Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-25
REBUkES MRS. nACkAY
Priest Objects to Her Disapproval of
 Parochial Schools.

New York, Aug. 25-A recent letter of Mrs Clarence Mackay, who was in- stalled as a member of the school board of ROslyn. l.. l., two weeks ago, has eicited rebuke from the Rev Thomas s. Duhigg, pastor of St Johns l Roman Catholic church in Twenty. 1 first street, Brooklyn. The letter was | incidental to the efforts which Father Duhlgg is making to raise funds for the furnishing of the twenty class rooms in the new S16O000 parochial | school which is being erected on the | grounds opposite the church. Father Duhigg estimated that the cost of furnishing each classroom would be about $2OO and has been making appeals to- his congregation for the funds. Tablets giving the names of the donors are to be fitted up in the rooms. Already enough contributions have been received to furnish ten rooms. Without the know ledge of Father Duhigg or any of his assistants, Miss E. A. McNamara, one of the parishioners. supposing Mrs Mackay to be Catholic. wrote a let ter to her, calling her attention to the work which Father Duhigg had ac- complished in the erection of the fine new parochial school and asking her for a contribution toward the equip ment of the classrooms.
 The letter was addressed to Mrs Mackay at Roslyn, l.. l., but Mrs Mackayu having left for Saratoga ! Springs. it was forwarded to her at the latter place. Last Friday letter was received at St Johns rectory ad- dressed: Miss R. A. McNamara.. or Father Duhigg. St Johns Parochial School" Father Duhigg, not being able to locate Miss McNamara. open- cd it. The letter follows:
 To Miss B. A. McNamara:
 Madam: Yours of the 18th has been forwarded me here. and in reply I wish to tell you that I absolutely dis approve of parochial schools of the Romanist faith and consider them a grave menace to our country. Need less to say, I am not Romanist and will not help you. Yours truly.
 Aug. 17. KATHERINE MACKAY.
 On the next day Father Duhigg for warded this reply to Mrs Mackay at Saratoga:
 Mrs Katherine Mackay:
 Madam: Rather astonished as. sure you by a note received from you this morning. I was not aware of the fact that any one in this parish had written to you in relation to our new school and regret that you were dis turbed about the matter The infor- nation you volunteer. viz. that you absolutely disapprove of parochial schools of the Romanist faith and that
 f<x our country. simply reveals a condi- tion of mind The opinion is character istic. Tn the schools you dislike SO much we teach our children the cour- tesies of life. As an example. we would tell them that the use of the word "Romanist" betrays bad form. and that nice intelligent people would not be guilty of such a blunder.
 Faithfully yours.
 THOMAS s. DUHIGG.
 Rector of st Johns.
 When seen yesterday Father Du. hfgg said: "I don't think it is neces- sary to say much more about the mat ter as the letters speak for themselves. Mrs Mackay's communication certain lv tempted me to say great many things in addition to what I wrote. but decided if best to put my an- swer as if appears. If Mrs Mackay had been indisposed to comply with fhe reuueSt for contribution she could have said that she could do nothing and omitted her dlsapprovai of our schools and the word Roman ist.' IL seems that Mrs Mackay evi- dentiv wants to establish a propa- randa, for I have been informed she recently had an article in the North American Review on the same lines as her letter While do not wish to show that I regarded her opinion as of so much importance. l did desire