The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-01-03
THE POPE HAS NOT FIXED IT'S
COMMENCEMENT.
Catholics May Believe as They Choose
as to When the Twentieth Century
Begins-All a Boyle.

The Pope has not fixed the time at
which the twentieth century begins in
any way to bind the judgment or con-
science of faithful Catholics. At least
that is the view taken by the bishop
and clergy of the church here and will
continue to be their position unless the
official copy of the Pope's utterances on
the subject shows clearly different in
| tention on the part of the Pontiff.
AS yet the only information on the
! subject is that contained in the Am
erican newspapers of December r. and
in LIE Pelerin" of December 8. The
latter is a church paper published in
| Paris by congregation established for,
| that purpose. 1t is really secular pa
per devoting much attention to Cath
Ole church news throughout the world,
and considered of very high but not Of
! ncial authority in matters of churcn
news.
While the American papers state pos
litively that the Pope has decided that
| the century begins with January l.
1900 the direct quotation from the
Pope's letter which is given in substan-
| ttation of the statement, does not, in
| the view of the Catholic clergy here,
1 when analysed, really substantiate it,
I While the statement in lie Pelerin,"
though differing somewhat from the
other, is also lacking in positive state
ment of the fact that has ben assumed
The only direct quotation from the
| Pope's letter given in the San Fran
cisco papers is as follows:
Therefore, in order that the yeSr
1900 which is about to begin, and when
it is to be devoutly hoped will usher in
a far more happy century, may, by the
aid of God and of his only begotten Son,
our Savior, have an suspicious openluf;
/ and may il close after a prosperous
course, his holiness, Pope Leo XIII,
grants that on the 31st of December,
both of the year which is now ending
and of the year about to begin, at mid
night, in the churches and chapels
where the most holy eucharist is kept
| according to the prudent judgment of
the ordinary, the most august sacra-
ment may be exposed for alteration.
and he grants also permission to say
or to sing in the presence of the euch-
artist thus exposed and at that hour on
ly one mass of the feast of circumci-
| sion and octave of Christmas. More
| over he grants to the faithful the spe-
| cial privilege of receiving holy COM
munion at the same time either during
or outside the celebration of mass"
The statement on the subject MADE
! by lie Pelerin' is as follows
| A mesure que lie monde Veut s'eloigner
de Dieu ct rejeter Dieu, les catalogues
compartment la necessite dune repara-
| ton par la priere plus frequehte ct
pour rendre lie solennel homage a
Jesus Redempteur, await demande gu
Souverain Pontife, par Iorgane dun
grand nombre d'archeveques ct d'eve-
ques, la favour de faire celebrer la
Sainte Messe a rinstant GU lie steele
present fera place au IKE steele. Leon
XIII a exauce royalement cette de-
mande. II raccorde pour les deuX NUTS
du 81 decembre 1899 ct du Ter janvier
1900. Les eveques pourront autOriser,
dams les chapelles ct eglises, reXposi-
ton du Saint Sacrement minuit ct la
celebration dune seule messe basse on
chantee. Les fideles pourront COM
munier. Grace a cette munificence gu
Pere des fideles, nous pouvons esperer
des graces speciales ct abondantes pour
| les annees ct lie steele qu seront, des
leur naissance. benis par la rosee divine
du sang de Jesus-Christ repandu sur
rautel
Father Valentine in discussing the
quotation given in the American pa
pers points out that it says that in
order that the year 1900 which is about
| to begin" and does not say the cen
fury which is about to begin-that the
year will usher in a new century, not
necessarily be a part of the century
ushered in, for with the first moment
! of the new century the act of ushering
in is completed, and therefore the yeSr
which win usher it in Is not itself a
/ IL.
states that permission is given to cele-
brate one mass at midnight of Decem-
Der 81, both of the year which is now
ending GS99) and of the year about 10
begin, (Decepber 81, 1900 leaving the
question of What year begins the CEN
fury to the individual conscience and
judgment.
In the French account of the matter
Father Valentine points out that ii is
not the Pope VINO has taken the initia-
tive on the subject but that petition
has come to him through bishops ana
archbishOps who apparently believe the
century begins with January l, 1900 for
the privilege of celebrating the mass a
midnight; and that the Pope has SIM
ply granted their request without HIM
self expressing an opinion on the sub
ject. The request is granted simply
for the ease of conscience of those be-
lieving this way and in stimulation of
faith and prayer and the use of the
means of grace the church has pro-
vided
But the final test that the Pope has
not decided for the consciences and
judgment of Catholics that the century
begins with January l, 1900" continued
Father Valentine lis shown by the fact
that he does not profess in this to ne
speaking ex cathedra to the whole
Catholic world in matters of faith and
morals with the intention of binding
lv speaking as the administrators of the
church in response to a request made
1in a matter of privilege, and not or
faith and morals. To the Catholic world
his words under such circumstances eX-
press merely the wise and prudent
Judgment of the Pope and are NOT with
in the dogma of infallbility.
"In these Islands the bishop permit
ted midnight celebration in those
churches where ii is the custom to cele-
brate midnight mass at Christmas, al
though he had no official notification
from the Vatican that the privilege had
been granted. This was because it was
4 a privilege for which, If exercised on
mistaken authority, there would be no
condemnation But if ii We're consid-
cred an enunciation of doctrine to be
held by the faithful nothing would
have been done until unequivocal au-
thority through the recognized chan
nels of communication had been re-
ceived."
]