Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-08-16
GREEK CHURCH
OPPOSES POPE
St. John the Baptist Congre-
cation Will Hold Mass
Meeting Here Tomorrow.
AGAINST REV. 0RTYNSKI
Bishop McFauI Says Any
Who Attend Are Liable
to be communicated.

Members of the congregation of
the church of ST. John the Baptist,
headed by their pastor, Rev. Gabriel
Csopey, have arranged for a mass
meeting to be held in this city to-
morrow for the purpose of showing
their indignation against the Rever-
end Stephen Ortynski, who has
charge of all the Ruthenian churches
in this country. News of the meeting
has reached the ears of the Right
Reverend Bishop James A. McFaul
of Trenton, who has sent out notices
to the local priests that any Catholic
attending the meeting will be liable
to be communicated from the
church.
In order to understand the reason
of this meeting one has to know that
among the Ruthenians there are fac
tions. One faction is composed of
Ruthenians who come from Hungary
and the other of those from Austria.
There Is much dissatisfaction among
them. Bishop Ortynski comes from
Austria and although his jurisdic-
tion Is over both factions, several tur-
bulent congregations, formed from
the Ruthenians of Hungary, are
d6dlhSl ulllt anu WOulu ike 10 nave
a bishop of their own countrymen.
The meeting for tomorrow is called
by some Civic Committee composed
Of Ruthenian Greek laymen from
Hungary who are causing much trou-
Bile In the Ruthenian Greek Catholic
church Of America. Such q meeting
is against the Canon law of the Cath
olic church and the Apostolic Dele
gate in Washington, the most Rever-
end John Bonzano, has issued an or
der prohibiting any Catholic clergy
men or laymen to take part In said
meeting.
If the meeting Is carried out as
scheduled then it will be in direct
opposition to the wishes of Pope Plus
X, whose special American represen-
tative has sent word placing excom-
munication upon those who will at
tend the meeting. The trouble has
been brewing for some time, but was
brought to the surface today when
notices were sent out by the dissatis-
field Greeks The meeting will prob
ably be held in Columbia hall.
Bishop Ortynski in conversation
with a NEWS rerorter recently told
Of the evistirg trouble and said that
he expected great difficulty apd that
| he Broad church st t W s he eS3taa=-
er in the movement. In this city
there are two Ruthenian churches.
one in Brood street a"d tho other in
F"stor street. Rev. Josorh Czaplin--
ski is the pastor of the latter church.
7 he two churches ere at bitter ends,
but the one controlled by Rev. Cap.
liski is presided over by the Popes
personal representative, Bishop Or
tynski.
This is the first time in many years
that any foreign church has taken
an adverse stand to the rulings of a
pope. From good authority it is
stated that Father Csopey will be
removed from his charge owing to
this trouble. Rev. Csopev con1d not
be found at his home. Rev. Czaplin-
ski in an interview with a NEWS
reporter stated that Bishop Ortyn-
ski is doing excellent work and that
he will stand by him until the last.
The movement which started in
this city has spread rapidly and on
different dates other Indignation
meetings will be held at Wilkes
Barre and Braddock. Pa. Pope Plus
X in the same appointment of Rish-
op Ortynski placed a man at the head
of the Ruthenian churches who un-
derstood the LANGUAGE. Previous to
his appointment the Ruthenian Greek
Catholic churches were under direct
supervision of Bishop James A. Nc
Fau1