The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-08-29
TAKING FAITH ON CREDIT.

Both sides of the controversy ancnt Holy Hill
shrine III Wisconsin presented i'll the last issue
OF the Catholic Citizen of Milwaukee. Rev. Joseph
keenan, of Fond du Lac returns to the attack, and
Father Bertram, who attends Holy Hill, is out in
Its defense.
Father Keenan, declares that he will pay at
tcntion to tales told about miracles unless they
are accompanied with proof. Let them furnish
the proof if they would be believed" he says.
I'VE take some things on faith but not of this
kind | have known of some wonders myself
where people have been cured in their own homes
! and churches, but that is another thing" The
way Father keenan, scourges the money changers
/ in the temple ought to be appauded by every
clergyman with conscience opposed to the spirit
of graft. That word graft may sound harsh; it
may even be slang, but it is simply calling spade
| Il spade. Anent this, Father Keenan, says:
have all the famous shrines in the world. and
have found one bad thing about of them-the
commercial element which trades on the woes OF the
afflicted. l was at Lourdes when there $1,000
pilgrims there | was trying to say mass in one of
the chapels and disturbed all the time by the
sound of coins falling like rain into the
placed there receive them. 1t natural for those
afflicted to contribute at every turn, thinking that the
show of piety will be in their favor.
In fact found but locality where there was
no money changing at the holy shrines. This in
Palestine, at the sepulcher Lord in Jerusaem
i'll Bethlehem and in other places. These holy spots
are under the charge of the church and the pilgrims
are not asked nor permitted to make offerings. TAX
ing away the mercantile element is certainly valu-
able feature of such a place
Father Keenan, said much more along the same
lines. Concluding he said:
If this a matter of serious Importance CFfoly
HID. and had the appreciation of the church au-
thorities they would write to and give me coun-
sci not to say anything that might detract from the
reputation of the place but has not been done
Rev. j. A. Berram Of Holy Hill resents the
strong language of the other in denunciation of
the commercial spirit surrounding shrines, especial
Iy the one which he exercises control as pas
tor. lie disclaims spreading reports about mir
acles yet cannot forbear mentioning two-one au-
thenticated by doctor, and another by an eve
witness who to the fact, Father Bertram was
assigned to Holy Hill by Archbishop Katzer in
1894, without any salary. The strong point he
urges in favor of the reputation of Holy Hill is |
the granting of the Portincula indulgence by Leo |
NIL two weeks before his DEATH without any So !
Iicitation the part of the priest
The granting of this indulgence, however. is
not tantamount to declaring Holy Hill shrine
where miracles may be wrought 1t is an in
diligence generally awarded to the faithful en-
rolled i'll the Franciscan order, lay and clerical
and is obtained by the penfent after reception of
Holy Communion on the ID of August. and of
sering prayer for the Supreme Pontif Churches
other than those conducted by Francscans have
'eceived this grant of Portiuncula indulgence, so
he claims of Holy Hill are not especially strength
ned by the pastors mention.
This discussion Holy Hill between two
ergymen serves to Clarity Catholic opinion, and
probably it was needed. We are inclined to adopt
he view which the Catholic Citizen takes regard
ng it. While skepticism is the besetting evil of
he day" says tie Citizen, there is also good
eal of the opposite extremc-creduity We NAV
'eheve little more, in religion, than the church
equlreS us to believe; but not a great deal more.
here are souls who wish to take great deal ON
redlt; they arc not exclusively Catholic souls
and Christian Scientists illustrate an
Hccssive or perverted faith. Something of those
mental attitudes may be found among Catholics
Happily the guardians of the faith know how 70
cal with concrete cases, if detrimental"