, 1876-11-25

In 1864 he pronounced the Qualification
of Mary Alacoquc. but the followers of
the new worship were still unsatistied
until it was made the central principle OF
their whole Church. They agitated, in
sisted. a petition signed by twelve
millions OF names was presented to the
Pope, engrossed in thirty magnificent
volumes. On the 23d of April, 1870, q
decree was issued conseCrating the uni
vclsal Catholic Church to the Sacred
Heart. The act was proclaimed to the
world bya formal edict. On the thirticth
anniversary of the Pope's accession the
faithful are invited to recite the consecra-
ton of the Sacred Heart, and celebrate
the revelation made by the Divine Re-
deemer to the Blessed Marguerite"
The dedication was performed at st.
Peters and the other Roman churches,
and with extraordinary pompin the Gesu,
the official church of the Jesuits, and
thus the worship of Mary Alacoque and
the Sacred Heart is at last cnioined upon
the whole body of the Roman Catholics
by what to them must seem an infalli-
ble command.
But its spirit is an intese hatred for
republiCanism. The Sacred Heart has
become the symbol of a political party
pledged to eXtirpNte heresy, restore the
temporal power of the Pope, bring back
the Bourbons to France 1t is the badge
of war against Germany, and Of death
to the party of progress. 1t teaches the
divine right of monarchy and caste. Said
Captain De Nun, a noted orator Of the
clerical party of 1873: 81 affirm that
the brutal dogma OF human equality is a
lie; dcnounce it as danger. 1t is not
true that the direction of the common
wealth, the exercise Of authority, is not
the lawful privilege, the hereditary pre-
rogative, Of certain classes" The Jesu.
its teach that the question between the
world and the Papal Church must be de-
cided by force. They have their mill
tia of the Pope numerous organi2a-
tion of active adherents. They tampcr
with the French army. Their pupils are
pressed into high military stations. They
sigh for q universal war. But it is
chiefly upon the schools of the Sacred
Heart and other mOnastic seminaries that
they rely to convert the world ana in
every land they claim with fierce resolu-
tion their right to break down every ma.
tonal system of education, and hold all
mankind submissive to the Pope. 1t is
certainly no impulse of humanity, no
want of will, that prevents them from
crushing free thought and free education
every where by the rifle and the sword.
France, it seems, is the chosen land of
the "ChurCh," the patron of the papacy.
All Roman Catholics arc, in q sense,
Frenchmen. The triumphs of France are
the victories Of the "Church." And
hence France has been chosen by the Vir.
gin, with her usual "good TASTE" we are
assured by a French prelate, as the scene
of her modern re.appeamnce on earth.
The miracle OF the Sacred Heart was not
sufficient to touch the slumbering con-
sciences Of Frenchmen; and in the reign
of Louis Philippe and under the Empire
of Napoleon various manifestations of
the Virgin delighted her chosen land. In
one instance she was known as the Lady
of SNlette. In 1916 she appeared near
La Salette to an ignorant and stupid pea.
SAINT boy of eleven years of age and a
girl of fifteen of unusual dullness. 1t
was on wide plain six thousand feet
above the level of the sea, frequented
only by hardy shepherds. The appari
tion descended before the two children
1t was beautiful woman with halo OF
glory, but a sad and touching counter,
ance. She complained that her worship
was neglected, reproved the habit OF
profane swearing among the peasantry
declared that the potato disease was sent
as a punishment of their ofienses, fore,
told war and famine. A certain Father
BGrthier interprets the tale Of the chill.
dren. Each made revelation that was
written down and sent to the Pope. A
sacred spring burst out on the side of the
| plateau. 1t became "new Sinai Great
crowds came to worship on the ouce-des