The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-11-08
THE ropes LETTER 10 xoN-cArHol1cs.

Plus, Sovereign H0nt!U, nsntH % tHo "0"o, ~
all Protestants and other non- Catholics.
You must already know that we, who,
despite onr unwo1thiness, have been ralseu
to the throne of Peter, and therefore nave
been advanced to the supreme goyernment
of the whole Catholic Church, and.to its adj
ministratien which has beer entrusted to
us in divine fashion by Christ himself, our
Lord, weshave Judged it fitting to summon
before MS all our venerable brethren, tne
bishops of the. world, and to convene them
in an ecumenical council, which is to De
celebrated next year; in such q manner tnat
with those same venerable brethren VINO
have been summoned to take part IN THIS
the subject of our solicitude, we may De
able to ADOPT all the most OppOrtune ana
necessary resolutions to dissipate the shad-
ows of SO large o number of pestiiential er-
rors which daily are extending their pow
or and license, to the great pre9uuice "a
souls, aud daily more and more TO estaO-
peoples committed to our watchful care, the
reign of the true faith, Of justice, and 81 the
true peace of God. Relying, then, with
firm confidence upon the close and anec-
tonate bond of Union which unltes those
our same venerable brothers to our person
and to the. Apostolic See, and who have
never ceased ut any period of our pontincace
to rive us and to the Apostolic See the
most striking evidences Of faith, of love,
and of respect, we truly hope that as IL
councils, so it may be in the present, and
that this -oecumenical council convoked oy
us may bring forth, with the divine grace,
the richest and most fertile fruits, to the
great gloryof God, and the eternal welfare
of man.
Therefore. in that hope, and instigated
and encouraged by the charity of our LORD
Jesus Christ, Who had laid down his lie TOT
the salvation of the world, we cannot for
bear, on the occasion of the meeting OF the
next council, addressing our Apostolic ana
paternal word to all those who, while re-
cocnizing that same Jesus Christ as our
Saviour, and rejoicing in the name of Chris
tians,> yet still do not profess the veritaole
| faith of Jesus Christ, OF follow the com.
munion of the Catholic Church. And II
we do so, it is before all to warn, exhOrt an
supplicate them with all our zeal an2aH
| our charity to consider and seriously exam
inc if they in truth follow the path pre-
scribed by our Lord Jesus Christ, ana
which leads to eternal happiness. In fact,
no one can deny OF doubt that Jesus Christ
himself, in order that all future human
generations should enjoy the fruit OF his
REDEMPTION, built up here below his church
in the person of PeterEthat Is to say, the
church, one, holy Catholic and Apostolic,
and that he granted to him all the neces,
sary power in order that the faith should
be preserved intact and entire, and that
the same faith should be transmitted to all
people, to all races, and to all nations, IN
such q manner that all men should be able
to be united in his mystical body III bap-
tisnl, and always to preserve IN themselves
until the entire development of that new life
of grace, without which no one can ever
merit or obtain life eternal, SO that the
same Church which constitutes the mystical
! body shall remain until the end of tine
, firm and indestructible in its own constltu-
ton, developed in vigor, and furnishing 70
r it's children all that is necessary for HE
! eternal.
i + Now, whoever wishes we'll to consider
i; and examine with attention the different
, religious societies divided among them
Q selves and separated from the Catholic
i Church, which. since the time OF the LORD
g Jesus Christ and his apostles, has always
: uninterruptedly exercised and still eXer-
t cises, by means of its legitimate pastors
: the power entrusted to her by our Lore
e hihself-whoever, we say, shall thus ex.
I anime, will easily convince himself tina,
y not one of those religious societies, nor al
e the religious societies together, constitutes
II or in any way can be considered, as the
n one and only Catholic Church which oul
If Lord Jesus Christ founded, constituted ant
V desired-should wish that they cannot II
e any way be regarded as a member or as
e part of that same Church, because they art
y visbly separated from all Catholic unity
re As in fact those societies are deprived o
N that living authority established by Goa
d who pointed out to mankind before al
q things the matter of faith and the rule o
IS morality, who directed and presided owe
A them in all things affecting their eterna
le welfare, therefore those societies themselve
g. constantly varied in their doctrine, ant
D. this mobility, this instability is unceasine
lie Every one can easily comprehend that thi
lie state of things is altogether opposed to tn
lie Church established by Christ our Lord,
e. Church in which the trath must Away
8, rest unaltered without being the subJec
re of change, as a charge entrusted to til
" same Church, in order that she may pre-
serve it in all it's integrity, charge for tn
care of which the presence of the Hol
IT Ghost and it's aid, has been granted fe
l. ever to this Church. No one can ignol
I'd the fact that these differences of doctrin