The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-10-04
The Bishop of Elphin Cannot Take Shelter
as Politician Behind His
Sacred Functions.
A Scathing Letter That Immediately Drew
Rejoinder from the Friend
of Lord De Freyne.

The Bishop Of Elphin. speaking ut
Holy Cross Church, Sligo. on Sunday.
Aug. 10. on THE life and labolS Of
Saint DOminick founder of the DOmin-
lean Order of priests. introduced a
reference to recent political events in
the following pnssngc:
1--WE may need tue active intcrvcn-
ton of the SONS of st. Dominick again.
Since the days of its llluStrious found
er the Order of the lNriars Preachers
has been identified with the work of
the Roman lnuuisition, and 1t is still
connected with the congregation of the
Holy Office in Rome There tlrc WARM
ing symptoms of future troubles in
our times, which point to the necessity
of requisitionlng the service of this H.
lustrious order once murc to defend
the teaching authority OF the church.
Men who call themselves Catholics
PROFOUND doctrines which are at vari-
ance with the principles uf Catholicism
and adv0catc hisohcdirnc, to the teach
ing nf the authorized pastors of the
church. They disclaim all right TO
teach morality; yet in the next breath
they us,lrp the functions OF moral
teachers. While advocating tlicnrct-
ically the divine right Of bishops to di-
rect The cOnscicnccs of their subjects,
in the next sentence. they constitute
these subjects the Judges OF their bisli-
ops teaching, ana thus invest them
with greater rrrrog:,tivtS of private
Judgment than Professionalism ever
claimed uls the natural birtlmigln Of
man. Catholic, indeed! When one rc-
members that tile object of attack is
now distinguished Jesuit. now the
brother of an illlStriOus cardinal, now
n bishop Of the church, who, following
the dictates OF his conscience, cndenv
OTIS to do his duty to his people, one
is disposcd-if tile sacrcdncss OF the
Christian pulpit would permit ito
compare such a man to a huge anti
clerical ,juggcrnaut. which is prepared
to crush beneath it's pOmlcrors weight
ull-hOwrvcr sacred their calling--whO
have the courage TO refuse to accept
his principles or to endorse his views.
But, needless to say, the bishops OF
the church will not nbdicntc their
rights nor abandon their sacrcd trust" !"
The Dublin Frccman's Journal Of
Aug. 18 contained the following letter
from Mr.. Michael Davt:
Sir-1t would be the mcrrst affccta-
ton Of Indifference OIL my part to ig-
more the attack which the Most Rev.
Dr. Clancy made upon me in your col
umns on Wednesday last, in the form
OF an extract from sermon carefully
communicated to 1lllc press. If it were
mere personal matter I would pass
it by as not calling for an answer to
charges which are, on the face Of them,
SO ridiculous in their exaggerated char
acter, as to carry with them their own
refutation. But, in view OF the bear
ing "f these accusations upon the
struggle now going ON in II1scOmmOn
I feel called upon as n matter of duty
to reply to their nnwarrantcsl and ma
liciOus nature.
DR.. Clancy charges mo with:-CD
"Propounding doctrines which are at
variance with the teacllings of the
Catholic Church," (2) "AdvOcating
diSObetlhncc to the teaching cf the au-
tlIOriMd pastors of the ch,lrch:" (3)
"Usllrping the functions Of moral
teacher;" (4) with being "a so-callsl
Catholic" (5) "Attacking Il distin-
guishe1 Jesuit" (O and "a brother of
an illustrious cardinal;' 60 and "a
bishop of the church, who following
the dictates Of his own conscience, ell
dcavors to do his duty to his people"
Such are the most reverend bishops
charges. categorically made, in Il pull
pit. and supplied to the press; and,
upon the comprehensive bCdy of this
Indictment DR.. Clancy proceeds, with
all due charity and justice, to declare
this Judgment; "Such man (myself)
can be compared to huge anti-clerical