The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-11-11
CARRANZA AND RELIGIOUS
FEDERATION
A COMMITTEE OF MEXICAN LA
DIES PRESENTED A PETITION
TO THE FIRST cHIEF-THEY DE.
CLARED OPENLY THEIR ADHER-
ENcE TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH.

On October 18th, at $3.50 p. M, a
committee of Catholic ladies went to
the residence of Senior Carranza to
request an audience for the purpose
OF protesting against the confscation
of a number of churches in Mexico
City. Senior Carranza was absent, but
his wife, by telephone, arranged the
audience, which was to be held at the
national palace, where the ladies OF
the committee would be, received at
the presentation of card given them
by Mrs. Carranza.
AS the committee was crossing the
streets from the residence of Senior
Carranza to the national palace, a
great number of women joined it, SO
that when the committee reached the
national palace it filled two of the
largest reception rooms.
The people of the palace were an
noyed when they saw this large COM
mittee, and the officials showed their
disappointment when they learned the
object of their visit. The committee
was announced to the first chief, who
answered that he only received on
Tuesdays; SO they were refused a
hearing in spite of the fact that they
held Mrs. Carranza's card, and in spite
of the explanations OF the committee
as to it's purpose-that it did not in
tend to demonstrate with the first
chief, but was a commission represent
inU tho Mnyipan women
After they were dismissed, a num-
Der of them returned to the residence
of Senior Carranza, and there they de-
livered to Mrs. Carranza the text of
their protest, which is as follows:
Sir: The group before you can
proudly state that it represents the
largest part of the people of every
class, because we are the interpreters
of the Mexican woman, who, in her
entirety, is deeply religious.
I'VE do not come here for the pur-
pose of proposing ideas and declaring
wishes of our own. We are echoing
the aspirations of the nation. The
matter which has caused this visit is a
local one, but let us state that from
all the districts of the republic voices
shall arise cheering our attitude, and
that there are no corners Of our coun-
try where Mexican hearts do not join
us, because we both are tied with the
same bonds of religious ideals.
"By your order the churches of San
ia Teresa, San Juan de Dios, Corpus
Christi and Santa Catalina have re-
Gently been closed, and it has been
stated repeatedly that many other
churches shall suffer the same fate
and shall be converted into public of
fees.
"The people do not believe this pre-
text to be true, because the nation has
plenty Of buildings, or the necessary
means to obtain others, If they were
necessary; and so in your proceedings
the people see only the, sectarian tend
ency, which is always looking for a
way to. injure the religious ideals and
TO deprive the religious people Of their
places to worship God.
1T is more than a year ago since
like DEGREES were issued against the
Church, whose only effect was to
arouse the indignation of the public,
although such DEGREES came from a
military chief in the very moments of
exaltation when the civil fight was at
its height.
but now when the ardor of the
fight is being quenched, when the
minds are seeking quiet, when the VIC
torious party is to become govern
ment, the seizure Of our churches
hurts our religious beliefs more deeply,
because the lack of a motive behind il
proves the premeditated idea of a re-
hgious persecution.
I'VE are ready to shed our blood in
defense of the Faith Of our Fathers,