The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-16

were to be trained and brought up in the Uni
versities Of tho State and then handed over Il
sne tS;o Of the Bishop need not dwell
training OF priest should be, will understand
Bnt this was not all. The teaching of the
Bishop's seminary, even this was to be brough t
doctrinal instruction of the priest might b.
controlled. Let me imagine for one moment
that have not the power to teach the faith in
all its purity and in all its precision, to thoss
receive q sanction from the civil power. God
giving me the grace, would lay down my life
rather than submit. Thirdly, the supreme an.
thority Of the Church in the cure of souls is
o flock nor the hearing of the confessions OF
the people to any man whom she has not her.
self chosen, tried, and approved. The laws at
this moment made in Germany, forbid the
Bishops to appoint parish priests who have
not received the sanction of the civil power
This touches religion in its most vital part
preme tribunal of appeal to which all cases
arising in matters ecclesiastical are to be car.
ried, and there to be decided in the final resort
This is the very liberty for which st. Thomas
supreme authority of the Vicar Of Jesus Christ
the sole and only fountain of the jurisdiction
of the Church, the Supreme Judge of all
causes of the Divine Law, the supreme doc
trinal authority on earth. Now, will ask you,
unless the atmosphere through which the re-
port of these laws has reached the English
mind be so perturbed and darkened that we do
not know the truth-and must protest that
with the greatest diligence I have sought out
every document could obtain, have exam
ined every letter of that legislation to the
utmost of my power-unless am right in the
conception of these laws, I can only say that
we live under the dominion of fiction. lfthese
laws do not violate the supreme power of the
Bishops in judging of heresy, in excommuni.
clergy, in giving cure of souls to pastors, in
barring appeal to the highest authority of the
Church in all spiritual things, then can only
say that my reading and the representations
light but into midnight. But if these things
be true and IL have been rightly informed
II the documents are Trustworthy and my read
Ing has been right, I say, then, boldly, that the
for any one to say that these laws do not touch
the religion of Jesus Christ, is to contradict
evident fact. The reverence with which de
to SPEAK Of the whose
saying more. rejoice to know that men who
are my own friends, the Archbishop of Posen,
whom intimately know; the Archbishop of
Cologne, whom, though not equally, yet
know we'll the Bishop of Paderborn, whom 1
know still more-three men of high conscience
and invincible fdelity-have stood firm and
have suffered indictments, COMBINATIONS
and fines, rather than yield in their defence
Of these violated liberties of the Church.
We are indeed upon the verge of a
conflict, 2 conflict which may o1tlive us
Slls IL Uu0 AuCuOrlCy WHICH DuG the other
day made these laws will listen to the
Supreme Monitor who addressed him in words
of calm remonstrance, Germany may be saved
from a dark future. I was glad to see that he
manifested some disposition 80 to do, for he as
sured the Vicar of Jesus Christ that he was
mfsinformed as to the merits of the case, and
asked him to restrain the action of the Catho-
lies of Germany. This invites the request
that he will command his Government to re-
late in full detail, with proof, the facts upon
which he rests his charge of conspiracy against
the Catholics of Germany. The august person
who made this charge must be the first to de-
sire that the whole truth should be laid before
the Holy See, in order that, as he says, the
supreme authority of the Vicar of Jesus Christ
shall control his sons in Germany. cannot
doubt that in his justice he will do SO. But
before this Judgment 10 invoked let there be
light; let us know the truth, let us see whether
we have been misled into error, whether we
have nisrepresented the case. If have done
go will retract what have said with Joy. If
have not, then injustice which cries to
Heaven for redress has been done in the last
two years. And the accusation beaped upon
the innocent by the strong brings to my mind
our Divine Master standing before the judge
who condemned Him. We are accused of tres-
son, of perverting the nation, and forbidding
to give tribute to Cesar. If this be so. let the
accusation be proved. But let the witnesses
speak plainly, and then shall know the
grounds of their accusation and be able to
make answer to the charge.
rr,N