The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-03-15
THE GENERAL COUNCIL.

Tho secular and anti Catholic press have
INDUCED in various speculations respect
ing the contemplated General Council which
his Holiness decided upon calling some
time ago. The Correspondence d. Roma
treats as insulting to Rome and the Episco-
pate, and the august person of the Pope,
statements which have of late appeared
concerning this matter. 1t says:
To dare to represent the Pope as chang
ing his mind about a resolve which is one
of the glories of his Pontiicate and of our
age, to say that this resolve is unpopular at
Rome, and disapproved and opposed every
where else except among the French bish-
ops, who are described as capable of being
the organs of a revolt against the Church,
is enough to rouse the indignation of every
honest and sensible man. -
The announcement of the future Council
fan from encountering any objection in the
religious world, has met with unanimous adj
hesion, and has given occasion to researches
and works of the highest importance.
All over the world the bishops, who have,
already replied important Questions put
by the Sacred Congregation of the Council,
are now studying with the help of their
theologians and canonists, the subjects
which are to be treated Six commissions,
composed of prelates and consulters, are
pursuing the same studies at Rome, and
meet weekly, each at the house of its Car
-dinal President, who then deliberate and
communicate to one another the results
obtained.
These six commissions are the Dogmatic
Commission, the Diplomatic Ecclesiastical
Commission, the Philosophical Commission,
the Disciplinary Commission, the Commits
sion of Ecclesiastical Public Law, the Com
mission of Religious Orders.
Society has little idea of the virtue,
science, elevation, and wisdom brought
together in these assemblies, where the
interests of the Universal Church are dis
cussed, and where the problems of politics
and social economy are solved. But
all united in the vast general assembly of
Bishops, Prelates, Generals of Orders,
Monks, and -Theologians, who will COM
pose the Gcumenical Council, almost the
entire sum of human intelligence will be
found there obedient to the Sovereign Doc
tor, the fnfaliible Chief, whose mouth
speaks the very words of Christ.
While we are writing; unknown men
living in retirement, humble Priests divided
between the cares of their ministry and the
habit of meditation, are revolving more
thoughts than are to be found in all the
universities, academies, parliaments, tribu-
nails, diplomatic closets, and councils of
state. And if during the Council of Trent,
worldlings who accused churchmen of gross
Ignorance, saw prodigies of learning arise,
it will be found that during the Council of
Rome the workings who, while they treat
the clergy with contempt, call themselves
men of progress and of light will see still
greater prodigies arise and will, perhaps,
confess to their astonishment that progress
and light came from God, and are dispensed
by His representatives on earth.
Meanwhile, an ulustrious and learned
Archbishop is writing at Rome a historical
critical work upon Gcumenical Councils
work full of learning and replete with
Instructions, in two volumes, one on the
Eastern, the other on the Western Councils.
Another Archbishop whom We may name,
Mgr. Manning, has written some magniti-
cent pages on this vast subject, and we
know that they have been approved so
highly that they have been Immediately
translated and printed for distribution.
Subscriptions are being organized in Italy
and will certainly be extended into both
hemispheres, to offer to the Pope funds suf-
ficient to enable him to provide for all the
wants of the Church ut this solemn gather
ing. Such are the very incomplete data
which we are enabled to furnished concern
ing the Council. They suffice, however, TO
put the press upon its guard against the
calumnles of Roman correspondents.