The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-29
ST.. JosEPH's CATHEDRAL.
WHEELING, Jan. q, 1883.

MHEkLtNO, Jan. ~, 1888.
RKv. DEAR SIR:-on the night OF Tuesday
(23d inst public ball was given in this city
under the auspices ESQ 1t was publicly an
nounced) OF the knights OF ST. John" a
society composed exclusively OF Catholic
men, and this ball $50 again The public press
has asserted) was conducted In manner in
direct variance with the provisions OF the
late Diocesan Synod. II Is true that the plea
ecclesiastical law was the work Of only the
military Branch" Numbering about thirty
membes) OF the Society; but as the other
members entered no prett o. against this open
act Of rebellion, and thereby implicitly sane.
toned It, the whole society has become res
ponsible for the scandal. You will therefore
announce to your people at the late Mass to-
morrow, that In virtue Of our Episcopal au-
thority, we have condemned, and do now
formally condemn the society known as the
Knights OF st. John, and that after the tirst
day Of next March membership with said SO.
ciety will constitute reserved case in this
Diocese.
We e1hort the well.disposed members To
insist on the permanent expulsion OF those
constituting the Military Branch; for on this
condition alone shall we withdraw our con.
demnation. But II the society refuses to
those who profess to be Catholics, and sub.
jects therefore OF our Episcopal authority, to
sever their connection with the organization.
fou will quote as applicable to the present
subject the words Of Our Holy Father, leo
XIII, In his late enoyclical to the Bishops OF
Spain. Date Dec s, 1882:
Now, even as the Roman PontiE Is the
teacher and Prince OF the Universal Church,
so likewise are Bishops the rulers and chiefs
Of the Churches that have been duly entrust-
ed TO them. Each has within his own juriS-
djctIon the power OF leading, supporting or
correcting, and generally OF deciding in such
matters as may seem 10 affect religion. For
they share In the power which Christ, our
Lord, received from the Father, and trans,
mittsd to His Churchi and therefore Gregg
~ TX, our predecessor, said OF Bishops, we
do not hesitate to declare thst the Bilhop0
called to share our cares are the .representa'
tiyes OF God This power has been given
over whom 1t Is exercised, It tends by Its
very nature to he building up VI the Body Of
Christ aud makes Of each Bishop a bond
which unites in faith and charity the Chris.
tians under his guidance at once with anoth.
or aud With the supreme pontif, rs members
with the head. Here 10 weighty expression
OF ST. Cyprian's; TIE Church & NJ PeOple
united VIII its pastors, and The flock utdt 1eI.
lotrS itg Shepherd, and anpther still more
weighty "SnQp 70 that he Bishop is IN he
Church aud The Church IN the Bjfopy and II
any one 10 not with he Bishop The SAME Il not
IN Inc Church. Such, Interchangeable and
everlasting, Is the constitution OF the Chris.
tan commonwealth; II 1t be not religiously
maintained, disturbance OF rights aud duties
enSues as necessary consequence OF the
broken association OF the members whose per-
etpnion constitute the body Of the phprch,
Piled with MSursbmellt and eOmpdcted, gToweth
into Tie Increase of God We see, there.
fore, That Bishops should have paid to them
that respect WHICH the eminepce OF their
charge eEacts, aud rnceiVn in oil matters
within their office perfect obedience
Referring In the same oncyolical letter to
Catholic Associations, the Holy Father says:
ave deem those associations peculiarly
fitted to aid them, the reverend clergy, In
this work which are, so 10 speak, the Auxil-
larry forces destined to support the interests
Of the Catholic religion; and we approve,
therefore, their object and the energy they
display; we Rrdentiy desire that they may
increase In number and in seal, and that from
day % day their fruits may be more abund.
ami. But since the object Of such societies Is
The defence and encouragement Of Catholic
interests, and asiti Is the Bishops who, each
In their proper doceie, haye TO watch over
tbose Interests, Il naturally follows that they
should be controlled by their Bishops, and
should set great value on their authority and
Gan he be Catholic Of heart who despises
theSs solemn official utteFances Of the bead
OF the church, May not the successor oil St,
Peter say, With H@aph trRth a the Apostle