The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-10-21

tiles tickets for entrance to the church
for the same purposes were previous
ly sold, and especially on the occa-
sion of Christmas, Easter, etc., and
were then demanded at the door of
the church.
THE necessary investigation hav-
ing been made, it was found to be
only too true that these practices
really exist in some of the parishes of
the various dioceses, and I did not
fail to call the attention of the ordi-
naries to the matter.
Practice Really Reprehensibie.
Since there is here a question of a
practice really reprehensible and al
ready condemned, practice, more
over, which could easily spread, and
thus give still greater scandal both to
Catholics and to non-Catholics, I have
deemed it my duty to make it the sub
ject of a circular letter.
''It has long been known to all how
strongly the Holy See has reprobated
all practices of this kind, their ex-
plicit condemnation having been made
by Plus TX in the year 1862. Not
less explicit are the provisions of the
Second and the Third Plenary Coun-
ellis of Baltimore concerning this mat
ter (Cfr. Conc Plen. Bait. H., No.
397 and Con- Plen. Bait ILL.,, No.
1881. To these should be added the
fact that the Sacred Congregation of
the Propaganda addressed to all the
Bishops of the United States a letter
dated August Is, 1869, which contain
ed the following:
1.-The sacred congregation wishing
completely to abolish and eliminate
the practice of exacting money at
church doors, so that the faithful may
be allowed to enter and to be present
at divine services, does not cease to
exhort your lordship that you devote
every care, if perhaps it has come to
your knowledge that any custom of
this has grown up in your diocese,
that no collectors whatever be placed
at the doors of these churches when
the faithful of Christ are entering the
church for the purpose of being pres
ent at divine services, or of hearing
the Word of God
More Recent condemnations.
II also wish to add that SO recently
as May %, 1908, His Eminence the
Cardinal Prefect of the Propaganda,
having received complaints concerning
this matter, directed me to take meas
ures to prevent the repetition OF
abuses of this kind, and / according.
ly directed the attention of the Bishop
in whose diocese the abuse was veri
fed to the matter.
after all that I have here set
forth, your lordship, to whom &c
clesiastical decorum and the good
of souls is above all other considers
tions, will, am sure, be more than
ever convinced of the necessity oi
completely eliminating all evils of this
kind. / therefore request you to com
mand all rectors of churches in your
diocese to discontinue all these prac
tices, if they have already been in
troduced, and by no means to permit
them to be established, if they do moi
already exist.
81 well know that in some churches
money is collected at the door, not fol
mere entrance, but as a payment for {
seat in the church. Even this practice
cannot be tolerated, since it produce.
an undesirable impression on all, ant
has proved to be, in prs Sice, tn,
cause of many regrettabA conse
quences.
Opposes Church Spirit.
This custom also is, moreover, di
rectly and manifestly opposed to tn
spirit of the aforementioned letter o
the Sacred Congregation of the Pre-
paganda, in which it is explicitly said
No collectors whatever
shall be placed at the doors 0
churches
This custom, therefore. must ais
be abolished In order, however, tha
the proper revenue from the pews b
not lost, your lerdship can devils
some other method involving no oil
jectionable features