The Catholic bulletin., 1914-06-13
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
POPE ON TEMPERANCE.

His Holiness Pope Plus X made an
! important announcement on the tenn
perance question when he received in
special audience on April % the act
ing committee and about two hundred
members of the general body of the
Catholic international League Against
Intemperance, says the London Cath
olic Times" deputation from the
league, of which Baron Bujis de
Beevenbrouk is president, and which
had been holding congress in the
Eternal City, presented to His Holi-
ness an address begging for the mem
bers of the committee and the league
generally the help, appreciation and
blessing of the Holy Father in their
struggle against intemperance, the
cause of so much ruin, economic and
moral.
The address stated that the mem
bers of the deputation came from diff
ferent countries, but were unanimous
in proclaiming that intemperance had
been a social scourge which seriously
menaced the Catholic population in
several countries. The league united
fraternally in common effort against
| intemperance with the Catholic total
abstinence societies and societies
which permitted their members the
moderate use of strong drink. 1t ap-
pealed to every sound sentiment with
out imposing on any one the absolute
| observance of total abstinence, al
though it recognized that this was the
security for a great number, and the
most efficacious means of propaganda.
The members gratefully thanked His
Holiness for his kindness in appoint
ing as protector of the league His En-
inence Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop
of Malines.
The Holy Fathers Letter.
The Holy Father cordially thanked
the deputation for the address and
ordered to be read, as a formal reply,
a letter signed by the Cardinal Secre-
tary of State, dated from the Vatican,
April "a, 1914, and which was, in part,
as follows:
"The Sovereign Pontiff congratu-
lates you on the success of the vigor-
Gus crusade which you have undertake
en- in all parts of the world supported
by the principles of the Gospel and
guided by the authority of the hier-
archy. He prays God to render fruit
full the zeal you display against the
terrible plague, an enemy of bodies
and souls, which causes so many
moral and physical evils.
I'm blessing the efforts of all the
Catholic societies affiliated to your
league, the Holy Father also blesses
the good intentions of all it's adher-
ents and encourages them to perse-
we're in their generous apostolate.
"The Popes in these latter times
have not forgotten to call attention to
the terrible evil which you combat,
and they have proclaimed the neces-
sity of prompt and efficacious RENE
dies. Provincial Councils and Bish-
ops in all parts of the world have
raised a cry Of alarm and enlightened
consciences on the subject. Follow
ing on their steps men of faith, Of
science and !, of, action have set. on
foot by word and example a most salu-
tary movement in favor of temper
ance among Catholic bodies. How use
full it is to explain the effects of alco-
holism economically morally and
physiologically, by showing their bear
ing on the lapses of individuals whose
health, intelligence, conscience and
freedom are ruined by intemperance
and also by showing the destruction
of families in the bosom of which
confusion and trouble are created, and
the injury to society, whose gravest in
terests are threatened Accordingly,
amongst social works there is not
one more urgently needed.
ut will, therefore, be a great pleas
ure to the Sovereign Pontiff to see
your league gaining increased strength
through the accession of additional
Catholic societies. His Holiness earn
estly expresses the hope that the
clergy will everywhere encourage this
work of education and preservation,
and that by their teaching and exam
pie they will place themselves in the
very heart of the struggle against an
evil which, especially in certain coun-
tries brings so many reproaches on
the faithful.
But the struggle will not be
brought to a sure victory unless it is
sustained by the Divine Grace, gained
by prayer: the Reorganization of the
Sacraments and the general practice
of Christian modification. Unless
the Lord build the house, they labor
in vain that build it. (Pslam cxxvi,
, ~ Let the light of the grace of
Jesus Christ be poured on mems
spirits and into their hearts, and the
plague, with the accompanying pro-
cession of evils, will cease.
with my personal good wishes and
all sorts of congratulations on your
great and holy undertaking, accept,
gentlemen, the assurance of my sin
cere esteem.
"R. CARDINAL MERRY DEL VAL"