The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-02-04

ments and excluded from every re
ligious pract Sc, accustomed TO re
gard the most sacred things only
with the most complete independ
ence Of judgment, these souls thus
fall miseraoly into swhat is called
reigious indlfferentism, which has
been condemned by the church or
numerous occasions, and which i'm
plies the negation of all religion
Thus one sees these Christians IN
their bloom, on road where they
have TO guide, perishing in the dark
ness and torture Of doubt; to make
shipwreck of the faith is it not enough
TO refuse the minds adhesion even to
a single dogma?
1T vii, happen, perhaps, that one
may chance to hear from the lips OF
these young folks some sign, and may
find in their hearts some dying
shadow OF piety, or even that they
show more than ordinary ardor in their
devotion to works of beneficence /;
this may be taken as the effect of a
long habit or OF a more gentle tenn
permanent, or of a more sympathetic
heart, or, in a word. OF an entirely
human and natural virtue, which of
itself Is devoid Of all value in regard
to eternal life.
Among these societies 1t will sut-
flee to mention that which, having
given birth to many others, is the
most widespread Thy reason especially
of the important services which It rem
dered to a large number Of unhappy
peop in the course of the terrible
war; and dlsposes of the most consider
able resources; we mean the society
called the Young Mems Christian AS
sociation and in abbreyiation form the
Y. NJ. c. A.
Non Catholics Of good faith give it
their support Inadvertently, consider
ing it an organization OF advantage
to all, or, at least. inoffensiye to every
ore and It Is also supported by certain
Catholics who are too confident and
are ignorant OF what It is in realty;
FOR this society processes a sincere
love Of young ioIk, as If nothing was
dearer to It than the promotion OF their
corporal and spiritual interests, but
at the same time It shakes their faith,
since, by its own confession It pro
poses to purify ii and to lmpart more
perfect knowledge Of real life by p ac-
ing itself above every church and out
side every religious denomination
CWhat the Y. NJ c. 4. T. and What It
Proposes" brochure published at the
central office, Rome)
What good can be expected from
those who. banished from their hearts
the last yesuges of their faith go far
from the cradle Of Jesus Christ, where
they enjoyed happiness and rest, to
warder at the instigation Of their pas.
S 'ors and Of their nature?
Therefore all of you who have re-
celved from Heaven the special man
date to govern the flock Of the Mas
ter are implored by this Congregation
to employ all your zeal In preserving
your young fox from the contagion
Of every society of this kind whose
good works presented in the name OF
Christ endanger the most precious
rift that the grace of Christ has given
them.
Put the imprudent on their guard
and strengthen the souls OF those
whose faith is vacillating; arm with
the Christian spirit and courage the
organizations Of the young of both
sexes existing in your dioceses and
establish others like them; to provide
these societiel with the means Of
counteracting the conduct of their
appeal to the generosity
of the more well-to-do Catholics
"Also get parish priests and direc-
tors of organizations TOR the young
to fulfill their mission bravely, and
by the diffusion of books
and pamphlets, so as to raise up bar
riers against the encroaching waves
OF error to expose the tricks and
snares OF the enemy and to give eff
cacious aid to the defenders Of the
truth
ut viii be your duty then, at the
regional meetings of Bishops to treat
this grave question with the attention
il merits, and. after deliberation to
come TO the decisions that will appear
suitable.
"In this connection the Sacred Con.
gregation asks that in each region
an official act of the hierarchy declare
duly forbidden all the daily organs,
periodicals and other publications of
these societies Of which the pernicious
character is manifest, and which are
rrofusely distributed with a view to
sowing In the souls of Catho les the
errors Of ratioralism and RELIGIOUS in
differentlsm. (Here note calls att'n'
To BilyChnis, a monthly review OF re.
monty review Of religious culture the
organ Of the Italian Federation of stu
dents for Religious Culture. San Reno;
to Bllychnis. a monty review Of re-
ligious etudies. Rome, and II Testi.
monlo (The Testament, monthly re.
view Of the Bantist Churches, Romeo.
"Metropolitans are charged with the
duty OF making known by the Holy
See. within six months, the resolu.
tions md decisions occasioned by the
situation Of each diocese
"Given Mt the Po'acc Of the Holy
office Rome, on the 9Th November,
1929.
"R. CARD MERRY DEL VAL,
Secretary"