The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-05
MUST NOT TEACH CLASSICS.
TIE Decision mt Rome Against the
Christian Rrofhers


Christina Brothers.
NEW YORK. Feb. 5.-Deanite news has
just been received In this city as TO Tie
decision Of the authorities OF the Catho-
tic Church in Rome in the case or the
Christian Brothers. who appealed from the
order OF their French superiors command
ing them to cease teaching the classics in
their schools and colleges in this country.
When it was announced by cable a few
weeks ago that the Roman authorities had
decided against the Brothers the hope was
expressed By their friends here thar the
case was not so bad as was reported A
Rome correspondent says that not only
have the American Brothers lost at Rome.
but that there is not the slightest hope for
a modification Of the verdict
The Propaganda" writes the core
spondent, met in pienary assembly has
reached a unanimous decision in the mat
ter; the decision has been SUBMITTED TO
and approved by the Holy Eather and
though the question is neither d1cfriHal
nor disciplinary, St. Augustine's famous
phrase is once more in order. Roma lo-uta
est. causa hnita est Rome has spoken.
and the matter has ended. Henceforth the
Christian Brothers Of America. as swell IS
everywhere else, must drop the teaching Of
ire classics from the curriculum This
time there is on lOOphOie Of escap s-luv
Brothers who refuse TO submit have only
one alternative left them-thaJ Of leaving
the congregation.
Friends Of the Brothers in this country
have repeatedly declared that in the event
OF an adverse decision from Rome they
would be forced to sever their connection
with the French order and establish an
Out-and-uut American community such a
step was thought to be not only possible
but probable, as IL was believed an the
American Brothers we're against the de-
cree Of their French superiors. The Rome
correspondent declares. however. that such
a change is impossible because the au-
thorities at Rome would nOt allow H. He
says:
1T has been surmised that In the nv
pOthesis OF this decision. the American
Brothers would appeal 10 Rome 10 have
their status recognized as a separate con
SregatiOn and be allowed 20 retain pos
session Of the schools which they have
created. But I am in a position 10 state
that no such concession viii BE- granted
Nor. indeed. apart from my authoritative
information on the subject would such a
concession be at all likely in the light Of
some Of the facts which came out during
the searching investigation made by the
Propaganda on all The facts in the case
style Archbishop Riordan as the Tepresen-
tative OF the American hierarchy. When
Bishop EyTne came here IN the early part
Of last year he was the representative of
less than half Of the American hierarchy
-forty-four bishops out Of total % ab0u.
leo. Archbishop Riordan had still fewer
behind him. He expressed the views Of
only thirty-two bishops
More significant still OF these thirty-tNo
only six could be said 10 be directly in
terested in the question as having Chris
tian Brothers schools ia their dI0ceses.
The adhesion OF the other tgreuty--fx was
o. a complimentary and pIatonio charac-
ter. and as such carried lirrie OF no weight
with the Cardinals and consuiio-s OF the
Propaganda.
Moreover. In the searching examination
made by the Sacred Congregation the ex-
traCrtiuary fact came out that far from
there being substantial unity of feeling On
the question among the American Brothers
themselves. the majority OF then. were in
favor Of leaving classical education TO @. h
or hands and conforming themselves 10 the
letter and spirit of their ruie the viii OF
their higher superiors and the decree Is
sued by the Propaganda many years ago.
IL Will thus be seen that the decision lust
reached was the only one po sib,e under
the circumstance.
Frierds Of the Slrolhefs declare THAI The
Brothers viii nov be forced 10 abandon
their academies and colleges in the United
States, since no Catholic students viii care
TO attend Institutions or secondary educa-
ton where the classics are not taught In
this city the Christian Brothers teach me
classics in Manhattan College Broadway p
and West 1S2d Street, and ir the De La 4
sale institute, N West Fifty-uiuJh Street j