The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-20
A PASTORAL Letter.

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 19.-Archbishor
Janssen has issued a PASTORAL letter, in
which he treats on marriage, secret socle'
ties and Sunday Observance.
In no diocese in the United states,
saws the archbishop, ''are 50 many applica-
lions of dispensation for first cousins made
as in our diocese, and when we recently
asked the Holy See for a reuewal of tacul-
lies Rome expressed surprise that the
cases granted should already have been eX-
hausted The church is exceedingly op-
posed TO such marriages. Iney cause
many physical ills, as eminent physicians
and experience attest: they breed a spirit
of clannishnesS and of narrow family ties.
which is opposed TO the broad spirit of
brotherly love, and which not unfrequent-
" couses jealously and enmity. IL IL the
duty of parents to watch over their chill
dren, to prevent TOO much familiarity, and
TO oppose any tendency they perceive III
their children for such marriages. Pas
tors, too, should occasionally warn the
faithful not TO contract marriages between
such near relatives
In regard 10 secret societies. the arch
bishop says that the Order of Ereemasons
is the one which so far has come under the
absolute ban of the Catholic church. Any
Catholic joining the Masons is cut Of
from the communion of the church, and
can not receive the Sacraments ana
nounces the order. The archbishop says
there are other societies which, 'on ac-
count of their oath, their secrecy, and their
ritual, are exceedingly dangerous to the
faith OF Catholics" and this is the way he
tells about the alleged evils:
''Some OF these secret societies bear
close eulblance to the sect of the Ma
sons; they claim a chaplain, who, without
authority, ministers to the living aud TO
the dead: they use rites and ceremonies,
which they may consider a good enough
substitute for religion; they prescribe
Oaths by which members abdicate their
liberty, and promise TO obey all orders
that may be given them from a supreme,
"A grand, or another lodge and the mem-
bers invoke upon themselves all the an
gush and torments possible for men TO
suffer if they fail in their obligations.
Again, these societies are generally officer
ed by men who belong 90 the Masons
Daily experience abundantly teaches that
these secret and dangerous societies root
up faith in positive religions; they lead
men to belittle the teachings of
Christianity and TO abandon the practice
of their religious duties. As a rule, Cath
olics, when joining these societies, soon
cease to hear mass on Sundays, cease TO
frequent the sacraments, and the spirit Of
evil infatuation takes such hold on some
that they would prefer leaving the church
of God rather than to give up such danger
Gus associations. These societies have no
other purpose, they pretend, but to foster
a spirit of sociability, of benevolence, of
charity, and of relief in distress. Why,
then, do they shroud their meetings in
secrecy? Why do they exact oaths by
which they bind the conscience and liberty
of their members? Why do they add rites
and ceremonies to their proceedings unless
ii be 10 set up another religion and to
weaken the reign of Christ and of his
church among menY
These rules, which have been approved
by the bishops OF the province, are laid
down by the archbishop: THE clergy
should be jealous in dissuading their peO-
pie from joining these associations, which |
the archbishops Of the country, after ma |
ture deliberation, declare TO be dangerous |
10 the faith of the Catholics, aud which. as |
is shown by experience in this province, /
lead to indifferentism as to revealed relig- 1
ion and TO the neglect of Christian duties. 1
In the confessional penltents should he |
be urged TO leave 5 cieties. AbSOlution, |
however, should not be refused unless the |
confessor after a careful examination, /
a society to be, for his penitent, |
approx nate occasion of sin. At the |
funeral Of a member of such "A society no /
rites or ceremonies peculiar TO such society /
can be tolerated, and the priest is forbid
den to attend the funeral whenever such |
ceremonies have been performed before, or
are TO be performed after the services in
the church. The clergy are also forbidden
to Otiiciate whenever any of these socie-
ties attend the funeral in regalia." Arch
bishop Jansen forbids picnics or eXcur-
sions to be held on Sundays, in the night,
on fast days, or with the use Of lntoXicHt-
ing liquors.