The Irish standard., 1901-08-17
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
Not Disturbed by the Opposition Of
- Bishop Jansen.
There appears to be little alarm on
the part of the local knights of Co.
lumbus in consequence of the action
of Bishop Jansen Of Belleville, ILL.,,
against the establishment of the society
in his diocese, says the Philadelphia
Times. Knights of the order in Wash
ington do not conceive that Bishop
Jansen is supported in his attitude
OF antipathy to the order by any promi-
nent dignitaries of the Catholic church,
nor is any action against the order an
ticipated on the part Of American bish-
ops, cardinals, or the Pope.
Many Of the highest officials of the
Catholic church in this country are
members Of the order, and confidence
in their support is felt. Other promi-
nent officials of the church have sane
toned it's mystic ritual, which is open
to all priests to know without neces-
sarily being members of the order, ana
Cardinal Martinelli himself is under
stood to have read and revised the
fourth memorial" degree of the order.
AT any rate, it is we'll known fact
that Cardinal Martinelli is a stanch
friend Of the order and takes great
pleasure in attending it's religious cele-
brations.
1t is stated that the knights of Co
lumbus is not regarded as secret So
ciety in that Interpretation of the term
which b4ings secret societies under the
ban of the church. Every Knight is
obliged to inform his confessor Of the
ritual and working of the order.
Father Hannah, pastor of st. Antho-
ny's church, Brookland, is state chap
lain Of the order of the knights of Co
lumbus, in this jurisdiction, and was
the first priest of Philadelphia to be-
come a Knight of the order. He is very
enthusiastic with respect to the pros
poets of the knights Of Columbus in
this country, and even in other lands,
especially Ireland. Father Hannah is
thoroughly familiar with the status
and history Of the order.
When shown the article appearing in
u, +ol-
by the bishop of Belleville against
the order, Father Hannah smiled He
remarked that most of the gentlemen
quoted knew as much about the
knights of Columbus as the average
Catholic knew about Free Masonry.
The comment of Dean McClancy of
New York to the effect that Chilly goat
chivalry was unworthy Of decent men"
was shown to Father Hannah, who
said that he did not care to express an
opinion about billy goats in the knights
Of Columbus, and added that he had
never heard of Dean McClancy.
Father Hannah is the only priest who
represented the archdiocese Of Balr,.
more at the recent conservation of
Bishop Muldoon, at Chicago, on Thurs
day last.
'There were present $50 priests"
said Father Hannah, "many of them
knights Of Columbus. Bishop Null
doom is himself a Knight of the order,
and if he should become archbishop
of Chicago, Bishop Jansen of Belle
vile, would be his subordinate, and
appeals from Bishop Jansen concern
ing the knights of Columbus would go
to Bishop Muldoon. Sunday evening
last, in Chicago, the knights of Column
bus rendered Bishop Muldoon a mag
nificent reception.
'"The new bishop of Portland, Me-,
the Right Rev. r. r. O'Conncll, who
was at the head Of the American col
lege in Rome for years, was very en-
thusiastic Knight before leaving Bos-
ton for Rome. The first thing on re-
turning to his see at Portland the bish-
op renewed his allegiance to the
knights. Bishop O'Connell was the
Pope's personal choice for the diocese
of Portland-in itself very remark
able thing.
"And the fact that these two bril-
liant and young ecclesiastics, the most
recent appointments to bishoprics in
this country, both Of whom were class
mates and warm personal friends of
mine, at the very seminary where Fa-
Their Mckinney, the founder of the or
der, was educated and ordained, are
doing everything in their power to
propagate the Knights of Columbus in
New England and the West, is the
best answer that can be made to the
bishop Of Belleville's manifesto
Father Hannah was told about the
manifesto while at Bishop Muldoon's
conservation. He said that it was the
opinion Of the priests at the conseera-
ton that the bishop of Belleville would
very soon change his stand in the mat
ter.