The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
"EX-PRIESTS" SCORED
THE sLATTERYS AND THEIR ILK
REBUKED BY CARDINAL GIBBONS.
All CaIumniators of the Catholic
Church Criticized and the Purity
of the Clergy Defended.

BALTIMORE, March 31-Cardinal Glib
bons, in his sermon to-day in the Cathe-
dral, said: How true it is that history
repeats the same calumnies that were ut
tered against our Lord and Savior in His
day. The same calumnes that were cir
culated against the primitive church are
ventilated to-day against the church of
God, her clergy and members. Let me give
you one instance out of thousand tina.
I might bring forward to illustrate the
subject The Catholic Church is jealous of
the honor and moral rectitude of her
clergy. 1t is her constant aim that they
should walk in innocence and blameless-
ness of life. And wherever any of her
clergy is known to have contracted any
degrading habits incompatible with his
sacred calling he is withdrawn from the ac
tive pursuits of the ministry until he has
given marks of reformation. The church
has too much reverence for God. she has
too much respect for the laity, she has too
much respect for the clergy themselves,
TO suffer any unworthy priest to minister
at her altar.
.'But we find it very hard to please our
enemies. They are very inconsistent. II
we were to retain degenerated clergy
in the exercises of the public ministry they
would point the finger of scorn at us and
say: See how low is the moral standard
OF the Catholic clergy. 1t we dismiss one
of them from the service of the altar they
will forthwith pick him up from the cutters
and receive this fallen angel with open
arms; they will embrace him, a long lost
brother, and take him to their bosom and
lead him about the country like some
strange animal, and exhibit him to public
gaze. He is sure, of course, to misrepre-
sent and malign the church; for what man
ever spoke kindly of the mother whom he
had insuted and dishonored. His masters
are sure to dictate the subjects on which
he is to speak, which are popular and at
tractive for the time being, such the
everlasting Inquistion, patriotism, the con-
fessonal aid the Pope. They affect to be-
lieve this man in his fall whom they
would not hear when ne was honored in
the sanctuary.
IF it is sin TO tell jocose lie, if it
is a crime to calumniate ones neighbor.
how shall we characterize the offense of
those who malign the largest body of
Christians in the world? And the calum-
ny becomes still more reprehensible when
uttered from Christian pulpit, which ought
with mud Washington's and Taneys mon
uments in this city, but heavens wind and
rain will make them clean again. So God.
in His own good time, will dspel the clouds
of calumny and vindicate TRUTH !,
The Cardinal counseled his hearers to
towards those who are guilty of the cal
umny ''They should rather have pity and
commiserat tion. 1t is only God and the sons
of God that have the heroism to forgive.
When we possess the treasures of divine
faith, when we possess the blessings of
founded hope of an eternal recompense
we well afford to smile at the storm
of words that may aSsail us as we proceed
on our pilgrimage to the city of God.''