The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-12-28
SUNDAY MORNING, DRCEMBER 20. 1879,

visions that they are SO contrary to the doc
trines of the Catholic Faith, and the ecces
astical discipline enjoyed by Pontiical Const
tutions and the Go1menioai Council of Trent
that they ought to be altogether rejected by VI
we, therefore. as required by Our office, d
and condemn them. declaring the require,
oath to be unlawful and sacrilegious, and tina
all those who, in the Canton of Geneva, O
elsewhere, having been elected according t.
the tenor OF the same laws, others like then
by the votes of the people, and confirm atior
OF the civil power, shall venture to take upor
them ecclesiastical functions, do, ipso tacto in
reserved to this Holy See, and other canonioal
penalties and that they are to be avoided
by the faithful, according to the Divine com
mand, as strangers and robbers, who como
not but to steal, and to kill, and to Destroy
| (St. John x, 5, 10)
These are sad and sorrowful events, but
deeds still more sorrowful have taken place in
hVe OF the s"ren cantons which form the Do
| cese of Bale, viz: Soleure, Berne, Bale Cam
pagne, Aarsau and Zurich. In those parts
also laws have been enacted concerning par
ishes, the election and discharge of parish
priests and their assista n s subversive of the
government and Divine constitution of the
Church. and suhjecting the Church to tho secu-
especially the law of the 23d of December,
1872, passed by the Government of Soleure,
We denounce and condemn, and order to be
considered as SO denounced and condemned.
After Our Venerable Brother Eugenius, Bishop
OF Basic, in his just Indignation and Apostolic
fortitude, had rejected certain articles pro-
posed in the meeting, or so-called diocesan
conference, to which there came delegates
from the five aforesaid cantons-having just
reason for rejecting them as injurious to
Episcopal authority, sobversve of hierarchicsl
for this cause he was banshed from his
Bshopric, expelled from his house, and vio- |
iently driven into exile. No kind of wrong |
and injury was left undone to lead into schism
the CLERGY and neOnle of the afnraaaif |
tons the clergy were forbidden to hold any |
intercourse with their banished Pastor; orders
were given to the Cathedral Chapter of Basic
to proceed to the election of Vicar Capiturar
or Administrator, as if tho See were actually |
vacant the Chapter, however, vigorously
protested, and spurned such unworthy action
Istrates of Bernie, sixty nine parish priests of
the Canton of Jura were forbidden to exercise
their functions, and deprived of their Office,
for the only reason that they had openly testi-
fed that they acknowledged only Our Vcnera-
BILE Brother Eugenius as their lawful Bishop
and Pastor, and would not treacherously sever
quence is that the whole of that district
which has constantly preserved the Catholic
faith, and which had been united to tho Cam
ton of Berne on tho condition of keeping the
exercise of the religion free and inviolate-
has been deprived of Mass, and the rites of
baptism, marriage, aud burial, in spite of the
complaints and remonstrances of the faithful,
by the highest I'M ustice reduced to the neces-
,itJ either of receiving schismatical and here
ical pastors thrust upon them by civil author
ty, or of being deprived of all assistance and
mir istry of their priests. 4
We thank God for unfolding and strength {
ming with the same grace that sustained the l
martyrs, that chosen part of the Catholic
lock which manfully follows-their Bishop, I
setting up q wall for the house of Israel to ! ]
tand in battle in the day of tho Lord Czech. ]
ii. 81, and, without fear, trcading in the foot l
teps Of the Head of Martyrs, Jesus Christ. )
Meeting ferocious wolves with tho meek ness of r
nmbs, and cheerfully and patiently fighting Il
OF the Faith. /
This noble constancy of the faithful in l
witzerland is initiated in the manner worthy
all praise by the clergy and faithful people d
f Germany, following the bright example of r
heir Bishops. They have been made spec v
acle to the world, to angels, aud to men, who
rom every side look up to them clad with the u
reastplate of Catholic truth, and in the he'll a
ret OF salvation, valinntly fighting the battle n
God. Their courage and invincible fortitnde 4
the more admired and praised as day by Il
ny the persecution raised against them in q
and especially in Prussia, RACES moro Ii
nd more bitterly. b
Beside many grave wrongs inflicted last year Il
pom the Catholic Church, tho Prussian Gov "
-nment has subjected to the civil power, by n
'uel and unjust legislation, altogether alien il
ON its former conduct the entire instruction ii
nd education OF the clergy, in such manner c.
lat it belongs to the said power to enquire ~
ito and to decide in what manner Church te
udents are TO be taught nbd trAiUcd to the dt
Icerdotal and pastoral life; and proceeding OF
rther, II gives to the same power the right C
examining and Judging in respect to coliat- oN
z to all ecclesiastical off ces aud benCfces, re
Id even of drpriving sacred pastors of Office W
I'd of b-netce. Moreover, in order to subvert fa
ore speedily aud completely the ecclesiastical I'll
,vernment of the Church, and the q. der of 7,
ierarchical obedience instituted by Christ th
nr Lord Himself many Ubstaclcs are inter th
,sed by the same laws to hinder the Bishops al
providing with timely measures by cauoni- in
i censures and pains for the salvation of tr
mis-, for the soundness of doctrine in Catholic III
boOIs, or for the obedience due to them from &C
cir clergy. For, according to the tenor of a
ose laws, the Bishops are not permitted to hi
ercise these functions, save only at the plea DIT
re of the civil authority and according to 70
e rules laid down by the same. Finally, that Gu