The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-16
From the ST. Mary's Gazette Of April 2d. I

scbool exclusively for the children of my
parish. Some narrow-miuded bigots raised
an unheard Of outcry against me for doing
so. Some April fools even entertained the
idea of having me arrested for having said
that education belongs the Church and not
to the State. These poor idiots cannot uu-
derstand that Catholic priest in the exer-
else of his parochid duties is subject to no
human law, is under the control of no
earthly authority whatever One evening
| received letter, of which the following
is correct copy:
KERsEY, Pa March 8, 1870
MR.. WIRzFELp, SIR Il have been
hearing reports about the girl in my employ;
that you have been going to her mother and
telling her, that she must take her from me
and send her to your school, Now l took
the girl to raise, 1 shall treat her in the
same manner, as 1 would one of my own
As far as church is concerned, she is at lib
erty to gopr stay. This is'a free country,
and when say to any person, that you must
do so and so, you are going beyond your
mark From this on l wish to hear nothing
more, If you want to talk to me, you are at
liberty at any time you want to say any
thing to the girl come to my place to do it,
but if not, you will do me the honor Of not
botbering her mother, she is poor and has
all she wants, but she does not wish you to
Interfere with her concerning this girl, as I
claim TO dc all the talk concerning her. I
never have meddled with religion, nor do I
wish to, and would like the same of you,
if you are a gentleman. 1 have been in
Elk county for sufficient length of time
to learn, what belongs to a mans own bust
ness and most men have enough to do to
mind that little business. 1 will not talk
about this, if you will stop just now, if not
yours is the consequence.
Yours truly,
(Signed) VIM. MCAULEY.
returned the following answer:
ST. BoNIFAcE CHURCH,
March 8, 1870.
R:-Your impudent letter was handed
to me last night. No gentleman could COM
nit such piece of impertinence. would
have passed it over with that silent con-
tempt, it so richly deserves, if no serious
consequences were involved. I willingly
concede to you ali the honor due to your
insolence. The girl in question is Catho-
lie, and you have no right to make an in
iGel of her. 1 am her pastor and and ans
werable for her soul to God. Like other
Catholic children of her age, am bound to
instruct her for her first Communion, hence
it is her mothers duty to send her to in
struction for that purpose. As an agent
OF the devil] You oppose me in the fulfill.
ment of this sacred duty. From this on
I will hear no more Of your opposition I
will have no more Of your impudence. l
have been for thirty years in this country.
In all cases, when poor Catholic children
were in the employ Of Protestants found
it easy to persuade them to grant t hese lit
tie ones the necessary time for the instruc-
tions mentioned, without even deductins
any of their pay. You are the only encep-
tiou ] know of on that score Your oppos-
ition in this case proves you to be no gen.
tleman. In writing this impudent letter
"you arcar beyond the mark" of common de-
cency. l always thought you were engag
ed in the pursuit Of an honorable business.
and was therefore disagreeably surprised
to learn that you are dealer in innocent
[souls] for their spiritual destruction. You
say: ''The woman is poor" this is no
reason to sell the soul Of her child. ITO
the devil through yonr agency.] "She
has all she wants" / told that woman a
year ago in the presence of her relations,
that, if she would send her children to me
for instruction.. i would see, that she should
sustain no loss in doing so. l say the same
now. You desire ne not "to bother the
girls mother any more" I consider the
"bothering" of any woman beneath the
character of true gentleman aud unworthy
of my dignity, as Catholic priest I say
true gentleman because there are too many
counterfeits. You may claim to talk as
much as you please, but there can be no
talk about this matter between you and me,
because you have no authority in the point
at issue, neither before God nor man. Your
bigotry alone is at the bottom of it. "You