The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-24

tanned which our holy mother, the
church, has once declared, nor is that
meaning ever to be departed from un-
der the pretense or pretext of deeper
comprehension of them" Constitute
de Eide Catholica, chapter iv.)
We cannot consider as altogether
blameless 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 lis.
That they are adapted to all times
and all nations is clearly seen from
the words of our Lord to his Apostles:
Go, therefore, teach all nations; teach
ing them to observe all things whatso-
ever l have commanded you, and be-
hold, l am with you always, even to
the end of the world. Matthew
xxvii:19.
Concerning this point, the Vatican
council 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 church, either by solemn
judgment or by her ordinary and uni
YerSal magisterium proposes for belief,
as having been divinely revealed
(Const. de Eide, chapter iii.1 Let it be
far from any ones mind to suppress for
any reason any doctrine that has been
handed down. Such a 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 sepa-
rated from the fold of Christ return to
it, but in no other way than that point
ed out by Christ.
The rule of life laid down for Catho-
lies Is not OF such a nature that it cannot
various times and places. The church
has, guided by her Divine Master kind
and merciful spirit, for which reason from
thefVery beginning she has been what st.
Paul said OF himself: Il became all things
to all men that l might save ALL
History proves that the Apostolic See, to
only of teaching but of governing the
whole church, has continued lin one and
the same doctrine, one and the same
sense and one and the same Judgment"
IConst. de Eide, chapter W.
But in regard TO ways of living she has
been accustomed to so yield that the di-
vine principle of morals being kept intact,
she has never neglected to accommo-
date herself to the character and genius
of the nations which she embraces.
Who can doubt that she will act in this
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 to the spirit of God who
guided her, the doctrine contained in the
position LXXVIII of the synod of Pistol,
''That the discipline made and approved
by the church should be submitted to ex-
animation" 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
opposition to Catholic doctrine and dis
cfpiine in that opinion of the lovers of
novelty. according to which they hold
such liberty should be allowed in the
church that her supervision and watch
fuIness being in some sense lessened, al
IoWance granted the faithful, each one to