Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-12
CATHOLICISM'S PASTORAL
THE LETTER OF THE COUNCIL
PRELATES MADE PUBLIC.

HE LETTER OF THE COUNClL
PRELATES MADE PUBLIC.
Growth of the Church During the Past
Is Years-CathOlic Devotion to the
Republic Set FOrth-A Strong Plea
for Religious Teaching in the
Schools.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 1.-THE pastoral letter of
the Catholic prelates composing the third
Plenary Council to the clergy and Iaity under
their charge Is made public. 1t covers two
pages of the Catholic Mirror, and cannot well
be condensed within the limits of a tele-
graphic item. Some of its points are given
herewith. 1t opens with an expression of
gratitude for the work of the preceding coun-
ell Is years ago, and saws: sSince then orr
ecclesiastical body OF clergy and religieuse
has grown to wonderful dimensions. Our
Catholic institutions have been multiplied
with The corresponding increase in the mem
DerS OF our faithful la ty. The territory, like
wise, over which they are spread, has been
greatly enlarged. The land of the far West,
that was once desOlate and impossible.
through Gods providential mercy now re-
Jolces and hOurishes like the lily. Under His
guiding hand it has been taught to bud forth
ana blossom and rejoice with JOY and praise.
Ihe wilderness mas exchanged its solitude for
the hum of busy life and industry, and the
steps Of our missionaries and Catholic settlers
nave invariably. either preceded or ac-
eompaniea comp the westward pro
gress OF civilization. The forests
have given way to cities, where Catholic tenn
pies re-echO the praises of the Most High,
where the priceless perfume of the "clean
oDiauon," toretold by Malachi, daily ascends-
70 heaven and where the life-giving sacra-
ments Of the holy church are dispensed by
a devoted clergy.
THE OBJECT OF THE CONFERENCE.
In view of this great progress of our holy
religion, this marvellous widening of the tab
ernacles OF Jacob, 1t has been judged wise and
eXpedlent, If not absolutely necessary, to eX-
anime anew the legislation of our predeces-
sors-not with any purpose of radical change,
nuch less OF abnegation, but to preserve and
to our altered circumstances, and,
as every day gives birth to
new errors, and the lapse of time or distance
of place allows abuses to gradually creep into
reg ular discipline. we have judged it the duty
of our pastoral Office to check the latter by re-
calling and enforcing the established law, and
TO guard our flock against the former by time
~ words OF paternal admOnitiOn. Such, too,
mas been the expressed wish of the Holy
Father Leo XIII."
The assembling of the General Council of
the vatican by Plus TX. is referred to as one
OF the most important events of our age, and
It's work and utterances are reviewed at con-
siderable length. In connection with the Op-
preston OF Catholics in Germany, the
PrusSlan catholics are commended for
having stood up like wall of adamant
against the tyranny of their country rulers
while proving themselves most devoted and
faithful to its laws. Discussing the relations
OF the laws of the church with those of the
country the letter says: I'VE think we can
claim to be sacquainted both with the
laws, institutions and spirits of the Catholic
Church, and with the laws, institutions of
of our aOuntry; and we emphaticaIlydecIare
that there is no antagonism between them.
CATHOLICS IN AMERICA.
THE Catholic finds himself at home in the
United States for the influence of his church
has constantly been exercised IN behalf
OF individual rights ana popular lber-
ties, and a right minded American no
where finds himself more at home than
in the Catholic Church, for nowhere
else can ne breathe that atmosphere of divine
truth which alone can make us free. We re-
pudlate with equal earnestness the assertion
that we need to lay aside any of our devoted
ness to our church to be true Americans and
IN . lnsnuatlon that we need b. lay aside any
OF our love for our cOuntry's principles and
Institutions to be faithful Catholics. To argue
that the Catholic Church is hostile to our
great republic because she teaches that there
is no power but from God. because there
fore, back of the even which led to the for
nation OF the republic she sees the providence |
Oh God leading to that issue, and back
OF our cOuntry'5 laws the authority
OF God as their sanction, is evidently 50
Illogical and contradictory an accusation that |
we are astonlshed to hear il advanced by per-
sons OF ordinary intelligence. We believe
that our country's heroes were the instru-
mcnts Of the God of nations in establishing
this home of freedom.
