The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-11
The German Persecution.
TIE ARCHBISHOP OF PosEN AND HIS PER
sECUTORS.
brooklyn Catholic Review.l

brooklyn Catholic Review.l
The correspondence between the Presi-
dent Gunther and Mgr. Ledochowskl, !
Archbishop of Guesen and Posen, has been |
published. President Gunther in his letter |
or rather legal Summons, which ls dated
the Gath of November, commences by sta
ting that the position which your Grace
has been pleased to assume with reference
to n great number of laws which are In
force, has necessarily attracted, for con-
siderable time, the attention of the Gov
eminent. A long series of events during
the course of last year, lead to the convic-
ton that your Grace has decided not only
to refuse to obey personally, as you ought,
the laws duly promulgated with the high
est sanction of his Majesty the King, after
their adoption by the representatives OF
the country, in conformity with the constl-
tuition; but also to offer systematic re-
sistance to the measures prescribed by the
State and based on the aforesaid laws, and
likewise to provoke and encourage the
priests of your archdiocese, as we'll as the
laity entrusted to your care, in the same
disobedience to legal ordinances"
In proof of this assertion the president
alleges that the Archbishop had organized
private schools of religion that he had
opposed the Government inspection OF &C.
clesiastical seminaries; that he had ap-
pointed priests to ecclesiastical charges
without having previously obtained the
| sanction of the State (; that he had encour-
aged the priests of his diocese to bless
marriages which were null and void and
that in reference to other matters he had
! openly rebelled against the ecclesiastical
laws recently enacted by the German Par
lament. Finally he calls on Monsigneur
Ledochowski to resign his episcopal dig
nifty within a week after the reception of
this extraordinary document, and announ-
cling that in default of so doing, his Grace
is cited to appear before the Royal Tribu-
nal of Ecclesiastical Affairs, at Berlin, in
order that proceedings may be taken
| against the Archbishop with view of de-
priving him of his office.
Subioined ia translation of the Arch
bishops dignifed and spirited reply:
To the Chief President of the Grand Duchy of Posen
If your letter of the oath inst. caused me
great sorrow because it forebodes fresh attacks
on the Catholic Church in my dioceses, and
announces new griefs and severe trials to the
faithful entrusted to my pastoral care, it has
nevertheless, not surprised me. Indeed, since
the royal Government have declared wal
against the Holy Catholic Church, in the
most gracious Sovereign, have often beer
forced to the conclusion that the servants OF
the State did not comprehend what the Holy
Catholic Faith is, and that they were not in 6
position to understand the duties it imposes on
believers.
This is the only explanation of the above
mentioned dispatch by which you summon me
to resign my Archepiscopal dignity. adding
that if fail to do so in the course of week
you will take steps to procure my deposition
by lay tribunal ut Berlin.
1 hold my Episcopal charge, with the duties
and the rights belonging to it, from God b!
the hands of His Vicar on earth. 1t is by viz
tue of the power given to me by God Himsel
(spiritus sanctns posut EpiScopos regere Eccte
siam De) that l govern that portion of thu
Holy Church which has been assigned to M
by the Holy Father. Therefore no lay powe
4 | is able to destroy that mission The materia
= force of the powerful in this world may nj
doubt render impossible to a bishop the &C
S complishment of his holy duties it may pre-
p. vent him from exercising the rights whicl
# belong to him but it will never succeed il
/. depriving him of his charge, because man /
h unable to injure the spiritual power given b.
4 God to tho pastors of souls.
). There can then be question as to my de
position from the Archepiscopal dignity b.
; any department of the State; every attemP
e of the Church, and of the Catholic world.
= may, indeed, he deprived materially of tn
j. possibility of fulfilling my duties, and ma
:, nevertheless these rights will never cease
- be my indefeasible rights. In like manner n
- State tribunal can release me from the dut
|. incumbent on me of fulfilling the obligation
% of my ecclesiastical charge. With regard to
voluntary remuneration on my part of tn
Archbishopric of Guesen and Posen, this
might indeed occur under certain circun
{, stances with the consent of the Holy Father
I'd but believe that you, and also the Roy:
lie Government know me we'll enough to be col
le WINGED that in circumstances like the preser
i conferred on me by God if, of my own accort
At abandoned my flock at the moment when
% is exposed to the danger of becoming the pre-
10 of inhdelity, heresy, and schism. Ny duty
OF to defend the spiritual welfare of nay diocesan
s, aud not to Withdraw through the threat {
t. suffering of any kind, even of death itsel
8, The good shepherd gives his own life for b
g. flock but the mercenary and he who is NJ
~ the shepherd sees the wolf coming and leave
IN his flock and flies
~, - This is what have to declare to you col
m arChblSlODrlC
re Guesen and Posen, and the pretended depos
c. ton of my archiepiscopal dignity. Nov
i. although deem it superfluous to enter into
err detailed examination of the points raised L
I'd you in the document of the oath instant, Sc
id ing that they have been thoroughly exhauste
or on my part in the correspondence whic
p passed between US on each of them in partic
40 lar, yet wish to make some observations upt
Is them as a whole. You cite some of the mo
n" important acts of my spiritual government
ne done between the months of September in 10
ye year and the present date, and You find in the
no motives sufficient for drawing the truly stranl
conclusion which is formulated at the end