Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-11-20


THE PoPE's APOSTOLIC LETTER TO PRorEs-
rANT AND sos>GtgHoLIc BODIES
The following L the text ofths Apostle
lie leGsr addressed by the Pope to all
Protestant and non-U Catholic bodies:
Plus Sovereign Pomsti6, Ninth of the
Name to Ill Prolestants and other Nom
Catholics:
You must already know that we, who,
despite our unworthiness, have been rsis-
ed to the throne Of Peter, and therefore
have been advanced to the supreme gov
ernment Of the whole Catholic church, and
to its administration, which has been in
trusted to. US in Divine fashion by Christ
Himself, our Lord-we have judged it it-
ting to summon before us all our vener-
able brethren. the Bishops of all the world,
and to convince them in an ecumenical
council, which is to be celebrated next
year 10 such manner that, with those
same venerable brethren who have been
summoned to take part in this subject of
our solicitude, we may be able to adopt
all the most opportune and necessary re-
solutions to dissipate the shadows of so
large number of pestilential errors which
daily are extending their power aud Ii
cense to the great prejudice of souls, and
daily more and more to establish and
strengthen among the Christian people
committed to our watchful care the reign
Of the true faith, ofjustice, and Of the true
peace of God. Relying, then. with firm
confidence upon the close and affectionate
bonds of union which unites those our
same venerable brothers to our person and
TO the apostolic see. and who have never
ceased at any period of our ponti6cste to
give to US and TO the apostolic see the
most striking evidence of faith, of love,
and of respect, we truly hope that. as it
has been in times past with our general
councils, so it may be in the present, and
that this oecumenical council ccnvoked by
US may bring forth, with the help of the
Divine grace, the most rich and the most
fertile fruits, to the great glory Of God and
the eternal welfzx of man.
Therefore, in that hope. and instigated
and encouraged by the charity of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who laid down his life
for the salvation of the world, we can not
forbear, on the occasion of the meeting of
the next council, addressing our apostolic
and paternal word to all those who, while
recognizing that same Jesus Christ as our
Savior, and rejoicing in the name Of Chris.
tianity, yet still do not profess the verit-
able faith of Christ, OF follow the cum
munion of the Catholic Church. And il
we do so, it is, before all, to warn, exhort
and supplicate them with all our zeal and
all our charity to consider and seriously
examine it they in truth follow the path
prescribed by our Lord Jesus Christ, aud
which leads to eternal happiness. In fact,
no one can deny or doubt that Jesus
Christ Himself, in order that all future
human generations might enjoy the fruit
OF His redemption, built up here below
His Church in the person Of Peier-thst
is to say, the Church, one, holy, Catholic
and apostolic-and that lie has granted
TO him oil the necessary power 10 order
that the faith should be preserved intac,
and entire, aud that the same faith should
be transmitted to all people, to all races
and to oil nations, 10 such q manner that
oil men shonld be able TO be united in His
mystical body in baptism, and always to
preserve Ia themselves. until the entire
development, that new lie Of grace, with.
out which no one can ever merit or obtain
life eternal. 81 that the same Church that
constitutes the mystical body shall remain
until the end Of time, firm and iEdestruc-
tible in its own constitutions, developed
10 vigor, and furnishing TO its children
all that is necessary to life eternal.
Now, whoever wishes we'll to consider
and examine with attention the ditferen I
religious societies, divided among them
selves, aud separated from the Catholic
Church, which. since the time Of the Lord
Jesus Christ and His Apostles, has always
uninterruptedly exercised. and still exer.
ciscs, by means Of its Legitimate pastors,
the power entrusted to her by our Lord
Hismelf-whoever, we say, shall thus ex-
anime, will easily convince himself tha,
not one Of those religious societies, nor
all the religious societies together consti-
tutes. or 10 any way can be considered a.,
the one and only Catholic Church which
our Lord Jesus Christ founded, constituted
and desired should see that they can
not In any way be regarded Us a member,
or as a part, of that same church, because
they are visibly separated from all Catho.
lic unity. As, 10 fact. those societies are
deprived Of that living authority establish.
ed by God, who pointed ont to mankind
before all things. the matter OF faith and
the rule of morality. who directed and
presided over them In all things affecting
their eternal welfare, therefore those socie
ties themselves constantly varied in their
doctrine, aud thus this instability In un-
oeasing.
Every one can easily comprehend that
this state of things 10 altogether opposed
TO the Church established by Christ oul
Lord--a Church In which the truth must
always. rest unaltered, without being IN,
subject Of any change as q charge intrust
ed to that same Church In order that sh,
may preserve II In all is integrity, ,
charge for the care Of which the presencs
of the Holy Ghost aud its aid has beer
granted forever TO this Church.
No ono can ignore tho fact that thes.
differences Of doctrine and opInion give