The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-15
BRIEF OF TIE holy FATAER
TO THE coNeREss OF GERMAN CATHOLICS Al
MUNICH.
IN. Y. Freem an's Journal,

IN Y freeman . Journal)
Beloved Sous, Health and 4postoIic RensJietioa
That which most consoles nr, Beloved Sous Is
that faith which ffnds in prosecutions a certain
encouragement for the disei Piles Of jesus Christ,
to HON He bas himself SAID: AS they per-
Becute Me so also will thew persecnte Won
Assaults and mockeries, instead Of shaking
you, tend rather to strengthen you in the de-
fence of religion. The bly, you are now
inaugurat'ng is proof of it, because you come
together with no other object than to arrange
the means OF soothing the sufferings nd oted
upon the bfut, and of avertipg greater evils
without violating the Obedioncu due to law
But there Is conviction on WHOM are based
the courage aud noble sentiments which ae
company you in The undertaking of this IN auIt
TASK IL Is that society, Is II exists DO saved
only by expiration. Tne IDEA of satisfying
Divine Justice mus, therefore, have bseu the
incentive to your task IL tire Mi let of all tho
d ftculries, the care, the ffirts, aud the sacri
hceS Jou have made to bttHg you 20 this good
end.
We congratulate YOU on TIE truly eminent
CHARITY - hich animares your iuteutioIi, bt cause
II Ia III ii ,ction that We recognize our brother
and that charity which does not seek its own,
bat which suffers every hing, hopes every thing,
bears everything, aud shines most brightly
when it Offers Itself to be- sacriiced for others.
Indeed, present events are becoming more
grave, and TIE afa crops Which C Ill for aid and
counsel are daily becoming heavier aud more
numerous.
Tue task would be much easier to perform,
and its results would be far more EN- cacious il
give us the CO operation of their convictions
and of the principles they couf-ss, as yon do,
who are so aIdently attached TO the doctrine
and sentiments Of this See of 8, Peter But
macy seek their qualification i'll tho goods of
this world; hence it is that they too often
court the favor of the powerful, for fear of
their anger and opposition, without thinking
for An Instant that the friendship OF this world
ID 30 much the enemy of God that any one who
persists in ad herring to this worldly friendship
becomes likewise al enemy of God.
And although they see with their own eyes
that there is now waged, go To speak, warfare
between life aDd death, between truth and
error, between right and might, they, never
theless, make the most strenuous Efforts to re-
GOOGLE such contradictory thugs, Us if there
could be Anything in common between light
and darkness.
AS as this class of men detect in the
enemies of the Church, wearod after q long
and sterile struggle, the slightest symptoms OF
q desire for compromises. they get up, urged
by the prudence Of the flesh; they take issne
with real Catholic com oatauts characterize their
Efforts as imprudence, and impose silence upon
tn GIN, 30 that there may be no obstacle to the
ia Use peace they so ardently seek for. Even when
they could inform themselves by the very na-
still refase to that the words of the enemies
OF the Church are poisoned arrows although
they may appear smoother than oil, an they
forget thai by this mode of acting they lend
th cir aid to and leagues themselves with those
W ho hate the Lord.
We can imagine nothing more dangerous,
and more pernicions, than this race of men who
e1teriorly affecting an appearances OF honesty
and piety, interiorly divide and weaken the
strength of she Church, increase the audscity
of her enemies, and invOluntarily excite them
to still more violent enmity against the true
children of the Church.
If you can exert any Influence over them,
lose no time In making them fully understand
how much harm they do the Church, what
crime they commit against religion, against
their country, and against their own salvation,
so that they NAV see the truth and retrRCe
their evil ways. II you make any Roadway in
his extremely difficult undertaking, it will be
far more important than all you can accom-
plish by your other labors, however necessary
and useful they may appear. As God, who
holds in His hands the minds and hearts Of
men, can alone bring your laborious efforts to
q successful issue, We most heartily recon-
mend you to Him. We implore for you His
light and His all powerful assistance, and We
;heerfully be stow upon each and every one Of
you, Beloved Sons, an earnest of these |
gifts, and as an evidence of our pa |
,ernal good will our Apostolic Benedction.
Given at Rome, near st. Peters, on the 4th |
If August, 1876, and of our Pontifcate, the |
list. PIUs TX. PoPR.