Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-20
USEFUL and NEEDFUL.
The Pope Pleads With English People
For Unity Of Faith.
Efforts to Further tho Reunion
Of Christendom.


ROME, April 0-In tho effort to unto
che Anglican and Roman Catholic
churches, tho pope has addressed an ency-
clical to the English people who seek the
Kingdom OF Christ In unity Of filth"
1t opens with an expression of long
cherished desire to address them In u
special letter and thus give the illustrious
English race n token OF sincere affection
Continuing, tho popo says:
I'VE are further moved thereto by not
infrequent conversations with our country
men, who have testified to the kindly feel
ing OF the English toward US personally,
and to their anxiety for peace and eternal
salvation through unity Of faith. God 10
our witness TO how keen our wish ID that
somo effort OF ours might tend to assist
and further the great work OF obtaining
the reunion Of Christcndom."
After citing the evidence OF the love
and care OF the Roman pontiffs for Eng
land from the time OF Gregory the Great,
the pope alludes TO the exertions made by
England TO solve tho social questions, for
religious education, charitable objects, the
strict observance of Sunday and the gen.
eral spirit of respect for the scriptures, and
the various manifestations Of the power
and resources Of the British nation.
The pope declares that mems labors,
whether public or private. will not attain
full efficacy without appeals to God in
prayer and without the divine blessing.
He dwells upon the increasing need Of
unity among those holding the Christian
faith as the means of defense against tho
Inroads Of Modern Errors.
mo thought could be more welcome to
our SOUL" tho popc says, "than that happy
unity of faith and wills for which our Re
deemer and Divine Master prayed In
earnest suppicaton, unity which is
useful ut all times for the temporal in
terests both at home and abroad, shown
by the very divisions and confusions OF
these days TO be moro than ever needfu.
''The time cannot DO far distant when
we must appear to render an account of
our stewardship to the Prince Of Pastors.
How happy and blessed should we be II
we could bring him some proof some real.
ization' Of this, our wishes, which he in
spired and sustained. In these days our
thoughts turn with love and hope tc
the English people. observing as we
do frequent manifest works of divine
grace in their midst; how some Of the
religious confusion and dissension causes
deep concern; how others see clearly
the need OF some sure defense against
the inroad o. fallen nature, which
only too readily humor the wishes
OF fallen nature and depraved rea.
son, and how the number Of religious and
discreet men laboring for reunion in
creases."
The pope turns to all In England, to
whatever community or Institution they
may belong. desiring to recall them to this
holy unity. In this cause he calls first to
his assistance the Catholics of England,
whose faith and plety he knows by expert
ence He invokes Saint Gregory. Saint
Augustine, Saint Peter and Saint George.
and above all the Blessed Virgin, to be his
pleaders before the throne of God that he
may renew the glory of ancient days.
The pope grants to all who piously re-
cite the prayer to the Blessed Virgin ap-
pended to the encyclicai an indulgence Of
9O0days and he moreover grants a plenary
indulgence once a month to those who
reoite 1t daily. The encyclical, which
.abounds in biblical quotations. concludes
by calling the blessing of God upon the
English people.