The Evening critic., 1883-05-23
PETERS PENCE FALLING OFF,
Reduced Collections Attributed 10
The Rnnn.s Inial, 1,i..al

Reduced Collections Attributed 10
the Pope's Irish CircuIar.
The collections OF Peters pence made last
Sunday In the Catholic churches of the arch.
diocese are said to show notable falling on.
This is attributed to dissatisfaction OF Irish
American Catholics over Pope Leos letter to
the Catholic clergy of ireland disappearing
| OF any aid TO the parneil fund, The returns
IRON the various churches In the archdiocese
inn naue 10 me Rev; George w. Devinc, chancol.
ior, nave not yet been ofilcially stated, but IL
| is understood that, with the exception OF a
church In Cumberland and few others, the
| refers pence In no instance exceeded 500
| Al 81. Johns Catholic Church, Eager and Val.
| ley streets, whore congregation OF 5000 per.
| sons worship, the contributions reached only
| tne small sum OF $40. Heretofore this parish
| has given from $500 TO s4O0. At st. vincents
church, Front street, $50 was collected. The
| other churches frequented by Irish Catholics
gave similarly small sums.
=, NO formal action has been taken by any OF
me Land League organizations to express
nent members have condemned the ac.ion OF
Pope Leo, and some OF the clergymen are yery
9uispoken IN their disapproyal of It. The
Rev. James McDcvitt, of st. Johns Catholic
Church, Eager and Valley streets, who mas
peen president OF the State Council of the
rns,a Irish Land League, said to a Sun reporter
yesterday that he thought the holy father
had made great mistake. Said he, ssTo say
me ieast, think that the circular was uI.
taea ,inp o,3 i9r; T. For want Of authentic informa
tlon ana the unrellability of the cablegrams
SEM to this country by English correspond.
ents suspend judgment on the mandamus of
the Pope. have no doubt, however. b,it that
undue influence has been brought to hear ,, nn
MIN, and that the Irish cause, as outlined by
Parnell and his lieutenants, has been misrep.
resented. For some time past party OF Cath.
Ole bishops and noblemen have been meetinr
al the residence of Cardinal Howard, in Rome,
dnnnlp dn9 lpreparlng g plans, which they have no
their motives, but l know they would move
Heaven and earth to influence the Holy See
In England 8 favor. The circular will not have
IN Trti iQh ~
contrary, It Will cement 1t more strongly to.
gether. II seems to me that Pope Leo
sinp,so la very ipdeiGaS thing when he
nation. The secret OF his action is in posses
sion Of the English prelaies. They know that
the 1rish nation is Catholic and docile TO
Rome. When the English Goyernment failed
TO suhiiue Ireland by denunciation and enact.
ments, an attempt was made to have the Vatl.
lrishmen would meekly submit to dlctation
on political matters. But instead of injuring
me Parnell fund or the Irish cause, 1t Will be
help to both. Parnell deserves we'll of ali
Irishmen. True to the principles of the Land
League, he has always discountenanced the
dynamite faction and similar radical socie-
tles, which do more harm than good. The
Pope was led to believe that any support given
TO the Parnell fund would be assistance lent
70 dynamite and other destructive assocla-
"Are the Irish people in conscience bound
TO obey the instructions Of the clrcular?"
asked the reporter. 81 think not,i said Father
McDevitt. "Being simply political question.
and not one of faith and morals, cannot see
IN this matter where tho opinions OF tho Pope
are worth more than any other prelate. He Is
not King of1reland nor any other place that
know, except his own dominions. 1 believe
that the farther apart church and state arc
kept the better; and agree with sentiment
previously expressed, that Pope Leo knows
more about theology than he does of Irish
politics. AS piece OF policy and prudence,
the bishops and priests are compelled to lis.
ten to him In this matter, as he could remove
them should he desire. 1t is different with the
iaity' II the Pope spoke ex cathedra as the
mead OF the church on question Of faith and |
morals he would be infallible, but on political |
questions his views are only the same as any
private Individual"
Archbishop Gibbons was seen at his resi- |
dence on North Charles street. He had lust |
returned from Washington, where he con. |
nrmed on Sunday class of 295 persons at St. |
Peters Church. The reporter began:
sion ofyour opinion on ~ "a p'''
hs circular of the Pope" Interrupted the
.".Exaetly," answered the reporter.
SWELL" said the Archbishop, laying his
finger on his lips, 81 have nothing to say
The. Rev. NJ. S. Brennan, OF St. Peters
catholic Church, Poppleton, and Holllns
held at Philadelphia, and a member Of the
executive committee OF the National League, |
thought that the circular would not be bind.
ireland, until Its contents had been oficially |
promulgated by the ordinaries of the various
dioceses. Even then IL was an extremely |
delicate question for the Church to settle
whether the Pope had any jurisdiction In
political matters, provided that no principles
OF morality or faith were involved. In the
present condition of affairs in Ireland the
Eatholic Church alone could draw the
line OF demarcation between politics
and morals. Rev. Mr.. Brennan said
that, Judging from what he read In
the newspapers OF the circular, the mist axe OF
the Pope was occastoned entirely by the mis-.
representations OF his English counselors, A
iar greater mistake, however, was made by
the Land League in his diocese. In SO doing
he weakened the influences which acted as a
restraint to lawlessness.- Baltimore san to.ddy,