The Irish standard., 1908-05-16
APOSTOLIC LETTER
OF Plus x. in Commentator Of
the Society For the
Preservation of the Faith
Among Indian Children.

Under date of April 1, 1908, the fol.
lowing autograph letter Of the Holy
Father commending the Society TO,
the Preservation of the Faith among
the Indiars to the Bishops. Clergy and
Faithful CT the United States, and
exhorting all to cooperate in the
great work which that society was
framed t.. promote, was forwarded by
His Emin nee Cardinal Merry del Val
to Cardinal Gibbons OF Baltimore:
To Our Beloved Son James Gibbons.
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church,
Titular of Saint Mary's beyond the
Tiber, Archbishop of Baltimore, and
to all Our other Venerable Brethren,
Archbis' ops and Bishops: this Apos-
tolic Letter concerning the holy un-
dertaking of safeguarding the Faith
among the Indians of the United
States f North America.
Plus X. POPE.
Dearly Beloved Son and Venerable
Brethren, Health and Apostolic Ben
sdiction:
Among the chief glories Of the
Catholics of America must be emu
merated their achievements in spread
ing the Catholic Faith among the peo-
pie of their own nation, and the exam
pie they have set the rest Of the
Catholic world in prompting by their
energy and generosity the cause of
religion and the welfare Of souls.
The knowledge Of this inspires us
with consoling assurance at this par
ticular time when in our solicitude to
protect as effectively as possible and
in the most practical manner the in
terests Of Catholicity among the
American Indians. we have come to
realize tie necessity of arousing our
Catholic people in America to activity
and of st nulating their zeal in behalf
of these their brethren in the Faith.
We realize the many and grave diff
ficulties incidental to the noble work
of prov!! ng for the education of In
dian chi! aren in Catholic schools, and
we are aware how active In the prose-
cution of this work has been the So
ciety for the Preservation Of the
Faith among Indian Children. estab-
lished by you-a society which spares
no effort to protect the Faith of the
Indians against every peril and to
propagate the Faith among the In
dians in every way.
This Society is adapted to the end
for which 1t has been instituted. as it
endeavors to arouse the people to the
Importance of taking an active interest
in the souls of the Indians: as 1t. like
wise, collects a fee from each Of its
members, and thus, besides combining
their efforts. it unites their resources.
and So by defraying the expenses me-
cessitated by the Catholic Indian
Schools, makes it possible to keep up
these institutions.
in cons: Iteration Of what. with duo
encouragement. this Society can ac-
complish for the Development of cit
izenship. for civilization and partic.
ularly for religion. in which the In
dians. deprived of Catholic schools,
will. without doubt, suffer injury, to
say nothing Of the loss Of souls, wo
are convinced that it is incumbent up
on us as duty Of our Apostolic Of
fee to commend this Society to the
bishops, 20 the Clergy and to tic
faithful of the United. States of Amer
ica, to the end that it be established
in every parish.
OF ore thing we feel assured.
namely. that the Indians will not be
deprived Of the blessings of saliva
tion nor yet of the advantages of
Christian education. If the other faith
full children of the Church in America
IetSdEulUS tIelII dS tEplr DTGLQrGn-dll
Christians being members of the one
family o. Christ-and manifesting
their devotion to them, make it a
lont, one and ALL to enroll their
names and contribute their fees as
members of this Society.
IS pledge of heavenly graces and
a token If our benign interest, with
all affection in Our Lord. we impart to
" u, the Bishops and the faithful. and
to your work, the Apostolic Benedic-
tirn.
Given at Rome at ST. Peters, the
third day Of April. 1908, the fifth year
Of our pontif1cate.
Plus X. POPE
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