The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-04-14
BY THE MOST REVEREND JOHN
IRELAND, ARCHBISHOP OF.
ST. PAUL.

The following article was contrib
uted by the Most Reverend Archbishop
for the April number of Extension Mag
azine, of Chicago, Ill:
The Work of the Clergy and the
Religious Persecution in Mexico" is
the title of pamphlet isuing from the
ot1ces of The Latin-American News
Association" 400 Broadway, New
1ork-the author being Attorney Ro-
dolfo Menendez Mena, Merida, Yucca
tan.
THE Latin-American News Associa-
tlon' is not a recent institution. 1t
has been at its task in the United
States for a considerable time, pro-
Nldln9 so much of the American press
as 1t is able to inyeigle into its service
with so-caIled information about our
neighboring republic, and scattering
broadcast through the country pam
phlcts and booklets OF similar import.
ITS overt, confessed mission is to inhu-
ence American public opinion in favor
pt the "COnstitutionalist Party" now
IN possession of the government in
Mexico, under the leadership of Ven
uStlano Carranza. Indeed, the "Asso-
Clation' is the formal spokesman of
the Party" to the people of the Unit
ed States; and, without fear of being
mistaken, we may say at once that the
financial contributions necessary to it's
operations are derived directly from
the treasury of the de facto govern
ment installed in the City of Mexico.
Whatever else our estimate of this
"Iatin-AmeriCan News Association"
and of the activities of its agents and
AbettorS, one merit we must aScribe
TO it, for which we acknowledge graf
itude: it makes known, in clear, I'M
mstakable language the policies and
methods of action of the "Constitu-
tionalist Party under its prime-mov-
er, Ncnustiano Carranza-policies and
methods that on their face are those
of unbridled despotism and unbush-
ing mendacity.
AS one sample OF the infamous work
being done in the United States by
the "natin-American News Associa-
ton" we offer to ~ eansias2ation of
the American people the pamphlet of
Ro'lolfo Menendez Mena.
We are somewhat used in the Unit
ed States to newspapers and other
publications, frantic from hatred of
the Catholic Church, whose one arm
of battle, in the war they would pro-
woke against it, is the most dishon-
orable, and in the end the most futile
of ol IN u,li cl !,
Sible-the lie, the most venomous that
may be conceived, the blacklist OF col
or that pen may transCribe. But all
products of this ilk, heretofore pass
ing under our eyes, sink into insignifi.
canoe of intent and boldness when set
side by side with the pamphlet OF
Rodolfo Menendez Mena--the official i
defender of Venustiano Carranza and
his associates, now the captors of pow
er in the Republic of Mexico
The policy of the "Constitutionalist
Party" regarding the Catholic Church
in Mexico is vividly defined by our
writer. We thank him for his out
spokenness. The Catholic Church is
to be banished, root and branch, from
L
repudiates all claims to rights which
it believes necessary to it's Catholic
life and the most sacred requirements
Of it's ministerial functions. All its
properties are to be confiscated, to be-
come the exclusive belongings of the
state. Temples, sanctuaries, school
houses, colleges and universities are
snatched from its ownership. Nor is
the Church henceforward to be al
lowed in future time to build or con-
troll new edifices devoted to religious
uses. A limited number of its former
temples-very few-may be loaned tG
priests, where religious services will
he tolerated under such regulations as
tho civil authorities are pleased to
adopt. Sacramento confession is
abolished. No institutions of benef
cence and education are allowed un
der the control Of the Church. Final
ly, it will no longer be permitted that