The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-12
A SEPARATE SECT,
Secessionists NotClas-
sified as Roman
Catholics.
SEPARATISTS CLAIM THEY ARE.
Opposition to Bishop Bea-
ven's Warning Still
Continues.
: SEPARATISTS CLAIM THEY ARE.

North Brookfeld, Sept. 1.-THE
French secessionists are going to re-
tain Rev. Jean Berger and take the
consequences. So say the leaders in
the movement, the men responsible for
the fact that the secessionists have
formed a sect apart from the Roman
Catholic church, and on them is depen-
dent the course taken by the majority
of the French people, though. of course
some are level-headed enough to see
that there can be but one result, if they
persist and favor returning to st. Jo-
seph's church content in the belief that
If the rebellion ceases, Bishop Beaver
will see that justice is done to all.
While this sentiment is steadily
gaining, it is still small, and is only
kept so because as soon as any of the
separatists states himself in favor of
it, the leaders brand him as a traitor
TO some cause, and show him no more
justice than were he a Dreyfus in their
mother country. Consequently, it will
take some time yet before the common
sense Of the people will assert itself,
and in the meantime, the leaders are
Intiring in their efforts to keep the
rank and file of the dissenters together
Berger, with whom they feel bond OF
sympathy. because he is championing
what they have come to look upon as
their cause.
Today man who has been prominent
in the movement since it's inception,
said in conversation with The Spy man,
that he would like to return to St,
Joseph's church, but that as soon as he
preached the idea, when Rev H. J.
Wrenn took charge of ST. Joseph's par
ism, he incurred the anger of the French
People, and so determined to stick il
out, as he says, regardless of conse-
quences. He readily admitted the fall
lacy of the belief that priest Berger
could be pastor of any Roman Catholic
chpreh in North Brookfield, contrary
10 the wishes of Bishop Beaver. but
says 1t is hard to back down now.
This feeling of mistaken pride is
what is playing havoc with the case
and is what Is holding the French peo-
pie up to ridicule in the eyes of the
pubic. Nevertheless, it is holding the
leaders to the course they have mapped
out and they seem to labor under the
impression that if they admit their mis-
take, they would be in a measure dis
graced. While they claim their inten-
zion OF keeping Rev. Jean Berger here
and reverencing him as a priest even
while he is openly disobeying the bishop
OF the diocese, it will be an interesting
thing should any of the dissenters need
Ihe last rites of the Catholic church and
receive them from the stranger.
Naturally, should a persons die in
this way, his body could not be in
rerred in St. Joseph's cemetery. as he
would die outside the Roman Catholic
church.
In the face Of such statements, it is
nara, indeed, to see how the dissenters
1crff n ~
Roman Catholic, yet they do. 1--WE are
Roman Catholics and nothing else and
IN the next we will keep FIR. Berger.
no matter what the bishop saws and
We Know the pope will not refuse us.
This afternoon The Spy reporters had
a lengthy conversation with Eli Bou-
vler, whose zeal got so much the better
OF MS judgment in the town hall yes
Ierday. When the public read in The
Spy this morning how Mr.. Bowler at
tempted to make the reporter leave the
nall yesterday the foolishness of the
act was universally spoken of, but Mr..
Bouvier evidently believed he had the
might and could make it the right.
however, he is not the only one Of the
french people who is mistaken, and his
act was prompted not by malice. but
by desire to promote the interests of
the movement in which he is interested.
IN conversation with The Spy man to-
oay Mr. Bowler insisted that the re-
porter had no right in the gathering
unless he worshipped as did the French
people. He went farther and insisted
that Fir. Berger can stay here despite
the wishes of the bishop, and that as
the French people have organized and
become incorporated as a society, Bish-
op Beaver has no jurisdiction over them
whatsoever, even on religious lines.
The m alter Of that mysterious letter
which FIR. Berger claims to have sent to
Bishop Beaver and which the bishop
never received was referred to Mr..
Bouvier for his opinion, and he quickly
said he did not see fit to believe the
bishop, as FIR Berger had said he sent