, 1879-07-03


oIious and fatal protests nre prepared.
II M consider this ',c.!gn IN itself and IN
It. consequences. II appears only t"o Injurious
priesthood, but alto to tho 5.c.do'n OF con.
scicuco aml To public morals. Nnw, tho State
buddy, invading the domain Of religion aud |
to II, hi. no regard for ,te sacrament save TO
hamper ttA excrcao and TO submit II TO the
auLhority Of Tic ctxio and to the reuuiIements
IT civil .forFnalt,ies. Nor is this al. The
oflense whcrcupon to strlke the sacred minis
try and tic contracting parties With distressing
aid pccuntary pnnsllnicnts; u regards sacra-
altour ' Il iss " neen besscd BY Cod. II Il has
not toen preceded b! a cvil format!ty; 1t un.
Justly accuses tho Church aud tl!e clergy OF
what fs nothing but the natural effect OF the
institutions and the religious conviction o[ ths
| Italian PEOPLE, We mean the rarcncss nf civtl
unions and the indifference manifested Tor tho
statutory proceeding.
/ And mot 10 a.! anything e!sc, thc priest Oh
God Is prevented, even when In his sncrcd duty.
| frDni kucrorinE With proniptness and opportu-
nifty. by the sacsanontal cclcbrationo OF marriage.
anvh Hnfortunatcs ~ are In the laat hours OF
| tleir lives. who ask divine nardon for a'c'r ngo.
nlz!ng souls. and for peace and compromised
hnnor for their families
With regard To subjects, their faith and reir-
lou. freedom arc uuluttly hampcFed BY being
l
The dependence Of 1he State; they impose no
o:llcr moral law upon their conscience for the
eonjuGnl union n..'i for The foundation OF the
family than that ot t,lr code, which does not
neaatlmc guilty toncnbinaEe Is lcts tree In such
a nanneF as 10 davciop itself With tmpunity and
ruc over c!vIl society. as statistics PROVE BY
Guiding Christian duties and even thu nressTtp-
tians of tte code; finally what is most alarm
inE Of ali is the prcteuse Of Inv placed in tue
l,.us!s OF pcryerse men, whescwtth 10 betray the
pareHts, by rcfusfng TO hare the religious ceie
braton performed after tic clSl act.
10 not theso considerations, venerable bretli-
rcn. give rise to suspicious that tho present
less by sentiment Of order md social rccti,uds
than hy design to lay new Affections upon the
Church as! the clergy and to increase Incentives
to perverslon a.nonE the Italian peoploi Such
doubt Is strengthened nhtn VIC ser Tint this
change strikes tue Bacred ministry with scycrer
penalties than II does the principal anffnctors to
whom 1t leaves tncnns OF escape, within tifnc
from penal uctton, which IL not 1ons for Tho
ful com,nentarles aud iihp0us declarations with
nhrh i IL Thought to justify this chanEe before
the public to thc great grlcf md to the Just In
t1sgna,son Of aiI Catholic hearts. Indeed It has
been unequyocaily asserted that social morals
are not religious morals, aud that II does nut be-
loug to the Legislator TO play tho moraitss; that
/ | the Slate does not recognize saeranents, nor
, docs IT. l,csitRse to strike even sacrament TO
maintain It's institutions; that the present change
Is work OF retaliation aEainst the Church, be-
cause s!lc condemns as unjust 'te civil law
which ignores the religious character Of tho
sacrament; ttHt tie sacrament Of 1natFisnony II
fictitious union, real concubinnoe which Of.
tenlB the civil Inv. You now sec, venerable
brethren, after these declarations, what the
PRINCIPLES arc which Inspire the proposed change
. nlIl to what end II teuds.
Therefore. We implorc the Most High, with al
, our heart, 10 epaEc lis thu ngopy oi seeing the
j which cannot but bring forth fruits the mos,
t perntcous to faith unI to public and domestic
1 morals. mud which Will prove a source Of re
peatcd oiTcnses anu 0utragcs ngatnst The sacscl
= ministry. In the meantime let us not cease
= venerable brcthreu to warn the faithful BY
b Timely exhortations OH this great Catholir trutl
i tt the orIClu am! sanctifca.inn Of the marrfae
:, the forms established BY God nni the Church
II the honor and sanctttT Of the Contugal tic Il
= not to b. found nor the grace VI the sacrament
T. To rcfrte the spectous charges hurled III ON
a day against the Church anl1 the clergy by repre-
srNtlng them as systematically hostile to tb
laws regu1att1l. marriage III Its civil cftccta VI
9 nced only recall tue wise instruction by whtct
the Church. wien tic integrity Of the sacramcn,
i He'd, permits the faithful To avail themselves q
nuy udyantagcs tAat may arise from such leEts
: latlon. 1lsesc Instructions are known to you
II venerable brethren, III tho many acts OF tn
lc Apostolic ser, and especlally IN tho brief o
II Benedict XIV. to the BIshops III Holland. Rst
dt!r sut, q Sept. y, 17Aa; ny thc hr!et q ptu
~ The Encyclical Of Popo Plus VII. to the Frenc
nj Enisropate. Of Feb. Il, ls00; aad In our day i
T. T. the general Instruction Of the sacred Peni.cn
~ tfarv OF Jun. 15. 1916 TO the Dshops OF Italy.
II AL we have said, venerable brothers. saoul
certainly suffice 10 cnlIgften minds aud 10 aver
=. -, the danger wa stand In drcad Ut. But II
spite Of all this wo are constrained by tho wlcl
-, etlncss Of men to see the sacrament Of taatr
~ ~ mony compromised by these pcrn!cous change
~ ~ atd others OF the same kind, VIC shall dcepl
~ ~ dcplorn II with you; but from the unconqucre
~ c1a1np!a o{ the Apostles MIL Of our predecessor
i: i: We snal! draw tic rule BY which TO guard q
~ wuys, according 10 the DiYinc pseccpt, the hol
~. callse vi Christian ularraCs nnl the spritul
T.. salyatiuH Ut the tuthtul.
=" In III. mcantIu.e. us All eayllcst pf cur epec'
IT, good viii, VIC, with all the cfIusou Of our hear
~ ~ bvstow o,,r apostolic bcNdettun upon you rel
u crabr brethren, and upon tic clergy uud faisl
80 ful committed to YUlir care.
So o., ROME, Palace Of tie Vatican, Fest Of Pents
~ ~ coat, June i, ls1!l LEO NIL, Pope,