Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-04-19
A Catholic Centennial.

! George Washington was inaugurated
/ first pre- ident and tho United States
took its place among the nations OF tho
earth. In the interval the thirteen
have become substantially forty-two
states and 4,000,0O0 OF population have
grown to 65,000.0 900.
! In November Of this year there will
be a not bic UNCONVENTIONAL centennial
celebration. 1t will thon have been a
hundred years since bishopric OF the
Catholic church was established in the
United States. From n membership of
few thousands at that period the
Catholic church. under the wise pro-
visions OF the constitution which guar
antees religious freedom and gives no
preference in tho stale to any religious
establishment has waxod in strength,
carrying is cross to every part of the
continent establishing everywhere its
educational and charitable institutions
and nourishing with u wholesome
luxuriance which it enjoys no whore
else on the face Of the globe. With
1000 churches and 5000 ecclesiastcs
it has now in the United States an APP
proximato membership OF 100000.
1t was not alone the pilgrim father
who fled from religious persecution in
the old world TO seek in tho new free
dom to worship God according to the
: dictates oi his conscience. In 1852
Lord Baltimore, Catholic, received
from James !. charter for the terri
tory now known Is Mary and and called
after Henrietta Marie. His object was
to found a colony wherein members OF
his own faith might enjoy uninterrupt-
cdly the practice OF their religion.
Lord Baltimore died. but his praise
worthy enterprise was undertaken by
his son. Leonard Calvert. who with 200
Catholic families set sail in the Ark and
the Dove and reached the Potomac
March -, 1854. IL was especially pro-
vided in the royal charter that Bolti-
more and his colony should enjoy
entire freedom of religious wor-
ship. but that thew should hold
under the king, their dependence
being certified by tho annual prcsenta-
ton OF two Indian arrows and by the
payment into the royal eXcheQuer OF IA
18TH part Of all the gold and silver
found within the territorial limits of
the colony. These pilgrims set a noble
example. The liberty OF worship they
sought for themselves they were will
ing to accord 20 others. 1T least TO other
Christians. In 1919 they decreed that
mo person processing TO believe in
Jesus Christ shall be molested for or in
respect TO his or her religion. or for
the free exercise thereof" This little
colony thus became the prototype OF
the republic that njoins liberty Of con-
science. 1t was u colony of John the
Baptist, making straight the paths for
the grea. blessing OF religious toler-
aDce, peace, and good will TO men.
i Within very few years the Cath
Ollie colony lost its supremacy in the
province and the kings charter was
impotent TO protect its members from
the adverse majority ruling in the as
sembly. Their decree was overthrown.
The practice OF their religion was pro-
hibited. They were taxed TO support
the Anglican establishment. but, rs
they continued to hold together. the
provincial assembly forbade priests to
celebrate mass and denied to Catholic
children the inheritance OF their IA
theirs property unless they would re-
nounce their faith. For time the
Catholics of Maryland thought OF
immigrating to Louisiana and the pen
y
sad story have found mltcrial for an
other "Evangeline." But France re-
PEELED the suggestion and the plan came
to naught. The Catholics of Maryland,
struggling on a. best they could, saw
deliverance in the pending war for in
dependence and joined the cause OF the
colonies with fervor. Charles Carroll.
a delegate from Maryland in the colo
NAL congress. signed the declaration of
Independence, and when it was jocose-
ly remarked that the large number OF
CAROLS in Maryland would prevent
his Identification when the kings hang
man would look for the American trait
ors he added 10 prevent any doubt on
that score ''of Carrollton." George
Washington was a rigid churchman.
but he was wisely tolerant, and with
Franklin had the sagacity to discern
how helpful 10 the American cause
the Catholics in the colonies
might become. Father John Carroll
was one OF the large Carroll fam
lily. AS Catholics were numerous in
Canada, whose neutrality to the great
struggle with England it was DESTROYS
TO secure. he readily undertook the
commission OF Washington TO help the
colonies in that quarter Franklin had
called the attention OF the pope to his
abilities and in 1884 had the satisfaction
OF reporting that he had been appoint
| ed superior of the Catholic clergy in
! America On the 9th of November.
! 1889, he was consecrated bishop at
/ Baltimore, the first Catholic bishop Of
/ the United States.
! IL is his centennial that it is now pro-
posed to celebrate. and with greater
/ appropriateness in that there will be
dedicated at the capital of the country
one OF the buildings Of the university
for the higher education of the priest
hood, which will soon be in the fall
tide OF successful caroer-Chicago