The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-13
CONFLICT OF DIVINES.

Baltimore, Jan. 13.-There are indica-
tions that the conflict between the lib
eral, or American, and the conserva-
tive, or German, elements in the Cath
Ollie church in the United States may
break out again. While the same forces
Will be again arrayed against each 9TH
er, the scene has been to some extent
shifted. and the principal eombatant.
this time will be the Frenchman-not
the American-and the German. Paris
and the University of Munster. in
Westphalia, Will be the centers of the
conflict.
All this has been brought about by
the publication on the first of this
month of a study of Catholicism in the
United States by NJ. Ferdinand Bruno
there, the distinguished editor of the
Revue des Deux Mondes. As will be
recalled. NJ. Brunetiere spent some
time in this country last spring. deliv-
ering a course of lectures at the Johns
Hopkins University and other we'll
known institutions of learning Dur
ing his stay here he had ample oppor-
tunity to study the policy Of the Cath
Ollie Church and the character of its
bishops and clergy. He met during
the church. and they greatly impress
ed him as ideal leaders for the church.
The people of the United States the
Americanism of the leaders of the
church. and the influence they eXerted
all excited his admiration.
NJ. Brunetiere observed all this and
in the article published states that he
was not unmindful of the part being
played by the German party. of which
Monsignor Joseph Schroeder, former
professor of dogmatic theology at the
Catholic University at Washington.
was the leader. He saw gathered
around Monsignor Schroeder men
whose ideas were TO become the policy
of the church in America, and would
have very dana ging effect on the
progress of Catholicism in the United
States.
In his recent visit to the Pope NJ
Brunetiere has given a detailed ac-
count of his study of the church in
America, and he found the Pope great
ly interested in the future of the
church in America; that he deplores
the disSensions that have taken place.
especially the attitude of Monsignor
Schroeder. He says the Pope is not a
little displeased that the conservative
party should have sought alliances
with all the European colonies at
Rome, especially the Belgian. the
Austro- German and the Austro-Polish
group that have worked in season and
out of season with the cardinals repre-
senting these nationalities against
American and democratic ideas.
NJ Brunetiere fully appreciates the
great disadvantage to the church in
America, if each nationality were per-
mitted to encourage the use of its par
ticular tongue, and he cordially in
dorses the action of the Vatican taken
as early as 1889. when the fusion of all
nationalities into one American body
was commended. This has been the
great thought of the Pope, and it
would be painful to him If his hopes in
that direction were not realized.
M. Brunetiere's publication has stat
ed all these in detail, and Monsignor
Schroeder is now preparing for the
fray He is now in Norristown, Pa.
and. it is stated, will sail for Germany
some time in the early part of March.
1t is certain he will answer M. Bruno
there, and as the distinguished editor
is sufficiently able to defend himself,
a combat of no small proportions may
be expected. 1t was Monsignor Schoe-
ders intention to continue his attack
on the liberal party and what he terms
liberal Catholicism.
His own words are: "It is a duty to
keep up this fight against liberal
Catholicism, an enemy 1uxuriating in
the garden of the church as tare sown
by Satan
NJ Brunetiere claims that MonSignor
Schroeder's course, which is distinctly
a German one, is fast losing ground
More and more forcible, says thu
Frenchman, become the words of Lee
XIII in favor of democratic ideas, and
the mission of Monsignor Keane al
Rome has been so successful that the
German party's influence is on the
wane.