Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-22

The Congregation of 81. Augustine's Church
are Very Uneasy.

THEY OBJECT TO HAvINa THEIR INDEPENDENCE
BLoTrEp OUT AND TO BE MADE AN ANNEX OF
ST. MATHEWS PARrsH-A COMMITTEE OF
INVESTIGATION APPoISTEp.
The spirit Of rebellion has been born in the
breass Of the congregation Of ST. Augustine's
Church on 10Th street, and there is consider
able excitement in Catholic circles in Washing
ton In consequence.
The trouble arises from . movement on the
part Of Cardinal Gibbons. who is in charge of
this diocese, having for its end the disestab-
lishment Of St. Augustines as an independent
parish for the colored people, and its subordi-
milton as an annex or chapel of St Matthews,
and appearances would seem to indicate that
mere Is q serious complication about to result.
inns church was established as place OF
worship for the colored Catholics of Washing
ton In 1857, under the passionate of Father
barotti, who served continuously until 1881,
wnen mis- death occurred. He was succeeded
by Father Hooman, member of the order of
'osepnlte Fathers, an organization with head
quarters at Millhil, London, primarily intended
70 provide missionaries for the south seas and
other heather localities. After four months Of
work here Father Hooman fell i'll and was sent
10 charleston and Father Walsh of the same
order, the present pastor, was sent in his
stead.
HOW THE JosEPHrrE FATHERS CAME IN
1t was not the original intention of the
organizers Of the Society of Josephite Fathers TO
send any priests to America. but a step in this
direction being taken in 1871, the work has
been continued. Recently, however, the
seven parishes in this country has
been considerably broken and the
superior of the order here, Very Reverend A.
b. Lesson, wrote to Bishop Vaughn, the su-
preme head of the order, asking for more
priests. But the reply came that no more
priests would be given and Father Lesson sug-
gested a remedy that the forces be concen-
trated, and to this Bishop Vaughn gave his APP
proval. The missions were located as follows
One in Washington, one in Charleston. S. c..
| three in Baltimore, one in Richmond. one in
Louisville and one in Wilmington, Del, in all
requiring the services of about twelve priests.
At present the st. Augustine pastorate con-
sists OF Rev. Fathers Walsh, pastor. and Hoo
man and Burke, assistants. Rev. Father Hoo
man returned here about four years ago.
THE PARISH HAS NATIONAL REPUTATION.
The parish is unique in its character and
has national reputation as a colorcd Catholic
organization that has been run on wholly indie
pendent lines. 1t now has 122 pew holders. all
colored, with GOO colored children in the Sun
day school and 800 in the day school. There
are good many white COMMITMENTS. The
choir Is famous, and attracts many people to
| the church each Sunday.
1t is alleged by the members Of the church
that the southern sentiments Of the cardinal
began to operate against the independence of
st. Augustine's soon after the death of Father
Barotu in 1881 and that he then conceived a
plan for the absorption Of the colored Cath
oilcs OF Washington into the other parishes
and their anne ation as a church to the more
! important parish Of St. Matthew'S. No definit
steps to this end, however, would appear to
have been taken until the news came that the
Josephite fathers were about to withdraw.
TIME RIPE FOR sUBJUGATIoN.
An order went forth from the superior of the
society fixing February II rs the date of the
termination of their pastorate at St. Augustine's,
and this was seized by the cardinal, the con-
gregation believes, as a ripe time for the SUBJ
jugation of the parish.
There have beel rumors afoat in the church
for about fortnight. but no definite notice of
the change was given until paragraph APP
peared in The STAR on Wednesday announc-
| Ing that the Josephite fathers were about
| to withdraw and their places were 10 be
filled by priests assigned from the Balti-
| more headquarters. This morning another
paragraph was printed from Baltimore stating
| In addition that the new priests would live in
the pastoral residence at st. Matthew'S rather
than In the handsome new house recently
erected by the people OF st. Augustines.
AN INDIGNATION COMMITTEE APPOINTED.
The indignation of the people broke out at
this definite statement of the situation from an
authoritative source and steps were taken at
| once to place protest on file. A committee
has been hastily organized, consisting OF Dr. ".
S. Lotion, auditor Of the church, as chair
| man, and Messrs. W. j. Smith, Charles ii.
Butler. John j. jackson, W. L. BENJAMIN and
A. Il. Thomas This committee constituting
| delegation from the church in search of In
| formation, will call upon Rev. Father Lee the
pastor of St. Matthews, tonight and ask him
| the truth Of the case. They merely want to
know what is to become of st. Augustine's
Church.
WHAT DIR. LOTION SAYS.
DIR. Lotion spoke freely of the situation to
STAR reporter this morning. He said: 1--WE
are trying to act in cool, deliberate, manly
| way, not in the least hotheaded, and with rea-
son We object to having our Independence as a
parish destroyed. and We respectfully protest
| against the evident ultimate designs of some
officials of the church to secure the
property OF St. Augustine's for the use
Of St. Matthews Church. 1t seems
| to be the popular belief in the congregation
| that if this movement should succeed the pew
| rent, which is now comparatively small, would
be gradually raised until the present pew own
ers would be Obliged to move out to other
churches Then the property would fall
into the hands OF the st. Matthews
Church, which would thus be enabled
to sell valuable ground now occupied at the
corner OF 18th and H streets, and move bodily
up here to this newer, larger and more beau
tiful church that We have toiled SO hard to
build and support
PRIDE IN THEIR WORK.
1--WE feel a certain amount of pride in our
work here. We started with debt of $4,000,
which has been reduced in eleven years to
S55,000 Beside the $4,000 thus paid
we have paid off a mortgage of $500,
purchased lot worth $1,000 and erected
q pastoral residence valued at $4,000.
There is national character about
our church that it is proposed to destroy. We
do not protest against anything yet. but We
want to find out what is proposed. If we do
not get any satisfaction from Father Lee We
shall formulate decisive protest and perhaps
present it to the cardinal in person. We rep
resent the conservative element in the church
and do not care to add fuel to the already fierce
fire Of indignation that is blazing
Officers Elected and InstalIed