Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-22
THE SCHROEDER CASE.

The cardinal, archbishops and blshps
constituting the board of directors Of
the Catholic University of America, in
Washington, yesterday decided to refer
the case of Monsignor Schroeder, pro.
fessor of dogmatic theology at the uni.
versity, to Pope Leo for final determi.
nation. This conclusion was reached
late in the afternoon, and was formally
announced in an official statement is
sued by the board. The case is one Of
the most notable in the recent history
of the church, and besides agitating the
hierarchy to the centre, and engaging
public attention in this country, it has
been considered at the Vatican and has
been the subject of cable communities
tions between Rome and the papal del
egste at Washington.
The decision of the board, as given
', out by the secretary, Monsignor Co
naty, is as follows:
1.-THE beard was notified that Mon
signor Schroeder intended to send in his
resignation during his last stay in Ger
many; that he did not do so on account
of an advice rece we'd from the Holy
Father. The board, therefore, leaves
the final decision to the Holy Father
himself, and expresses its regret at the
many charges made against Monsignol
Schroeder in this connection"
Beyond this the officials declined te
state any of the circumstances leading
up to the decision, although there was
an abundance of comment on its mean
ing and effect. 1t was understood thai
while the decision was to refer the
case to Rome for final action, YET
that the board had expressed its own
view, which would be forwarded to
Rome with Monsignor Schroeder;
views, and that his retirement woulC
come about voluntarily within year
Statements that Monsignor Schroeder
had resigned as a preliminary to the
reference of the case to the Pope were
positively and authoritatively denied
After the board had adjourned rep
resentative of the Associated Press
asked the monsignor for an authorized
statement. He expressed regret at the
prominence given his name before the
public, and said that he most earnestly
wanted to resign as professor during
his last vacation; that he hac
been suffering very much from
neuralgia while in Germany, and
the physicians advised him to resign
on account of the great and continued
mental excitement connected with his
position that he came back to the uni
versity because the Holy Father told
him to do so that, therefore, he could
not resign without the consent o.
the Holy Father. AS to the personal
attacks made upon him, his answer
was only contempt, and that he was
glad to hear that the board did not take
the charges into consideration.
The Schroeder case has been q re-
markable controversy in many respects.
Monsignor Schroeder entered the facul'
ty of the university when it was start
ed, and has been with it continuously
since. He is recognized authority on
doctrinsl and philosophical subjects, a
man of wide scholarship, and consider
ed the foremost Latin orator of the
church. Ofrecent years he has differ
ed with his associates on questions OF
policy, and this was intensified at the
time of the retirement of Bishop Keane
from the rectorship of the university, it
being asserted that Monsignor Schroed-
er was, in part, responsible for the
change. He was regarded as the con-
spicuous exponent of the German clergy
and the views they entertained on
church policy.