The Washington times., 1902-03-10
Cardinal Gibbons Issues
Pastoral Letter to
Clergy.
NAMES DATE FOR CELEBRATION
Low Sunday, April 6, Set
Aside by His Eminence.
A QUARTER CENTURY REIGN
Recalls Liberal Career of Pope, Tells of
( His Many Good Deeds, Pictures His
! Strong Character, Zeal and Piety, and
J Peciles Church Progress.

Cardinal Gibbons has issued pastoral
letter to the clergy Of the diocese in re
latiou to the celebration of the twenty
fifth anniversary of Pope Leo's pontiiieate
The letter was read yesterday in every
Catholic Church OF the Baltimore arch
diocese at all the masses. Il designates
Low Sunday. April s. as the day on which
the auspieious event is to be observed.
The letter is as follows:
Dear Reverend Father: On March
of this year our Holy Father. Pope Leo
XIII. entered upon the twenty-iifth year
of mis- glorious pontificate. And who does
not marvel at the lustre shed upon those
fruitful years by his enlightenment, zeal,
and wisdom? There is no department Of
art. literature, or science that has not
received fresh impetus from his encour-
agement, been advanced by his generos-
fly, enriched by his liberality.
The Borgia apartments in the Vatican,
long years Theoretically sealed. were
thrown open by him, TO the admiration
and delight of all lovers of art.
Vatican Library Open.
''The Vatican library and archives, with
sll their treasures, both literary and his
torioal. have been made accessible by him
to all students of languages and history,
regardless of creed or motive, to facili-
tate the search for truth.
Deeper and broader investigation in
the Scriptures and science have been
urged by him, with special irsistence and
emphasis, and TO this effect have been is
sued encyclicsls, remarkable for loftiness
of thought as well as for the purity and
elegance OF their style.
During those twenty four years his
piety and zeal have been no less con-
spicuous than his enlightenment. Noting
the evils which must necessarily threat
en- both individuals and society from the
prevalence of divorce, he has described
in words that burn the beauty and holi-
ness of Christian marriage, implored his
children never to depart from those sub
lime ideals of the married state which
have been the church's glory during all
the years of her marvellous existence.
In like manner, equally alive to the
dangers that threaten society and Gov
ernments from lack of Christian eduea-
tion and from the existence of communis-
tic and nihilistic organizations, which
recognize no rights. either of God or man,
his far-reaching voice has ever rang out
IN warning and condemnation.
And in the larger sphere of inter
national life, in the affairs Of nations,
his wisdom prudence and foresight have
excited the admiration Of the world, won
for him unstinted encomiums from the
greatest contemporary statesmen. In
troublous times, in national crises, when
the peace and order of powerful nations
have been at stake. appeals have been
made to him for Intervention and a-bi-
tration. And not in vain. His tact.
absolute fairness, his spirit of prudent
conciliation-the principal elements of
his genius-have invested him with a
moral cover, a moral influence, and
moral grandeur not less remarkable than
rare in times like these, when physical
force and enormous wealth play so i'm
portant a part in the worlds progress.
"Hence we admire our reigning
Pontiff for his true greatness, we
venerate him for his piety and zeal. we
love to honor him for his personal holi-
ness.
Pope Loves America
There is, however, one distinctive
trait which especially endears him to
his children in the United States, and
tnat Is the great interest ne mas ever
manifested in US, in our glorious insti-
tutions, in the strength and freedom OF
the church here. Only a very short time
ago he referred in most touching terms
TO the great consolation he derives from
the flock OF Christ in the United States,
and bemOaning, at the same time, the
troubles and disappointments. oc-
casioned him by those children who are
nearer to him, and from whom in graft
tude more might have been expected.
In recognition, then. of our appreci-
alton of our beloved and venerable
Pontiff, shall we not ioyfully unite with
our brethren of the entire Catholic world
in the solemn celebration of this remark
able and almost unprecedented event
his twenty-fifth year in the chair OF
Peter? And in order that our tribute
of yeneration be lacking in no detail,
and that there be uniformity in its OBJ