Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-13
C0RRIGAN ON TRIAL.
An Important Church Hearing Begun
Behind Closed Doors.
THE VITAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED
OF Interest to Every Catholic in America
or Elsewhere.
PRECIOUS CHURCH DOGMAS AT STAKE

criminal curla OF Newark met this aIter
noon st 2 o'clock at the residence of Mgr.
Doane, in Newark, n. j., to try charges
agains' Rev. Patrick Corrigan, of Hoboken,
n. j., involving questions of the create ST
Importance. The issues involved in this
contest between two powerful forces not
only concern the Catcholics of America, but
every man who owes allegiance to the Con-
stitution of this country must feel pro-
foundly interested in the outcome.
1t may we'll be said that the trial this
afternoon and the causes which have led up
to it are the most extraordinary events In
the history of the Roman Catholic Church
in this country. The most precious in
terests of the church are at stake. The re-
suit and the developments of the trial will
affect the influence, aye, the very LIE OF the
church in this country.
The growth and prosperity of the church
of Rome in this country have thus far been
truly remarkable. Its rapid expansion has
kept pace with the astonishing progress of
American civilization. 1t was but natural
that in the course of the years a large ele-
ment in that church should catch some
thing of the American spirit While every
steamer landing immigrants on these shores
brought new additions to the numbers of
generation of American Catholics began to
feel the living touch of American genius
No Disloyalty to Church Intended.
1t would be wrong to suppose that these
American Catholics harbored even the re-
motest thought of disloyalty to the church.
The Catholic of American ancestry felt the
same devotion to the Holy See as the most
fervent ultramontane of Spain or of Bel
gium. The Catholic in New York or Chi
cago possessed the same implicit faith in
the dogmas of Rome as the Catholic in
Dublin or Paris. AS an American, how
ever, he began to look with disfavor upon
the efforts of Catholics as well as Of other
citizens to characterize the church to which
he belonged as a foreign institution. He
conceived that Americanism and Catholic
ism were not at all irreconcllably opposed to
each other, and as an American Catholic
he resented any such assertion, open or i'm
piled.
On the other hand where the Roman
Catholics are aliens or naturalized citizens,
who appear TO regard Americsnism as their
natural enemy, they do not seem willing
to consider even the possibility of a conf
promise They know OF no other methods
than those by which the church triumphed
il Europe. They felt no inclination to
study the new situation in the new country,
but at once decided to look upon it with
fear and suspicion. This suspicion has
proved ineradicable. Their attitude has
been described by Father Corrigan as one
Of actual hostility to the country.
Factions Meet in Decisive Battle.
These two forces in the church met to-
day in decisive battle. On the side of the
defendant, Father Corrigan, are arrayed
every representative of the liberal and
American sentiment within the Catholic
Church of this country. The opponents
whom Rev. Father Corrigan meets repre-
sent the more hume rous and perhaps the
more powerful element within the Roman
Church iE this country. Archbishop Cor
rigan is squarely aud emphatically against
Father COrrigan. A majority of the bishops
and archbishops are either tacitly or openly
antagonistic to Father Corrigan'S cause. A
respectable minority are as yet non-com-
initial = 49,. -
The II counts upon winch Father Cor
rigan is arraigned before the curia are as
follows:
First-The publication in the New York
Fieemdn'S Journal and Catholic Register of
October 29. 1892, of false statements in re.ofthe
German American Catholic congress which
met in Newark, September, 1892.
Second-1hat in the same paper OF the
same date, he falsely accused the members
of the congress of treason to church and
state.
1QlTO-1naC IN Tile same paper OF I0e same
date he falsely and maliciously accuses the
bishop of Newark with teaching the people
to have actual hostility apd disloyalty to the
state. 4.
Fourth-That in the same paper of the
same date he accuses the bishop OF dissimu-
lation, insincerity and disloyalty to the
Holy See.
A Factor Foreign to the People.
Fifth-That in the same paper of the same
date he falsely and maliciously accuses tho
said bishops, priests ana laymen of present
ing the church In this country US foreign
politico-reIigious factor to the American peo-
pie, and as such to be abhorred to the grave |
uetriment both of the church and of the |
above persons. |
Sixth-That in the New York FreeDan'S |
journal and CdthOis Register of November u, |
1892, he falsely and maliciously, in a fable |
called utopia" accuses the present Bishop |
OF Newark of being dominated in the gov |
ernment of the diocese of Newark by Cab /
ensly, OF displaying the grossest partiality /
lor the German-Catholic laitv and priests /
and the greatest njtstlce and aversion to |
the English-speaking clergy and people
Seventh-That in the same newspaper and
the same date, November Il, 1892 he will fully,
maliciously and falsely attributed to Bishop
Wiggcr language and treatment claimed TO
have been used by him with regard to Irish
Catholics and priests which are calculated |
to excite the fercest national hatred of the
whole Irish race against the bishop and so
arouse a schism in the diocese.
Eighth-That in the same newspaper and
attributed to the present Bishop of Newark.
language and conduct which made him
ridiculous, and which is grossly insulting
and tends to completely undermine his
legitimate authority.
Even an Archbishop Insulted
Ninth-That in the same newspaper and
on the same date he maliciously insults
Archbishop Corrigan.
Tenth-That in the same paper and on
October 90 and November r. 1892, he falsely
and maliciously makes statements against
the Bishop of Newark.
Eleventh-That he has willfully and con-
tumaciously disobeyed and violated the pre-
cepts given him by the Bishop OF Newark in
a letter dated November l5 1892, and has
moreover, in his answer to said letter added |
new insults and injuries to the bishop and
to the German-American priests and peo-
pie.
Twelfth-That he has willfully and ma.
liclously violated decree No. 23l OF the Third
Plenary Council of Baltimore, bv his publi-
cations in the New York Freem1ns Journal of |
October q, 1892, and November T. 1892
Rev. J. j. O'Connor, Vicar-General of
the Newark diocese, and professor of dog
matte theology in the diocesan seminary at
Seton Hall, is the Judge. Father Corrigau
is represented by Rev. Richard Lalor Burt
sell, of Rondout, formerly pastor of the
Epiphany Church, in New York. Father
Corrigan wanted Archbishop SatolIi, the
Papal Delegate, to judge the case but his
request was overruled.
The proceedings this afternoon were con-
in hut IN ctofa5 L. |