The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-04
POPE LEO AND THE IMMACU
LATE CONCEPTION.

fol
On the Feast of the Immaculate Con-
ception of the Blessed Virgin, in 1879.
which was the twenty-ffth anniversary
of the definition of the immaculate
Conception of Mary. our Holy Father
Leo XIII delivered the following beau
tiful address:
ION this very happy day, on which
| is reached the twenty anniversary
of the definition of the Immaculate
Conception of Mary, it is most just
that your souls and TIE souls of all
| the faithful should yield themselves up
to more than usual joy, as the result
of the most cherished remembrance.
| I eS, II Is now twenty-five years since
| our predecessor Plus TX of happy mem
| ory, for whom Providence had reserved
\ the good fortune of adding d most
| beautiful pearl to the crown of the Vir-
gin and of assOciating his own glory
! with the glory of the Mother of God
promulgated in the face of the Catholic
world, which was filled with respect
and enthusiasm, the dOgmatic decree of
the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
! Immediately on it's PRONUNCIATION the
faithful stirred with the most ardent
love for their mother, penetrated with
tenderness at the thought of her great
ness and filed with holy hopes. gave
themselves up then as we'll as in sue
=
splendid celebration Of that remarkable
prerogatfve.
LAS for yourselves. at the approach Of
the first jubilee of that memorable day,
and on the occasion of your fifth pill
grimage to Rome, you manifested in
our presence your purpose and your
desire to celebrate most sOlemnly the
twenty-fifth anniversary of that dog
matte definition, and we-the recOlleC-
ton Of it is one which is pleasant to
recalI-fnding this holy desire quite in
accord with our own wishes, cordially
praised it. and blessed it with all the
earnestness of our heart. ready to open
to the faithful, with the greatest posi-
BILE extension, the heavy treasury of
indulgences. In this happy conjuncture
the bishops of the Catholic world. in
their pastoral zeal, have been sOlicitOuS
to make the devotion of their own
f1ocks an appeal, which has been heard
with such an effect that everywhere
within a brief interval there has been
displayed lively desire, and as it were,
noble rivalry. to honor the stainless
Virgin by the most magnificent demon
STATIONS of religious ferVor. You in
conformity with an excellent inspira-
ton, and putting under the auspices Of
the Blessed Virgin your sixth pilgrim
age, were eager to assemble first near
the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles.
proclaimed before all the world this
wonderful privilege. and then to con-
firm today, by new and solemn pro-
testation, your attachment to the Vicar
of Jesus Christ.
I'm all Italy, or rHher in ali the
world, there is today but one thought
among all true believers and that is
to render homage to the Immaculate
Virgin by exulting her glOries and by
recommending to her the Church and
the visible head that governs it. This
outburst of piety and devotion, so ar
dent, so universal and so unanimous is
a great consolation to us in the midst
of the warfare which is today beinS
waged with so much fury against the
Church, it rouses the hope of a COM
plete triumph over error and over hell.
In truth, the error which pervades,
and almost makes mad the proud spirits
of our times, is that cold and low nat
uralism which has taken possession Of
every stage of life. public and private,
and which substitutes the human rea-
son for the divine, nature for grace.
and despises the Redeemer. Now. the
Virgin, by her Immaculate Conception,
)pportunely recalls to the faithful peo-
81 that by the fall of the first father
DOOR humanity has served. feeble and
infirm as it has been for so many ages,
as toy for error and for the passions:
that through Jesus Christ alone have
come in abundance grace. truth, saliva
ton, life. that without Him there is for
nan neither dignity nor greatness nor
true good. and finally that whoever
-ries to withdraw himself from the
beneficial influence of the Redeemer
remains in darkness, falls into PIT
and goes straight to forecertain ruin.
Further, the Immaculate Conception
reveals to US the secret, and the first
,ause of the great power of Mary over
)ur common enemy, who by the means
If his loyal ministers is carrying on a
,ruel war against the Church. In fact,
aith teaches us that from the begin
ling of the world Mary was destined TO ?
exercise against the demons and their
ace an implacable and eternal hOstll-
ty-inimicitias. ponam inter te ct
nulierem-and that from the first mo-
nent Of her existence she has been
powerful in crushing their naughty
read and ipsa cOnieret caput tuum.
This thought fixes in all hearts the
certainty that once again the final vic
ory will rest with Mary. For you, my
lear children, and with you, for all
people, by the frank profess
ion of your faith, by the exercise Of
works. of virtue, by fervent and con-
tant prayer. by sincere devotion to
he holy Virgin. hasten that desirable
moment when the whole human family
nay again rejoice in the signal bless
ngs of the Redemption Of Christmas
en- the desirable moment when by the
1tercessiOn of the great Mother of God,
he tempests being appeased, the people
hall see the days of prosperity, peace
nd glory shining out again over the
'hurch Meanwhile receive, dear chill
rem, as a pledge of our paternal ar
ection for you. the apostolic benedic-
on. which we give you with all our
carts Benedictio Del, ETC."