Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-04-15
rHECATHoLIC CHURCH TROUBLES.

| CATION.
To the Editor of the NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
.Whcn to mischief mortals bend their will.
How soon they find tit instrumentsof of ILL.,"
Allow me through your paper to
give an outline of the cause of the Che
boygan ''Catholic riot" lI1S
Rev. C. DeCeuninck came here about
seven years ago. chose for the erection
of church site with which his congre-
CATION in general S.ere we'll satisfied. Be-
ing a clergyman of more than ordinary
business talent, and regardless, perhaps,
! to fault of the opinions of few "men
of mark" he. despite their remOnstrance
chose another location. The church that
willing and generous contributors could
build in short time, became,
through the few who were mortified at
their counsel not being duly appreciated,
n work of years. The grand edifice has
finally reached its completion, and is
quite i'm accordance with the lofty con-
ceptions of the talented DeCeuninck.
But the grander the edifice the greater
the ehagrin of the "men of mark Fit
instruments were found to oppose the
priest to the bitter end. An Oath-bound
cabal was organized with the ayOwed .ob
ject of compelling him to leave the field
of his successful labOrs. e3
Women, heretofore unknown to most
of the community have come to the sur
face TO taint the moral atmosphere by
branding the priest with infamy. Strange
that man of tifty-siX, serving ut the altar
nearly thirty years, commanding admi-
ration by his preaching. and love by his
Jealous care Of the young, unremitting in
the discharge Of the ardOrOus duties of a
priest, should, notwithstanding, be a
hypOcrite, to be unmasked by the she
instruments of the ''men of mark"
Shade of the departed LeFevre, why
slept your discerning eye, or did you con-
nive at the utter grOssness of your erring
servant. Living Burgess, whose whole
contour bespeaks shrcwdness, have you
also been deceived, or have You also con-
nived at the lnOnstrocities with which
your servant is charged.
BE proud, you ''men of mark, that the
priest, loaded with the intamy you have
heaped upon him, flies from the power
you have walked.
I This is the Easter time. and you must
feel the agreeable consciousness of sparinS
the vOtaries of prayer the labor OF trudg
sOnOrOus call of ST. Mary's bells. Men o.
prOgr essive ideas, accept our thanks fOl
the work YOU have accomplished. The
Ali-Seeing Eye Will doubtless apprOpri
ately reward you, though perhaps not il
this sublinary sphere, so unworthy o
your noble selves. In prospecting fo
future church arrangements we wOult
respectfully ask, ''when shall yc three
meet again." OBSERVER.
To the E. itor Of the NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
/ In your last weeks issue l noticed al
article signed Centennial" on the Cath
Olic church ''fracas," which, think, very
greatly misrepresents the state of fact
i'm the case. From the tenor of the com
nunication think it does not require
very discerning mind to arrive at the con
clusion that self interest, regardless o
facts, was the incentive of the writer, TO
a more perverted statement could no
well have been compiled. As is wei
known to all who are in the least con
yersant with the affairs Of the CathOli,
church in this village, the dissatisfaction
in regard 10 Father DeCeuninck's ad
ministratiOn, as pastor of the church. il
of no recent origin; and he has beer
well aware that the greater portion
his charge have long been anxious for
change; but, Notwithstanding "Centen
mails" assertions that '',edrcss was prof
fered the aggrieved portion of the con
gregatiOn," Father DeCeuninck has per
sistently refused to entertain any hear
ing, or give any satisfaction to those wlit
believed that his lite was not cOnsisten
i with his calling, and whose desire WA
that he might resign his charge, anC
thus save the scandal of having the mat
ter ventilated.
One would suppose from aCentennial's'
article that Father DeCeuninck and hi
adherents were the only ones who ha(
any Interest in the welfare of the church
and that the opposition, among whom
are many of ChebOygan's best citizens
whose characters have never beer
questioned, and think will compare fl
vOrable with that of the Rev Fathers
or any of his adherents, were leagued to
geiher for the purpose of destroying th,
Catholic church here, and its influenc
in this community, and to utterly de
mOlish the record OF the Rev. Father
past "thirty years pastOrate." 1t is need
less to make any reply to such insinua
SiOAiS, III bAlio COLuIuuillty, WucIc tuC dC
tive participators in the question are 81
well known, but we would like to asl
why it was that if Father DeCeunincl
had resigned previous to the appeal t,
the Archbishop, he did not make l
known? This was all that was desired
and would have ended the trouble a
once-and certainly would have beer
much better for all. concerned, and al
easy solution Of the 'sChurch question.
In regard to SCentennial's" assertion
about the alteration at the church, a
to who was the agressor, we will leav,
that to be decided before the proper tri
bunal. The matter has been the talk O
the village since the occurrence, ant
anythingI could add would not elucidat
it in any degree. 1t is to be regretted
that matters have gone so far, but who i
to blame? Here, where all the circum
; stances are so we'll known, think th
: 'agrieved portion" can safely leave tn
verdict with the people, and need no
any attempt of viIdication from
49, VINDEx.