The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
CUBAN CHURCH PROPOSED
MOVEMENT THAT Is SIMILAR To THE
ONE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Native Catholic Priests Said to Favor
an Organization that Does Not
Acknowledge the Pope.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, June 13.-Oficials of Prot
estant missionary societies in the United
States have been consulted during the past
two months concerning a movement in
Cuba TO create in that island Catholic
Church that does not acknowledge the SUI
premacy of the Pope of Rome. That such
a movement exists In Cuba and has made
some Roadway is certain About month
since it began the publication Of a peri
odical called The Acolyte. Copies OF this
publication have reached this country. Con-
trary to expectation, 1t contains practically
no denunciation of the church Of Rome.
but for the most part, on patriotic grounds,
it advocates a church that shall be ma
tional in scope and control. 1t states that
President Palma was waited upon when
he first arrived in Cuba and urged not to
identify himself too conspicuously with
the church of Rome The paper claims he
has followed the suggestion. and that at
heart he is a Protestant. 1t is stated that
there are large numbers Of Roman Catholic
priests, all Cuban born, who favor the I'M
dertaking, and that only a leader is needed
to make in Cuba protesting church sim
Philippines.
These Protestant officials in the United
States have. so far can be learned. dis
couraged this anti-Roman movement in
Cuba. 1t is known that such advices have
gone to Cuba from Presbyterian, Congre-
gational, Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist,
Disciples of Christ and United Brethren
leaders In America. One minister, Cuban
and Protestant sailed within a week to
carry advice of this character to these dis
contented Cuban Catholics. Grounds for
the arguments against the movement are
two. One is that further divisions among
followers of Jesus Christ are undesirable.
and that unless Protestant Or reformation
ideas can be accepted. Roman Catholic
ones had better be adhered to. The other
is that religious reformers have need to
be very brave, and that, frankly, there ap-
pears nowhere in Cuba leaders such as can
hold out to the end. These Protestant Of
ficials. chiefly officers of missionary socie-
ties having work in Cuba, have noted the
fact that the Roman Catholic Church has
had. since the end Of the Spanish-American
war and the beginning of Cubas freedom
an extremely difficult task with men and
mcoouOS, thSy are nOts dl tIllS
inclined to take advantage of misfortunes
AS the Roman Catholic Church in Cuba
is doing its utmost to nationalize ITSELF
and has already named a Cuban to be
Archbishop of Santiago, it seeks, under
Archbishop Guidi. to make itself national
in the Philippines. Two Filipino, or at
least native, clergy have been recommended
suffragan bishops for Cebu and Vigan,
and two other suffragans will be Ameri-
cans. They are Bishops Dougherty and
Rocker, and they have already been con-
secrated in Rome. The fifth, named to be
Archbishop of Manila, is an American.
He is the Rev. DR.. jeremiah J. Harry, of
st. Leos Church. st. Louis. who was rec
ops, and who, 1t Is said, will accept the
appointment 1t is known the appointment
was offered to something less than half a
dozen American prelates and declined. The
Archbishop of Manila, when consecrated,
will proceed to the Philippines and take the
place of Archbishop Guidi, who is an Ital-
ian, a member of the Roman curia, and
whom 1t was never contemplated should
remain permanently in the far East. Upon
his return to Rome he will, 1t is expected,
be created and proclaimed a cardinal.
With the four suffragans Archbishop Harry
will form the Philippine hierarchy, and be-
fore Archbishop Guidi's departure will
frame local regulations, which the Pope has
Sod hall he