The Very Rev. Dr. Fitzgerald,—we suppose the Roman Catholic Dean
of Limerick,—has fairly told his flock that to take part in the Fenian conspiracy is one of those mortal sins which will pre- vent him even from administering the sacraments to any dying Catholic who cannot profess sincere repentance for it. This is convenient for us, and no doubt it is a grave sin for any man of any knowledge to engage himself, and lead others to engage, in a hopeless conspiracy which can only retard the progress of Ireland and be fruitful of blood. But Dr. Fitzgerald puts all rebellion, --.-hopeless, hopeful, certain of success,—springing from gross in- justice or from mere discontent,—in the same category of deadly sin, which certainly strikes us as hard on his Irish flock, who, in their ignorance, are probably quite unable to realize either the guilt or madness of the rebellion. Let us hope that the dying Fenians will not miss their sacraments by failing to repent in time.
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