CONCLUSION.
My sister, Sister Cassilda, and myself corresponded with each other
considerably after I left the sisterhood, and I received many letters
from her that are exemplary of the Roman Catholic teaching. I would like
to quote from one of these letters here:
Cranbrook, B. C., June 24th, 1915.
My very dear Sister:
Your two kind letters, May 24th, No. 13, and the other June 16th, No.
14, have both been received with the greatest pleasure. It is always a
pleasure for me to hear from you and to know that you are well and
getting on so nicely. It does seem negligent, dear Sister, for me to
have delayed so long in writing, and I beg your pardon for the sorrow I
have caused you. It was no ones fault, you see I have been changed from
New Westminster back to St. Eugene Mission. I always intended to write
as soon as I got settled, time passed so quickly, hence the cause of my
delay. I am very well and as happy as any one can be in this world....
.... I would no more let anyone say anything against the religion I have
practiced all my life, which was taught me by my own dear parents and
which I love dearly. I would rather die than go and put my parents and
people below those Bible preachers; they better practice what is in the
Bible instead of talking about their neighbors. My love for you, my dear
sister, is the same as it ever was, nothing can ever change that, but it
grieves me to think that you have turned against our dear religion what
you and I were taught together in our infancy. I surely would not
compare Bible reading with that. I pray the Lord to give me strength to
be faithful to it all my life and not to be deceived by false prophets.
I have seen enough of the world to know which is right. Unfortunately
there are many Catholics that are not what they should be; they will be
responsible for themselves; that does not change religion any.
Now a little news about my mission. It is about the same, only we have a
grand, new _cement house_, with all the comforts possible, and the
government will build us new barns and stables, and renew all the
fences, so it will be a swell place after that.... Hope to hear from you
soon again, love and good wishes for yourself and your friends.
Your loving sister,
SISTER CASSILDA.
This letter shows how the sisters are duped about the Protestant
ministers and the preaching from the Bible. It also shows how strong
they are held in the faith of the Roman Catholic church. At the end of
the letter you will notice that the government was building, or helping
to build, the new institution at Cranbrook.
The Roman Catholic Church, from time to time, has broken away from the
teaching of the Bible, and instituted practices, man-made and
traditional. The adherent of the Roman Catholic Church accepts these
teachings and practices because he believes, as I did for so many
years, that the word of the Pope is God's word, and whatever is dictated
to the subject through the pope, or his ecclesiastical representatives,
must be obeyed. The reason he believes this, is that he is not allowed
to read and study the Word of God. When the priest talks _about_ the
Bible, that is sufficient for the laity. In all my years of sisterhood
life, I never studied the Bible, and when I say "I," I wish it
understood that I was no exception.
Surely if Christ intended that all these practices, and institutions of
graft, should be necessary for the salvation of mankind, He would have
practiced some of them while He was here.
Since the combining of paganism and Christianity, forming the Roman
Catholic Church, here are some of the man-made practices and the time
instituted:
A. D.
Invocation of saints 375
The Latin service 600
Supremacy of the pope 606
Worships of images and relics 787
Transubstantiation 1000
Infallibility of the Church of Rome 1076
The sacrifice of the Mass 1100
Sale of indulgences 1190
Withholding the cup from the laity 1415
Purgatory 1439
Restriction of the Bible 1546
Seven Sacraments 1547
Worship of the Virgin Mary 1563
The creed of the pope added 1564
The immaculate conception of Mary 1854
The infallibility of the pope 1870
I copy this table from ex-Priest P. A. Seguin's book, "Out of Hell and
Purgatory," and he asks, "How old is this popish combination?" And well
might he ask it. If the popes and cardinals continue to add to the creed
of the Roman Catholic Church in the next few centuries as they have in
the past, God help the poor people who continue in that faith, for they
must believe each and every one of the practices and innovations.
Why the pope, purgatory, seven sacraments necessary for salvation,
worship of the Virgin Mary, the immaculate conception of Mary, worship
of images and statues, sale of indulgences, etc.? Yes, there may be
Christianity in the Roman Catholic teachings and practices, but if you
wish to find it you must search for it.
