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Show ARCHBISHOP FORBIDS POLITICAL MEET-IXGS MEET-IXGS IX CHURCH HALLS. - Xo more political meetings in Catholic church school halls, no more intereference. in purely party politics by priests this is the edict which has gone forth from Archbishop Messmer of Milwaukee. The archbishop in a public statement declares his "emphatic Condemnation of the fact. that some Catholic priests and parishes havo allowed the use of their biuldings for what must certainly be considered con-sidered as mere party politics. I certainly shall not tolerate a repetition of such proceeding." - ' A statement of ArchV'shop Messmer was brought out by the fact that Democratic meetings were held-in held-in the school hals of St. Josaphat's, St. Hyacinth's and St. Cyril and Method's parishes. When the matter was brought to the attention of Archbishop Messmer. he issued the following to the press: The Catholic Church in America, including the clergy as well as the laity, is entirely adverse. to having hav-ing itself considered as affiliated or allied with-any particular political body. In fact, it is the universal Catholic sentiment, that the Church as such, will never take any part -in what is purely politics and will never interfere in any poltical movements unless un-less the higher interests of public morality and religion, or her rightful claims guarauteed by the constitution are at stake or in question. ' l-ir this reason the Catholic'"- bishops -or tho country can not but emphatically disapprove of any priests, in their official capacity, lending themselves to party polities, or allowing the use ok any ecclesiastical eccles-iastical property, whether it be the church, schools, or parish hallsfor any political party. For the Church to meddle in potties is not only entirely opposed to American sentiment and .the spirit of our laws, but it would also prove injurious and hurtful to the Catholic interests in our country. coun-try. By affiliating itself to any one political party the Catholic community would naturally and necessarily neces-sarily arouse adverse sentiment, if not positive antagonism an-tagonism and opposition on the part of the other contending parties. ... In view of the common sentiment of the American Ameri-can people, and, in fact, from the nature of the Church's position in this country, the only wise and prudent policy for the Catholic body js to hold entirely aloof from any alliance with political par-! par-! ties and to allow its members perfect freedom in J the exercise of their political rights. The only de- mand the Church will always make-upon the Catholic Cath-olic citizen is that in whatever politics he may fol-! fol-! low he shall keep in view the true welfare of the people and act according to the principles of right and justice. - . , , The above statement sufficiently explains the groundsupon which I feel it my , duty, to; publicly express mv emphatic condemnation of the. fact that some Catholic priests and parishes have allowed the use. of their buildings for . what must certainly be considered as mere party politics I. certainly shall not tolerate a repititioii of such proceed ings. . For, some years a habrt has prevailed. of, holding. political meetings during certain campaigns in school halls. The custom met with the disapproval of a large number of Catholics who thought, it improper im-proper to trun church buildings into adjuncts of political parties oftunes to foster the candidates whose records did not afterwards commend themselves them-selves to Catholics. Some of the Polish priests did not approve of the custom. Father Gora of St. Stanislaus states that the parish halls of that parish par-ish could not be used for political meetings and Father Dorzynski of St. Vinvent takes the same stand. Catholic Citizen. |