Liberalism is a Sin

Having finished posting Against the Errors of the Greeks, by the Angelic Doctor, St Thomas Aquinas, I'm going to start sharing Liberalism is a Sin (original Spanish title, Liberalismo es Peccado) by Fr Felix Sarda y Salvany at 14.00 each day.

The subtitle of this translation reads, 'Englished and Adapted from the Spanish of Roman Catholic Priest, Dr Don Felix Sarda y Salvany, by Conde B. Pallen, PhD., LLD.'

The introduction to this edition says, in part, 'Few errors have so firmly entrenched themselves for so long a time as has the Error of Liberalism. Few sins have been so misunderstood as has been the Sin of Liberalism. In reprinting this timely book, first printed in English in 1899, we hope to enlighten Catholics as to the causes and effect of and remedies for Liberalism.'

The reaction of the Liberals to the book was interesting. At the direction of the liberal-leaning Bishop of Barcelona, Jacobo Catala y Albosa, a rebuttal to Salvany's El liberalismo es pecado was written by Canon Celestino de Pazos from the Diocese of Vich entitled El proceso del integrismo: refutación de los errores que contiene el opúsculo del Dr. Sardá y Salvany "el liberalismo es pecado" (The Process of Fundamentalism: Refutation of the Errors Contained in the Booklet by Dr. Sardá y Salvany "Liberalism Is a Sin''). Both works were sent to the Sacred Congregation of the Index and its secretary, Fr Jerome Secheri, OP, issued a statement on January 10, 1887, ruling for Salvany and finding errors in the rebuttal along with uncharitable insinuations about Fr Salvany. In other words, Don Felix was on the money and his Liberal detractors were called out for attacks on his character!