If the Christianity existed in the Roman Catholic Church that should be
there, why is there so much rottenness connected with it? Whenever there
is any scandal (this is a great Roman Catholic word) in the Protestant
churches, is it hidden and tried to be kept down? Verily, no! It is
sifted through, and the cause of the wrong is found and righted. But
Archbishop Christie knew there were wrongs being perpetrated right here
in Portland, and he knew I knew it, but not once did he endeavor to
right these wrongs.
Read this letter he wrote me soon after I left the sisterhood. In
explaining this letter, I will say that the letter he speaks of from
Mother Wilfrid was sent to him by me at the time I sent my letters for
redress, and it was of such a nature that I do not understand how he
could have forgotten it so easily; but, doubtless, he wished to keep it
rather than to know that I had it.
Portland, Oregon, May 16, 1912.
Dear Sister:
I cannot remember having received a letter from Mother Wilfrid. You must
have sent it to some other person and not to me.
I hope and pray you will do nothing what will cause any scandal.
Asking God to bless and direct you, I am sincerely in Xto
X A. CHRISTIE.
If the Roman Catholic system would clean up from within, there would be
no need for the ecclesiastical authorities to "hope and pray" that any
of the sisters who left any of their institutions "would tell anything
that would cause any scandal."
It was ever so, dear reader, and it will always be. The same rottenness
will always exist in the Church of Rome that has always existed. It was
because of this rottenness and corruption that practically all of the
ex-priests have left Romanism, and because of the wrongs perpetrated
that practically all of the ex-nuns have left.
* * * * *
The conditions I have written about, as I have lived them, not only
exist in the convents of the Pacific Northwest, but in other Roman
Catholic convents and monasteries, as the teachings and practices here
come from other convents and of necessity they must be the same. "Like
father, like son." There may be a few exceptions, where there is convent
inspection, or some other law governing them, but as a general thing
they are as I have explained, and in a great many, the practices are
rigorous to the extreme.
So, the great question arises, "How are we going to better conditions?"
I could answer this question in a few words, and it would be the most
logical answer, "Abolish all the convents and monasteries." Institutions
of darkness and ignorance and evil are surely not necessary for the
salvation of the souls of the women of this country, or of any other
country. Christ did not institute any such specifications when He was on
earth, or did He leave them in written form in His Holy Word. The
secluding of girls and women is a man-made institution, and not for the
saving of the souls of the poor girls, but for the profit of their work
to the church. Is this Christianity?
How long will the American people be blind to this "religious cloak" for
graft--school graft, hospital graft, laundry graft, and various other
sweat-shop grafts? It is very convenient for the owners of the
profitable "religious" institutions to operate them with sister service
without paying either the wages or taxes required by the owners of
legitimate industries. Think how it must affect competition and the
wages of free workers.
Slavery of any degree is a curse to society as well as to the enslaved.
I beg every American to look into this question seriously before it is
too late. If you continue your sleepy indifference you may some day wake
up to find that you have over-slept, to find that your own flesh and
blood are being tricked and exploited into these "holy" institutions.
Under no condition should any institution, private or public, be
permitted to immure girls and young women and keep them in servitude,
hidden from their parents and friends and denied the common justice due
every citizen. The laws of this country are made "by the people and for
the people," and therefore, it is for the people of every state to see
that there is a law on the statute books calling for the inspection of
every institution where girls and women are incarcerated; the doors
opened, that the truth may be obtained from every inmate and redress
granted to all without intimidation.
As the convent system is now in vogue there is no redress, as I have
shown you, nor is there any protection from the convent crimes, as they
are absolutely under the government of the Roman Catholic hierarchy.
From behind the convent walls the heartbroken cries of the victims
cannot be heard by the deceived world, and therefore, there is no appeal
for justice.
Open the doors of every convent and monastery and let the deluded
victims return to the world and live useful lives if they so choose! Let
them be free to come and go at will, like any other citizen, and grant
them the liberty guaranteed by the Constitution to all within our
borders.
