The Irish standard., 1917-09-29

pious, Jealous and honorable; has
been parish priest of Cordova for
many years and is very highly es-
teemed by the members of his flock.
This incident affords a striking IL
lustration of the gross injustice
wrought by the new Mexican constitu-
ton. It is not extraordinary that a
citizen of the United States-the ma
ton to which the present Mexican gov
eminent owes its very existence
should, without any fault of his, be
deprived by that government of the
privilege of exercising the functions
of the most honorable profession on
earth, be ousted from position which
he has filled acceptably for years, and
banished from the country-simply
because he is an American! Such
law is an insult to the American gov
eminent and the American people, as
we'll as to every other nation affected
by it.
Another instance of gross tyranny
and intolerance is reported from the
state of Sonora. The new governor
of that state, General P. Elias Gales,
in a statement published in the press,
declares that none of the exiled priests
now sojourning in the United States
will be allowed to return to Sonora,
nor will any archbishop or bishop of
the Catholic church be permitted to
enter that state! For over year now
there has not been a single priest in
Sonora, and the overwhelming ma
jority of the population are deprived
of the consolation of religion which
they crave.
These occurrences are indicative of
the conditions that prevail today in
nearly every section of the unhappy
land of Mexico. Shall the Catholics
of the United States not continue to
raise their voices in indignant protest
until our government is aroused to
action?
In Guadalajara the parish churches
of Ell Santuario, Mexicaltizingo, Ell
Carmen, La Purisima, San Francisco,
San Jose and two or three more have
been closed by decree of President
Carranza, because their pastors, 1t is
alleged, participated in politics. The
only political act that can be charged
against them-if political it can be
called-is the reading to their congre-
cations of the pastoral letter of the
archbishop, approving protest of his
brethren of the hierarchy against the
new constitution framed at Queretaro.
The authorities all over the country
have been notified to arrest Arch
bishop Orozco y Jiminex wherever
found.
Thanks American Hierarchy.
The following letter signed Joseph,
Archbishop of Mexico" has been sent
out from San Antonio, Texas, to Car
dinal Gibbons:
Your Eminence: The protest agreed
to by the Archbishops of the United
States. in their last meeting held at
Washington, under the presidency OF
Your Eminence, against the new con-
stitution framed by the revolutlonlsts'
has SO touched the heart OF all Mexican
refugee bishops in the United States,
that, in their own name and in behalf
of all Catholic Mexican people, they
consider it duty to present to Your
Eminence and to all the American
Catholic hierarchy their deepest feel
ings of gratitude and appreciation, as
do also by means of this letter.
AS the Catholic church is not a ma
tional corporation, but something more
than an international one, nobody car
be. surprised that Catholics of one
country share the blessings afforded
or the wrongs suffered by the1l
brethren in any other country what
sOever.
We have had many tokens Of this
community of interests on the par
of Catholic people of the United States
and we are particularly pleased when
in answer to their pleading without
any suggestion on our part and with
out any intervening aims, the Presi
dent of the United States obtained
from the first chief the promise OF re
ligious freedom. The method adopted
bv the revolution for fulfilling TN
pledges in its new constitution imposed
upon Mexicans is the best proof tina
the Mexican Catholics are not the one
who are to be blamed for all tn
troubles of Mexico, since they ar
victims.
The attitude of the Catholic h1eI
archy of the United States has ais
consoled us, because it shows that tn
ISLANDERS spread by the Mexican revolu
ton have not obtained the intende'
results: namely, of discrediting tn
Catholic hierarchy and people of GU
own beloved Mexico.
With my most profound regards TO
Your Eminence. I have the honor t
remain, yours sincerely and sratefull
in Christ.