April 13 was the Wednesday preceding Easter. The authorities of the Church were unable to answer this charge of heresy until the following Monday, as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday intervened. Before the Archbishop could reply Father Feeney publicly supported the fired men.

The Battle in the Newspapers

Archbishop Cushing made his first public announcement on April 18. It appeared in the form of a signed decree in the Boston papers, which said in part: "Because of grave offenses against the general laws of the Catholic Church. The Rev. Leonard Feeney, S. J., has lost the right to perform any priestly functions, including preaching and teaching of religion.

"Any Catholics who frequent St. Benedict's Center, or who in any way take part in or assist its activities forfeit the right to receive the sacraments of penance and Holy Eucharist."

Archbishop Cushing also was "thus obliged to reveal the unhappy fact that Father Feeney has been defying the orders of his legitimate superiors for more than seven months, and since January 1 has not possessed the faculties of his archdiocese."

That afternoon Father Feeney announced that he believed his present silencing was "totally invalid." There the matter rested except for a statement by the Archbishop that the headlines were no place to settle a question of doctrine.

Four days later the Boston papers reported that Vatican authorities said Archbishop Cushing was within his rights in "silencing" Father Feeney and described the disciplinary action as valid. These same authorities described the conflict as a purely local one to be decided by local authorities (the Archbishop). In case of an appeal the matter could be decided by a congregation of the Holy Sec. But the Archbishop had already spoken, and so Father Feeney appealed the decision.

The answer to the appeal came from Rome this month. It apparently went against Father Feeney. The answer, according to the Boston Herald, "used severe terms of censure against both the priest and his group." The Herald went on to say, "The Supreme Congregation of the Holy Office, which safeguards the faith and morals, had its decision approved by the Holy Father on July 28. The decision adjured the group to return to the Church at the peril of their souls."

The complete text of the decision was written in a letter signed by Archbishop Marchetti-Salvagianni and sent to Archbishop Cushing. Excerpts from it appeared in the "Pilot." According to the United Press Father Feeney denounced the excerpts as having been edited so as to detract from his side of the argument and build up the Archbishop's position. He was reported by the UP to have refused to go to the Chancery to read the full text of the letter and to have denied admittance to the priest the Archbishop sent to St. Benedict's to transmit the letter.

The Chaplain of St. Benedict's has denied ever reading the entire letter; he says he was offered only excerpts.

The Next Stop

Father Feeney is currently waiting for and "ex cathedra" pronouncement ("infallible pronouncement") from the Pope on the current dogma to be followed. He has announced that he has no intention of harming the Church, and will certainly recant. "In any event,' 'he says, "I will remain a true Catholic always."

That is the way the "Boston Heresy Case" stands now. Both sides accuse the other of heresy and back up the accusation with historical references proing their points to their respective satisfaction.

Father Feeney, believing firmly that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church and that any other doctrine is a misinterpretation of the true dogma, has built St. Benedict's Center up from a recreation hall to a school. His scholars join in "bull sessions" like those of the early days and answer students' questions with certainty. Father Feeney said they answer questions the average college student would not be willing to put to a priest.

St. Benedict's Charity