The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-06
CATHOLICS AND TEMPERANCE.
The Decree of the Baltimore Council and the
Effect 1t May Have on the Liquor Trade.

New YORK, Nov. 5.-The archbishops and
bishops of the Catholic churches of the
United States, at the close of the
third pienary council, held at Bal
timore in December 1884, issued a
pastoral letter to the clergy and laity of their
charges. The pastoral letter, as usual, contains
summary of the DEGREES and rules passed by
the council, and when published one paragraph
attracted considerable attention. 1t read as fol-
lows
There is one way of profaning the Lords
day, which is so prolific of evil results, that we
consider it our duty to utter against it a special
condemnation-this is the practice of selling
beer or other liquors on Sunday, or of frequent
ing places where they are sold. This
practice tends more than any other to turn the
day of the Lord into day of dissipation, and to
use it as an occasion for breeding in
temperance. While we hope that Sunday
laws On this point will not be relaxed,
but even more rigidly enforced, we i'm
plore all Catholics, for the love of God,
and the country, not to take part in such traffic
nor to countenance or patronize it, and we not
only direct the attention OF all pastors to the
preston of this abuse, but we do call upon them
to induce all of their focks that may be engaged
in the sale of liquors to abandon, soon as then
can, the dangerous traffic, and to embrace a
more becoming way OF making living
ops placed the liquor traffic in new light in its
relation to the Catholic Church. Up to this time
it had been the general impression among those
who were not members of the church thai while
she did not in any way encourage the LIQUOR
traffic, she was not directly opposed TO it. When
the pastoral letter appeared, however it became
evident that the Catholic Church in
America had resolved to declare itself
opposed to intemperance There were some who
chp CrcyQH fhoir VIII fhnxy fha
above paragraph, and declared that they did OF
believe it would have any effect upon the liquor
selling members of the church. The matter has
not been so thoroughly brought out before the
it will be should the DEGREES which
were forwarded to Rome be returned with the
Endorsement of the Pope. AS is always Gus
tomary, the DEGREES adopted by the last plenary
council were forwarded to Rome, the Rev. DR..
O'Connell, rector of the American College
and procurator for the Archbishop Of Bal
tore, acting messenger and ambassador.
On his arrival at the Eternal City the DEGREES
were delivered into the hands of Cardinal
Simeoni project of the propaganda, by whom
of the propaganda, a body of car
dinas and thaologians who examined
them carefully The congregation of
the propaganda submitted report upon the
DEGREES to the Holy See. The Rev. Dr. O'Con-
NELL who has been absent nearly year, is now
on his way back to the United States
with these DEGREES, which have been
duly examined and passed upon by the
Holy See. There is now much speculation
in ecclesiastical circles as to the manner in
which the decree relating to the liquor traffic
was received by the Pope If he has given it
his approval and Endorsement it is expected
there will soon be inaugurated in this coun-
try crusade against the liquor business of
an exceedingly effective character The organ-
cation of the Catholic Church is such, distin-
guished clergyman said to night, that it can.
with the assistance of the Pope do more to Grip
religious body. Or. OConnell is expected to
arrive at Baltimore within few days, and the
DEGREES will then be published Archbishop
Corrigan said that it would not be polite for
him to say anything whatever concerning the
DEGREES.