Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-28
Decree Against
 Catholic Church
ISSUED BY GOVERNOR OF NuEvo
 LAREDO
PROHIBITS CONFESSION
Mexican Governor Says the Church
 Has Been Pernicious Factor and
 Has Forgotten Its Spiritual Mission.

Tampico. July 26-Via Laredo, Texas. July 27.-A decree limiting the scope of the Roman Catholic church in the state of Nuevo Laredo on the ground of public health, morality and justice was issued today by Antonio I. Villareal, governor and military commander. He said:
 During the life of the nation the church has been a pernicious factor in disruption and discord and has en- tlreiy forgotten it's spiritual mission
 The most drastic feature of the de- cree is the prohibition of confession. Villareal gives as his reason for this, the charge that the confessional and the sacristy in Mexico have become a menace to morality.
 Text of the Decree.
 The decree issued in Monterey makes the following orders for gov ernment of Catholic schools and churches:
 "1 All foreign Catholic priests and Jesuits of whatever nationality will be expelled from the state of Nuevo Leon
 "2 Of the remaining Catholic priests those who cannot prove their com plete abstension from politics will be expelled.
 -3 Churches will remain open daily from six in the morning until one ir the afternoon. Only priests having permission to do so will be permitted to off1ciate.
 A Confession is prohibited.
 Q The public is prohibited from en- tering the sacristy.
 ''6 Church bells shall ring only tc celebrate feasts as in honor of the country or for triumphs of the con- stitutionalist arms
 "7 All Catholic colleges shall be closed which do not obey texts or dered by the officials and which dc moi have their had who is a graduate of the norma schools of the country who will be re- Sponsible to the government for any infraction of the rules.
 "S Any infraction of these laws will by punishable by a fine of $100 to .s5O( and arrest and imprisonment from two to four months, or both fine ana imprisonment"
 VillareaPs Explanation.
 Explaining the grounds for this ac. ton, NillareaI's decree reads:
 Tn the interest of public health morality and justice, the state O. Nuevo Leon will limit the scope O. the Catholic church. which during it. life has entirely forgotten it's spirit. ual mission, its sole right to be rec, ognized to by modern society Thi church has consecerated itself prin. cipally to conquest in policies. To se cure the object it always has beer allied with the reactionary govern ment and the despots and even witt foreign invaders. It has showed it. self an 1mplacable enemy to the lib eral movement and progress from tn first revolution of Ayutla until tn present and has illuminated it ridiculous communications over tn most grand and glorious benefactor of the country, Hidalgo, Juarez an, Lerdo De Tejeda-
 "The pictorial and clerical ruling Of Porfirio Diaz and Huerta. agains which the Mexican people have beel struggling heroically for many years have the sympathy and assistance O the Mexican church, the church ha had it's benedictions for the crime and corruptions of Huerta and ha unsuccessfuliy worked to incite tn l public against the constitutionaIist cause
 Some Of the ceremonials of tn church were criticized Villareal al leging that in Mexico they have tend ed toward weakening of moral char acter. He declared it the course o i wisdom to close the clerical school l for the present, on the ground "it i | a supreme national necessity to stam out the root of the arrogant abuse 1 of the Catholic church and remove tn | grave danger which the institutio 1 represents, more political than re l ligious for the tranquility and futur I progress of the country" Catholic churches recently hay been closed in Saltillo, San Luis, Poto l si and Nuevo Laredo. s.