The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-21
FATHER C0RRIGAN'S WOES
His Letter to Bishop Wigger, Secret
His Choir's Revolt.


AT the last mass in the Church Of Our
Lady of Grace, Hoboken. yesterday. the
sermon was preached by Father Corrigan.
In making the announcements, previous
to the sermon, Father Corrigan referred
incidentally to the action of the Arch
bishops in New York last week on the
parochial school question. This action,
he said, was pleasing to himself for rea-
sons obvious to the congregation.
THE CHOIR ROW.
He also referred to the trouble with tbs
choir. He said that he did not like 10 re-
fer to the matter, but as some of the
prominent parishioners had been led to
misunderstood the cause of the trouble
he would vouchsafe an explanation. He
said he never notified the choir or the or
ganist that he desired to dispense with
their services, nor did any such idea enter
his head. He made announcement of the
organization OF the Choral Union, and
fessor de Grand Val, rendered his
resignation, to take effect Novem-
ber 1. Father Corrigan accepted the
resignation and wrote the Professor that
the church would not be inconvenienced
much. as the Junior Choir was very cap
able. No word did he receive from the
choir and no word did he send the choir,
dAA AO O4PSSiO0 tAC 1Ol1OWl1R ouuudy W
see them i'll their places. He was sur
prised to find when the time came that
they were not present and the result was
no music. Father Corrigan laid
much stress on the fact that
the choir never rendered him, their
pastor. resignation or notified him
they were going to remain away. He
never notified the choir that he desired
their resignation, nor ever authorized
any person to communicate with the
choir. Throughout he acted, he said, in
priestly and gentlemanly manner.
LETTER TO THE BISHOP.
Father CorrIgan has completed and for
warded to Bishop Wigger his answer to
the Bishops demands, but he positively
reference thereto.
The Bishop will receive my letter to-
day. he said, land If he wants to, he can
give 1t for publication"
GERMANS AROUSED.
In two column letter the committee
of the German Catholic Congress, held In
Newark, in September, yesterday denied
the allegations made about the Congress
by Father Corrigan, of Hopoken. The
letter says
ut is not our intention to mince words
or handy epithets with Father Corrigan,
but to take advantage of that freedom of
speech which he says is guaranteed to all
American citizens. He said that the
speeches of the congress were couched in
such strong language, that the Catholic
Neacs dare not publish them. This is de-
nlec by Publisher Riddle aud Editor Va
lette, OF that paper, which on October
published the essential points of the do
1ngs OF the congress, having discovered
nothing incendiary in them.
''Slnce only ordained priests can be
members of the Priesterveren, which, he
iS nn1jtfpO.paI irrfn
his charge that Mr. Cahensly, Iayman,
is at it's helm cannot be SO.
"Father Corriean's term foreign
church in his letter we cannot under
stand, as the Catholic Church is univer-
sal and cosmopolitan. and the term is
misnomer badly selected"
On the question of language the Com
mIttee says:-"Although English is the
official language OF the country various
congregations are composed entirely of
Poles, Frenchmen and others not con-
versant with English, and they have
priests who understand their Ian
guage. This but obeys the mandates of
the founder of the church. who says:-
Preach the Gospel to all nations and in
all tongues"
Regarding the error charged against
Archbishop Corrigan by Father Corrigan
in not prohibiting the German Cath olic
Congress in Newark, the priests say the
Archbishop could do nothing in the
premises. 1t is further asserted that had
Father Corrignn carefully perused the
doings OF the German Congress he could
have made no such charges.
In regard to the charge that the Papa1
benedlct1on was not given to the Con-
gress, the priests will publish this tele-
gram, which, they say. was received on
September 30:--
Wigger. Bishop of Newark; DR.. Huberrnan,
PRESIDENT of the Congress:-The Holy Father
has received the expression of obedience and
love on the part Of the German Catholics and
hereby sends bis benediction and true love.
CARDINAL RAMPoLLA.