A Parish Divided in Colton

There was an exciting time at the Catholic church in Colton last Sunday morning during high mass. The priest, Rev. A. Johren, had made a special request of J. J. Grief and wife to attend services. This is the young couple who were recently married at Lewiston by a justice and remarried at Colton by Father Frei. When the time came for the sermon, Rev. Johren publicly denounced this young couple for their action. He stated that he, as priest of this parish, had sent his written consent to Father Myer that the couple be married by the latter, and, ignoring this, they had secured the services of a 'squire.' Then, knowing that in order to remain communicants of the church they must have the union blessed by a priest, they had gone to Colton and had that ceremony performed by a man who had no right whatever to give that blessing. Rev. Johren concluded with the astounding statement that the couple were not married according to the rites of the church, and they had much better have taken an outcast from the streets to bless their union than have had it performed by the man they selected. So, to remain Catholics they must make public apology before the whole congregation and be remarried for the third time by him. As a continuation of his 'sermon' he debarred from the Easter communion all members of secret societies and those who were behind in church dues. Considerable indignation was expressed by the parishioners, and the stand the priest has taken was strongly condemned by leading Catholics.