Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-02-22
PASTORAL LETTER
AND
MANDEMENT

MANDEMENT
OF MGR. PAUL BRUCHESI,
Archbishop OF MONTREAL. INAUGURAL
TING A CRUSADE AGAINST 1NTEMpER-
ANCE.
To the secular and regular clergy, to the
religious communities and to all the
faithful of or Diocese, greeting, peace
and blessing IN Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dearly BELOVED Brethren:-
For a long time, the problem Of alco.
Lolism has been deservedly preoccupy.
ing the mind of morallsts, economists
and legislators.
Nevertheless, every year, in the diff
ferent countries Of the world, appalling
statistics show the progress of that ter
rible plague and the necessity of more
and more energetic resistance against
its invasion.
As we have already often stated in
cur pastoral visits, it is time theoretical
statements and unfruitful lamentations
should be left aside.
The moment has come, for all to en-.
ter the path Of practical reaIizationA.
All initiatives must group together
and form holy league; private initia-
tives and public initiatives, civil, polit
cal and religious initiatives; tor, with
out any intention to establish COM
parisCn between the Province of Que
bee and the other provinces of Canada,
bet ween the Canadian Confederation
and the other States of America or OF
Europe, it is an undeniab!e fact that
we are suffering from the evil of alco-
holism. That malady has already at
tackled our vital sources and 1t threat
ems to deeply vitiate them, The rava-
ges which it makes among our people
are more baieful and greater than the
so dreaded ravages of ph'hisis, of which
it is, anyhow, the sinister purveyor
And we beg you to remark, dearly
beloved brethren, that we do not solely
refer to the vice of drunkenness carried
to its extreme'excesses, to that drunk
enness which deprives man Of the use
of his reasons and sometimes throws
him to the pavement like butte. Oh!
that kind Of intemperance has special
uelin.ss of its own. It is so vulgar of its
nature, that the great majority keep
away from it with d;sgast. 1t carries
in its proXmate and immediate cnnse
quences such shameful blemish, that it
is held in adherence. 1t may be said
that It constitutes, even here below ana
without delay, its own punishment and
its own check, especially among the
higher classes of society.
In a general manner, the evil to
uh;c! We refer has not that hideou,
and brutal aspect. Its form is rather
latent, it's effects ale generally slow to
appear. But it is none the less PERM
cious, and no social sphere is closed
against it.
Properly speaking. alcoholism does
not consist in an act Of intesaperance,
nor even in several acts Of iulemper-
ance separated one from tire other by
pretty long intervals. There is evil
IDENTIFY in this II mole or less serious
disorder, a more or le,s criminal taplt,
disorder and Il fanIt that may lead to
formal alcoholism, but which do not
yet constitute it. Alcoholism is a con-
dition, a morbid condition, which isac,
quired either by often repeated ebrlcty,
or by the haUilual use OF stl org liquors,
even if taken in small quantity each
time.
1t is a gradual poisoning In word,
it is chrome intenperance, with or
without ebriety.
According to the data of medical
science, no poisoning is more disastrous.
1t attacks the whole organs Of the hui
man body, especially the brain, the
kidneys and lungs, the heart. the liver
and The stomach. 1t lessons the strength;
it troubles, reyolutionizes and paraly-
yes all the faculties. 1t calls forth any
number of diseases, and compicates
them all in a similar manner, when it
does not render them incurable, 1t Of.
ten leads to insanity or to suicide, and
always leads more rapidly to decrepi-
Luue ana 10 Qealn.
You consider no doubt in your minds,
beloved brethren, that this picture Of
the physica! rayagcs Of intemperance is
very sombre. So it Is. But do not
conclude that it is overdrawn or exag-
gerated. All those facts could be sign
ed bv some fanous medical authority.
They have been borrowed with the most
scrurulous honesty from the best writ
ings of which the medical profession
now so methodical in its investigations
and so conscientious in its statements,
can boast.
Besides, nothing 10 easier than to yer
ify its correctness. 1t matters little
whether your personal experience be
long or short, or whether your field of
observation be large or email. DO not
your recollections unfortunately bring
to your mind too many instances Of
ruin caused by alcohol? Have you not
seen powerfully built bodies waste away
the choicest intellect get out of balance,
strong wills collapse, hearts naturally
tender and kind get 80 perverted and
hardened as to become cruel? In most
cases, were not those catastrophes a
manifestation of the work Of the alco-
holic poison?
Still if the sad effects of intemper-
ance reached only the individual who