The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-11-21
Pope Plus Message to the Catholic
CONGRESS.

| BY letter dated Sept. ), 1908, his en-
inence Cardinal Merry del Val informed
me that his holiness, Pope Plus X, has
commissioned me to present, in his
name, to the first American missionary
congress and to the Catholic Church Ex-
| tension society his congratulations and
at the same time to impart his apostolic
benediction TO the congress- to the Cath
Ole Church Extension society, and to all
the friends and benefactors of this great
movement.
| This duty, laid upon me by the SOW
ereign pontiff, is indee dan agreeable
one. Since that marvellous day upon
which Christ Jesus babe his disciples:
go forth unto the uttermost bounds Of
the earth to carry the message of saliva
ton and to announce the kingdom of
God, 1T has been the singular preroga-
tive of our holy church to bless and
send her children on the selfsame or
rand.
In every age our holy church has
armed her soldiers. not indeed with
might and power, but with the sign Of
the cross and the gift of faith. To no
chosen people has she sent her mission
aries, but to every race under heaven.
She sent them into Rome and Greece
in the days of old, when the pride of life
tant Asia, where life was the measure
of ease and comfort: she sent them into
the northern wilds and Businesses. where
life was blood an dwar. Those heroes
of God conquered, OF the Roman they
made the saint and strengthened the
martyr; of the slothful they made the
very athlete of God" of your own
northern forefathers they made the
messengers of grace. who stopped not
at the course of rivers. nor halted at
the mountain ranges. but FASTENED on
to carry the good tidings of great joy.
And so in this fair land of America
where the pioneer priests and mission
aries made of the savage the lilly of
the Mohawk" the same divine energy
has been felt, and we find its glorious
result in this first American missionary
congress assembled here in Chicago to-
day under the auspices of the Catholic
Chuch Extension society. Like the Pen
tecostal fire, it has come as a mighty
wind, and, thanks to our God it has
found noble and ready response. Cler-
Sy and laity, here united in true fra
ternal and Christian spirit, all are filed
with the same ambition, to spread our
holy church, to enlarge the bounds of
the kingdom of God, and to bring the
tidings of joy TO our scattered brethren.
as well as to the stranger without the
gate.
We feel that God has indeed blessed
the Catholic Church Extension society
for this great undertaking, and we pray
that the spirit of love and faith maybe
carried by the members of the society
throughout the length and breadth of
the land, so that America. in its youth
fun life and vigor, may take up the bat
tie of the cross and win untold thou
sands of souls in Christ Jesus.
Our holy father, Pope Plus Y. has
purposed to himself to restore all things
in Christ, and the Catholic Church En-
tension society is nobly assisting him in
this chosen work He therefore looks
upon this first American missionary
congress with paternal love. For this
reason. as well as to give you a pledge
of his high consideration, he has COM
missioned me to convey to this mission
airy congress and to the Church Exten-
sion society his congratulations. and at
the same time he has authorized me, as
his personal representative, to impart
TO you his apostolic benediction.
May the Spirit which energized Peter,
the first vicar of Christ, and which still
abides with his successor, Plus. remain
with you forever.
Yours in Xto., D. FALCONIO,
Archbishop Of Larissa, Apostolic Dele
gate.