The Washington times., 1894-07-22
Bishop Natterson's Decision Must
Be Strictly Obeyed.
LIQUOR DEALERS IN SOCIETIES
Head Of the Diocese the Best Judge Of What
Will Benefit or Hurt tho Church-Priests
Instructed to Refuse sacraments to Re-
calcitrant Parishioners.

Watterson. of Columbus, has just returned
from the Catholic Summer school at Platts-
burg, N. Y. He says the decision of Mgr.
Satolli has not. up to the present moment,
been given to the press, and consequently the
comments on it, some of which are misinter-
pretations, have come from surmise more
than anything else.
The letter OF the apostolic delegate is ad-
dressed through Bishop Watterson to the Sec
retary of those who appealed from the
Bishops regulations concerning catholic So
cieties in their relation, not only to saloon
keepers, but to all engaged in the liquor
traffic.
1t is wider than diocesan in its influence,
for it affirms the general principle on which a
bishop acts in such things and approves OF its
special application in this particular matter,
and says that every Catholic OF good con-
science must hold that what Bishop Waiter
son has decreed for his own diocese Is for the
| greater good OF religion and OF every Catholic
/ society.
On February "a last one OF the Catholic So
| cieties in Columbus appealed from de-
| cision Of the bishop in this regard. On March
| Is the apostolic delegate affirmed the bish-
ops action, and not satisfied with this some
OF the members of societies in Columbus ap-
| pealed again.
The first decision was special to the ap-
| pealing society," but the second decision which
| is dated July 8, upholds the bishops action
| in regard to all societies In the diocese OF
Columbus. The statements are exact and
have been inspected by the bishop.
THREATS OF REFUSAL OF ABsoLUTIoS
| The three points referred to in the apostolic
Il .I,o
sued by Bishop Watterson to the clergy OF the
Columbus diocese March /, In which he with
drew his appreciation from every Catholic So
ciety or branch in the diocese that has a
liquor dealer or saloon keeper at its head or
among its officers and he suspended every
such society from Its ranks and privileges as
a Catholic society until it ceases to be
offlcered. He again published the condition
that no one would be admitted to member
ship who was engaged. either as principal or
agent, in the manufacture and sale of liquors.
While not condemning the liquor business
itself by his restrictions, he did It TO increase
the usefulness OF Catholic societies and re-
lieve these from the reproach, which has
frequently attached to them and the mem
bers 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 on
OF new members into the old. The bishop
instructs the priests to make known to the or
ganizations in their parishes the rule and TO
have it faithfully observed. Should any sa-
loon-keepers in the parish treat the rule in
defying way the priests arc asked to refuse
them aosolution. should they come to receive
the sacraments, unless they promise to cease
offending.
MGR. sAToLLI's LETTER.
full:
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 8, 1894.
DEAR SIR: answer your letter, which, to-
gether with the document inclosed Enclosing
the bishops letter., was handed me
during my stay at Columbus. As far
as the general principle is concerned,
you should know that as it belongs
to the office OF bishop to observe in his own
diocese what is hurtful and helpful to the
spiritual good of the faithful. SO it belongs to
his power to command, prohibit, counsel, |
or permit to be done, or remove whatever he |
judges to contribute 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 Catholic So |
cieties and the abstinence to be observed |
from intoxicating liquors ought by no |
means to be subjected to The Judgment OF |
every private individual of every association |
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 Catho-
lie society.
These three things which are expressed in |
the letter of the right reverend bishop have |
the approval not only Of Catholics, but OF |
nom Catholics of your city, because they are
not only in harmony with the laws Of the |
Church, but they are also necessary to the
honor OF the Church. especially in the state
OF Ohio.
Therefore, these things which the right |
reverend bishop has commanded in his de-
cree approve, and decide that they are to |
be observed. But. il perhaps they, for the
time being, seem to hurt the material inter-
ests OF some. this will have to be patiently
borne for the good Of the many. and further
more Of our Holy Catholic Church.
Remain, therefore, Of gooi will and obey
faithfully what the right reverend bishop has
decreed, confident that divine Providence re-
wards the spirit of obedience n OF only in the
future, but also in the present life.
Farewell in the Lord.
FRANCIS ARCHBISHOP SAroLLf,
Apostolio Delegate.