Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-08

egate is to study out the plan for their
support, now that that formerly provided
by the Spanish government is taken away.
The pope Is keenly DESTROYS that colleges
OF canons be organized also in the other
cathedral churches. But while this cannot
be brought about the bishops shall have as
consultors men distinguished for piety,
learning and practical experience in at
fairs. chosen from one or the other
clergy"
1t is this clause which Filipino critics of
the bull interpret opening the way for
the new American bishops to be advised in
all matters by friar "consultors
a Provides for filling temporarily a
cant see.
The Native Clergy.
20 Since experience has fully proved
that native clergy is everywhere of great
usefulness, the bishops shall endeavor dill
igently to increase the number of native
priests, in such way, however. that they
first prepare themselves for entire piety
and obedience to discipline and recognize
properly those to whom the ecclesiastical
functions are intrusted. And those whom
practice and experience shall prove most
suitable shall be promoted gradually to
the best posts. This, above all, let the
members of the clergy understand, that
they must never let themselves be carried
away by factional passions. For though
1t is in general provisions prohibited that
he who labors in the service of God shall
mix in secular affairs, nevertheless, in the
Philippine Islands, by reason of times and
things, We understand it TO be peculiarly
necessary that those who belong to the &C.
Suspicion Aroused.
1t is this section of the bull which has
particularly reused opposition among the
native clergy, who think they especial
ly picked out for censure while the opin-
ion is quite generally expressed among
Fflipinos, as their newspapers show. that
fC tc.o y~1rr
the native clergy it's rights" The most
favorable Filipino opinion expressed of it
has been that it merely repeated, and in
terms less strong and definite than usual,
promises of seculariZat1on of the Philip
pine Church made at intervals during the
past 200 years.
IS The bishops are instructed to en-
deavor to found seminaries for the train
ing of priests (from among the people, in
every diocese, and are given detailed warn
1ngs about the segregation of such youths
from early childhood To keep up the
carefulness of study enjoined they shall.
for period of five years after being adj
mitted to the priesthood, be submitted to
an annual examination. A sort of advanc-
ed seminary for young Filipinos is also to
be established at Rome, and the bishops
are to send there the chosen youths. The
holy see will, on It's part, endeavor by the
most elaborate means to raise the secular
clergy to the highest and 10 the best eccle-
siastical equipment, to the end that at the
proper time 1t be prepared to replace the
regular clergy in the discharge of the pas
toral office
Which means the friars are to stay in
definitely, say the Fflipinos.
Education
az. The bishops are further to look out
for education in general, having an eye on
the teachers and text books of the public
schools (The context shows that paro-
chial schools are meant.)
g. The holy see. improving the opportu-
nifty offered by the new order Of things in
those islands, agreed to make, in fitting
time, provisions to enable the members of
the religious orders in good VIII to return
to the manner of living proper to their
', form of establishment, entirely consecrat-
ed to the labors of the holy ministry. to
the betterment of the good customs of the
people, to the increasing of peaceful har-
mony between civil and religious inter-
ests.' 1t is therefore most particularly
enjoined on the members of the orders
that they fulfill the obligations of their
vows, giving no one motive for scandal
(II Cor, vi:3)
%. The bishops are to decide what par
fishes shall be assigned to friars, in agree
ment with the prelates of the orders Any
difference of opinion shall go to the apos-
tolic delegate for settlement.
Monasteries.
40 AS those spiritual exercises com
monty called missions are of the highest
usefulness, they are to be added to the
other means for saving SOULS, which is the
preliminary to the provision that at least
one house of regulars, with eight mem
bers, ought to be established in each prov
ince, solely to make frequent visits to the
cities and towns and cultivate them spir-
itually with sacred preaching.
The Filipinos point out that under Catho-
lie Spain the places where monasteries could
be established outside of Manila were
strictly limited to three to each order and
the localities preserved.
al The strictest discipline is again en-
Joined on the priests, for which purpose,
especially, it is declared, Mgr. Guidi was
sent to the islands
''12. The concluding section begins with
a para graph enjoining charity and pro-
claiming the paternal love (and absolute
religious authority of the holy see."
The Friar Problem.
In July 1902 the Vatican, while unwill-
ing to make even a very favorable ar
rangement relative to ecclesiastical prop
erty so long as it was condition on the
definite withdrawal of the friars within
two years, nevertheless verbally satisfied
Gov. Taft that its aim was to eliminate the
friars from the Philippines and that it
would strive to accomplish that end as
rapidly possible-so the governor stated
publicly on his arrival at Manila. In Sep
TENDER. when the bull was finally drawn
up, the friar party at Rome was still more
in control. 1t is evident even to the Ameri-
can who reads the foregoing provisions in
the most optimistic spirit. that the friars
are to remain permanently in the Philip
pines. unless there is a change in the plan
there outlined.
Think as we may about the bull we
may as well face the fact that the Filipinos
almost unanimously put the darkest in
depreciation possible on every clause in it,
and regard it as frankly pro-friar docu-
ment. AS indicated, they call attention to
its very brief notice of the services of the
native priests and the oft-repeated injunc-
tons about stricter discipline among them,
as evidence that the friar view as to the
permanent subordination of the native
clergy is indicated; they believe the new
American bishops "consultors' will invari-
ably be friars, who will prejudice them ac-
cordingly; they say reform in the seninaries
and education of the native priests has been
promised periodically for two hundred
years with very little result; they regard
the authorization of monastic houses of
each order in every province as a new
means by which friar demonation will be
fastened upon them; they point to clause
as almost frank declaration that not
only are the friars to continue to adj