The evening times., 1898-12-27
Crisis IN THE ORDER Of
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
Archbishops Said to beAgainst
Foreign Supervision.
APPEAL SENT TO THE POPE
American Directors Disciplined by
the French General in Paris.
Proposed Return to European Meth
DDS OF Teaching ChiIdren. Said
tn Re Resented.

Three directors of the teaching Order of
Christian Brothers in as many cities. in
cluding the heads of houses in Ellicott
City, Md, st. Louis and New York, have
been disciplined by removal TO other charg
es. at the direction of the general of the
order in Paris, as a result of their opposi-
tion to retuID to European methods of
teaching the children committed to their
charge. Many of the directors of the Cr-
der in this country expect similar punish
ment
An appeal TO the Pope has been taken.
At their recent meeting in Washington.
the archbishops of the United States took
up the question and sided with the Broth
ers here against their superiors in Paris.
The archbishops think they know best
what makes for educational progress in the
United States, and agree that the radical
change demanded from Paris will be seri-
on; mistake They nc eordngly drew up a
strong letter of protest against the con-
templated action, and this was intrusted to
Bishop Thomas S. Byrne, OF Nashville,
Tenn, who sailed last week. to deliver it
to the Pope with the appeal of the Broth
ers.
It was announced recently that grave
crisis had arisen in the affairs of the
Brothers. the members of which have
charge of many of the parochial schools
OF the Catholic Churches throughout this
country. AS then stated, the difficulty
arose over the fundamental rule of the
order set down by its founder, John Bap-
tist De a Sale, that the Brothers are es-
pecially established for teaching elemen-
tary subjects to the children of the poor.
They are forbidden to include the classics
in their curriculum for fear they should by
so doing wander away from the object he
had in establishing the order.
Dispensations have been granted in the
United States to allow the Brothers to
meet the needs OF the times The govern
ing body in Paris saw fit to make change
in their attitude towards the advanced ed
ucation of the institution OF the Brothers
in the United States, and last year a def
mite prohibition Of them was issued and a
date was fixed at which the Brothers in
the United States were TO return to their
old rule of exclusively parochial and ele-
mentary education.
The heads of the colleges and the order
here did not think that this French id "a
was for the best interests of the Brothers
in the United States and an appeal ID the
Pope was drawn up. This movement in
the United Stats greatly ncensed the
general OF the order and his couns elors
in Paris, especially the appeal over their
| heads to Rome. AS was told at the time
four of the Brother visitors and several
! heads of colleges here were summoned to
| Paris. where a consultation was held 1t
is now learned that they nave been So
verely disciplined.
Brother Felix, head of the college in St.
Louis. Mo, was sent 10 an obscure school
in Birmingham, England Brother Pau
lian. of st. Louis, was kept in retreat in
Paris; Brother Maurice, of Rock Hill Col
lege, at Ellicott City, was sent to Colom-
DO. Ceyion. India, and Brother Justin, for
+ mer provincial of the New York district,
was sent TO Toulouse, France Others are
expecting similar punishment.
AS may be supposed the bishops of the
| United States do not intend fancy to sub
nit to the interference of the Paris off,
cials with the educational problems of
! this country. They seriously resent the
contention that they have no Jurisdiction
TO direct and control the teaching orders
! in the schools here. Their course at Rome
will consequently be watched with espe-
ciai interest for the very important bear
! ing it will have on the future of the sue
cessful Catholic colleges in the large
! cities
| Archbishop Ireland during his coming
! trip to Europe viii spend some time in
| France, where he is engaged to deliver one
| of the chief addresses at the Joan of Arc
celebration. His good offices may be ask
ed to straighten out the tangle