Evening star., 1949-09-02

as a source of discord and revolt
against church authority, and as
a cause of great upset to many
.consciences."
Archbishop Gushing on. April 18
placed the center UNDER sinterdict
and ordered Catholics to stay
away, saying it was "henceforth
totally without ecclesiastical ap-
probation" However. the center
is still open.
Two Made Charges.
At the same time, the prelate
disclosed Father Feeney had been
deprived of his priestly functions
since January l 'for defying the
orders of his legitimate superiors
and because of grave offenSes
against the general laws of the
Catholic Church"
Two members of the condemned
center since have charged they
were denied the sacrament OF
matrimony because of their con-
tinued activity with the group.
Miss Doris M. Coulombe. %, and
her fiance, Thomas H. Sennott, rs,
are still unmarried although they
originally planned their wedding
for June.
In the announcement Of the
Vatican's decision. Archbishop
Cushing said Father Feeney re-
fused a telephoned invitation to
60 to the chancery and hear the
ruling.
He said the center group was
unwilling to listen to the letter"
when the Very Rev. Augustine
Hickey, vicar general of the arch
diocese. went to the center and Of
fered to read it.
The group thus refused sub
mission to the Pope and the
Church." the archbishop said.
Sought Vatican Decision.
At the outset Of the contro-
versy. Father Feeney and his ad-
herents said they would accept
ruling by the Sacred Congrega-
ton. They sought the decision
of the Vatican in a series of ap-
peals addressed to the Pope.
The dimissal of three profess
sors from Boston College. Jesuit
institution. brought the case to
public attention April IA. The
Very Rev. William L. Keleher,
S. j., college president, said the
three /" 80" had been cautioned
to leave theology to those
who we're adequately and COM
petently prepared"
He said the three instructors
were. spreading erroneous" doc
trine among the students. The
ideas. Father Keleher said. would
lead to bigotry and intolerance"
The dismissed teachers are
Fakhri Maluf, assistant philosophy
professor; Charles Ewaskio, as
sistant professor of physics, and
James r. Walsh, philosophy in
structor. They are now instruc-
tors at st. Benedict's Center.
Two Students Resigned.
Miss Coulombe was one of two
students at Emmanuel College
who resigned shortly before they
were scheduled to receive their
degrees. With Miss Evelyn j.
Uberit, %, also a member of the
center, Miss Coulombe contended
the Catholic girls school in Bos-
ton was teaching doctrine con-
trary to Catholic belief.
Miss Coulombe and Mr.. Sennott
charged they were pushed" from
the archbishop's house by Arch
bishop Gushing when they went
there to make a personal appeal
from the ban of a church we'd
ding.
Archbishop Cushing refused to
comment on their charge.
In recent weeks, many Boston
Catholics have reported they re-
ceived unsolicited monthly letters
from st. Benedict's. outlining the
groups position. The letters have
not been made public.
Members of the center have
also conducted public demonstra-
tions in support of their claim.
During Holy Week, several
pickets were stationed outside a
number of Boston Catholic
churches. They carried placards
reading: "No Salvation Outside
Catholic Church"
Recently. about 40 persons knelt
in prayer outside the archbishop's
house. On that occasion, they
said they were making a mass ap-
peal to Archbishop Cushing for
removal of the ban against the
Coulombe -Sennott marriage.
:::::;s;;;.
-