Evening star., 1896-10-07
HIS Resignation theSubjecto Genera
Comment Here and Elsewhere.
POLICY IT is BELIEVED TO INDICATE
Regarded as a Great Victory for
the UItramontanes.
LIB Z r a LISM ESTED


ton Of Bishop keane rector Of the Cath
olic University. and the sentiment that is
plainly and unequivocally expressed is in
/ dignation of the most intense sort. This Is
rot due entirely, might be supposed, to
what is regarded personal ill-treatment
OF beloved and venerated priest by the
head of the church. but is inspired also by
the feeling that the Vatican has shown "A
disregard of that spirit of liberalism upon
which American Catholics have looked as
the surest agency for the advancement aud
progress of their church in this country
A prominent Catholic of Washington
voice ed the opinion of a very large propor-
ton of the Catholics here today in conver-
| sation with d Star reporter
Rome and the American Church.
1T is evident he said, that the authori-
ties at Rome are entirely ignorant of the
real condition Of the Catholics in this coun-
try, and that the truthful representations
made by Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop Keaue
and other distinguished prelates have not
been entirely accepted at the Vatican, and
| that what may be called monastic in
| fuence have been successful in preventing
| the pope and his advisors from arriving al
| proper appreciation of the real state OF
| affairs in the United States. | am sure
bishop keane does not approve discussion
| OF the causes that led to his sudden re;ir,.-
| nient from the university, or even any criti-
clsm, however remote, of the actual fact IL
| self, but i am an American citizen a. well
as Roman tathoiic, and my independcnce
believe, as either, should not he ourtaiic,i
| by any religious influences in a matter OF
| this kind. L regard the request for Bishop
| heane's resignation gentle and fatherly as
| IL necessarily was, coming from The great
| ana benign Leo as direct injunction upon
| the further advance of liberal thought In
lne American catholic Church, and man
date which orders a return to the most
eNactng rules Of church government in
this country "
Bishop heane has been likened to Arch
| blshop Ireland in what is called Ills Ameri-
| canlsm, but l believe there is a vast diff
terence between the two men. Archbishop
ireland is inpetuous and radical: Bishop
| keane iS calm. far-seeing and conserva-
| tive. Fo" instance, Bishop K.ane could
have never delivered the sermon which
Archbishop ireland made on the occasion
OF the ccnsecration of Bishop O'Gorinan
| AT ST. Pstricks' Church i'm this city
Thinks Ii Will he Disastrous.
Il think. therefore. that the r. suit of
the retirement of Bishop Keane and the
adoption Of the policy that ii represents
will be in the nature of a disaster. not so
much to the Catholic University which I'm
my opinion. is solidly founded and as
sure of perpetuity almost as the church
| itself, hut 10 the American church by re-
tarding the advancement il would secure
by means of liberalism Of thought and ac-
ton.
1T may be considered surprising that
Cardinal Satoll during his long residenc"
here had not acquainted the Vatican more
| thoroughly with our church this side
CT the water, but the cardinals former
environment had been such as to probably
prevent him from securing. a comprehen-
sive view OF affairs they really are
do you think Bishop Keane's attitude
on the subject of rarochial schools lad
any bearing upon the decisi2a 10 relieve
him OF his duties?" asked the reporter.
", IN 70 .l4aFf
| reply, but do not believe that the Nati-
can is really acquainted with Tho schooi
question in the United States. There are
few Catholic parents who wish 10 send
their children to parochial schools when
the public school system presents 80 many
AID so varied advantages for the -oduca-
| ton OF the young. This may sound Ike
rank here's. hat as said before | am
an American citizen as well as a Roman
Catholic, and have spoken Conscientious
| ly Dotn.
The above NAV he taken as tn. consen
sus of independent Roman Catholic opinion
| in Washington on the all-absorbing sub
| Ject and was given with reluctance after
pre- mise CT Its use anonymously was ex-
| acted.
The Work of ihc RcactisnI.t.,
An authority unquestiol. on the affairs
Of the Roman Catholic Church but who
for obvious reasons does not care 10 sneak
in the first person at this juncture. ex-
pressed himself with much plainness TODAY:
THE intelligent students Of the affairs of
the Roman Catholic Church, Protesiants as
well as Catholics, are thoroushlv well
aware that the deposition of Bishop Keaue
was brought about 10y the influences of TIE
reactlonistS who are violently opposed to
Anything Ike progress or advancement la
this country. MonsigT.or Schroeder. who
spent the summer in Rome, and who with
Cardinal Satolli, is at the head of In.
reactionists, has been quick TO rush into
PRINT TO deny rumors, which nave never
taken tangible shape, that he was me
agent which brought about the demand
Tor IL shop keane's resignation. Ii is sing
ular, to say the least, that he should i,e so
ardent al d vigorous in his self-defense in
| the lace OF an Indictment alpa BILE
| AS soon as Monsigaor Schroeder returned to
| ths country from Rome the German papers
began TO announce that Bishop keape was
| TO retire from the university. This was a
| peculiar coincidence, TO say tha least. Car
dlnal Satolli knew, without question, that
the deposition of the bishop was decided
on, hut he thought that the actual fact
would occur after his departure for Europe
do not think the authorities at Rome III
| tended that the action they have taken
shouli have the effect of retarding the l:b-
| eral spirit of the American Church, but
that ii VIII have such an effect is beyond
| question:
| Comment Through the Country.
The resignation of Bishop Keane has
| created a great deal of comment generally,
and newspapers throughout the country
are giving it profound attention
In his correspondence with the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger Major John NJ Car
| son has the following to say:
| "A decided sensation has been created
| In Catholic circles in this city 10y the sum-
| mary deposition Of Bishop Keanc OF the
| Catholic University from his position as
| rector of that institution To which he has
| devoted his time during the past six years,
and which he has greatly assisted in build
| ing up to its present standing. The order
relieving him from his work was entirely
| unexpected by Bishop Keane, nut was
| promptly accepted by him the inevitable
| Among the Catholic clergy and laity in this
city the deposition of Bishop Keane is
quite generally taken an overwhelming
| defeat for Archbishop Ireland and the So
| called American school in The Catholic
| Church, of which Bishop Keane has been
| one of the strongest advocates. 1t is stated
| that the influence of Archbishop Corrigan
| of New York and of Cardinal Satoli has
| within the past few months, been exer-
cised at Rome to overturn the influence
! which Archbishop Ireland and Bishop