The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-24


wisdom OF the Pope tor decision BY the Council
WOULD PERIODICAL coxvocAriox EcrMgSIcAL
COUNCILS CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE cHuEcHf
Til, Council OF Constance did not think So since "
published The decree Frsquens ID time when all the
world admitted the council 10 be scumenicsL In the
forty fourth session. held the 10Th Of April l4ls four
tbs after tho election OF the new Pope, Martin "
issued appointing the holding Of the council
Pavia carrying out the decree Frequefs (cpientes
e po'sntes decrcfo hsus generals conc satistacere,
inter alias dispoaepte. qucd omnnsodo generaid con
ella ia loco QUEEN Summus Ibat.ter per ante
fnsm hys concti appfobante Ell consenfiente concio
depnfare 81 designdre teneatur) Martin " caused his
authority with regard to tho people OF Poland 10 be
respected he here declares ne acts OF his own froo
Will BY what right can 1t be alleged that this bull was
forced from him? He never protested against the
violence, il any was attempted against MN. On the
contrary mauy years alter the council be issued
several bulls relating to the decree Frequems, and
Eugenius Nv. followed hts example. All these
facts would be nexpicable II these two popos
thought mat periodcity in the matter Of councils
could effect change In the constitution OF the
Church Cardinal Jacobltius his school speak OF
the canon FreQuens as a valid decree, but they say
We may reasonably deplore the decline OF this law.
the year period OF councils had been adhered 10
great evils and great disasters 10 society might nave
WHAT Evils COUNCILS MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED
II regularity OF period had been preserved the great
falling OF notice in the clergy Ia the fifteenth
century would have taken place Under the
vglant action OF decennia councils inveterate abuses
would have been corrected. manners would have been
reformed ecclesiastical science would have dourshed
and the true Christian spirit would stand out 10 all It's
made Protos,an,ism successful would nave been
avoided and Europe would have preserved her re-
Iigious unity. When thinks OF the empire
Of CHRISTIAN civiization under the guidance Of
gious unity, and considering tho progress OF justice
OF liberty OF science and art, one cannot forDear
napr Of regret Conyoca,ons that he have averled
many Ills, performed SO much good one must needs
regret. Bitterly We may depiore the evil days ana
the passions OF that made the wholesome law OF
Constance DO abandoned. If the excuses OF the
schismalics OF Basic could furnish precxts 10 those
who think councils OF little importance or who d..
recyy oppose them the results OF the Council OF Flor
ence should bring back all thinking minds to the i'm
portancc of frequent councils. SUCH however, is not
The case ana is unnecessary to expose all the causes
that led to the disuse OF tue law OF Constance
soLrCTUDK AND WISDOM OF THE FATHERS OF TRENT.
Tho bishops oil Italy in the Council OF Trent tor
maly asked for renewal OF the decree OF Constance.
This we Ind IN the postMata o. these osnons:L.Ds
ceiebrand0 confrmand.m essee erecutiont nanddn
dum.n Tho bishops OF Italy consequently dd not
think that the constitution OF the Church would un-
dergo q change by a decree prescribing periodical
council. The King OF Portugal caused the same posu.
idtun TO be presented to the fathers OF Trent He
saw therein no danger for the constitution OF the
Church. The French ambassadors. urged by the
Cardinal OF Lorraine and other preiates pstitoned
also Tor the renewal Of the Decennal Council. Tow
end OF the council the Cardinal OF LORRAINE In
general Congregation expressed = Tor the ire
oueut convocation OF councils The cardinal lega,es
presiding at tho Council OF Trent offered no OBJ
lection as ar as Inc CONSTITUTION q, n an9
opportuneness Some OF the lepatss we're OF opinion
that N accordance with this request should DO
promulgated. All these facts are attosted by docu
ment inserted in the "Annas OF Baronius." The
cardinal legates thoughtit well 70 consult the Pope,
solves In this eminenty confidential letter did they
point the danger that Pontnca authority and the
constitution Of the Church might undergo? By no
means for they simply refer TO the oppor OF
a law prescribing deccnnial council Here is the
an expediat fucere cdn0nen ut hdbeonr pvafr0 tenn
poranedm aiiq1ibMs cidehr tormandus canon ju1td
petitioner dliqiJus videtur ndturius deiberandum
The cardinals asked for instructions from the
Pope. Neither Pius w.. st. Charles Bor-
romeo. nor the cardinals at Rome having
charge OF consultations relating to the Council OF
Trent thought that pcriodcity OF councils would
change the constitution OF the Church, for they loft
the fathers OF Trent full liberty TO issue decree
prescribing the convocation OF ecumenca council
every twenty or twenty-five years 81 tamsen uidebt-
tm aafsere dhqnem term'mum vgsnn dm vgimt.
