The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-01
THE TEACHING OF ST.
THOMAS.

The Pope has issued a most i'm
portant decree on the study of St.
Thomas, for Italy and the ad-
jacent islands. He commands all
who teach Sacred Theology in the
universities, great lyceums. col
leges, seminaries, and institutes
which, by apostolic indult, enjoy
the privilege of comforting AGA
demic degrees and the laureate of
doctor in this discipline, that they
use the text of the "Summa Theo-
logica," explaining the questions
and the articles in the Latin
tongue, No institute from this
on shall have the privilege Of con
ferring academic degrees in the
faculty of theology unless the
prescriptions of the new decree
are strictly observed. Within
three years from the date of issue
of the decree (June 20, 1910 all
such Institutes that will have
failed to fulfil the requirements of
the decree, even for reasons indie
pendent Of their will, shall lose all
privileges of this nature. At the
same time in the ordinary sem
lnarles for the clergy, provided
that there are suitable masters, it
shall be lawful to use the books of
authors who set out in com.
pendulum the doctrines taught by
St. Thomas. The Pope also re.
news and explains his former com
mand relative to the teaching OF
the philosophy Of st. Thomas as q
foundation for the teaching OF
theology; the principles of the
philosophy of St. Thomas must be
taught in all the ecclesiastical in
stitutions named.
The Pope gives reasons for this
new legislation. Errors in philos.
ophy cause errors in theology
Thus the whole modernistic craze
has been caused by the prevalence
of Kantian views in certain Cath.
Ollie circles in Europe. But nc
philosophy is so completely OPP
posed to Materialism, Monism
Pantheism, Socialism. and the in
Vulnerable errors of Modernism
as the philosophy of st. Thomas
From that philosophy we learn
to draw the clearest and the
broadcast distinction between what
belongs to Almighty God and what
belongs to His creatures and any
body who has wasted any time
in the loose language and misty
speculations of the so-called think
ers of modern times will appre
ciate the boon of clear thinking
plain straightforward language
which the child may understand
and the sage cannot improve. In
fact st. Thomas is SO plain, sc
simple, that hasty readers fine
nothing in him; when they have
read him about a hundred times
and with about hundred times
the attention they pay the frs
time, they will begin to find then
mistake. The man who is ground
ed in the ideas, the principles anc
the methods of st. Thomas vii
not for a moment be impressed By
the vague, loose language, oftenel
than not utterly devoid of mean
ing, which passes for lofty wisdom
in many circles today. St. Thoma:
has said the plain word that ex
plodes every foolish notion thai
has been thrust upon the world i
the name of philosophy since hi
own day. More is to be learned
from him in day than from al
others in a lifetime. The Churcl
in those solemn moments in whicl
she pauses to declare her owl
mind, the truth which God ha!
entrusted to her. so that her chill
dren may have the form of sound
words wherewith to confront tn,
treacherous and shifting languag'
of error. deeply impressed with ;
Sense Of responsibility and Of tn