Newspaper Page Text
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PAGE 2—THE BULLETIN, October 29, 1960
The Catholic In America
By Rev. Peter J. Rahili, Ph.D.
This is one. of a series of
articles reviewing the -position
and. experience of the. practicing
Catholic in the life of the
A merican community from
Colonial times. The author
holds a doctorate in American
Church History has taught in
various universities, and is pres
ently Archivist and Historian
of the Archdiocese of St. Louis
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES'
COURAGE HALTS
ANTI-CATHOLIC RIOTS
Production of gasoline in
the United States had to await
the drilling of the first sue
cessful oil well in 1359 at Tit
usville, Pennsylvania. It would
seem that some had been
made in advance from the
flash-fires of anti-Catholicism
which flared after the burning
of Massachusetts’ Ursuline
convent in 1835. Once the stop
per has been jerked from the
jug of mob-violence, the insid
ious fumes are almost impos
sible to control. Remonstranc-
es and appeals go unheeded
because the action had even its
beginning outside of the law.
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Concerted action against the
Church, however, awaited the
formation of the Native
American Party, which is be
lieved to have begun in Ger
mantown, Pennsylvania, in
1837. Its declaration of prin
ciples demanded that all pub
lic offices should be limited
to native Americans only. The
real objective of the party in
attacking Catholic immigrants
may be readily recognized
from the epithets used in their
newspapers: “Irish Papists,”
and the degraded slaves of the
Pope.”
CHURCH BURNING
By 1844 the Nativist Party
was known as the American
Remiblican Association. Early
in May Philadelphia members
were notified to meet in the
suburb of Kensington, heavily
peopled with Irish. Under
such provocation, of course,
trouble broke out. Several
were killed, scores iniured,
and 25 to 30 homes of Catho
lics were reduced to ashes.
Though military aid was
called, the next day two Cath
olic churches were burned to
the ground. George Washing
ton had contributed to the
building of one of them, Saint
Augustine’s. A school of the
Sisters of Charity was like
wise destroyed by flames.
Almost exactly It vears be
fore, the Board of Guardians
of Philadelphia had framed a
resolution of thanks to other
Sisters. The bravery and good
ness they had shown in car
ing for cholera victims, the
resolution declared, “entitle
them to the warmest thanks
and gratitude of the whole
community, which has bene
fited by their labors.” Now
the appreciation had been
shown by burning a Sisters’
school to the ground.
The following Monday The
Spirit of the Times, a secu
lar newspaper of Philadelphia,
commented on the large num
ber of people who had gone
to church the previous day to
thank God for having been
preserved from harm during
the riots. “Into all churches,
we should have said, excepting
the Roman Catholic ... In
obedience to the orders of the
Bishop they were not opened
for public worship.”
Bishop Francis Patrick Ken-
rick had sought sanctuary in
the home of a Protestant
friend. Notwithstanding, dur-
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ing the riots he had issued the
following bulletin to the Cath
olics of his diocese:
“I ernestly conjure you all
to avoid all occasion of ex
citement, and to shun all pub
lic places of assemblage, and
to do nothing that in any way
may exasperate. Follow peace
v/ith ail men, and have that
Charity without which no man
can see God.”
Not only were level-minded
Philadelphians of every creed
shocked by this debacle; the
entire nation was horrified
The Baptist Advocate com
mented: “The will of the peo^
pie is indisputable . . . the ul
timate consequence of this
principle fully carried out
anarchy.” Unfortunately Phil
adelphia had not seen the end
of the total acceptance of the
teaching of Jean Jacques
Rousseau.
Two months later the noise
of the Independence Day cel
ebrations in this “Cradle of
Liberty” resembled more the
silence of the tomb when com
pared with the days immedi
ately following. The evening
of July 5 a crowd of Nativists
converged on the Church of
St. Philip Neri in Southwark,
a Philadelphia suburb like
Kensington. Deterred by the
arrival of the military from
taking any action, the crowd
congregated again the follow
ing day. But the knowledge
that the militia had orders to
fire were an assault madta
prevented anything more than
sullen threats.
One disturber was arrested
and imprisoned in the church
by the military. The next day
was Sunday and Mass was not
offered in St. Philip Neri. By
this time the mob had ripped
two cannons from ships at the
docks. These were dragged to
the church doors and the fuses
lit, but wet powder foiled the
engines of destruction.
