Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-24
THEIR PosITioN STATED.
The Hibsrnlsns Explain Their A,tl,uc
Towards Bishop Richter.


Towards Bishop Richter
Owing TIE very embarrassing po-
si.i0G "e are placed in, relative 10 our
forthcoming fazAAF, oH account Il the
actlos taken ~ tie K snt Rev. B.saop.
as "pi 'Oslliou ~ ., AuI the penalties
tiITettenet toward Catholics WHO al
trnl take part IL IL. We age con-
strained, "a self Justification, 10 give 90
our fr~nds a III tue punllc a snort
statement " the facts ~ tne case. Ia
tie nrst instance, ne desire 20 state
that "a Ne regTrt more THAI we do tho
uecs ssity OF being forced 10 have tnls
matter maize abilc question or, but
alter tie unusual publicity the aTIalr
has got. ana the general. and what We
CONSIDER marsh and undeserved denun-
ciat.UHs, wn.ch have been hurled
against Us as an organization. We are
reluctantly compelled 10 make the fol-
loving statement:
In December. 1888, a successful effort
was made IN organizing division OF
the Ancient Order of I'll beTnlans IN
Grand Rapids. The qualifications for
membership are good moral charac-
ter, practical Catholic, and Of lIlsh
blTth or extraction.
sIhe objects of the society are 10
comfort the sick, console the afflicted.
and to relieve the distressed, TO provide
fund Tor the benefit OF members IN
sickness, rs well as Tor the WIDOWS and
orphans or deceased members.
Immediately after the present 1t.
Rev. Bishop coming here, q committee
WAS appointed 10 obtain his permission
to allow the society to comply with
their Easter duty IN q body. TINS he
refused TO d. Later on committees
were appointed to wait on him and OBJ
tain his approval of the organization
as Catholic svclety, and request the
appointment OF chaplain, as pro-
vldrd by our constitution.
In those interviews the bishop took
exceptions To us on several grounds.
Among them We're. that We had organ
lzed without permission; that We held
plcnlcs and other entertainments, and
that We appeared in the city directory
under the head of secret, and other
societies. In order 10 prove to him
tnat We were ANXIOUS TO remove these
obstacles, and DESTROYS of securing
his good Will, NE submitted TO
HIM later on a written state
me MT signed by the board of officers,
on behalf of the DIVISION, stating our
regrets for anything We had done III
the past, that had caused his displeas-
ure and promising that there should
not be a repetition of them. We also
left him copy OF our constitution,
bylaws and ritual. When leaving we
asked when We would call for his
answer. He stated he desired some
time to consider IL and that We need
not call, as he would comm unlcate hi
decision TO us IN writing, but from that
day TO this, although 1t Is several years
ago, we have never recIved reply from
him. We therefore concluded that he
had decided not to recognize US as a
Catholic society, consequently We con-
sidered ourselves as business organi-
zatlon, incorporated under the state
laws of Michigan, and we desire to
state right here, In the most emphatic
manner, that 1t Is not through any dis
respect whatever to the bishop, that We
proposed to hold our bazaar, but con-
sclOus. that we AS d business organlZa-
ton, are strictly within our rights, anu
having almost completed our arrange
n ents before there was one word
of objection spoken, and even up TO TINS
hour the society, as such, has not re-
ceIved a single communication Official
ly fr ,m the bishop that We were dong
wrong aud ought to stop. Therefore,
having solicited the ASSISTANCE of the
public IN our undertaking when, 10y
the way, IS TO secure means t. pay
portion OF the mortgage ON our nall),
and having received N general and gem
erous response of all kinds OF meTcban-
disc, which We have now stored IN our
hail, and having expended consider
able money IN preparing for 1t. We re-
greet very O uc1 that such general
Condemnation should be poured out
against Us al tue eleventh hour.
We therefore ask IN all justice, could
we do otherwise than carry out tn TIA
ztar a Intended by the board of di-
reCtOrs.
In behalf of Divisl II No. !, A. o. II. i,
Kent county, Michigan.