Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-02-28
LETTER TO CATHOLICS.
Jubilee Proclamation Issued by Bishc
John j. Monaghan.

John j. Monaghan.
Following Is tho jubilee proclamation
issued to the Catholics of the Diocese
Of Wilmington bS Bishop John j.
Monaghan:
Episcopal Residence, Wilmington, Del.
February 20tb, 1901.
Rev. aud Dear Father:
During my recent visit to the Eternal
City, it was my privilege 10 perform
the exercises prescribed for the jubilee,
and to take cart in the closing oere-
monies of the Holy Year. Great was my
Joy at the announcement made on thu
day following, that the holy father
would extend these privilege3 of the
jubilee 10 the whole Catholic world /;
and now that have returned from my
visit to Rome, | hasten TO publish this
good news to all the people of our dio-
cese. In bis apostolic letter, dated
December 25th, 1900, our holy father,
Pope Leo XIII, has graciously ex-
tended the privileges Of the Jubilee for
a period OF six months from the date
OF PRONUNCIATION in each diocese We,
therefore, proclaim that in the diocese
OF Wilmington, this tims OF grace shall
extend from the first Sunday of Lent,
February Gath, until August oath, of
this year. Tha following words from
the letter OF the holy father will he
heard with deepest interest and graft
tude by our faithful people
The sacred season which we closed
yesterday with the solemnities of
religion was source of JOY to us
while it lasted and will leave many
grateful memories behind it, For
the church's desire and her sole
aim In renewing this celebration
after laps of rs yeBis was to give a
salutary stimulus to mems minds, and
this, with Gnd's help, we have evil
IDENTITY realized. The number OF those
who have with gladness and eagerness
striven to avail themselves of the ex-
traordinsry privileges of gaining the
sacred Indulgence has not been small
1t has run into the hundreds Of thous-
auds and has been made up OF all
Glasses OF society. 1t is beyond all
question that multitudss Of souls have
thus been cleansed by salutary pen
ance and renewed to the life of Chris
tian virtue, and we have every reason
to believe that from this head and
source the Catholic naimo has derived
fresh influx OF faith and devotion all
over the word.
Following the example set by our
predecessors on such occasions, we now
intend to enlarge still further the
hounds of apostolic charity by Offering
more ample opportunity for obtaining
the favors OF heaven. We have deter
mined to throw open TO the faithful in
all parts OF the world during the first
six months of next year that treasury
Of sacred indulgence which mas been
entrusted to us and which has boen put
within the reaoh of the faithful ia
Rene during the last IL months; for
this design will, no think, serve greatly
for the revival OF Christian morality,
for knitting mems hearts more closely
to the Holy See, and for obtaining for
the people at large those other blessings
OF which We spoke at length when we
first proclaimed the great Jubilee. 1t
will also be q fitting dedication for the
opening of the new century, for we
know OF no better way in which man
kind can enter upon the now century
than by ayailing themselves abundantly
Of the merits OF the redemption of
Christ.
We have not the least doubt but that
all the children Of the church will well
come this unusual means of salvation
in the same spirit in which we offer it.
We are sure that our veperable brothers,
the bishops and all the clergy, will,
with their tried vigilance and dill
geneo, duly exert themselves to give
fullest fruiiion to the desires OF all the
faithful.
We do, therefore, by the authority of
Almighty God, of the blessed Apostles
Peter and Paul and by our own, extend
and prorogue for period Of six months
the great jubilee which has lust been
celebrated in the Holy City.
Wherefore, to all the faithful OF
both sexes in all parts Oh the earth, in
clu6ine even those that have come to
Rome during the past year and there
or elsewhere gained the jubilee under
any conditions, We grant and accord
mercifully In the Lord, for once, the
fullest indulgence, remission and par
don of their sins. the annual Paschal
confession and communion being, how
ever, not valid as conditions for gain
ing the jubilee, provided that Within
six months from the date OF the publi-
cation in each diocese of this letter
they visit the Cathedral in the episco-
pal city or the principal church in
other parts of the different d0ceses
together with three other churches in
the same place, as appointed by the
ordinary, either directly or through
his officials, the parish priests or Wears
foian, at least once a day for 15 con-
tinuous or interrupted days, natural
or ecclesiastical 1.-THE ecclesiastical day
being that which commences with the
first vespers OF one day and ends with
the dusk of the day followingl, and
pray devoutly to God for the exaltation
of the Church, the extirpation OF
heresy, the concord OF Catholic princes
and the salvation OF the Christian
people.
In places where there are not four
churches, power is granted in the same
way to the ordinaries to fix smaller
number OF churches, or even one
church, where there is only one, in |
which the faithful may make the full |
number of visits, separate and distinct, |
On the same natural or ecclesiastical |
day in such way that the 60 visits |
be distributed through fifteen con-
tinuous or interrupted days.
In consideration of the special CON
iitions in which certain classes OF /
persons are situated we make the fol-
owing provisions:
l. We grant the ordinares power to
after the said six months return to
their homes or reach some fixed station,
ind there carry out the prescribed Il on
litions, paying 10 visits 10 the cathe-
iral Or the parish or principal church
If their domicile or fixed station, may
gain the same indulgence.
III. We grant the ordinaries power to
dispense from the prescribed visits
Iuns and oblate sisters, as well as girls
md women living in religious COM
nunities; as also anohorites and her.