For the nuns who desire to leave the convent system, there should be in
every state a home where they can work out their own salvation, until
such a time as they are prepared to make their own living. Such a home
should be supervised in a manner to guarantee that the inmates will not
be intimidated by the priests or other representatives of Rome. Convent
work is all routine, and from the very day a girl enters she becomes as
a spoke in a wheel; her thoughts, judgment and body become an
incorporate part of the written rule and customary observances of the
system. From long seclusion, peculiar dress, separation from people and
all civil society, she becomes estranged to the habits and customs of
the world. On account of these conditions, the sisters feel very
sensitive and it makes them timid and shrink in embarrassment. If it was
not for these difficulties and barriers, and perhaps humiliations, there
are hundreds of sisters who would leave the convent system. Many of
them stay, not because they desire to do so, but because they do not
know where to go or what to do if they leave. I myself would have left
many years before, had I known where to have gone or what to have done.
Another thing every American citizen should work for and see to, is that
no sectarian school or institution of any nature shall receive financial
aid from the State. We are blessed with one of the greatest and best
public school systems in the world, and if they are not good enough for
the people to send their children to, then this is no country for such a
person. The taxpayer has enough to do without keeping up a school system
for the purpose of teaching "Hail! Mary!" or the Roman Catholic
catechism. Nor do we want sisters of the Roman Catholic sisterhood
teaching in our public school, attired in their religious garb. These
sisters have taken the vow of poverty, and yet draw their monthly salary
from the State school fund. Who do you suppose gets this money? Surely
not the poor sister! It of necessity goes to the church. In one county
of this state of Oregon we have seven sisters of the sisterhood of the
Roman Catholic church teaching in our public schools, attired in their
religious garbs. This information comes direct from the county school
superintendent's office.
Take away the parochial schools and the Roman Catholic system could not
long survive in this country, and, as I have stated in the beginning of
this book, the Roman Catholic system would not even have the parochial
schools if it were not for our public schools. They must have some means
of combating with the popular public education, and to do so institute
the parochial schools and demand of the good members of their parishes
to send their children to them.
So, it behooves us to have a law compelling every child between certain
ages to attend the _public_ school and to refuse further aid to
sectarian schools.
Theodore Roosevelt in his "American Ideals" says:
"... We stand unalterably in favor of the public-school system in its
entirety. We believe that English, and no other language, is that in
which all the school exercises should be conducted. We are against any
division of the school fund, and against any appropriation of public
money for sectarian purposes. We are against any recognition whatever by
the state in any shape or form of state-aided parochial schools."
Jeremiah J. Crowley says in his book, "The Parochial School, A Curse to
the Church, A Menace to the Nation":
"The Catholic parochial school in the United States is not founded on
loyalty to the Republic, and the ecclesiastics who control it would
throttle, if they could, the liberties of the American people.
"It is my profound conviction that the masses of the Catholic people
prefer the public schools, and that they send their children to the
parochial schools to avoid eternal punishment, as their pastors preach
from the pulpit, 'Catholic parents who send their children to the
godless public schools are going straight to hell.'"
Again Mr. Crowley says:
"Catholic public school opponents declare that at least one-third of the
American people favor their position. I deny it. I am morally certain
that not five per cent of the Catholic men of America endorse at heart
the parochial school. They may send their children to the parochial
schools to keep peace in the family and to avoid an open rupture with
the parish rector; they may be induced to pass resolutions of approval
of the parochial school in their lodges and conventions; but if it ever
becomes a matter of blood, not one per cent of them will be found
outside of the ranks of the defenders of the American public schools.
"If a perfectly free ballot could be cast by the Catholic men of America
for the perpetuity or suppression of the parochial school, it would be
suppressed by an astounding majority."
The above quotations were written by Mr. Crowley while he was yet a
priest in the church of Rome, and he evidently knew whereof he spoke. I
will comment no further, as these remarks speak for themselves and very
plainly.
