sole themselves with the hope that it will outlast their time. It is to be feared that the majority of them will do so, and will remain where they are, unless some special intervention of God shall speedily open their eyes to see that the Catholic Church is the only refuge of salvation for society in general, and for every individual who wishes to escape the destroying flood of impiety. For the coming generation, the alternative of the Catholic faith, or no religion, is certain, imperative, and inevitable."

DOCUMENTS.

EXTENSION OF THE FEAST OF ST. BONIFACE, BISHOP AND MARTYR, TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

DECRETUM URBIS ET ORBIS.

AD cultum in Christiano Orbe augendum latiusque propagandum erga Sanctum Bonifacium Episcopum et Martyrem, qui Germanicas gentes aliosque finitimos populos ad Christi fidem perduxit, cujusque praeconium occurrit in Martyrologio Romano Nonis Junii, plures Emi. et Rmi. S.R!E. Cardinales, et amplissimi diversarum nationum Episcopi e Germania praesertim et Anglia, auspicatissima arrepta occasione sui in Urbem adventus quum Dogma de Immaculata Beatae Mariae Virginis Conceptione a Sanctissimo Domino Nostro Pio Papa IX. fuit solemniter proclamatum, humillimis precibus. eidem Sanctissimo Patri supplicarunt ut Officium Missamque praedicti Sancti Bonifacii tot ceteroquin nominibus insignis, et de Catholica Religione, deque hac Sancta Sede Apostolica adeo promeriti ad universalem Ecclesiam Pontificia sua auctoritate dignaretur extendere. Aut nisi forte pro multa. sapientia sua id congruum judicaret, ejusdem saltem Officii et Missae recitationem toti Germaniae, totique Angliae vellet concedere, quod in Sancto Bonifacio suum haec filium, suum alia veneretur Apostolum; reliquis vero extra Germaniam et Angliam Dioecesibus, si illarum Episcopi duxerint, ea de re supplicandum,

Istiusmodi preces idem Sanctissimus Dominus Noster clementer excipiens, die 29 Martii, 1855, indulsit ut in tota Germania et Anglia quotquot Dioeceses concessionem Officii et Missae de Sancto Bonifacio Episcopo et Martyre ab

Apostolica Sede nondum obtinuerunt, volentibus Episcopis recitare amodo possint indulsitque praeterea ut extra Germaniam et Angliam a Sacra Rituum Congregatione eadem concessio tribuatur Episcopis, qui postulaverint.

Cum autem Episcopi Germaniae ad Oecumenicum Concilium Vaticanum convenissent novas instaurarunt preces ut Officium et Missa Sancti Bonifacii ad universam extenderentur Ecclesiam ; cumque hisce dein precibus accessissent etiam postulationes Antistitum Angliae et Hollandiae, Sanctitas Sua ut Sancti Bonifacii propitiam imploraret opem Germaniae Episcopis strenue pro Ecclesiae Catholicae causa dimicantibus, necnon fidelibus eorum curae commissis ad fidem sincere retinendam, quam a Bonifacio acceperant, postulationes remisit peculiari Sacrorum Rituum Congregationi ut suam panderet mentem. Peculiaris haec Congregatio postulationum rationibus, necnon temporum adjunctis aeque perpensis rescripsit: Affirmative pro universa Ecclesia sub ritu duplici minori.

Hujusmodi Rescriptum, referente me subscripto Sacrorum Rituum Congregationis Secretario, Sanctitas Sua confirmavit; indulsitque ut in universa Ecclesia Officium et Missa recitari et respective celebrari debeant juxta exemplar jam a Sacra Congregatione approbatum sub ritu duplici minori die V. Junii in Martyrologio assignata; translato Officio eidem diei affixo, dummodo non sit majoris ritus, in insequentem primam diem liberam in singulis Kalendariis occurrentem; et dummodo Rubricae serventur. Contrariis non obstantibus quibuscumque. Die 11 Junii, 1874.

CONSTANTINUS, CARD. PATRIZI, Episcopus Ostien. et Veliternen, S.R.C. Praefectus.

Loco Sigilli.

Dominicus Bartolini, S.R.C. Secretarius.

INDULT REGARDING THE JUBILEE.

Indultum pro Iubilaeo favore fidelium in Missionum locis Commorantium.Ex Audientia SSmi. habita die 24 Ianuarii 1875.

Cum in pluribus Haereticorum et Infidelium locis nullae sint Ecclesiae, in aliis vero non tot sint, quot ex nuper editis Sanctissimi Domini Nostri PII Divina Providentia PP. IX. Apostolicis Literis VIII. Kal. Ian. anni prox. praeteriti, quarum initium Gravibus Ecclesiae, pro Iubilaei indictione adiri a Fidelibus extra Urbem morantibus necesse est, ut

