The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-05-06
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Two weeks ago the Grand Masonic
Lodge Of Minnesota OBLIGATED at the
laying Of the cornerstone OF the post
Office in Austin, Minnesota. The
Catholic Bulletin concluded it's criti-
cism Of this ceremony with these
words: As far as we know no voice
has been raised in Austin against this
unWarranted action on the part of the
Masons.
This week we received a personal
communication from the Right Rever-
end Mgr. X. ri. Devlin, v. G., pastor
of the Church OF st. Augustine in that
city, which we take the liberty Of
reproducing because it shows that the
Catholics Of Austin made a quiet, but
effective, protest against the action
OF the Masons.
Austin, Mimi, April 20, 1911.
Dear Father Reardon:
! Not without misgivings do take up
the insinuation contained in your edi-
torial reference to the recent Masonic
ceremony In our city that the Catho-
lies of Austin are Invertebrates. With
misgivings, lest 1t appear that we are
disturbed about our reputation. A
reputation that keeps one on the de-
fensive must be terrible affliction
Ours gives us little concern. But for
the sake of truth and for your per-
sonal information let me put before
you the real facts in the case as an
instance of the growing reasonable
ness of the Americans of Southern
Minnesota.
About three weeks prior to the
ceremony to which you refer promi-
nent local Mason called on me to
would be any opposition, he had made
arrangements for the Masons to pre-
side at the cornerstone laying of our
new federal building. He had sup
posed that his action would meet with
universal approval inasmuch as the
Masons have an elaborate ritual for
such occasions and frequently use it
in the dedication of public buildings
Later on, it was suggested to him that
there might be some objection, and
he called on me to ascertain if such
was the case, and to say that he
feared the arrangements had gone
beyond easy recall He was not left
made in terms so unequivocal and Wig
orous, yet friendly, that there re
manned little to be desired even by
the editor of the Bulletin.
Some days afterwards a formal in
vitation was received by the knights
of Columbus and the Catholic Ordel
of Foresters to attend the ceremony
; in a body They replied in letter
copy of which is enclosed, in which
they declined to take part in the cele
> bration because of the ritualistic serv
ice which was part of the program
1t goes without saying that while
our protest occasioned no loud tall
and no shadow of unfriendliness We
it became generally known. Most Of
cur Catholic merchants and very
few others neglected to decorate theil
stores for the occasion. A few strag
Cling Catholics only were among thu
onlookers. Some Masons were con
spicuous by their absence from thu
street parade and openly expressed
their disapproval believe that man,
! of them regret the days doings as /;
whole.
Now note what I believe to be thu
net result. The day after the corner
stone ceremony, a committee Of prom
inent citizens called to invite the chill
dren of our parochial school to takt
part in the dedication of the nev
fountain presented to the city by tn,
Humane Society. The street parad,
by the school children was to be al
important part of the ceremony; ant
, We were given the strongest assurance
that every suggestion of sectarianisn
had been eliminated from the program
which was to appeal solely to the pa
triotic and humane. This program
, was carried out to the letter.
In making this explanation Their
is nothing I would regret more thai
> that there should be found in it any
thing that savors of boasting; TO
there is nothing to boast about. Thi
incident is one of thousand tina
might take place all over this Ian,
as illustrations of the fact that W
Americans want to be eminently fai
: to one another when the different ele
i ments of which we are composed com
!, to understand one another better
i believe that along such lines there i
: an understanding among us here il
i Austin such as has not heretofor
existed
h Sincerely in Christie,
J. n TT nEVTTN