The New York herald., 1879-08-11
M A PRIESTS VACILLATION.
FATHER VAN DERMoRrEL's DOUBLE APosrACY-
AFFIRMING HIS SINCERITY AS AN EPIsco-
PALrAN A FEW HOURS BEFORE RETURNING
TO THE JESUIT FOLD.

PALIAN FEW HOURS BEFORE RETURNING
TO THE JESUIT FOLD.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
CHICAGO August 10. 1879.
A sensation recently created here by the Rev.
Father Theophilus Van Dermortel in renouncing
the Catholic faith ekaxss this l46testant Epis-
copal form Of religion. 1t is surpassed by the
excitement caused by his recantation. He had
promised to deliver to-day sermon III explanation
of his motive for leaving the Roman Church, but he
did not do so. the obvious given above.
At a late hour last night Father Van Dermorte de-
clared his reapostacy and returned to the Jesuit
fold. A reporter had had interview with him at
seven o'clock. He then first took up the statements
of Father Higgins to q reporter Of the St. Louis
Post Dispatch and showed how contradictory they
were. He read as follows:-
"sHad you any reason to anticipate this step
None whatever Mark this" commented Father
Van Dermortel. "'To what do you attribute his
apostacyT
..That is the same question the other" said tho
Father. ..Now for the reply real trouble is
that there is a woman In the case
..He had no reason whatever for anticipating the
step; yet the real trouble woman. How
contradictory" exclaimed Father Van Dermortel.
land he knows this. too. from statements
made, but he doesn't say whether those
statements were founded fact. He doesn't wish
to bo responsible for his assertions and says If Van
Dermorte has not entangled himself with woman
he may come back. II he is reported correctly you
can see how he contradicts himself
lis there a woman in the csseY'o
mo-" said the Father, emphatcally.
Father Van Dermortel then spoke Of the rumors
which mad circulated to the effect that he had
preached ut the Cathedral. had thrown of his vest
ments and trampled them under foot, all OF which
he said were iaise.
REASONS FOR LEAVING THE yEsurrs
"what were your reasons for leaving the Jesuits
and the Church,?
..The aLsolutism of the society-what might DO
be called the tyranny OF the order-whch is exer-
pecialy on the will and intellect And thought
the Jes 1T order was the main prop Of the Catholic
Church. Catholicty centres in it. that had to be
a Jesuit or leave the Church..
How long had you thought of leavingy'
IL have been ten years among the Jesuts and now
and then. especially when studying philosophy,
CLEAN to me that II was not ali right that this
bonding of the intellect was against reason and be-
low the nobility OF man that ought to assert
his freedom and had right To exercise 1t. I
put these thoughts away from me las taught,
all Catholics aud Jesuts taught, to give up their
reason absolute authority. until they presented
themselves TO me in clearer form, and the chains
seemed TO bind me tighter and tighter. and ielt
like throwing them of altogether and asserting my
individual independence
THE QUESTION OF rsrALLiBrLrTY.
ssIeaving tho Jesuit Order involved leaving the
Churchy'
''Yes; aud then came tho infaibiity question"
81 believe that infallblc authority is required
in the church of Christ and that lie actually APP
pointed teaching body that to be infallible,
that tho deposit faith might remain intact until
tho end of tho world; that teaching had to have
authority that could not bc questioned.
An authority that cannot be questioned
IL infalibic There exists in the Church
an infaliibc authority. but that authority resides
not in an individual man. but in the congregation of
the of the Apostles i'll the epscopae body
When an iscumenical council General Council
held (by Ecumcnical Council mean one to which
al thp IN m
arc inialibc. when they touch matters ot faith, are
binding the Catholic world As to the last Vatican
Council. 1t was not ccunlenlcal because the Greek
Catholics. the Anglican Catholics. the Armenian
Catholics. the Copic Catholics and many of the
Oriental Catholics who hold the faith were ex-
cluded. Tue Council was made up entirely OF
Roman Catholic bishops. Consequently we consider
IL only partial assembly aud its docrees are not
binding. The decree of infalibiity is not binding"
IDEA OF GOING RACK.
'Have you any iden OF going backy'
"No; II there IL anything that would make me Il 10
the feeling that has btcn shown on the part OF tho
people, who don't seem to mind the Jcsuits much
They say. III there ~ any thing the matter with the
Jcsniis don't 90 back to them, Out come back the
come back; but said no, l had made up my mind
lie said he didn't come to reason the subject
our interview was very PLEASANT
Tho change was matter Of conviction with
youg'
ut was"
..when you lecture. what topics will you take upY'
al may begun by giving the reasons OF INV dolcc-
tion, aud then take up the Catholic truth of the
OF Rome, that which was superadded In the
course OF time 10y human agency, which
constitutes the theological body vf the actual
Roman Church. AS IL rs. j understand that the
anu belief of the early ages OF Chrstianity. II 10
that which has great attraction for like sim.