The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-04 00:00:00

"Nevertheless, at the pre-cut time, amid the glad.
ness with which your presence has filled us, let us dia..
miss these recollections of the anxiety, care, and an-
' guish which torment and martyrise our heart, inflict-
ing a deepen(' never-healing wound. Rather let us,
carry these afflictions to the foot of the altar before
which we continually offer up our prayers, and which
we bathe with our tears. We shall manifest these
things anew with fresh supplications to the All-
merciful Father, wholly trusting in Him who is able
to defend the integrity and the glory of Ilia Church ;
and who, judging all those who suffer wrong, 'nil"
,one day infallibly pronounce a just sentence upon
our cause and upon our enemies.
" But meanwhile you, venerable brethren, in your
excellent wisdom, will well understand how neces-
sary it is that the designs of the impious should be
resisted, and remedies applied to the ills which
afflict the Church, and that the concord between
you all and ourselves, and with the Apostolic See,
now so *gloriously manifest, should each day becouio
more deeply rooted. This love of Catholic ue.i. on,
which, once received into the soul, amply dAnses
itself for the welfare of others, will certainly not let
you repose unless you equally and harmoniously
endeavour to excel in that Catholic concord, and,
that agreement of faith, hope, and charity of all the
ecclesiastics whom you lead and all the faithful
committed to your charge. Truly no spectacle can
be nobler in the eyes of angels and of men in this -
our pilgrimage, by which from exile we aro led to
our true country, than to keep in our mental view
the example and the order of that pilgrimage by
which the twelve tribes of Israel were led united
to the happy land of promise. All entered that
land divided according to their genealogy, distin-
guished by name, appointed to different spots,
and each obeying their own patriarch. Nevertheless
this multitude formed one people, which prayed to
one God before the same altar ; obeyed one high
priest, Aaron, and one legate of God, Moses ; they
were one people, equally bound to undertake the
fatigues of war, as they had equal rights to the fruits
of victory ; one people, finally, who, living in tents
and sustained by a miraculous food, unanimously
aspired to the same end.
" We aro confident that you will strive to main-
tain such union in perpetuity, having already re-
ceived so many proofs of your faith and concord.
Your perfect integrity and excellent virtue, which
have manifested themselves at all times superior to
every peril, are guarantees for this, as also the great
ardour and solicitude which urges you'to heal the
immortal souls of men and magnify the Divine
glory. Finally, we have a certain pledge in the
sublime prayer which Christ himself offered to the
Father in his agony, saying—' That they all may
be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us'—which prayer could
not be fulfilled except •the Divine Father had
favoured it.

"To us, then, venerable brethren, nothing is
more desirable than to glean from your union with
the Apostolic See that fruit which we esteem most
salutary to the whole Church. We have already
entertained lisr a long time past a project which is
known to several of our venerable brethren, andavo.
trust that our thought may be realised as soon as On-
desired occasion shall present itself. :Fur project is
to hold a sacred oecumenical and general cluneil of
all the bishops of the Catholic world, in which, by
collecting various opinions, we may, by common
accord, and with the aid of God, adopt the neces-
sary and salutary remedies—particularly in that
which concerns the many evils which now afflict the
Church. By means of such a council we have a
certain hope that the light of Catholic truth, dissi-
pating the darkness of error in which the minds of
men arc involved, will shed abroad its beneficent
light, and enable mankind to discern and follow, by
favour of the Divine grace, the true path of salva-
tion and justice. The Church also will then derive
strength, and, like an invincible army, will defeat
the hostile efforts of her enemies, subdue their pride,
and, fully triumphing over them, propagate and
uphold throughout she world the reign of Christ on
earth.
" But now, in order that your prayers and our
cares may bear abundant fruit of justice to Chris-
tianity, let us lift up our eyes to God, the fountain
of all goodness and j'istice, to hint who holds for
them that hope all fullness of defence and all abund-
ance of grace.
" And since we have as our advocate with the
Father Jesus Christ his Son, the great High Priest
who penetrated into Heaven, is always interceding
for us, and is with us daily in the admirable sacra-
ment of the Eucharist until the end of time, we
place, 0 venerable brethren, this most beloved Re-
deemer as a sign in our heart and upon our arm, and
in perfect faith assiduously offer up our prayers to
that altar upon which the Author of grace has raised
a mercy-seat from whence the afflicted may receive
comfort. Therefore, unceasingly and humbly do
we beseech Him to deliver llis Church from its
many calamities and perils, and grant to it a joyful
era of peace and victory over its enemies. We be-
seech Him to grant to us and to you fresh strength
to exalt the glory of His name, to kindle in the
souls of all men that Divine fire which is not of
earth, and to convert the erring by His power to
salutary counsels.
" To your piety, venerable brethren, it belongs to
seek, by every menus, that the faithful committed
to your care daily grow in the knowledge of our
Lori Jesus Christ, and that they may venerate Him
in the august sacrament with constant faith, re-
sponding to Iris love and keeping him before their
eyes. And nothing is more worthy of your study
and care than that the grateful sentiment of piety
and the undying flame of charity should burn in the
ah
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protection there is none greater with God, and also
of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, whose anni-
versary we now celebrate, as well as the heavenly
saints, who, reigning with Christ in Heaven, obtain
for men by their prayers the gifts of the Divine
liberality.

" Finally to you, venerable brethren, and to all
the other venerable brethren, bishops of the Catho-
lic nations, and to the faithful conituitted to your
and their charge, of whose piety and love wo con-
stantly receive splendid testimony and make con-
tinual trial—to all and each of you we lovingly im-
part from our inmost heart our apostolic benediction,
together with every wish for your happiness."