The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-02-07
CIRCULAR LETTER.
To the Catholic Clergy in the Ha-
wniian Islands.


ReUereIl0 ana Dour F0thefS.
We witness that, on the occasion
of the coming elections, political
questions are freely discussed in
newspapers, in public meetings and
in private conversations. ! take the
liberty of addressing you few re-
Elections in reference to this subject,
not for the purpose Of debating to
you my private opinion but with the
intention of expressing some admit
ted principles and Of DENYING GER
tain errors imputed to the Catholic
Mission by mistake or otherwise.
All inhabitants must desire the
good of the country. Everybody
has the right to have his own opin-
ion in political matters and to ex-
press it for good purpose. The
clergy can use the same right with
out being controlled by any out
slider. Still, we must he prudent in
order that our actions in those mat
ters may never interfere with our
higher duties. Let the priest never
be an agitator but ] see no harm
in answering an inquiry about the
temporal welfare Of the country or
Of the different races and classes in
these islands. do not hesitate to
declare that l am for the indepcn.
dencc of the country and that my
first sympathy is with the poor and
with the working classes rather than
with the rich, who can always take
care of themselves. suppose that
this is the general feeling Of all
priests. Still, this sympathy must
never go so far as to identify our
selver with any political party. Let
us not only be just TO all, but, for
the spiritual benefit of all classes,
let us he equally devoted to every
one whatever may be his political
opinion. am glad that it is not
our duty to give decision in this
| matter.
| wish you to understand well
that the headquarters of the CathO-
lie Mission have no agent in any
way authorized to represent our po-
ltical views. We let everybody
free, considering it unwise to inter-
ferc with the general feelings and
views of the native population. In
behalf of our religious interests /
have very little hope, although we
have good reasons to wish for i'm
provements, the party actually in
power being generally known for its
real or supposed antipathy TO the
Catholic religion. / say the party
in general, which contains different
elements. There arc some among
them whose party feelings are con-
trOlled by a sense of justice in their
official capacity; some would even
be our best friends If it were not for
that deeply-rooted prejudice agains,
"Popery," considered by them as
an unqualified evil. But 1 am sorry
to state the fact, that there are
many whose love of Christianity
seems TO be weaker than their hatred
of Catholicity--like "Hawaii Ponoi'
in the DAILY BULLETIN OF the 20tl
ult.
On the Opposition side our pros
poets seem TO be equally poor
There are certainly good many in
telligent Catholics and fair-mindcd
truly1iberal Protestants, who woul(
do impartial justice 10 all parties.
Still there seems to be q large mum.
ber of our politicians lmbued witt
false liberality, who take for axiom'
the most revolutionary principles
condemned by Pope Leo XIlI
(Enc. OF June Goth, 1889. The,
exclude God from State and School
We cannot agree with the Mission
AIRY party becauselt works against M
and because its religion is defective
those false liberal men hate th'
Missionary party partly, because i
processes yet too much religion
Their ideas are naturally ever
stronger against the Catholic rcli
gion which cannot always accommo
date itself TO the fashionable idea
of the day. Hence we have nj
mercy to expect from those quart
ers,
Our first and main duty is Il
preach the Gospcl--the whole Cos
pei including the authority of Coz
in public affairs. According TO th
Gospel everybody has right to lool
out for his temporal welfare head
Of families, communities or state
are even obliged to provide for thos
under their care. But the poor mus
, not unjnslly coyet his rich neigh
boris goods, bearing in mind that "
are created for something bette
than earthly enjoyment. The bes
human laws will never change lh
order of Providence, leaving the ma
/, jority Of men in poverty. Christia
=, charity in the heart of the rich, an
=, Christian piety, patience and humil
.. ity in the heart of the poor, will d
!. more for peoples happiness than al
humap laws without reference I
), God. Sin is the general source o
, misery in the world. Intemperanc
, is certainl y fruitful source Of cvj
, hut not the only one. II is ncces
sary to practise the whole Christia
moral lnw-.-haspd on rpiipiOuS Ori,