Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-21
Reformation in the Catholic Church.


Reformation in the Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic Church in Europe seem.
| to be on the eve Of n New Reformation. not les.
| remarkable than that which Luther inau gurated IN
| the sixteenth century. Since that period no .ucl
| step has been taken by the clergy as that which
We announce. Memorial. signed by five hun
drcd aud seven Austrian priests Of the Romis
Church. bas been addressed to the Cardinal Prince
Archbishop Of Vienna. lie is the author of thr
Concordat. against which the working clergy di-
rect their circumstances, though i. is evident thu,
that document is only rested upon rs platform
upon which To make demands for the subversiol
Of several Of the most ancient regulations of the
Church. The old Lutheran spirit manfests itsel
in the extent and power of the demands, ~ con
veyed in the language Of the remonstrants. The
liberty of justice evidently fires their determine
ton.
In the memorial, the five hundred and seven
toiling priests declare that the concordat coners
on the bishops privileges and more power,
while upon the real clergy. the t0iling and self
sacrificing priests. falls all the odium and moral
dctestation Of the people. They pronounce that
the religion which they are to uphold has become
"the object Of universal dcrsion"-for the most
moderate members Of society wrathfml against
the ordinances esablstel in the Middle Ages and
now handed down with all their blackness to the
light of our present civilization. The complaint
proceeds then, by showing that the poor, unpaid
priests, who nre kept like slaves by their spiritual
and luxurious masters, have to bear up against
all the censures and curses Of soclety--that they
are made the instruments OF wrong and oppres-
sion. and have To stand the brunt Of all dissntis
faction, while the inventors Of the evil revcl i'll
privileges and luxurcs.
Among the details which the rcmonstrants cite
is the payment granted to tho executors Of the
ordinances of the Church, which IN 50 ptliully
Snall that they are forced to levy. in the shape of
fees and taxes upon the small means of the pep-
pie who naturally groan over and quarrel with
such disgraceiul exnctions. Thus, it Is declared,
that rc gon IL made, instead Of n comfort, un-
easy burthen. which tho people feel the more, as
the poor priests ARE over "kel IN the discussions
on the subject. while they classcd for censnre
with those bishops who indulge i'll abundance and
luxury The old monkish priests, too, arc drcin-
red to he degrading and injurious to reliSion.-
Such eec@mosy nares are deemed reprchcusible
in every respect. Their lllrne-s is ccnsurcd ns
conflicting with the rights of the telling priests.
who are entitled To the revenues of such useless
branches Of the Church.
Such is the general character Of the complaints
In other points they take bold stand. hut in no
one Of them are they irmcr than IN the demand
for the nbrogai1n Of the ordinance by which cell
hacv is enipined upon the clergy. They declare
upon them the odum of suspicion, subjects them
to snecring and contempt. and DESTROYS the moral
character of the priest. making them abcttors in
the dissolution oi society. particularly among the
lower classes They urge lhnt the law should be