The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
ARCH BISHOP KEANE IND THE
rope,
Reasons for His Removal fron the wash.
ingtou Univers!ty-Archbisbop ireland.

Heaaoua for His Removal FROM the wash
inGtou OVERWHELMINGLY ireland.
PARIS. Nov. 1s.-From the papers which have
reached hero and from brief and indefinite Ca
Diagrams. 1t would seem that some one in Rome
is sending to America alleged information,
which shows either an utter ignorance. not only
OF the situation, but OF the course and POSSIBLE
tiles of ecclesiastical discipline. or n determine
ton to make deliberate m~isstatenents.
There Is not, and has not been. any desire or
intention to discipline Archbishop Ireland. 1t
Is true he has ceased to be a persona grdtd at
the Vatican or with the Propaganda. It Is true
he is believed to have grave errors
OF judgment approaching in results nearly to
errors In dogma, but these are not chiefly with
reference to the matters which have come to
the public eye. 1t is true that Cardinals who
were his earnest supporters now speak OF him
In language which had better be moderated,
and would be so II II were intended for the pub
lie ear. But from the Vatican down, there Is SO
strong a conviction OF the Archbishop's good in
tentio: :. so appreciative a feeling OF the diff
cult position in which he has been placed, and
so deep a sense OF what he has done for the
Church. that the idea Of discipline or even
direct disapproval has not been thought OF.
His reported declaration in favor of putting
Bishop keane back into his position in the uni
versity Is confidently stated TO have been erro-
neously reported.
AS to Bishop Keanc. he was removed solely
on the statement OF Cardinal Satolli. The lat
ter with every prepossession in his favor, after
watching near at hand Bishop Keane's course
and teaching. prepared an elaborate report for
the Holy Father. which lie forwarded absolutely
unknown to any one In America, except per-
haps. mis- secretary. The Holy Father was
astOnished and deeply Grieved At its contents.
AS every one knows who has approached Leo
NIL. for two or three years past, the Washing
ton University has been the thing that was arst
and uppermost in his mind and speech when
America was mentioned. The picture that Car
dinal Satolli placed before him impressed him
with the necessity of immediate action IL tho
favorlte university was to be saved; and he
acted with n promptness and energy unhcard Of
In Rome: so promptly, indeed, that even those
best informed knew nothing until the edict
had gone forth. The Holy Father gave no
time for pleading or influence.
or course. Cardinal Sntolli's report has not
been made public and will not be. But | cannot
err in saying that the greatest stress was placed
upon allegations Of la1ity. to say the least, in
intoxicating or Interpreting the dogmas and de-
crees of the Church. AS one person has summed
II up" too much liberalism, n liberalism which
softened away not only The DEGREES OF the Coun-
ell OF Baltimore, hut almost the dogmas OF tho
iluTEu. anu WHICH ilhuc HulIereptC catholicism
for Americans from that of Europe and Rome"
This is, however, stating 1t too strongly. Tho
Holy Father Is known 10 be a great admirer of
St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Keane WAS alleged
to have mlsinterpreted aud inisrcpresented the
teachings OF that great Saint.
Bishop keane was, moreover. shown to have
been eGtraVRgant in expenditures, fruitful In
entertainments which oDst money. and lax In
discipline. Tho students were allowed to be Mt
entertainments and places of amusement In
Washington when they should have been at the
university and at study.
All this and more OF tho same sort, which
Archbishop Satolll reported, with a good deal Of
detail but with deep regret, left no doubt In tho
Holy Fathers mind rs to what course onght TO
be pursued. But he felt SO strongly the deyo-
tion OF Bishop Keane to the welfare Of tho
Church, as lie believed It, and his self.sacr!ao-
ing labors. that he determined 10 humiliate him
Ms little as he could do consistently with tho
safety Of the university. 1t Ia no secret that
Leo XIII. has been greatly delighted with the
Christian spirit In which the Bishop accepted
his removal, and has expressed tho wish that
some OF the Bishops friends bad shown equal
obedience and humility. AHERICAsus.