Pope and cardinals foresaw no danger in periodical
councils. The French postulota were published in
the annals of Baronius. Dupuy's collection may
likewise be consulted IT, $685. PsaImens IT, 374 Palla-
vicni (book XIX, cx.). Mariene tvecr. monum. tom.
&. V. D. 63.l). Plus ~. received the petition will
ingy, but judged the time OF appointment too close,
prescribe tho convocation OF an ecumenical council
every twenty or twenty-five years
FRANCOIS APPEAL FOR COUNCILS.
Here ia the petition presented III the name OF
France II contained three articles First, annual
diocesan synods; second, provincial councils every
three years. third, an ccumenical council every ten
years .Let the holy council ordan that episcopal
synods shall not only be convened at least once q
year. but also that provincial councils shall BIO hold
every three years, and that In these shall be con-
sdered all things appcrtaning TO the ecclesiastical
state that the faults of the ministers OF the Church
Gated shall be punished, and moreover that General
Councils shall be held every ten years" The
cardinals presiding at Trent did lay the
petition on the table, deeming II OF no con-
sideraton, for they knew very well that many
OF the fathers OF opinion to issue decree order
ing general council for every ten years. aud among
these, as 1 mentioned before, were the bishops Of
Italy According to the historians named above here
IL the answer Of the cardinal egates :-Concsrning
the first partvlz., provincial councils and diocesan
sypods-a canon has already been framed. Concern
ing general councils elaboration must aid us in de-
termining whether II be well to frame canon pre-
to frame a canon In conformity with the petition pre-
senteu, while Others on the othor hand, ask further
time Tor moro mature deliberation.
OF CARDINALS Plus
The petition was forwarded TO Rome, with tho
answer Of the ega.es Here is tho reply Of the card'
nails consulted by the Pope:-sSo far as concerns a
general council that must be left to he Fope's decis
ion as he alone has power 10 convoke tho Council The
resi- OF tho answer agreeable enough :"If however,
the Council is OF opinion that term should be nxed
upOn-say for example twcnty or twenty-five years
IL NAV act as II deems best remembering however
that this very Council Of Trent Is already in session
seventeen years, and. consequently, In periods of
time SO limited councils OF such length may not be
held" Thus see that Plus Nv was not disinciined
to prescribe the convocatien OF an ecumenca coun
ell every twenty-five years II the Council OF Trent,
ordering ccumcnical council every twenty years.
the Church since that day would have had six
would beyond all question have been beneficial
No law made regarding periodical councils. ms
the Council shortly altorwara ended us sessions
account OF pestilence dcsoating the country the
fathers were Obliged 10 separate
A sUPPosIroN-Mow MANY EvILs WOULD
AvolDKDY
Let us for q moment suppose tho Law made pro-
mulgated ana observed. How many religious and
moral questions would hsye come up tor serious de-
liberation during the sixteen councils that would
have been held during these three centuries 2
Council OF 15S3.-Baius was teaching the errors
condemned IN gfobo by st. Plus v and by Gregory
XIII. No doubt .he propositions duly censared arc
opposed to sound orthodoxy bat would IL be out OF
place, however, to think that more precise con-
dc.nnaton coming from a general council might
not have prevented the inteiminalle discussions
that Janscnsm gave rise 10 My years latsry
Protestant theology was turning to ubQuitarianism.
Surely tins sten which destroys all right notion OF
the Gospel deserved TO be pointed out anu overcome.
In many countries obstacles beset tho adoption OF
tho DEGREES OF the Council OF front IL might not
have been idle work for The Church assembled IN
general council 10 take steps TO remove these obsta-
ces. The congregation founded by Plus w TO inter-
pref the OF the Council Of Trent had explained
obscure passages and well nigh determined all ques-
lions Of Jurisprudence. The htcyuu who had drawn
up tue DEGREES OF Trent committed the mistake OF
nsRiccting technical terms, which to them seemed
lacking In elegance, hui which the csnonist rightly