnery covering the exterior and glsved
hands holding, perhaps, gilded prsyer;book.
Depend upon II, II such Catholics would change
their sentiments, throw of their trappings, un.
glove their hands, and 60 into the church (des.
sorated, As they pretend to think, IL taken for
hospital) and there offer up their fervent
prayers while ministering to the many little
earthly saviors, such an Offering would be
more acceptable than the offering Of u com.
planning, halfrebel heart.
IN venture to say, II the proper authorities
were to see At to claim our lovely little st.
Aloysius Church for q rebel hospital, those
same very scrupulous Catholics would think II
all right, and deem 1t privilege TO soothe
and comfort the inmates. Away with such
very much concerned about the sanctity Of the
church but how would II be if they had a
father, y brother, son, or relative, sick or
wounded in the rebel army, and he should be
comfortable place that could be found, would
they complain of those who placed him there
and insultingly reproach them AZ perpetrators
Of an awful desecraton! ! think not; and yet
tn0y uOiu u ChtnOHC CuuTCu 100 - bhCr6u - u
use as y hospital for men who have, with their
blood, defended the glorious old dag for which
our forefathers fought, bled and died
What, then, do they say Of our burying
grounds? (something that would like TO un.
Catholic burial ground was laid out, the
whole ground enclosed was consecrated.
II Catholic purchased u lot Of ground
buried different members Of his family there,
had lived good, pious Catholic, and his whole
/ family had liVAd thA Ram0 DiOua lifa-if anv
member Of that family, say tho father, the
mother, the sister, or the brother, by some
means, no matter what, had neglected wilfully
to make their Easter Communion. they were
not permitted to be placed in that holy ground
although the family had purchased and paid
for 1t. The Church, seeing the uncomfortable
heart.rendng position In which this placed
many persons, concluded, when purchasing
ground, but only the graves AZ they were
opened, thus leaving room for persons who die
not receive the rites Of the Holy Catholic
, Church to be placed there also. This wai
the distressing anxiety Of, perhaps, every Cath
has enclosed \ beautiful site, cslled Noun
Olivet," which promises to remain unmolestet
through time. But how is 1t now with the OLE
, grounds-those whose whole enclosures were
blessed, and those whose graves were blessed
AZ they were openedy Each spot that wai
blessed Ia surely as sacred as any grave that !,
Ul0b8cu I'LL mOuut oHNety anu YET bOIu0 u
them have their enclosures torn down, and III,
sacred, cousecrated ground is laid waste; ant
i not only is the holy ground desecrated, but tn,
1 sacred relics that are there depOsited.
have sSS why
gr0unds" True. this Ia very easily spoken
but let US see II there Ia not some differenc,
between talking and doing. Here is poo
widow, perhaps, who has spent her all in thi
! departed husband. Years have passed. ant
she still struggles with the debt, or, perhaps
with the straitened circumstances into whicl
t. 1t has thrown her, she has not even cents, mucl
less dollars; she must, therefore, see her dear
est earthly ties, and the sacred, holy spot tha
4 contains them, enolosureless. and exposed I,
= the reckless tread of man and beast. And
! now, say that all the bodies are removed, ,ohd
pious Catholics to ali this' Why do they no
express their agony at holy ground and sdinte,
. bodies being deseorated, AZ well as to manifes
Z their horror at Catholic churches being takel
for hospitals for our wounded soldiers?
l am proud to know that, II our new churol
; should be taken for such purpose, the Rev
|, Pastor would do everything In his power, botl
2 temporal and spiritual, to surround the sol
dier's bed Of afictiOn with comfort and conso
: lation, and each one would find In him tathe
and friend.
81 l am happy to say, also, that the Catho
= Church teaches her children to be loyal to thei
4 country, as 1t teaches them to be loyal to thei
oVu uOut anu uOW Chu " OdtnOhC Uo truly loyal y
his country and be void of sympathy for thos
n who have fought and bed for that country?
= imagine, however, that the Government will
! be slow In claiming any of our Catholic
Churches. They know the services rendere,
them by our dear, good Sisters Of Mercy Nh,
our sanity Sisters OF Charity In the hospitals
4 OH the battle field, and even on the transports
= y Is such as could, undenisbly, never be re
! ceived from any other source, or rendered b,
: any other beings, in consideration of which. "A
2 indulgent parents, they will permit US to keel
. our churches, and thus relieve those sorupi
. lous Catholics Of their serious troubles.
CATHOLIC.