The Irish standard., 1902-05-24
Message Of Love, Loyalty and Affection to
the Most lllustrious Occupant
of Papal Throne.
In His Reply the Venerable Pontiff SAYS
There is Cause to Rejoice
on the Occasion.

The following address has been sent
by the entire hierarchy of the United
States to his holiness. Pope Leo MIL.
OH the occasion of his pontifcal iubi-
lee. 1t has been published in the crig-
inal Latin text by the Osservatore
Romano in consideration Of the lofty
position which the United States of
America holds among the nations:
Most Holy Father: Let this letter
he an ample testimony of the JOY With
Which we have hailed the auspicious
day which has inaugurated the twen-
ty-fifth year of your pontificate. Fer
as the church of Christ reioiced when
you became pilot of the bark of reter.
so does she rejoice to-day while the
helm is still in your hands, for she
knows that you have always steered a
safe course through the many storms
that have risen OH all sides. Where
fore. Most Holy Father, we. too, your
most obedient sons. rejoice. return
thanks and congratulate YOU on this
truly wonderful event. almost unique
in the history of the long line of pont-
ifs. Every one of us. the bishops of
the United States of North America.
rejoice: and the clergy of both orders.
together with the f1ocks entrusted to
us. share in our gladness. We thank
God for this great gift of His divine
bounty conferred only on YOU and one
or two others of the long line Of the
successors of the blessed Peter. We
congratulate you on having, by all
your labors for the church, brought
glory to God. salvation to the faithful
and won for yourself brighter crown
and one which will never fade.
But we cannot consent to stop at the
expression of these sentiments. For it
is fitting that sons should commemor-
ate fathers glorious and illustrious
of years new splendor to the church of
Christ. Since you have worn the triple
crown you have most worthily fulfilled
your triple function as Vicar of Christ,
the supreme king, master and priest.
For you, wisest of kings, have extend
ed the kingdom of Christ on earth
committed to you, and brought it I'M
scathed through all the assaults that
have been made upon it; you, guardian
most faithful of unity hardening to
the admonition of Christ. have con-
firmed your brethren and have left no
means untried to bring schismatics to
due subjection and heretics to the CEN
ter of Catholic truth: you, illustrious
defender of liberty. have borne aid to
every individual church when racked
with tempests in your supreme desire
to have the public powers recognize
the right of the Catholic religion to be
propagated all over the world: you.
ardent lover of peace. have striven
amain that harmony between pastors
and their f1ocks might. with the help
of God, be maintained safe, tranquil.
undefiled. That zeal for peace which
shines out in you, together with an
equal love for justice, has had such in
fuence on the minds of the most potent
rulers that they have not hesitated to
select you as an arbiter of their rights
and entrusted to your verdict the solu-
ton of disputed questions. And you
have willingly undertaken this noblest
of tasks, and brought it to a happy
termination with marvellous prudence
and to the complete satisfaction of the
contending parties.
Nor have you been unmindful. most
holy father. of that other charge which
has been laid upon you by Him, who,
constituted by God as king over Zion
His holy mountain. was at the same
time the true light that enlighteneth
every man that cometh into this world
for you have done service by teach
ing as well as by ruling: and would
that all those whom you have labored
to instruct in the words of life had lent