The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-01-03
ARcHBlsHops ON LIQUOR QUESTION.
New Orleans Tim s-Demoe rat.l

iect of a fair liquor ucense, recently
printed, caused widespre adj comment IN
this community, and there mas been some
natural curiosity as to the reasons which
influenced him in taking this stand. 1t
was to be supposed that man holding SO
exalted a position in the Catholic church
would not take the positive position he has
done without having some solid ground
upon which to base it. 1t has developed
that Archbishop Blenk's views on the
liquor question are shared by every other
archbshopand bishop in the United States;
that they coincide with DEGREES laid down
by the Third Plenary Council held in Bal
timore; that they actually constitute the
laws of the Catholic church in the United
States.
The archbishop was asked if he was
as positive in his views on the subject OF a
liquor license as his brief public statement
had indicated, and if he really felt as
deeply about it as his words implied. The
archbishop answered so earnestly that not
word was lost Of what he had TO say:
Il always mean what say and do my
very utmost to say exactly what mean.
The stand taken by me in this question,
now so actually under discussion, is the
only one can take if want to discharge
my duty faithfully, and in spite ofany and
all consequences. A bishop is under the
most sacred obligation to govern his diocese
according to the laws OF the church. His
responsible, official actions must never be
the result of caprice, or-of his own private
views and opinions. just as the faithful
and the clergy are held to obedience to
these laws, so also is the bishop.
.sNow the Third Plenary Council Of
Baltimore has enacted laws which are
binding on all Catholics, and it is the SOL
emn duty of the bishop to observe these
laws, and to see that they are religiously
obeyed by the flock, which, by the grace
of God, and the favor of the Holy See, is
entrusted to his care:
Here airs some Of the laws in reference
to the liquor question, enacted by the
council. They will put in the clearest
light possible the solid ground upon which
my position rests, and must rest. if am
not to court and commit treason to my
sworn and sacred obligation.
The archbishop took down from the
shelves of his library the printed trans
actions of the Council to which he refer
red, from which these extracts were copied
with his permission. fhe Council was
composed of the archihshops and the bish-
ops in the United States, and their de-
cisions forfh the law for the Catholic
church in the United States. The extracts
| follow:
LAW OF CHURCH.
/ 1t can not be doubted that among the
evils we most bitterly deplore in this coun-
try must be numbered that which consists
in the abuse Of Intoxicating drinks. This
kind of excess furnishes a perpetual fuel
to sin, and is a fertile source of miseries;
men without number and whole families
are plunged into direst ruin by it, and
numberless souls are drawn headlang to
eternal destruction. And since this vice
prevails in no small degree, also among
Catholics, scandal is given to nom Catho-
lies, and great obstacle is placed in the
way of the progress of religion. Let there
fore, the love of religion and of country
urge all Christians to strive with all their
might to extirpate this pestiferous evil.
/ We expect in the first place the help of
the priests of the church, to whom God
has entrusted the office of instructing men
with the word Of life and of instilling into
them the principles of morality. They
must never cease to cry out in strong
terms against drunkness and its occasions.
especially when they have missions for
their people. Mindful also of the Apos-
tolic doctrine, let them teach the people
entrusted to their care that it is written:
"Nor drunkards shall possess
the kingdom Of God," and to those who
deem themselves strong, let them recall to
their minds those words of Ecclesiasticus
| iii, q: "He that loveth danger shall
perish in it, Moreover, since men are
only moved by words, but are drawn by
example, let the priests themselves be ex-
amples of the virtue of temperance, heark-
ening to the admonition Of the apostle that
they should be the model Of their flock.
Finally, we exhort all the faithful who
are engaged in selling Intoxicating liquors
to ponder seriously on the many and grave
dangers and occasions of sin which ac-
company their occupation, though it be not