Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-15
PERE HYACINTHE.
He Defines HIS Position and Dc
cIares He VIII Appeal TO n synod.

cIares He Will Appeal to n synod.
The following letterfrom Pere Hyacinfne
Loyson relative to his retirement from the
curaey of Geneva appears in the SWISS
press:
l wish to reply through the press to the
individuals who from various quarters nave
urged me to explain my resignation Oh
Cure of the parish of Geneva and member
ofthe Superior Council. This resignation
explains itself. Those who are familiar
with the internal position Of the Liberal
Catholic movement of Geneva will be sur
prised at one thing only, that is,that have
not sooner rid myself Of a responsibility as
onerous as it was illusory. My sole excuse
is this: l waited so long as my heart
guided my actions; | broke silence on the
day when it was needful 10 listen to my
conscience.
l win not enter upon useless discussions
with men who ~confound, without knowing
it, Liberalism with dictatOrial Radicalism,
Catholicism with the profession Of faith OF
a Savoyard vicar. Clearly we cannot agree
either upon the tendencies of the facts that
eliminate from a movement its right to be
regarded as Catholic in religion and Libe-
raj in politics. But when the hour shall
have cOme-the present moment breathes
of sadness and of silence will address
myself to those religious souls for whom
orr movement has been something more
than a political movement, or one ~ofrancOr.
l have been their spiritual guide for more
than a year, and 1 know that many among
them have retained their full confidence IN
me. should have wished 10 address
them from the pulpit of Saint German.
| have been informed that it will be
closed against Inc, and in truth,
after the sentiments hat have been uttered
in its since my retreat, l conceive that l
should no longer be in my place there. /
will therefore explain, o o aud elsewhere,
TO those who have not sufficiently under
stood wherefore, under the impulse Of a de-
ciSive aud matured determination of my
conscience, L have resigned my official
functions; and how, in acting in this man
ner, | have maintained my own consistency
of action-as much opposed to the infali-
bility of the State as to that OF the Pope,
as much an enemy in the church to the do
minatiOn of the people as to that of the
priests.
In the meantime, l say TO all those who
continue TO wish with me for a truly Cath
Ole and liberal reform, that l have no in
tentiOn of abandoning either this cause or
Geneva, where / came to serve it. / pro-
pose remaining there in my Teconquered
freedom, to preach the Gospel and dispense
our sacred mysteries. | shall remain there
awaiting the election of the Bishop, who,
with his Synod, is the sole legal authority
hat l can recognize in religious matters.
| shall remain there without engagements
hencefOrth toward a law to which l have
kept my oath so long as | permitted my
self to believe in its practical results, but
which l now see clearly is impracticable TO
the same extent that it has not been ap-
piled in the country districts and badly APP
piled in the towns. / know too well what
there is Of intelligence and true Lib
eralism in Geneva to ~presuppose, under
such conditions, in the serious future of an
establishment more political than religious,
destined to close its career in a shorter
time and with less honor than the cOnSti-
tutional Church Of France, almost in the
same way as the German Catholic Com
of ROnge and the French Church of
Chatel closed their careers. 1t is my pro-
found conviction that the Catholic Church
cannot perish, nor can it remain in the CON
ditiOn in which the passing triumph Of
U-ltramOntanism has placed it. Ii is not
the creation of a new Church, still less of
a new religion, that is in question; it is a
in the ancient Church that must be
accOmpliShed.