The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-19
FIRST ENCYCLlCAl LETTER
P OPE LEO XIII.
IFrom the Liverpoo, Catholic Times /

ltroIn tue Liverpool Catho!lc Times.
On the night of Easter Sunday, at very
late hour, his Holiness held private congre
CATION Of many of the principal cardinals-a
thing go extraordinary as congregation on
Easter Sunday teipg before unheard of. From
this it became evident that the ENJOY olical let
ter would be published in very few days.
Cardinal Bilio has been q constant visitor both
early and late at the Vatican since that date,
from which we can discover the great esteem
in which the author OF the Syllabus is held by
the present Pore.
On Thursday morning, April 25th. the Ency-
clical appeared. The Toce della Terita wss the
first to publish it, ard notwithstanding it's be-
ing in Latin, it was eagerly sought after The
following is literal translation
Encyclical Letter Of has Holiness Leo NIL, By
Drine Providence Pope TO all the Patridrchs
Prinlates, Arch6ishops and Bishops Of the
Catholic World pho hare Grace and Communion
tCith the apostolic See.
ve1erable brethren, health and Apostolic
benediction-Scarcely were We. through the
hidden couusels of God, though unworthy,
raised to the summit of Apostolic dignity,
when we felt the most lively desire, and almost
necessity, of turning TO you, not only to make
you scqu ain ted with our jnmost feelings but
ALSO in accordance with the Divine flee given
to US, to animate you. who are called at
desire, to sustain with us the daily struggle
for the Church of God and the salvation of
souls.
From the very frat Days of our Pontifcate
has the sad spectacle Of the evils which from
every part sfH.ct the human race, been before
our eyes this universal overthrow of the
principles upon which, as foundation, social
life is built; the stubborness of those insubor.
dinate to every legitimate subsection the con-
tinual rising of discords, from which spring in
testine strife and most cruel and bloody wars
the disregard of every law of morality and
Justice the Unsuitable desire of perishable
nyN6 tNn st
even to furious madness, which causes often
times 30 many nnfortunates their death iu-
considerate administration, dissipation, and
bad use of common su ubstance, as also the i'm
prudence of those who with per6dious deceit
wish to be believed defenders of their oou ntry
Ii berty, and every right SO unfortunate a state
OF things that it creeps into the very fbres of
human society, and there sets up q revelation
that threatens to bring it to fearful catas-
trophe.
The principal cause of such evils rests, we
are convinced, in the scorn and disdain of that
most holy and august authority of the Church.
" Whlch relgns, in the name of God, as judge of
the whole human race, and every legitimate
power. And thus, our enemies knowing fully
we'll, 90 not use means more effcacious 10 de-
stroy her foundation than constantly to assail
the Church of God and with injurious calum-
MES to place her in derision, as though she
opposed true civilization weakening her
every day, with new wounds of authority, to
overthrow the supreme power of the Roman
Pontif, guard and vindicator, here on earth, of
all eternal and hangeable principles of mo-
rality and justice. From which have origin |
the Oppressive laws of the constitution of the |
Catholic Church, which, with the greatest
'orrov, We see published in many states from |
which the despite of episcopal authority and |
the exercise of the ecclesiastcAl ministry; the |
dispersion of religious families, the confisca- |
ton of the goods destined for the maintenance |
If the ministers of the Church and the poor, |
The emancipation of public institutions of |
charity and benefcence cousecrRted by the |
jhurch for this purpose the unbridled liberty |
u public teaching and the press, while in |
'very way they trsmple upon and crush the |
lights which the Church has to the instruction
md education of the young.
Nor had they other in view than the unsur-
patton of the civil power which Divine Prov
dence has granted for so many centuries to
he Roman Pontiff that he might the more
RELY exercise without let or hndrance the
'oWer conferred upon him by Christ for the
ternal salvation of men.
We have desired, therefore, venerable breth-
en-, positively to point out TO you this luHu-
'rions' mass of evils, not that it may augment
n you the sadness which this mournful condi-
ion of things infuses in your minds, but
ather that you may be we'll mindful to what
revious an end have arrived those things |
which ought to be the Object of our ministry
nd OF our zeal, and what care it becomes ne
esSary for us to adopt to defend and pro-
cot the Church of Christ and the digoity of
he Roman PontihcRte, assSiled, especially in
hese calamitous times, with unworthy calum.
les.
1t is certain, venerable brethren, that true
utilization is wantiD in it's solid basis if it is
ot founded upon the eternal principles of
ruth, and the unchangeable laws of rectitude
nd justice, or if q sincere charity does not
ind together the hearts Of all, that they may
xecute their respective offices in peace. Now,
rho will dare to deny that it is the Church
rho carried the Gospel into all nations, Rnd
he light of truth in the midst of the moat
Vn,s-r -FA aNa k1r1s4-