The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-06-02
are Catholics Citizens of this Republic or are
They Not!

are CathoUcS Citizens OF this Republic are
They Not!
The facts that have recently been brought
before the public by a heightened report in
the New York Her aid, concerning the re-
ligious tyranny exercised on Catholic boys
and girls in the House of Refuge OH Ran
dall's Island, invite, and, indeed, demand,
the most earnest attention NOS only of Ca
thOli0s, but of all the citizens of New York.
1t is in vain for us to boast of the freedom
of our institutions SO long as any one can
point to such an anomaly as this on Ran
dall's Island, where 600 Catholic boys and
girls are imprisoned under pretence of
" Delinquency" and for purposes of " Re-
formation" yet debarred from all Catholic
ministration, compelled to attend at Pro-
testant worship, and to listen to the preach
ing of Protestant ministers, Sunday after
Sunday, the whole year round!
What an outcry would be raised, what q
storm of execration and Indignation would
ring throughout the land, if such a whole
perpetrated by the managers of Catholic
institution anywhere. Suppose the Chris
tian Brothers ia charge of the Catholic
Protectory were to find themselves entrust-
ed with 600 Protestant and 200 Catholic
boys and girls, and that they obliged the
600 Protestants to go regularly. to Mass, to
listen to Catholic sermons, and to pray as
Catholics, at the same time excluding all
Protestant ministers from the Institution,
and if any one did by chance find his way
in, to prohibit any allusion on his part to
doctrines exclusively Protestant What
| would be thought of snch CHARITY" such
philanthropy" as thatf
This is precisely what is done in the
New York House of Refuge, only that the
-coerced majority are Catholic, the favored
minority Protestant. If any one should
doubt the truth of this statement, the
following short extracts, from the HcrdtdS
report, will, we hope, dispel their doubts.
perintendent of the House of Refuge
after some preliminary conversation, the
following light was thrown on the subject
Reuortcy-I presume, sir, that you recognize
religion as being Il most potent reforming
agent -,
religious services every Sabpath, poth IN ENC
morning and afternoon
ReporIu-How many chaplains come to your
aid on Sundays!
Mr. Jones-Only one, sir.
Reporter-Then are all Your inmatee of one
religious belief
III, Jones-Oh, not at all most of them are
! Catholics.
Rcporter-Then / suppose Catholic priest
M Joncs-By no means. We are not at all
| sectarian in this institution. We allow nothing
which any sect can take umbrage at.
Lep0rfer-lS your chaPlalb, Iueu, d hoE-SeS
tartan clergymanf
M. ,JcnesyOh no: be is q Methodist minis
ter. Dr. Pierce is.
Rcportcr-And the great mass of your innate:
don't object to this service
| Mr.. Jones-Well, / have never known then
! to make objection to it.
RtDortcr-Are all the Catholic inmates com
PEELED to attend these religious services
! M. ,yoncs-Certainly they are. DR.. Pierce
never teaches anything sectariau. We evel
invite clergymeu OF all denominations to com
and rrcach here. We've had Father Duran
quct preach here once.
| TeHO't tF-Iiow is IL that you've Lad plicS
only once!
III, Joncs-Wr,l, suppose lie did not like q
preach again, as We could not allow HIM L
| preach any Catholic doctrines here.
/ Rtporter-But would you not let a priest ga.
! Mass or hear confessions here
M. JoRes-Certaiuly not. am not permit
ted to do
Ecportei-But don't yon think that Catholi
children ought to have Catholic service, AM
would be benefited thereby
jIr. JoRes-Well, you see, in this institution
we believe the Sermon on the Mount to elm
body all. that is necessary for salvation. Al
we wish is that our boys may become goo
c;rizens-that they may not lie or cheat. -,
The Reporter next proceeded to tn
residence of Rev. Or. Pierce, tue chaplain
of the Refuge. That courteous gentleman
frankly corroborates the statements of MI
Jones, as our readers may see from wha
follows.
The Doctor was asked about the religion
services, and he answered substantial
What sir. Jones had already stated. II
addition, he stated that he never admins
tered any sacraments 20 the Juvenile dein
Oucuts lest it might excite bad feeling u
the part of the Catholics. 10 never kneH
the Catholic children - regard tie Sab
bath services with disrelisb. lie wus on a
good terms with them as with the othe
inmates. he had d grea. esteem for Fathe
Durauquet, but could not per-1it him {
say anything sectarian to the Catholic chill
dren. No objection was ever made to a
official on account of his religion. A
sects we're represented in the Board
Managers.