John Ronge; The Holy Coat of Treves; New German-Catholic ChurchAnonymous
Religion
John Ronge; The Holy Coat of Treves; New German-Catholic Church
Anonymous
Dom (Trier, Germany); German Catholicism; Holy Coat
Let us now quote a portion of the address of the clergy of the Cathedral
of Breslau. "Most worthy Lord Bishop! 'Troubles must come.' This saying
of our Lord and Master has been confirmed so often in all ages, and
especially in our times, that we need scarcely question that an Article
in the _Sächsische Vaterlands-blätter_, from a Catholic priest, on
the Holy Coat of Treves, should appear unexpected, amid the manifold
experiences of your Grace. Nor do we believe that this scandal in
Germany will at all affect the veneration in which your Grace is held,
or cast the slightest shadow on your high and holy office. Taught and
accustomed to suffer shame for the cause of the Lord, and comforted by
the promise, 'Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake,'
we would have passed by this calumny in silence, as a drop of the
teeming ocean of blasphemies with which the Lord honours his Church, to
see them dashed on its Eternal Bock,--if it had not come from the midst
of us--from one who calls himself a Catholic priest. * * * The name
of the blasphemer is _Ronge_, who was consecrated to the priesthood in
Breslau. The spirit by which he has lately been actuated was not long in
manifesting itself in him. An Article of similar stamp, calumniating his
ecclesiastical superiors, and the supremacy of the Church, subjected him
to an examination. Not being in a position to defend himself, and too
haughty and hardened to seek forgiveness, by repentance and penance, he
was obliged to give up his office, after the suspension of the Church
had been pronounced against him. Since this period, Ronge has had
nothing to do with the care of souls. What could be more welcome for
the enemies of the Church, who looked with indignation on the crowds
of pious pilgrims proceeding to the Cathedral of Treves, than that a
pretended member of the Church--aye, a priest--should take the Holy
Coat into his unclean hands, and tear it with logical power into pieces,
while even his executioners left it from pious awe undivided. The holy
ceremony is now at an end--the sacred shrine is closed--the holy
relic, by the contemplation of which hundreds of thousands have been
encouraged, and strengthened, and elevated, lies treasured up for future
ages. The calumnies will be silenced--the blessings will remain, and
when the holy treasure is again exposed to the worship of the believing
multitudes, another race shall live and think in the pious prayers of
those pilgrims who have completed their pilgrimage, and have attained
from faith to sight. May this new race see better days--days of outward
and inward peace--days of peace, which the world cannot give! May the
pious bands who may then go on pilgrimage to Treves, attain the end
of their undertaking, not amid the sneers of the scoffer, but amid the
friendly congratulations of all, even of those who are connected with
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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