The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-06-17
THE HOLY FATHER AND THE GERMAN
PILGRIMS.

On Thursday, May 18th, the German pill
grims, to the number of one Thousand, were
received in the Sala Dncale. Nearly twenty
Cardinals were present. The Princess Of
Thurn and Tsxis, the Archbishop of Cologne
Bishop Won Ketteler, etc were amongst the
pilgrims. Addresses were read in Latin by the
Archbishop Of Cologne and by the Baron Won
Loe. Many rich offerings were then presented
to the Holy Father, who afterwards made o
peech in italian, which he delivered with
great force and feeling. 1t was as follows:
Most dear and beloved children, you are well
aware that moral malades and infrmities at
tack nations we'll as individuals, and that
over both the hand OF God is outstretched to
bring them the opportune remedies for their
cure
Your nation, my beloved, was at other
times s I'll cted by grave moral maladies, known
to all the world, and which yoWyourselves de-
test. But when God sees a nation to be in
Tested by these evils. He cannot refrain from
IMPLYING the necessary remedies, and He Mt
ters His voice. Sometimes He speaks in soft
accents which penetrate the heart. And
when this proves insufficient He speaks with a
! voice like the furious north wind.
"In our times 1 have heard honest and good
Prussian Catholics say that there was need of
some to arouse the people too much
abandoned to sioth. In fact God has raised
His arm and has employed soourge as He
employed one many centuries ago. He then
employed an Attila to waken the nations. To-
day with a new Attila He has awakened the
noble nation of Germany.
"This modern Attila, who thought to destroy
has on the contrary built up. This modern
Attila, who wished by all means to Gee the re-
ligIou of Jesus Christ disappear from the face
of. the earLh has r.-invgorated the faith in
your PERSONS Your chief pastors have fear
lessIy repeated that which st. Boniface assert
ed centuries ago in the presence of an Episco-
pal College. We are not dumb dogs said the
sainh, let us fight for the lord: We are in
troubled times let die need be for the holy lG,cs
of our fathers We wish to sustain the rights
of God and the Hoy See. Behold us, there
fore, ready to undergo any sentence, to bear
any penalty, but firm revertbeless in the OBJ
servance of our duties. And for this cause
Bishops haze been deposed, imprisoned, and
exiled and lsymen likewise have been in
carcerRred, men devoted 10 the Catholic reli-
the hate and shameful rage of persons in power.
"But the Church, as have on other occa-
sioDs said, is founded on n rock which fears
ruin. Sometimes this rock gets soiied and
stained, but tins fury of the winds and the
fearful impetus OF the waves cleanse those por-
tions of the rock where it is needful that the
spots should disappear, but the rock itself
rests all the while firm and unmoved. And SO
the Church remains firm, thus rendering her
self deservipg of new and fruitful benedictiops
from her Divine Founder. And thus, my
friends, it has happened among you, to the
consolation of my soul and OF your pastors,
and 10 the editcation of the whole world.
May God bless you, and grant to you that
grace " hich is the crown of all the other
Rracse, namely, final peIsey erauce. This gift
God grants to all who ask it in the proper
mode. This gift l heartily desire for you, in
order that by perseveripg you may be ever, as
now you are, good aud faithful Catholics,
cultvating faith in your hearts, and working
with your hands works of charity, that your
faith may ever live and shine like the light in
the face of the world"