New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-21

terprises of this sort-hke this helping the Parnei
fund-they do it with good intentions, and at first
1t may be productive of good, but in the long run
it can result in nothing bnt evil No, was neither
surprised sorry to see the news OF the circular
As to any statement made implying the least pros
pect of dsObedience here TO any letter which might
be addressed to us from the Vatican 1t is false and
ridiculous Nor do believe for an instant that there
be any truth the reported rebelious attitude OF
some of the clergy Ireland Depend upon it the
reports which come here are grossly exaggerated
and the clergy have no intention OF dong anything
but complying with the full letter of the circular
The Rev. DR.. McGlynu, pastor of St. stephens
Church, on Twenty-eighth-st., had seen the state
ments relative to the letter to Cardinal McCloskcy
and had no doubt that what Father Farley said
was true. 81 expect" he said, no such letter, and
do not see that any good can come of considering
whether the American clergy would thlnk OF as
obeying it If it did come"
The reporter then called upon
Father McSweeny of st. Brdgets Church,
in Tompkns Square, and found HIM ready to enter
into all aspects of the question. He said did
not know that the statement as TO q letter to
C0rlnal McClOskey had been repeated again, and
| do rot see what good can come OF its being re-
peated, it is not only evidently untrue. but, on
the face Of 1T, improbable. Nobody expects the
Pope to dictate political opinions, or to guide us
in temporal matters Oar political views are as in
dependent of HIM as those of Protestants are OF
their spiritual teachers"
4" But is 1t not possible that he might see fit to in-
terfere in political question Oh moral grounds
politics and morals being often very much mixed r
Yes that is possible if it is conceivable that the
whole American Roman Catholic Church would
lend itself to advocating immoral political
course it Is conceivable that the Pope would IN
terfcGe. But from whom do you suppose that the
Pope gets his int lgence and opinions of what the
American Church is doing and ought to doY III he
wishes to address letter to Cardinal McCloskey
and the American Church. he consults Cardinal Nc
Closkey and the American Church to what he sha
address them 1t is all one brotherhood, anu 3
virtually lmpOssl bic that any communication SnOull
| be sent to the Cardinal without his knowing well
] enough beforehand that 1t was coming do not
believe all chat Is said of the gravity of the position
! IN Ireland | do not consider 1t probable that tho
! clergy would cyrr mediate dlsObcylug Il Papat
! command. We shall probably find that the circular
is not nearly so formidable as 1t seems a'd that
there will be need for the clergy either To dls
obey il or TO alter their conduct materially Ill "p'y-
! night As q rule such things aro very like Napol,
conc speeChrS-th"y seem 10 mean u great deIl ana
| may really mean very little:
"Ihe Pope has not got to invent a morality when
| he lays down to the clergy. The clergy know inc
lines upon which lie will want them to act perfectly
well. When 90 into ST. Brdgct's 10 preach a ser
mun my congregation do not know precisely what
! am gong to say, but they know the general doc
trues which shall mcUlcate Just well before the
! sermon ~ after. SO 1t Is with the Poie ana the
clergy. The Irish priests know well enough 10
| what standards of right and wrong they are eX-
pected to conform and II is only IN accordance with
those standards that this letter or circular can tell
| them 10 act IL is true that IL refers TO one
! particular part-thc Parncl fund; but ! thlhk
IT will b. found that tho directions are IN such ge-
! cra terms that unless the IRISH Church has Decn
deliberately dsregaring the canous of our religion
IN Its past conduct will scarcely have 10 alter It's
conduct now to fall IN with these now lnstructSas
| They may he misunderstood or taken To mean more
than they do at rst but they will soften down at,
| terward and when tlls first excitement has passed
| OH yOu will find that there will be no question Ol
the clergy having disobey the Pope, or OF having
| to retraco their steps"