New Britain herald., 1914-07-28
LIMITS SCOPE OF
 CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mexican Governor Issues Decree Prohibiting Confessions.

limiting the scope of the Roman Catholic church in the state of Neuvo Leon on the ground of public health, morality and justice" was issued Sun day 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 entirely forgotten it's spiritual mis- sion."
 Confession Is Prohibited.
 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 ;acristy in Mexico have become a menace to morality. C.
 The decree issued in Monterey makes the following orders for gov- ernment of Catholic schools and churches:
 Text of Decree.
 "1-All foreign Catholic priests and Jesuits of whatever nationality will be expelled from the state of Neuvo Leon.
 "2-Of the remaining Catholic priests those who cannot prove their complete abstention from poll itics will be expelled.
 "3-Churches will remain open daily from 6 in the morning until in the afternoon. Only priests hav- ing permission to do so will be per mitted to off1ciate.
 ''4-Confession is prohibited.
 "5-The public is prohibited from entering the sacristy.
 ''6-Church bells shall ring only to celebrate iestas in honor of the country or for triumphs' of the consti- nationalist arms.
 "7--All Catholic colleges shall be closed which do not obey the texts ordered by the officials. and which do not have at their head some profess sor who Is a graduate of the normal schools of the country who will be responsible to the government for any infraction of the rules
 '8-Any infraction of these laws will be punishable by fine of $100 to $500 and arrest and Imprisonment from two to four months, or both fine and Imprisonment"
 Spiritual Mission Forgotten.
 Explaining the grounds for this ac- tion, villareaps decree reads:
 'In the interest of public health. morality and justice, the state of Nuevo Leon will limit the scope or the Catholic church, which during it's life has entirely forgotten its spiritual mission, it's sole right to be recognized by modern society. The church has itself principally to con- quest in politics. To secure the object it always has been allied with. the re- actionary government and the despots and even with foreign invaders. It has showed itself an eimplacable en- emy to the liberal movement and progress from the first revolution or Avutha until the present and mas 1ul- minated it's ridiculous ex-commun1ca- ,tions over the most grand and g'or- ious benefa ctors of the country. Ill., dalgo Juarez and Lerdo de Tejeda.
 Upholds Huerta Corruptions.
 "The pictorial and clerical rulings of Porfirio Diaz and Huerta, against which the Mexican people have been struggling heroically for many years, have the sympathy and assistance of the Mexican church. The church has had it's benedictions for the crimes and corruptions of Huerta and has unsuccessfully worked to incite the public against the constitutionalists cause
 Some of the ceremonials of the church were criticised. Villareal al- leging that in Mexico they have tend- ed toward weakening the moral char acter. He declared it the course of wisdom to close the clerical schools for the present, on the ground Git is supreme national necessity to stamp out at the root the arrogant abuses of the Catholic church and remove the grave danger which the institution represents. more political than relig- ious. for the tranquility and future progress of the country
 Catholic churches recently have been closed in Salti11o. San Luis Pot .osi and Nuevo Laredo
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