The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-07-23
PRIESTS AND PHYSICIANS.

PRIESTS AND PHYSICIANS. 4
Several weeks ago the Catholic
Laymen' association Of Georgia
wrote to Senator Williams of Mis-
sissippi regarding slanderous
statements alleged to have been
made by Senator Watson, The
Mississippi statesman apparently
accepted the association s explana-
ton with regard to the Georgia
senator. On July IL, however,
Senator John Sharp Williams him
self, speaking in the senate against
a proposed amendment to the
Volstead Act, discussed the credi-
bility and duties Of physicians and
clergymen. Among other things he
said:
"A Catholic priest is a confess
fsor; other clergymen are not; but
every doctor, Independently of
church and religion, is a family
confessor, and his duties as con-
lessor are not conserved by super
stition like that of the priests.
When you come to realize how he
| is a confessor and why, it is SIM
ply because he is a gentleman deal
ing with other gentlemen and
other gentlemen s wives and chill
dren. No superstition holds him
to his task; no pope, no bishop, no
archbishop, and yet you will
search your memories, each Of you,
to find where a physician ever be-
trayed> a confidence. -
tbs difficult to understand how
man Ex-senator Williams type
would dare speak in such insulting
terms, and in the United States
Senate, about the Catholic relig-
ion, or for that matter, about any
religious denomination with a re-
spectacle standing. To apply the
word superstition" to the bond
of silence that seals the lips Of the
Catholic priest, tosdeliberately ig-
more the sublime ideal of duty that
actuates the priest, and to trace all
this to fear of pope or bishop, is
to brand the Senator from Mis-
sissippi as a narrow-minded, ig-
norant bigot, inferior even to Wat
son in the use of villainous cpl
thets.
John Sharp Williams is a man
of ability, eloquence and power.
Long has he held the admiration
and respect Of the country, even
his political enemies recognizing
the sterling qualities that have
characterized him in public life.
Now, in the twilight Of life, he
stoops to sully the reputation for
fairness which he long has enjoy
ed. By coincidence, his state
ment that "a physician never be-
trayed a confidence" receives a
setback in famous divorce trial
now going on in this country.
j The Catholic priest is held by
no superstition in maintaining the
seal Of the confessional, any more
than is the physician or the law
yer so bound. The priest in his
professional capacity becomes the
recipient Of secrets that lie deep
in the soul. Will the honorable
senator affirm that the body is
more worth than the sod? The
j priest guards the inmost thoughts
and purposes and actions Of an
i immortal soul that often scorns
the life of the body. Is it mere
superstition that urges him to this
Ipledge that at times means death
as reward for his loyalty? AS
well might one say that it is a
superstitious fear Of the law which
j holds back the physician from pro-
claiming the secrets of his pa.
tients, secrets which bear upon the
body alone. Applying the sena.
] tors logic, one might well say
. that there is no such thing as hon
Or: what we style by that sacred
name is but superstition, trem-
bling fear of personal conse.
| quences.
Il Some men are like good wine
they improve with age; while 9th.
ers seem to initiate the aged egg
!, TUNING UP THE HARP.