St. Paul daily globe., 1894-07-22

ers May Be Suspended If the
bishops So Desire-The Pres.
eat Decision Confirms One
Rendered by the Apostolic
Delegate in March.
COLUMBUS, o.. July 21.-Bisbop John
A. Watterson, OF Columbus, has just
returned from the Catholic summer
school at Plattsburg, N. Y. He says
the decision of Mgr. Satolli has not up
to the present moment been given TO
tue press, and consequently the COM
lnents on it, some of which are misinter-
pretations. are from surmlse more than
anything else. The letter of the apostolic
delegate is addressed through Bishop
Watterson to the secretary of those who
appealed from the bishops regulations
concerning Catholic societies III their
relations not only to saloonkeepers, but
to all who engaged in the liquor traffic.
1t is wider than diocesan in it's
influence; for it aftirins the
general principle on which a
bishop acts in such things and
approves of its special applica.
that every Catholic of good conscience
must hold that what Bishop Watterson
has decreed for his own diocese is for
the greater good of religion and of
every Catholic society. On Feb. 24 last
one of the Catholic societies in Coluln-
bus appealed from special decision Of
the bishop in this regard. On March
10 the apostolic delegate affirmed the
bishops action, and, not satisfied with
this, some of the members of the soci-
eties in Columbus appealed again. The
first decision was special to the appeal
ing, SO the second decision, which is
dated July l, upholds the bishops ac-
tion in regard to all societies in the
diocese of Columbus. The above state
ments are exact and have been inspected
by the bishop.
THE THREE POINTS
referred to i'll the apostolic delegates
letter are taken from the letter issued
by Bishop Watterson to the clergy
the Columbus diocese March l. in
which he withdrew his APPRECIATION from
every Catholic society or branch in the
diocese or any branch that has saloon
keeper or liquor dealer at its head or
among Its officers, and he suspended
| every such society from its rank and
| pRviiegeS as Catholic society until it
| ceased to be- so offlcered. He again
| published the condition that no one
| would be admitted to membership who
was engaged either as principal or
| agent in the manufacture and sale of
| liquor business itself by re-
| strictions, he did SO to
| increase the usefulness of Catholic So
cieties and remove the reproach which
has frequently attached to them and the
members to the detriment of religion.
With societies long established in the
| diocese, because of benefit insurance
| features, he would not interfere, but he
would insist OH the rule for new socie-
ties. and the admission of new men,
bers into the old. The bishop instructs
the priests to make known to the or
ganizations in their parishes the rule
and have it faithfully observed. Should
any saloonkeeperS i'll the parish treat
the rule in a defying way, the priests
are asked to refuse them abSolution.
should they come to receive the sacra-
ments, unless they promise to cease Of
Tending. Following is the letter of
Mgr. Satolli in full:
'Washington, ID. c., June 8, 1884,
Dear Sir: L answer your letter. which,
together with the document inclosed
therein (he bishops letter.. you handed
to me during my stay in Columbus: AS
far as the general principle is con-
cerned, you should know that as it be-
songs TO the office of bishop to observe
| III his own diocese what is hurtful or
helpful to the spiritual good OF the
faithful, SO it belongs to
| HIS POWER TO COMMAND.
| prohibit, counsel or permit to be done,
| or removed whatever he judges to con-
| tribute to the discharge of his own duty
| and to the good of the faithful. The
| letter, or decree, of the right reverend
| bishop of Columbus concerning CATH
| olic societies and the abstinence to be
| observed from intoxicating liquors,
ought by no means to be sub-
| jected to the Judgment of every
| private individual or of every asSocia-
| tion of simple Catholics or citizens, but
every Catholic of good conscience must
hold for certain that the bishop has
commanded those things which seem to
be for the greater good of the faithful
and the honor of every Catholic society.
Those three things which are expressed
in the letter of the right reverend
bishop have the approval, not only Of
Catholics but of non-CatnolicS or your
city; because they are not only in har
mony with the laws of the church,
but they are also seasonable and
necessary to the honor of the
church, especially in the state of
Ohio. Therefore those things which
the right reverend bishop has COM
mended in his decree l approve. and
decide that they are to be observed.
But if, perhaps, they for the time be-
ing seem to hurt the material interests
of some this Will have to be patiently
borne for the good of the many and for
the honor of our holy Catholic church.
Remain therefore of good will and obey
faithfully what the right reverend
bishop has decreed, confident that
divine Providence rewards the spirit of
obedience, not only in the future but
also in the present life. Farewell in
the Lord.
"FRANCIS, ARCHBISHOP SATOLIL