The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-16

VIC mOlucI, duu ludL uuuSI eofch yOo4 q VI S6S
they must follow in the stray path of their pa
rents from the true faith. Moreover, the same
law suppresses entirely the validity OF the
promises which the Catholic church, with reas
son and with the greatest justice, e1acts and
prescribes absolutely before the celebration OF
mixed marriages. 1t makes apostacy itseil
civil law both as regards the Catholic rehglon
and the Christian religion generally; it suppress
ses all authority Of the church over cemeteries.
and Catholics are bound to allow the bodies OF
heretics to be buiied in their churchyards, It
they have not any of their own. Moreover, the
same government on the 25th day of May, OF
the present year, did not hesitate to promul-
all the enactments agreed to in the convention
already alluded to; this law restores the for-
mer Austrian laws, which are contrary to the
laws of the church; it admits, and even con-
firms, that form of marriage absolutely con-
demnable, called civil marriage, when the au-
thority Of any confession whatever refuses the
,,, ~, celebration Of the marriage or grounds
which are nvs admitted as valid: as legal by the
civil aathor!Hes, By this !sW this same sam govern
ment has suppressed all ns aaspQliey saE ~ .u[.
isdiction of the church on matters fS,s.s..:S 70
marriage, also all competent ecclesiastcal tri.
bunals on the subject. It has also promulgated
alaw on education whichsup all the inHu.
ence Of the church over education, decreeing that
the whole superior supervision OF education,
literature and science, as also the inspection OF
schools, appertains to the State, which finally
DEGREES that religious teaching in the public
schools must be placed in the hands OF mem
bers Of each separate confession; that any reh-
gious society may open private or speclai
schools for the youth Of it's faith; that those
schools shall also be subject to the supreme in
spection Of the State, and that the school books
shall be submitted to the approval of the civil
authorities; with the exception, however, OF
such books as are meant for religious instruc-
ton, books which must be submitted to the
approval of competent authorities Of each COZ
fession.
You see, consequently, venerable brethren.
how necessary it is strongly to reprove and
condemn those abominable laws sanctioned by
the Austrian Government-laws which are in
fagrant contradiction with the doctrines Of the
authority, and it's divine institution; with oar
power and that of the Apostolic See, as also
with our concordat already quoted, and with
natural right itself. In virture then OF the
care Of all churches entrusted to US by tle Lord
Jesus Christ, We raise our voice In your most
inustrious assembly; We reprove and We con-
denim by our apostolic authority the Jaws
which we have enumerated, and everything
general or special, in those same laws or in
matters which refer to ecclesiastical right
which has been decreed or attempted unjustly,
in any manner whatsoever, by the Austrian
government or it's subordlnates, wnomsoeVer
they may be. In virtue Of this same authors ]
ty which appertains to us, ne declare those
decress null and powerless n themselves, and
in their effort both ss regards the present and
the future. As regards the authors Of those
laws, especially those who congratulate them
selves on being Catholics, and have net feared
TO propose, establish, approve and carry out
the above laws and acts, we conjure and en-
treat them not to forget the censures and
spiritual punishments which the ecclesiasti-
cal institutions and the DEGREES OF the ecumen-
ical councils inHict, as having been deserved
ipso fdcto by the violators Of the rights OF the
church. Meantime, We rejoice greatly insthe
Lord, and We give our wel-deserved praise to
our venerable brothers, Il Q archbishops and
Bishops OF the Austrian Empire, who, with
truly episcopal energy, have not ceased to
warn their focks Of their duties boldly to de-
fend and protect, by speech as well as writing.
the cause Of the church and the said concor-
dat concluded with us. We also desire from
our hearts that our venerable brothers, the
and bishops Of Hungary, follow.
ing the example Of their colleagues, will
show themselves disposed to display the same
zeal and the same ardor to protect the rights
Of the church and defend the concordat
against the attacks which are directed against
t. Nevertheless. under these ca lamities which |
IN these times ef1ict the church everywhere,
We do not cease, venerable brothers, with the |
deepest fervor apd humility Of heart, to pray |
10 God that hemay upset all the criminal de- |
signs Of his enemies and those Of his Holy |
Church, suppress their impious efforts, and IN !
MS mercy lead them back into the paths OF |
Justice and salvation.