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Show MORE REGARDING CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS. . It is unfortunate and most deplorable deplor-able that our Catholic soldiers and seamen sea-men should be deprived of the opportunity oppor-tunity of receiving the ministrations and consolations of their religion. The fault is, of course, with the government, govern-ment, which, in the appointment of chaplains, takes no account of the religious re-ligious faith of the men to whom chap-Jains chap-Jains are sent. . The Intermountain Catholic is convinced con-vinced -that there is but one way to remedy the evil. It is a way that may seem drastic and radical to some, but we are cuite convinced it is the only effectual way. If there were no salary attached to the office of chaplain and the service was a purely voluntary one, the men who now bring all sorts of political I influence to bear in order to secure chaplaincies would soon be looking for office elsewhere. In this case volunteers from the Priesthood would not be lacking, lack-ing, and our neglected sailors and soldiers sol-diers would not be deprived of religious ministration, but as long as a good fat salary and divers emoluments go with the office of chaplain, so long will the Protestant clergymen with a "pull" be appointed to minister to Catholics, who, of course, will ever lefuse their ministrations. Such is the condition, and such has it always been under our government. From time to time protests are made by Catholic bodies, but always witho'ut result. In 1849 the following appeal was made by the United Irish Societies of the country to President Hayes. It was unheeded by the then President, whoso successors likewise have practically continued to ignore it, although the condition at the present time is not quite so bad as it was in 1879, yet the difference is so slight that 'this protest is as forceful today aa it. was twenty ve.rst ago: To the President 1 of the " United States: The undersigned, Roman Catholic citizen of the United Slates, respectfully represent to your Excellency, Excel-lency, that In the appointment of chaplains chap-lains to the Army and Navy of the Union an injury and injustice is done to their co-religionists in those branches of the public service, which they beg to bring to the attention of your Excellency, in the confident belief that you will appreciate the evil and apply the remedy. Provision is made by statute for-the appointment of thirty-four chaplains in the Army and twenty-four in the Navy the nominations to be made by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Now, your petitioners respectfully show that, while the Roman Catholic soldiers and sailors are largely in excess ex-cess of those of any other denomination, denomina-tion, and aro believed to be at least per cent of all the service professing any belief, there is but one Roman Catholic chaplain in-the Army, . and none, so far as we are informed, in the Navy. The injustice of this would seem to be too apparent to need argument. But your petitioners, further most respectfully respect-fully urge that the magnitude cf the evil is not measured by this inequality conspicuous as it l and can only be appreciated when your Excellency considers con-siders the far greater consequence attached at-tached by professors of our Faith than by our Protestant fellow citizens, to the ministry of a clergyman of their own creed. To the Catholic nothing can substitute or supplement his Priest; and he attaches to his ministrations, ministra-tions, especially in sickness and in preparation for. peril or. death, a value for which there is not only no equivalent, equiva-lent, but no approximation in the relation, rela-tion, of a Protestant to his minister. For these reasons, we earnestly entreat en-treat your Excellency to give this prayer your early and favorable consideration; con-sideration; satisfied, as we are, that the inequality of the present arrangement arrange-ment must be conceded, and not doubting doubt-ing that you will not only be ready to appreciate it. but disposed to remove it as speedilv as possible consistent with your duty. Hence, considering all the circumstances circum-stances in the appointments of chaplains, chap-lains, Ave submit that the best service which American Catholics can render to Catholics in the Army and Navy Is to demand that the government refuse to make provision for the payment ot any chaplain. |
