The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11

IlNlf'll hiPnAtI' 10 lUe penalty ul eNtoUnmNilCh'
tion. Believing that Father Lottinis position
IS well taken, Father ONr,l has eseaycd 10 but
tressit, and, To- ,hat end, has madc himself familiar
with all the documents bearing On the case
Before setting forth the conclusion reached
by Father ONeil, We should direct attention
20 a chapter If his book IN which w. principles
Of canon law regarding ecclesiastical CcnSures
are discussed. \ censura is Gonn"l 10y the can
onl-tS ~ a s~iiulunl and medicinal penalty in
ilict"l 10y competent ecclesiastical authority
on thoSa e the faithful WHO are delinquent and
contImarlo,ls, through which penalty they are
deprived for a time Of the Use IT certain spiritual
goods for the purpose of Just punishment, but
chiefly T. induce them 10 t%cinquish their oh.
StlnaCy in SIN OF the three kinds ct censure
employed by the Roman Church, IL" students
ui the life Of Sayonarula nrc concerned with one
only, 10 VT eNconmunicaiion, which IL defined
as a separation from the communion Of the
Church ~ - fruit and general SutfraE''s. To
render tins scholastic language more intenigible
t. thu general reader, Father oNell points cut
that the drawing II this sword, Ms the Council
of Trent dcSiEnat'S accommodation, whereby
q diseased member * severed from the spiritual
body II Christ, j the graveSt penalty that the
Church can inpo-" itimplirs n temporary election
from the household uf God on earth, and q with.
holding Of certain spiritual iavors and blessings
which are the happy portion II the faithful. The
election - described rs Temporary because, while
an accommodation might endure, by reason
Of the sinner, o5stioncy, until death, its purpose
in the mind Of the Church is ~salutary punish
ment leading to a change Of life and q return
TO God through penitcnce Considered, there
fore. ~ q disciplinary and healing remedy, the
separation of a member from the Body Of Christ
j. not intended go ba perpetual II is, moreover,
only certain spiritual favors which are withheld
by this Kind # ccnSure, because, although ex'
communication dcpriNts it, object, either wholly
ur in part, # the common spiritual goods Of the
Church, such A. thu mass and the s~acraments,
It doAs not strip him Of thos" which proceed di.
rrcly from Christ. such a, faith and hope, over
which IA" Church does rot %eNcr'ae control, neither
does II shut him out from TIE private prayers Of
the faithful, since the Church does not wish to
raise such q barrier against lis aid.
It Is further 10 u. noted that, az the right Of
Eliminating such n censuro arises from the au-
thority with which Christ has endowed his Church
for her proper government, nnd for Just defence
against ruruly members, thc power Is not a per
soual. absolute right. subject 20 the mere viii
81 ur"iHteS, but must b" exercised WIN grea'
suhnrty and moderation II is shieguhfn'd
hv conditions in respect - Which ecclesiastical
law is explicit The author Of this book pro
ccods a. show what these conditions are nS they
are murht 10y cHuou'sts. In the first place, tho
iufi,uun 81 the penalty ~ accommodation
urasupposeS a very rrHr" offence against faith,
morals ~ ecclesiastical d~iscll'Ine The sin com
mittcd must b. not ouly mortal internally or In
conscience, hut itS euormiiS must be also rx-
trrually evident u mus b" complete 81 It's kind,
and specially prIlibitet hv the church. In
the casr. ,Gu, % an individual communicated.
hi. crime mr,t Dr. entirely personal, his own alone,
so 10 sucln, and II must be notorious, before he
can be denounced ~ having incurred The pen
atty # communication Finally, IN his stats
Of guilt, the de,iu0urnt must be- truly obstinate
~ coutumarious before he ,an be bound in con-
science. The note = rontunlacv can I've imputed
only vE"n a waning has been given and las
not been Needed Toy censurr' attached 10 a
fixed law, th" nero '~tumu'FoN"n 81 The statute
constitutes a standing warning yet even men,
more formal ~ economical Hin"niuun Is heruiui
for the observation oi due otd"r' ana 10 make
the penalty Just Inr o." N0H' Ihilicunh 81 cen
surrS emanai,ng from q superior commanding
n particular thing by way 81 a personal preceIt'
some warning T. induhlAhIy necessary Inc
obligation II n Cnn"mral, ~ inple ana wnt'en
admguilun, rests ON Srnptural crumbs ana
has u historical confirmation IN the vase oil NeS-
tohuS, who was thrice warned by Tie fa'hers
uf EpheNnS, and, ~ mat 81 ~ ''"rus' VINO was
treated in like manner by the fn'herS OF 'haI-
crdpn. According u the doctors IN canon law
such n thrPCiOIi 1dmpnl0pn IL indispensable