FREAK RELIGIONS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 459, 17 June 1937, Page 5

FREAK RELIGIONS

BANNED BY PAPAL DECREE WORSHIP WITH FIREWORKS Bishops Urged To Root Out Abuses Press Association —Copyright. Received June 17, 10.10 a.m. Vatican City, June 16. Novel cults and exaggerated forms of devotion are banned by a Decree addressed to Roman Catholic Bishops throughout the world. The Decree emphasises first, exaggerated forms of singing, secondly, religious functions carried out regardless of liturgical rules, thirdly, the use of spectacular fireworks at commemorative festivals and fourthly the circulation of pamphlets describing the lives of the Saints often in sentimental, almost superstitious terms.

The Decree continues: “Novel forms of devotion are becoming increasingly popular and widespread. Bishops are urged to institute the strictest observance of these warnings by rooting out abuses and ensuring that new abuses do not occur.”