The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-16
lFruzn the South western Preseytefian- ]
7hs Secular Arm Of Infalibility.

1T
atrocities SO long prscticed against those Dun
ering from it in religious faith. The Canon
Law tells q different story; it shows moreover,
that this statement of Romish deDates' 10 o"
| unmitig gated falsehood.
II Pope Lucius III, has already Informed US,
that the laws against heretics were ehactea
teach, differently from the teaching OF the no
mish Church in respect to the sacrAmenis, vi
whoever the Church shall decide to be mere
tic. .
milton And il 10 perfectly nteiiigible.
| We DOW qnofe from the Canon Law, Septim,
Decret, Lib. v. Titulus, 3, De Haereticis ct
lSchisuiaticis.
INNOCENT ~.
The laus Of the Emperor Frederic against those
gully of heresy. their acoomplices and secret Gd
Acrenp are confirmed. and are ordered to DC put
into execution.
Innocent Bishop, servant of The servants OF
God, to his dear sons, princes, councils and
communities of cities, and other places OF
| Lombardy and the Marches of Teryisana and
RomanioIa: health and Apostolic benediction.
| Since FredSric, Emperor of the Romans for
merly promui gated certain laws against here
| tical depravity, by which that plague is to be
restrained from spreading; 1t being our will
! that for the strength of the faith and the
| health of the faithful, those laws be observed
we command by our Apostolic letters, tsat
every where, and in 80 far, as these laws shall
specify whose contents we send, that they be
recorded in your capitularies,-proceedinS &C
cording to them, shall be undertaken with ex-
| act diligence against heretics OF every klnd;
otherwise epjon by our letters on the Pro-
vincial Prior and Brother Inquisitors, OF beretl-
| cal depravity of the order of the Preachers in
Lonibardy, the Marches of Tervsana, and Ro-
mapioia, that they compel you thereto, by per-
sonal exconmunication and interdct of your
soil, without privilege of appeal.
The contents of these laws are as follows:
"Frederic by the grace Of God, Emperor OF
the Komans-ever August,-king of Jerusalem
and Sicily, to his beloved Princes, venerable
Archbishops, Bishops, and other Prriates OF
the Churches, Dukes, Counts, Msrqnlses'
Judges, Ministers, Officials, and all constituted
authorities, throughout the whole Empire, |
sends the present letters, to be read to his
faithful subjects, greeting"
THE divine care of government and imperial !
authority which the Lord has laid upon us, |
which We exercise separately from the sacer- |
dotal office, require that we should draw forth
the sword against the enemies of the faith, as
against children of vipers who devour the
womb of their mother; wnom we shonld pur-
sue with justice and Judgment. rs criminals,
ing knowledge the world is infected, and these
diseased sheep have brought corruption into
the flock of the faithful
Therefore, we decree and establish, that
heretics of whatever name, throughout the
extent of the Empire, wherever they have been
condemned by the Church and assigned to the
secular tribunal. shall be duly punished.
Shoud al y such after apprehension, terrified
by fear Of DEATH desire to return to the unity OF
faith, aud to do penance, according to the ca
nonio sanctions, they shall be imprisoned for tge
towns or other places of the Empire, by 1n-
aui,tors of the Apostolic See, or others jealous
for the orthodox faith those having jurisdic-
ton are bound to seize them at the nottica-
ton of the Iuquistors or other Catholics, and
hold them very strictly guarded, until con-
demned by Ecclesias,ical censure they may
perish by an accused DEATH who condemn the sa-
crameuIs of faith and life. Also we decree
that like penalties be inflicted on all who Ike
a cunning enemy, are advocates of favoring
tho error of heretics, or who provide them un
lawful defenders; should they not desist after
being warned, their crime is especially great,
since they led to that life which they have de-
Tended. But those who having been convicted
of heresy in one place and then remove else
where that they may more cautiously pour
forth the poison of heresy, VIC decree that they
be gu bjected to a fitting vengeance but as to
those converted to the faith from the aforesaid
error and not by those who convicted them of
hercsy, some satisfactory testimony is to be re-
quired.
Also We decide that those heretics be con-
demRed 10 death, who abjuring heresy before
the tribunal; in the extreme peril of their lives
shall swear falsely or be convicted of bad
faith, or of % spontaneous relapse into the
same mulady; as the lying iniquity is the
more culpable. And the lie must not escape
due punishment.
Every benefit Of proclamation and appeal Is
withdrawn from entertainers or fRvorers of
here,ics, it being our will that from the terri
tories of the Empire, in which the true faith
should ever dwell, the sprouts of heretical
lasping should in every way be destroyed.
But because in proportion, to the greater
gifts received from divine mercy, and our more
exalted station above the children of Teu, we
should display mare gratitude TO the author Of
our blessings; whenever the authority of our
exalt ed station burns against the despisers of
our name if ws condemn those guilty of treason,
in persul. and in disnhcriting their children,
much more strnngly and justly are we provok-
ed ~ aust tho blusphemers of the name of God
and the hctracinrs of the Catholic faith: The
heirs, and poSte,ity unto the second generation, Of
thcse same heretics, Of their entertainers, ia
royers and advocates, we deprive of all tempo
raI benefits, public offices aud honors, by the
| imperial authority; 30 that they may bewail
in continual sad NESS, the memory of the pater-
nal crime; surely knowing that God Ii jealous,
pow erfully Rveuging the sins of the fathers
| upon the children. But VIC do not judge that
those are to he cut off from mercy, who not
| following the paternal heresy, may have re-
vealed the concsaled perfdy of their parents
tho innocence of the children, in that case,
shall not DO subjected to the punishment of
the parents.
For these purposes let it be known, that the
Brothers Preachers, of that Order, for the bus
iuess Of the faith, are deputed throughout our
empire against hereticS, in addition to Others,
| W no may be associated for Judging herotcs -
unless they should have been prescribed by
the empire ;-u going, dwelling, aud return
ing, they received under our special lmpo-