The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-11-29

ms by Rev. Z. J. Groeneveld of the
Ttrsf Presbyterian church, entitled
.W-bv We Are Not Roman Catholics. "
panIving to this the Butte Inter-
7tountain published the following from
%ov Father p. A. Quesnal Of St. Jo-
seph's parish:
.rTo the Editor of Inter Mountain:
pear Sir-After reading the lecture
~ Mr. Groeneveld, published in the
1rondav standard, l realize once more
nh, Protestants are called Protestants.
fortunately for the peace of the world,
most PrOtestantS are content with let
ing il be understood that they pro-
,osf and following their beliefs With
ant attacking that Of the church from
which they seeded.
Occasionally however, some such as
,fr Groeneveld seem to feel the neces-
.ry OF shying their casters into the
ring and reyiving argument and con-
+royersy. Perhaps they find that as
soldiers of a church militant, things
,-iobt become too peaceful if they did
not stir up an occasional fight What
.,.ar may be the motive, it is, however.
of no consequence; it is sufficient that
there are many who believe that min
ie.artal duties do not lie so much in
liking care Of the spiritual wants of
heir own congregation as in worry
inc about the beliefs of others.
Almost 1000 Years Old.
.r do not think that the Roman
,atholc church. which the completion
If this century viii see 1000 years es-
tabIished. needs defense on my part
esoecialiy from such attacks as that of
MI Groeneveld.
bright minds through the centuries
have refuted these attacks Men like
Cardinal Newman, the author of the
beautiful hymn, Lead. Kindly Light,
have spent a lifetime in the study of
The subjects that Mr.. Groeneveld
touches lightly, l might say flippantly.
cardinal Newman was once
Protestant. He was recognized as one
nj tbe abest minds and eminent di-
vines Of his age. His conclusions were
directly opposed to those of Mr..
Grosneyeld. Mr.. Groeneveld may as
r1ma that between the cardinal and
himself most will choose the opinions
of MIR. Groeneveld. but we leave that
to the world.
There is nothing new in the pro-
tests of the lecture. nothing but what
has been said a thousand times since
tba DAYS of Martin Luther. Why the
gentleman should repeat the protests
cannot say. Her certainly has not
advanced anything TO make people
think further in the matter.
His repeated protests have been re-
futed a thousand times by Catholic
authors. We would recommend that he
read The Faith of Cur Fathers" by
Cardinal Gibbons.
Because. however, of the fragrant
lack of logic and reason in many of
his statements l feel called upon to
saw few words in answer.
Infallibility of the Pope.
Mrs. Groeneveld protests against the
infalibility of the Pope, because, pre-
sunably. he thinks that this would
give the Pope too much temporal
power.
I'm answer. l would state that to
follow an infallible Pope is not as un-
reasonable as TO follow an infallible
Bible. as the Protestants do.
Mr. Groeneveld says Peter never
claimed infallibility. Why should he
do it2 There were no Protestants in
his day. Truth was then as clear as
dav to the followers of the church.
Speaking of confession. Mr.. Greene
weld says it was not instituted by
Christ How does he know this? Does
ne have an infallible Pope to tell him?
Is history his infallible Pope? He says
ton confession in, any of his epistles.
Let me call his attention TO st. Paul's
e1istle to the Corinthians, V, Is, in
which he says: But all things are
OF God. who hath reconciled US TO
himself by Christ and hath given to
us the ministry of reconciliation and
further. He hath placed in US the
word of reconciliation: for Christ there
fore we are ambassadors, God as it
were exhorting by US. 1t is evident
from this that St. Paul speaks of con-
fession.
Mr.. Groeneveld says that he never
read in inspired history where an
apostle or an evangelist heard confess
SION
I'm reply let me tell Mr.. Groeneveld |
that strictly speaking, the doctrine OF
confession is not a historical subject. |
Besides, in those days there were no
Protestantss There was no question |
as 10 the divine origin of the doctrine; |
no necessity for mentioning the fact to |
the public when none of them were !
protesting. The Catholic church fol- !
lows the same policy now. Her priests |
do not advertise the confession.
Mr.. Groeneveld quotes, His word |
has come unto me. Let me also read |
John Xxx. -, Receive We the Holy Ghost, |
whose sins We shall forgive they are
forgiven them; whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained.
As to Purgatory.
Speaking of purgatory, Mr.. Greene
YIELDS words cannot fail to be source
81 amusement even 10 non-Catholics
would thank him personally for the
compliment he pays our church in stat
ing that the doctrine of purgatory is
derived from the heathen.' 1 never
heard that mentioned before, even by
our enemies.
% would like to ask Mr.. Groeneveld
30 read st. Matthew, xii, 80, And who
.oever shall speak word against the
Son of Man it shall be forgiven him;
but he that shall speak against the
Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven
him. neither in this world nor in The
world to come.
VIII Mr. Groeneveld please explain
orgireness in the Worl 70 come. re-
erred go here in the Bible which is
Le foundation Of his faith. md, in eX-
flaming it, show how il inmates the
l'eAine of purgatory?
All Catholics Believe It.
Mr. Groeneveld says the Blessed
rgin Mary needed q Savior herself.
indeed she did, and all Catholics be-
leIe IT. Ii she is immaculate in her
conception it is by a privilege of God
AEo1gA the merits of her divine Son,
esds Christ r
Regarding the growth Of the Prot
Tan. churches. l shall be charitable
ma say that Mr. Groeneveld's figures
ne the result of misunderstanding on
-s part ] shall, for the sake of argu-
'eAL first presume they are correct,
.A2 then ask if these 1S5, 100000 Prot ,
slaAss That he speaks of are all united ;
l.+e. one church, believing and teach
hs the same doctrine. or is it not a
[a'l Jhat in the United States alone
1t Protestant church is divided into !
'el"een 300 and 400 different sects,