The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-09-19
The Guibord Affair.

excomm unieated Catholic by the name OF
Joseph G uibord died at Montreal, Canada,
and was refased burial in consecrated
ground. Certain bad Catholics, to relieve
their spleen, urged his widow to institute
proceedings in the civil courts to enforce his
burial. In this course sbe was further en-
coursged by an association, to which the
deceased had belonged, called the Canadian
Institute. Mrs. Guibord lost her suit 10 the
court of fret resort, and was disposed 10
let the matter rest there, bIt the restless
malcontents who had instigated the pro-
ceedings would not listen 10 it. The!
made use of her name to continue the con-
test and the case was carried TO higher
tribunal. Here the Judge, differing from
the first court, gave judgment 10 favor Of
Mrs. Glibord, enforcing her demand. Or
course, the represen tatives of the Catholic
Church could not tanIeiy snhmit 10 such
arrogant interference with its iuternal dis
ciplIne and an appeal vas taken TO the s1-
p-ene Court OF Canada. Here the decision
rendered by FIVE judges, three OF them Pro-
testauts ard two Catholics. was unaui-
mously against the application OF Ms.
Gnibsrd and in favor OF non -iategte.-rce
with ChQrch d'scipliUe.
Tais decree was received With favor b!
the whole press Of that region, even the
sectaIian papers. Ole of the most viru!ent
and interruptions anti Catholic papers of
this Continent is the Montreal Witness, and
it spoke as follows:
Judgment has been pronounced n Cal
, hOY 1'S @.yF Ha riESn i-f fzE 6f he
defendants. We expected it; and the decis-
ion is probably correct one, for the judges
were unanimous, and what contributed to
siren gthen their conclusion Was the fact that
all of them grounded it on different motives.
We have always thought that, as long as
man belongs to aChurch, he has no recourse
against the rules of that Church and we be-
lieve, moreover, that if any one be excluded or
expelled from the membership of a church by
competent authority, he loses all the priv
leges be held before he became unworthy.
Moth witLstanding this unanimity, the
apostate crowd infuriated by defeat, ap
pealed to the Privy Council of the q leen.
Though the affair commenced severa! years
ago, and there is perhaps nothing left 70
bury of Guibord but his cofiO, il i Only
lately that the foal decree has been obtz u
ed. 1t is in favor of tie application. The
decree provides that writ shall Issue 10
{
Commanding them, upon application being
made to them by, or on behalf of the Institut
! Canadian, and upon tender or payment to
| them of the usual and accustomed fees, to
prepare, or permit to be prepared, grave in
| that part of the cemetery in which the
mains of Roman Catholics rho have received
ecclesiastical burial usually inferred, for
the burial of the remains of the said Joseph
| Guibord, and that on such remains being
brought to the cemetery for that purpose at 3
| reason BILE and proper time, they do bury the
| said remains in the said part of the said ceue-
| terry, permit them to be buried there
! This assumption of authority by a set of
| laynen in the discipline of a Church in
. which they ale not even members has crea-
ted az immense excitement among the
Montreal Catholics, both French and
I Irish. The latest phase of the sff,ir was
,ha. they assembled in great numbers at
the gate of the cemetery where il was pro-
pofed to en;omb GulbDrd's cotf1, aud by
vio'eLce prevented the execution of the
decree. OF course it will not rest there the
authority of law, uujl lst as may be its de
/ cree, will be maiRtained, unless some revis
( ion of that decree eau be obtained. This may
indeed become another feature of the Gui
I bord case, because immense petitions are
/ being prepared and signed in Canada, to be
I forwarded to the Q leen asking Ler inter
ventiou as against the outrage. Wh.lr this
movement is on foot it may be that further
proceedings in execution of TIE decree will
be suspended, and if so the outcome Of thIs
/ interesting contest is still mystery.
/ The Question for settlement appears to
be simply this: Has a religions community
the power within i:self Of expelliDg mem
bers; and if so expelled do they lose the sp,r
itual privileges erjo!ed while members.
I Now, II the night Of q religious body TO ez-
pei a member is tuhjsct 20 appeal 20 the
temporal Authorities, ;hAt L. 20 peTsous out
! side OF The body, that power of expulsion !s
virtually Dul.iftd. II is he'd By sDfeTance
merely, and Ig subjec; 70 aoy hostility to-
wards il tia. Hlsy exist or may az suy time
! arse il the minds of irs ten pOra. s0perioTs.
-