THE PAPAL DECREE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 16, 2 January 1912, Page 3

THE PAPAL DECREE.

THE DOCUMENT FULLY DESCRIBED. MATTER OF INTERPRETATION. The Rome correspondent of the “Tablet,” writing on November 12th, states:—The latest number of the “Acts Apostolicae Sedis,” published yesterday, contains an important “Motu proprio” of the Holy Faiher regarding til© censure inflicted on persons who bring ecclesiastics before the civil Courts. Chapter VII. of the Constitution “Apostoficao Sedis” indicts sentence of excommunication “latae sententiae” on all who compel (“cogentes”) ecclesiastics before the civil Courts, but the interpretation of the word “cogentes” was king ago authentically fixed by a decision of the Holy Office, which decided that the “cogentes” were not persons who cited ecclesiastics before the civil Courts, but the authors of laws which compelled ecclesiastics to appear before the civil Courts. A famous, but now perhaps forgotten case in Scotland, had a close connection with this interpretation, but even within the last few years an American Bishop, who was cited in a civil Court by one of his priests, publicly declared the latter excommunicated by virtue of this chapter of the “Apostolicae Sedis,” but subsequently withdrew from his position on being reminded of the interpretation of tho Holy Office. The Holy Father has now restored the word “cogentes” to its literal and more extended significance, by the following pronouncemcilt: “But since in those evil times it has been the custom to pay so little heed to ecclesiastical immunity that not only clerics and priests, but even bishops and the cardinals of Holy Roman Church themselves are brought before tbo lay tribunals, the situation absolutely requires of us that we restrain by the severity of a penalty those »from the gravity of the offence does not deter from this sacrilegious offence. Wherefore we of our own motion lay down and decree: Any private person, laymen or cleric, male or female, who, without any permission of tho ecclesiastical persons whomsoever, either in a criminal or civil case, and compels them to appear there publicly, all incur excommunication “latae sententiae” specially reserved to the Roman Pontiff. And what is laid down in these letters we will to be valid and ratified, all things whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.”