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Show WHY MTJERI WAS EXCOMMUNICATED. A few days ago the Chicago Daily Socialist strove to make it appear that Father Romolo Murri was excommunicated by the Pope because he ran as a Socialist candidate for the Italian chamber of deputies. The full text of the decree of excommunication excom-munication has now reached this country and reveals re-veals that he was cut off because he would not submit sub-mit after being repeatedly warned. Along with it comes the unfortunate man's letter written to the good Archbishop of Permo in reply to a missive which that prelate sent him urging him to be guided in time. The reply of Don Romolo Murri to Monsignor Castelli was insolent and insulting. "The arrogant and peremptory tone of your letter, dated March 13, has caused me to smile a little. I must remind your excellency,, and the most eminent cardinals, inquisitors inquis-itors general of the supreme congregation of the holy office that, if from all those who have dealings with me, I exact polite and correct manners, much more da I exact them from those who pretend to speak in the name of religion." The remaining parts of his letter express willingness wil-lingness on the part of the writer to be expelled from the church. Like men of his class, Don Romolo Ro-molo Murri declares he can be even a more religious reli-gious man outside than inside the church. Commenting Com-menting on the letter which, by the way, has been published in extenso in the "Corriere della Sera." a Liebral paper of Milan, and the "Messaggero," the scurrilous Bloc organ of Rome the "Corriere d'ltalia" says: "We have thought it well to publish these passages, so significant and insolent, from the letter directed by Don Romolo Murri to his own bishop, for the purpose of dissillusioning, once and for all. those ill-informed Catholics who still surround sur-round the head of the rebellious priest with the martyr's mar-tyr's aureola. Today confusion is no longer i?ossi-blc; i?ossi-blc; Don Romolo Murri himself declares that he is with, deliberation willing to leave the fold of the church, and his work for many years was directed to this end. Though we grieve over the rebellion of the priest, we are nevertheless glad that this last step of his has forever destroyed every possibility of his exercising a deleterious influence on the minds of Catholic young men. Notwithstanding all that, the "Corriere d'ltalia" writes now. I do not remember that it exerted itself very much to oppose his election. The decree of major excommunication pro-nounced pro-nounced against Don Romolo Murri is in the following fol-lowing terms: "Ecclesiastical authority has not omitted to call again and again to a sounder state of mind, by fatherly warnings, curative remedies and the infliction in-fliction of punishment, the priest, Romolo Murri. for his dissemination and erroneous and seditious teachings, both by tongue and pen, in the church of God. But he, treating all these as nothing, though, laden down with censures, has not hesitated to put himself forward before the faithful as an example of contumacy and rebellion. Wherefore, lest further fur-ther delays should cause tho scandal to have evil effects amongst the ranks of the faithful, this supreme su-preme congregation of the holy office, by the express command of our most holy father. Pope Pius X. pronounces against the said priest, Romolo Murri. who has resisted the recent peremptory canonical admonition with obstinate contumacy, the sentence of major excommunication personally and by name, and it solemnly declares that he lies under'.all the' penalties of the publicly excommunicated, and that, moreover, he is, and ought to be, avoided by all." New World. |