The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-09
CHURCH AND STATE.
The Case of Bishop O'Hara and the Rev.
Mr.. Stack.


SCRANTON, Pa, April I, 1878.
The Rev. Mr.. Stack having given out through
the diocese that the cergymcn under the juris-
diction OF Bishop OIIara sympathlzed with him
and thought as he did, send you the following
address which has just been presented to Bishop
OHara, with the single remark that it has
been unsolicited and springs entirely from
the hearts and consciences OF the signers. Prob
ably no ecclesiastical trial has angendered so much
interest this one, often fully reported In the
HERALD.
The closing chapter is herewith appended:-
ADDRESS OF THE PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE or
SCRANTON TO THEIR RIGHT REVEREND BISHOP, WILL
LIAM O'HARA ID. D., EXPRESSIVE OF THEIR SYM
PATTY FOR HIM AND SENSE OF THE LITIGATION
Now PENDING BETWEEN HIM AND REV. H.
STACK
BELOVED BIsuoP-In view OF the painful position
into which you have been forced by the Williams
port litigation, We the priests OF your diocese.
have deemed it opp0rtune to tender you the un-
qualified expression of our sympathy and love, and
at the same time make known to our fellow priests
throughout the States how panied We have been
that one Of our number should have become SO far
unmindul OF his duty as to adopt course repug-
nant alike to the sacred character OF the priest
hood and the laws OF the Catholic Church. IL
affords us, then, sincere pleasure at this time to
bear testimony to that uniform kindness OF heart
and paternal solicitude which nave always marked
your intercourse with us, officially otherwise,
since your advent among us as Bishop OF the
And not indeed to the time OF your elevation TO
the episcopacy can these endearng qualities be
restricted. Your whole course IN the ministry has
been distinguished by liberal and loving Christian
spirit, which has endeared you to all with whom
you have come in contact as an ecclesiastic or
citizen, irrespective of social conditions-a spirit
Away as now, marked with the characteristics Of
the true shepherd We express our heartfelt regret
at the fact or your citation before civil tribunal
knowing that the unseemly event was as uncon-
genial to your feelings 1t outrage on
your Official position. There is principle in this
case which involves the freedom and prosperity Of
the Church in these States. She Is the Kingdom OF
Christ earth, and any attempt to subject her or
her discipline in her epscopacy to the civil courts
is fraught with imminent danger to her we-being,
| and must be firmly and INCREASINGLY resisted BY
| every Catholic and especially by every ecclesastlc.
Legislation without end and loss OF that distinctive
ecclesiastical pOlity which is the necessary conse-
| quence oil dvinely founded church would follow
want Of vigilance on our part In this imperative
will OF the majority this is the more to be guarded
against for 1t is easy to perceive how quickly discl.
pine and ecclesiastical law would share the late OF
ordinary civil enactments, which are often the re-
suit of the passions Of the hour and thus the minds
of the faithful be shocked by an INCONSISTENCY IN
things spiritual characteristic worldly affairs.
We have felt aggrieved to see YOU beloved Bishop,
whose jurisdiction is the source OF ours over the
people committed to our care and whose dignity
and immunity from civil interference in the exer-
else OF that divine power received from God ana
net from men are inseparably connected with
rights. compelled to appear before civil
judge BY whose Injunction you cn Were aey
| you hold in trust for Catholic people. VINO also
were temporarily deprived OF its use % their
heartily sympathze with you and beg you to
accept the same some alienation for the Hip
pant criticism OF an iadviSed priest with whose
wicked course in citing you before the civil court
we have no sympathy, but which we dep0re and
condemn.
We maintain the principle as sound and Catholic,
that every redress Is to be sought and every grew
ance really existing remedied within the Church,
and are firmly convinced that TO seek such relief
outside her legtlmately appointed channels Is 10
join hands with her enemies In assaulting her sa-
cred prerogatIves. She is our mother and guide,
and her Episcopacy our divinely appointed egisla-
tors who under the weight OF tnat most sacred
|! and responsible OF all burdens, consult 1Or our
spiritual and temporal welfare. To us, as wen az
to the aity, is said, ''Obey your prelates and be
more wise than the Church Of God for surely this
is to be wise in ones own cOnceit, and Is aptly
illustrated in the crude and undlsclpllned mind oil
an ecclesiastc under the influence OF that learning
which puffeth up, arraying himself IN hostility
against his divinely appointed legislators, calling
in the arm OF the civil power to his aid and thus
virtually handing over to Caesar the Shepherd ana
Bishop OF souls Our right even, must be
sought under the sanctions Of divine laws and 1t ia
Catholic teaching which we cordially accept, that
no matter how desirable the end in view 1t can
never justify the adoption Of illegtimate means to
reach it.
We trust, then. beloved Bishop, that these ex-
pressions of respect ana sympathy for yOu as also
our sense OF the scandalous litigation which has
called them forth, will meet your approval and
afford some consolation while you are passing
through this bitter trial.
We subscribe ourselves, beloved Bishop, your
Rev. r. Carew, REV. G. r. McMurray.
Rev. NJ Witty, Rev. +. Garvey,
Rev. j. ]. Doherty, Rev. II. s. Hennessy,
Rev. ID. O'Haran, Rev. J. A. Mullen,
Rev. +. w. Fitzmaurice, Rev. M. II. Dunn,