Sunday afternoon more mil
itia were called because of the
increasing ugliness and size of
the crowd. Finally actual
warfare broke out, with the
cannons being fired at the sol
diers and the military replying
with their muskets. By the
lowest estimate 13 people were
killed and more than 50
wounded. Thousands of Cath
olic families fled Philadelphia
and martial law was in force
for weeks in the city.
'A SECOND MOSCOW'
Public indignation and hor
ror was widespread at the an
archy of the Nativist riots in
Philadelphia. But a similar re
vulsion had taken place after
the burning of the Charles-
town convent, and yet the mob
spirit had not been quenched
Actually bloody barbarities
had increased; why were they
to end at Philadelphia? It was
Bishop John Hughes of New
York who shored up a solid
foundation upon which rea
soned public opinion could
stand unshaken.
When reports of the first
riot in Philadelphia’s suburb
of Kensington reached New
York, Nativists there lit the
first for similar action. A huge
mass meeting was called for
Central Park. Bishop Hughes
was not intimidated.
When Napoleon in 1312
reached Moscow the retreating
Russians burned the city as
they left. Referring to this
method of defense, Hughes
publicly declared: “If a single
Catholic Church were burned
in New York, the city would
become a second Moscow.” His
quick investigation revealed
that New York state law pro
vided no compensation for
churches burned by rioters.
The bishop then warned the
mayor that Catholic property
would be protected.
Actual self-preservation
Hughes did not leave to im
promptu action, but quickly
stationed up to 2,000 armed
men around each church. Rea
lizing that such measures were
dangerous in themselves, the
bishop utilized the Freeman's
Journal and Catholic Register
to rush instructions that no
Catholic was to strike the first
blow. If attack came, however,
they were to take as many
lives as necessary before giv
ing up their own for the cause
of liberty.
How tremendous was the
influence of Bishop Hughes!
Not a single defender, howev
er impetuous, moved against
the Nativists. On the other
hand, the sight of the determ
ined sentinels quelled all plans
the agitators may have devis
ed. No incident of any kind
took place in New York dur
ing May, 1844, nor again after
the second bloody outbreak in
Philadelphia during the fol
lowing July.
This rock-like determination
of John Hughes was not a
sudden impulse. Born in Ire
land of good family, he had
not permitted a financial dis
aster to thwart his ambition
to become a priest. On com
ing to America he had taken
any kind of job to earn his tu
ition in the seminary.
After he was ordained for
the Diocese of Philadelphia, he
led in adopting various meth
ods to quiet the storm of anti-
Catholicism. Reminiscent of
the path followed by John
Henry Newman from the Epis
copal ministry to the Catholic
Church, he has founded a
Catholic Tract Society in 1827
to publish booklets explaining
the Faith.
In these years debates be
came more popular than
pamphlets. In 1832 Hughes ac
cepted the challenge of the
Reverend John Breckinridge,
a Philadelphia Presbyterian
pastor. It was agreed that each
contestant would publish ar
tides alternately in The Pres
byterian and in a Catholic
paper.
There being no Catholic
publication at all in the Penn
sylvania city, Father Hughes
raised the money himself and
commenced the Catholic Her
ald in January of 1833. Opin
ions of commentators on the
outcome of the debate varied
much according to their prior
inclinations, but undoubtedly
the energy and ability demon
strated by Hughes contributed
to his selection as bishop in
New York.
ANTI-CATHOLIC
TEXTBOOKS
Particularly in New York
City the new bishop found
that the King James version
of the Bible was being read to
public school pupils, usually
followed by a commentary
abusive of the Catholic
Church. Moreover, the text
books used not only were
highly sympathetic to Protest
antism but blatantly ridiculed
Catholicism.
Hughes reasoned that chil
dren from even solidly Cath
olic homes would be shaken in
their faith from constantly
hearing repeated such a phrase
as “deceitful Catholics,” to
quote one of the least offens
ive terms.
Though he was promptly la
beled as an enemy of the Bi
ble, the bishop sought alloca
tion of the school funds for
construction of separate Cath
olic institutions. If that would
not be granted, he asked that
Catholic pupils study the
Douay version (a Catholic
translation) of Holy Scripture.
