Repost: Concerning Certain Balls in the United States and in Canada

[20] The decree from the Sacred Congregation runs thus:

"In the last century in the United States the custom sprang up of gathering Catholic families to balls at which supper or other refreshment was served and the entertainment prolonged usually to a late hour of night. The reason given for this was that Catholics might get to know each other and become more intimately united in the bonds of love and charity, while at the same time funds could be secured for some charitable purpose. Those who used to promote and preside over these gatherings were generally the heads of some pious work, not rarely the rectors or the parish priests of churches.

"But the Ordinaries of dioceses, although they entertained no doubt of the upright purpose of those who promoted these balls; still looking at the perils and losses caused by the growing custom, considered it their duty to forbid them, and therefore in canon 290 of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore they laid down as follows: 'We order also that priests take care to remove entirely that abuse in virtue of which banquets with balls are given for the purpose of promoting pious projects.'

"But as often happens in human things, what was very wisely and justly ordered in the beginning gradually commenced to fall into oblivion and the custom of giving balls again begand [sic] to flourish and even spread into the neighboring Dominion of Canada.

"Knowing these things, the Most Eminent Fathers of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation having consulted several Ordinaries of dioceses and having subjected the matter to deep study, concluded that the decisions laid down by the Third Council of Baltimore must be obeyed, and with the approbation of our Holy Father, Benedict XV, Pope, they decreed that all priests, secular and regular, and other clerics are absolutely forbidden to promote or foster the said balls, even though in aid of and in support of pious works, or any other pious end; moreover, all clerics are forbidden to be present at these balls if they happen to be promoted by laymen.

"This degree the Sovereign Pontiff ordered to become a part of public law and to be religiously observed by all, everything to the contrary notwithstanding.

"Given at Rome from the Sacred Consistorial Congregation, March 31, 1916.

"CARDINAL DE LAI, Bishop of Sabina, Secretary.

"THOMAS BOGGIANI, Archbishop of Edessa, Assessor."

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Source: "Concerning Certain Balls in the United States of America and in Canada," Our Young People, October 1916, 20. https://books.google.com/books?id=HhXZAAAAMAAJ