Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-28
From THE PALAcR
or THE VATICAN.

hprll 4, 1000.
In his last note, OF the 26Gh of last
month, the undersigned, Cardinal
and Secretary Of State, gave
bis Excellercy, the Envoy Ex-
traordinary and Minister Plenipoteutiary
of Prussia, to understand that as soon as
the bill actually contemplated together
with the known changes, was accepted and
promulgated, the Bishops should be in.
structed to make known TO the Prussian
government the names of eccIesiastics who
are to be called as parish priests to dis.
charge the functions OF the ministry in such
parishes as are now vacant. The note
added that il, as was TO be hcpsd,
RELIGIOUS PEACE
was concluded this practice of notifying
might be continued in the future. Ths
modus procedendi (msnner OF proceeding
has arisen from the consideration that al.
though the contemplated bill with its lost
amendment, does contain fundamental
notifications, the importance Of
which are willingly acknowledged
it can never then be sd nitted that relig |
ious peace has been completely restored so
long as other dispositions of the preceding
legislation Of which no mention is made in
the bill as at present drafted are allowed TO
remain. For this reason it is thought that
the notifying the government about the
parish rectorships actually vacant was an !
important advance, aud that by such pro. |
gressive accord we were preparing the
ground for complete religious peace.
Thereby the permanent authorizing OF
these notifications is placed on level cor
responding with that condition of perfect
order which the Holy See desires TO see
established as soon as possible. Cstho-
lies on their side would not see with
pleasure the Holy See granting such per
manent authorizing before they are given
to enjoy the benefit Of definite religious
peace. Hence great reliance is placed on
derived from the very nature
of the matter in question, and which found
their expression in preceding documents
of the Holy See Meanwhile il has been
sscertained from various sources, and espe
cially from the last declaration Of his Ex
cellency Prince Bismarck, that the project
I'd bill with its last amendments would
End great d,iiicultyin being adopted BY the
msjorty in Parliament, if the Holy See did
not from the present time authorize perma-
nent notification The Holy Father impress
ed by the gravity Of the painful situation
would propose to the Prussian Govern
nent as o means OF diminishing the diff
,uties on other side2 to complete the pre-.
.ent lull by revising the former dispositions
not mentioned in this bill, so as to afford
ground to hope for complete restoration
of religious peace. The
RETALIATION
oi this proposal would entirely satisfy the
Holy Father, and would be received BY
with 30 sincere Joy that his
Holiness could from this moment concede
The permanent ratification. 1t. never
iheless, under existing circumstances,
the revision o. tne May laws
cannot be accomplished in the
aforesaid as soon as the under
signed Secretary Of State has received the
assurance that this revision lhall be under
taken 10 the near iuture, the Holy See will
grant the permanent ra;iacstion in the
sense of the answer given in the note OF
March 26 to the third question asked by the
Prussisn Legation in it's note Of the same
date. As to this third question" the aoly
See intends TO lsaEe ths Government free
to July sIplsiu ID the diocesan authorities
the mo:iVa. legged Tor excluding the per
son proposed when the Government be-
lieves the de6ni'iVe nomination OF such
person to the position to be iueconcilable
with public order because OF some fact
known to the Government BY it
proyed to be serious. The Prus'
sian Government will perceive in
these last proposals new proof OF the con
tinual anxiety Of the Holy Father to obtain
religious peace. as we'll as Of his endeavor
to remove all obstacles to the examination
of the means by which such peace may be
arrived at. The undersigned Secretary Of
State has the honor to assure you, noble
Sir, of bis highest consideration.
(Sipped) CARDINAL JACoBIYI"
Nearly ell the parishes in Prussia, rep
rssenting q Catholic population Of nearly
100000 600, have been deprived OF all regu:
lar pastoral ministrstion since the real
beginning Of Prince Bismsrks kulturkampf
in 1928. 1t has been long and disas-
trous s'rugple, and no wonder the Holy
father is willing to make great consessions
to the government for the purpose Of re-
storing to the Prussisn Catholics their
bishops and psrcchisl clergy, and provid.
ing for the spiritual needs and educational
wants Of a generation so long neglected
and persecuted. 1t is the crowning glory
OF the pontifcate Of Leo XIII.