Iubilaeum ipsum adipisci valeant, cumque evenire etiam possit, ut varias ob causas praescriptae Ecclesiarum visitationes iterari nequeant; plures iis in locis fideles tam utili ac salutari Iubilaei thesauro carere cogerentur, nisi Apostolica auctoritate iis subveniretur. Haec animo suo reputans idem Sanctissimus D. N., referente me infrascripto S. Congregationis de Propaganda Fide Secretario, pro sua benignitate contulit arbitrio Patriarcharum, Archiepiscoporum, Episcoporum, Vicariorum Apostolicorum, ac Superiorum Missionum quorumcumque, facultatem, quam etiam simplicibus Missionariis subdelegare ipsi poterunt, prorogandi, ubi necessitas id postulet, etiam per duos annos tempus ad Iubilaeum lucrandum, necnon dispensandi cum praedictis Fidelibus quoad numerum Ecclesiarum visitandarum et visitationum in ipsis peragendarum; imo etiam, quando necesse id fuerit, commutandi in totum huiusmodi opera iniuncta in aliquod ieiunium, aut in recitationem aliquarum piarum precum, firmo remanente pro pueris, qui nondum ad S. Communionem admissi sunt, onere Sacramentalis Confessionis, et pro adultis etiam Communionis; ac praeterea quoad omnes, orandi pro Catholicae Ecclesiae, et Apostolicae Sedis prosperitate et exaltatione, pro extirpatione haeresum, omniumque errantium conversione, pro totius populi Christiani pace et unitate, ac iuxta mentem Sanctitatis Suae.

Datum Romae ex Aedibus eiusdem S. Congregationis de Propaganda Fide die et anno praedictis.

IOANNES SIMEONI, Secretarius.

N.B.-S. Poenitentiaria occasione eiusdem Iubilaei, sub die 25 Ianuarii 1875, ex Apostolica auctoritate haec inter alia declaravit :

1. Sanctitas Sua indulget, ut eodem Iubilaeo durante, fideles rite dispositi absolvi possint etiam a crimine haeresis; firma tamen obligatione abiurandi errores seu haeresim, reparandi scandala etc. prout de iure.

2. Declarat, vi praesentis Iubilaei una tantum vice absolvi posse a censuris et casibus reservatis, et similiter semel tantum acquiri posse ipsius Iubilaei indulgentiam; manere tamen in suo vigore indulgentias a Sancta Sede concessas et expresse non suspensas aut revocatas.

3. Declarat insuper unica Confessione et Communione non posse satisfieri praecepto Paschali, et simul acquiri Iubilaeum. 4. Non posse autem absolvi Confessarios, qui complicem absolvere ausi fuerint.

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DUBLIN CLERICAL FUND SOCIETY.

Patron-The Cardinal Archbishop; Committee of Management-A number of Clergy of the Diocese; Hon. SecretariesMiles M'Manus, P.P.; William Purcell, C.C.

IT has long been felt as a great want in this diocese, that no

society existed amongst us for the relief of sick and disabled Priests. To look at the lists of our charitable institutions, every class of the sick and the suffering appears to be provided for, with one exception, and that a class made up of persons most in need of assistance, and having the highest claims on the sympathy and support of the Catholic public. The Priest, when unable, from old age or continued sickness, to discharge his duties, and, therefore, obliged to give up the mission, has no pension to fall back upon, no retreat in which to shelter, no resource in his infirmities, save the kind consideration of his fellow-priests, or the sometimes scanty means of a few lay friends or relatives.

The spirit of the Church, as is well known, and even lay feeling itself, are directly opposed to a Priest making provision, as men of the world are expected to do, for the approach of sickness or old age; hence it sometimes happens, not unfrequently, that a severe illness renders a clergyman permanently unfit for the discharge of his duties, and leaves him without any resources at a time when he most needs them.

A number of clergymen in the diocese, anxious to provide a remedy for this distressing state of things, have established a Society for the purpose of giving assistance in such cases. In this pious and charitable undertaking they have the warm approbation of His Eminence the Cardinal. They also look for help to the kind sympathy of the lay members of their congregations. The Catholics of Dublin are proverbial for their large-handed and ready generosity in relieving the sick and the suffering; surely they will not overlook a Society which provides for a poor, sick, and disabled clergyman, who, when in health, expended his means in relieving the distressed, and now, when broken down by his arduous labours on the mission, looks for help from those amongst whom he worked for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Committee-Rooms, Presbytery, Marlborough-street,
Fanuary, 1875.

THE IRISH

ECCLESIASTICAL RECORD.

JULY, 1875.

CATHOLIC DISCIPLINE AND MODERN
MEDICINE.

PIETAS AUTEM AD OMNIA UTILIS EST. PROMISSIONEM HABENS VITÆ
QUÆ NUNC EST, ET FUTURE."-1 Tim. iv., 8.

THE great attention which has been paid to the study of

physical science of late years, has brought into prominence several theories which have proved a danger to superficial minds, and to the half-educated without the Church; but still more to a certain small section of bad Catholics, who are always on the alert to grasp at any shadow that may serve, as they hope, to conceal from themselves the consciousness of their own evil state. They affect to believe, and more than that, they do their best to believe, though evidently with little success, some of the specious arguments with which modern doctrinaires have sought to upset, not alone divine. faith, but even human reason, and the evidence of the senses. This evil effect of the increased pursuit of knowledge in those particular branches, while much to be regretted, has, however, a counterbalancing good, which, to some extent, makes compensation for it. It arises from the fact, that certain branches of physical science, most important to human welfare and happiness, have latterly been studied with closer attention, and consequently with a much greater measure of success, than formerly attended their pursuit. This is nowhere more apparent than in modern medicine, and it is our purpose in this paper to point out briefly the fact, which may no doubt at first surprise some of our readers, that the practical results of modern physical research and experiment in this department of human knowledge, so far from being in opposition to Catholic truth, has even tended to

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