, 1879-03-23

VIC make to you, beloved children. is one to wnicl
of his Holiness Plus IN of glorious memory,
We laid before yor, ON four different occasions, tt
Temporal necessities of tue Holy See, aud you nl
ways responded most generously We feel certain.
therefore, that the appeal We now make for tint
rci:nins Pou1E, Leo NIL. will receive from yor
like liberal response.
The dignity md Independence Of the lIol,
Father are to us, his children OF exceeding gEcat
Importance: and thai dignity and independence
nr. what the enemies OF the Church not onl,
strlye to weaken, bur- II possible to entirei,
| The Holy See is the rock on which the Church is
founded. It bears the same relation to the Church
that the keystone dnes to the arch. The keystone
Is necessary not only for The soldty, but for thu
very existence, OF the arch Without the Keystone
the til arch wopd not only b. imperfect out would
dust. With This keystone all is strength, order,
and sodty in the Church. N'ithoutit, the Church
w9vla 10 be imoerfees a,S it would perish
reflect on. the absolute necessity OF tho Holy See
for our sanctiAcaton and salvation. and the MINER
ons blessings and benefits which aow TO US from its
III their purity ss and nesrty it IT. fosms :asA the M
r1el I'd o .xs a h m fs c!h cS;a1ony @ F ssss
is true, what it condemns Is false. ltnevcr ceases
to teach md always teaches the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. as 1t is n God
for the gates OF hell sha never prevail against It,.
Without it would have no full possession or irn
hold on the truths Ut the faith aud without faith
{and OF Course the true faith is nleant e Apostle
says. it is inluossn. to please God. F:,1u SAVE te
Holy Council os Trent, II the beginning OF the sal
vntion OF men the foundation and root of all jnsi-
icatlon Without falth therefore. no Justification
without fait. therefore, no salvation; aud with
out the Holy See without the Pope, We Gun have no
fa,tll.
Through the Holy SEE we receive the Sacraments
WHICH our Divine SAVIOR instituted as tic caanies
Of grace. The Holy See selects our Bishops and
authorizes their conservation Without such au-
tnorlz.ton Tint consecration would be uuluy{u
HiIfTrn4 h11 ntaH s,rtfn
priests Through the ministry OF the priesthood we
receive the lffe-giying sacramen1s. The priest
baptizes the infant; he f0rsyes sins in the 81
cramcnt OF penance he nourishes aouls with tho
bread OF ausels he celebrates the holy sacrifice Of
the mass for the living and the dead: he olesses
the marriage tie; he consoles the living, and with
the sacrament Of extreme JUNCTION, pEeparcs tue
dying for their ast struggle md GnA victory. And
for a these blessings we must thank the Holy See
for to 1t was given the charge OF feeding NIT only
the lambs, but also the stesp,-thut is the whole
flock: botn pastors and people.
From the Holy See comes the power Of dispens-
Ing. when necessary, FROM the impediments wisely
Instituted by the Church for the purity OF the fnlni-
ly anu tue Integrity OF the marriage contract. and
without such uispensation the marriage would be
invalid. The Holy See enrchcs us from the holy
treasure Of ndugcnccs the use OF which. says the
Council of Trent, is exceedingly profitable Chris
tian people. In short, beloved children. without
the Holy See We could do nothing as Catholics; we
could not live supernatural life. Now God, who
founded the Church. protects and preserves the
Holy Sec, aud will do SO until the end OF tile world.
love it, viii not suy TOO much. but enough. The
proof of love is not in words, but works. How iul-
purtant, them is It not for us to show lore BY
securing 10 the Hol: See as far as in us lies the
free uud unrestraued exercise of its mission Of
mercy Ills Eminence Cardinal Nina, in one Of his
circulars. says: .'The Holy See cannot, as it
should, exist and perform it's beneiicent mission
throughout the world without the generous assist
ance Of the faithful
Heretofore We have not been wanting. Neither
will we be found wanting in this day Of dunger
undr W.. will hest IN 4nf.1 1rt.f
independent action OF the Holy Father. and thus
dlssipate destroy the persistent efforts Ut Inc
insiulous enemies OF God aud the Holy See. The
secret societies. with TINT !nant cuunn. they
inherit from the spirit Of evil and the enemy Of
God and religion, have tried TO d.y up the fountain
of pious Catholic liberay and they have par.,allg
succeeded in making the Impression. even on some
good Catholics, tnat Plus lA.. Of blessed memory.
left such an immense sum In the Pontical treasury
to make contributions for the Present TO Peters
Pence unnecessary. Our Holy Father, Pope Leo
Kill, In letter to the 'llustrious Bishop OF Or
lcaus in France, gives us taa fact, as it exists.
and the motive for action on our part, when he
says, with REGARD to Peters Pence: 'Tne enemies
Of the Church have used every afthce to cause lhls
1t is the worK Of supreme Importance, without
which there would be, for the Holy See, neither
liberty nor dignity, nor any assured means OF ex-
ercisins its divine ministry
These are the words OF the Holy Father himself
Are they not enough, beloved children, to invite
and gnin your generous support to this collection?
You will thus aid Ill securing to the Holy Father
liberty, dignity, and the means OF efficiently full
ling his divine mission. Our common FatAer
makes AL appeal to Ills children for help. Let
then. az the Holy Spirit tells us, Honor our
Father in word mud work md all patience, that
blessing may CONE on US dr4m Him. and HIS bless
ing may remain until our litter end" Ecclesias-
Aud the peace Of God, which surpasseth all un-
dcrstandlng, keep your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus. Amen. TANKS FREDERIC,
Archbishop Of Philadelphia.