Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-06-28
SATOLLI SUSTAINED.
Text of the POpe'S Letters Defining His Pc
Sit0n on the School Question.

the official translation of the muCh-dis-
cussed pontifcal letter from the Pope
on the school question. 1t shows the
Pope's love for America, eulogizes Mgr.
Satolli, and gives the two-fold purpose
of his mission, and his position on the
school question, explained to the arch
bishops in New York, misunderstood
by others, is endorsed by the Pope,
who declares it to be in harmony with
the council Of Baltimore, which remains
in its integrity. The co Jurisprudence is
as follows:
i herewith transmit to Your Eminence the pou-
titicial letter upon the noted school question l
do not doubt but that Your Eminence will read
with pleasure its contents, and l hope that the
important document will see calm re-established
in the minds of all who have been interested in
this question It is the desire Of the Holy Faith
er that Your Eminence would kindly have the
letter printed and distributed to all the bishops
of the United States. | would remain with pro-
found respect. Your Eminence's devoted serv-
ant. NJ. CARDINAL RAMPoLLA.
ROME, June l. 1898. ......
Priest of the Holy Roman Church, tttular Of ST.
Mnry'S beyond the Ttber, the Archbishop Of Balti-
more, and to venerable brethren the Archbish
Observation-Disclosures Son AND VENERABLE BRETH-
Rem: Health and apostolic benedicton.
We have often given manifest proofs both OF
solicitude for the welfare of the faithful peO
pie and bishops of the United States of America
and of the peculiar affection with which we
cherish that portion of Our.Saviour,s flock. or
this we have given additional and unmistak-
able evidence in sending to you as our dele
gate, our venerable brother Francis, titular
archbishop of Lepanto, an illustrous man, not
less pre-eminent by his learning than by his
Yirtues, as you yourselves, in the recent meet
ing of the archbishops in New York, have plain
ly testified, thus confirming the trust which we
had repOSed in his prudence.
Now his legation had this for its first object
that it should be public testimonial of our
good will towards your country and of the high
esteem in which we hold those who administer
the government of the republic; for he was to
assist in our name at the dedication Of the uni
vcrsal exposition held in the city of Chicago,
in which we ourselves, by the courteous invita-
ton Gifts directors, have taken part But his le-
CATION had this also for its purpose, that our
presence should be made as it were, perpetual
among YOU by the permanent establishment Of
an apostolic delegation at Washington. st.
By this we have manifestly declared not only
that we love your nation equally with those
most hOuriShing countries to which we have
been accustomed to send representatives vested
with our authority, but also that weyehemently
desire that the bonds Of actual relationship
binding you and your faithful people with us, as
children with their father should grow closer
every day. Nor was it small comfort to our
heart that this new act of our care in your re-
gard was followed by a general outpouring of
thanks and affection toward ms. ..
Now, in our fraternal sQlicitude for your well
being, we had above all given command to the
archbishop of Lepanto that he should use all
his endeayors and all the skill of his fraternal
charity for the extrpation of all the germs of
dissension developed in the two well known con-
trovcrsieS concerning the proper instruction
of Catholic youth; disSenSiOn whose flame was
famed by various writings published
on both sides. These commands of ours
our venerable brother fully complied with;
and in the month of November of
last year he repaired to New York where they
had assembled with YOU beloved son, all the
t1nrO rnhh iShn nf Try how haJ n Or
complied with the desire which had cOmmuni-
icated to them through the sacred congregation
OF the propaganda, that after comforting with
their suttragans they should join counsel and
deliberate concerning the best method of caring
for those Catholic children who attend the pub
lie schools instead of Catholic schools.
The things which you wisely decreed in that
meeting were pleasing to the said archbishop of
LepantO, who bestowed merited praise on your
prudence and expressed his belief that these de-
/ crces would prove most useful. This judgment
we also with great pleasure confirm and to
yourself and the other prelateS then assembled
will we give deserved praise for having thus OPP
portuney responded to our counsel and our eX-
pcctatiOn. But at that same time our said
venerable brothers.. wishing, it was
our desire, to settle the questions con-
corning the right instruction of Catholic
youth, about which, above stated,
controversy was being Waged and writings pub
lished with excited minds and angry feelings,
laid before you certain propositions put in shape
by himself, touching upon both the theoretical
principles of the subject and their practical APP
plicatiOn. When the meeting of archbiShOps
had seriously weighed the meaning and bear
ing of these propositions, they had asked for
certain declarations and corrections in them.
All this the archbishop OF Lepanto cheerfully
complied with. Which being done, the dis
tinguished assembIage closed its sessions with a
declaration of gratitude and of satiSfa ction with
the way in which he had fulfilled the commits
sion entrusted to him by us. All this we find
in the minutes of the meeting which you have
taken care to send US. t...- IL LH..r#.
But these propositions of our delegate having
been inopportunely made public, minds were at
once excited and controversies started afreSh,
which through false interpretations and through
malignant imputations scattered abroad in the
neWSpa pers, grew more widespread and more
serious. Then certain prelates of your country,
whether diSDleaSed with the interpretations put
upon some of these propositions or fearing the
harm to souls which it seemed to them might
thence result cOntided to us the reason of their
anxiety, and we knowing that the salvation
of souls is the supreme law to be
ever 'assiduously borne in mind by US,
wishing more to give you another proof of our
should in private letter fully open his mind to
us on the subject, which was diligently COM
piled with by each one of you. From the ex-
animation Of these letters 1t became manifest to
Us that some of you found in the propositions no
reason for apprehension; while to others it
seemed that the propositions partially abrogated
by the council Of Baltimore, and they feared
that diversity of interpretations put upon them
would engender sad discussions which would
prove detrimental to the Catholic schools.
After carefully weighing the matter are in
timately convinced that such interpretations are
totally alien from the meaning of our delegates,
as they are assuredly far from the mind of this
apostolic see; for the principal propositions of
fered by him were drawn from the DEGREES OF
the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore and es-
pecially declare that Catholic schools are to be
most sedulously promoted, and that it is to be
left to the judgment and conscience of the
ordinary to decide, according to the
circumstances, when it is lawful and
when unlawful to attend the public schools
Now if the words Of any speaker are so to be
taken that the latter part of his discourse shall
be understood to agree, and not to disagree,
with what he had said before tits surely both un-
becoming and unjust SO to explain his later
utterances to make them disagree with the
preceding ones. And this is the more true since
the meaning of the writer was not all left OBJ
scure. For, while presenting his propositions to
/ the distinguished meeting in New York
he expressly declared (as is evident from
the minutes) his admiration for the zeal
manifested by the bishops of North America III
the most wise DEGREES enacted by the Third
Plenary Council of Baltimore for the promotion
of Catholic instruction of the young. He
added, moreover that these DEGREES, in as far as
they contain general rule of action, are faith
fully to be observed, and that although the pub
lie schools are not to be entirely condemned
(since cases may occur, as the council itself had
toreseen, in which it is lawful to attend them)
still every endeavor should be made to
mn1tiDlV CatbOlic schools 10 hriO