Before I close, I wish to warn every Protestant parent about sending
their children to Roman Catholic institutions for some special training
which they claim to be superior in, and at the same time raise them to
be Protestants. The instructors in these institutions will promise that
they will use no influence to change the child's religious belief, but
the sisters are bound by rule to convert every person to the Roman
Catholic faith with whom she comes in contact, if she possibly can. If
influence and coercion are not used, the environment is there just the
same. Many times since I have left the sisterhood, mothers have come to
me in tears and grief and asked me to help them keep their daughters
from joining the Roman Catholic church or sisterhood. They would tell me
that when they had placed their children in these institutions, the
sisters had told them that no influence would be used to change their
religious faith. Maybe not, but if such a person does not accede to the
demands of those in charge and go to mass and say the prayers of a Roman
Catholic, conditions are made very disagreeable for them and they soon
learn that it is best for them to go through the performance, even
though they do not believe it. Then, as time goes on, these practices
become imbedded in their hearts and minds, until at last they become
hypnotized, so to speak, by the superstitious teaching and practices of
the Roman Catholic religion.
In this small volume I have told of the practices and teachings of the
Roman Catholic church and convent as I have lived them. I am sometimes
asked if I can prove this or that. If any of you, dear readers, will
live these things as I have lived them they will be realistic enough to
you. God's Word says, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make
you free."
I may have written with prejudice, and I ask God to prejudice me against
_all_ wrong that I may live to do His work and glorify Him. He knows
that I hold no ill-feeling against _any_ Roman Catholic
individual--laity, sister, priest or archbishop. But the system they
represent--the system that I have served so faithfully for so many
years--I have no sympathy for. Whatever a sister, priest or archbishop
may be, the system has made them. I only hope and pray that they will
all see the light and come out of their superstition and live the
religious life they entered the Roman Catholic church to live. God's
Word says, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
In the last lines of this book, I wish to plead with each and every
American to stand for the right, and do not be afraid to show your
colors. Stand for the true American principles; stand by that Wonder of
Wonders, the Menace--which has been a Martin Luther in print; and above
all, _stand together_. Unite--for without union there is no strength.
Follow the Roman Catholic system in this respect. And when the patriotic
men and women do unite on one common ground and for the one cause--love
of God, freedom and country--there need be no fear of a second St.
Bartholemew's Day; there need be no fear of a repetition of the terrible
Inquisition of Spain; there need be no fear of internal strife as poor,
blood-drenched Mexico is experiencing today.
All I ask is for you to think on the few thoughts I have endeavored to
give you in plain words, and to take the warning as coming from one who
lived for thirty-one years.
"THE DEMANDS OF ROME"
Yes, a church without a Bible
Is like a ship without a sail,
Trying to withstand the tempest
In some fearful, howling gale;
Yes, a church without a Bible
Is like a general in the fight,
Who is trying empty-handed
To put enemies to flight.
It will surely be defeated;
Foes without and foes within
Drag it onward, downward, plunging
In a deep abyss of sin.
In the Bible is many a remedy;
If 'twas hidden in its heart,
It from pagan rules and customs
Would forevermore depart.
APPENDIX.
I hesitate to add this appendix, for I have copied a great many
documents and letters in the preceding chapters. But this case, which I
will present to you, will be additional proof that the same wrongs which
I tried to right, existed years before and that there was no redress.
Sister Paul of the Sacred Heart presented her complaint to her local
superiors, but was utterly ignored. She next addressed herself to
Archbishop Paul Bruchasie of Montreal, who was her ecclesiastical
superior. Archbishop Bruchasie answered her, saying that it was none of
her affairs to be busying herself about these matters and that it would
be better for her if she would say her prayers, be an humble and
obedient religious. That looking after the affairs of the community was
her superior's business and that God would punish her for her
presumption and pride.
