The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-02
The MORNING NOVEMBER 1873


astical baptism, the confessionals and the
puipits will be empty, the affairs will be
stripped of their ornaments, as on Good
Friday the bells will be dumb, spiders
VIII weave their webs in the organ pipes,
We know not. Perhaps they will be scat
tered like flock whose shepherd is smit-
ten. Perhaps they will become the prey
of despair, and with a stricken heart will
cry to Heaven imploring mercy. And
when the a6omination of desolaton is
come to see what has been done with His
people and His Church." But never will
the Catholic people be torn asuuder from
the rock of st. Peter and won over to
Reinkens, never will it accept apostate
priests obedient only to the Pagan State"
lowing circumstance. The diocese of
Breslau comprises some parishes of7tus.
| tria, and the diocese of Prague and Olmutz
some parishes in Siberia, and according to
tho Neue Fremdenblat, priest instituted
by the Archbishop of Prague has been
Council General of Neurod in Siberia, and
| second transferred to another parish in
the Diocese of Olmutz, has been interdict-
ed by the Council General of Leobschutz.
The Prussian Government will perhaps
hesitate before it treats two Austrian Arch
an Archbishop in the Grand Duchy of
Baden.
STRUGGLE.
In the meantime the elections are ap-
preaching, and the Bishop of Paderborn
has put forth Pastoral, pointing ont to
the Catholic of his diocese the duties in
cumbent on electors at this crisis, a measure
which some of the English papers describe
as an act of "revenge,n but which we should
think would be more properly termed one
of the most legitimate self defence. 1t is
strange to see how familiar people become
with acts of violence, when these are not
directed against themselves and though
tithe of what is going on in Germany
would, if it were British Professionals who
were suffering, raise a perfect whirlwind
of Indignation in the English mind, yet as
it is persecution of Catholics, people are
glad to shut their eyes to the facts, and to
treat the matter as if it were struggle on
eq ual terms between the State and Church,
in which it was by no means clear that the
latter was not the aggressor. 1t cannot,
therefore, be too often repeated that the
only act of the Church has been to main
tain her imprescriptible and immemorial
and essential right, herself to determine
what is Catholic doctrine aud what is not.
who are Catholics and who are not, and
consequently who are and who are not fit
to be appointed pastors and teachers.
FRESH PENAL LEGISLATION.
The Daily News correspondent informs
US that the new ecclesiastical laws are now
considered "inadequate," and will have to
be strengthened and that some such pro-
ject is at fanny rate under discussion we
gather from the Volksblatt, a Prussian
semi official organ. That journal states
that a law will probable be introduced to
facilitate the disposition and regulate the
election of Bishops, another exacting an oath
from members Of the Diet, which will pre-.
vent "Ultramontanes" from taking their
seats. The existence of the rumor serves
at least to show the apprehension felt in
"Government circles" respecting the pro-
bable strength of the opposition. At one
occasional election which has just taken
place in the district of Julicb, the Catholics
polled 9,O6l votes out of S,6Sl, while the
Government candidate obtained only few
hundreds.
THE OATH OF BISHOP REINKENs,
On Tuesday, Bishop Reinkens took the
oaths to the State in Berlin rs a prelimin-
airy to receiving the salary which the Gov
ernment are going to give him. The pas
sage reserying the obedience of Bishops to
the Holy See was of course omitted, and
the following words were added 'I pro-
mise to observe all this the more inviolate,
as am certain that my episcopal off ce re-
quires me TO do nothing which can be in
contradiction to the oath of fidelity and
allegiance to his Majesty the King, or to
the obedience due to the laws of the coun-
try, Any real Catholic Bishop might
say the same, but that it is not the ques-
tion at issue. This is not whether the
episcopal duties are inconsistent with allie
glance to the monarch or obedience due to
the laws, but whether particular laws are
not inconsistent with Bishops duty to
God and the Church. Does Bishop Rein
kens mean to say that State cannot con-
ceivaoly make such laws If he does, he
is talking nonsense, proved to be such by
experience if he does not, he is in pre-
c'sely the came position, theoretically, as
the Catholic Bishops. DR.. Falk, in his
speech on the occasion observed that the
government n19 were bound to help the cold
Catholics" because they were honorably
ready to give to Caesar the things that were
CAESARS )" but the real ground of his sat
istfaction with them is, that they are rea-
dy to give to Caesar" the things that are
Gods also. The question is, Which things
are C@sar's, and which are Gods
THE BISHOP AND CANTON OF ST. GALL,
In Switzerland fortuight's grace has