Hughes was excoriated so
soundly that neither political
party would promise relief of
any kind. The bishop then
took the bold step of entering
a Catholic ticket in a school
election and its vote was suf
ficient to cause the Democrats
to lose. Neither the city nor
the state legislature ever ac
cepted the proposal Hughes
had made. Nevertheless, victo
ry in part came when the read
ing of the Protestant Bible
was dropped in many munici
pal schools.
As recently as this past sum
mer a popular national mag
azine compared John Hughes
unfavorably with other Cath
olic prelates who later attain
ed national distinction similar
to his. That this Bishop (later
Archbishop) of New York was
a vigorous and forthright in
dividual is absolutely true. But
suavity and unction would
have made no impress on ei
ther the leaders or the mobs
who in his days were violent
ly anti-Catholic.
A time comes when force
must be met with force and
John Hughes had the courage
and simplicity to use it. Their
appetites whetted by the blood
spilled in Philadelphia, the ag
itators who rushed to New
York in 1844 would never
have listened to words, how
ever persuasive. But the arm
ed resistance of the church
guardians whom Bishop
Hughes had marshalled slow
ed their malevolent rush to a
sedate walk.
This smoke-blackened dec
ade for American Catholics
had commenced v/ith the de
struction of the Charlestown
convent. It ended abruptly
with the burning of the
churches in Philadelphia. It
ceased so quickly because
John Hughes from his cup of
American citizenship had
drunk deeply the invigorating
red wine of American courage.
Next Issue: THE RISE AND
DECLINE OF KNOW-
NOTHINGISM.
DENTISTS PULL TOGETHER
Children have been known
to tear up a house, but have
never caused a home to be
broken up.
Five Chicago dentists have combined their efforts to equip
a new mission dental clinic of the Carmelite Fathers in
Santiago, Chile. Father Leon Battle, O. Carm., veteran
South American missioner is shown making arrangements
with John Hickey, Chicago dental equipment supplier who
also donated much of the needed equipment. The new clinic
Will be added to existing medical facilities established by
the Carmelite Fathers three years ago. (NC Photos)
Knights Of Columbus Appoint
Bishop Conference Committees
ATLANTA — William T.
Jordan, Jr., State Deputy of
the Knights of Columbus, has
announced the appointment of
Bishon Conference Commit
tees for the Diocese of At
lanta and Savannah.
Chairman of the Atlanta
committee will be Joseph
Zwicknagel of Decatur. Serv
ing on this committee will be
Louis Baugnon of Atlanta,
Tom Bergen of South Atlanta,
Myles Boothe of Marietta and
Gerald Deleski of Rome.
Julian Halligan of Savan
nah will be chairman of the
Savannah Committee. Serving
on this committee will be
Philip Batistini of Columbus,
Nick Camerio of Macon,
Charles C. Chesser of Augusta,
Jerry Gardner, Brunswick,
Georee W. Hughev, Jr., Alba
ny, Conrad Kalbfleisch, War
ner Robins, and Zeno Sutter
of Valdosta.
In commention of the estab
lishment of these committes
William Jordan, State Deputy
said, “We sincerely hope that
these committees will enable
our order to become more
closely united with our clergy
and they with us.”
OBITUARIES
Services For
M rs. Welhorn,
Walters Children
HINESVILLE — Funeral
services for Mrs. Isabel Sul
livan Welborn and her two
grandchildren, Thomas Wal
ters and Judith Walters, who
were killed in an automobile
accident near Millen, Oct. 6,
v/ere held Oct. 8 at 10 a. m.
at Chanel No. 4, Fort Stewart.
The Hieh Requiem Mass was
conducted by Catholic Chap
lain Father John Diener, as
sisted by Father George James
of Blessed Sacrament Church,
Savannah. Ralph Welborn,
grandson of the deceased,
served as Altar Boy.
The Holv Rosary was re
cited by Father John Diener
at 7:30 p. m. Friday evening,
Oct. 7. at Carter Funeral
Home, Hlnesville.
Burial for the three victims
was in the Flemington Ceme
tery, Flemington, Ga.
Mrs. Welborn is survived by
her husband. Dr. T. W. Wel
born and children. Mrs. Ben
Pierce, Jr., Augusta, Mr. Jute
W. Welborn, Mrs. Fraser Rob
inson, Mrs. George Walters of
Hinesville and Mrs. William
A. Wood. Jr., of Griffin. Ten
grandchildren also survive.
