Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-08
PERSECUTION OF CATHOLICS N. mexico
SHOULD Stir THE NATION, SAYS PRIEST

ships: But may we Catholics not de-
mand the same? Or are we only citi-
zens of the second or third class?
The article further complains that
Gin the press at large there has been
singularly little information" about
the politIco-ecclesiastical phases OF
the agrarian and democratic uprising
in Mexico, for reasons that seem Ito
many significant" u This certainly is
true; but the writer failed to give the
reasons. Why were the murders Of
priests, the brutal and devilish treat
ment of nuns and convent girls. the
rubberies and sacrileges Of churches
and things Catholics hold most sacred
why were all these things not pub
lished? Who was withholding the in
formation? Why did the protest of
the Mexican bishops few months ago
find no place in most papers? 1t GER
tainly was at least as ''notable a docu-
ment' as that of Senior Capmany. Yes!
Why? Let somebody answer the ques-
ton.
AllusiOn is made to Mexican his
tory as if the Catholic church had al
ways been in the way OF progress. and
liberty in Mexico. AS matter of fact,
the natives Of Mexico had no better
friend than the Catholic clergy from
the noble LasCasas down to the pres
ent day: Even the.oft maligned Span
ish inauisition never has hurt as much
as a hair of a Mexican. while there
are at least 30 cases on record where
it punished Spaniards for depressing
the natives. And by the way, who was
the national hero, the brave Hidalgo,
the Washington of MeXico?" Was
he not a Catholic priest?
In modern times it was the so-called
clerical party, although not a strictly
| m fvnf ~, I'M
and workable program of peaceful
social reforms. that are so badly need
! ed in the afflicted country. OF course,
III the eyes of the Monitor they are
'reactionaries" because they do not
believe in revolution. because they
defend and uphold the principles laid
down by the great apostle (Rom 1S),
that he that resisteth the power re-
sisteth the ordinance of God"-I1uer-
was the de facto government and as
such recognized by most Of the Euro
pean powers, therefore Catholics of
the clergy as we'll as OF the ]aity owed
him obedience "for conscience sake.
That as the bishops state, was their
crime. If they had taken active sides
either with Huerta or the rebels. they
would have had more than a fighting
chance.
But who will blame the Mexican
| clergy, that they did have mo SYM
pathy with liberty, liberty!" That
would change chapels into dance halls
where naked women were placed in
the inches formerly occupied by
statues! Liberty" that would snatch
girls coming out of school from among
their CRYING comrades and gallop away
with them! Liberty" that would
break into peaceful tioisters and con.
| vent-schools to select their preys.
Liberty that would cast them into
prison. without food for days, robbing
them of every cent they may have
had. making them go through all the
horrors of execution, and If not killed
| throwing them penniless into strange
country-would you blame them for
having no sympathy for such "liber-
ty":
I hope. that in the interest of truth,
you will give the above as prominent
a place in Your evening paper as you
gave the Christian Science Monitor.
Yours for fair play.
Rev. Gustus -Schweizer.