The Irish standard., 1896-09-26
FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY
George washlngton's Religion
Is Discuss
Was he II REALITY a cAfHoLls'f
Friendship Shown to the Faith
In Various vs..
Ways.
HAs He III REALITY a cAfHoLlef

man of broad and liberal views, as we'll
as a man of religious character, is fact
familiar to all Americans. DIR. Richard
II. Clarke in an article in the current is
sue of the American Catholic Quarterly
Review, dwells particularly on the hrst
president in his relations with Catholics,
and shows, not only Of his great esteem
for them, but also the distinct respect and
even veneration he entertained for the
Catholic religion.
The ancestry of Washington were, OF
course, Catholic, and many of The family
were rectors of old Catholic churches In
England. He himself was member 81
the later Anglican Church. His flrst
contact with Catholics was during the
French and Indian war, when his adver-
saries were French Catholics. NO DOUBT,
in this war he saw the French. chaplaans
administering the sacraments OF sshe
Catholic Church to the dying soldiers on
the field or n the hospital.
His respect and friendship for Catho-
lies grew out of his Catholic spirit, out OF
his natural sense of Justice, out OF the
loyalty to the struggling colonies when
the Catholics Of the Revolution man-tes-
ted throughout the contest, out OF the
services rendered to the cause OF tnde-
pendence by prominent Catholics Whom
he knew, out of the good fighting done
under his command by the Catholic SOL
diers, chiefly from Maryland and partly
from Pennsylvania, out of the transcend
ent aid SO generously given to our cause
by two Catholic nations, France and
Spain, out of his personal intercourse ana
friendship with the Catholic officers who
commanded in the French armies and
navies sent to our relief, some OF whom
were accomplished, learned and p1ous
chaplains, out of the pleasure and edlhea-
ton he experienced from attending not
infreouently the impressive and devout
services of the Catholic Church, and out
of his clear insight into the doctrines,
history. practices and discipline, the force
of which he readily understood, in requir-
ing all Catholic citizens, while fervently
acknowledging their spiritual allegiance
to the Pope, to feel, profess and practice
a true and answering loyalty and pat
riotism to the country and nation OF
which they might be citizens.
So says DR.. Clarke, and he adds that
such an example as this should, in our
day and forever, Danish all bigotry from
the minds and education Of American.
washington's friendliness was all the
more remarkable and characteristic, as
he was reared in an atmosphere OF Dig
otry. Even during the Revolution,
when the Catholic body was small, there
was a certain mo Popery' element. But
he was closely associated with Catholics
in personal friendship with Lafayette,
D'Estang. Luzerne. De Grasse, the Car
rolls and oIhers-and knew better than
any one else living the services OF the
Catholic troops. So marked was his kind
ness toward Catholics that at one time
he was openly and largely charged with
being a "Papist" himself. 1t is even now
sometimes stated that he died member
CT the Catholic Church.
Says DR.. Clarke on this point, There
are certain vague traditions, not yet
traced to sources of historical reliability,
that Washington had always hanging In
his bedroom, while president at Fhiladel-
phia, full-length picture of the Blessed
Virgin, the Immaculate Conception; and
that when Rev. DIR. Mareschal, afterwards
afterwards Archbishop Of Baltimore,
visited the general, and expressed pleas
ant surprise at seeing the picture, the gen
eral answered: How can know the Son
without honoring the Mother?' Another
tradition, which we barely mention in pass
ing, relates to an old servant OF the general,
named Juba, used to relate and initiate the
sign Of how Washington at his meals made
on himself the sign of the cross. There is
still another tradition, that Washington
sent over to Maryland in his last Enes5 for
a Catholic priest, and that the Jesuist
Father. Francis Nea.e, a relative and con-
nection of our own family, spent four hours
with the expiring chief. 1t is reported,
too, that he had abjured Masonry. For
these reasons, the question, Was Washing
ton Cataolic?' has been gravely discuss
ed in some Catholic journals.
"l have read and considered all that has
been collected or this curious subject. !
cannot find any sufficient; or even slight,
evidence tending to prove that Washington
ever became Catholic. Washington was
certainly Catholic, as Mr.. LOSING express
ed it, though he never became Catholic.
One of the arguments used to prove that
Washington received the libht of the Catho-
Tic faith was because he deserved this grace
of his great natural virtues and good
deeds. This question is not for man to de-
termine. 1t rests only with GOD. 1t is not
for us to know, though we may indulge in
affectionate and grateful hopes, what
r~ooo. nnd liohts frnrn heaven hpampd into