The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-03
pAsroRAL AND MANDATORY LETTER.
III ost Rev Archbishop Of New Orleans.
For the Lent OF 1878.

| of New Orleans, Assistant At the lontnoal Ahrono'
| Roman Count. Grand Cross Of the Order OF the
Holy Sspulchre, etc
To the Clergy and Faithful of our Diocese Health and
Benediotion in Christ our LORD.
Beloved Fello,c LaborerS and Dear Breth =
rcn-Although the m multiplicity of affairs
which the government of this large diocese
entails upon us scarcely leaves US one
moment of rest, we cannot, on the ere of
this holy time of Lent, in which the Church
in more pressing terms invites us to medi-
tation, prayer and penance, withhold
few words of exhortation to you.
You are all aware that in the secret de-
signs of his most adorable Providence, it
has pleased the Lord to call unto Him the
great and holy Pontiff who, with angelic
wisdom, has governed the Church of God
for space of thirty-two years, and, as
perfect follower of Him whose representa-
tive he was on earth, was the first to prac-
tice the admirable lessons he gave to the
wefld.
We are confident that the illustrious and
glorious Plus the IN, already enjoys the
eternal reward prepared for his long tolls
and most eminent virtues. And although
human opinions, when compared with the
judgments of God, have but little weight,
still it brings consolation to US and gives
glory to the Church to see, that all over
the world, men who have q real sense of
true beauty and grandeur, have united
with us in rendering homage to Plus the
IN whose name will ever remain the high
est expression of all that will have been
pure, noble and great in the nineteenth CEN
tury.
But if the Pope must die like all other
men, the Papacy dies not. And whilst we
| were yet giving expression to our deep
grief, 1t has pleased the Lord, in his mercy,
to suddenly change our sorrow into glad
ness, and, by the election of Leo the XIII,
to vouchsafe unto us worthy successor to
Plus the IX.
Men of little faith troubled themselves
beyond measure in regard to this election,
and their narrow human foresight built
| against it insuperable obstacles. They
were appalled, by the threats of the kings
of the earth and of the princes of the ma
! ,iops boastiug arrogantly that they had
shaken off the yoke of the Lord and of
his Christ. But he that dwelleth in heaven
laughs at the vain designs of men. AT
his pleasure, He curbs their rebellious
wills, and in the hour marked out by His
wisdom, He elbows with what tender solici-
tude He watches over His Church, His
own immaculate Spouse. He has muzzled
the lions, he has chained down the tigers,
and papal elections have seldom been car
ried through with much ease and quiet.
Whatever may be the efforts of the enc
mics of the Church, Leo the XIII is now
and will remain among US, to the time of his
death, the representative and Vicar OF
Jesus Christ, and we hope, that at come
near day, it shall be our joy to raise the tri-
umphant cry "Ticit Leo de STibm Juda'
the lion of the tribe of uda hath conquered
. and like unto the pillar of fire that led the
way of the Israelites in the desert, light fol
the people of God, but darkness for his enc
mies, the Pspacy, ever radiant for the
? faithful, leaving the unbeievers in thei
willful shades, will lead mankind through
the deserts of this earthly life, until thai
blessed day when it will introduce, inst
the abode of glory, to be forever trium
phsnt, with the children of God, Bill thos
who have followed in her foot steps ant
continued faithful to the end.
Before long, Beloved Brethren, we shal
n receive the Ency yclical letter of Leo the MI
# announcing to the bishops of the Catholi
9 world, and through them to all the faithful
: his accession to the Pontifcal throne an
n then it will be our pleasant duty to expres
u publicly our joy and our gratitude toward
: God and prepared before hand, to lov
and revere in the sacred person OF Leo til
. XIII, the Vicar of Christ, we will obey hll
rs we obcycd Plus the IN, with love al
with veucration.
= r. Beloved Brethren, we now turn OF
eyes to more limited sphere, we must giy
thanks to God, the author of al good,
b. seeing that the Catholic movement still go'
y on in this Diocese and that religion has pr,
preased 1t ia a source of great cOnsolat tiC