Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-31

sion to America. After touching on the
planting of the hierarchy IN this country
and to the growth of the great Republic,
the matter of the relations of church and
State are alluded TO. The encyclical says
1.-THE main factor. no doubt, in bringing
things into this happy state. werethe ordi-
nances and DEGREES of your synods, espec-
tally of those which in more recent times
were convened and confirmed by the au-
thority of the Apostolic See. But, more
over Ia fact which it gives pleasure to
acknowledge, thanks are due to the. equity
of the laws which obtain in America ana
to the customs of the well ordered republic:
For the church amongst you. unopposed
by the Constitution and government of
your nation. fettered by no hostile legisla-
ton, protected against violence by the
common laws and the impartiality OF the
tribunals, is free to live and act without
hindrance. Yet, though all this is true, it
would be very erroneous to draw the con-
cusion that in America is to be sought the
type of the most desirable status OF the
church; or that IL would be universally
lawful or expedient for State and church
to be, as in America, discovered and d.
vorced. The fact that Catholicity with
you is in good condition, nay, is even en-
joying prosperous growth. shy all means
to be attributed to the fecundity with |
which God has endowed His church, in
virtue of,ahich, unless men or circum-
stances interfere, she spontaneously eS-
pands and propagutes herself, but she |
would bring forth more abundant fruits |
if, in addition to liberty, she enjoyed the
favor of the laws and the patronage OF the
public authority"
After referring to the establishment of
the University OF Washington and TO the
church as a conservator of learning, the
Plenary Council of Baltimore is spoken OF.
THE love which we cherish towards the
Catholics of your nation moved us, like
| wise to turn our attention, at the very
beginning of our pontiiicate, to the convo-
cation of Third Plenary Council of Bal
timere. Subsequently, when the arch
| bishops, at our invitation, had come to
Rome, we diligently inquired from them
| what they deemed most conducive to the
common good. We finally, and after ma
ture deliberation, ratified by apostolic
authority the DEGREES of the prelates as
sembled at Baltimore. In truth, the event
has proven. and still proves, that the DE;
crees Of Baltimore were salutary and
timely in the extreme. Experience has
demonstrated their power for the mainte-
nance of discipline; for stimulating the
intelligence and zeal of the clergy; for de-
Tending and developing the Catholic edu-
cation of youth. Wherefore, venerable
brethren, if we make acknowledgment of
your activity in these matters II we laud
your tirmness, tempered with prudence,
we but pay tribute due to your merit, for
we are fully sensible that so great a har
vest of blessings could by no means have
SO swiftly ripened to maturity had you not
exerted yourselves, each to the utmost Of
his ability, sedulously and faithfully to
carry into effect the statutes you had wisely
framed at Baltimore.
but when the Council of Baltimore had
concluded its labors, the duty still re-
manned of putting, so to speak, proper
and becoming crown upon the work.
TlaAVas
in more fitting manner than through the
due establishment by the Apostolic See of
, an American legation. Accordingly, as
/ YOU are well aware, we have done this; by
which action, as we have elsewhere intl-
, mated, we have wished, first of all, to
certify that in our Judgment and affection
. America occupies the same place and
rights as other States, be they ever SC
mighty and imperial. In addition to this,
, we had in mind to draw more closely the
, bends of duty and friendship which con.
I meet you and so many thousands OF
. Catholics with the Apostolic See.
"ln fact, the mass OF the Catholics
understand how salutary our action was
destined to be; they saw. moreover, that il
! accorded with the usage and policy of the
q Apostolic See. For 1t has been. from
/ earliest antiquity, the custom of til,
! Roman Pontiffs, in the exercise of the
: divinely-bestowsd gift of the primacy ir
= | the administration Oh Iil6 SuuTCu Ol OuTlSl
v to send forth legates to Christian nation'
!. and peoples. And they did this not by al
n adventitious, but an inherent right"
4 The functions of the Papal Legate art
2 commented on as follows:
r For "the Roman Pontiff, upon whom
v Christ has conferred ordinary and inme
{ diate jurisdiction as well over all and sin
gular the churches as over all and singula
It pastors and faithful" (Con. Vat. Sess
a w. c. 81
n "Since he cannot personally visit th,
= different regions and thus exercise the pas
"a toral office over the flock entrusted Il
NJ him, finds it necessary from time to time
in the discharge of the ministry impose
N on him, to dispatch legates into dfferen
is parts of the world, according as the nee
es arises, who supplying his place, may col
Id rect errors, make the rough ways plain
and administer to the people coniided t
their care increased means of salvation.
+. Gap. I'm. Extrav. Comm. De Consuet. l. l.
Upon the subject OF the authority of TIL
IN bishops the Pope says:
But how unjust and baseless would
er the suspicion, should it anywhere exist
ed that the powers conferred on the legat
u are an obstacle to the authority of tn
&c bishops. Sacred to us (more than to an
~ other5 are the rights of those whom th
II Holy Ghost has placed as bishops to rul
the Church of Cod That these righ
el should remain intact in every nation, i
er every part of the globe, We both desire an
he ought to desire, the more SO since the dil
he nifty of the individual bishop is by natui
N so interviewer with the dignity of tn
tn Roman Pontif that any measure whic
ID. benefits the one necessarily protects tt
st, other. My honor is the honor of tt
pit universal church. My honor is the unin
us paired vigor Of my brethren. Then am
he truly honored when to each one due hone
NJ is not denied" Is. Gregorius, Epst. a
lis Eulog, Alex. lib. VIII, ep. 3o.)
Therefore, since it is the office ar
OF function of an apostolic legate, with wha
W. soeyer powers he may be vested, to execu
nd the mandates and interpret the will OF Il
he PontiH who sends him. far from his bell
'as of any detriment to the ordinary power
NJ the bishops. he will rather bring an acct
he sion OF stability and strength. His authori
will possess no slight weight for preservil
be in the multitude submissive spirit;
I'll, the clergy, discipline and due reveren
ar for the bishops. and in the bishops, mutu
exc charity ana an intimate union of sou
lal And since this union, so salutary and {
sirable, consists mainly in harmony
thought and action, he will, no doul
use bring it to pass that each one of you sh
eve persevere in the diligent administration
use his diocesan affairs that one shall n
impede another in matters of goyernmel
a., that one shall not pry into the couns
az and conduct of another; finally, that. Wi
disagreements eradicated and mutt
esteem maintained, Won may all wo
Ons together, with combined energies, to p
vim mote tho GLORY of the American chtir
an and the general welfare. 1t is difficult
estimate the good results which will II
ing from this concord of the bishops. 9
. OF own people will receive editicatior, a
eet, the force of example will have its eff
on those without, who will be persuat