The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-04-11
FRXEMAs0NRY IN Irs RELATION 10 :,
TRIALS OF THE CHURCH.
PASTORAL LETTER

HIS GRACE, THE BISHOP OF EAICH1rocu,,
SOVEREIGN PoyTIFF PRoMULG ArISs ~.
JUBILEE OF 1875.
Auorsrus MARY MARTIx, by the mercy Of God And.
favor of the holy Apostolic See, Bishop Of Ma
tocbes-
To our venerable colabo-ers in the work the Go
10 the Virgins of God vowed 30 the edueats "a
health and bepedction in our Lord Jesus Chr!.t
Amidst the great and universal sorrov,
Holy Church. one heavenly voice is h.,s
speaking to all the children OF God sca,ts,f
over the earth, words of consolation and bo, 4
of mercy and pardon. This is the vois \,
Peter, living in his SUCCESSORS, seated tod g
even az in the reign of Nero. on the impsrst
able throne given by the Father to His below
Son, fulfilling the mission that he received I'm,
Christ, to confirm his brethren in the faith. y,
feed the sheep and lambs of Christ's fOct, q
teach truth to the world, to correct the MAI,
and overcoming errors of the human mini
to condemn the wsnderings of pride and hi
passions, SO hurtful to comm unities, and, in dpr
season, to open to SHINING nations those TIA,
in his keeping.
Our glorious Pontif, Plus TX, from his row &
prison, SO visibly protected by the Immacul,at
Virgin and guarded by the Angels Of God M
view of the exaltation Of the Church Milias i
of Jesus Christ on earth, the sanctifcation b
Christian people, and the glory of God, by liz
Encyclical of the cath of last December, a.
dressed TO all Patriarchs, Primates, Arch bishost
and Bishops of the Catholic world, sdesssi
announced and proclaimed . grand gersnl d
Jubilee for the year 1875, and opened the ents 1
celestial treasure acquired by the merits
ferinss and virtues of Jesus Christ our Iml
of the blessed virgin-Mother, and Of all Il,
Saints con6ded to his discretion By the AuthS
of mans salvation.
Already half century has elapsed since 40
other Pontif Of pious and vepersted memory
Leo XII, in 1s25, proclaimed the last year d
Holy Jubilee. OF the faithful who since that
date have grown gray amidst the strifes Of Ih
there remain few who remember the event, srs
fewer still who were old enough to profit by
extraordinary fsvors attached to this e1ceIsi
grace. Among those who now hearken to ths
appeal of PINK TX. few will be the survivors
when lapse of years shall have brought us an
other Jubilee We, therefore, exhort and COD
heart of Jesus, by the love of Him who gaze
Himself voluntarily to death for your saks'T
to receive this grace of God in vain. IL tII
the year Just commenced, which wf4EPsss asE
rapidly, even as swiftly as mans days upNs
earth, is for all year of salvation and an n
oeptable time. So, let the impious change n
life; let the wicked man abjure the bad thoushaf
of his heart; let the just become still more irsi
and let the holy advance still more in holmes
We cannot conceal from you, dearly belova
brethren, that the present epoch is 90 full as .
trou bles that the long history of the Churciis
contest with evil o6ers no parallel. Ihs'
troubles do not consist so much in the hairs
ofirreligion against the Church of Jesus Chris
and the persecution she suffers, as in the M
versatility of this hatred aud persecution. i.
be hated and prosecuted by the world is 81
normal state of the Spouse of Christ. BetWsi
her and Satan, as between light and darkuss
there can be no peace, no compromise. Ih.
the Head of the Church should be capIns,
an exile or a martyr, that, in some parts OF thtl
world her Bishops and faithful priests shOa'
be imprisoned or put to death that rehg0"
orders of men and women should be sent adrH
these facts are not novel enough to excite Ou
establishment. Our Master foretold all thN
They have hated Me first, lie tells ne. and !".
will be hated for My sake; they have psrst
cuted Me, they will persecute you; they VII,
drag you before tribu nails; they will caS'!%
into prison; they will put you to death a"
80 must it be. Antagonism can never ceN
between truth and error, between the gospe'
jesus Christ, which aims at spiritualiziug
whole man, restoring him to pEimeval puFs
and the doctrine of the world, the LIVING"
preston of the gross passions of our fallen
ture; and these passions tend to naterA
even the mind of man. The world has alHE
hated the religion of Jesus Christ, even sol
as to destroy it il possible; the Church y
always resisted thie hatred in order TO q
tighten and save the world. For the Chnf"
of Jesus Christ there can be no lasting pe''
!