The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-09
POPE AND THE CATHOLIC PRESS
PONTIFICAL LETTER TO THE
EPIScoPATE or LoMBARDY.

| The following letter in which the
Holy Father sets forth the duties of
the Catholic Press and points out the
dangers to be guarded against was
addressed to His Eminence Cardinal
Ferrari, Archbishop of Milan, and the
Bishops of Lombardy in reply to their
joint letter to His Holiness:
Beloved Son and Venerable Brothers
Health and the Apostolic Benedic-
tion.
How deeply We appreciate your de-
Votion to Us, as manifested in your
joint letter, there is no need for Us
to say. For you are not unaware that
in the heavy grief We feel by reason
of the evils which, as you recall, are
affecting Catholicism, no greater COM
fort could be afforded Us than the
union of our Brothers and Sons; since
the Church has no greater safeguard
than harmony.
AS regards the government of your
Dioceses, on behalf of which you as
sembled as usual at Rho, We have
learned with real pleasure that your
thoughts were chiefly directed to the
source of all these grave evils which
affect the Church today. You under
stand, Beloved Son and Venerable
Brothers, that Our words refer to the
unseemly policy of those Catholics
who, seduced by a vain hope would
have Catholics remain in a certain
inertia, forgetting or not caring suff-
GENTLY for the sacrosanct rights of
religion and of the Apostolic See. The
injury they would thus do to Catholic
life would be altogether too grave
were they not opposed with solicitude
| by the action of the Bishops.
| And how much can be done on be-
half of this action by newspapers and
similar publications as we'll as by
well-constituted associations of Cath
olics is SO evident as not to require
mention. Very rightly have you de-
cided that you must avail yourselves
of their cooperation to give oppor-
tune instruction and advice to the
i faithful and to stimulate them to
healthy ideals.
4 But while We approve this We at
the same time warn you to watch
vigilantly that those who undertake
to write such publications not only
never deviate from the magisterium
of the Church, but on the contrary
be scrupulous in following in all
things the directions of the Apostolic
See. For let every one of you be
convinced of this, that certain news
papers which are in the habit of try
ing to make Catholics believe that
they should. not resent the injuries
done to religion by those who in the
public order destroyed the property
of the Church and curtailed it's liber-
ties; or which have nothing to say
about the iniquitous condition in
which the Apostolic See has been
placed, or have no thought for the
still worse conditions which it's enc
mics are preparing for it; or which
are wont to dilate on the genius and
orthodoxy Of authors whose writings,
when carefully studied, are found to
be full of inaccuracies and most dis
astrous errors; which in fine, by rea-
son of the title of Catholic which
they bear, find easy admission into
the homes, are in the hands of all,
and are freely read by all classes not
excluding ecclesiastics-tha such
newspapers do more to undermine
judgment and discipline among Cath
olics than the very papers which are
openly hostile to the Church.
Concerning Catholic associations
which We desire to see multiply and
flourish in every Diocese, the utmost
diligence, also, is to be used to ensure
that they be perfectly observant of
discipline and that the individual
members of them freely manifest and
defend the Catholic Faith both at
home and abroad.
That all this may be happily real
| lied, as token of heavenly gifts and
proof of Our affection We most low
| ingly i'm the Lord grant the Apostolic
Benediction to all of you, Beloved Son
and Venerable Brothers, and to the
clergy and people entrusted to each
of you.
Given at Rome at st. Peters July
/, 1911, in the eighth year of Our
Pontifcate. Plus PIP. x.