She then addressed herself to the Roman Apostolic Delegate at
Washington, D. C., the following being a copy of her statement in behalf
of the sisters of this country:
I, Sister Paul of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Order of the
Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor, most respectfully submit the
following articles to the proper Ecclesiastical Authorities--Subject of
Complaint, involving a right to demand justice by the members of the
Order who are not French or French Canadian. All members of the Order
who are not French or French Canadian are slaves. To prove the above
assertion, I will state facts as follows:
1. All the higher officers of the Order such as Superior General,
Councillors General, Provincial Superior and Councillors, have always,
with the exception of one German Provincial, been French Canadian
Sisters.
2. When rights have been called for, only one provincial councillor was
given in the province, which is manifestly of little practical utility,
she being one among five, four of which being Canadian.
At the last general chapter, one assistant general was elected, and this
only through the interposition of the Archbishop of Montreal. As she was
the one who had filled the office of provincial councillor in the
province of the Sacred Heart, her place in that council was left vacant,
and it was immediately filled by a Canadian sister.
3. The opening clause of No. 200 of our constitution, and all sense of
justice, are flagrantly and officially violated, not only in the ways
above mentioned, but we are not even permitted to have a sufficient
number of representatives in the general chapter, no, nor even one. And
thus superiors are thrust upon us without our consent--and laws of which
we had no voice in the making.
No. 200 of our constitution reads thus: "The spirit of nationality must
be banished as the most dangerous enemy of an institution created to
serve the church in all countries of the earth, without distinction of
people or language, etc."
4. When it was known by the Superior General and her council that
complaints had been made to Ecclesiastical Superiors, a member and
representative of the General Council was sent to the Western provinces,
and she used her utmost endeavors in our provincial house to make the
sisters afraid to address complaints to the ecclesiastical superiors.
5. Novices of all other nationalities are received into all the
novitiates, who, of course, do not realize until after the last vows,
that they are to be treated as subordinates in the order. Thus we occupy
a position inferior to that of the coadjutrix sister, for they are
admitted only on condition of being subject to the vocal nuns, and
consent to this condition and therefore are not slaves.
6. Is it not a public insult to the sisters of this country, that only
French sisters are constantly kept in offices which have relation with
seculars? And this enhanced by the fact that French sisters are, as a
rule, not suitable to govern an English-speaking province, as they
neither understand the ways of the people nor even of the sisters not
French, nor conduct matters in a manner to do them good, not to speak of
their imperfect knowledge of the language, and that sisters of a rude
and inferior character are often placed in relation with outsiders.
7. Sisters who are not French have been treated with the least
consideration, either as to their health (and this even sometimes to the
extreme), or to their human feelings. And the schools, which are of
necessity taught by English-speaking sisters, have been much neglected
by the Canadian superiors as to equipment.
The only reason for this injustice that could be alleged is that there
are no English-speaking sisters competent to fill the offices. But this
would be false and absurd, for from the time of our Foundresses, there
have always been some of these who were able to fill high offices and
conduct the business of the order, and at present I could mention many
who are able for anything that might be asked for them.
As for the spirit of the Order, is it not possessed far more fully by
those who have patiently and faithfully toiled during long years under
an unjust administration, rather than those who officially and
persistently carry on matters in a spirit of nationality?
Therefore, in the name of justice, in the name of all of our professed
sisters who are afraid to complain to Ecclesiastical Superiors, in the
name of those who are too young to realize the position thrust upon
them, in the name of future members of the Order, and in my name, I most
respectfully ask and demand of the proper Ecclesiastical Authority to
arrange these matters in the spirit of religion and justice.
As a simple command given in writing or by word of mouth, or even
inserted in the Customary would have no other than temporary effect, I
shall consider my petition granted only when there will be inserted in
the constitution an explicit and emphatic rule that will give us our own
rights and forever prohibit all such injustice and tyranny.
It seems to me that in all conscience it has been borne too long and
that after fifty years of endurance we should have our rights as soon as
possible.
I feel confident that the wise and holy rulers of the Church will as
soon as possible act in accordance with these principles.
Reverently, and with profound respect, I sign myself an humble and
obedient child of the Church
SISTER PAUL OF THE SACRED HEART.
