The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-18
THE plsMARv COUNCIL At BALTIMORE

bishop spaldng of Baltimore In reference TO the coun
| Gil now In session.
Mosr ILlusrRIous MOST REVERSED SrR-The bishops
OF the United States having been prevented by public
dstu bances from holding council In 1867 ana having
obtained permission from our Holy Father 10 ho'd u
now, inasmuch, especially the tempest OF civil war
should be brought orw .fd aud discussed might lead
TO uniformity OF discipline far that could be OBJ
AND snd s IS al e that remeds might Be
piled the evils which almost OF necessity arise from
such serious disturbances and that proper means might
be devised for attending to the welfare OF the emanc
pated backa HIS Holiness was pleased that since the
duty Of calling together and presiding over this synod
committed to your Grace, certain particulars should
be pointed you by this sacred congregation which
either the institutes OF this holy council the DEGREES
of former commend among others to the careful
In the frst place therefore, the fathers will bear 10
mind the Encyclica Letter addressed to oil the bishops
besides the old rules laid down by former councils some
and excellent regulations were adopted, In order
that the nominations Of priests vacant bshopcs might
prove In most wholly unexceptonabe Indeed the
fathers OF this Sacred Congregation OF the Propaganda
observed during the last few that tho salu
tary rules contained in that letter. especially relation
sending every third year to the Propaganda notices Of
discussing the merits Of canddae and the proposed
method Of inquiry for ascerainng their qualifications.
ing the troubles Of the times they ascbed this not 10
the will Of the bishops but 70 the disturbed condition OF
affairs Now, however, that peace is restored the sa
cred Congregation trusts the bishops in obedience the
wishes OF the Apostolic See will conform fully to oil in
| structions in that letter.
H. The of former peDary councils ought TO DO
considered with less care that any Of them which
may not yet have come into general observance DO
confirmed, and that II any change addition be re-
quired they be reformed with duo attention to the
| admonton Of the Sacred Congregation
Ill. In this respect the most important thing OF all
to be what relates 70 the reception OF wandering
prosts For not all priests indeed, especially among
those who emigrate from Europe to America look 70 the
for temporal cam so that Il is no matter 81 surprise Il
among them are some who are clad in sleeps clothing
but mwardiy are rayenons wolves who spare not the
| Christian flock. Recognizing this the fathers Of
the former Council Of Baltimore held Ia 1862,
wisely decreed In their ninth canon:-'1n order
| that wandering and unknown priests be not TOO
readily admitted to the performance Of sacred fuuc.
lions 10 the peril OF souls we forbid priests coming from
Europe to be received among our clergy unless letters
obtain the consent OF the bishop INTO whose diocese they
desire 10 remove" Indeed the fathers Of tho seventh
synod OF Baltimore order that they might prevent
priests from wandering about had already decrecd tnat
''No priest of this province desiring to remove into
another diocese should be dismissed by his bishop unless
1t certain that the other bishop was willing TO re-
cevc him Blu, II any in future should be otherwise
dismissed they not to be received Nothwlthstand
ing these holy and wise enacents the sacred Congre
CATION lDments that according TO reports which often
reach it. in places too great indulgence is prac
tsed in this matter Tie bishops ought therefore to DO
careful that IL under the pressure OF necessity they
sometimes have 70 receive priests OF this class should
only be those of whose virtue and learning they have
undoubted testimonials
". Whenever from lack Of priests enough TO give
each church clergyman, II becomes necessary admit
strange priests In order that the Christian people may
not be left without pastors, each ought labor with
all zeal and diligence ecclesiastical semnares
soon possible wherever they wanting, In which
priests may be educated and trained holy discipline
This in particular prcsc bed by the former council
h,hons who have No ssmra.v Of tsor own o""h, 70
confer with the other bishops of the province
that there may be at least one seminary in each pro-
vince Thus far, In consequence OF the troubles OF
the times, many prelates have been prevented from
doing this. But nov that laid aside, while
their duty TO take measures for securing such
great benefits for their churches And succ
that colleges Of this KIND should be 50 established that
there might be perpetual senares Of ministers OF the
Lord who should afterwards shine forth in the holiness
OF their lives for the ediHcaton OF the people, the
bishops ought to take pains that the clerical student
should be- instructed In science and letters but
what IL the chief thing Of all, should be trained to
sincere pety and correctness Of life
" Another matter OF little consequence, which
observance Of feasts and The sacred congrega
ton not ignorant that there Ia some among
the american bishops this subject, some contcnding
for the ancient discipline Of their dioceses,
sune tho necessities Of the faithful and others follow.
