Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-28

protest and for as many Of them as
I represent I hereby register that
protest.
All this condemnation arose from the
fact that the bishop and priests were
not afraid to take stand for public
worship. If others do not consider the
church essential and do not see the Can
ger ahead if we relegate public observ-
ance to the class Of the unimportant
when there is a panic, it is not for us
to criticize. But when q great body OF
people who are mingling together in the
workshop and elsewhere during the week
and for many hours each day. demand
that they be allowed to worship their
God in their own way on Sunday and for
only one half hour. ! submit that it is
intolerance and tyranny to deny them
that privilege and it is impertinence to
question their loyalty and gooo citizen
ship. As to the merits of the order of
closing the churches there are many
opinions. Just at this TIM the ma lori
ty not being particularly interested in
church services are Of the opinion that
the churches should close. There are
likewise some who keenly miss their
Sunday gatherings, but consider that
the seriousness OF the epidemic, which
no sane person will deny, calls for such
drastic action. But there are thousands
everywhere who maintain that 1t is an
additional hardship to close UP these
avenues Of practicing their religion. chat
it adds to the panic of the times, that
the church can more genuinely cooper
ate and contribute to the we'll being Of
the community by gathering it's people
for short time on Sunday under favor
able circumstances. While we realize
the danger of Iontagion, we feel that it
can be made remote. particularly as
these same people are together all the
week under less favorable circun-
stances.
To cover the reference to the unwill-
ingness of the church to cooperate and
that it exists -or itself alone, it MAJ be
we'll to suggest to the public things that
have not been given much publicity n
Augusta. IN times of epidemic the
Catholic clergy are called upon to give
their services unsparingly day and night
in the spiritual care Of the members Of
their flock. After the doctors. who are
for the most part recompensed for their
faithful services, no class of men bears
the brunt of the battle as the priests.
Witness the death in Boston. New York
and elsewhere of many of the clergy.
New Hampshire in one week lost five
of the members of it's priesthood, al
splendid young men. Several of The
priests of Maine have been attacked by
the disease. Father Henry, who is vel
known in these parts. after cease.ess
work among the afflicted in Portsmouth.
went to deaths door, and is only LOW
apparently out of danger. Father White
Of Orono died in ST. Mary's hospital,
Lewiston, victim of pneumonia al the
age of 49, Many of the sisters of The
State have battled with the disease anil
at least two have succumbed. In The
midst of the epidemic in Portland Bish-
op Walsh asked for volunteers among
the Sisters of Mercy to go to the homes
of the sick, and GO responded immed' tte-
ly. Two by two, day and night, they
labored in the homes of Catholic, ro-
testant and Jew, and their work is
gratefullv remembered by many whom
they nursed back to health. Bisnop
Walsh had purchased the Ste .,hen
Weeks mansion in Portland, intending
to use It as a hospital later, but when
the influenza was spreading he made
every effort to have it opened at once.
In Bangor Father Clarity had purchase
a spacious residence adjacent to ais
school of over 700 pupils as an annex to
the high school department.. Early in
the progress of the epidemic it was
opened as a hospital and it is now tile !
with patients and the Sisters of Mercy
are at work caring for the sick.
ST. Marys hospital at Lewiston is fill
ed with the victims Of the dread disease
and they are quietly doing their share
of cooperation with the authorities.
The Sisters of Charity in their Hospital
1t Waterv''le were so busy caring Ger
the victims o. influenza that they were
unable to receive a Sister of Mercy who
needed surgical attention. The Catholic
church therefore is far from defying the
civil authorities and for its own sake"
All this may seem to indicate the need
of closing the churches, as well as en-
phasizing some Of the work Of COO ser
alton of the Catholic church, but it real
" shows that our reluctance to close
our churches for many Sundays is
founded on principle that is not under
stood by the public. The public does not
understand what a sacrifice is demanded
Of us when it seeks to deprive us ct a
constitutional right to worship God &C
cording to the dictates of our faith. and
how uncharitable i. is to question our
motive. With our churches open on
Sundays we can do more to battle with
the disease by instructing and encourag-
ing our people than by closing and ex-
posing our flock to fear and panic.
The churches have been closed for a
month and feel certain that many peo-
pie will agree that after all we need
God in our lives, especially in days OF
danger, and it is time to gather the peo-
pie to worship Him.
THOMAS j. NELLIGAN,
Pastor st. Marys Church.