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Title: Rebels or Reformers: Dissenting Priests in American Life by William Barnaby Faherty ISBN: 0-8294-0587-9 Publisher: Loyola Pr Pub. Date: April, 1988 Format: Hardcover List Price(USD): $12.95

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Summary: Rebels with Purposes
Comment: When I first saw the cover of "Rebels or Reformers? Dissenting Priest in American Life" I was convinced that this was a book which I did not want to read. As I traditional Catholic who places a high premium on loyalty to the Church, I find the mention of dissenting priests to be distasteful. Later, when I did read it with Fr. Faherty's encouragement, I was most pleasantly surprised.

This book is a collection of brief biographies of ten priests who, in taking courageous stands, rebelled against either their superiors or the prevailing cultural mores. Their stories give an insight into the rich contributions these priests have made to American life.

The first featured priest is one whom I have studied extensively, the French-Canadian missionary, Fr. Pierre Gibault. Fr. Gibault spent his career in the what was then the Illinois Country. From 1768 to 1802 he served the scattered communities of Cahokia and Kaskaskia, Illinois, St. Louis and New Madrid, Missouri and Vincennes, Indiana. Fr. Gibault's interaction rendezvous with destiny began with the arrival of the Virginia militia at Kaskaskia on July 4, 1778. Fr. Gibault's ecclesiastical superior the Bishop of Quebec, had instructed his flock to support the British cause, partly because of British support of religious freedom in Canada. Despite his instructions, Fr. Gibault successfully encouraged the habitants of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes to support Clark and the Americans. Without the support of these French and their Indian allies, it is quite likely that Clark's mission would have failed resulting in a more southerly boundary line between the United States and Canada in the Western Great Lakes region.

Peace among nations did not bring peace to Gibault. Ignored by both the Bishop of Quebec and Bishop Carroll of Baltimore, who jurisdiction covered the United States, Fr. Gibault ultimately crossed to the Spanish west bank of the Mississippi to conclude his career under in New Madrid, Missouri.

The actions of Fr. Gibault, the first dissenting priest in American history, played a major role in determining the extent of the country whose cause he adopted.

The second dissident priest is another about whom I have studied and written, John B. Bannon. Ordained in Ireland at a time of clerical surplus, Bannon followed so many other Irish across the water to serve his compatriot, Archbishop Peter Kenrick of St. Louis. Settling in St. Louis, a city to be divided by Civil War, Bannon served as pastor of St. John Parish where he presided over the building of its church in which I occasionally worship. With the coming of war, Bannon, in disobedience of Archbishop Kenrick's orders of neutrality, slipped away to serve as chaplain of the First Missouri Confederate Brigade. After capture and parole, Bannon undertook a mission to Ireland to discourage young men from immigrating to join the Union Army. Cognizant of anti-southern climate prevalent in Missouri after the war, as well as the displeasure of Archbishop Kenrick, Fr. Bannon remained in Ireland where he became one of the leaders of the Irish Jesuit community.

The third featured dissident, Fr. John Cummings, became entangled in controversy flowing out of the Civil War. The Missouri Constitution of 1865 required clergymen to take an oath denying 86 acts ranging from outright treason to "admitting dissatisfaction with the government of the United States. Archbishop Kenrick had advised his priests not to take the oath, apparently in hopes that it would not be enforced. Enforced it was and Fr. Cummings, of Louisiana, Missouri, became the test case for the oath. Convicted and confined to jail for a week, the case ultimately became a politically charged issue in the Supreme Court of the United States where the conviction was overturned on a 5-4 vote. His moment in history over, Fr. Cummings had only three years of service left before his untimely death in 1870.

For the next few chapters, Fr. Faherty turns to priests who became involved in social justice issues. Fr. Cornelius O'Leary sided the Knights of Labor in 1886 in its struggle with the Missouri Pacific Railroad in DeSoto, Missouri. In so doing, Fr. O'Leary placed himself in direct opposition to the position of his Archbishop, Peter Kenrick. Always a supporter of labor, Fr. O'Leary was denied a pastorate for the lifetime of Archbishop Kenrick.

The story of Fr. Edward McGlynn of New York highlights his efforts to fight poverty in late 19th Century New York by supporting the economic and political initiatives of Henry George. George's promotion of the single tax theory was condemned by Church authorities in the United States and Rome. Fr. McGlynn's actions lead to his priestly suspension for a time before his reinstatement to his priestly duties.

The first half of the 20th Century saw the work of Fr. John Ryan to implement the social principles of Rerum Novarum through support of labor legislation in the United States.

The struggle for Negro equality attracted the efforts of many priests, represented by three of Fr. Faherty's heroes. Fr. Stephen Theobold was the first black priest trained in the United States. Throughout his career he challenged the color barrier in the Church. Fr. William Markoe, S.J., devoted himself to the then unpopular Negro apostolate in St. Louis. Fr. Louis Twomey, S.J., spent his career working for social progress throughout the south until his death in 1969.

The final biography is that of Fr. John Courtney Murray, S.J., a theologian who played a major role in leading the church to greater support for religious freedom, culminating in the Vatican II's "Declaration of Religious Liberty".

These brief biographies give us an insight into the important role played by these priest in guiding the life of our country and church. They are stories truly worth reading and pondering.