The herald., 1894-12-27
A DECREE FROM THE HOLY SEE,
Catholics AdmOnisbed Against
Secret Societies.
Cardinal Monaco Promulgates the
Decision.
All Churches at Lsast Once
on Sunday.
Rx the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WILMINGTON. DEL, Dec. 26.-Bishop
Curtis hrs issued the following letter to
all the priests in the diocese OF Whining
tom
REVEREND FATHERS AS soon as prac.
ticsble you will read on Sunday, at least
once, the following documents, and you
will, | am sure, to the very utmost of
your ability. endeavor to procure from
all whom the decree of the holy see may
concern a prompt and loyal obedience to
this decree. When Christ speaks
through his vicar and in such words
there can be no question as to the pur-
port OF the utterance. A Catholic, ex-
cuse himself how he may, yet ceases to
be Catholic il he fail to conform him.
self thoroughly and at once to that
utterance.
The enclosure was ss follows:
''MosT REVEREND AND ILLUsTRIoUs
SIR Your Excellency cannot fail to
know that the arch bishops set over the
various ecclesiastical provinces of the
United States of America have in more
than one of their assemblies taken coun-
sel with respect to the societies which
have grown up in the aforesaid repu blic,
namely the Odd Fellows, the Sons of
Temperance and the knights Of Pythias.
And you must be also aware that the
aforesaid bishops unanimously decided
that the whole question as to the 30.
cieties should be submitted to the judg-
ment OF the apostolic see. His holiness
therefore communicated this subject to
the Most Reverend Satolli and the in.
Quisitor general.
''These in general congregation, held
on Wednesday, June 20, 1894, confirmed
q decision previously made as to the
aforementioned circulars, decreed that
all the ordinaries throughout the United
States must in every way strive to keep
the faithful from becoming members OF
any of the said societies, and must not
fail to admonish their people to that
effect, and that any thus admonished
must be debarred from the sacrament
should they fail to abandon or keep
aloof from the same societies. This
decree his holiness confirmed and gave
in complete effect. 1t 10, therefore,
communicated to your excellency, that
through you it may be transmitted to
all the archbishops, bishops and other
ordinRries OF the United State, and for
the due custody of the souls OF the
faithful. may be by these ordinsries
carried into effect. Meantime beseech
Almighty God to bestow all benefits
and blessings.
(Signed) CARDINAL MONACO.
ROME, August 20. 1894.
To the Illustrious and Most Reverend Francis
satolli, Delegate Apostolic, Washington,
ID. c.:
Your EMINENCE. 1LLUsTRIoUs AND
MosT REVEREND Your letter trsns-
mitted to me on the 30th OF November
last through Cardinal Rampolla. His
holiness urges that the decree Of the
holy Office sent to me by Cardinal Mo =
naco. and herewith sent to you, shall be
made public.
The sovereign pontiff, therefore, will
see that the decree in question shall be
communicated by the archbishops to
the respective suffragsnts and by them
it may be promulgated.
With all reverence and affection, re-
main, your eminence, illustrious and
most reverend, your faithful servant in
Christ, FRANCIS SAToLLI.
Delegate Apostolic.
To his eminence, illustrious and most
reverend, James, Cardinal Gibbons,
chbiehop of Baltimore.