The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-17
THE POPE AND AMERICA.
ABcRBIsHoP CORRIGAN REPLIES
TO CERTAIN CIRCULARS.

ciinhtion OF tho Pontin or tho Htomhh
Catholic Church TO Dictate or Interfere In
Matters Poitlcnl-Pope,s Functions Denned.
Archbishop Corrlgan has sent the appended
letter to every Catholic pastor in the city, and
this morning II will be read from the pulpits OF
all the Catholic churches in the archdiocese.
The letter is regarded as the most significant
document that has cmanated from the archie
Episcopal residence in some time. 1t is written
in connection with the regular annual notllca'
ton OF the Peters pence collection, which is
taken up on the last Sunday Of tho present
month. Tho Archbishop's utteranccs, as he ex-
plains in the letter, were inspired by circulars
which have been distributed during the present
campaign and which intimate that the Catholic
Church has intcrfcrcd in politics to an extent
that has made it q danger to the republic. 1t
was impossible TO learn yesterday what party
or individual caused the circulars referred to to
be printed and distributed. Father Connolly,
the Archbishop's secretary, would not discuss
the matter. Followingi is the Archbishop'sletter
ARCHBisHop's HOUSE,
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 1897.
REV. DEAR Sin: According to the Second and
Third Plcnary Councils OF Baltimore, a collec-
ton is TO be taken up annually in all the do
cescs OF the United States for the support o. the
Holy Father, and the statutes of this diocese in
particular specify that this collection is to be
made during the month OF October. In compile
Rnce with this rule, hereby designate the last
Sunday of October as the date for collecting the
Pcter.pcnce this year in all our churches.
The reasons for this appeal have been so often
explained that it is unnecessary to state them
anew, but ! avail OF this occasion to allude
TO some misrepresentation or misrepresentation
regarding the office OF the Sovereign Pontiff,
which are continually repeated to our discredit
In periods of passing excitement or on the eve
OF popular elections. In this way circulars have
been insidiouslv distributed containing wild
atoment such as the following: "Politico-
EcclesiasticiSm, with its sweeping claims over
the morals of men, reaching every rational or
intentional act, including the act OF voting = = "
must not be allowed to undermine the great re-
public, whose perpetuity depends upon individ-
ual sovereignty"
This modest sentence contains the three fol-
lowing propositions:
First-The Catholic Church, as focused in
it's infallible head. extends its sweeping claims
over every human act. including the act of
voting.
second-The Catholic Church is a danger to
the republic.
Third-The perpetuity Of our free institutions
depends on individual sovereignty.
In view of the first proposition. it will not be
without interest 10 recall what the Church real
y teaches regarding Papal infallibility, Moth
Ing can be clearer than the definition of the Vati.
can COUNCIL. THE Roman Pontiff, when no
speaks er ,cdthedrd, that is TO say, when in the
exercise of his office of pastor and teacher OF all
Christians, he. in virtue of his supreme authori.
is to be held by the whole Church, by the as.
sistance Of God, promised to him IN the person
which 1t was the will of our divine Redeemer
that His Church should be furnished in defn-
ing a doctrine on faith and morals, and that,
OF themselves, and not through the consent Of
the Church, are i~rreformable.'
According to this decree, the Pope is infalli-
BILE when he speaks er cdthcdrd, that is, when
ne exercises his Office OF universal teacher de-
ttning some point OF faith or morals to be held
eility is restricted. therefore, to an act of teach
ing; 1t does not extend to an act of govern
formed by the Pontiff as a private teacher.
should he order Catholics to vote a particular
s setl9 Of a his action R by II n very In na iS I : as q IN mere ere
any possibility, direct, Catholics to support, for
dates now in the field for the Mayoralty of
the Greater New York. his action would evil
!a fdiI5y mot not be an +, act Gao Of teaching regarding
bind the universal Church. Faith and morals
are the object of the Church's teaching office,
Church sf.ef It Is f TRUE, N and Tie R RSa pS'iP5t oniiin ia as
successor OF st; Peter. have received from our
offer sure and unerring guidance in The field Of
InoraIs; For in giving Peter the m to
p Isea h also eo on the li fosk , inr Burden @nr Of oSedien iln,
Both duties are co-reiative, and mutually i'm
ply each otner; II the flock be bound to hear
necessarily be safcguarded from error; must
be able consequently to DISTINGUISH good from
M HhmHSlc'f tn. .d HassaFsg She pIhsFw' Would ide be eG 4et
sponsible for the loss of his sheep by making
them subject to a hirciing, who might expose
10 destruction. II the Church cannot fail. be.
cause the Lord has made it the pillar and the
for he 10 the corner stone on which the iminO a.
bio sqperstruGturS rests; Thou art Potter. and
feat shts FG Might / ~ perS Rai.d f miE Gh IN The fa L o'R 9eF
Peter may not, for the Eternal Truth and On
Impotence itself has said. Il have prayed for
converted, confirm thy brethren" But while
the Church and the Pope are supreme judges OF
guide in individual acts. The gift Of %infali.
bility is vouchsafcd for the good Of the Church
The Catholic hierarchy has now been estab-
lished in this country over a hundred years.
In all that period can a single syllable be add
the purpose OF directing our ballotsi In these
hundred years has u single Pontifcal utterance
er %cdtheir4 been made bearing ~ the remotest
degree on the question OF our politic5i III such
a fact has never existed during our entire his
tory, is i not n little silly 10 fear where there is
ridiculous than the busaboo tnGt the Pope or
the Church il reaching out to control every ra-
tlonal OF Intentional act, including inc Casting
OF a baiIoti'
The second fallacy In the remarkable docu-
Iment before US is the statement that the Catho-
lie Church is u danger TO the republic.
There is nothing surely in the form Of our
government which the Church reprobates.
Her infallible head, in his eIcyclical on civil
power expressly teaches that no form of, rule
i open to the Church's disapproval, provided 1t
be just and for the common good. The Oldest re-
publics in the world were established under
Catholic AUSPICES. The blood OF Catholics red
denod every battlefield in the struggle for
American independence, as 1t flowed freely In
every subsequent national conflict. Should an
other war break out (which may God AVERT
Catholics will be found 10 march TO their coun'
try's defence at the first blast of the bugle. II Is
at least a century too late TO question our pa
triotisIn or our civil allegiance.
Danger to the republic can never come from
the Catholics while they remain faithful to their
religion, which. In the language OF 81. Paul
teaches obedience to constituent authorities
and in the words of st. augustine, inculcates
Charity toward all and malice TO none lde
moriDus EcClesia lib. l-c-30J. Tic signs OF
the times show danger signals in the fast rising
flood OF socialism and anarchy, and thinking
men the world over find the greatest bulwarR
against these dangers in the conservative prin,
ciples and doctrines Of the Catholic Church
All her mast history shows what she has dom