The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-12-26
LETTER FROM ROME.
THE VATICAN.

H THE VATICAN.
brera6er 27.-On Sunday, the 2ist, the Pope
lived a great number of Augustinians and
.hcjscans who attended at the reading of
$rees in the matter of the canonization of
venerable servant of God, Alfonsus de
Eco, a Spanish AugustiLiau, and of two
4 Aciscaps. the Venerable Servants of God,
81 ber Humilis of Bisignano and Father Carlo
sezze.
&tEPTIoN OF THE MARsEILLFs AND BAYoNNE
PILGRIMS.
IN Tuesday, the 23d, the Pope received in
I Sala Ducale about three hundred French
Rims from tho dioceses of Bayonne and
bellies. Addresses to His Holiness were
~ by the Abbe Blancard, Vicar General of
seilles, and by the Rev. p. Loparade, arch
BOT of Ba5onne Cathedral. The Abbe Blan-
"a presented to Plus TX. magnificent silver
~ pedestal of which was inclosed large
a of gold, being the collection of Peters
noe. The Archpriest Loparade laid at the
Sly Fathers feet an album richly bound and
tures of nine thousand Catholics of the Ba-
ene diocese who all had taken part in the
krimage TO our Lady of Lourdes The Pope,
d the conclusion of the reading of the ud-
sses, replied in the following terms:
The severest scourge which God could in
upon His Church would be that of taking
4Ay the energy necessary for sustaining and
Bling the attacks of her enemies, and
HfWlDR nSC 10 BLSnu bOmnOlenf, colo ana re-
bed in the midst of her present misfortunes,
bout spirit to resist errors and refute false
trinee.
Bat, thanks be to God, if this happens in
case of few of her children, it does not
sser with respect to the vast majority, and
Divine promises assure us against tho pos
tity of such an universal falling away.
II yourselves are proof of this assertion,
much as, in imitation of many of your
ntrymen aud of many strangers, you have
pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Peter.
Certain enemies of the Church believed
IS she had lost all vigor, or, as they foolishly
~, had fulfilled her work. and that her time
lae past Bat Jesus Christ, to the confusion
{ his foes, seems to have repeated the words
'hich he pronounced before the resurrection of
azarns: Lazarus our friend sleepeth. but go
pit may Glrdke him out of Sleep 1t is true
at certain torp0r affected the Church, i'm
ding her from comprehending the evils
pich from SO many sides assailed her. Aud,
erefore, the Lord, taking in His hand the
urge, smote the indolent, to arouse them to
etter perception of their danger, to make
m sensible of the gravity of their periious
itlon, and TO incline them to cry out for aid
~ salvation. God has listened to their
yer, and tie fire of faith which lay hidden
half-stihed> has been revived within their
ms. But the storm is not yet over. The
ds' Peace, be still, pace. obnutesce,' to be
ten to the winds and sea, have not yet been
anoupced by God. Notwithstanding, the
|F4f4AC Ual N hOab6 OOmlD8nG over the blllOwS
aSh her, and the omnipotent hand of God
gradually reconduct her to the haven of
quility.
Like to the mystic bark recorded in the
pei was that bark which once, in the early
OF Christianity, held within her bosom q
OF saints, and which, through hatred to
Christian faith, was abandoned to the
cy OF the waves, without sails, without
pt, without pilot. But the path of those
BITS over the waters was guided by the band
.iOd HimaAlf who UiRhad tn 1aad 70 10
arus, Magdalene, Martha, and other chosen
9, destined to evangelize yeur ancestors,
70 carry the most precious gift of faith,
70 your ancestors only. bat to you also,
now enjoy the fruit of the grain of mus
SEED then sown by those saints who were
ed TO your shores by Heaven seed which
ow increased and multiplied, not merely in
numbers OF the faithful, but also in the
ks OF charity. May God look down on
se works with favoring glance, and may
Most Holy Mary, the appointed guardian
our city, intercede for you, for your clergy,
ior all your people, and gain for you those
ices OF which you have 90 much need.
And as at Marseilles the holy family o!
Larus planted the Cross, and spread wide
faith, so at Bayonne the blood of tho mar.
St. Leo enriched your country, and caused
Pyrenees to re-eeho to the prayers uttered
your forefathers. Wondrous are the dis
satlons of God, who has always so ordered
nat certain of his heroic servants should
AnstTuments in His hands for culEivatine
enIaFging the vineyard which His owI
u u hand had planted.
Aour st. Leo was martyred outside the city
and in our days our enemies perhaps
utu practise some similar impiety by driving
tne ministers of the sanctuary, and by
~ sng them not only outside the gates, but
em Sstn further away, and depriving them oi
seiu6Hry lnnuence. And If the eXecutione
uoS nov Drought forward to cut Of%heiI
aos. yet many and many are the profaners o.
Catholic religion who come forth with
sai sans commission, to disturb the heads of in
ious youths In order to detach them from
use them much greater harm than the kill
This is what happens in Rome, where &C
-; Eellgious families, both of men aud o.
--S"I espoused unto Jesus Christ, have beer