THE POPE ON FAITH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 16 November 1907, Page 3

THE POPE ON FAITH.

Hie Condemnation of the New Theology. Army of Censors. A momentous Encyclical on “ Modernism ” was issued by Pope Pius X last month. “Modernism’’ is the attempt made by certain Roman Catholic theologians to prove that the dogmas of , their Church are as capable of progressive interpretations as are the dogmas of Protestantism, or, in other words, to approach theological truths in the modern scientific spirit. The more prominent of the “Modernists” have been Professor Schell, of Wurzuburg, the Italian novelist, Antonio Fogazzarro, whose books are well known in this country, the Abbe Loisy in France, and Father Tyrell in England. Against the teaching of the “ Modernists ” the Pope declares uncompromising hostility. He establishes a new and vigorous consorship, and warns the faithful with unmistakable emphasis. The modernists are as far as

possible to be prevented from teaching or directing Roman } Catholic seminaries and universities. The bishops, acting as delegates of the Holy See, are to do their best to keep the clergy and faithful from the dangers of modernism in the Press. A college of censors is to be instituted in every diocese for the revision Roman Catholic publications. The Pope forbids all ecclesiastics, to edit or to direct any periodicals without the permission of the Bishop. All ecclesiastics who write for any papers will be supervised. All ecclesiastical congresses are forbidden, except in rare cases where these ecclesiastical congresses offer no danger of modernism, presbyterianism, and laicism.

The Encyclical orders the constitution in every diocese of a council of vigilance against modern errors, and orders the bishops

to report to the Holy See upon

rthis question. The words of his Holiness with reference to his command on the subject of literature are most impressive. No books or newspapers of a modernist description are to be left in the hands of any pupil of the universities and seminaries, for they poison Christian life at its very base. He adds : “ Everything must be done to banish from your diocese every pernicious book. The bishops are to be above all human fear, to trample all fleshly imprudence under foot, and heedless of the outcry of the wicked, they are to remember our proscription and are to proscribe and tear out of the hands of the faithful all bad books and all bad writings. This is not only a right conterred upon them, but a duty we impose upon them.” The first part is written with a view to showing the cause of the errors of modernism. It ascribes the root of them to an agnostic philosophy which attempts to limit man’s knowledge to natural phenomena, and refuses the right of human minds to raise themselves to God. It treats at some

length of faith, which embraces God both as cause and as effect, ■Vand analyses very closely the dejvelopment of the New Theology, which the Church, Bible, dogma and cult become so manj r translations of the infinite feeling by which man reaches God. At the end of the Encyclical the Pope says that he forsees that the adversaries of the Church will no doubt represent it as the enemy of science and progress. “To this accusation,” says his Holiness, “we will reply by our actions. We have decided to aid with all our power towards the foundation of a private institution which shall group together the most illustrious representatives of Catholic science. It will be its object to favour and to help with Catholic truth for its light and for its guide, the progress of everything that can be called true science or erudition.” The Croix, the leading Papal

journal in France, in its leader on )the Encyclical, compares the Church to a ship on the ocean, continuously taken by storm. The storms which assail the boat of St. Peter are the human passions, says the Croix. The whole object of the Encyclical is to prove that modernism and its doctrines are fatal to all religion, and to point out a way of combating its effects.