The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-22
Pastoral Of tho Bl.hop Of perisaeu1.
THE CAUSE OF BIsMARcK's ANGER AND THE SUP
PRESTON OF THE UNIvERs.

WI Oh lCttSE VI LILO lblSuOp EcTiSucuA,
the publication of which SO frightened and
vexed Bismarck that he de handed of the
French Government the suppression of the
Paris Unirers, and that a strong reprimand
be given to the French Bishops, with both
of which demands McMahon's Ministry
complied:
Dearly Beloved Brethren-The voice of
the Vicar of Jesus Christ has once again
just been heard. Plus TX, in an Encycli-
cal Letter of the 2lst of November last,
denounces to the great Catholic family the
attempts which are being made at this mo-
ment in so many countries on the rights
and liberties of the Church, and as none of
these attempts has escaped his universal
vigilance, SO no one who has engaged in
them can escape from beneath his sovereign
reprobation. We know nothing more adj
mirable than this letter-nothiDg at the
same time more consol:Dg or more calcu-
lated to awaken in all Catholic hearts q
sentiment of holy pride. Alas! to what
extremes is Plus TX. reduced! Plus TX,
Observation-Disclosures of his States and of
his capital-limited to the precincts of his
own home, which they have made dan
geon for him.. Pontiff--but Pontiff fettered
in his spiritual government-steeped in
Affections - laden down with sorrows.
Yes, such is Plus TX. to-day, to the ineff-
able shame of this our age. Yet, from the
depths of his prison home he has spoken,
and his words, as yet but few weeks old,
have already been borne across every
ocean, have traversed every continent, and
wakened an echo throughout all the world.
And this word, incorruptible as the truth,
intlexibe as right, has reused once more
the human conscience, and stirred up the
moral sense, SO fearfully impaired, of all
the people. And this word, higher than
the words of earthly powers, holding sway
over all thrones, has been uttered with
authority to hostile powers, and, like two
edged sword, reaching TO every division of
governments of the universe. And, never
theless, all powerful as is this word, it is
with sorrow, it is only that they may obey
his paternal voice, that the Holy Father
has let it pass his lips For, notwithstand
ing the late out,ages on the religious in
situations of his capital, committed by a
sacreligious usurper, he would have shut
himself up, as he tells US, in mournfu
silence if there had been any other way of
the Affections which are being
endured in other countries by Bishops, |
priests, aud the faithful laity. You, there
Plus TX. 1t will tell you of the persecu-
tons which similar powers, dispisers of
right, enemies of religion, trampling under |
foot all law, both human and divine, are
against our mother, the Church.
1t will tell you of solemn treaties shame |
fully broken, justice atrociously outraged,
the authority of the Church crushed by |
force, belief repudiated, public morality |
corrupted, and constitutions shaken even |
to their foundation. Yes behold the cd !
ious features which you will recognize |
in the Cesarism which is rampant in |
several portions of the New World, and
in our own old World is 50 violently su-
preme in Switzerland and Germany. In
these two countries the Encyclical will |
show you Bishops deprived of all liberty |
in their ministry-dragged before the civil |
tribunals-visited with adverse verdicts-
with the dungeon, or mercilessly
driven into exile. 1t will show you priests
of their parishes, and reduced
to beggary the faithful restricted in the
practice of their religious duties, and
tempted into schism by menaces or by
brides. And all, forsooth, in execution of
pretended laws enacted by order of the
modern Caesars! After having thus traced
q words trimming over with tears, the
evils inflicted on the Church, Plus TX. re-
minds the world that he too has a sword
Hherewith to defend the Church. He hurls
The anathema against the oppressors, and
lenounces, as we'll, the lawsbeneath which
hey. seek to mask their tyranny. Moreover
the somewhat uniform course
which the persecution in various places
axes, despite their distance and diversity
# their circumstances, the Holy Father
loes not hesitate to signalize it as the con-
equence of one and the same programme,
ct forth by the secret societies-masters
f the situation in several of the States of
he earth. No one is ignorant of the objects
which these sects OF darkness propose
0 themselves. They are struggling to
tier the Divine character which marks the
'hurch-to destroy it's essential independ-
nce-to ensave ito yoke it to the +
heels of civil government, hoping thereby
} make it the sooner disappear from before =
he world. The Papal letter ought to pro-
uce in you two effects equally precious
le first is to strengthen your confidence in
le Divine promises made to the Church; the
econd to increase your fervor in pray yer. S
nd SO, though the Church be hated, out
aged, prosecuted, therei is nothing in this to
lrprise you. 1t has been always so, ami it
ill be 80 to the end. This persecution of c
aired, of insult, and brute force, to day
It loose against the Church, may be more
tense and more universal than at other
,ochs, bat what other result can it have =
ian as evidencing the great glory of the
ivine origin of the Church In suffering
= r.Nl