The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-07
DR.. FABRIS EXPLAINS
Interesting Account of His
DEALINGS With the Late
Father Corrigan.
HELPED HIN IN Ills SCHOOL ARGUMENTS
Prepared Articles, Modifying the
Dead Priests Language, Which
We're Sent to Rome.
HELPED HIN IN Ills SCHOOL ARGUMENTS

grieved at an article recently published IN
The JERSEY CITY News relative to his &C
tions towards the late Father G~orrigan-an
article, by the way, which comes from the
most reliable source-a reporter called on
him at the rectory, on Willow venue, to
| learn what assertion in the article he felt ag-
grieved at. The reporter was courteously
received by DR.. Fabris, and, on making
known his errand, was escorted to the Doc
tors study.
DIR. Fabris first contradicted the statement
that he went to Hoboken at the solicitation
of Mgr. Satolli. He said that when Mgr.
Satolli was in Hoboken, Father Corrlgan
asked him (SatollD if he. didn't know of a
priest possessing certain abilities whom he
| could send to Father Corrigan to assist him
in his work.
What these liabilities were, DIR. Fabris
did not say. 1t was a special work, but
whether it referred to parish work only or
something else could not be learned.
Mgr. Satolli informed Father Corrigan he
knew of such a priest, and recommended DIR.
Fabris, who at chat time was parish priest in
Thurber, Texas. 1t has been generally sup
posed that DR.. Fabris went to Texas at the
| direction of Mgr. Satolli to investigate the
troubles there between Bishop Brennan and
his priests. | asked DR.. Fabris if this were
true. He refused to affirm or deny the
statement. However, he says he was parish
priest at Thurber.
MANIFEST sHREWDNESS.
Mgr. Satolh wrote him of Father Cor
rigan's desires, and SO also did Father Cor
rigan. The latter, so DIR. Fabris says, was
very anxious to nave DR.. Fabris come to
Hoboken at once, but DR.. Fabris could not
do so. In reply to letters and kilograms OF
| Father Corrigan, DIR. Fabris wrote five
letters. In these he says he could not leave
| Turber at once, as his congregation did not
want him to leave. Another thing he had
made a contract with the then administra-
tor of the diocese, saying he would serve in
the diocese for three years, and at the end OF
that time could become affiliated with the
| diocese. He also in his letter asked for
| the address of the Bishop of this diocese, as
| he said he was anxious that he should know
| of his coming. Father Corrigan answered
that he would introduce him to the Bishop
when ne arrived. He did come to Hoboken,
| and Father Corrigan introduced him to the
| Bishop at Seton Hall, who accepted him. and
| some days later appointed him a curate in
the Church of Our Lady of Grace. From
| the very beginning, DR.. Fabris says, he was
| anxious to become affiliated with the diocese.
| He requested Bishop Wigger to affiliate HIM,
but the latter declined. He continued his
work in Hoboken.
ASSISTED FATHER CoRRIGAN.
lldU WIZ hoo OCD1NlNao LILO HAl Ao
| assisting Father Corrigan in translating and
preparing for transmission to Rome articles
and letters on the school question. Some let
tiers DR.. Fabris translated, but of the articles
on the school question he makes a distinction,
and says these he did not translate but wrote
| himself. The ideas were dictated by Father
Corrigan, but DR.. Fabris says he modified
| them, as he did not deem it advisable to
write exactly as Father Corrigan dictated.
| The matter was printed in book pamphlet
form and sent to Rome. Copies were also
| sent several priests. | asked DIR. Fabris if he
sent a copy to the Bishop. He said he did
not.
In October Mgr. Satolli sent word to DR..
Fabris that he wanted him to go on a special
mission to San Francisco. In this connec-
ton it will not be out of place to mention
that DR.. Fabris came to this country with
Mgr. Satolli.
A FAVORITE, YET ANXIOUS.
Yet, despite the fact that he was recog-
nized as a ~favorite of Mgr. Satolli, he was
afraid he would be looked upon as a uaga-
bonus, that is, a priest without any perman-
| emit place of abode. So he again sought
Bishop Wigger and asked to be affiliated. 1t
will be remembered that last October, when
Bishop Wigger was expected to pay his
annual visit to Father Corrigan's church, he
night he was at st. Joseph's Church, Hobo
ken, and DIR. Fabris asked Father C~orrigan
if he didn't think it advisable to see the
Bishop about becoming affiliated with the.
| diocese. Father Corrigan thought for
| awhile and then answered no harm could
come from his so doing. Dr.. Fabris went to
| the Bishop, told him of Mgr. Satolli's re-
quest, and asked to be affiliated at once.
| Bishop Wigger asked for some time to con-
slider the matter. Some days later DR..
| Fabris received the letter notifying him of
his utilization. He did not go to Father
| Corrigan and plainly tell him of his affilia-
| ton, but he believes Father Corrigan knew
| of it, in fact, he is positive of this. He did
| not, I conjecture, write to Mgr. Satolii, be-
cause he says the latter did not know, SO far
| as he is aware, of his affiliation till the
| trouble arose between Father Corrigan and
| himself.
DR.. Fabris, during all this time, seemed
anxious to protect himself. He wanted to
be affiliated, because, if any trouble ensued,
he would have more protection than if he
were merely an eTte1Jle and further he did
not want to be a wanderer.
AFFILIATIoN CAUSES A CHANGE
AS far as could be learned, the best of
| feelings existed between Father C~orrigan
DIR. Fabris UP to the time of the utilization.
After that, whatever trouble there was be-
gan. Father Corrigan wanted Dr.. Fabris to
act as counsel for Father Murphy of Pater-
son in his fight with DR.. Smith. DR.. Fabris
declined. He did, however, act as counsel
for some other priest, but in another diocese.
The parties to this suit, or the nature of the
contest, Dr.. Fabris did not mention.
Coming down to the real causes of DR..
Fabris' troubles with Father Corrigan, the
doctor said he did not want to enter into
the matter, now that Father Corrigan is
dead. 81 fought all the time for principle, T"
he contends.
AN EVIDENCE OF P~oSITIvENESS.
DIR. Fabris here said that the writer of the
article, in which the statement was made
ssthat Father Corrigan's movements were
known in Seton Hall a few hours after being
decided on was no friend of Father Corri-
gan, for the reason that this showed secret
manoeuvring on Father Corrigan's part,
which should not occur, as he should always
be obedient to his Bishop. In reference to
the statement s'that Father Corrigan's death
was FASTENED by the discovery of the I'M
faithfulness of DIR. Fabris, " the doctor said
that this was not so, as he was led to believe
Father Corrigan died of pneumonia, and of
nothing else. These two instances show the
positive character of DR.. Fabris. He is care
full and obedient to his superiors, he says.
Another instance which shows the positive
ness and c~arefulness of DR.. Fabris is the fact,
told by himself, that for a certain perform
ance of a church work he received $25 OF $50.
This he turned over to Father Coriigan, but
htook the precaution to a another Of the
curates present when he did so, as a witness,
he explained, so that he would have assist
ance in case any trouble arose. Father Cor
rigen took the money, saying "Thank you
WITH THE BISHOP.
By this time DR., Fabris had become quite
intimate with Bishop Wigger. On the 18th
of December he had some words with Father
/ Corrigan that Mgr. Satolli requested Father