Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24
LETTER ON "AMERlCANlSM'
Papal View Of the Life Of the Bnd-ofthe-
Century Days,
MILDLY DlSkPPRoVES OF ITS LIBERTY
Believes that lille There Was No
Thought Of Wrong In Father
Hccker's Teachings They Merit
Degree Of Suspicion.
MILDLY DlSAPPRoyES OF ITS LIBERTY

'a'@ 1870
translation Of the pope's letter to Cardinal
Gibbons, giving the papal views on "Ameri-
canism," heretofore covered briefly in the
Associated Press cable dispatches, was made
public here today. His holiness, comment
ing on the controversy which has grown out
of the French translation Of the life OF the
late Father Hecker, founder of the Society
Of paulists. distlnctively an American or
der, says the rule Of life laid down for
Catholics by the vatican council is not of
such a nature that It cannot accommodate
itself to the exigencies Of various times
and places. The church has at all times
been what st. Paul said of himself: ~ be-
came all things to all men that ] might
save ALL In regard to the ways of living
the church has been accustomed to yield that
the divine principles of morals being kept
intact, it has never neglected to accommo-
date itself e. the character and genius of
the nations which it embraces.
But" continues the letter, mo one
should wish to depart from the infallible
teaching and authority of the church. The
confounding of license with liberty, the
passion for discussing and pouring con-
tempt upon any possible subject, the as
sumed right to hold whatever opinions one
pleases upon any subject and to set them
forth In print to the world, have so wrapped
minds in darkness that there is now a
greater need of the church's teaching office
than ever before, lest people become I'M
mindful both of conscience and OF duty"
The pope says that while he believes
there was no thought of wrong or guile
in the opinions of Father Hecker, yet they
certainly merit some degree of suspicion
and he proceeds to point out at length
those opinions which he regards as inimical
to the church authority, and as being
heretlcal in spirit.
The pope, while finding himself unable
to approve of the views which go to make
up "AmeriCanism,' yet takes no exception
to the name and observes that If the doc
trines adverted to are not exalted there
could be no doubt that the bishops of Amer
lea would be the first to condemn them.
Otherwise it would give rise to the sus-
picion that some of the bishops would have
the church in America different from what
1t is in the rest of the world.
The following is the full text of an APP
proved translation of the letter of Pope Leo
XIII to Cardinal Gibbons on Americanism,
the Latin original having been received re-
Gently by Cardinal Gibbons, to whom 1t was
forwarded by Cardinal Rampolla, the papal
secretary of state:
Leo to the Americans.
To Our Beloved Son, James, Cardinal Glib
bons, Cardinal Priest of the Title Sancta
Maria, Beyond the Tiber, Archbishop of Bal
timore-Leo XIII, Pope. Beloved Son, Health
and Apostolic Blessing:
We send to 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 10
your colleagues ian the episcopate and to the
wbQ1n A american ppppla Mpranyer ~ n bo,ya
often considered and admired the noble gifts
of your nation which enable the American
people to be alive to every good work which
promotes 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 and corrected;
still, because it is conceived in that same
spirit of apostolic charity which has in
splred all our letters, we shall expect that
you will take 1T as another proof of our love,
the more SO because st is intended to sup
press certain contentious which have arisen
lately among you to the detriment of the
peace OF many souls.
1t Is known to you, beloved SON, that the
life OF Isaac Thomas Hecker, especially as
interpreted and translated in q foreign Ian
guage, has excited not a little controversy,
because therein have been voiced certain
opinions concerning the way of leading a
Christian life.
We, therefore, on account of our apostolic
Office, having to guard the integrity of the
faith and the security of the faithful, are
DESTROYS of writing to you more at length
concerning this whole matter.
The underlying principle of these new
opinions Is that, in order to more easily
attract 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 conces-
sions 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-
post of the 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 impor-
lance and to tone down the meaning which
the church has always attached to them.
Hold Fast to the Faith.
1t does not need many words. beloved son,
to prove the falsity OF these ideas II the ma
ture and 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 has
revealed has not been proposed, like a phil
osophical invention, to be perfected by hui
man ingenuity, but has been delivered as q
divine deposit to the spouse of Christ to 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 declared: nor
is that meaning ever to be departed from
under the p%retense or preteXt of a deeper
comprehension of them" Constitute dc
Eide Catholica, chapter iv.)
We cannot consider as altogether blame
less the silence which purposely leads to the
omission or neglect of some OF the principles
of Christian doctrine, for all the principles
come from the same Author and Master,
'the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom
of the Father" (John /, Xviii).
Let 1t be far from any ones mind 10
suppress for any reason any doctrine that
has been handed down. Such n 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
10 have those who are separated from the
fold OF Christ to return to 1t, but in lie
other way than the way pointed out by
Christ.
The rule Of life laid down for Catholics
Is not OF such a nature that 1t oanaot ac-
commodate itseslf to tho eXigencies of yari-
Dus times and places. The church has
guided by her Divine Master, a kind and
merciful spirit, for which reason from the
very beginning she has been what st. Pau
said of himself: 81 became all things tC
all men that l might save ALL"
History proves that the apostolic see. tC
which has been intrusted the mission not
only of teaching, but of governing the Who'll,
church, has continued "in one and the same
and the same judgment" Constitute dc
Eide, chapter iv).
But in regard to ways OF living she ha!
been accustomed 10 so yield that the divine