Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-11-10
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THE SECOND PLENARY COUNCIL OF
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE RELATIONS OF THE
CHURCH TO THE STATE.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ShtDAOn
ON THE RELATIONS OF THE
CHURCH 10 THE STATE.
The enemies of the Church fail not to rep
resent her claims as incompatible with the
independence Of the civil power, and her
actions as impeding the exertlOns OF the
State 10 promote the well-being Of society.
So far from these charges being founded IN
fact the authority and influence OF the
Church will be found to be the most ettca-
c;ous support Of the temporal authority by
which society il governed. The Church,
indeed. does not proclaim the absolute and
entire independence Of the power, becauselt
teaches with the Apostle, that 'all power IS
of GoD;" that the temporal magistrate IS
His minister, and that the power OF the
sword he Yields is a delegated exercise OF
authority committed 20 him from on high.
For the children Of the Church, obedience
TO the civil power is not submission to ioree
which NAV not be resisted, nor merely the
compliance with a condition for peace and
security, but religious duty founded on
obedience TO Con, by whose authority the
civil magistrate exercises his power. Ihls
power. however, as subordinate and delega-
ted, must always be exercised agreeabiy TO
Cons law. In prescribing anything con-
trary TO that law the civil power transcends
its authority, and has no claim on the ODE
dience of the citizen. Never can it be law
fol 10 disobey Con. as the Apostles, PETER
and JOHN, 80 explicitly declared before the
tribunal which sat in judgment on them
eff it be Just in the sight of COB TO hear you
rather than Con, judge ye.D
This undeniable principle does not, how
ever, entail the same consequences IN the
Catholic system as in those Of the sects. In
these the Individual is the ultimate judge Of
what the law Of God commands or torblds,
and Il consequently liable 10 claim the sane
ton Of the higher law, for what after all
may be, and often is, but the suggestions OF
an Undetermined mind, or an over-heated
Imagination. Nor can the civil government
be expected 10 recognize an authority which
has no warrant for It's character as divine,
and no limit in its application, without ex-
posing the State TO disorder and anarchy.
The Catholic has guide in the Church, as
q divine institution, which enables him TO
discriminate between what the law Of God
forbids or allows; and this authority the
State is bound to recognize as supreme in its
sphere-of moral, no less than dOgmatic
teaching. There may, indeed, be instances
in which individual Catholics will make
misapplication Of the principle; or, IN
which, while the principle Of obedience to
civil authority is recognized as Of divine
obligation. the seat Of that authority may be
q matter Of doubt, by reason Of the elashing
opinions that prevail in regard to this i'm
portant fact. The Church does not assume
10 decide such matters in the temporal or
der, as she is not the Judge Of civil contro-
versies, although she always, when invited
TO do so, has endeavOred TO remove the mis-
conceptions from which disputes so often
arise, and to consult for every interest while
maintaing the peace Of society and the
rights Of justice.
While cheerfully recognizing the fact, that
hitherto the General and State Governments
Of cur country, except in some brief inter
walls of excitement and delusion, have not
interferred with our ecclesiastical OrganiZa-
ton or civil rights, we still have to lament
that in many Of the States we are not as yet
permitted legally, to make those arrange
ments for the security Of church property,
which are in accordance with the canOns and
discipline Of the Catholic Church. In some
Of the States we gratefully acknowledge that
all IL granted in this regard that we
could reasonably ask for. The right of
the Church 70 possess property, whether
churches, residences for the clergy, cemete-
ries, or school-houses, asylums, etc, cannot
be denied without depriving her of a neces-
sary means of promoting the end for which
she has been established. We are aware Of
the alleged grounds for this refusal to re-
cognize the Church in her corporate capacity,
unless on the condition, that in the matter
Of the tenure Of ecclesiastical property, she
conform 20 the general laws providing for
this object.
The laws, however, are for the most part
based on principles which she cannot ac-
cept, without departing from her practice
from the beginning, as soon as she was per
mitted TO enjoy liberty Of worship. They
are the expression OF a distrust Of ecclesias-
teal power as such; and are the fruit Of
the misrepresentation which have been
made Of the action Of the Church in past
ages As well might the civil power pre-
scribe 10 her the doctrines she is to teach
and the worship with which she is to hon
or Con, as TO impose on her system OF
holding her temporalities, which is alien to
her principles, and which is borrowed from
those who have rejected her authority. In
stead of seeking TO disprove the various rea-
sons alleged for this denial of the Church's
rights in some of the States, we content our
enter against il; and briefly remark, that
even in the supposition, which we by no
means admit, that such denial was the result
Of legitimate motives, the denial itself is in
compatible with the full measure Of ecclesi-
astical or religious liberty, which we are
supposed 10 enjoy.
Nor is this an unimportant matter, or one
which has not practical results of the most
embarrassing character. Not only are we
obliged TO place church property in oondi-
tons Of extreme hazard, because not permit
ted to manage our church temporalities on
Catholic principles; but in at least one Of
these United -Missouri-laws have
been passed by which all church property,
not held by corporations, is subject TO taxa
ton; and the avowed object Of this discrim-
mating legislation, is hostility 10 the Catho-
lie Church. In concluding these remarks,
we merely refer 10 the attempt made in that
State to make the exercise Of the ecclesias-
teal ministry to depend on condition laid
down by the civil power.