The record-union., 1892-02-17
CATHOLIC CONGRESS.
Disagreement over the Preparation O
the Programme.

Disagreement over the Preparation of
the Programme.
ROME, Feb. 16.-At the Catholic Con-
ference in Baltimore, in 1889, a committee
OF prelates aud laymen was appointed to
make arrangements for a Catholic Con-
gress to be held in connection with the
Worlds Columbian Exposition, and
charged with preparing a programme.
Among the laymen was Judge E. F.
Dunno of Ohio. Under date of Decem-
ber 10th, Dunno wrote a personal letter to
Editor Pallen of the Church Pl,0GreSS
his views in regard to certain decisions
ofthis committee. This letter, in some
way, came into the hands of Rev. c..
kuhlman, who sympathized with the
views expressed therein, and had the
letter put III print and sent copies to all
the Cardinals. The letter was received in
Rome few days ago, and has created
considerable sensation in ecclesiastical
circles.
Kuhlman prefaces Dunne's letter with
a statement over his own name to the
effect that the decisions reached by the
American prelates were disp1easing to
himself, Pallen, Dunno and many other
Catholics, and invoking Rome to over
rule these decisions. Dunno, in his let
arranging the programme, ETC., and says
it was making harmonious progress,
until, at an lnauspiciouS moment, it was
decided to submit the decision for ap-
proval to Archbishops and Bishops who
should be assembled at st. Louis Deem
ber lst last.
In the proposed programme Dunno as
serted as questions of vital Importance
the temporal power and the question of
Catholic education. The ArchbiShoLs.
who were presided over by Cardinal Glib
bons, changed the whole plan and took
the congress into their hands, recognizing
the laymen as auXlliaries only. Dunno
criticises this as usurpation ofauthority;
complains chiefly against Arch bishops
Ireland Williams and Fehan; asserted
that Onahan of Chicago and O'Brien of
Detroit abandoned their fellow-laymen
and played into the hands OF the pre-
lates.
''Early in December" says Dunno, "a
meeting was held at Judge O'Brien's
of making public protest, but that it
was decided that nothing be said"
Dunno say that he now breaks the silence
because he now reads in the papers that
the programme would be devoted to So
cial questions.
The sending of the correspondence to
Rome is regarded as continuation of
Vic SdIItIlSIJ 1hONSAIIGub. EoIHJ6 1dSb
year hundreds of documents were circu-
lated in Rome declaring that the Catholic
Church would die if the process of
AmericaniZing it. in which Cardinal
Gibbons and Archbishops Ireland and
Williams are leaders, is allowed to pro-
ceed. The authorities at the Vatican
deny that the question of temporal
power and Catholic education are to be
omitted from the programme.
TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.
CHICAGO, Feb. 16.-W. j. Onahan, one
of the members of the Committee on Or
ganization OF the Catholic Congress, when
shown the dispatch from Rome tonight,
said that the whole thing is a tempest in
a teapot. There is not sufficient ground
for assuming that there has been clerical
dictation in preparing the way for the
Congress. He sees no warrant at all for
the views put forward by Judge Dunno,
and said in regard to them: "fhey seem
to be the result of disappointment and OF
failure to control and mold the plans of
the Congress according to his own
yieWS.D