Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-22
Preferred to English by German
Members of st. Joseph's Catho-
lie Church in Allegheny.
A PROTEST AGAINST THE PRIEST,
Who Wanted to Deliver at Least One En-.
glish Sermon to the Young Folks
Each Sunday.
AN INDIGNATION MEETING HELD,
And Resolutions Adopted criticing the Action Of Their
Own Pastor

An indignation meeting composed of the
members of st. Joseph's German Catholic
Church, at the corner of Franklin and Man
haitian streets, Allegheny, was held in the
Enterprise Bank building, on Beaver ave-
nue., last evening, to protest against the
action of their pastor, Rev. Peter Kauf-
mann. The latter surprised his congrega-
tion last Sunday by announcing that here
alter the s o'clock mass, Sunday mornings,
would be in English for the benefit of the
English portion of the congregation.
Many of his members raised their voices
at once against the departure from the ac-
customed mode of worship, but the pastor
announced that he had received the per-
mission of the bishop to hold the English
service, and he proposed TO do so. His
determination in the matter seemed to raise
the ire OF his people, and early in the week
a movement was inaugurated to have a
meeting of the members called.
Notices were sent 10 all the members of
the congregation yesterday morning, which
read something like this: "Please attend a
meeting OF the members of st. Joseph's con-
gregation, tonight, at Enterprise Hall.
Business of Importance to yourself and the
congregation will be transactrd.''
ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING.
About $50 families were represented at
the meeting, and none were admitted but
members of the congregation. An organiza-
tion was formed by electing William Krau-
dell as President; Maurice Blattner, Vice
President; Joseph Kaiser, Secretary; Louis
Happ, Assistant Secretary.
Chairman Rraudell stated the objects of
the meeting, and he was followed by several
members of the congregation, who ex-
pressed their views in very plain terms.
And many were the censures heaped upon
their pastors head. Maurice Alenhoven
made the most scathing speech of the
evening. He referred to the re-
cent election in Wisconsin, and said:
There the Catholics and Lutheraus
used their combined effort to destroy the
Bennett law, and they won. But here is a
man who, in the face of all that wants TO
depart from all the rules of the church, and
teach our children English, when they have
every opportunity elsewhere to learn the
language"
Robert Kress also made speech in which
be criticised the action of the pastor severely,
saving that he had only made the announce
lnent for the benefit of about 20 families in
the congregation, who speak English, and
the majority of them belong to an adjoining
parish.
THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
While other speeches were being made a
committee, consisting of Joseph Kaiser,
Robert Kress, Maurice Alennoven, George
waither and George Burger, was appointed
and retired for the purpose of formulating
resolutions setting forth the sense of the
meeting. The committee submitted the fol-
lowing:
WHEREAS, The German Catholic Church
known as st. Joseph 5. was founded by Germans
who fostered 1t during all these many years of
Whereas, The membership of the church
now is largely made up of people who have
sent their children to this church and school
for the purpose of learning the religion
language and morals of their parents;
Whereas. Our children have more ample op-
portunltes now for learning the English
language than the German therefore be it
Resolved. That we earnestly protest against
the endeavor of our pastor TO preach in En-
glish at the school mass.
on the practice against our wish We will apply
TO higher authority.
The resolutions were discussed and passed
unanimously, after which another commit
tee was appointed for the purpose of visiting
the pastor and ask him 10 rescind the action.
In case he fails to do so, the committee will
call on Bishap Phelan to have the English
sermon idea abolished. 1t is stated upon
the authority of one or two members OF the
81,
changes his mind and returns to German
services, he will lose large number OF
children from his school.
An effort was made last night to see
Father Kaufman, but after the facts in
connection with the meeting had been OBJ
tanned, the pastor had retired and could not
be seen. A member of the church, how
ever, who seems to side with him was seen,
ana said:
REASONS FOR THE INNOVATION.
81 think l can tell you what Father KauE
maun would say If you saw him. He has
announced that he will hold the English
service. He has been pastor of our congre.
cation for nearly Is years, during which
time be has demonstrated that he has will
of his own, and always sticks to what he
starts out to do In the next place, however,
he did not go into this thing without having
first consulted the Bishop and secured
the latuer's sanction. The great portion OF
the young folks in the congregation do not
know as much about German as English.
and I can see no good reason why there
should be so much fuss about a matter oi
tlis kind
Mr.. Blattner was seen after the meeting,
but he did not have much to say. 81 would
rather not have anything printed about this
affair 1t is not the business of the public,
and no one has any right to pry into the
proceedings of to-night's meeting. This
thing is not settled yet, and until it is we
will not have anything to say for publica.
tion.''
The difficulty in the congregation was the
subject Of great amount of gossip through.
out Manchester last night, and some inter.
c-ttr-c- anrnl lnnl-od for