The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-30
m,rning Star and Catholic Messenger.
saw oRLlsAEs.s SUNDAY. AUGUST 80. ls7l.
Pastoral Letter of His Eminence, the
Cardinal Archbishop OF Paris.
HIS INTERVIEWS WITH THE HOLY FATHER,
reflections on the Condition of Rome.
IN. Y. Freeman's Translation.

sion or his return fcom Rome:
Beloved Brethren-We yield to wish OF
our heart, and we believe we respond to
your pious desires in addressing you to. day
on the journey We have just made to the
Holy City.
We repaired to Rome to perform q duty
attached to the new dignity with which the
Holy Father has been pleased to honor us.
It was necessary for ne to take the place in
the Sacred College to which his kindness
had assigned US. Under present circum-
stances, sojourn in Rome, however brief
it may be, cannot fail to awaken in our
soul varied and lively emotions, some
sweet, others full of bitterness. Having
now returned into your midst, it is very
natural for us to make you acquainted with
our thoughts and feelings, so that you may
share them with us.
We will tell you our consultations first
The greatest undoubtedly was again to see
full of vitality and health, that august
PontiR whose life and strength Providence
prolongs, no doubt that he may outlive his
numerous trials One of the privileges of
the Roman purple is to afford a more easy
access to the person of the Sovereign Pom
tiff. We have availed ourselves of this
favor as far as discretion will permit, by
multiplying our visits to the Vatican, now
to give the Holy Father an account of the
state of our Diocese, and again to join the
Cardinals and PIelates who accompany him
in his short walks along the galleries of his
palace, which is indeed a prison to him,
since he could not cross the threshold of his
door without exposing himself to insult, or
to an equally humiliatiDg protection.
At these Audiences, which his kindness
rendered familiar, the Holy Father on more
than one occasion, aud with paternal in
terest, inquired about our national work
of the Sacred Heart. He experienced the
greatest satisfaction on learning the large
amount already subscribed, and of the
early completion of negotiations, which, in
securing US the ground, will enable US to
commence work. HIS Holiness attaches the
greatest importance to the success of this
enterprise. He sees in this great act of
faith on the part of the French nation an
earnest of Divine protection which will
raise it out of it's misfortunes, aud will
again make it as of yore, the prop of the
Church and of Christian civilization. The
Pope did not confine himself to mere words
in the interest he expressed; he has been
pleased to add to his last years munifi-
cence new gift out of his generous
poverty; it is a rich chalice, of exquisite
workmanship, ornamented with precious
stones, and destined to be used at the first
Mass that will be said in the Sanctuary of
Montmartre.
Private Interviews with the Holy Father
were not our only happiness; it was
granted to us on three occasions to hear
MIN publicly express the noble and holy |
thoughts that inspire his actions in these
trying times. In the addresses successfully I
delivered to the American Pilgrims, to the
newly procooized Bishops, to the Cardinals
to celebrate the twenty eighth
of his pontifcate, the Pope has
repeated, in language full of power and
dignity, the protestatiens of right against
The outrages of might. On the eve of our
departure, we once more placed at his feet
the homage of our and your devotion,
and nothing can express the accents of
paternal tenderness with which, raising bis
eyes and hands towards heaven, he in voked
upon the Pastor, upon the clergy, and upon l
the faithful of the Church 10 Paris, the {
blessings of God.
If it was sweet to us again to see and to {
VeneTafe in Pins TX. loag beloved Father, &
t was no small pleasure to us to be among {
he members of the Sacred College,
'rothers ready to open their arms to well L
ome us. Our interviews with every one S
u the Cardinals, during our risifes d'usaqe, t
nade us fully realize this brotherly feeling. T
Nhen in close intimacy with these eminent
ersonages, we see by their virtues and fl
heir merits that they are truly worthy to Il
IL In the councils of the Sovereign Pontiff.
I'd to share his cares and his Affections. o
whilst admiring the high qualities which p
istngulsn them, we were profoundly G.
loved at their cordial and refined courtesy. o.
men, at our meetings at the Vatican. they b
ollged US, the last member of their BODY. Il
occupy the most eligible place, SO as to
nable us TO enjoy, during the few days we in
ad to spend in Rome, the interviews and fo
resence of the Holy Father. D.
Finally, Beloved Brethren, We reckon st
nong our greatest consultations that which tie
g fonDd in prayer, in offering up the HOLY m
lcrifice of the Mass, now upon the tombs tr
the Saints, and again in the Church to pc
hich the Holy Father has deigned to sa
sign us as our Cardinalate title. This to
urch, which depends upon the Arch of
Isilica of Lateran, is dedicated to St, John ur
fore the Latin Gate. 1t is erected near de
Q spot on which the well beloved disciple tn
We his divine Master the greatest proof
his love, and came forth safe and sound Be
I'm the cauldron of boiling oil into which aft
ha6 ordered him to be cast. We to
'fe LeceiYeo at the entrance of this edifce an
dePutation of the venerable Chapter an,
ST. John Lateran. With how much han br,
ness did we not celebrate the Sacred car
7sterIes in this place! We besonobt- Cb