Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-06
Po.ition of the Priest.

OMAHA, oct ITO the Editor Of The
Bee The editorial In this mornings Bee
concerning the arrangements for the
presidents address, which was to have
been delivered in Omaha last sunday
misses entirely the point OF the objection
any priest would have to participating
in the proposed meeting at the Auditor
lum.
The Bee says: TN inviting the clergy
to participate in the reception to the
president no Determinations has been
made, but this Catholic paper (The True
Voice. declared that 1t was impossible for
any priest to accept and thus give
countenance to any organization, how
ever undenominational. whose manage
ment is reserved for members of
Protestant evangelical churches"
No. The True Voice did not say, or
imply, that the reason why any priest
could not accept the invitation was that
his acceptance would give countenance
to any organization however undenomi-
national. whose management is reserved
for members of Protestant evangelical
churches" The Bee writer has alleged
that reason, as a guess. and he is wide OF
the mark 1t may be remarked, in pass
| K
ment is reserved for members of Pro-
testant evangelical churches is a queer
sort of ''undenominational' body-but let
that pass.
The point is that religious services
under the auspices of the Young Mems
Christian association had been arranged
for at the proposed Auditorium meeting
Now. Catholic priests do not take part
10. ,f,, NIaxr Al Nrf
believe no matter under what auspices
these may be held Protestants may be
able to take part, without offending their
consciencee, in services other than those
of their own creed. That is their concern,
not ours. Catholics, believing firmly. as
| they do, that their religion is the only
true one. cannot in conscience, partcl-
pate in what is, to them, false worship
of God. 1t is matter of principle, not
prejudice A Protestant minister would
know better than TO invite a priest to
participate in his church services, though
he might be on the most friendly terms
with him personally. He knows that the
refusal would be matter Of principle
and he respects that principle too much
to even ask his friend 10 violate IT,
The address which President Taft was
to have delivered last Sunday at the
Auditorium was, no doubt, intended for
all the citizens of Omaha without respect
to religious creed. Yet those in charge
of the arrangements for the meeting al
lowed II to be turned over to the Young
Mems Christian association, notorious
sectarian organization, under whose
auspices a religious service, with the
presidents address TO follow It, was t.
have been held When will those having
charge OF arrangements for such func
tons learn that at a public meeting, il
which the whole city Is supposed to taxi
part, sectarian religious services are en-
tirely out of placer Catholics can worl
with their Protestant fellow citizens IL
everything that concerns the civic better
ment of the community, but they canno
Join them In Protestant religious services
When President Taft has been the CUES
of the Knights of Columbus, the function
!, has never included religious services II
which those of other creeds were in
vited to participate. That is the differ
ence between the meeting arranged 70
last Sunday and the Knights of Colum
bus programs given in honor of the presi
dent
When The Bee states that no discrimi
nation was made, It ignores the fact tina
the conditions under which the invitation
were extended precluded any priest fror
attending. AS we'll discriminate positivel
as to make conditions which rendered &C
ceptanoe impossible. l do not believe
nor did the True Voice charge-that
was intended TO exclude priests from tn
meeting The True Voice asked: VIII
blundered? That question is still I'm
answered: but The Bee is still blunder
ing blindly about II.
(Father) P. c. CANNON.