The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-20
UNITY OF. FAITH.
Necessary to Secure Peace
rs and Salvation.
The Pope Tells OF Roman Pontiffs'
Love and Care for England.

LONDON, April 2o.-The papal cneyclical
In regard to the union Of the Anglican
and Roman Catholic churches, published
here to-day, is addressed to the English
people who sock the kingdom Of Christ In
unity OF faith"
1t opens with an expression Of long
cherished desire to address them in a
special letter and thus give the illustrious
English race a token OF sincere affection.
Continuing, the pope says:
I'VE arc 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 is
our witness TO how keen our wish is that
some effort OF ours might tend TO assist
and further the great work of obtaining
the reunion Of Christendom."
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 slludes TO the exertions mnde by
England TO solve the 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.
Power Of Prayer.
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 tho increasing need OF
unity among those holding the Christian
faith as the means of defense against the
inroads of modern errors.
"No thought could be more welcome to
our soul, the pope says, than that happy
unity of faith and wills for which our Re
deemer and Divine Master prayed in
earnest supplication, a unity which Is
useful at all times for the temporal in
forests both at home and abroad, shown
by the very divisions and COMMISSIONS OF
these days To be more than ever needful.
The time cannot be 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 to
the English people, observing as we
do frequent manifest works of divine
religious confusion and dissenslon causes
deep concern; bow others SEQ 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."
Catholics First
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
pleadcrs before the throne of God that he
may renew the glory OF ancient days
The popo grants 20 all who piously re-
ci the prayer to the Blessed Virgin ap-
pended TO the-encyclicnl an indulgence OF
300days, and he moreover grants n plen ary
Indulgence onco a month to those who
recite 1t daily. The encyclical, which
abounds in biblical quotations, concludes
by calling the blessing Of God upon the
English people.