The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-02-11
aRernIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
INV oRLRANs SUNDAY FEBRUARY II, Is17
THAT STRANGE RELIGIOUS EVENT.
EXPLANATION OF THE so-CALLED CHURCH
CHANGE AT ROME, NEW YORK.
Editor st. Louis Times

CHANGE AT ROME, NEW YORK.
Editor 81. Lous Timesi
In your paper of January 22d you gave
publication to an article taken from the
Churchman. and beaded "a Remarkable
Religious Event" The article gives an
account of "a whole church going from
Roman Catholicism to the Episcopal
church" in Rome, New York, and which lie
claimed as q grand triumph for Episcopa-
Gsnism.
Having formerly resided in the locality
where this remarkable event" trans
pired, and being acquainted with the cir
cumstances, having just returned from a
visit to that place,iI concluded to give you
q correct version of the affair, especially
inasmuch as no contradiction of tue
Churchman'S version has appeared in your
ournal.
In the early part of 1871 the German
Catholics of Rome, New York, determined
20 build a new church. On assembling
for the purpose Of fixing a site it was dis-
covered that one portion of THEN number
favored locating the new church in a part
of the city admirably adapted for such
purpose, while another portion, some of
whom were proprietors of saloons, insisted
that it should be erected where, when the
congregation assembled. there would be q
probability of q good business patronage.
Numerous meetings of the representatives
of both parties failed to produce unanimity
of opinion, and the subject was submitted
to RI. Rev. John Conroy, bishop of the
diocese of Albany.
The bishop sent Father Noathen, the
Vicar General of the German Catholics of
tho diocese, to that city to examine into
the condition of affairs and report the
facts to him. That official did 80 and
reported in favor Of the site selected by
the party first mentioned, and st. Mary's
German Catholic Church was erected, and
Sof l,a all IN oh
in Rome. After the decision of the bishop
was received, those who favored different
site determined to build and did build st.
Joseph's Church, despite the commands of
the Catholic Church authorities. Their
first priest was "silenced one" who
had not been authorized to officiate as a
clergyman in the Roman Catholic Church
for the last fifteen years. The Churchman
would have it understood that this was
the conversion of an centre Catholic con-
gregation." This church was never Roman
Catholic, but was German Independent
church, and is 30 named in the directory.
1t was dedicated by Rev. A. J. Garfield,
pastor of the Universalst Church of the
Reconciliation of Utica, sufficient refuta-
tion of its being Roman Catholic. Since
the erection of the church there has been
continual disupiou and disturbance among
the members, some of whom had their ey es
opened TO the fact that it had been built |
more for the benefit of business than rcli |
gious motives.
During the first few years of its existence |
they employed their own pastor, as oil in |
dependent churches do. AT one time cards /
were played and lager beer drunk so near |
the church that services were greatly in |
terfered with, which wac just the reason
that the bishop objected to building a
church there. Because the pastor rebeiied !
against such disgTaceful acts, on several |
occasions the police had to be called in to
protect him from being molested by the
mob, some of whom are now trustees of the |
new Episcopal Church.
The church has never been known or |
recognized, or even protested to be Roman !
Catholic, nor Ia il tue that there are 6fiy |
families IN the cougrvCation, tire fact beng /
that there are about fifty persons, all told. |
Several familiVs who attended the church |
u ben it was first opened, after tiudirg that |
the servicus were not Roman Catholic, left |
and went TO ST. MaLy'e, which Is largely |
ATTENDED and prosperous in every way. At !
Rome, New York, this "scCeesIou' ~ cor |
rectIy understood and given its proper |
value, bur tho manner IN which il has been !
heraldvd throughout the country would |
make it appear Of great magnitude, and
that "A great religious claDge had taken |
place in the German Catholics of the United
States, wien, in fact, it is only tho "kick-
because the Roman Catholic bishop of
Albany did not erect church in locality
that it might irure To their own worldly
Aggrand cement. john BENNER.
East 81. Louis, January 81.