ing the rules Of the former council approved By the
The bishops are therefore, as far az In them Hes TO
settle these various questions concerning tho number Of
uniformity in this matter between the different churches
let them bear in mind what prescribed by tho Propa
ganda in It's instructions to the penary council OF Bat
more held In 1862 For when the fathers by their
twenty 9Th decree resolved request OF his Holiness
tina, the festivals nigh, be reduced number four
ton and All sans and the days Of fasting and abst
should be the those observed in the South
being abolished the sacred congregation resolved that
20 tho festivals should be added the days OF the Crcum-
cison and the immaculate Conception, and admonished
the bishops that in establishing uniformity OF discipline
as 20 the feass and asts OF The Church they should
conform all TO those who observe but few ought the
Efforts OF the fathers 70 tend towards making discipline
uniform In such things differ widely from tho unyer.
sal observance Of the Church. BY which the ap-
pearance OF or national church would he created
/ be e.
grees toho stricness OF the universal discipline the
rules which had been nduseptly relaxed.
vi 1nasmuch u is Of the utmost importance 20
secure the property Of the Church the fathers Of pr
ceding American sgnods, considering the condition OF
the United States enjoined earnestly upon the bishops
TO take dgenf OF the safety Of ouch property and
Whenever possible place IL under the protection
civil authority In the fourth Of the seventh
Synod OF Baltimore especially II decreed that tall
churches and other ecclesiastical property which.
whether ACQUIRED BY gut o. by the onsrnss Of ,e iala
the bishop unless appear by documents that tbey
have becn lott to some regular order or congregation 81
priests for their usan Notwithstanding these res
often they have been called 10 mind by the Sacred
Congregation, many disputes have arisca especially be-
tween the bishops and regulars respecting the title to
church property The fathers WILL therefore, take mes.
slrrs 10 put end TO such disputes, and will suffer
neither tho tights Of the Church nor OF the regular
VII i viii also be very pleasing to the Sacred oongre
CATION Il in the approaching council caeful attention be
given 10 regulating the state OF certain diooeees
Although in accordance with the request OF the panary
council Of Baltimore in 1852 several episcopal
widely separated regions has increased rapidly that
seems proper again TO consult to this matter. The
Sacred Congregation has been Informed that the extent
OF territory embraced In the Diocese OF Dubuque 20
great that extremely difficult for the bishop watch
over his ock, aud especially 10 give due wachfuncss 10
his clergy and that u Is therefore expcdsnt 70 think OF
dividing IT, Some have also besought for the erection OF
new vicarate In the vast territory called Montana
the Rocky Mountain region, the greater part Of which
nov subject TO the vicsriste Of Nebraska. II
y said, indeed. that there innumerahs
Catholics in that part OF the country who never
necessities neither the vicar apostolic nor tho
Bishops able owing TO the great distance provide
Moreover the Sacred Congregation Is Informed that
controversy exists respecting the vcarste Of British
Columbia and that II seems doubtful to which Metro
poltan that territory s subject aud which Church II
ought 10 follow In ms discipline wherefore u will be
your duty 10 ask the opinion OF the fathers upon this
subject AZ well a. similar matters which may be brought
before you.
VIII Finally. Il Is The wish Of the Sacred Congress