Evening journal., 1899-04-05
ARCHBISHOP IRELAEDs LETTER
THE FULL TEXT OF HIS CoslAUNI-
CATIoN TO THE POPE.

ClAIllCiN 10 THE POfE.
Copies of the Osservatore Romano,
Coreaining the full text of the letter
,rlat Ardhhishop ireland addressed to
the Pope in acknowledgment of the
iatter's prOnouncemeIt upon "Ameri-
oanism,' have been received in New
York 1t is understood that Arclh-
bishop Irecand's letter was published
at the immedlate instance of the Holy
See. The lester is in French, and the
ful2 translation is as fo.lows:
Most Holy Father: Immediately
ON reading the letter which your BOA-
ness has just addressed to his Emil
nence, Cardinal Gibbons, and to The
c,Sher members of the American epis-
copate, / hasten TO thank your HoM-
ness for this act of esteem and love to-
ward the Catholics Of the United
States, as welr as our entire American
nation.
New Mght has Gomez misunder-
standings are no more. Now we can
even define the errors which certain
ONES have wished to cloak with name
OF 'Americantsm,' and define the truth
which atone Americans call American
ism
Moreover, so clear and precise are
The distinctions and explanations Civ
en- in the Apostolic letter that the dan
ger which was not understood by all
the people OF tine United States-a
danger which / myself l confess, did
believe might arise-'is MO longer pos
sible.
Seeing the astonishing confusion of
ideas and tine subsequent controversies
started, especially in France, about
the book, "Vie due Pere Hecker, the
extent of which can be measured by
the Apostolic leltter, l can no longer
be blind to the fact that it was ne
cessity fer The chief pastor to raise his
voice to enrigIhten and pacify mems
minds.
"Assuredry, with all the strength of
my soul, | repudiate and | condemn
every opinion which the Apostolic let
ter repudiates and condemns, all those
false and dangerous opinions to which,
as the letter says, certain persons give
lhe rame of AmeulCanism.' | repudl-
ate and I condemn Those opinions
withous amy exception, literally, as
your Holiness repudlates and con-
DENNIS them, and l rGpU5late and con-
denim them with all the greater readi-
ness and heartfelt Joy because my
Catholic faith and my understanding
of the teachings and practices Of uhe
Holy Church newer fer a single in
slant psrmlJted me to Opal my soul to
aluch exitravagances. The wIhO.e epis-
oCpate of Tho United States in their
own names and in the names of their
people, are ready to repudiate and con-
! denim those errors. We CannCt but be
Ind gnant that such an injury has been
d9ue us-7tO OUT bishops, to our faith
full people, to cur natiCn-in designat-
ing the word 'Almericanism, as certain
ones have dome, such errors and ex-
ravagances as these.
Most Holy Father, It is the enemies
cf the Church In AGn rica and tae
laiuA.ess Interpreters CT The faith whc
imagine that there exists. or who de-
sire to establish IN tine United States
a Church differing m one iota from the
HClg and Universal Church which
lcther nations recognize, and which
Rome itself infa'lbie guardian of the
revelation Of Jesus Christ, recognizes
or can recognize
begging your Holiness graciously tC
accept Uhis expression of the senHment
Of my love and devotion and to bestON
upon me the favor of the ApOsto,i,
blessing, l have the honor to be y0lu
f1oAness's devoted son,
John Ireland,
Archbishop Of ST. Paul"