The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-01
The Pope Sets Aside October IL to
Commemorat the Work
OF Columbus.
Opening Access to the Gospel
In New Lands and Over
New Seas.
Tho Divine Project to Which tho Discoy-
erer OF America Was Subservicnt
and Which He Obeyed.

RoME. July N.-Ths pope has addressed
lengthy letter to the arohbishops and
bishops of Spain, Italy and the two Ameri-
cas- on ths subject of Columbus and his dis
coyefies. sto. He appoints Dot. u, this
year. on tho following Sunday, fit ID op-
portuns. after the Office of the day, for SOL
smn mass OF the holy trinity to be esls-
brated in the cathsdrals and collegiate
churches in order to celebrate worshily and
in manner suitable 30 the truth of the
facts this solemn anniversary. In ths let
ter the pope says: when one considers
with what motive above all Columbus con-
osived his plan of exploring the dark sea,
and with what object he undertook TO re-
alize this plan, one cannot doubt that
the Catholic faith superlntively inspired
the enterprise and its execution. 80 that
by this also humanity is not a little in
debtsd to she church. Tho enliuantly dis
tinct point In Columbus is that. in crossing
the i'm msnse expanss of ocean he followed
an object more grand and elevated than
others. This does not say that he was not
influenced by other desires. bat In reality
his plans. his resolutions profoundly carved
in his heart, were to open access to the
gospel in = new land and new seas.'
The pope cites the fact that in Columbus
pleadinRs with Ferdinand and lsabella he
explained that their glory would increase
to the point Of becoming immortal il they
decided to carry the name and doctrine of
Jesus Christ into such distant regions, and
when. not long after his prayers were
granted he called heaven to witness
that he wished to obtain ftom
God that these sovereigns, au g.
tanned by his help and his mercy, should
persevere in causing the gospel to penetrate
upon new shore and in new lands. The
pope also quotes from Columbus letter to
Raphael Sanchez. after his return, that
Jesus Christ would rejoice in the triumph
upon earth and in heaven for the coming
salvation of innumerable people who were
previously been going to their ruin.
If Columbus also asked Of Ferdinand and
Isabella to permit only Catholic Christians
to 90 to the new world, there to accelerate
trade with the natives, he supports this mo-
tive by the fact that by his enterprise and
effort he had not sought for anythiug
else than glory and the developments OF
Christian religion. The pope says tho en-
tsrpFise go carried out js admir- ably illus
trated by the events of time. In effect
Columbus discovered America about the
period when the great temptest was going
W uuCAhAA AbBcAA against Su0 CuutCus An
asmueh as it is permitted by the course of
events to appreciate the ways of
divile providence it seems this
man was destined by special
plan of God to compensate Catholicism for
the injury it was going to suffer in Europe.
To call the Indian race to Christianity
this was without doubt the mission and
work of the church. She continued to full
fill this work with an uninterruted course
of charity and still continues it, having ad-
vanced herself recently 80 far ~ the ex-
tromities of Patagonia.
In conclusion the pope says: 'Ths mag
nitude of the event. the efficacy and variety
of the benefits which have resulted from it.
tend assuredly to celebrate him who was
author of it by grateful remembrance and
by all sorts of testimonials of honor. But
in the first place We must recognize and
venerate particularly the divine project to
which the discoverer Of the new world was
subservient, and which he knowingly
obeyed.