The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-07-04
Pastoral Letter q the Bishop Of yaen.

The Bishop of IJaen has issued a pastoral
letter to his fiocl, explaining the cause of his
withdrawal from the Spanish Cortes. He
says: II
The Lord, who knows our heart Will appre-
ciate, we. doubt not, the inquietudes and dis
gust we have suffered during the discussions
of tho totality Of the project of the Constita-
ton. Nevertheless we remained in the post
we occupied without demonstrating impatience,
without passion, without wrath, or any sign
of fretfulness, without mani estfng surprise or
disgust Notwithstanding that our heart was
wounded as Christian, a prclate, and ~, 9
;lacerated ,fnind all that we heard Of strange
nesses and laceration, while anxietiesj which
afflicted our spirit iSgrew siwithout ceasing.
Notifying in this manner the natural vivacity
/ of our, character and carrying our suffering
higher than we ought, we came at last to the
point of turning to ask of the Government ting
| supplfcations, the most efficacious arguments
which we could think of. We preferred to
| appear more tipnid than angry, to the end<that
we should not compromise the high interests.
entrusted to US, for we very quickly cpmprez
| hended our situation in the Congress, where
they evidently wished to give examples Of
clamor and of confusion under the appearance
of our anxiety, at least taking mere illusions
| as pretexts, You know, and are not ignorant,
that without yaeillation we made pro estation
F'of our faith before the Assembly, combining
\ ourselves then to the point on which we saw
they made personal illusions TO u.s. and you
know also that in the same Spanish Assembly
4 audacity, impiety and 1oosenesa ito peridy,
converted it into an echo of apostacy and
scandal. Very Quickly the word of aggression
to Catholicism, it's worship and it's clergy
sounded, and the insensater war commenced
against Christian dogma. its mysteries of
counsel and of hope-its holy morality and its
sublime doctrine. There were those who do
ciared Catholic morals inferior to universal
morals There were those who asked tolerance
only to impugn religion There were those
who ridiculed the existence of the Holy Spirit.
/ -
falsifed history and were applauded. Some
q, blasphemed against the mystery of the In
aud impure tongue on the immaculate Virgin
and there were not wanting-O, horrible
horrible all horrible !--somo who mixed with
their ridicule blasPhemy against the Holy
Trinity Ahd-O, anguishing situaSion!--it
appeared insufficient TO some to forswear then
holy baptisml They carried their impious
exaggerntion to the delirium of making
declarations of iatheisms aud even casting
determinations with parricidal air against theil
parents for having carried them to receive II
the baptismal font and water the Holy Ghost
81 soul odit fratrem SUM, homicida est" WIKI
= would dare to vitapeEste the faith of his fore
fathersR 1t would pain as to cite names ant
instances. You will read them in the DidFiO Of
the sessions of the Cortes. ~ Mediate on thu
behavior of the majority up to this date
, Unfortunate menl Not possessing the celebrity
of merit, they sought the fame of scandal II
= irreligion. 0mpassion--c6mpassion for all
The measure beyond being fall, ran over its
sides, with the stencil of we know not how
. many miseries more unjustitable than punish
able; but they were not sufficient Miseries
deplorable-pitiful, worthy to be washed ever
on our part, in q sea of truly expiatory tears
Then our breast was filed with distractions anC
Q our heart with anguish under the sight, shame
t full to as the great Spanish nation saw it
n in the presence representatiEes-the aftront
our generous country then suffered, deprived
of its faith, and its glories trodden under foot
To all this we waited q turn to speak, which W.
e had asked; and we knew il would have beer
r accorded to us by the President of the Chamber
Q against articles n and % of the Constitution
Il hut which labor wo felt constrained TO abandon
q in view of the division which threw ont thu
/ amendment of our beloved brother, Seno
q Cuesta, the Cardinal Archbishop of Santiago
Z \ (The Archbishop of SantingO's amendment
. asking the preservation of Catholic unity, wa
i lost by 1914 to 81 in the Cortes.)
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