The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-10
PAPAL INFALLIBILITYs

THE DOGMA AND THE STATE.
The Archbishop of Munich has issued the
following pastoral letter in reply to the adj
dress presented by the Roman Catholic citi-
zens of Munich to the King of Bavaria. The
letter is intended to refute the statement
that the dogma of infallibility is in contra
diction with the constitution of the State,
and was read from all the pulpits of Munich.
The following is the translation from Ger
mani
Gregorius by the grace of God and the holy
Apostolic See Archbishop of Munich, Pre-
late of the Pspal Household and Councillor
to His Holiness, to the venerable clergy
and all the faithful of the diocese, blessing
in the Lord.
On the 10Th of April circular was issued
to the Catholics of Munich, which read as
follows
Prominent Catholics of all classes OF society have
agreed to meet on April 10 in Munich.
They accordingly assembled, discussed, and
unanimously adopted an address to the royal gov
ernment, in which the dangerous consequences of
the dogma of inallionity to the State were fully
planned. We are convinced that the views eX
pressed in the address Will be shared by all those
Catholics Of the capital who do not want their
duties as citizens to conflict with their religious
consciences.
The address itself takes part for the unfor-
tunate curate Renne, of Mering, and for the
recent declaration of DR.. Won Dollinger. 1t
asserts that the dogma of the infallibility of
the Pope in matters of faith was dangerous to
the State and presented insolvable contradc-
tions between the duties of the Catholic and
the duties of the citizen. The Government
is therefore requested to prevent by all means
the consequences of this dangerous doctrine,
to oppose its spread in the public schools,
and to settle the relations between Church
and State upon legal basis
The speeches which, according to the re-
ports of the newspapers, were made during
the deliberations upon this address, throw
distinct light on the intentions of the origina-
tors of this movement. One speaker pre-
ssnted an alleged history of Plus TX and his
pontifcate. His speech was full of misrepre-
sentations and contortions of facts as well as
malice and hatred against the Supreme Chief
of the Catholic Church. The picture there
represented of the Gcumenical Council
was-we witness it before Coda re-
pulsive caricature of that venerable
assembly. Untruths upon untruths were
heaped upon us, your Archbishop. They
loudly proclaimed that 'it was not the Holy
Ghost that directed the council, but the
spirit of lie, the spirit of ignorance, the spirit
of cowardice, that lowered over the council"
1t was there loudly proclaimed that sit was
reserved for the nineteenth century to behold
the Pope after the downfall of the old Church
order in the dignity of llama" You know
that this is the appellation of the Buddhist
high priest among the pagans of Thibet.
Another speaker boldly asserted that she
who henceforth adopts the DEGREES of Rome
could no longer be called citizen of the
State; he stands without the State, under the
rule of power hostile to the State" Said
he, ''In the schools, among the children and
among the women, does this new doctrine
penetrate, and the harmony in the State, in
the. community, and in the family would
change to disharmony if the Government did
not take energetic measures for the suppress
sion of these dangerous doctrines" ''Let us
combat" continued the speaker, Gin large
numbers, with the same courage, with the
same perseverance, with the same spirit of
sacrifice as did our army against the foreign
foe. We have to defend as valuable ground
as they had against cunning and powerful
adversary-the liberty of thought and. of COP
science"
Dearest members of the diocese, from
this short report you can see the aim of the
whole movement. 1t is nothing less than
the revolt against the one holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church that these men preach. II
is the secession from the congregation of the
faithful that is demanded of you! 1t is the
most hateful declaration of war against our
Holy Mother Church. It is calling out most
wickedly the powers of the State against the
faithful followers of the Church. Catholics
of Munich, Catholics of the diocese, you will
not, you must not link yourselves with such
a'movement You must resist the temptation
if you would not bring dire misfortune and
discord on our Bavarian fatherland. Believe
me, my beloved, believe your sorrowing chief
pastor, the question at issue is no longer the
dogma of Papal infallibility, set up by tho
Church, and 80 maliciously misrepresented,
contorted, and misrepresented by the enemies
of our faith.
The fidelity to the Catholic Church in gene
raj is now in question. They want to tear
you from your mother that gave birth, in pain
and anguish, to the supernatural part of your
being-that has led you with her pure teach
ings, has fortified you in the combat against
sin and will be your last comfort in the hour
of death. But they tell you, sob, no; you
will remain Catholic, members of the ancient
Catholic faith, as you have hitherto been. u
But where is, then, the Catholic Church ?
There only where the Pope and the bishops
of the Catholic Church are. They want to
delude you into sect; you are to form a
separate Church, in whichssnot only there is
no longer a supreme, infallible teacher, but
also no real bishop, 40 valid sacrament, no
divine mercy, and no perpetual salvation. You
are told you cannot keep your fidelity to your
sovereign if you remain in the Catholic
Church. Your archbishop tells you, however,
that is lie and calumny. To-day, if neces
sary, are we ready to swear allegiance to oul
gracious sovereign, as we did when we were
made bishop, and we are resolved to keep
our oath unto death. Not one of our hume
rous priests has ever wavered in fidelity to
his soveriegn-not one will ever waver. And
all times when it was the question about
fidelity and obediance to the King, the Catho.
lies were among the first, the truest and most
obedlent OF his subjects. Well we know that
manV of those mon who haya oIraadr q; o,r a i