The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-11-10
Apostolic Letter of Pope Plus TX.
To all the Bishops IF the Oriental Churches no
IN Eornfa union riM the Apostolic See

To all tie Bishops IF tie Oriental Churches not
in Comm, union uiM the apostolic See.
Placed by the impenetrable designs of Divine
Providence. without any merit of Our own on
this sublime See. as heir Of the Blessed Prince
of the postles who I'm virtue OF the preroga-
tive which God vouchsafed to him is the solid
and immoyable rock on which the Saviour has
built His Church. and impeled by the anxiety
which We feel from the burden placed upon
Us. We ardenty desire and endeavor to extend
Our cares to all who, in every part of the world,
bear the name of Christians and to draw them
within the embraces of Our paternal love. We
could not without great peril to Our soul, neg
lect any part of this Christian people who, pur-
chased by the precious blood of the Say Jour and
admitted to the sheepfold of the Lord by the
waters of baptism, have demand upon Us for
all cur vigilance Obliged then to devote with
out intermission Our thoughts and Our cares to
the salvation of all those who acknowledge and
adore Jesus Christ Our eyes and heart are
turned towards those churches which, formerly
attached to the apostolic church by the bonds of
unity, were f1ourishing by the merit of sane
tity and divine knowledge, producing such album
dant fruits for the glory of God and the saliva
ton of souls, and which to- day by the internal
arts and Vaccinations of him who plotted in
heaven the first schsm. We find to- day to Our
great grief, eloincd and separated from that
Roman Church which is spread throughout the
whole world.
1t is for this reason that from the beginning
of Our pontifcate, We have addressed you in
the fullness of Our heart words Of peace and
charity. And although We have not had by
any means the success We so ardently desired,
nevertheless We have never been without hope
that Our humble and fcrvent prayers would
some day be favorably received and heard, by
the infinite mercy and goodness of the Author of
salvation aud neace who has brought salvation
to the world, and who in coming from heaven to
testify how agreeable was peace to him, and
should be TO every one since he had announced
it from his birth by the mouths Of angels to men
! of good will, who, in living among these same
men, has taught it to them by His words and
preached it to them by II is examples
Now, as lately with the advice Of our venerable
Brothers, the Cardinals of the Holy Roman
! Church, We have indicated and convoked an
Ecumenical Council, to be opened in Rome on
December s Of next year, the feast of the I'm
macuate Conception of the Blessed Virgin,
Mother of God, We address Our words to you
again, and We conjurc warn, and entrcat YOU
/ with all the carnestncss We are capable Of to
come to this same general assembly rs did your
ancestors to the second Council of Lyons held
under the Blessed Gregory X, Our predecessor
, OF venerable memory, and to the Council of
Florence, celebrated by Eugenius ". also Our
predecessor of happy memory to the end that
renewing the laws Of ancient love- and restoring
to its Vi gor the peace of fathers that celcs-
tlal and statutory gift of Jesus Christ, of which
in time we have lost the fruits. we may see at
last, after long period of Gift in which darkness
and division prevailed, may see arise the
brilliant and pure morning, which we SO long
have prayed for
BE this the happy fruit of tho blessings with
which Jesus Christ our common Lord and Re-
deemcr: consoles in these unhappy times His
cherished and immaculate Catholic Church.
May He thus sweetcn III grief and dry up His
tears, that all divisions having ended, voices
heretofore discordant, may unite in perfect
unaninty of spirit in 1raisine God, who wishes
not schisnls among us, but who has prescribed
that speak aud think by the voice of the
Apostle.
What immortal acts of thanksgiving will be
endlcssly rendered to the Father of mercies by
all the Saints but especially by those most glori
Gus Fathers and Doctors Of the Eastern Church,
when from on high they see re-establshcd aud
restored the union with the Apostolic Sec which
is the centre of Catholic truth and unity union
which they themselves, during their life on
earth, strircd to sustain with all the care and
activity of their zeal, and every day to strengthen
by their teaching and example, because the Holy
Spirit had filled their hearts with the love of
Him who overturned the wall of separation, who
reconciled and pacifed all things by His blood,
who wished that the characteristic mark of his
discipline should be unity. and whose prayer to
His Father was, | ask that all be one, as We
one.
Given at Rome at St Peters, September g.
1868, i'll the twcnty-third year of our Pontfcate.