The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-21
FATHER MNAMARA'S ALTAR
sCHIsMdTTC RELIGIOUS SERTTCEs IN A
WATER STREET CHAPEL.

WATER STREET CH1PEL
A hold Denunciaton OF the Pope, and n Red
Hot Exhortation TO Irishmen 10 Cease
Catholic Association with the Italians.
Temperance Lyccum Hail. at 3i2 Water
street. whore Father Mcnamara has organized
the Catholic Church OF ireland. was crowded
last evening and there was not even standing
room unoccupicd. The windows fronting on
the street were open to admit fresh air for tho
room was sufiocatingy close and hot and the
sidewalk was crowded to the edge with mass
Of men and women who despite the rain and
mud. maintained their positions until the meet
ing was over They got occasional glimpscs Of
the interior rs the door was opened to let some
member Of the congregation out, and caught
such words Of the discourse as noatcd out
through the window. Women stood In the
doorways and lounged the streets. in many in
stances accompanied by drunken men. They
sang songs and made coarse jcsts. but none in
terrupted the meeting.
The meeting was opened at half past 7
o'clock. Father Mcnamara spoke about ten
minutes on what he called the unjust treat
ment that Irish Catholics had received at the
hands Of the Italian priesthood who had used
them, he said. only for selfish purposes. and to
make money out Of them. In every instance
where anything was to be done for the church.
or for Italian ecclesiastics. the Irish people
We're called on to furnish the money. and were
aftcrward ignored. Even in building the Ca
thcdra in Fifth avenue the speaker said. poor
Irish men and women were called on weekly to
contribute from their hard earnings. and then
the money was sent to Italy. to be paid to Ita-
ian workmcn. The audience literally applaud
The remainder Of the time until o'clock was
MED, Win recitations ani the singing OF pairi-
WST we're irsm sgns Ta Tab&er & Snm9r S2ns had
retired a few minutes before. reappeared clad
In rich robes OF white silk. beautifully cmbrgl-
dress was the full vestmcnts Of an officiating
Catholic priest, Approaching the altar, he de-
He then said that he would open the scrviros
with prayers in the language that ought to bo
priced by item, that which their fathers had
that which. now nearly forgotten, he should trv
TO revive. the dear old Irish tongue" The
prayers and responses We're in Irish.
Standing before the altar. tho Father said that
he had called the people together not t. all
vance , Any ncw d9cirlnc h9t t. rcrorc i9 is
irish q many. many years ago-thc religion
that had been seized IN by strangers. who Lad
only for political purposes and their own per-
sonnl AK srandzcnieni.
" Tho Italian priests do not oven know our
language. said he nor do We know theirs
There i no sympathy between as and yet they
claim % he our spiritual ..-ters. Tho Catholic
religion ~ not come from Iiey. Tho apostles
wcrc jews. and the Virgin Mary was Jcwess.
Christ was born in Nazarrth. in a stbe and
IN poveriy-nut in the blaze Of splen lor
AMI the Ilmp II Rome n display maintained
10 keep IN luxurious indolence small army Of
Cardinals. princes and cccl"SiHsfic pOiont.tc-,
aud which tn whole world was, called upon -
pay for On the 29th of September last proc
lnmaton was ssu'i and planted boldly In the
City Hall Park. whore u could be read hy all.
cXronmpniieaiing the pope, and al tLaat class
OF ccel"SlaStlc- who seek To- govern the Church.
not for its own good. but for their owp
glory. and for personal power. place AMI
dared from ther altar t" ours The iri-6I ,ap.e
f0r loving their native land and trying 10 save
It from strangers. These foreign priests have
govern 4 with An iron hand. and Tho Irish have
nhoSrd nlMdly. hut they VIII do 50 no more.
IL .nd ha- cone i'aNin nFs,,Ira W haye
in ~ IT, oid- d-inshioned beauty and simplicity.
Then moving from the altar to tho edge Of tho
platform. the preacher said a brother would
read IN. articles OF religion oi the Irish Church,
which he ASKED should nf attentlvcly listened
there could be no mistake about 1t. He asked:
Where were Non born
All together. In Ireland"
What # your religionF
Have you noticed particularly how the Popos
Of Rome have held control over the Irish priests
4 voioe-Yes. and they have sold US OUT
Cheering and applause followed, and the IA
ther said You are right. my friend; they have
s,9ld Us out but they won't have the chance to
The articles were then read in substance as
follows. That III" Irish Catholic Church recog-
MICS the serious, inlury.that Papal influence
world; that the worship Of the Pope has APP
preached idoiatry. and that IN paying their de-
foreotten 10 worship Cod; that tncy viii no
longer contribute money To- the support Of
dissOlutc and W 'rihl"ss set ot Italian cccle-ias-
ties That the decree Of infallibiiity was a fear
fu act Of basphemy against God Thut Italian
priestcraft got control Of the Irish people by in
la.as IA In
land who had their own selfish ends 10 crafty.
That II is not religion. but blind superstition
which makes men fear the accommodation of
the Pope. That they protest against the as
SUMPTION Of spiritual authority by the Italian
priesthood over church which did not origi-
mate in Rome but existed IN Ireland many cen
turics ago.
Here some one in the room uttered some
hardly Ineligible words in favor OF Rome. In
Stautly there was n scene Of confusion. Cries
ol put him out were heard. The men began
10 rise from their seats, and the women 70 le-
come frightened 1t would have fgrrd badly
with the interrupter had not Father Mcnamara
quieted the audience hy calling ont loudly.
" Let him alone. he is evidently the mcancst
KIND Of an lrishman. too mean for you 10 bother
with; ne has been given lass OF whiSkey. or
some other equally mean bribc 70 come in here
to raise a disturbance. But let him alone pay
no attention To- him, and he can do no harm.
The reading Of the articles was then resumed
That the Irish Church look for the fountain.
head OF thGir religion. not IN Rome, where the
Cardinals i've IN sensuous ease, but the coun.
try whore Christ was born and suffered and
died That it is the duty Of all sincere Irish
priests 10 cut loose from Italian ecclesia-t
powers. and bring the people back 10 their sim
pie, original Irish religion. Thatthe people love
their own Irish priests, and call upon all 10
come over at once and ally themselves without
a days delay. with their own people to protect
their own nation. That the members of the
Irish Church pledge themselves not TO enter any
church. or receive the sacrament at the hands
OF any priest who recognizes the authority Of
the Italian eccles iastics, That the Irish priests
who continue to recognize the spiritual power
Of the Italian priesthood shall be declared cX-
communicated.
The articles received n noisy approval