The Irish standard., 1909-05-01

religious ceremony. The groom belns
of the jurisdiction of Cardinal kopp'
q request to that effect was made to
that prelate. The reply was a re-
fusal. The father of the young lady,
Ambassador White, felt offended both
as a Protestant and as representa-
tive of a country where all religions
enjoy equal protection; and he refused
to attend the ceremony in the Catho-
lie Church by way of protest. That his
action might have the widest possible
publicity he gave to the press of Paris
the information that he would not at
tend the marriage ceremony of his
daughter, with the reasons which led
him to abstain. These reasons he
sums up in the following words:
Both my public and private life
demonstrates my freedom from reli-
gious bias, but under the circumstance
es and as the representative of
country eminent for its religious toler-
alton, although predominantly Profess
tant. have decided not to attend the
service at St. Joseph's, the more so
as there are several recent prece-
dents for a Catholic ceremony and
one of another denomination"
Here Mr.. White openly declares thar
he protests against the exclusion of
the Protestant ceremony as a repre-
sentative of the United States. He did
a. very silly thing in SO doing, and one
thanks from either the president or
the American people. What possible
interest has this country In any mar
riage ceremony, Protestant or Catho-
lie? Ambassadors have great privil-
eyes; and we insist that our ambassa-
doris abroad shall have all that are ac-
corded to any. But by what law or
precedent has the American ambassa-
dor the right to demand in the MANS
of the United States that the Catho-
lie Church shall suspend the opera
ton of her laws in case where they
happen to offend the religious SENSIBLE
tiles of her diplomatic representative
abroad? The laws Of the Church d.
not permit Catholics to take part in
Protestant religious services. When
she dispenses Catholic from an i'm
pediment to enable him or her to mar
ry Protestant she requires that the
marriage shall be before a priest ana
that no other marriage ceremony shah
take place. That is the law in Europe;
it is the law on which such dispense
ton is granted.
What right has our ambassador to
criticize the laws of the Catholic
Church? What right has he to protest
what right has he to criticize and pro-
test, as Mr.. White has done, in the
name of the government of the United
States? ".
We hope this action of Ambassador
White will receive the widest possible
publicity. 1t will emphasize the posi-
ton of the Church in the matter of
mixed marriage. A Protestant mar
rying Catholic may not bring his OF
her Professionalism into the family. The
atmosphere of the home must be alb
solutely Catholic. The Protestant par
ty must be to all intents and pur-
poses of the family Catholic. The
children must be brought up Catho-
lies, even should the Catholic parent
be taken from them. To bring them
up Catholics it is necessary to teach
them by word and example respect
for the Church and her laws, and to
promote in every possible way their
Catholic education. A mixed marriage
demands that the Protestant party
shall leave all Professionalism outside
when entering the home where Cath
olic children are to be brought up.
This is of such strict obligation that
neither the Catholic parent nor the
children can assist the Protestant par
ent to practice his or her religion.
Were the Protestant consort to fall
sick neither the Catholic consort nor
the children could go for a Protestant
minister to administer Protestant rites
to the dying parent. When a Pro-
testant enters a, home blessed by the
Church his or her Professionalism must
be forever dormant within the pre-
cincts of such home. There is no reli-
gious liberation in a Catholic home.
But it will be said, this makes the
lot of the Protestant party very un-
pleasant in mixed marriage. That is
very true; but there is an easy way
out of the unpleasantness by select
ing a different partner. Protestants
who wish to safeguard their Profess
tantism had better eschew Catholic
consorts. The Church allows no re-
ligious partnership. BY the laws Of
Prussia, and by custom in some other