The Washington times., 1894-07-20
SATOLLI LETTER EXPLAINED
Interpretation Of the Rescript by an
Eminent Priest.
ONLY ONE DIOCESE AFFECTED
Saloon Keepers Not sweepingly Condemned
by the Church, nor VIII TheylBs Debarrsd
from .Partici patton in Catholic Societies.
nor from the Sacraments.

There is a general impression abroad tha'
Letter which, it is stated, Mgr. satolli ha,
written to Bishop. Watterson, Of Columbus
Ohio, puts the ban Of the church on all ga.
loon-keepers and all engaged in the liquor
traffic.
From an interview which TIMES reporter
had with one OF the most eminent priests in
this diocese, the impression, according to
him, is not erroneous but very misleading.
Mgr. Satolli it seems has made no official pro-
nouncement for the church in America, and
the supposed letter, if written to the bishop OF
Columbus, is badly translated, and does not
convey the thought Of the Pope's representa-
tive here.
A PRIESTS STATEMENT.
The reverend clergyman said: II am cer-
tain that Mgr. Satolli never wrote the letter
attributed to him in the shape that it appears
in the press. There is one sentence in the
letter which stamps it as unreliable. 1t is in
the third paragraph. which states: There
fore the delegate apostolic sustains Bishop
Watterson.' The delegate apostolic in an
official document could not nave written such
a statement. If the letter is not fabricated, it
is certainly ciumsily translated.
''But supposipg the circular to be wholly
true it would have no effect outside the iur-
isdiction of the ordinary Of Columbus
Bishop Watterson wanted the delegates ap-
proval In a certain action, and the delegate
responds approving the action, hence the ap-
proval has no force beyond the place for
which the opinion was obtained.
"Bishop Watterson evidently desires to re-
strict Catholics from entering the liquor busi-
ness. and he places the trade under ban in
Ac tka ohav, NJ 10
with Judicial authority in matters spiritual
and moral, he has. like every other bishop,
the right to regulate these things in his own
district.
No SWEEPING coSDEMNATIoS.
''But it is ridiculous to presume that Mgr.
Satolli would make a sweeping condemna-
tion Of the wine business. There are very
many admirable men who both sell and drink
wine. As a matter of fact. nearly every
italian living drinks wine, and the monsignor
doubtless takes wine at his dinner, hence If his
supposed words were to be logically construed
they would equally apply to the man who
drinks and the man who sells. 1t is not likely
that the most reverend apostolic delegate
would issue a mandate which would con-
denim himself. This is hardly possible
According to the alleged Satolli letter, it
makes him go much farther than the bisnop
required. The ordinary desired to expei all
saloon-keepers from holding Offices in distinct
lively Catholic societies, while the delegate is
made to say that he favors the expulsion OF
all Catholics from such societies In doing
this he is legislating on a question never put
before him.
MERELY LOCAL SUBJECT.
"But the subject is local to Columbus, and
has no effect in this city. 1 remember
similar case. During the reign of the 'Mollie
Maguires' it was presumed that the Ancient
Order OF Hibernians we're leagued with them.
Bishop Domineck, of Pittsburg, put every
member of the order under the ban of the
church, and held each as reserve case. No
member of the order was allowed to partake
of the sacraments, and priests were forbidden
to administer them.
Members of tha order. however ignored
the bishops order and simply went to an
other diocese where there were no ecclesias-
teal restrictions against them and got the
sacraments. hence it will be observed such
matters are merely local and circumscrioed
by the diocese where the difficulties exist
Efforts were made here to-day to obtain
from Mgr. Satolli some further statement re-
garding the letter written by him to Bishop
Watterson. Of Columbus. Ohio. Monsignor
Satolli. however, declined to SEQ reporters.
and in answer to a note sent to him replied
that he must positively decline. for the pres
ent at least, TO say a word on the subject.