The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-09-24
REPLY T0A BlG0T. J.
Can Roman Catholics be Good and
Loyal Citizens of che Ameri-
can Republic?
THE BISHOP OF MONTANA

THE BISHOP OF MONTANA
Answers the Question Afirma-
lively, and Refutes the Slande1s
of a Know-Not thing Writer.
The following timely lecture was de-
iivered by Rt. Rev. j. B. Brondel, Bishop
ct Montana, in answer to letter from a
writer signing himself "a Live Yankee" !"
who had assigned twenty three reasons
why q Catholic could not be good citi-
zen of the United States. ''Can Ro~
man Catholic be good American?"
10 some people this question sounds
silly. To others itsounds strange. Others
again will gay: Why that is just what J.
want to know. Roman Catholics will say:
My religion teaches me to be good citi-
zen. Non-Catholic Americans, who
know the Catholic Church, would won
der about such doubt, for they know
that the Catholic Church is the greatest
institution in the land for the support OF
law and order. But there are nou-Cath-
olic Americans who have heard speeches,
who have read books and papers anita
gonistic to the Catholic Church. and who
sincerely believe that Roman Catholic
cannot be good American citizen. 1t is
for their benefit that thought it proper
to lecture anu answer the question
whether a Roman Catholic can be a good
American.
1t would seem at first as if one could
not be Roman and American ct the same
time This impossibi,ity would be real
if it meant Roman citizen and American
citizen, for man cannot owe allegiance
to two different governments. / never
owed civil allegiance to the king of Rome,
and when 1 became an American citizen
i gave up my allegiance to the king OF
Belgium. The word Roman Catholic
means that 8 man processes faith in re-
ligion whose chief is bishop of Rome,just
as the Anglican in America who pro-
fesses belief in the English church whose
chief is the queen of England. Just as
American Methodists in foreign lands
who find their chiefs in America.
A Roman Catholic, consequently, may
be an American citizen and good one,
for the Holy Scriptures taught by the
priests oblige the conscience of every in
dividual to be loyal to the law Of the
land. But there is one exception and it is
this: Should the law of the land inter
fere with liberty of conscience, should it
require man to give up his religion, to
do an act contrary to the Jaw. of God,
then the Catholic christian has to say
what the apostles did say: We have to
hear God rather than man. But the
American constitution provides for this
case and affrms in thunder tones chat in
free America no conscience shall be
slave. To the credit of Catholics let it
be said that the proclamation of that
liberty was made on American soil even
before our glorious constitution was
framed, and 1t was first made by the
Catholics of Maryland. The Roman
Catholic, consequently, cannot but be
heart and soul good American.
A Live Yankee" claiming to be pa
triotic American, presents twenty three
reasons why a Roman Catholic,
cannot he a good citizen. I will
try to be short in refuting him. He says:
'Ihe Church is above the state"
But this is just the reason why the
Catholic excels as an American citizen.
For since I look upon my Church as
coming from God and consequently hav-
ing higher authority than the state.
When the Church commands me to be
good American, then I obey the law, not
merely to avoid its clutches, but especi-
ally to fulfill my duties towards God.
The patriot, SO called, says that the
Roman God is in opposition to this here
tical government.
l answer-The government has moth
ing to do with creeds or no creeds.
Third Rome Is monarchy, this re-
public.
Answer-The Pope is elected as well
as our President.
Fourth Rome is relic Of the dark
ages.
AnswerAnd SO is the Magma Charta,
the foundation Of our American law.
Fifth The Pope is tyrant and this is
q free country.
AnswerYou do not know the pope,
Tor history declares that the poines were
ever the champ pions Of liberty. defending
the ppreesed against the oppressors,
fghtipg styrants and freeing slaves.
Sixth nth lies first and citizens
after.
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