The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-07-01
CARDINAL GIBBONS
Accords an Interesting Inter-
view to the
Correspondent Of an Australian
Publication.

ceremony incident 10 a pOSltlOn IN
Rome, says the Baltimore Sun.
81 prefer to be left where am, with
my liberty" were his words to Miss
Helen Jerome, travelling correspondent
for the Melbourne, Australia, Age,
Friday, when he spoke of the splen-
did loneliness of his possible glory had
he been elevated to the Pontificate, as
was proposed recently.
In an interview in the New York
World, written by Miss Jerome, she
says she had been accustomed to asso-
ciate the illustrious name of Cardinal
Gibbons with all the pomp and circum-
stances of religion.
Instead" she says, Il found a SIM
pie, kindly gentleman, whose hand is
offered me on true American princi-
pies of equality who bids me sit in
his presence. No secretary was
there to intercept the way, no gorge
ously uniformed flunkeys to bar me
from his presence. l came to him with
a message from Cardinal Moran of
Sydney"
The interview was submitted to the
cardinal and approved by him before
its publication. Its very fair inter-
view," he said last night on being
shown copy of the paper containing
it,
''The condition of the Catholic
Church in America is most favorable"
said the cardinal to query from his
Interviewer. 1--WE have to contend
with various forms of Professionalism,
but do not think that the animosity
of these sects is half as acute as in
Australia, where, believe, sectarian-
ism has largely crept into the world
of politics. might go as far as to
say that in this country, as far as my
experience goes, We are received and
treated very fairly by the non-C Catholic
laity, who are decidedly disposed to be
just Some of them, of course, have
imbedded anti-Catholic prejudices in
their youth, but as a rule the Ameri>
can spirit is disposed to examine every
side of the question and is, moreover,
always open to conviction. The same
is even true of many Protestant
ministers.
AT the present moment the Catho-
lie population of the United States of
America numbers about 14,O0O,OOO,
which is about four times the entire
population OF Australia If we add to
these figures the Catholic population
of the Philippines and Porto Rico, thu.
Catholic population under American
government would exceed 20,OOO,0n
In the hierarchy of the United States
the bishops number about one hun
dred, and these include one cardinal,
Ii archbishops and Sc bishops, and
every year we are adding new sees in
the country. and | am happy to say
that conversions are occurring in ev-
cry direction"
Does your Eminence think that
America will ever be Catholic coun-
try?" Miss Jerome asked.
II cannot give an expression of
opinion as to that, seeing the big dis
crepancy existing between the SO,00O,-
600 of people in the United States and
100000 of the Catholics, but it is
tn n ic, ~,
81 cannot ignore the fact that there
is here and there considerable leakage
that there are losses-but in my
opinion that is more than offset by the
number of conversions"
and now, your Eminence, may
beg you to tell me your feelings with
regard to the separation of church and
state in France?" was the next ques-
ton.
"Ah! that is big question, too, my
child" replied the cardinal very grave>
ly. "The separation OF church and
state in America | entirely approve,
because, while there is a separation,
the government of America does not
antagonize Christianity. Moreover.
there is this additional feature about
it-that, while the government of this
country in no way interferes with the
mission of the Catholic church to
preach the Gospel, it also holds over
us the aegis of it's protection.
"lf the French people were situated
as we are, which unhappily they are
not, would wish the same state of
things to exist among them. But as
things are-and l feel very deeply
about the question: am sure that
the separation of church and state in
France. whatever may be the result in
the near future, will involve the
church in miserable perplexity and
unhappiness."
The cardinal then asked Miss Je,
rome what she had observed of the
form of worship in Japan during her
visit there eighteen months ago.
"Buddha and Shinto, and when nei.
Their agnosticism," she replied.
"And these people are the conquer.
ors of a Christian nation?" said his
Eminence gravely.
1T reminds me-" he continued
thoughtfully, "of the condition of Eu
1,no ho