The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-07-08
THE ST. r, B. S. AND CATHOLICISM
The st, patrick's Benevolent Society
and the Catholic Church Father Mas
tereon's Explanation of the Late I'M
Dleasantnesa.

and the Catholic Church Father Mas
terson's Explanation Of the Late Un'
pleasantness.
MOUND CRY, July 9Th, 1877.
To the Editor of the Cairo BULLETIN
DEAR SlR;-Under existing circum-
stances it becomes my duty to offer an
explanation concerning the subject mat
ter of Il paragraph which appeared in
your issue Of the 30th of June. IN that
damaging paragraph it was stated that
the officiating priest would not allow the
members OF
81. pATRICK'S BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
to be present in st. Patrck's Church at
the funeral services for their deceased
member, Mr.. Edward Morris, unless
they divested themselves Of their regalia'
The case, am sorry TO say, still
continues 10 be misrepresented and
a few persons are endeavorlnG with
much talk to excite In others feel
lngs as angry and bitter as their own.
while they wish all to condemn the &C.
ton OF the priest and the rules OF the
diocese. GLOW unbearablc,n they eX-
claim, how tyrannical! and all
FOR THE wEARIN' % THE GREEN"
Now how could they be disappointed, or
why chagrined at the priests conduct,
tor they knew in their present condition
they were forbidden az society to assist
at the public functions OF the church.
hope the tact of the ioc,m tsneHs Of their
absent pastor being stranger in Cairo
did not embOden them to make such an
attempt. Again the prominent q mem
Der who furnished the information
should have known that a priest
IS not THE CREATURE oE HIS CONGEEGA-
TIoH,
but placed over it by authority.
Hence his removal for carrying out the
instructions Of his superior would be
strange, II not ridiculous. must say a
word about "the wearin' o. the green"
There Is nat Cathoiic society IN this
diocese Whose members ere forbaldsa IN
rsqc Hsir reglliq nj fmsrqi', diras SER
rtce, etc, or TO enjoy, as society, all
the privileges granted to individuals Of
the same faith and practice: and this, no
matter what the color may be. But a
society Of men calling themselves Catho-
lies
IS Not ALWAYS A CATHOLIC SOCIETY,".
And this was the origin Of the late
trouble. Let me not be understood to
make light Of the member, Of st, Pat
rick's Benevolent society OF CAIRO. True,
| cannot approve ofthe society as it now
stands; but am personally acquainted
with several Of its members and am
happy TO say that they
are respectable, intelligent, charitable,
and patriotic gentlemen men o! whom
their old country and older faith may
well fee! proud. But there is a
Law IN THIS DIOCESE
lately approved by the pope for the
United States, that Catholic parents, who
refuse to give their children Catholic
education, where it may be conveniently
had. cannot be admitted to the sacra.
mcnts OF the church. This law effects
all Catholic parents, whether they be-
long to societies or not. Therefore, the
law OF this diocese will not allow a Cath
Ollie society to accept or retain such par
rents as members. Those who do not
approach certain sacraments, at least
once year, are no, practical Catholics
they are Catholics only In name, The
st. Patrick's society itself knows and be-
lieveS this and has a bylaw requiring
Its members to receive these
sacraments at least once year.
Therefore il goes as tar, in theory, to eX-
cude such recdlcitrant members as do
the rules of the diocese. What they pro.
pose in their bylaw the bishop simply
effects by
PREVENTING PRESUMpTIOUs
men, who are not practical Catholics,
from parading before the public the
cloak NJ Catholicism Hence on the
too much talked of occasion, they could
not be tolerated as a society, not "for
the wearin, % the green" but to prevent
some of the members from publicly pre-
tending TO be what they exclude them
selves from being,
mos, MAsTERSOS,