2. The Catholic officers of the Spanish ship Cataluna were hampered in the gathering of the wounded and orphans at Messina to take them to Rome for disposition of the Pope. This ship has been placed under direct control of the Pope by the Count of Comillas, the owner.
3. The Pope was interfered with in placing orphans in the care of the French priest, Santol. (The Pope has offered to care for 2,000 earthquake orphans, one-half of whom were to be put in charge of Father Santol.)”
From the above it appears that part of the money contributed by our fellow-citizens, irrespective of creed and nationality, is being used by missionary societies and others against Catholicity. Some of our Catholic fellow-citizens feared that such would likely be the case, but they nevertheless contributed liberally, thinking that in such a crisis and such distress haste was necessary and bigotry would not be allowed to have part. But from the above statements it is evident that their fears were well founded, and if it turns out that the statements are true, the Red Cross Society, though splendid in its aims, will never be trusted again by the 15,000,000 of Catholics in this country, nor by the 270,000,000 Catholics the world over.
Your organization is no doubt aware that all civilized countries now acknowledge the right of the child to be educated in the religion of its parents, and though the Red Cross Society of America may not have anything to do with the education of these children without religion, it has the right and duty to protest against funds sent from America being used in such a way as to outrage justice.
It will not be amiss to show you how few Protestants there are in Italy:
Last summer at the International Congress of Religious Liberals, held in Boston, Rev. Tony Andre, of Italy, gave these statistics: “Italy is essentially a Catholic country. Out of the 32,475,253 inhabitants enumerated in the census of 1901, 31,539,863 declared themselves Catholics; that is, 97.12 per cent of the population. All told there were 65,595 Protestants, 20,538 of whom were foreigners. At the same time, 795,276 were unwilling to say to what religion they belonged, and 36,092 declared they were of no religion.” This will show that practically all the children to be cared for are Catholics.
We address this open letter to your society and expect that you will give the matter referred to therein immediate investigation and consideration.
Very respectfully, yours,
THE AMERICAN FED. OF CATH. SOCIETIES.
ANTHONY MATRE, National Secretary.