The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-13
CATHOLIC AMERICANISM.
1RUNETTERE ExPLIINs AND oHh4C-
PJONs IT IN mrs REVIEW

hOMn, OcL. oU.-Aa 4 nave nAu tne Gooo
fortune 10 inform you. NJ. Ferdinand Brunetiere
viii publish In the middle Of November an
article on Catholicism in the United States.
tnaks use Of proofsheets kindly placed at m
disposal By friends. The study. as will be
seen, 10 an exact picture OF Americanism. In
presence Of the scandalous ouarrelb which
lately have troubled condolences and will
probably bring down the wrath OF the vatl-
can on the slanderors Of Catholicism In the
United States. The distinG uished Academiolan.
III well known. Il . saEaoious director Of the
intellectual. religious, social and political
currents Of q period. That 10 what gives to the
literary work OF the author q peculiar impor-
lance. He In more than . thinker and q
literary mani; he 10 4 writer who picks
out OF the tumult Of systems and the hood OF
things that which II characteristic OF the time
and which prepares the future. A friend OF
che United States. a. his previous articles in
10 Roaro and the Revue dss DeuD Mondss have
shown. favorinG the evolution OF tho great re-
public at the time when Spain. through the in-
nuonoes at her was trying to draw
away from the United States tho sympathies Of
the Old World. N. Brunctiere has . keen COM
prehension OF the condition Of Catholicism and
OF Americanlsm. Here. rs elsewhere. he has
broken with the fairy tales which the English
and Germans have spread among us against
democracy, which its slanderers have tried to
ooyer with all the prejudices. all the ridicule,
and all the excesses that belong to demagogy.
The minute and severe investigation OF
Americanism by d. Brunetiere IL q literary
event. Never has any author penetrated 80
deeply into the American organism. bearing In
mind The new mental condition which the
United States have brought into existence In
Europe through the reverberation OF their
ideas. The article Is at the same time an elo-
auenttribute 10 Catholicism, q lust appreciation
OF the part played by Cardinal Gibbons. Mgr.
ireland and Mgr. keane. and a justification OF
amethod OF work that delights some and terri
Ges others. This method OF work is hailed by en-
hghtened men as an aid given to the organiza-
ton OF democracy In Europe; 1t is. on the other
hand. the object OF tho violent insults OF the
Toaetionaries. who fear that It may bring about
che utter rout Of the old parties and OF anti
Quated systems.
n. Brunetiare finds In liberty and In the ma
ture Of religion the two causes for the ~surpris.
Ing expansion OF Catholicism in America. He
draws an eloquent picture OF its triumphal
march. He analyses the mechanism OF the
Church. he characterizes it's apologetics. its
constitution. its labors. He has no trouble in
showing that the opposition with which It has
been honored by ardent adversaries arises
from the laundering translation Of American
into European formulas. The difference Of In
depreciation given by Americans and by Euro
peans to the words liberalism" rational
ism" and "individualism Z" is the source Of
many misunderstandinEs. which are fomented
besides by the disingenuousness Of the op-
ponents Of the Pope and of the United States.
These Catholics Of America. contrary to what
they are accused OF by dictionaries. are really
lovers OF Rome and most devoted servants Of
the Holy See. On this point NJ. Brunetiere says:
1t 10 therefore a priori not astonishing that
Of all Catholics those who boast, and with good
reason. that they are governed by the freest
institutions should yet be the ones who have
perhaps most favorably received the proclama-
ton Of the dogma of Papal infallIbility. The
reasons for this are essentially Of o practical
nature. In . country where out OF q single sect
new ones are formed daily. which may we'll be,
II you will. Q mark Of vitality. but which is also
, cause OF weakness. the Catholics have felt at
al tines how much influence. power and au-
thority their close union with the Holy See
gave them. That is why Father Hecker said
Immediately after the Vatican Council: The
Councils definition completes and settles
Forever the external authority of the Church
S e6snso's es tae hsfes!es ana er leaves o. p the ro ,a6s
S0r doubt, about the authority OF the head Of
that the renovation 81 the Church. which It
proiesses to wish for. can only be brought
Ghost. a reign which prssupposes entire dial
submission to the external divine authority
iassr saP By Paint ennsI Esf deGmIbSS9 sss ID f S|1 wears ss7'
ISsss anSltItess, n TOO; thai h, Father SOlads sss;;
said he. i"' Without a s susS as'ett riba1sl.
whose duty II Is % Interpret the laws ana 70
the unitsd States. Il is thus s hat the S ors"n}t
90 that. not being able as Catholics to have a
guprepe tribunal, either In the Council. whose
body Of Catholic bishops. which could not be
SSG asSSIis oS SaSsIy' who VIZ h Is th It + Po the h9 TS. 81 s srs
Ytnotng reasons. Assuredly. too. the Catholics Of
1 Ams51sa S wsisahsyeF T / is necessary soe En3x can mi find q other fthheer
die. bring together, intertwine texts: they are
ABLE to draw from the Sommon treasure OF ira
direct meensNi viii venture to call them more
democratie means..they have their reasons for
SfinfaliSSility, to turn their attention and their
I'm fact. We may easily belieye tha. the
tthey resemble the picture drawn Of them by
Mgr. Keane. do not Ike at all to bother them
Els point of view nSotSin Hf viii be e'H FOUND morn m0re
s qwG% aanyci fh e, R ths DEGREES p OF ,s shs see1 p. Pisn-
are Indiferentism. the Unitarianism OF Cham
RinG .c sna RsFEsP' of qER Hsrson!. showers sns the
passed on the Abuse OF Magnetism and on
eptritualism. these belong especially to the do
main Of physiol95y; No. I am wrong In saying
oreeS OF the third Plepary Council. In 1884. are
even more so;, consistent to themselves. the
seyenty-six Bishops who voted them. restrict
ed themselves on the article Of faith De lds
catholics, to assent TO the decisions OF the
Vatican Council and to the dogmatlo constitu-
ti2ps Del flius and : Pastor gternus,'
Notwithstanding. II they dislike to 20 deeply
into certain questions. or at least 20 treat them
otherwise than as purely hlstoricali Il they
look upon them In q manner as settled; II they
cannot imagine what interest there can be- In
Agitating them again, who can fall to see the
ton & Rspsi laiallibify tnd the heIP they
70 understand them. and very lately. amid the
they have been asked with an, irony. mingled
nth s indisn1tion; what were those ether OBJ
Proposed p Cathelicisml Did they suppose
That I'M they had Come the, CHURCH had not
They did intend, to say. however. that their