Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-16
THAT PASTORAL LETTER.
Bishop Watterson Gives the Facts Lead.
ing up to Its Issuance.

hB up 10 its issuance.
COLUMBUS, o.. August $40 a press
agent to-day Bishop Watterson gave
some interesting history leading up to
his now famous pastoral letter to the
Catholic Total Abstinence Aid Societies
in relation to manufacturers and vend-
ors OF intoxicants. A week before
Thanksgiving, last year, a member OF
one OF the Columbus societies, belong
ing to the Knights Of st. John Union,
told the Bishop of the preparations max
ing in his society for an entertainment
at which beer was to be sold and pro-
mlscuous dancing INDUCED in. After
reprovlng the members the Bishop re-
celved promise that the Objectionable
features should be omitted. Notwith-
standing this the entertainment was
held as originally intended. When the
Bishop heard OF this violation he re-
fused to longer recognize the members
OF the society as Catholic citizens. In
December at the regular election of the
society saloonkeepers, regardless of the
Bishops wishes, were elected President
and Captain respectively. The Bishop
thereupon warned the members that, If
these officers were installed, he would
deprive the whole division OF its rank
and privileges as Catholic society.
The society thereupon resolved to con-
suit the Supreme President OF its union.
This the Bishop knew only after the
appeal was made, and during visit to
Monsgnore Satolli in February Bishop
Watterson, in the meantime having
heard a rumor that an appeal had been
made, asked the delegate if such were
the case. Monsignore Satolli answered
in the negative, and the Bishop decided
to wait another month.
The very day, he says, on which the
pastoral letter was issued he was served
by the apostolic delegate with the appeal
Of the society referred to and the CORE
spondence with the local President re-
lating thereto. The Bishops action in
regard to the society was not satisfied,
however, and hearing that the delegate
was to visit Columbus in June, drew up
second appeal, which it asked the
Bishop to sign that it might go imme-
diately to the delegate. While this was
going on in Columbus the National Con-
yentiOn Of the knights oil 5. John was
taking place in Buffalo, and few dele
gates from Columbus attempted the I'M
precedented thing of arraigning Bishop
before a convention Of laymen. Many
of the delegates were afraid OF such ac-
ton, however.
The second decision of the delegate is
dated July 3, and is addressed to the
Secretary OF the protesting society. After
Satolli first lays down the general prin-
ciples that, as it belongs to the Office OF
a Bishop to find out in his own diocese
what is hurtful or helpful to the spirit
ual good OF the faithful, it belongs to his
power to commend, forbid, counsel or
permit to be done whatever he may
Judge conducive to his own duty and the
good OF the faithful. He then says:
1.-THE letter of decree of the Bishop OF
Columbus concerning Catholic societies
Of total abstinence to abstain from in
toxicating drinks ought by no means to
be subject to the judgment OF every pri-
vate individual or every assemblage oil
simple Catholics or citizens; but every
Catholic of good conscience must hold
for certain that the Bishop has COM
manded those things which seem to be
for the greater good OF the faithful and
the honor of every Catholic society
Therefore this thing which the Bishop
has commanded in his decree approve,
and decide that they are to be observed
but, if perhaps they for the time being
seem to hurt the material interests oil
some attorney, they will have to be pa
tiently borne for the good of the many
and for the honor ofour Catholic church. u
The Bishop adds that he inserted the
wedge of the reform in the affair and
those who are affected by the decision
had the apostolic delegate drive it in.