Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-10-05
have been sent to The most distant climates

are encouraged and proteGlcd by the go
| vernmeht oil the emperor. We have our
selves given, with the most heartfelt Joy,
the apostolic benedletion TO certain disiin.
GU shed priests, who made part Ct The mis-
sion to China. Among sacb number OF
provident cares, we could not have forgot
item our pstriarchnl church OF tue Lateran,
the mother and chief Of all the churches
in the world. This church, by the mum.
6cence of the most generous of emperors,
has been compensated for the loss OF It's
property in France, which the fury Of the
times had wrested from her. Other mea.
sures of considerable importance have al.
50 been adopted. II has been decreed,
that the bishops shall exercise their pow.
ers OF Judging with respect to spiritual of
fences, and those which relate TO ecclesi-
astical discipline, and to punish, as provid-
ell by the canonicai law. That The at
temPts made by the civil officers to shac-
kle, in manner a. once unjust and op-
pIessive, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction,
shall be discontinued; that the obstacles
which existed to the entrance of young
men into The ecciesiastical state shall be
greatly diminished and those which pre-
vailed with respect to the relig,ouseduca.
lion OF youth; to the affo,,ling spiritual
comfort to the sick, to the soldier or to the
inhaoi'an's OF the country, entirely done a.
way These benefits, which we have de.
rived from our discussion with this great
prince, guarantee, as we have already OBJ
served, the effeGf OF the other demands
which We have made from him, and which
we have every reason to expscl from his
religion.
We cannot, however, pass over in ST
lence those other spiritual benefits, which
Ged, The father Of Inercies, has designed
TO grant us in France. You know with
what zeal, with what pious ardor, tho
French people have, in our person, reterl
ed the supreme pastor of the Catholic
church. That which you have been ap-
prised of far from surpsssing, even falls
short OF the truth. Its beyond the pow
ers OF language to expteas the love, the
zeal, aud the external yenera ion, which
the people of France bear toward religion.
The God of mereies has vouchsafed TO
slower down so many blessings OH our
Journey to France, that the bishops have
not b, STATED oflento assure US, ;has those
are beyond conception, as tending to the
spiritual advantage of the people. We
have not discontinued that general facility
OF access to US, that we may hear the com
plants OF the aggrieved, and remedy as
;ar as in Us lies, those spiritual evils which
still exist; and thai We may promote the
principle universally among The people
We have visited all the parishes in Paris,
aud there, as we afterwards did at Lyons,
We Distributed among many thousands of
The faithful, eucharistical bread, We al
so visited the hospital, where the sick re
ceived the succors Of christian charity. or
which were consecrated 90 the religious in
struet'on OF youth. And innumerable
crowd ot catholics followed us every where,
as well at our return, as on our going out,
and appeared never tired of receiving our
apostolic benediGtions.
what shall We say of the INDUSTRIOUS
French clergy ! the sentiments which the y
loudly expressed in our favor, were of tina,
description that we know not how to ex
press how deeply we have been afrr Gted
by such avowals Wesare also incapable
OF describing that ardent zeal, that vigil
lance, those indefatigabe cares, viii
which the bishops especially gove rned the
focks, entrusted To- their cares, thus DONG
honor to that religion of which they are
ministers, and insuriHg respect even iron
its Misunderstanding been ourselves Wit.
ncsses, we have judged i. our duty 10 de.
cree these just praises. in the face Of the
universal church, 10 the merilorious cler.
gy OF France.
Neither have we neglected, while at Pa.
ris, To fulfil those duties, which more pro
perry belong to our ministry. We assem-
bled, in conclave, our reverend brethren
those cardinals who accompanied US, q.
well as those who resided at Paris. and we
presented the hat 10 cardinal de Belloy.
archbishop Of Paris end to cardinal Cam.
baceres, archbishop of Rouen, with those
rites and solemnities prescribed by the
pooo constitution. We provided the
vacant dioccses with new bishops and we
ourselves have eonsecrated some of them
in the extensive church OF ST. Sulpice. a.
midst an innumerable concourse of the
faithful. A few days previous to our de.
Parture from Paris, we performed the ce.
remony of baplising the prince Napoleon.
nephew 10 the emperor, With the greatest
mpgnihcence, * in presence OF that splen,