The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-03-30
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THE CHURCH IN INDIA.

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THE CHURCH IN INDIA.
to 100000 adherents is recognized by
the Russian Government, and pro-
tected by it, largely because they are
perverts from Catholicism, and spread
themselves out to attract Catholics
from the true religion. The sect has
three Bishops, GolembrOuski, Kowal-
ski, and Pruchnewski, whom they be-
lieve to embody the Holy Trinity. 1t
was the ridicule cast on this fanatic
ism which caused the attempt to cru
city Kowalski, who is supposed to
represent the son. This same Kowal-
ski has just figured as chief accuser
in the trial of the Catholic Bishop of
Warsaw, Kazimir RuszkiewitZ, who was
charged, together with the Defensor
Vinculi Matrinmonialis of his Consis-
tory, the Notary of the Archiepiscopal
Court, Pastor Theophil Plaskowski,
and two young married couples from
the country, with violating the impe-
rial marriage laws. The facts of the
case are these. In 1907 a lad Of Is
and girl Of II, both Catholics wished
to marry, but their parents, who
were well-to-do peasants, objected on
the ground of their youth and close
relationship, which caused the parish
priest, when consulted, to refuse to
| perform the ceremony. The young
people then drove into the town of
Lowicz and on the pretense of visit
ing some relatives went to the Maria
vitish priest, Siedlecki, and begged
him to marry them. He, expecting to
gain two converts, was only too ready
to do so, and the marriage took place
before two witnesses at two in the
morning. Afterwards the young peo-
pie returned to their homes. Their
parents utterly refused to permit
them to practice their new religion,
and by degrees they became con-
WINGED of their error and returned to
the Catholic Church. They then ap-
piled to the Warsaw Catholic Con-
sistory, which, please note, had been
entrusted by the Russian Government
with all judiciary powers in the case
of the marriage of Roman Catholics,
to have their marriage annulled.
i This was done on the ground of con-
sanguinity, though other arguments
were also ready, for, according to
all civil and religious observance and
custom, the marriage was void. In
Russia, as in France, no couple under
the age of twenty-one can marry with
out their parents consent; they cannot
marry within certain degrees of kin
ship: and they must be married within
1 stated hours Then each of the young
people, being thus released, married
someone else. Immediately this had
taken place, the Mariavitish priest,
Siedlecki, acting on the instructions
of Kowalski, laid information against
the Bishop of Warsaw, and his assist
ant, the priest who married the bride
on the true occasion, and the two
husbands The Bishop was accused
of misuse of his power for declaring
the Mariavitish marriage void; the
Defensor vinculi was accused for not
appealing against the Bishops dec1.
sion; the priest was accused for
marrying the girl; and the girls hus-
band and the young man whom she
had previously run away with, were
accused of committing bigamy. The
trial was followed with deep interest
and has caused wide spread indigna-
ton in Poland. This was deepened
when sentence was pronounced. The
good Catholic Bishop was condemned
to one year and four months in fort
ress, for acting in conformity with
the civil law, and that of the Catholic
Church of which both parties were
members. The Defensor Vinculi was
given the same sentence for aiding
and abetting him, the parish priest
was severely reprimanded and
warned" and the two young hus
, bands were released with caution
: A recommendation of the Bishop to
/ the Cars mercy 60 brought the deci
| sion of that potentate, that, in add
, ton to the sentence of Imprisonment
: the Bishop of Warsaw should be de
, prived all his functions. This latest
piece of injustice perpetrated on be
; half of a small sect of persons whose
| one aim is the down fall of the Catho
t lie Church, is likely to lead to con
: fiagration which has long been smoul
| dering amidst the prosecuted Poles
} of the Russian Empire.