The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-30

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mate authority. Tho reason. therefore Of the eseom
mun!caton IL found IN tho quality Of eonsprscv ,on
u In any other society Whatever such
MT exist the object OF tho law Ia wanting and uhse
tive object OF the law IL removed the law itself cea..s
TO ea7 Perhaps some one will object that this
OF ours isrefuted in the reply tho Most R.v
Archltshop kenrlck who had tho suprens
1nqus'ton whether those societies were to bs CON
stdered as forbidden which profess to conspirs
In why against ralision or the civil pow.,
although they enter secret compact bound he
oath or Otherwise obias themselves to secrecy !,
I" which Jhe Sacred Congregation replied, on
the 2lst or August. 1854 They are comprisea
IN ihe rontiHcal bulls Bur opinion 10 no, oy.r
rueGby this reply for. in thu nrst place. It was gvea
prior " the Consultation OF rms TX. according to the
provisi sns OF which we must now settle such casss
The reply has reference to FORMER Consultations OF the
Fopes in which, IN fact. and especially in tina, OF
Clement XII such societies were comprised Sinca
however rius tx. has determined in his Constitution
that only those ccnsures which therein contained
should any longer remain In force and be
a,fo and THAI even those same which had Al
ready been promulgated in former canons should 40.
qure their force only from being repeated in his Con
stution and sinoo he speaking OF Masonic sects has
limited himself to those only wbies conspirs against
the Church or legitimate authority. there longer
bs any doubt but thnc the exconnunication of Pius
w. 10 restricted those Acaa Tho reply OF thu
s1rcd Congregation cited therefore. WAS excellent
foormer laws but 10 Of value since the Consttu.
tionof RUS TX.
".She seems to to he the reply TO that which
tho I.ev. Father KoningA aflrms In Kenrioks Moral
Theol,v Wy. Third Treatise No. 81 e., that under the
Constitution OF Plus IX. fA also Those societies Of
whatever nature they may be. In which. entering
the mentors oblige themselves by oath 10 obey what
order they receive from hs superors Of the
society. oven enter into a secret compact which
they cannot violate to answer tho questions Of legt
mate authority. Also those societies 10 which the
members No closely bound tosether for mutual de-
fence that there arises the danger of mobs and bsod
shed' This cannot be affirmed except BY extensioo
of thu Constitution Of rus ~. which restricts the
crimes Of the ses to plotting AGAINST the Church
legitimate authority: wherefore. unless these tive
things plain 1t 4. not easy to regard those
communicated wholbeong to unions other societies
which conspirs neitr against the Church nor issit
mate authority.
Nor to incur this Accommodates. 10 Il enough -
take oath either Of secrecy of mutual protection.
for tho law does not speak OF any oath. but only q
conspiracy against tho Church legitimate authority
and ws must stand toi,ho words Of the law Moreover
do not other societies for example, societies Of thieves
and brgands bind themselves osether for mutual d.
fence and take on oath OF secseoyf Do those. thea
who enter those societies incur excommundcationi
do not. indeed. deny that for tho most part hav
pens that the societies which bind themselves togsthse
strongly into uspracies coieaast
cal civil. or both authorities. else so many and
such terrible oaths would be unreasonable:
be denied tina: those who jpn them cannot DO excused
from sin. since. knowingly and willingly they expose
they do not fall under tho eScommunicaton 10 plain.
since tho law is very clear. and excommunic Atss
only who Join such societies machins sstAnss
the Church or legitimate authority.
1.-THE case. then. Ia pertoctlyscear unless with -
say that Plus TX. communicated those also whes ass
ignorant to whether not the society they vi ID -
Join is of those that oonsprs against the Dtate
Church. That he SO intended Is in way apparent
and u lis plain that he did intend the contrary fbr hs
excoh municated those vino join tho Mssons carb onaf
&c. WINCH conspire against tho Church or lsglmaes
sequent!y for this no exoonxmuni.
Gated them Therefore these and no others
muncated; which is also plain from 1ecreesof the
Sacred 1nQusition which says that according 70 ths
as end ything contrary the Church
ment Intended" Therefore others whach have uos
this purpose tho Church docs not and
sequentiy does not condemn.
"Well therefore, docs r1ls Comm ntato4 xeAtinus
write. page 81: Societies should DO judgsdSnrom the
end they have in view, and not from anything elss'
For this II tho end Of the society to which pso
pie most foolishly desire to belong il manifest -
the end Of FREQ Masonry and the fUnvsr
tsri. Young Italy, and those which CHILLED Com
munists and Internatonais there 10 waysof doubt
ing but that those Joining then incur hmunics.
ton IL the purpose any sect be not Ihsnfssly
wrong. we shAtsxouso from sxcommunieatipn one whs
Joins as long A. no himself docs not Ind thru anything
that society against tho Church o. Legitimate
authority. that Il belongs to the Masoniesocistiss
tho CarbonarL"
Prot. Joseph TennacchI ia. the ,most distin.
euished commentator OF this Con stitution. Pro-
lessor OF History al the Propaganda and Roman
Seminary. Consutor Of the Congregation Of
the Propaganda and Supreme InUuisit1on.
This was tho only condemnation ever issued
against these societies in, the United States.
and when it was annulled by theaConstitutioA
".ipostolicG Sedis" no condem nation Of any
kind any longer existed. They were forbidden
only inasmuch as they 'were: censured. and
when the censure was recalled their prohibi.
ton vanished.
The Baltimore Council not only docs MOI
place them under ban OF accommodation.
but does not In any way indicate them As con-
demned or forbidden societies. Nor Is IL DOS.
sible to find any decree eman ating from COM
petent authority By which they are exoom-
municated. condemned. or forbidden.
Further. it appears that in England and Ire.
land no such prohibition ever existed. In
Europe the custom Of condemntng societies 10
no longer In vogue. In Germany and Austria
no Bishop would dare to condemn any society
for fear OF the Government Consequently %
Is evident how wise wore tho Fathers OF the
Council Of Baltimore and how deplorably
those persons err who contradict its utter.
ances or violate its spirit CANoNIsE.
TNpOR1ERS BE1YrLY\ FINED.