The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-14
CATHOLICS UNDECIDED.
IN a QUANDARY WHETHER TO
FAST TOMORROW OR NOT.

The Pope's Dispensation to Permit
the Eating OF Meat Tomorrow Be
cause IL Ia the Feast OF the Assump-
ton Unknown to Most Of the De-
vout, and They are Unsettled about
Observing the Ancient Catholic
Rule.
Roman Catholics in Savannah are unde =
cided whether to fast tomorrow or not.
The dispeasation Of Pope Leo to eat meat
this week, Friday, has not been announced
in the Savannah churches, and devout
Catholics are rather inclined to discredit
the authenticity of the dispensation.
Every Catholic refrains from eating meat
on Friday as scrupulously as he attends the
church service on Sunday during which the
mass is celebrated. So much a part Of
Catholic life have both of these become that
the Catholic who is neglectful of either Of
these observances creates a suspicion at
once that he is weakening in his faith.
the occasion is extraordinary when the
church relaxes its rules so tnat the faithful
may eat meA on Friday or stay away
from Church on Sunday. That the Cath
Ollie church does, upon occasions, suspend
its restrictions and permit the eating of
meat on Friday is so, however. Tomorrow,
by a special dispensation of Pope Leo Kill,
meat may be eaten. This is the occasion Of
the Feast OF the Assum ption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. one OF the greatest feasts OF
the Catholic church.
That it may be judged how much of an
especial favor it is for the church 10 sus-
pend its rule regarding the eating OF meat
on Friday, it is only needful to say that it
has been granted but once or twice in very
many years. The observance OF Friday as a
day of abstinence dates back to the days OF
the Apostles, and all authorities unite that
the abstinence from meat then is out or re-
pect 10 the me nory of the fact that Christ
died on Friday.
The permission to eat meat tomorrow
grew out of request presented to the Pope
| in the beginning Of the present year. IL
was known that the Feast of the Assump-
ton, which is one OF the most religiously
observed of the Catholic feasts, fell this
year on Friday, and it was deemed neces-
sary for its JOYFUL observance that no re-
striction consequent upon the feast falling
upon Friday should be permitted. 1t was
| to this feeling that the attention OF the
Holy See was called and his Intervention
sought. 1t was promulgated by Cardinal
Monaco, project of the congregation of the
holy office, on July %. This is a transla-
ton of his letter to the bishops all over the
world:
"As the feast Of the glorious assumption
of the blessed Virgin Mary falls this year
ON Friday, the holy father, Pope Leo XIII.
| Yielding to the solicitations of the bishops OF
many sees, has granted to all christians
throughout the world the privilege of eating
meat on that day Aug. l5l, without, how
ever, removing the obligation of fasting Oh
Thursday, the vigil of the feast.
1.-THE holy father will be pleased that al
faithful, in return for this favor, will say
the third part of the rosary, according t.
this intention
The fact that the cardinals letter has no
been read in the churches and that no an
nouuce nent of the pope's djspensation hai
been made, will incline most Catholics t.
adhere to the church custom aud keep to
morrow as fast