The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-15
The Catholic Church.
PASTORAL LETTER OF THE PIE.
LATES OF THE PLENAaT
COUNCIL.
Strong CenSIre OF Secret Societies.
Protest against Stale Laws Regu-
lating Church Pr0perty--Coudem-
nation OF Immoral Anusements,
Pairs, and Eotteries--Dnty of the
Church In Relation to Freedmen.

The prelates and ecclesiastics who compos-
ed the grand plensry council of the Rom n
catholic church, lately in session in q fillmore
have issued pastoral letter, under the date
oil. Ocsober Fl. The letter opens with d dis
cusaion of the authority of plenarY councils,
lad, after quoting lie ipj unctlua OF ST. Paul
-"Obey yuur prelates." il neIiiias the faith
fuI thas when they are warned either collec.
lively az in The present instance, or simply
IN the respective dioDaseY, to avoid secret so
cietleS, aud 81 associations which are pre-
nounced unlawful, they cannot on peril of
their souls, disregard tho admon;t.on
In treating of the relations at the church
to ths state, the pastoral Claims that the
church is tho porai power; while IL com
plains thatstats laws assume to regulate the
manner by which church property shall be
held, contrary to the eanons and discipline of
the catholic church, it proceeds:
'These laws, however, are for the most part based
on principles which the church cannot accept with
outdeparting from her practice from the beginning
as soon as she was permitted to enioyibeEty Of
ship.
"Ihey are expressions of distrust of ecclesias-
tlcal power SUCH, and the fruits OF misrepre
sentaton which have been ade of the action of the
cnurch Ia past ages As well mig civil power pre-
scribe to her the doctrine she has teach and the
worship with which she is to honor God, impose
on her system OF holding her temporaIities which
Is alien to her principles and which is borrowed from,
those who have rejected her authority
instead OF seeking to dispose of the various
alleged Tor the denial of the church rights in soma
OF the states, content ourselves with the formal
protest we hereby gaiIlst it and lriav raoo
that even in the supposition which we bv no means
admit, thai such denial the result Of legitimate
motives, the denial Itself is incompatible Nth Inc
full measure OF ecclesiastical or religions Iber+,
which we are supposed to enjoy"
Thu pastoral directs that consribufio, :;
aid of the Pope be taken up annually in ali
the congregations. The political change, in
Italy are referred 10 as trials and humiIia
ti,ns to the Holy Father, while the fortitude OF
the Pope under these circumstances is allud.
Cd to with profound interest
The pastoral devotes considerable space to
the sacrament OF matrimony, and urges that
marriage be contracted before the altar of
God
Touching upon the press, the pastoral then
citss the council of Trent as requiring that
gii books that srsat of religion to be su bmit.
mitted to the diocesan. Even then it saws tho
book has no episcopal sanction it has merely
the guarantee Of freedom from error in faith
or morals. Catholic journals are not to be
Identified with the bishop who may indnrss
them. This Endorsement merely designates
the paper as one in which the bishop will
cause TO be inserted such official documents
as he from time to time may have to pub
lish. aa $500 H III
In regard to education, religions teaching
and training are regarded as indispensable,
apd the establishment Of catholic industrial
schools or pfotectories il urged, to save ohil-
dren from the sectarian fstormatories, where