The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1869-10-17
IonETre STAR AND CATHOLIC MESSENGER
- oRInANs. suNpAY. ocToBER u. ieeo
Pastoral LettOr of the Right Rev. John ouinlan'
Bishop Of Mobile,

tho Laity.
Though it be known to you already from
many sources of information, we feel 1T our
duty, ON the present occasion, to officially an
nounce to you
has solemnly proclaimed an Gcumencai or
General Council of the Church, to open on the
sth December-Feast of the Immaculate Con-
ception of the Blessed Mother OF God-ot TINS
Cd. That in virtue of his supreme authority
as Vicar of Christ and head of His Church on
earth, he has not only invited onS mas eoni ~
manded, under pain of censure IN the event e., Oh
inexcusabe absence, AL the btsnops OF the ga
tholic world to assist at its deliberations.
Sd. That, relying soIely on the Llnf,ot 81
s. oitt descends," for knowledge, and power, ana
T1isdom and blessing, to the future Council,
he invites in its behalf the united, 1eryenS ana
prayerful supplications, to the throne or grace,
E of the faithful throughout the world ana, Ill
reward of their obedience and love, coniers
upon them, in the solemn form OF J9blee' the
choicest spiritual treasures Wlthlh MS SaSA'u
keeping. ,., .,:,
its at glance and in substantive !1LIt, 1Ih,t tno
whole divine economy of the Church OF ChrIst,
and displays in the clearest light ana iuilest
extent. the power, truth Wisdom and holiness,
with which, its Heavenly Founder has endowed
it IL is the Supreme Court of Kingdom, not
indeed of this world, in winch strlie anu ui-
vision rule and desolation follows; but OF one
whose unity divine authority secures, ana
whose vigor divine power sustains IN IT are
pronounced those luminous decisions winch
strip Error of its deceitful guise and restore TO
Truth its native majesty; lnHt also are enact @
ed those laws and precePts, and tostereu those
virtues and practices, which alone promote
the moral and social happiness of man here
below, and purify and prepare his soul @ Tor a
higher and holer destiny. And lastly, there
is concentrated therein n power which goes cut
into the world to work as God works, sllently
but surely--against which all the morse ana
clatter of the gates of hell cannot prevaiI.
General Councils are held only Mt per1ods OF
great and widespread danger to faith and NOR
ais, and consequent peril to human socloIy'
We have reached such n period OF the nlne-
teenth century. Outside of the Church, ialth
appears to be no longer regarded as hrm ad-
hesion of the mind to divine truth as an o9Jee- &C.
tive reality; and morals not viewed as
resting ON fixed and essentially lmmovaUle
principles. Both reduced to the condition
of mere arbitrary sentiments, whose trubn ahd
goodness are determined by the fancy or ca
price of those who entertain them. Ihere is,
therefore, no entitive truth between which and
error a real distinction can be drawn. Truth
and error are confounded, and the human
mind, in its bewildermept, is left to grope Its
way without ray of steady light to guide IT,
and the heart to yainly hunger for the good 1t
does not know and cannot reach! How 1ear-
ful the consequences Of such principles are to
the State the family, and the individual, 1t is
easy to determine; God, in fine, is ignored IN
his own world, and men both speak and act as
though he did not exist at all
Political economy, system OF leglslatioh
which ignores Justice, honor and trlth, taking
interest as its sole motive and reason of action,
rules the nations, and what is the result
They stand jeRlously regarding each other, to-
day, with their hundreds of thousands OF
armed men, ready, when political interests
prompt, to begin the work of blood; and to
maintain this warlike attitude, oppressive
taxation Is needed, which is fast paraiyzang
capital nnprodnctfve. THIS poIftIcar atheism,
as exhibited in several of tho monarchies of
Europe, in violation of all justice, has invaded
to fearful extent even corporate and private
rights. You remember how the patrlmony OF
the Holy See, thep3est ancient and lnvlolaDie
in the world, has been to n great extent wrested
from its owner. You have read how church
property has been sequestered, converts and
iuonasteries closed, their inmates robbed,
thrown into prison on false accusations, or
cast penniless on the highways. How the only
authoritative voice in Europe that has Lifted
itself against the wrong, that of Plus IN, has
been refused hearing within their realms
and his sacred person and chpfacter Knocked
and despised, by tongue aEd pen, at the in
- stance and with the approval of their rulers.
As in the State, soin the family: the saluta-
nv laws of God are trampled iii the dust.
Marriage, that most important institution of
the human race, upon the proper knowledge
of tine nature and obligations of which the
Happiness of the family essentially depends
that institution which Jesus Christ, IN His
love towards mankind, took under His special
care, placed within the sanctuary of religion,
and sanctiiied and elevated therein, the civil
power itaSprofanely dared to regulate ,divesting
it of 5ts mystery, ignoring ITS sanctlGy ana re-
ducing ii to the level of vulgar and, as II is
fast turning out to be, venal contract This
is great sacrament" says the Apostle speak
the Church." .'iIusbands, love your wives, as
Christ also loved the Church and delivered
himself up for it. "rhe husband Is the head
of the wife, as Christ is the headof The Church,
He is the Saviour of his body Therefore, as
the Church is subject TO Christ also lot the
wives be to their husbands in all things"
Glorious e&lc-pf tie marriage relation to
copyl Beautiful blending Of auts!arity and
snbordination, ndmIrabIe unity and sympathy
and fidelity, animated By supernatural love,
tender and true te the end There is a Chris
tian marriage which tie Catholic Church de-
fines, protects and, it necessary, with martyrs
blood defends. "He that will not hear the
Church." says Christ, ''1et him be to thee
as the heather and the publican" And in
this matter of marriage, how truly and ter
ribly is the sentence executed For heather,
in very deed, are the views and practices Of
married life which are not in harmony with
the teachings OF Gods Holy Church. The in
dissolubility of the marriage tie, so plainly
taught by our Blessed Lord, t'what God hath
joined together let not man put asuDder," is
disregarded and divorce, temporary con-
cession to the hardness of the human heart, to
save it from further evils, and not in accord
ance with the primitive design of God in the
institution of nlatrimopy, has become the rule.
No acknowledgment of the necessity of pure