Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-19
ACHURCH SENSATION.
Alleged PreIatical Usurpation OF Autho-
rity-The Chicago Catholic Congress.

RoME, ITALY. February 1S.-At the Catho-
lie Congress at Baltimore In 1889 commit;
tee of prtintes and laymen was appointed
TO make arrangements for the Catholic
Congress TO be held at Chicago in connec-
ton with the Columbian Exposition. The
committee was also charged with pre-
pairing programme OF matters to be dis
cussed at this congress. Among the mem
bers of the committee was Judge T.. r.
Dunno, of Ohio. Z pder date OF Decemper
10th Mr.. D. rote personal let
ter tn MIR. allen, editor of the
CL,,rcb pro fih0hc World of st.
Louis. eiying - In regard to certain
decisions oil us committee. Ihis
letter in soue way came into the
hands Of the Rev. 9. Huffman. who sympa-
thized with the views expressed therein,
had the letter put into print, and sent
comics to all the cardinals. The letter was
received here in Rome a few days ago, and
has created no little sensation in ecclssi-
astieal circles. Mr.. Huffman prefaces Mr.
DUNES letter with statement over his
own name to the effect that the decisions
reached by the American prelates with
reference to the Catholic Congress to be
held at Chicago were displeasing to HIM
self. to Messrs. Pallen and Dunno, ana 10
many other Catholics. The authorities at
Rome are therefore invoked to override
these decisions.
Mr.. DUNES LETTER
gives a review of the history OF the COM
mittee and its meetings. He says that at
the Baltimore Congress committee was
appointed to organize a congress at Cnl-
cago, This COMMITTEES held meetings Mt
Boston and New York for the purpose OF
settling preliminaries. arranging pro-
eramme. etc. IL was making harmonious
progress in these directions when. at an
inauspicious moment. 1t offered TO
submit its decisions to the approval
of the archbishops of the Church
who should be assembled at st. LOUIS on
December 1, 1884,. In the proposed pro-
eramme of subjects for discussion MIR.
dunno had inserted as questions OF vital
importance the temporal power OF the
Pope and the question of Catholic educa-
ton. The prelates of Boston, the letter
goes on TO say, objected to these questions,
but the laymen on the committee obtained
the assent Of the New York prelates to
them.
usuRpArIos BY THE rRELATEs.
The work of the committee. the letter
says. was submitted to the archblshops, at
ST. Louis, as proposed. The archbishops.
who were presided over by Cardinal Glib
bons, changed the whole plan and took
the Congress into their own hands, rocog-
MIXING the laymen of the committee only
as auxilisries Mr.. Dunno criticises this
act of the erchbishops as O usurpa-
ton of authority. He complains chiefly
against Archbishops Ireland. Williams,
and Feehan. He asserts that Messrs. Ona-
han of Chicago and O'Brien OF Detroit
committee and PLAYED into the hands OF
the prelates. On the other band Messrs;
Kelly, Harson, Farrelly. and Fansler stood
firm. while Mr.. Spanhorst's attitude was
doubtful. Bishop Spalding, Mr.; Dunno
saws. was the only prelate who defended
the laymen, and he did so feebly.
Archbishop Ireland, the letter continues,
is reported as saying that the questions OF
temporal power and of Catholic education
would be rapidly disposed of by the Con-
gress, whose time ought to be given to the
consideration of social matters.
A PROTEST.
Early in December. MIR. Dunno con-
tinues. a meeting was held at Judge Nor
Gan j. O'Brlen's chambers in New York
for the purpose of making public pro-
test against the archblshops' usurpation-
At this meeting were present Messrs.
Dunno, Keilev, and Farrelly, and Judge
O'Briep. Judge O'Brieu strongly urged
that nothing be said. and this course was
decided upon, but the record OF the meet
ing was saved for future use. Mr.. Dunno
he mas read in the New York papers st.
LOUIS dispatch saying that the programme
of the congress would be devoted solely to
social questions, making no mention OF
the question of temporal power or OF
Catholic education. The only victory, MIR.
Dunno SAYS in conclusion, scored by the
laymen during the controversy was the
defeat of Archbishop Ireland's motion TO
call the congress the Chicago SOCIAL
Congress" instead Of, as originally de-
cided upon, the Chicago Catholic Con-
gress."
A CONTINUATION OF TEE oAHxxsLr MOVE
MxNT.
The correspondence has been translated
into Italian and has been received not
only BY the cardinals but by many lesser
tsches 10 il at this time because Arch
bishop Ireland u now here. Tho sending
Of the correspondence to Rome q
regarded Is . continuation OF the
Cshensley movement. since last year
hundreds of documents have been
circulated in kome from America
declaring that the Catholic Church
would die il the process Of Americanixing
| the Church, which Archbishope Glbbons.
| Ireland. and Williams Are said 70 b lead:
ers in bringing about should b allowed
| TO proceed. Meanwhile the eocieslaeocel
| authorities 81 the Vatican dsny that The
! question: OF the tempor2l power erq ~.
sss sSssss q rs 3. g b S csse 0
"xu cnunm AAs Hosxme - yxAA"
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