The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-26
TO ASK MARTlNELLI.
TWO MEMBERS OF THE ASSUME
TON CHURCH ARE DELEGATED
TO MAKEeAN INQUIRY
WAS IRELAND HIGH-HANDED
Removal of Father Alfred Meyer,
the Recent Head of the Parish.
Is Credited In Some Quarters to
an Antipathy Growing Out of the
Work of the Church-StrOng
Feeling Manifested.

Assumption church. the largest Cath
ole parish in the city, is In an extreme
ly agitated condition by reason Of the
removal of Its recent pastor. Father
Alfred Meyer, better known as Father
Alfred" to parish at Duluth. which
Is understood to be uncongenial.
For eight years he had been at the
mead OF the parish whose two-spired
ed1hce Is landmark to the people of
st. Paul. He was German in his ten
denotes, markedly. It is said that he
advocated the views of Father Cahens-
ly rather than those which were urged
by the advocates Of the ''Faribault
plan." foremost among whom was
Blshop Ireland, since made archbishop.
Father Alfred's removal by the alb
bot of the order of st. Benedict at ST.
johns college was at the request Of
the archbishop.
The principal charge upon which was
based the act Of Archbishop Ireland
was Father Alfred's alleged disobedi-
ence OF an order promulgated by the
archbishop.
German Catholics Of the state have
been In the habit Of celebrating what
they are pleased to call Katholisches-
tag, which, translated into English
means Catholics day.
On the occasion of these celebrations
the members Of the church societies
come together to listen to addresses on
topics Of church concern
1t Is said that the archbishop, being
man of strong American tendencies
has regarded with some disfavor the
holding Of these meetings. However
this may be, he never actively opposed
such meetings. The meeting before the
last was held at Saltwater, and his
grace was present by invitation.
Later. however, the archbishop pro-
mulgated an order that no meeting or
auspices should be given unless 1t had
his approval. 5u alal
1t Is stated to The G o that the
staatsverband,1 representing 1000 Cath
olfcs In the city, In 100 or more differ
ent cities. met and arranged for cele-
bration. Archbishop Ireland, hearing
Of 1T, notified the clergy not to partici-
pate In the exercises. But 1t occurred
nevertheless, and among the speakers
was Father Alfred.
While he referred in the highest terms
to the archbishop and alluded to the
reign OF the present pontiff appropri-
ately. 1t seems that his presence and
participation in the service were look
ed upon by Archbishop Ireland as an
act Of INSTRUMENTATION.
Father Alfred being member Of the
OlUCi VI Ol. -bGI6QlCC ana therefore
subject to the orders of the abbot of
that order, located at ST. Johns col
lege In Stearns county, the archbishop
requested the removal of the priest
from Assumption parish. Father Je-
rome, recently Of Saltwater, succeeded
him when he was removed to a parish
In Duluth where the percentage of
German speaking population is very
small ,+t
AS a result of the commotfon. the
BODY which arranged for the original
celebration has determined to appoint
committee of two, Peter M Kerst
and John S. erode, to place the matter
before the papal delegate, Mgr. Mar
tfnelli 49, s,s.,,-4.
A churchman Of the German persua-
sion says: 'e-~'
=, mis- incident only. serves to accentuate
inc feelings that have existed for long time
between the archbishop and those composing
the German element of his flock. The lat
ter believe whether rightly or not is another
question, that the archbishop is not in sym
pathy with the people of this nationality. AS
PROOF for this claim they contend that vacan-
cses occurring in German parishes are filled
by the appointment of priests OF other ma,
t1onalities- Bohemians, etc. They
say That only two of the six German parishes
OF the city are ruled by strictly German
priests. We Germans have our nationalisttc
spirit and traditions, which no man. even as
Pc Ro"erfui as the archbishop, can crush out.
Inc fact that we are good Germans and good
Catholics makes US none the less good Amer
leans. Father Alfred was a man ultra Ger
man IN his makeup. but no person who knew
nlm Will say that he was not whole souled
man, good Catholic and a good American