The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-20
LEO IIIIhS LETTER TO CARDINAL
NINA,

The Toce della Verita of September IS
published an important letter of Leo XIII.
70 Cardinal Nina on ,he 9th of August, a
few days after the latter's appointment to
| the oilice OF PODthcal Secretary of State,
III which His Holiness opens his mind to
| the Cardinal upon some of the most
| important points which ought to be par
| ticnlarly the object of His Eminence's in
| ceesant care. Deploring the prevalence of
| error and the ever-in creasing disorders to
which society is subject, declaring that
| these are caused by the attempted separa-
tion between the Christian body and the
Church, in which only is there virtue to
| remedy existing evile, he states that as
Christ founded His Church to renew the
world, it is easy to infer that if the Church
in times past was able to confer great ben
Cite On mankind, 1t mag, without doubt,
be able to do so now. Guided by these
intentions, His Holiness Informs the Cardi-
nal Of his desire that his voice should be
heard by those who rule the nations, invit-
ing them not to refuse the valid support
which the Church offers; and urged by
Apostolic charity, he appeals also to those
who are not united to him in the bonds of
the Catholic faith. Respecting the nego-
Citations between Germany and the Vatican
the Pope's letter says-"Following the i'm
pulse of our heart, we wrote also to the
powerful Emperor Of the illustrious G%r-
man nation, which, on account of the diff
cult position of the Catholics in that coun-
try, called for our special sclicitude. This
step on our part, solely inspired by the de-
sire to see religious peace restored to Ger
many, was iavorably received by the
Emperor, and had the happy result of
bringing about friendly negotiations, iu
which it was not our intention TO obtain
merely truce, but real solid and dura-
bic peace. The Importance of this object
was justly. estimated by the wisdom of
those in whose hands the destinies of the |
Empire are placed, and will, we feel sure, |
lead them to extend TO us a friendly hand |
to attain it. The Church, without doubt, |
will be happy to see peace restored in |
Germany, but such result will be fortu |
nate also for the Empire, which, with |
Catholic consciences at rest, will find, as
in times past, its most faithful and devoted |
subjects among the sons of the Catholic |
The East has not escaped his paternal |
vigilance. He trusts the grave events |
developing there may prepare better |
future for the interests of religion, to pe-
cure which nothing shall be wanting on
the part of the Apostolic See. But, above |
all, the Pope draws the Cardinal's atten-
ton to the difficult position created for the
Head OF the Church in Italy and in Rome
since it has been despoiled Of its temporal
dominion. He will DOT, he writes, pause to
reflect here that the violation Of the sacred
rlSnls OF tue ApOStOlc oee acN OF the R)-
man Pontif is fatal to tne well being and
of the peoples neither will
he detain the Cardinal by showing that
the Catholics in the different States can
never be tranquil until their chief Pontiff,
the master of their faith and moderator of
their consc!ences, is surrounded by true
liberty and real independence but he can
not refrain from observing that his spirit
ual power, which because of it's Divine
origin should enjoy the fullest liberty, is |
by the actual condition of things 80 i'm
peded that the Government of the Univer-
sal Church has become most difficult to
him. He then cutters at length upon the |
subject of the progress of heresy in the
city of Rome, where with impunity hete-
rodox churches ard schools are being |
opened in large numbers, and considers
the questions as to the issue regarding the |
erequatur and the claims or the King of
l,aiy to the right of presentation to some
dioceses. The Pope concludes by saying |
-"ln ,his deplorabe state of things we
lift our eyes to Heaven and place our trust
in God. We are net unmindful of the
duty imposed upon US by our apostolic
office, aud shall perform it. Fulfil y ours
in like msnuer, and rest always assured
of our support"