As soon as it was reported at the various houses of the order that
Sister Paul was endeavoring to obtain the enactment of rules for the
equal recognition of all sisters, the local superior of one of these
houses wrote a letter containing a petition to the Mother House, asking
them not to recognize the appeal of Sister Paul for justice. This
letter and petition was sent from house to house, obtaining all the
signatures possible. Several sisters told me that they were requested to
sign the petition without being allowed to read the contents.
The following is a copy of the letter and petition written by Sister M.
Alexander:
Providence Hospital, Everett, Wash., January 9, 1905.
My very dear Sister:
You are no doubt aware that for some time past our poor,
misguided Sister Paul of the Sacred Heart has been trying to
create disunion and dissatisfaction in the Community,
particularly among those who are not French or of Canadian
birth. She has gone so far as to write to the higher
ecclesiastical authority to obtain redress for fancied wrongs
which have no existence save in her disordered imagination.
She has used our names without our knowledge or consent to give
color and strength to her assertions. Therefore in justice to
ourselves, personally and collectively, it is high time for us
to act in a way so dignified, vigorous and religious that our
loyalty and unswerving fidelity to our beloved community may
never be questioned; and that this testimonial of our devotion
to the government, customs and usages of the order to which we
have the happiness of belonging, may be placed on the record in
the archives of the Mother House and of the Provincial House as
an undeniable proof that we forever abhor any act or word or
deed contrary to the spirit of our cherished Mother House or
its past or present or future government. Therefore, let each
American Sister (Member) sign the accompanying document, act of
submission, freely and willingly according to the dictates of
her conscience. Let the document be transmitted in regular
order to all the houses of the Province and then forwarded to
our worthy Mother Provincial that she may have the satisfaction
of conveying to our esteemed Mother General this undying proof
of our filial devotion and everlasting attachment.
_Document_--We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that the
action of Sister Paul of the Sacred Heart against the
Community, and that her assertions that the constitutions are
officially violated in the absence of American members from the
general and provincial councils is condemned by us. We denounce
any act by which she threatens division on the ground of
nationality. We declare our refusal to take part in any act
against the government of the community. We further pledge
allegiance and loyalty to our community and superiors in office
and recognize their authority as eminating from God.
SISTER M. ALEXANDER.
Answer of Sister Paul to the document circulated by Sister M. Alexander:
I, Sister Paul of the Sacred Heart, positively declare that I
never tried to create disunion in the community, nor have I
ever either taken any action against the community or
endeavored to incite any other Sister to do so. Neither have I
advocated division or rebellion, but have spoken against both
these. Nor have I sent the names of the sisters to higher
ecclesiastical superiors.
All that I have done towards ameliorating existing conditions
is the following: I have written to higher ecclesiastical
authorities and spoken to them, as I have a perfect right to do
and shall do so again if I feel such to be my duty.
I also advised other sisters to address ecclesiastical
superiors concerning what other sisters of sound mind, as well
as myself, considered to be an injustice. These matters are
public, and we have a right to speak of them.
Furthermore, I have spoken only to sisters who have spent some
years in the Order; while the slandering paper dated Everett,
January 9, 1905, which was sent to the American sisters of this
province for them to sign, was given into the hands of very
young sisters.
I declare that paper to be a libel against my character, as is
easily perceived on reading it together with what I have
written above.
I therefore demand, in justice to myself, that a copy of this
present writing be pasted below the writing of each of the two
copies of the paper circulated for the American sisters of the
Province to sign, which are kept respectively in the archives
of the Mother House in Montreal and in those of the Provincial
House in Vancouver.
I also declare, that until my reputation shall be fully cleared
from the false accusations contained in that paper, I shall
consider myself as living under the unjust action or sanction
of the responsible superiors.
House of Providence,
Vancouver, Wash., Dec. 14th, 1906.
The result: Sister Alexander was made superior and was elevated to the
very best houses of the order, among them St. Vincent's Hospital,
Portland, Oregon. This is the same Sister Alexander who was superior
when I was taken out of St. Vincent's.
Sister Paul was sent to the Mother House in Montreal, Canada, to while
away her time translating French into English.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Demands of Rome, by Elizabeth Schoffen