The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-01
THE POPR's LETTER ON COLUMBUS
Praises the Holy Motives of the Dis
coverer OF America.

c0verer OF America.
ROME, July 31.-The pope has addressed
lengthy letter to the archblshops and
bishops of Spain, Italy and the two Amer
icas on the subject of Christopher Column
bus and his discoveries, etc. He appoints
that on October II of this year, or on the
following Sunday, if it is oppor tune, after
the offices of the day solemn mass of the
Holy Trinity be celebrated in the cathe-
drals and collegiate churches, in order to
celebrate worthily and in a manner suit
able to the truth of the facts SO solemn an
anniversary. In the letter the pope says,
when one considers with what motive
above all Columbus undertook the
plan of exploring the dark sea
and with what object he endeavored to
characterize this plan, one cannot doubt
that Catholic faith superlatively inspired
the enterprise and its execution, so that
by this also humanity is not little in
debt to the church. 1t is eminentiy a
distinct point in Columbus that in cross
ing the immense expanse of ocean. he fol-
lowed an object more grand and elevated
than the others. This does not say that
he was not influenced by other desires. but
that in reality his plan and his resolutions,
profoundly carved in his heart, were to
open access to the Gospel a new land and
i'll new seas.
The pope cites the fact that in Column
bus pleadings with Ferdinand and Isa-
bella he explained that his glory would
increase to the point of becoming immor
tai if they decided to carry the name and
doctrine of Jesus Christ into such distant
regions, and when not long after his pray
L Al
he wished to obtain from God that these
sovereigns, sustained by his help and his
mercy, should persevere in causing the
Gospel to penetrate upon new shores and
in new lands. The pope also quoted from
Columbus letter to Raphael Fanchez after
his return that Jesus Christ would rejoice
in the triumph upon earth and in
heaven for the coming salvation of in
Vulnerable people who previously had
been going to their ruin. Ii Columbus had
also asked ferdinand and Isabella to per-
NIT only Catholic Christians to go to the
new world, there to accelerate trade with
natives, he supports this motive by the
fact that by his enterprise and efforts he
has not sought for anything else
than the glory and development
of the Christian religion. The pope says
the enterprise so carried out is admirably
illustrated by the events of time. In effect
Columbus discovered America about the
period when a great tempest was going to
unchain itself against the church. Inas-
much as it is permitted US by the course of
events to appreciate the ways of divine
providence, it seems that this man was
destined by special plan of God to COM
pensate 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
fulfill this work with an uninterrupted
course of charity, and still continues.
In conclusion, the pope says the magni-
tude of the event and the efficacy and va
riety of the benefits which have resulted
from it tend assuredly to celebrate the
memory of him who was the author of il,
by grateful remembrance and by all sorts
of testimonials of honor, but in the first
place We must recognize and venerate the
particularly divine project to which the
discoverer of the new world was snbserv-
lent and which he knowingly obeyed.