Also two brothers. Dr. Palmer
J. Sullivan, Philadelphia, Pa.,
Dr. Leo A. Sullivan, La-
Grange, and one sister, Mrs.
Edward P. Jones, Savannah.
John the Baptist.
Survivors are five daugh
ters, Mrs. W. J. Dick of Rich
mond, Va., Mrs .H. F. Steph
ens Long Island, N. Y., Mrs.
George J. Hall of Patrick
AFB, Fla., Mrs. S. H. West of
Potosi, Mo., and Mrs. W. E.
Clark of Ft. Stewart: four
sons, L. F. Remion, J. B. Re-
mion, W. A. Remion and W. O.
Remion, all of Savannah; a,
sister, Mrs. F. M. Grisham of
Savannah; 32 grandchildren
and 15 great-grandchildren.
SERVlCFS FOR
L. F. DULLIGAN
GRIFFIN — Funeral serv
ices for Lawrence Francis Dul-
ligan were held October 15th
at the Sacred Heart Church,
Rev. J. Gilbert McCormick.
C.SS.R, officiating.
Survivors are his wife, the
former Miss Essie Atkinson,
and two daughters, Mrs. Lau
lie Pritchett of Albany and
Mrs. Donald Stewart of Seat
tie Washington.
Atlanta Services
For William Caverly
ATLANTA — Funeral serv
ices for Mr. William Caverly
were held October 1st at the
Sacred Heart Church, Rev.
Thomas J. Roshetko, officiat
ing.
Survivors are five sisters.
Savannah Services
Mrs. Marie Remion
SAVANNAH—Funeral serv
ices for Mrs. Marie Antoinette
Remion were held October
15th at the Cathedral of St.
MARRIAGES
o o
| CAVENDER-JENKINS |
O O
SAVANNAH — Miss Mar
jorie Carolyn Jenkins, grand
daughter of Dr. and Mrs. R. A.
Dooley and Henry Cornelius
Cavender, son of Mrs. Mary
Jenkins Cavender and Joseph
Judson Cavender were mar
ried October 8th at the Sacred
Heart Church, Rev. Aloysius
Wachier O.S.B. officiating.
The man who is always up
and doing will never be down
and out.
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Withdraws
From Group
(N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE)
WASHINGTON — The Na
tional Council of Catholic Men
has withdrawn from the All
American Conference to com
bat Communism because the
AAC has declined to disavow
“a statement of religious in
tolerance and bigotry” by one
of its officers.
John Cornelius Hayes, Chi
cago educator who is the
NCCM president, notified the
AAC of its withdrawal after
an association of ten years.
Mr. Hayes’ letter pointed
out that the Rev. Mr. Daniel
Poling, Baptist minister of
Philadelphia, who is honorary
chairman of the AAC, signed
the recent statement of the
Citizens for Religious Free
dom, which contended that the
doctrine and practice of the
Catholic Church should dis
qualify a Catholic for public
office.
The NCCM president said
the statement “is false, both
as to doctrine and as to prac
tice in the United States” and
added it is “a statement of re
ligious intolerance and big
otry.”
The AAC constitution and
by-laws makes ineligible for
membership any organization
which combines religious or
racial intolerance with its op
position to communism, Mr.
Hayes pointed out. He said the
same view should be taken of
any AAC officer.
Father John F. Cronin, S.S.,
the NCCM representative,
sought to have the AAC exec
utive committee disavow the
“religiously intolerant views”
of the Rev. Mr. Poling, Mr.
Hayes stated. He added that
“far from” disavowing the
Rev. Mr. Poling’s views, the
AAC executive council “took
the position that Dr. Poling’s
statement was of no legitimate
concern to the AAC since it
did not relate to combatting
communism and since, in
making it, Dr. Poling did not
purport to represent the
AAC.”
“It is obvious that NCCM
cannot continue a cooperative
effort even against commu
nism under the direction of
an officer who publicly con
siders Catholics to be guilty
of the same doctrinal disloyal
ty to the United States as are
the communists,” Mr. Hayes
state.
The NCCM president said
the withdrawal of the Catholic
organization was “effective
immediately” but the organi
zation will “in no way modify
its opposition to communism.”
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