Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
POISON In THE WINE
ARoHBIsHoP OF CARACAS JUST
ESCAPED ASSASSINATION.

Something In the nature of sensation
has been created In religious circles by o
report from Caracas Venezuela, Of an at
tempt made to assassinate the archbishop
Of Caracas and Venezuela. Mgr. Juan Bap-
tista Castro. on the steps Of his private
altar. The means used was poison placed
in the communion wine he used when eel
ebrating early mass. To add to the indig-
nation of the people It is suspected that
the crime was the work of one of the
priests whom the archbishop has felt
obliged to severely censure for evil living
and disregard of priestly vows
Archbishop Castro did this in q pastoral
letter to the priesthood and Catholic COM
munity, In which he denounced the conduct
OF these clergy declaring it unbearable and
concluding with these words:
I'VE will have recourse to canonical chas-
tisement to stop the dea1lement OF the serv-
Ice of the Lord by these perverted priests
And If 1t is not possible to stop the harm
m any other way as circumstances require
It, we will impose public punishment in the
The warning was published a week pre-
vious.
In the archibshop's palace last Sunday
night one of the popular young women OF
the capital was married by him to promi-
nent young man In the presence of a throng
that filed the house to overfowtng. Al
daybreak next morning when the arch
bishop made his way to the chapel in the
palace to say early mass sound as OF
some one falling was heard and the attend
ant priests rushed in. On the floor lay the
archbishop writhing in agony. Physicians
hurriedly summoned found he had been
poisoned and quickly applied heroic rem
edies. Fortunately he had swallowed but
small portion OF the noXious draft and
consequently his life had been saved.
The stricken archbishop has already for,
cix acSfr nd rAr r. df
would not aid in his detection and punish
ment, though urged to do SO. The police
are certain they will find the culprit in the
ranks of the priesthood and this Is also the
popular belief.
The conduct of the priests condemned by
the archbishop has become a reproach In
Caracas. Some were living as married
men. Others had become involved in graver
scandals. Still others were frequently seen
In gambling and drinking places.
The archbishop's denunciation of these
men made ten long columns in La Religion,
the church organ. 1t said in part
with all the bitterness Of our hearts
we must discuss the scandals which stain
the sanctuary, OF the iniquities which multi
ply themselves among the clergy, and which
have become permanent pasturage for
blasphemies against our holy religion, OF
unworthy reproaches against the church.
OF calumnies against all the ministers Of
God, of discrediting publications and prop
agandas against the Catholic faith. This Is
unfaithful servants soil the celestial vest
ments of the church of our Lord.
you know, my children, how during the
last few years there has been In this coun-
try a painful moral decadence which has
shown itself among a part of our clergy.
Those who seek the honor of God and Of
the church are forced to hide their faces
In shame because of the impossibility Of
denying the accusations and charges.
Matrimony would ruin the priesthood with
out being remedy for the scandal which
we lament. Matrimony will never be q
remedy for extravagant free love
1.-THE church had a perfect right to es-
tablish as q condition for admission to the
service of the altar the obligation of per-
petual celibacy. And when a man, after
having declared himself sufficiently proven
on this point. has contracted with the
church this solemn obligation 1t only uses
it's legitimate attributes when 1t demands
from him rigorous compliance with this
obligation.
Because of this we are justified in con-
Guiding that when priest falls and rolls
In the mud of worldly sin it Is because he
Is not worthy of his sacred Office.
Every word of this denunciation meets
with the approval of the Catholics of Cara
cas-. 1t has just been reported that ten
priests have been arrested and are in jail.