The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-03-06

wonder II they be denied them. 90
cannot serve God and the D-y!i. IA
Jhis age Inidelity, when the world j
at war with the church, and ever,
hand turned against us, we must STAN
! by our faith, mindful OF what Chris
Las said: Z" IInOsOever shall DENY mt
before men, ] will also deny him be
fore my Father who is in heaveu.u
Lst every church have well organ.
lZed Sunddy-schOOl, ami IL possible
library among the young. Thanh
God, Catholic books are not now s.,
scarce or dear, but AZ moderate cost, q
T healthy reading may be- supplied Ton
home and school. / pastors will
draw the attention ol theIr Hacks to
this, we are sure our ever generous
people will supply the means, the
more SOFAS they and their children re-
! ceivr the benefits.
ll.- a-i. ..i.l.-' .,'--~el on our visf-
. co.. ...-I -.-- a. sre the kindly
,..-..-. --.-.e 10y H..,fe existed be-
! {" cen the priests anu people, and the
ZeSi that animated all, in the cause OF
God. But we were panied to note in
/ some places that lsymen failed 10
know their duty, and the rights OF the
priests. There is q false notion
amongst some Of our people they as
sumo powers which they have not,
I and undertake 20 do what they We're
never appointed for.
Hereafter there are and will be no
trustees. The Bishop is the only
trustee in the diOcese,and in his name
all property is held. Under no Cir
eHmstances will we allow laymen to
hold church property, or in anyway
control 1t. Titles to church property,
whether in the form Of deeds or land
contracts, shall be made directly TO
the Bishop, "his heirs and assigns, 30
without qualification or condition.
Nearly ali the troubles we have noted
in the diocese have arisen from q fail
uEe to strictly comply with the orders
laid dJsi in the Rules and reguia-
tIHH- iIr ie administration of the
dIocese' lI'e hereby require every
priest to have a copy Of them read
and explain these 10 their congTega-
tiOns, then follow them.
lie have said there are no trustees,
but according to the "Rules and Regu-
latiOns" above quoted cOuncilmen
shall be elected in every congregation,
whose duty it will be 10 assist the
priest-nOt govern him. COuncilmen
must not forget that they are elected
/ TO counsel and assist-nOt to direct or
govern the priest that is the bishops
| business nor to assume the right
/ to control or manage the money mat
/ ters of the church, Independent Of or
I against the will Of the priest The
nriaSt and the cOuncilmen must b.
I one ana Wheil a uIIIeTcHCe OF opinion
arises the priest must be Obeyed till
the matter in dispute can be referred
to the bishop, whose decision is final.
Pastors will carefully explain this ar
ticle 10 their congregations and see
that its provisions are carried out.
ll,e are much in want Of priests.
Many missions and congregations
have but half attendance, and, in con-
sequence, young and old are growing
careless. Thank God there is no want
of vOcatiOns to the priesthood. Every
where bright, intelligent boys are
ready to give themselves TO the altar /;
but alas they are poor, and have not
the means necessary 10 bear the eX-
pense of the long and labOTious course
needed to prepare priest FOR the du-
ties Of his office.
At the Synod held last summer at
the close of the Retreat for the Clergy
it was resolved to build new Semi
nary better suited TO the ends and
growing wants of the diocese, and at
the same time make proper provision
/ for its support. For this purpose it
was resolved to raise for the building
I Of the new Seminary, ten thousand
dollars annually for the next ten
Z years, and ten thousand dollars for its
support; this sum 10 be raised by tax
| levied upon each congregation, accord
[ ing to the number of families in it. Ii
I was also resolved to raise a fitting sup
port for the Bishop; and for those
priests whose health las failed or may
fail from the labOrs and fatigUes Of the
missions. These sums can be raised
in the manner as above.
Perhaps those sums may appear
iaTge-the more 50 as each cOngrega-
ton generally finds its home duties
pressing enough. But, my beloved
brethren, you must not forget that
nearly every thing is just now in its
beginning, consequently the burden
is so heavy. Yet, if we compare the
pas, with its limited means and what
was done, with the present, and its
increase of numbers aud wealth, you
will not find the burden so heavy.
Besides, the sum to be raised is not
all at once, but yearly; 50 It will not
be go heavily felt. ITben, therefore,
your pastors will present this matter
10 you give of your means-remem-
bering that Others gave to supply you
with the priests thar now minister 10
yoU.
There j. some confusion and a
good deal oi misrepresentation relative
to some Of the societies in the diocese.
Some Of them claim to be Catholic So
cieties, simply because their members
are Catholic, and they insist to be so
recognized by the Church, claiming
all privileges usually accorded 10
G1thaIic societies; such as tine right 10
wear TcgaIIa5 20 The church ana nave
solemn funerals for their dead Yet,
strange to say, such societies organize
and manage their societies without
the priest, and only seek tie priest 10
make a show. II they have claims
upon the priest, the priest has also
claims upon them; and il they wish
the priest 90 recognize them, they
must recognize him. Priest and
Catholics are inseparaDie; the one
contains and ever accompanies the
other. 50 If societies claim 20 he
Catholic, or WISH 10 enjoy the privi-
Ieges usually accorded to Catholic so
cieties: il they will enter the Church
as societies; wearing their regaiia and
claiming honOrs and attention, they
Il r.- a.
a priest AT their head. Ii they ignore
the priest, they need not wonder il he
ignores them. Nor j. DO enough %
say because Individually the menu
bers are Catholics, then that cOilee-
lively the society is Catholic. There
is a vast difference between a society
of Catholics and - Catholic society.
The latter always has a priest az its
head, the former may or may not.
There Is no desire ID interfere with
the management Of any society. The
more Catholics are united IN healthy
societies the better. TIE church will
place no obstacle = any measure that
will unite Catholics, either f1rIitsrary
or beneficial purposes. But sOcieties
cannot be one day with the church
and the next day independent Of her.
Either as societies they are Catholic,
or they are not. Il they are Catho-
lies, they must do as Catholic socie-
ties do-put a priest at their head; If
they are not Catholic societies, they
should not wonder If they are refused
the privileges accorded % Catholic So
cieties.
the following are the conditions on
which any society within the diocese
will be permitted 10 enter any church
with its regalia on:
{. Their constitution must be ap-
proved either by the Bishop or tine
priest.
! >. Each society SHALL place a priest
at its head as spiritual director, and
receive from him reasonable dfrec-