CATHOLIC PATRIOTISM.
ITO both the Almighty and to His instru-
ments in the work we look with grateful |
reverence: and to maintain the inheritance of |
freedom which they have left us should it
ever-which God forbid-be imperllled our
Catholic citizens will be found to stand for
ward as one man ready to pledge anew
their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honor No less illogical would
be the notion that there is ought in the free
spirit OF our American institutions incompat-
lble with perfect dOcilty to the church of
Christ. The spirit of American freedom is
not one of anarchy or license. u essentially |
involves love of order, respect for rightful |
authority and obedience to just laws. There |
is nothing In the character of the most liberty
loving American which could hinuer his rev
erentlal submission to the divine authority of
our Lord or to the like authority delegated by
Him to His apostles and His church, nor are
there IN the world more devoted adherents of
the Catholic Church, the See of Peter and the
Vicar OF Christ than the Catholics of the
United States"
The letter condemns the spoliation of the pro
paganda by the Italian Government thanks
our government for the action that saved the
American college from cOnfscatIon, and hopes
that the protest and appeal of all governments
and people that Love justice and hate iniuui-
ty" may yet shame the spOiler into honesty
CHURCH AND STATE.
1t speaks hopefully and trustfully of the ne
gOtlations between the Holy Father and the
TO bring peace to the Church, and SAYS: "But
IN all the wide circle of his great responsible
ity, the progress of the Church i'm these United
states forms IN a special manner both a
source of JOY and an object of solicitude
to the Holy Father. With loving
care his predecessors watched and encouraged
her first feeble beginnings. They cheered
ana lostereu her deve opment in the pure at
mOsphere of freedom when the name of Car
roll shOne with equal lustre at the head of her
new born hierarchy and on the roll of our
country S patriots. Step by step they directed
ner progress, as with marvellous rapidlty the
clergy and diocese shave multiplied the hum
dreds of the faithful have increased to thou
sands and to millions; her churches schools
asylums, hospitals, academies and colleges |
nave covered the land with the homes of di- |
vine truth and Christian charity. Not yet |
century has elapsed since the work was in
augurated by the appointment of the first |
Bishop of Baltimore in 1889, and as we gaze
claim:
by the Lord hath this been done. and it is
wonderful in our eyesp
The letter then treats upon the education of |
the clergy and their pastoral rights and
duties. In connection with the latter subject |
a lew words are said concerning church |
properties and church debts. 1t SAYS: 1.-The |
manner of holding legal tile to these pro-
perties is different IN different places, accord
ing to the requirements of the local civil |
laws; but whether the title be held by the |
Bishop or by boards OF diocesan or parish
trustees, it always remains true that the pro-
perties are held in trust for the church, for the
benefit of the people.
CHURCH DEBTS.
SIN the discharge of the duty of buylng or
building it often becomes necessary TO con-
tract church debts. Where the multiplica-
tion of the Catholic population has been so
rapid, rapid work had to be done in erecting
churches and schools, and if under such cir
cumstances pastors had to wait till all the
funds were in hand before beginning work, a
generation would be left without the neces-
sary spiritual aids, and might be lost to the
church and to God. The council fully appre-
ciates the necessity Of preventing a debt
whenever possible, but recognizes the fact that
1t is sometimes necessary, and expresses the
earnest wish that existing debts should be
liquldated as soon as possible, in order that
the money now consumed in paying interest
might be employed in great improvements
still to be made, especially in helping on the
glorious work of Christian education.
UNIVERSAL EDUCATION DESIRED.
Much space is devoted to Christian educa-
ton and its three great agencies-home,
church and school. The following are ex-
tracts from what is written upon this topic:
''Scarcly, if at all, secondary to the church's
desire for the education of the clergy is her
s0licitude for the education of the laity.
1t is not for themselves, but FOR the
1aao 81 hnf ole 70,