The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-16
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CATHOLICS AND TIE G. A. r..
A Grave Question Settled-The Church Not
Opposed to the Organization.

Grave Question Settled-The Church Not
Opposed to the Organization.
New Orleans Special.
Some question having been raised as to the
attitude of the Catholic Church toward the
Grand Army of the Republic, the grand COM
mander of the district, General Badger, ex-
pressed desire to communicate with Arch
bishop Luray the subject through commit
tee of Grand Army men who are members of
his church. The Archbishop set the time when
he was waited upon by the committee, of
which Col. j. w. Scully, U. S. A., was the
chairman. The committee were cordially re-
ceiyed at the archiepiscopal residence.
The committee set forth that the mem
bers of the Grand Army were all old Union
soldiers, banded together for mutual assistance,
with only such secret work as is required for
Identification. The posts have chapiains but
they such in name only, and exercise no
clerical power. In many cases they ore good
Catholics The Archbishop replied that the
church did not object to organizations for politi-
cal PURPOSES neither did the church object to the
secret character of any proper organization. A
body had a right to secure privacy and to have
signs for recognition. The Archbishop said he
was pleased the committee had come, because he
wished for some information with regard to
the Grand Army ritual AS to the society
itself, the Catholic Church could have no OBJ
lection to it. He was very thankful for the
visit, in view Of a meeting of archbishops that
will take place at Baltimore at the end of this
standing of various societies with reference to
their conforming to the teachings of the Catholic
Church, and he was glad to be made aware of
the conduct of the Grand Army in New Orleans.
The church is by no means opposed to any
society. It has always encouraged socetiess
But in many societies are introduced features
that are not in accordance with the doctrine of
the Catholic Church, although the objects of
these societies are perfectly good; for instance,
some orders have chaplains worship of
their own, an altar and a ritual. The
Catholic Church, he said, cannot admit that.
The Catholic Church does not countenance a
ritual or chaplain not ordained in the
Catholic Church, neither does the church admit
that man can bind himself by oath to obey
orders unknown to him and which may be
against his religion and his conscience. A man.
even if he has no religion, cannot bind himself
to obey the mandate of superior council COM
posed of men unknown to him. That order
may be against his dignity as man and the
welfare of society. The ritual and the blind
oath are the Objectionable features which the
church cannot admit
The committee left with the Archbishop copies
of their laws, reports and other documents, and
he expressed himself as satisfied with the ex-
PLANTATION. He said he would be glad to speak
in favor of the Grand Army at the Baltimore
session. The conversation then took lighter
vein, and the Archbishop spoke of his days in
the confederate army. He and Colonel Scully
confessed to having been opposed to each other
at the battle of Shiloh. Colonel Sculy was on
the staff of General Rosecrans. The Archbishop
said that when he was last in Washington he
had administered communion to General Rose
Grams.