Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-30

saints and as guilty of superstition in invoking
the saints, and praying for the souls in purga-
tory; as usurping a divine power of forgiving
sins, and imposing the yoke of confession on
the people---as giving leave to commit sin by
indulgences--as despising the obligation OF an
oath---as dividing their allegiance between the
king and the pope---as claiming the property
Of the church establishment---as holding the un-
charitable doctrines Of exclusive salvation, and
as maintaining that faith is not to be kept with
heretics
We are at a loss to conceive why the holding
of certain religious doctrines, which have no
connexlon with civil or social duties, whether
those doctrines are taken in the sense IN which
they are misconuued by others, or IN the sense
in which they are uniformly understood by Ca
tholics, should be made subject OF crimina-
ton against British Catholics, by those who as
sumo the liberty Of thinking what they please,
in matters of religious belief II is difficult 10
understand, why doctrines purely religious, in
no wise affecting the duties which Catholics
owe to theirsovereign or to civil society, should
be brought forward at all, when the question
relates only to the civil rights and privileges,
which they claim as British subjects. 1t is
much to be wished that those who declaim "a
OF. popery, would first learn from Catholics
themselves, by inquiry, whatiheir real doctrines
are, on the points ABOVE aludedto, and in what
sense Catholics understand the terms by which
their doctrines are expressed. They would per-
haps find that they have been hitherto contend
ing, not against the Cath Ole faith, but against
the hctions oftheir own imaginations, or against
their own demonstrations of the language Of
the Catholic church.
Though we might refer to former expositions
of the faith Of Catholics which we deem amply
sufficient to correct the misconceptions, and to
refute, the misrepresentation Of our doctrines;
vet, it having been stated TO us, tina, by publish
ing at the present time, plain and correct dec
laration of our real Ienets on those points which
are still misrepresented, or misconceived, bet
ter understanding may be established among
his Majesty's subjects, and the advancement of
religion and charity may be effected; hence, we,
the undersigned Catholic Bishops, the Wears
Apostolic, and their coadjutors in Great Britain,
have thought it our duty to publish the follow
ing declaration, in the hope that it will be re-
ceived by all who read it, with the same love Of
truth, and the same goodwill with which it is
given.
SECTION 1Onthe General Character of the Doctrines
of Faith professed by the Catholic Church.
The doctrines of the Catholic Church are Oft
en- characterised as erroneous, unscript,tral and
unreasonable.
All those doctrines, and only those doctrines,
are articles Of Catholic faith, which are reveal
ed by Almighty God
Whatsoever is revealed by God, who knows
all things as they are in themselves, and who
cannot deceive US, by teaching falsehooa for
truth, is most true and certain; though il may
entirely surpass the comprehension Of created
minds.
On the authority of divine revelation, the Ca
tholic believes, as doctrines Of faith, that in one
God there are three distinct persons, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost; that Jesus Christ
who died on the cross for the salvation of man
kind, is second person of the Blessed Trinity
true God and true Man; that there is no rems-
sion of sin, nor salvation but through him; that
the sacraments of baptism and penance are di-
yinely appointed means for the remission Of sin;
that in the mass, true, proper, and propitiato-
ry sacrifice is offered to God for the living and
the dead; that the souls detained in purgatory
are helped by the suffrages of the faithful; tina,
the saints reignng together with Christ, are to
be honored anG invocated; that at the last day
our OOuleS VIII OC IdISSu iEOln uedlIl, anu tndt
Christ will come to Judge all men according to
their works; that eternal happiness will be the
reward of the good, and eternal misery the pu
nishment of the wicked.
If these, and other doctrines of Catholic faith,
are really revealed by Almighty God, they are
not erroneous, but most true and certain-they
are not unscriptural, but agreeable to the true
sense of the written WORD of God-the belief of
them is not unreasonable, because il is reasona-
bic to believe whatever is true, and taught by
the God of truth
The Catholic is fully persuaded that all the
articles of his faith are really revealed by Al
mighty God.
Is he not at liberty to think so, as we'll as 9th
ers are TO think the contrary; and in this empire
especially, where liberty of thought is so loud
ly proclaimed and lauded? Is it reasonable or
charitable to condemn him for thinking So
when he may have good and solid grounds for
his conviction, and may feel that his eternal sal
walton depends on his firm belief Of all the doc
trines which Christ has taught?
SECTION II.-on the grounds of the gertrude which
Catholic has, that all the Doctrines whchh believes
as articles of Catholic Faith are really revealed by
Almighty God
Catholics are often charged with grounding
their faith on mere human authority, and not on
The ,Oord of God