Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-03-18

American Catholics against our in
stitutions, then every true American,
whether Catholic, Protestant. Jew or
Rationalist, should say to him,
America has a civil government;
she has free secular public schools
and State; and she will brook no
meddling by any foreign power"
| All men are free to worship as
| tLey please. but when they stand in
| open rebellion against our civil in
stitutions they become, to all in
tents and purposes, traitors to
| America and to her institutions.
Is the Roman Hierarchy opposed
| to our public schools? Is the Roman
Hierarchy opposed to separation of
| Church and State? Does the Roman
Hierarchy believe that the Pope has
a right to exercise temporal power?
| What is the Church Of Rome doing
| in opposition to the American Public
School?
Let US see. Pope Plus TX. fear
ing that Roman Catholics were be-
coming too liberal minded. issued
what is termed the syllabus of
Errors. In this syllabus. wherein
are set forth large number of
things which 1t is lawful to teach.
let US read No. As. wherein it states
|
'The entire direction of public
schools, in which the youth of
Christian states are educated. except
ito q certain extent) in case of
Episcopal seminaries, may and must
Iappertain to the civil power and be-
long to it so far that no other au-
tfority whatsoever shall be recog-
nized as having any right to inter-
fere in the discipline of the schools,
the arrangement of the studies, the
taking of degrees, or the choice and
approval of teachers"
Again, from the same syllabus"
we read that it is an error to teach
that: THE best theory of civil
society requires that popular schools
opened to the children of all classes
and, generally, all public institu-
tons intended for instruction in let
ters and philosophy, and for con-
Quoting the education of the young
should be freed from all ecclesiasti-
cal authority, government and in
reference, and should he fully sub
ject to the civil and political power
in conformity with the will of rul-
ers and the prevalent opinions ol
the age"
Please note fully that Plus TX de-
. clares it is an error to so teach
Coming from an "infallible" Pope
nothing more should be necessary tC
establish my contention. We will
however, mention that the teaching
of Plus TX was endorsed by Lee
XIII when, on July q, 1884, in g
letter to the Bishop of PerigueuX. he
said: "phe teachings given by this
! Apostolic See, whether contained ir
the Syllabus and other Acts of on!
illustrious predecessor. or in oul
own Encyclical Letters. has giver
clear guidance to the faithful as tc
what should be their thoughts anC
their conduct in the midst of the diff
ficulties of times and events"
In 1886, the Council of Baltimore
decreed: 1--WE determine and decree
that hard by every church, where II
: does not already exist. a parochia
school is to be erected within two
; years of the promulgation Of thi:
: Council" And Archbishop William.
of Boston, in discussing the ques.
, ticn of obliging parents TO withdraw
children from the public schools
/ said: ANY priest, however. hearing
confession in the private tribunal Of
penance is free, in the exercise o.
> his faculties, in this as in all Other
cases. to give or withhold absolution
guided by the disposition of the
.. penitent and his own judgement ant
!, discretion, and his knowledge OF tht
. facts involved"
Thus 1t was left to the priest t.
determine in each individual case
the extent to which he should tight
, en- the screws that We're 10 separate
Roman Catholics from the great fire,
secular school system of America