The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-21
DiSC0RD IN THE DIOCESE.
BISHOP AWAITING OFFICIAL NO
TICE OF CLERGY,s REVOLT.


ATair-Says 1t VIII be Time
Enough When the OmcinI Commu-
nicatiOn Is Received.
Bishop Becker has not yet received any
official communication from Archbishop
Martinelli, concerning the appeal of the
secular clergy OF the Catholic diocese Of
Savannah against his ecclesiastical policy,
and the situation in the wrangle remains
-IIrattX much as reported in the Morning
News yesterday. 7---------
When seen yesterday Bishop Becker
had little to say concerning the affair. ri
have not received any communication from
the archbishop" he said, land there is
nothing to say until do. OF course, I
bow to his decree in all things with due
submission, and will abide whatever~may
be his ruling in this affair." but until 1
hear from him direct l shall have nothing
to do with it and nothing to say concern
ing it.
II am inclined to believe that it is much
ado about nothing. There really seems to
be very little to say about it one way or
the other, and 1 do not believe that much
is going to come of it. las I have said
stirred up by two parties, one of whom re-
sides in Atlanta and one of them in Rome
Ga.
Il can only repeat what 1 have already
stated-that my action in dividing up the
work of the church in the diocese has been
with the sole view Of advancing the in
terests OF the church, with due considera-
ton for the clergy, and all that has been
done has been with permission from
Rome"
There was a great deal of talk among
the Catholics yesterday about the revolt
against the bishops policy in the admins
tration of the diocese, and 1t was expected
by many that something would be said
in the churches concerning it, but in this
they were disappointed. The subject was
not referred to by the clergy, and the bish-
op made no statement concerning the
charges against his administration.
1t is believed by some that the recent
visit of Archbishop Gross of Oregon, for
merly bishop of this diocese, to savan-
nah and other points in the diocese, had
considerable to do with emphasizing the
feeling among the clergy against Bishop
Becker. Bishop Gross was very popular,
and was always in close touch with the
clergy, as well as with churchmen. His
friends in Savannah gave him a cordial
reception when he was here several weeks
ago on a visit He had been to Mobile to
attend the annual gathering of Catholic
Knights, and came from there to Savan-
nah by way of Jacksonville. 1t was the
second trip he had made to Savannah
since he was sent out to Oregon about
fourteen years ago, and his friends were
glad to meet with him again as of old
on the ground of his former diocese.
Bishop Becker was, himself, cne of the
leaders in giving Archbishop Gross a cor
dial welcome to his old home, and the
Sunday that he preached in the Cathedral
he was invited by Bishop Becker to dine
with him and the local clergy and a gem
eral reception was held at the home of
the bishop in honor of Archbishop Gross.
1t is not known whether the leaders of
the opposition to Bishop Becker's policy
hope to get Archbishop Gross back to
Georgia, or not. 1t is stated, however
in the dispatches from Washington, head
quarters of Archbishop Martinelli, that
the recent visit OF Archbishop Gross to
Savannah and the ovation that was given
him here seems to have stimulated the dis
cord in the diocese between the bishop and
the clergy.
1t Is probable that the appeal that has
been made to Archbishop MartineIli will
deal more in detail than has been given out
In the newspaper dispatches with the spe-
cifc charges that are advanced by the re-
voting clergy. AS soon as Bishop Becker
receives any official communication from
Archbishop Martinelh he says he will make
statement concerning the whole affair,
but prefers to remain silent until he is ad-
vised of the appeal officially, and knows
more definitely what the complaints are
1t is quite probable that a copy Of the APP
,nalv - -.
In advising him of the action that has been
taken.
The general outline of the complaint
against the ecclesiastical policy of the
bishop, however. is about as stated in the
Morning News-that he has been dividing
the patronage of the church largely be-
tween the church orders, the Marists and
Jesuits; that he has abolished one parish
church In Atlanta and given IL to the Ma
lists, and given them the entire control
OF North Georgia; that he had given away
the territory OF the church In the city OF
Macon to the Jesuits and that he has
been generally pursuing an injurious poi
Icy of breaking up vocations, and depriv-
ing the secular clergy of means of sup
port. The revolving secular clergy declare
In their petition that they have given
their lives to church work, and that they
have lost no zeal, despite the fact that
such policy on the part OF the bishop is
very discouraging, and that as a conse-
uucnce there has not been a vocation in
the state for the past ten years.
To these complaints there are many
causes advanced by tho bishops friends
TO show that he was justified in making
all the changes that are held up as omen
10 criticism. He says Macon was given
over TO the Jesuits because they, with per
mission from Rome. bought the old COL
lege there, which was wofully In debt ana
he says there has been no complaint from
any side since the Jesults took charge
The priest In charge in North Georgia had
complained that he was not making 500
as total income, and for this reason the
the bishop placed him in Augusta as as
sistant In st. Patricks church at a guar
anteed salary, where tho work was light
Catholics in Savannah and elsewhere
throughout the diocese are awaiting win
eagerness the outcome OF the trouble ne
tween the bishop and the secular clergy
CONFEDERATE VETERANS REUNtoN