The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-25
IMMORTALITY OF THE FRIARS.
Sweeping Allegations Made by Some
of the Leading FiIfpf-es.

Salt Lake Tribune.
In the hearing before the Philippine COM
mission in Manila, where the status OF the
Spanish friars and OF the native clergy was
under inquiry, the Catholic ecclesiastical
authorities, who were all Spanish, were in
clined to exculpate the Spanish friars and
20 inculpate the native clergy. Archbishop
Nozaleda said that as In a physical sense
the native priest is weaker than the Span
ish priest, so also is he in the moral. Other
ecclesiasts spoke in the like vein. Yet they
did not deny that there were Spanish
priests who lived immoral lives, and they
said that no complaint arose in such
case; in fact, it suited the people and rather
tended to make the offender popular But
the church dignitaries claimed that the inn
mense majority OF the regular white priests
were pure and good.
But the natives not i'm orders, men or
wealth and education. did not support the
opinion of the ecclesiasts. We ma IN the
Independent some extracts culled from
United States Senate Document 40, giving
the pith of testimony taken. Thus, Senior
Don Felipe Calderon, who was educated
by the Jesuits and is lawyer graduated
from the university, seems TO know good
many of the Spanish friars and their ways
He testified
ut was such a common thing TO see chill
any attention TO IL or thought OF IL; and
so depraved had the people become in the
regard that the women who were the mis-
tresses of friars really felt pride IN II
and had comPunction in speaking OF
il. So general had this thing become that
IL may be said that even now the rule Is
for friar 10 have a mistress and chill
dren. and he who has not is the rare eN-
ception; and IL il is desired that i give
names / could cite now a hundred chill
dren of friars I'm Manila and in the prov
inc rhDra
hearts have been daughters of friars.
He was asked 10 name some or these
children, and did so, thus; Bsglnnlng
OF a Franciscan friar. In Panducafs
Isidro Mendoza. son OF the Bishop Pedrc
Payo, when he was the parish cufate on
the Pueblo of Samar." and eight or ten
others, concluding with Colonel Aguilar, OF
the Spanish board OF liquidation. son OF
Father Ferrer an Augustinian monk" and
he goes on 10 say that Dr. Gonzales Was
the son OF a friar; adding:
Il, myself, have acted AZ godfather for
three children OF friars. 1 am now man
a friar for his three children. family
lives with me who are all children OF
friars. The exception 20 the rule
among the frairs was not 10 have mis-
tress and be the father OF children by her.
DR. Viola made this sweeping charge:
Il do not know a single friar OF all those
/ have known in the province OF Buiacan
who has not violated his vows OF celibacy,
The very large majority of the mestizos in
the interior are sons OF friars.f
other testimony OF the same character
was given these men Of the world agreeing
that there was no difference in morality be-
tween the friars and the native priests.
And yet IL was not for the immortality that
the natives objected 10 the friars; both
clergy and laity agreed that the tllipinOs
looked upon that with cOmplacency. What
was found intolerabie was the graspins
greed Of the friars and the harsh temporal
tyranny they imposed and enforced By the
help of the temporal power Added 10 this
l. their implacable hostility 10 the Amer
leans. Their presence In the islands Is.
therefore found insuppOrtable-