Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-21
FOREIGN TOPICS.
GREAT ANTI.RESCRIPT MEETING
IN DUBLIN.
The Emperor Continues to Improve
Opening of the Barcelona
Exhibition-Races.
LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.
0'Brien Explains the Situation Regarfiin
the Papal Rescript,

0'Brien Explains the Situation Regarding
the Papal Rescript.
LONDON, May 20th.-William O'Brien,.
NJ. p, in an interview regarding the Papal
rescript and resolutions adopted at the
meeting Of the Catholic Parnellite members
OF Parliament on Thursday, said To any
person fully informed as to the history and
organization of the Roman Catholic Church.
the excitement produced by the publica-
ton OF the rescript is somewhat amusing.
Liberal and Tory writers seem to takeit for
granted that Ireland is ruled from the Vat
lean. The Congregation of the Holy Office,
to which the reports of Monsignor Persico
on the condition of Ireland were referred
by Pope Leo XlII., is one of the many
committees of the College of Cardinals, and
it is also one Of the least authoritative. In
olden days the Holy Office was synonymous
with the inquisition, and even now its
functions are purely inquisitional, not ju-
dlclal. 10 the Congregation of the HOLY
Office the Pontiff usually refers any appeal
made to him for a decision or advice in
purely secular affairs. For instance, to-day
in some Catholic countries-say in Bel
GUM, where an anti-clerical party exists
some law anti-Catholic in spirit may be
proposed by the politicians, and submitted
to the people for decision at the general
the attitude their hocks should assume on
the question, they state their reasons for
their doubts, and are also supposed to
state the other side of the question, in es-
pecially sending their statement to Rome
CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY oFFIcE.
The Congregation CT the Holy Office con-
siders it and the Pope promulgates the
opinion arrived at, not ex cathedra, but as
an authoritative suggestion. His Holiness
approves or condemns any of the suggested
measures, but his approval or condemna-
ton possesses no authority, unless it is
based upon some question of faith or
morals already defined. The distinction
between any rescript or bull dealing with
matters of politics and any decree dealing
with matters of the Catholic faith or
Christian morals, is so well understood by
the most unlettered Catholics in Ireland
that very little attention is paid by laymen
to such DEGREES as the pronunciamento on
the J" plan of campaign" On political
question Rome and Ireland have been at
variance before, when Henry H. assumed
the Lordship of Ireland, under the bull of
Adrian ~. The Irish prelates and people
took it for granted that the bull was au-
thentic, but they disobeyed it and they
were not excommunicated. O'Connell
publicly declared that he would not take
bis politics from Rome, but the Pontiff did
not denounce him as bad Catholic. The
eminent theologian, Bishop Doyle, in his
evidence before the committee of the
House of Lords and in his published
writings, maintained that the Pope had no
authority whatever in matters of public
government in these countries, and he re-
mained Bishop uncondemned by Rome.
THE CONDEMNATION OF FRN1ANIsM.
Pic Mono was induced to condemn Fen
ianism as secret society, yet one Arch
bishop and several priests refused to con-
slider membership of the Fenian organiza-
ton as an otfense against either faith or
morals, and were not reproyed by the Holy
See.
Theoretically it is held that secret So
ciety is bad because it is secret. Neverthe-
less it is held by Roman canonists that un-
less the objects are antagonistic to the
faith or moral law, or, its objects being
justifable, its methods are bad, it is not
necessary to be condemned. The Knights |
of Labor are secret society but Leo XIII. !
has refused to condemn them, yet Cardinal
Gibbons, of Baltimore, possesses full canon |
lcal power to denounce the Knights of La
bor al any time he may become convinced |
that their objects are against public morals |
or their methods unjustifable When Pho |
Mono condemned Fenianism Cardinal Cul. |
len proclaimed the Fenian organization in |
such an archdiocese as that of Dublin. |
Archbishop McHale quietly ignored the !
censure in the archdiocese of Tuam and it |
IS notorious that members of the regular |
clergy-that is, the religious orders as dis |
tinct from parishional clergy-throughout |
Ireland dIsobeyed the censure by regularly |
granting the rites of the church to avowed |
FenianS.
EFFECT OF THE REsCRIPT.
Irrelevant as they may seem, it is neces-
sary to keep those facts in mind in Judging
of the authority and public effect of the |
censure OF the plan of campaign. Until |
applied by the metropolitans in Ireland
under specially defined and ascertained cir |
cumstances 1t has no authority whatever
over an Irish Catholics conscience. On the |
face of it censure is grounded on the sup
position that the plan of campaign is an |
inference with the fulillment of voluntary
contracts. The Bishop or priest who pro- |
mulgates the censure must be satisfied by |
evidence that contracts between landlord |
and tenant are absolutely voluntary and
tree from circumstances of injustice or CO.
ercion before he can economically censure
the plan OF campaign which interferes with |
1t. II coercion is exercised in inducing
tenants to join the plan OF campaign, then, |
if the Bishop of the diocese is satisfied on
the point, he may apply the Papal censure
to the plan of campaign within his diocese.
Even then he cannot withhold the rites of
the church from any person who adopts
the plan of campaign.
NOT INJURE THE NATIONAL CAUSE.
Pope Leo XIII. knows very well that any
censure that he may illuminate will not in
jure the Nationalist cause. In Ireland there
is regret that his Holiness should have even
appeared to aid the enemies of the Irish
people, but this is the only feeling that has
been kindled.