The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-27
BISHOP kEANE'S REMOVAL.
What 1t Neans-Revival of the Cath
Ollie Controversy.

New York Tribune.
The sudden and unexpected removal last
week of Bishop Keane from the rector
ship of the Catholic University at Wash
spread comment and may reopen the
Cahensly controversy of three years ago.
The facts are briefly these: Bishop keane
has been the first and only rector of the
Catholic University. Its policy has been
largely shaped by him. Much of the money
already contributed to it is said to have
been given to it because he was at it's
head. 1t is further declared that since
his deposition some persons who had prom
clded not to do So me Blshop appears
to have been an excellent administrator.
His aim has been to make the university
at once fountain of religion and learning,
loyal to the teachings of the church, but
at the same time fully abreast of the achol-
arship of the age. In this aim he has had
the cordial cooperation of distinguished
Catholics, and in his intercourse with non-
Catholics has earned their respect and good
will.
But Bishop Keane is liberal, and to this
fact rumor ascribes his fall. He has been
one of the most active leaders in the So
called American wing of the Catholic
Church. He opposed the Cahensly move
ment, which, ii will be remembered, was
an attempt to segregate the foreign ele-
ment in the church, especially the Ger
mans. into a compact mass by itself. The
movement failed at the time, because of
Mgr. Satollis opposition TO it. and the lib
eral element, at the head of which were
such men as Archbishop Ireland and
Bishop Keane. gained a temporary victory.
But in ecclesiastical. as in secular poll
tics, nothing is certain. The anti-liberal or
ultUmontane party, as it may be called,
surrendered for the time, but did not die.
1t had for it's leaders some of the ableSt
and most astute leaders in the church. 1t
has had influential advocates not far from
the papal throne in Rome, and 1t has now
apparently succeeded in discrediting the
liberal party with the Pope. whether the
appointment of the new apostolic delegate
is is not ultramontane victory. yet
q there
doubt that the deposition of Bishop keane
from the rectorship of the institution with
whose life he was closely identified is a
crushing blow to the liberals, and they so
regard 1T. Archbishop Ireland, impetuous as
usual, openly questions its wisdom, and
talks about re-electing Bishop Keane to the
rectOrShip at the meeting of the trustees in
Washington. on Oct. n. An utterance like
this Is almost unprecedented, and serves to
show the intensity of the feeling between
the two great parties in the American
Catholic Church.
While both parties are entirely loyal to
the church, the differences between them
are irreconcilable The ultramontanes are
the traditionists of the church. They lay
the emphasis on the ecclesiastical side of
their utmost limit the dogmas that have
grown out Of the papal claims. The liberals
are in favor of putting the church in line
with modern thought and modern ideas, so
far can be done consistently with it's be-
liefS and principles. They especially
anxious to have the church commend itself
to the American people. and they are,
therefore, opposed to fastening the
American church any merely national or
would ALLEVIATE Americans from the church.
AS a rule noncatholics hope for the ulti-
mate triumph of the liberals. But some of
them who are most strongly opposed to
Roman Catholicism would like the ultra
montanes to become dominant, because, in
their opinion, the policy of the ultramon-
church in this country, while the policy of
the liberals would strengthen 1T.