Byron and Patrick Kenehan writes McMaster on behalf of the parishioners of St. Mary's in Waseca County, Minnesota, who have been established in their parish by consent of Bishop Thomas L. Grace and Bishop John Ireland, for over 25 years. For over 15 years their parish, which now numbers between 450 and 500 souls, has had a resident priest, who has been provided with a suitable residence. About one year ago their church burned down, and the insurance company paid them the amount of their policy, $7,000, deducting only $126. This money, however, was confiscated by Bishop Ireland, who has not given it back but has intimated that he intends to build a church about three miles from the site of the original one, and compel the parishioners of St. Mary's as well as those of a neighboring parish, whose church is as old as the one that burned at St. Mary's, to attend it. This proposed church would be about seven miles from some parishioners, a distance which, in the rigorous climate, would make attendance at church almost impossible much of the year. The people at St. Mary's are greatly attached to their church. Remembering Bishop Ireland's promise that they would always have a church there, they paid about $11,000 for the building and grounds about six years ago, and now are much distracted at the thought of the Bishop's being able to confiscate their money and build a church for the neighboring parish, which contributed nothing to the building of the burned one. If Bishop Ireland carries through his plan, great harm will be done to religion, since the value of the church land will decrease greatly, and besides, many of the St. Mary's parishioners will lose their ardor, if not their faith. Byron appeals to McMaster to say whether the Bishop has the right to do as he plans, and reminds him that if he has the right some parishioners would submit, but many would not. He has written McMaster before and received no answer. He begs him to answer now. :: I-2-g A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.