The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-11
Words of tho Holy Father to the Faithful
From Freeman's Journal

On Dec. 9th, Feast of the hmm aculate
Conception, the Holy Father gave audience,
among others, to large number of ladies,
Romans and others, who presented him
with sacred ornaments for impoverished
churches. The Countess de Brazza read
an address, after which the Holy Father
spoke as follows:
To-day we celebrate the feast of the I'm
maculate Conception l will say few
words to you on the subject and in order |
to increase your faith aud piety, I will
bring before your eyes that mysterious
tree, the signif cation of which the Prophet
Daniel interprets, as we read in his FRO
hesies.
It was n tree of great proportions the
h eight thereof reached unto heaven and its
branches extended even unto tho ends OF
| the earth. All the beasts and cattle sought
the shade of this tree the fowls of the air
built their nests in it's branches, and fed
upon the fruits that grew upon them.
But, at tho most impressive part of this
vision, rs the Prophet relates, the voice of
an angel was heard saying "Succidttc
arborcn,." Hardly bad these words been
pronounced when the axe foil upon the
the leaves, the fruit, dried up, and oil be-
came useless upon the earth. Again that
same voice was heard saying "Cut down
the tree, bat leave the seed Of its roots in
the EARTH"
NJ dear children. this fallen tree re-
minds me Of mankind after its fall, and the
root, left intact in the ground, is an exact
! type Of the most Blessed Virgin. She was,
> indeed, the root from which sprung the
stalk ON which, at length, bloomed the
. divine flower, which was Jesus Christ.
, 1T tios de radice ejus ascendit. She brought
forth the lost divine grace, which pro-
claimed its strengthen the stalk and Its
beauty ia the flower.
!, 1t is around this root that has put forth
in such marvellous manner, that the Cath
ole world, aud all good souls, to-day, SO
love to cluster. You, also, gather around
: this root that has brought forth such salu-
= tary and abundant fruits.
You also bring forth good fruits, and
~ here is the proof. (The Holy Father here
= pointed to some beautiful church erna-
. proof of your union with the Blessed Viz
gin, who loves to see the house of her Son
= beautified, and who desires that churches
- be decorated with becoming splendor II
. 10 she who above all others can say, and
- YOU can repeat with her DiIeri decorep
% Return thanks to God, then, Who, whilst
He gives you the spirit Of prayer, also
gives you the spirit of good works, fol
y prayer without good works avaiieth not
is This is the reason why so much evil pre-
o walls in Europe. To ask and not to act
. to implore aid from on high and to d.
d nothing that is pleasing to God, is a con
30 tradiction, and the desired effect canno
j. be expected. find that in many place
70 and in many Kingdoms, people place al al
q confidence in prayers alone, and expec
es through them alone to reach the end o
lv their difficulties. They everywhere asl
- one another, with feeling of uneasiness
- "When shall we see the end Of our tribula
k. ton Z" When 2 1 will tell you; whe1
st prayers offered~up in the churches ar
= thacka6 nm nv GOOD works 0uteit6.
In the meantime, will say to you, an
lie 1 would say it to all mothers in the world
ns if they could hear me-: 81 recommen
at your children to you" Tell them that tn
deceived a mother, a wife and it is fror
eo this first deception that SO many evils hav
w grown-evils have been happily rspaire
ne since, by the flower that sprung from tn
root of Jesse.
d Oh ! toll them, that oven as Adam, de
ne ceived by the woman and by the devil
is learned that he was in a state Of naked
"A ness, 90 many young people, who PERM
themselves to lend an ear to the devil, wi
Ve also Aud themselves stripped OF ever
'ls moral and even temporal blessing for re
" bellion is wolf that is never satisfied
-. it is more hungry after eating than before
Se Let US not therefore cease praying let U
70. accompany every Christian act wit
prayer.
who have strayed away, who are
mt danger of doing SO, to do all In their pow
at or to close their ears to the aituremen
NJ and insinuations of those who, whilst the
ses promise happiness, give nothing bat tr
it buations.
~ Let us turn to Mary, let us implore th
~ most tender mother, who is also the Moth
er of Mercy, to have pity upon US. W
ty- have been for a long time praying an
ty waiting for peace; but peace does ..
- riyors of divine justice which still visits
OF. with tho weight of its rod. This is ev
"a, IDENTIFY done to punish us for those faul
ny for which we have not YET maze suhclel
in atonement.
Dg Yea, let us recommend ourselves to th
OF Blessed Virgin. As she is the channel
ny every grace, let ue beseech her to ootai
me, - for us resignation to the divine will b1
. bb lot as bog Of her at tho same time to graz
NV us the happiness Of seoing light ouecee
to the darkness, and that peace and quiet m q
he follow 80 much confusion.
Ter Lot MS raise our eyes to heavoE, al