The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-04
IRELAND TO HIS CRITICS.
HE REFUTES THEIR LIBELS UPON
C1THOLICS IN AMERICA.

Ihere arrived In this city yesterday copies OF
the Ne,1 Era of June -, Catholic journal OF
London. which contains an important inter-
view on "Americanism" that papers editor
had with Archbishop Ireland in Paris. The
Archbishop is now In London. and it is eX-
pectcd. will sail for this country in q week or
SO. The interview published in the Ner Era
Ia particularly notable from the fact that in in
terpreting the Pope's recent letter on "Ameri-
canism" Archbishop Ireland differs wide
ly from Archbishop Corrgan. Archbishop
Ireland expresses the belief that no theoloRi-
cal errors in the Catholic Church in America
| were condemned by the Pope's letter. for none
exist here, he says. Archbishop Corrigan. on
the other hand, in letter to the Pope last
March thanking tho Holy Father for his en-
cyclica describes the errors condemned by
| the Pope as the monster which. in order to
obtain lasting abode to acquire the rights of
| citizenship among us. assumed to itself tho
fair namo Of 'Americanism The New York
| Archbishop further declared that had not the
Pope spoken the American Bishops and clergy
| would have had hard work to keep their peo-
| pie out OF error. In his interview. published
| in the Np,D Era. Archbishop Ireland does not
hesitate to pay his respects to those foreign
Catholics who have assailed him and his
friends. The interview ia as follows:
IL by Americansm we are to understand
theological errors condemned In the Pope's
letter. there has been and there is no such
! thing in America. His Eminence Cardinal
Gibbons. writing officially as representative of
the American hierarchy 70 the Pope in response
TO the letter OF his Holiness. states this fact
! most clearly. Consequently there was no difl-
| Guilty whatever on the part of ecclesiastics and
| laity in America in accepting the letter Of Pope
| Leo NIL. The letter proclaimed truths which
they always held and firmly believed In connpc-
ton with this affair the only thing that created
ripple of excitement in tho United States was
| the insult offered to America by certain men in
| France who designated such errors as Amer
| icanism.' Being in Rome at the time OF the
| publication OF the Popc's letter. wrote to the
| Holy Father assuring him that no such errors
existed IN America The Holy Father told me
| personally that he was delighted with my let
ter and that. as u proc, of this, he had ordered
at once that it should be published in the Os
Suese mr nt tn eve os murh nubcPv ia n re-
sble to my letter. as it interpreted most cor
| rectly the situation.
the words OF the Holy Father and to make
than religious. which are displensing TO tho
| writer's connected with these periodicals, but
| any Jurisdiction to add TO the words OF tho
! Holy Father
Wien every HmercSn sag" Gath6e don
| dennis and which never had any currency in
America: Tho agitation in Europe concerning
the public, and the condemnation OF them by
the Holy Father was wise and judcious act
how the enumeration OF such errors first took
Place; and, indeed; n the letter to Cardinal
say that such errors existed in America
II. however. by Amercnnism is understood
to hs 2e s 6sr o99
and to its Constitution and laws. then Amer
eanhismFi surely e9ists omOnS them american
applicable to other nations or other times.
They take what EXISTS III, IN their own country:
that could be in the circumstances OF their
country. and they are absolutely and unhesi-
positive and unrcscryed cohesion do they be-
leve that they offend IN the least any principle
If again. by Americanism we are to under
stand sincere desire TO- turn to the profit Of
times and the peculiar circumstances Of, our
country create. then Amercan!sm OF this kind
can be imputed to us. We in America lose no
time In theorizng over possible but not exist
ing situations. nor in dreaming Of conditions
OF past ages. We do the work that Is before
be planted deep in the soil. We use the means
that are at hand We adapt ourselves IN our
we are always most careful never to vinats
Catholic principle: never to sacrifice Catholic
dogma: never to weaken the bonds of Catho-
II, finally by Americanism we mean activity
in religious work, personal initiative which
while always governed in what we do by the
SUPERIOR direction OF Pope and bishops. then
American Catholics there is no folding Of arms,
no saying that nothing can be done. There is
no proc amation that anti Catholic forces hold
the, field. and that we have nothing to do but
re,ir wearied and sour. into obscure, hooks
virtue and truth have within them power to
conquer. II one method does not succeed. we
taks DO the ether n We tax"
only then. we leave the result to Gods provi-
dence -,
which we adhere. and there is an Amercanism
spoken OF In Paris Of which we know nothing
and which We repudate as an insult to our
The Nec Era; in an editorial on the inter
emphasis on the fact that certain prelates in
the United States, presumably Archbishop Ire
Land and those who share nis views haye been
blame Tor this on French coterie." The
"Through9ut, Christendom the important
an interview with the editor of Tho, Yer Era
'AmercaniGm.' in the sense in which it is
the no ry hs s aneh
has been said and written recent y on this
question. .Princples and motives have been
they have never held Articles have appeared
in certain ncwsrnrers which led their read
America which were inconsistent with CathO-
lie dogma The letter OF his Holiness the Pope
to Cardinal Gibbons was misintrrpretCd md
misapplied by interruptions writer's. Calum-
MES were uttered against the Bishops and
priests OF the Church in America. and the oc-
casion was eagerly awaited Of by their enemies
as an opportune time TO vent private spleen
and ill-cOncealed hatred.
During this controversy truth was sun
pressed. and everything calculated to place
the matter in false light circulated. The ro-
suit was that those who were unRcQuainted
with the genuine worth and loyal adhesion OF
the American hierarchy to Catholic principles
and to tho See OF Peter were led to think that
dangerous principles were being propnGatcd
in the United States which would ultimately |
ufict serious iniuryo on the Church In tho great
republic ofthe West, and estrange millions OF |
Catholics in that country from the religion to |
which they are so devoted.
while this agitation convused the world, |
and people were eagerly discussing ,Ameri- |
were fully aware that 1t had no existence |
whatsoever. and his Eminence Cardinal Glib |
hons. acting officially on behalf OF the Ameri- |
can hierarchy assured the Sovereign rontir !
assertions made. and Archbishop Ireland. |
who was in the Eternal City. hastened to In |
form his Holiness that American Catholics |
were by no means dominated by the errors re-