The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-24
AMERICANlSM NOT APPROVED
III 1T MEANS DEPARTURE FROM
TIME-HONORED CHURCH LAWS.
No objection to the Name il 1t Refers
to Political Conditions and Cus-
tOms-The Religious Orders.

BALTIMORE. Feb. 23-Following is the
full text of an approved translation OF the
letter of Pope Leo XIII to Cardinal Glib
bons on Americanism, the Latin original
having been received recently by Cardinal
Gibbons, to whom it was forwarded by Car
dinal Rampolla, the papal secretary Of
state:
ITO our beloved son. James, Cardinal Glib
bons. Cardinal Priest of the title Sancta
Maria, beyond the Tiber, Archbishop or
Baltimore. Beloved son, health and apos-
toic blessing:
I'VE send You by this letter a renewed
expression of that good will which we have
not failed during the course of our pontifi-
cate to manifest frequently to you and
your colleagues in the episcopate and to the
whole American people. avafling ourselves
of every opportunity offered by the prog
ress of your church or whatever you have
done for safeguarding and promoting Cath
olic interests. Moreover, we have often con-
Nation which enable the American people
to be alive to every good work which pro-
notes the good Of humanity and the
splendOr of civilization.
although this letter be not intended as
preceding ones, to repeat the words OF
praise so often spoken, but rather to call
attention to some things to be avoided ana
corrected, still because 1t Is conceived in
that same spirit of apostolic charity which
has Inspired all our letters, we shall expect
that you Will take II as another PROOF OF
our love; the more so because II IS IN
tended to suppress certain contentious
which have arisen lately among you to the
detriment of the peace OF many souls.
ut is known to you, beloved son, that the
life of Isaac Thomas Hecker, especially as
interpreted and translated IN foreign Ian
guage has excited not a little controversy,
because therein have been voiced certain
opinions concerning the way or leading
Christian life. We. therefore, on account OF
our apostolic office, having to guard the in
tegrity of the faith and the security Of the
faithful, are desirous of writing to you
THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE.
"The underlying principle of these new
opinions is that, in order to more easily att
tract those who differ from her, the church
should shape her teachings more In accord
with the spirit Of the age and relax some
Of her ancient severity and make some con-
cessions to new opinions. Many think that
these concessions should be made not only
in regard to ways of living, but even in re-
gard to doctrines which belong to the de-
posit of faith. They contend that it would
be opportune, in order to gain those who
differ from us, to omit certain points OF her
teaching which are of lesser Importance,
and to tone down the meaning which the
church has always attached TO them lt
does not need many words, beloved son, to
prove the falsity of these ideas TX the nature
of the origin of the doctrine which the
church proposes are recalled to mind. The
Vatican council says, concerning this point:
" For the doctrine OF faith which GOD mas
revealed has not been proposed, Ike q
philosophical invention, to be perfected by
human ingenuity, but has been delivered az
a divine deposit to the spouse or Christ 70
be faithfully kept and infallibly declared.
Hence that meaning of the sacred dogmas
is perpetually to be retained which our
holy mother, the church, has once declaredf
nor is that meaning ever TO be departed
from under the pretense or pretext OF q
deeper comprehension of them Constitute
de Eide Catholica, Chapter iv.
1--WE cannot consider as altogether blame-
less the silence which purposely leads to
the omission or neglect of some of the prin-
ciples of Christian doctrine, for all the prin-
ciples come from the same author and mas
ter, The only begotten Son. who is in the
bosom of the Father John, /, 1S. These
are adapted to all times and all nations, as
is clearly seen from the words of our Lord
to His apostles; Going, therefore, teach all
nations, teaching them to observe all things
hold / am with you all days, even to the
end of the world. Matt. xviii, 19.
Concerning this point the Vatican coun-
Gil says: All those things are to be believed
with divine and Catholic faith which are
contained in the word of God, written or
handed down, and which the enurch, either
by a solemn judgment or by Ter ordinary
and universal magisterium, proposes for be-
lief as having been divinely revealed
Const de Eide, Chapter iii.
Let 1t be far from any ones mind to sup
press for any reason any doctrine that has
been handed down. Such policy would
tend rather to separate Catholics from the
church than to bring in those who differ
There is nothing closer to our heart than
to have those who are separated from the
fold of Christ return to II, but in no other
way than the way pointed out by Christ.
THE CATHOLIC RULE.
'"rhe rule of life laid down for Catholics
is not OF such nature that it cannot ac-
commodate itself to its exigeneies of various
times and places. The church has guided
by her divine Master, kind and mercifui
spirit for which reason from the very be-
ginning she has been what st. Paul said Of
himself: became all things to all men that
1 might save all
History proves clearly that the apostolic
see to which has been intrusted the mission
not only of teaching, but of governing the
whole church, has continued in one and the
same doctrine, one and the same sense and
one and the same judgment '-ConSt. de
Eide, Chapter w. But, in regard 70 ways
Of living, she has been accustomed to so
yield that the divine principle OF morals
being kept intact, she has never neglected
TO accommodate herself to the character
and genius of the nations which she en-
who can doubt that she will act in
fhis same spirit again If the salvation OF
souls requires it? In this matter the church
must be the Judge not private men, who are
often deceived by the appearance Of right.
In this all who wish TO escape the blame
of our predecessor Plus VI. must concur.
He condemned as injurious to the church
and the spirit of God. who guides her. the
of the Synod of Pistoria, that the discipline
made and approved by the church should be
submitted 10 examination as If the church
could frame a code Of laws useless or heavier
than human liberty can bear
But, beloved son, In this present matter
of which We are speaking there Is even a
greater danger and a more manifest 0ppo-
slton to Catholic doctrine and discipline in
that opinion OF the lovers OF novelty accord
be allowed in that church. that. her super
vision and watchfulness being In some sense
lessened, allowance be granted the faithful,
each one to follow out more freely the lead