The recent motu proprio against modernism prohibited the circulation of any kind of newspaper, periodical reviews and in houses of study of religious orders and congregations, even the most orthodox and official seemed to come under this ban.

A number of bishops having written asking for a classification of the subject, Cardinal De Lai, prefect of the Consistorial Congregation, has, by direction of the Pope, written a letter to Cardinal Vaszary, Primate of Hungary, communicating to him and other bishops the the formal decision in which he says:

"The mind of our Most Holy Father is that the law is to remain established which prohibits journals and periodicals, even the best, which treat of the political affairs of the day or of the social and scientific questions which crop up daily and have not yet found a definite solution 2these, I say, are not to be freely left in the hands of the students.

There is, however, nothing to hinder the superiors or professors of a seminary, when scientific questions are discussed, from reading to the students, or handing to them to read in their presence articles from some newspapers or periodicals which may seen useful or opportune for the instruction of the students.

But periodicals which contrain nothing contentious, but only religious news, the dispositions and decrees of the Holy See, the acts and ordinances of the bishops or others which, although periodicals are merely readings promoting faith and piety, may, with the approval of the superiors of the seminary be allowed in the hands of the students outside of study hours, or during the time prescribed for the other "duties."

The above mentioned communication is impossible to observe by our Polish students, for the reason that they should acquire the knowledge 3of Polish language as well as the knowledge of the relations adopted by their fathers.

In our name Bishop P. Rhode should explain the situation to the Pope and ask for permission to read the Polish Catholic periodicals and books.