The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-25
NATIONALISM CHARGED.
BayOnne Catholics Will
Again Protest To Bishop
Wigger.
VIEWS OF FATHER KILLEEN
Thinks He Has Been Treated Un-
Justly, But Will Obey
Father Ahne's Curt
Order.
VIEWS OF FATHER KILLEEN


moving the Rev. Father Andrew M.
Egan from the curateship OF st. Mary's
parish; uniting to ST. Henry's Church
that portion of ST. Mary's parish contain
ing St. Thomas Church, and appointing
the Rev, Father A hne. recently OF ILL
nois, to the vacant pastorate of st. Henry's
Church, were read in both churches yes
terday.
Father Killeen said that the Bishop ad-
mitted in his orders that the changes
were partly due to the fact that he had
become convinced that the Germans were
too few to support rector. he also SAID
that the change was made without his
CONSENT and he thought 1t contrary TO
the decisions of the Plenary Council at
Baltimore and to the canons OF the
church. which distinctly state that there
shall be no berment OF parish
without it is brought to the notice or the
consultors and without the consent OF the
rector from whose parish the dismember-
ment takes place.
The six hundred Catholics who have
been accustomed to worship every Sun
day forenoon in St. Thomas Church un-
der the direction of the Rev. Father Egan
since September 81. 1891, yesterday found
posted upon the doors the following no.
tice:-
"AIl the Catholics who have been COM
ing here please go to st. Henry
Ahne, Rector"
Their surprise gave way to anger when
they recollected that no notice of the pro-
posed change had been made at the SER
vices held the previous Sunday. While
the majority of them returned home in
high dudgeon, a number attended the
services in st. Henry's Church for the
purpose of learning why their edifice had
been abandoned as place OF worship.
The explanation made there was that
Bishop Wigger had closed st. Thomas
Church owing to the scarcity of priests in
his diocese compelling him to remove Fa-
ther Egan to a parish which had no pas
tor.
Bayonne Catholics expressed their opin-
ion in the matter pretty freely yesterday.
They denounced the action taken as an
in Justice to the English speaking Catho-
lies of the city, especially those of st.
Thomas Church by uniting the latter to
German congregation, and thus openly
barring them from having regularly
ordained English priest, Ii was boldly
asserted in many instances that 1t is time
to stop this GermaniznG spirit
Some of the more indignant Pensioners
said that that the Bishops action was in--
tolerable Others insisted that the ma
tionallzing of the church in America, of
which the Bishops is an instance, Bishop
Wigger being a German, was a great
evil. They asserted that it was an
Injustice to place over an English congre
CATION one foreign to the mind and spirit
OF the country they proudly claim as their
own. They also said that the sooner the
ecclesiastical authorities understood this
fact the better it would be for the church
and the people. They further said that it
was wrong to place German priest over
a parish where the English speaking par
ishioners were in the majarity, and that it
was extremely unjust to make English
speaking people support church for
Germans when the Germans cannot SUP
port the church themselves, because they
are so few.
FATHER KILLEEN's VIEWS
Father Killen, the rector of St. Mary's
Church. who is we'll known throughout
New Jersey as one of the most influential
and oldest priests in the diocese of New
ark, with which he has been identified for
thirty-three years, was seen at his rec
tory
This action was a deep and painful
surprise TO me,' said Father Kileen.
"Some few weeks ago." he continued, II
informed Bishop Wigger that l was
willing to surrender the upper portion of
Church, with the understanding that it
was to be a separate and Independent
parish, and whilst the naming of rector
for the parish was the prerogative of the
Bishop, still my services to the diocese
and my work fully warranted me to re-
guest him to appoint one whom 1 knew
would fully fill the position, and at the
same time be "a persona grat1 both to the
people and myself, the Rev. Father
Egan, my curate.
''This hope, however, has been blasted
and with it the realization of the splendid
future which awaited the prosperous Sec
tion of my parish. l am too loyal TO my
Bishop, and to the diocese for which I
ordained to come to any open rupture
with my ecclesiastical superior, but let
me say, that justice to myself and to the
congregation over which l preside, bade
me present IL respectful protest against
the dismemberment of St. Mary's parish.
respectfully surrendered the keys of st.
Thomas's Church to the Rev. Father
Ahne with like protest. This is all that
have to say, and there the case stands.
Should the Bishop still adhere to his |
position, then, as l have said, the loyalty |
of a good soldier bids me obey"
1t is said that a strong protest against |
the changes will be made to Bishop |
Wjgger This protest will formally an
nounce to the Bishop the opinion SO freely |
and forcibly expressed yesterday and |
will contain a statement that the parish |
of ST. Mary's greatly feels the blow in |
f1icted upon it, inasmuch as st. Mary's |
parish attended to the interests of the |
of the closed edifice. This |
protest will be made by a committee who |
will visit Bishop Wigger either to-day or |
tomorrow.