Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-22
IN THE TABERNACLE.
Bishop Phelan Is Notified That Father
Mollinger's Will Is
FOUND IN ST. ANTHONY's SHRINE.
The Sacred Relics, Invaluable Yet Value
less, in Danger.
MAY FALL INTO SHOwMEN'S HANDS

Bishop Phelan heard last night from what
| he considers authentic sources that the will
of Father Mollinger had been found in the
| tabernacle Of the unconsecrated chapel on
| Troy Hill.
The peculiar hiding place of the valuable
document is the probable cause why it was
not found before, and Bishop Phelan was
not disposed to doubt the veracity of the
| report. To DISPATCH man, the right
reverend prelate said he considered his in
formants persons upon whom he could rely,
and inasmuch as the report had been given to
him by four different gentlemen he was in
clined to think the grave trouble that would
be apt to ensue upon the relatives taking
possession of the sacred relics would be pre-
vented.
'Grave questions have arisen over the
matter of these relics" continued the
Bishop, "and we have been considerably
agitated about them. The relics possessed
by Father Mollinger are utterly valueless
to the church in a monetary sense, as it is
positively against the laws, ethics and rules
of the church to either buy or sell any
sacred relic, emblem or token.
Money Never Paid for sacred Relics.
''The laws of the church are most strict
upon that score and the penalty for any one
connected with the Roman Catholic Church
obtaining anything of the kind by the pay,
ment of money is very severe. A favor
may be given for the relic, but mon etary
considerations are strictly prohibited.
"How about the reports to the effect that
the relics left by Father Mollinger are
valued at S15,O0O?''
"Such statements are erroneous" replied
the Bishop. 'Father Mollinger assured
me, and I have no cause to doubt, that
be had secured the relics gratuitously.
Had it been otherwise should have been
obliged, as his Bishop, to call him to ac-
count and the probabilities are that he
would have been summoned to appear at
the Vatican, in Rome, to answer to the
Pope for his transgression. There has
never been an instance in the history of the
church of relic of sacredness being OBJ
tanned by the expenditure of money. The
laws are too strict and ALWAYS have been"
"What, then, is to prevent some show
man, lecturer or other worldling purchasing
these relics from the relatives of the late
priest-physician, providing the will does
not give them to the church?.
Fears That vandals Might Obtain Them.
'That is the grave question previously
alluded to. The only way in which the
church could obtain them would be by the
inheritors giving them to the church, and
if the inheritors are disposed to be mer-
cenary the probabilities are that the church
would lose them for time, while they
were being publicly exhibited by some one
whose only object would be to make money
out of them.'
"Now that the will has been found, as
you believe, do you think this trouble will
arise?"
''Not unless the will is contested and
broken, because received assurances many
times from Father Mollinger that he would
give both the chapel and the relics to the
Church, and at the time of his death the
matter Of deciding the property over to the
Church was pending. I am confident that
Father Mollinger intended to bestow the
chapel and relics to the Church, and unless
the will is broken believe we shall get
them as Church property"
The finding of the will in the tabe rnacle
of church is a remarkable feature. The
tabernacle in consecrated churches is the
most sacred part of the entire edifice. 1t is
in. the tabernacle that the Eucharist is con-
tinually kept.
The Church Had Not Been Consecrated.
Before conservation the church and all
within are considered material, but the
act of conservation spiritualizes it, but
owing to the fact that the chapel had not
been consecrated Bishop Phelan was not
disposed to consider the act of hiding the
will in the tabernacle an act of sacrilege.
He could not understand how the will could
have been placed where it was reported to
have been found.
81 am confident that Father Moilinger |
did not place it there, said he, ''as he told
me the will was in the possession of his at
torney, and since the unfortunate demise of |
Father Mollinger the attorney said he knew
nothing of it."
Mr. Gregor Meyer, was yesterday |
appointed administrator of the estate and |
filed bond IN the sum of $3.50, 900 The |
court ruled that the estate should be |
distributed under the intestate laws of |
Pennsylvania, among the relatives of the |
deceased in Holland.
Mr.. Meyer was seen late last night and |
said he had not yet heard Of the will being
found.