Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-03
DECREE or THE noLK OFFICE.
Secret Societies Placed Under the Han of
| the Roman Catholic Church.


Secret Societies Placed Under the Han of
the Roman Catholic Church.
Following is the tull text of the pro-
nunciamentos from Rome and the
hierarchy in this country placing the
Odd Fellows, the knights of Pythias
and the Sons of Temperance under the
ban of the Roman Catholic Church.
They were read i'll the churches last
Sunday:
DECEMBER 81, l89i.-ReV. Father: As
soon as practicable you will read on Sun
day intra Nissan to your people 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
prompt and loyal obedience to the same
decree. When Christ speaks through his
vicar and in such wise there can be no
question as to the purport of the utterance,
Catholic, excuse himself how he may,
yet ceases to be Catholic if he fail to con-
form himself thoroughly and at once to
servant in Christ, A. a. CURTIS,
Bishop of Wilmington.
Most Reverend and H,tStrious Sir: Your
excellency cannot fail to know that the
archbishops set over the various ecclesias-
tical provinces of the Republic of the
| United States of America have, in more
| than one of their assemblies, taken coun-
| Gil with respect to three societies which
have grown upin the aforesaid republic,
namely: The odd Fellows, the Sons of
| Temperance and the knights of Pythias.
| And YOU must be also aware that the
aforesaid archbishops unanimously de-
| cided that the whole question as to these
societies should be submitted to the judg-
| ment of the apostolic see. His holiness
/ tharafnrT oar mi faH this puaatinn n
nent and most reverend cardinals of the
Holy Roman Church and to the inquisi'
| tors general. These. then, in general con
gregation, mad on Wednesday, June Goth,
1894, confirming a decision previously
made as to the aforementioned societies
decreed that in all the ordinaries through
out the United States must in every way
strive to keep the faithful from becoming
members of any one of the said societies
and must not fail to admonish their people
to that effect, and that any thus admon
ished must be debarred from the sacra
nents, should they fail to abandon or keel
aloof from the same societies.
This decree his holiness fully confirmed
and gave it complete effect. 1t is there
fore communicated to your excellency
that through you it may be transmitted Il
all the archbisheps bishops and other or
dinaries of the United States, and for the
due custody of the souls of the faithful
may be by these ordinaries carried int
effect.
In the meantime I beseech Almight,
God to bestow upon you all benefits AM
blessings.
(Signature).
r. CARDINAL MONACO,
ROME, August GOTH 1874,
To the Illustrious and Most Rev. Franco
Satolli, delegate apostolic.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. a. 1884, You
E,aineRce, NlustriouS and uOst ReVereid: b.
letter transmitted to me on the 10th o
Novemb Der last through Cardinal Rampolla
his holiness urges that the decree OF tn
holy office sent to me by Cardinal Monaco
and herewith delivered to you shall b
made public. These sovereign pontiff there
fore wills that the decree In question sha
be communicated by the archbishops I
their respective suffragans that by them
may be promulgated
With all reverence and affection / II
MAN, your eminence, illustrious and mos
reverend, your faithful servant in Christ,
Signature.
, Francis (Archbishopl sAToLLL,.
Delegate Apostolic.
To his eminence, illustrious and mo-
reverend, James Cardinal Gibbons, arcl
: bishop of Baltimore.