The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-26

the Catholics of Poland and also to the
Ruthenian Catholics, who are mem
bers of the Greek church but who,
nevertheless, acknowledge the suprem-
acy Of the Pope and belong to what is
called the Uniat church. Speaking of
the prosecutions carried on against
these two elements in the popula ton
of Russia the New York Sun makes
the following comment:
Scarcely had the treaty of annexa-
ton been signed when Catherine IL.
undertook to annihilate the Uniat
church. With one stroke of the pen
she suppressed three dioceses, abol-
ished 1000 churches, prohibited all
communication with Rome, and sent
missionaries among the Catholic Ru-
thenians, each accompanied by regi-
ment Of Cossacks, for the purpose of
enforcing the orthodox belief of the
Russian church with the help Of the
bayonet. During the course of her
reign she is computed to have driven
no fewer than 100000 Catholic Ru-
thenians into the fold of Orthodoxy;
and, although under her first two sue
cessors some of the Uniat bishoprics
were restored, the rigorous laws of
Catherine remained operative, so that,
in 1925, there was left less than 1,4OO,-
600 Ruthenian Catholics. Persecution
went on under Nicholas l., and in 1889
the Holy Synod published decree dis
solving the Ruthenian Uniat church,
proclaiming separation from Rome,
and making registration in the Ortho-
dox church obligatory. By 1874, after
struggle of century, the Catholic
Ruthenians were we'll nigh extinguish-
ed, although nominally there all still
two bishoprics of the Ruthenian rite
in existence.
The Polish Catholics, although
; equally objects of suspicion in imperial
eyes, were strong enough to withstand
with considerable success the repres-
sive measures Of Catherine II. They
were treated with more indulgence by
her son Paul and her grandson Alex
ander 1. The latter even entered into
communication with the Vatican for
the regulation Of the Catholic church
and it's hierarchy in Russia,
but he expelled the Jesuits on the
ground that they had converted some
Orthodox Russians. Nicholas l., on
his part, resumed the work of perse-
cution in Russian Poland, and the
energy with which it was pursued by
his son Alexander II. contributed
powerfully to the instruction of the
Poles in 1862. In 1871 an attempt was
made, but failed, to change the Catho-
lie church of Poland into the "Slavon-
ian Catholic National church." In
1855 the persecution was revived, but
ultimately a kind Of modus vivendi
was established between the St. Pet
ersburg government and the Papacy.
Even now, however, any successful
attempt at proselytism is severely pun
ished; and in the case of mixed mar
riages, the children are forced to be
brought up in the religion of the state.
If member Of the Orthodox Russian
church becomes Catholic, he is
treated like estate criminal" forfeits
all the rights and privileges of his
station, and is eXiled.
There is no doubt but that Russia
has failed to gain sympathy in quar-
ters where she otherwise would had
it not been for her treatment of her
Catholic subjects. 1t should also be
remembered that the Catholic church
more than half century ago sent mis-
sionaries to Manchuria to convert the
people to christianity. The Catholic
missions in that country have been
theoretically prosecuted. 1t is
natural that those in authority in the
church should feel some hesitancy as
to the safety Of the missions of Man
churia should the Russians be success
full in the present war. Were it not
for the intolerant spirit which the Rus
sian government has shown during the
past century toward Catholics the
sympathy of Roman Catholic peoples
would naturally be with Russia as
against the heather japanese. 1t is
probable that Russia has whatever
| sympathy these people have as be-
tween the combatants in the far east.
1t should also he borne in mind that
the differences between Russian Or
! Greek Catholics and the Roman Catho-
lies is accentuated by the Russian
mOnarch's desire to retain his position
as the head of the Greek church. In
=, fact it is thought in many quarters
| today that this is the only cause which
keeps the Russian Catholics from
recognizing the supremacy Of the Pope.
| CROOKED WORK.
The aldermanic contest recently in
augurated by Mr.. Rosing in the Third