binds the confessor not to violate the secrets of auricular confession. Any revelation of sins disclosed in the tribunal of penance would defeat the salutary ends for which it was instituted, and would deprive the ministers of religion of the many opportunities which the practice of auricular confession affords of reclaiming deluded persons from mischievous projects, and causing reparation to be made for injuries done to persons, property, or character. XI. The Catholics of Ireland not only do not believe, but they declare upon oath that they detest as unchristian and impious, the belief "that it is lawful to murder or destroy any person or persons whatsoever for or under the pretence of their being heretics ;" and also the principle "that no faith is to be kept with heretics." They further declare, on oath, their belief, that "no act in itself unjust, immoral, or wicked, can ever be justified or excused by or under pretence or colour that it was done either for the good of the Church, or in obedience to any ecclesiastical power whatsoever;" "that it is not an article of the Catholic faith, neither are they thereby required to believe, that the pope is infallible ;" and that they do not hold themselves "bound to obey any order in its own nature immoral, though the pope or any ecclesiastical power should issue or direct such an order; but, on the contrary, that it would be sinful in them to pay any respect or obedience thereto." XII. The Catholics of Ireland swear, that they "will be faithful, and bear TRUE ALLEGIANCE, to our most gracious sovereign lord KING GEORGE THE FOURTH; that they will maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of their power, the succession of the crown in his Majesty's family, against any person or persons whatsoever : utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance to any other person claiming or pretending a right to the crown of these realms ;" that they "renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion that princes excommunicated by the pope and council, or by any authority of the See of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed and murdered by their subjects, or by any person whatsoever;" and that they "do not believe that the pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state, or potentate, HATH, OR OUGHT TO HAVE, any temporal or civil iurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly within this realm." They further solemnly "in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that they make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of their oath, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever, and without any dispensation already granted by the pope, or any authority of the See of Rome, or any person whatever, and without thinking that they are, or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the pope or any persons or authority whatsoever, shall dispense with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void from the beginning." After this full, explicit, and sworn declaration, we are utterly at a loss to conceive on what possible ground we could be justly charged with bearing towards our MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN ONLY A DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE. XIII. The Catholics of Ireland, far from claiming any right or title to forfeited lands, resulting from any right, title, or interest, which their ancestors may have had therein, declare upon oath," that they will defend, to the utmost of their power, the settlement and arrangement of the property in this country, as established by the laws now in being." They also "disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure, any intention to subvert the present Church Establishment, for the purpose of substituting a Catholic Establishment in its stead. And further, they swear that they will not exercise any privilege to which they are or may be entitled, to disturb and weaken the Protestant Religion and Protestant Government in Ireland." XIV. Whilst we have, in the foregoing Declaration, endeavoured to state, in the simplicity of truth, such doctrines of our Church as are most frequently misunderstood or misrepresented amongst our fellow-subjects, to the great detriment of the public welfare, and of Christian charity; and whilst we have disclaimed anew those errors or wicked principles which have been imputed to Catholics, we also avail ourselves of the present occasion, to express our readiness, at all times, to give, when required by the competent authority, authentic and true information upon all subjects connected with the doctrine and discipline of our Church; and to deprecate the injustice of having our faith and principles judged of by reports made of them by persons either avowedly ignorant of, or but imperfectly acquainted with, the nature of our Church Government, its doctrines, laws, usages, and discipline. This Declaration we approve, subscribe, and publish, as well that those who have formed erroneous opinions of our doctrines and our principles may be at length undeceived, as that you, dearly beloved, be made strong in that faith which you have inherited as "the children of saints, who look for that life which God will give to those that never changed their faith from him."-Tob. ii. 18. Reverend Brothers, beloved Children, “Grace, mercy, and peace," be to you "from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus our Lord."— I Tim. i. 2. DUBLIN, 25th January, 1826. PATRICK CURTIS, D.D. WILLIAM CROLLY, D.D. DANIEL MURRAY, D.D P. M‘NICHOLAS, D.D. To the foregoing documents, a view of the state of education among the various denominations in Ireland, may be not inappropriately appended. It appears from it that, though the schools of the National Board have now been so long in operation, and though so many of them have meanwhile been under the supervision of the priesthood, Romanists are still far behind the rest of their countrymen in the department of secular instruction. Comparative view of the percentage of persons five years of age and upwards belonging to each religious profession in each province in Ireland, who could neither write nor read according to the Census of 1871 : cording to the census of 1871. 3,649,255 588,865 435,809 38,290 See Census of Ireland 1871-Summary Tables for Ireland, p. 84, Dublin, 1875. |